The best Hacker News stories from Show from the past week
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Show HN: Llama 3.1 70B on a single RTX 3090 via NVMe-to-GPU bypassing the CPU
Hi everyone, I'm kinda involved in some retrogaming and with some experiments I ran into the following question: "It would be possible to run transformer models bypassing the cpu/ram, connecting the gpu to the nvme?"<p>This is the result of that question itself and some weekend vibecoding (it has the linked library repository in the readme as well), it seems to work, even on consumer gpus, it should work better on professional ones tho
Show HN: Llama 3.1 70B on a single RTX 3090 via NVMe-to-GPU bypassing the CPU
Hi everyone, I'm kinda involved in some retrogaming and with some experiments I ran into the following question: "It would be possible to run transformer models bypassing the cpu/ram, connecting the gpu to the nvme?"<p>This is the result of that question itself and some weekend vibecoding (it has the linked library repository in the readme as well), it seems to work, even on consumer gpus, it should work better on professional ones tho
Show HN: A native macOS client for Hacker News, built with SwiftUI
Hey HN! I built a native macOS desktop client for Hacker News and I'm open-sourcing it under the MIT license.<p>GitHub: <a href="https://github.com/IronsideXXVI/Hacker-News" rel="nofollow">https://github.com/IronsideXXVI/Hacker-News</a><p>Download (signed & notarized DMG, macOS 14.0+): <a href="https://github.com/IronsideXXVI/Hacker-News/releases" rel="nofollow">https://github.com/IronsideXXVI/Hacker-News/releases</a><p>Screenshots: <a href="https://github.com/IronsideXXVI/Hacker-News#screenshots" rel="nofollow">https://github.com/IronsideXXVI/Hacker-News#screenshots</a><p>I spend a lot of time reading HN — I wanted something that felt like a proper Mac app: a sidebar for browsing stories, an integrated reader for articles, and comment threading — all in one window. Essentially, I wanted HN to feel like a first-class citizen on macOS, not a website I visit.<p>What it does:<p>- Split-view layout — stories in a sidebar on the left, articles and comments on the right, using the standard macOS NavigationSplitView pattern.<p>- Built-in ad blocking — a precompiled WKContentRuleList blocks 14 major ad networks (DoubleClick, Google Syndication, Criteo, Taboola, Outbrain, Amazon ads, etc.) right in the WebKit layer. No extensions needed. Toggleable in settings.<p>- Pop-up blocking — kills window.open() calls. Also toggleable.<p>- HN account login — full authentication flow (login, account creation, password reset). Session is stored in the macOS Keychain, and cookies are injected into the WebView so you can upvote, comment, and submit stories while staying logged in.<p>- Bookmarks — save stories locally for offline access. Persisted with Codable serialization, searchable and filterable independently.<p>- Search and filtering — powered by the Algolia HN API. Filter by content type (All, Ask, Show, Jobs, Comments), date range (Today, Past Week, Past Month, All Time), and sort by hot or recent.<p>- Scroll progress indicator — a small orange bar at the top tracks your reading progress via JavaScript-to-native messaging.<p>- Auto-updates via Sparkle with EdDSA-signed updates served from GitHub Pages.<p>- Dark mode — respects system appearance with CSS and meta tag injection.<p>Tech details for the curious:<p>The whole app is ~2,050 lines of Swift across 16 files. It uses the modern @Observable macro (not the old ObservableObject/Published pattern), structured concurrency with async/await and withThrowingTaskGroup for concurrent batch fetching, and SwiftUI throughout — no UIKit/AppKit bridges except for the WKWebView wrapper via NSViewRepresentable.<p>Two APIs power the data: the official HN Firebase API for individual item/user fetches, and the Algolia Search API for feeds, filtering, and search. The Algolia API is surprisingly powerful for this — it lets you do date-range filtering, pagination, and full-text search that the Firebase API doesn't support.<p>CI/CD:<p>The release pipeline is a single GitHub Actions workflow (467 lines) that handles the full macOS distribution story: build and archive, code sign with Developer ID, notarize with Apple (with a 5-retry staple loop for ticket propagation delays), create a custom DMG with AppleScript-driven icon positioning, sign and notarize the DMG, generate an EdDSA Sparkle signature, create a GitHub Release, and deploy an updated appcast.xml to GitHub Pages.<p>Getting macOS code signing and notarization working in CI was honestly the hardest part of this project. If anyone is distributing a macOS app outside the App Store via GitHub Actions, I'm happy to answer questions — the workflow is fully open source.<p>The entire project is MIT licensed. PRs and issues welcome: <a href="https://github.com/IronsideXXVI/Hacker-News" rel="nofollow">https://github.com/IronsideXXVI/Hacker-News</a><p>I'd love feedback — especially on features you'd want to see. Some ideas I'm considering: keyboard-driven navigation (j/k to move between stories), a reader mode that strips articles down to text, and notification support for replies to your comments.
Show HN: Micasa – track your house from the terminal
micasa is a terminal UI that helps you track home stuff, in a single SQLite file. No cloud, no
account, no subscription. Backup with cp.<p>I built it because I was tired of losing track of everything in notes apps, and "I'll remember
that"s. When do I need to clean the dishwasher filter? What's the best quote for a complete
overhaul of the backyard. Oops, found some mold behind the trim, need to address that ASAP. That
sort of stuff.<p>Another reason I made micasa was to build a (hopefully useful) low-stakes personal project where
the code was written entirely by AI. I still review the code and click the merge button, but 99%
of the programming was done with an agent.<p>Here are some things I think make it worth checking out:<p>- Vim-style modal UI. Nav mode to browse, edit mode to change. Multicolumn sort, fuzzy-jump to
columns, pin-and-filter rows, hide columns you don't need, drill into related records (like
quotes for a project). Much of the spirit of the design and some of the actual design choices
is and are inspired by VisiData. You should check that out too.
- Local LLM chat. Definitely a gimmick, but I am trying preempt "Yeah, but does it AI?"-style
conversations. This is an optional feature and you can simply pretend it doesn't exist. All
features work without it.
- Single-file SQLite-based architecture. Document attachments (manuals, receipts, photos) are
stored as BLOBs in the same SQLite database. One file is the whole app state. If you think
this won't scale, you're right. It's pretty damn easy to work with though.
- Pure Go, zero CGO. Built on Charmbracelet for the TUI and GORM + go-sqlite for the database.
Charm makes pretty nice TUIs, and this was my first time using it.<p>Try it with sample data:
go install github.com/cpcloud/micasa/cmd/micasa@latest && micasa --demo<p>If you're insane you can also run micasa --demo --years 1000 to generate 1000 years worth of
demo data. Not sure what house would last that long, but hey, you do you.
Show HN: I wrote a technical history book on Lisp
The book page links to a blog post that explains how I got about it (and
has a link to sample content), but the TL&DR is that I could not find
a lot of books that were on "our" history _and_ were larded with technical
details. So I set about writing one, and some five years later I'm happy
to share the result. I think it's one of the few "computer history" books that has tons of code, but correct me if I'm wrong (I wrote this both to tell a story and to learn :-)).<p>My favorite languages are Smalltalk and Lisp, but as an Emacs user, I've been
using the latter for much longer and for my current projects, Common Lisp is a better fit, so I call myself "a Lisp-er" these days. If people like what I did,
I do have plans to write some more (but probably only after I retire, writing next to a full-time job is heard). Maybe on Smalltalk, maybe on computer networks - two topics close to my heart.<p>And a shout-out to Dick Gabriel, he contributed some great personal memories about the man who started it all, John McCarthy.
Show HN: AsteroidOS 2.0 – Nobody asked, we shipped anyway
Hi HN,
After roughly 8 years of silently rolling 1.1 nightlies, we finally tagged a proper stable 2.0 release.
We built this because wrist-sized Linux is genuinely fun to hack on, and because a handful of us think it's worth keeping capable hardware alive long after manufacturers move on. Smartwatches don't really get old — the silicon is basically the same as it was a decade ago. We just keep making it useful for us.<p>No usage stats, no tracking, no illusions of mass adoption. The only real signal we get is the occasional person who appears in our Matrix chat going "hey, it booted on my watch from 2014 and now it's usable again" — and that's plenty.<p>Privacy is non-negotiable: zero telemetry, no cloud, full local control. Longevity is the other half: we refuse to let good hardware become e-waste just because support ended.
On the learning side, it's been one of the best playgrounds: instant feedback on your wrist makes QML/Qt, JavaScript watchfaces and embedded Linux feel tangible. The community is small and kind — perfect for people who want to learn open-source dev without gatekeeping.<p>Technically we're still pragmatic: libhybris + older kernels on most devices since it just works, but we've already mainlined rinato (Samsung Gear 2) and sparrow (ASUS ZenWatch 2) — rinato even boots with a usable UI. That's the direction we're pushing toward.<p>Repo: <a href="https://github.com/AsteroidOS" rel="nofollow">https://github.com/AsteroidOS</a>
Install images & docs: <a href="https://asteroidos.org" rel="nofollow">https://asteroidos.org</a>
2.0 demo video : <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6FiQz0yACc" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6FiQz0yACc</a>
Announcement post: <a href="https://asteroidos.org/news/2-0-release/" rel="nofollow">https://asteroidos.org/news/2-0-release/</a><p>Questions, port requests, mentoring offers, criticism, weird ideas — all welcome. We do this because shaping a tiny, open wearable UX and infrastructure is oddly satisfying, and because Linux on the wrist still feels like a playground worth playing in.<p>Cheers, the AsteroidOS Team
Show HN: Free alternative to Wispr Flow, Superwhisper, and Monologue
Show HN: Jemini – Gemini for the Epstein Files
Related: <i>Show HN: JeffTube</i> - <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47030797">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47030797</a>
Show HN: Microgpt is a GPT you can visualize in the browser
very much inspired by karpathy's microgpt of the same name. it's (by default) a 4000 param GPT/LLM/NN that learns to generate names. this is sorta an educational tool in that you can visualize the activations as they pass through the network, and click on things to get an explanation of them.
Show HN: Knock-Knock.net – Visualizing the bots knocking on my server's door
Show HN: Knock-Knock.net – Visualizing the bots knocking on my server's door
Show HN: Sameshi – a ~1200 Elo chess engine that fits within 2KB
I made a chess engine today, and made it fit within 2KB.
I used a variant of MinMax called Negamax, with alpha beta pruning. For the board representation I have used a 120-cell "mailbox". I managed to squeeze in checkmate/stalemate in there, after trimming out some edge cases.<p>I am a great fan of demoscene (computer art subculture) since middle school, and hence it was a ritual i had to perform.<p>For estimating the Elo, I measured 240 automated games against Stockfish Elo levels (1320 to 1600) under fixed depth-5 and some constrained rules, using equal color distribution.<p>Then converted pooled win/draw/loss scores to Elo through some standard logistic formula with binomial 95% confidence interval.
Show HN: I spent 3 years reverse-engineering a 40 yo stock market sim from 1986
Hello my name is Ben Ward for the past 3 years I have been remastering the financial game Wall Street Raider created by Michael Jenkins originally on DOS in 1986.<p>It has been a rough journey but I finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. I just recently redid the website and thought maybe the full story of how this project came to be would interest you all. Thank you for reading.
Show HN: Data Engineering Book – An open source, community-driven guide
Hi HN! I'm currently a Master's student at USTC (University of Science and Technology of China). I've been diving deep into Data Engineering, especially in the context of Large Language Models (LLMs).<p>The Problem:
I found that learning resources for modern data engineering are often fragmented and scattered across hundreds of medium articles or disjointed tutorials. It's hard to piece everything together into a coherent system.<p>The Solution:
I decided to open-source my learning notes and build them into a structured book. My goal is to help developers fast-track their learning curve.<p>Key Features:<p>LLM-Centric: Focuses on data pipelines specifically designed for LLM training and RAG systems.<p>Scenario-Based: Instead of just listing tools, I compare different methods/architectures based on specific business scenarios (e.g., "When to use Vector DB vs. Keyword Search").<p>Hands-on Projects: Includes full code for real-world implementations, not just "Hello World" examples.<p>This is a work in progress, and I'm treating it as "Book-as-Code". I would love to hear your feedback on the roadmap or any "anti-patterns" I might have included!<p>Check it out:<p>Online: <a href="https://datascale-ai.github.io/data_engineering_book/" rel="nofollow">https://datascale-ai.github.io/data_engineering_book/</a><p>GitHub: <a href="https://github.com/datascale-ai/data_engineering_book" rel="nofollow">https://github.com/datascale-ai/data_engineering_book</a>
Show HN: AI agents play SimCity through a REST API
This is a weekend project that spiraled out of control. I was originally trying to get Claude to play a ROM of the SNES SimCity. I struggled with it and that led me to Micropolis (the open-sourced SimCity engine) and was able to get it to work by bolting on an API.<p>The weekend hack turned into a headless city simulation platform where anyone can get an API key (no signup) and have their AI agent play mayor. The simulation runs the real Micropolis engine inside Cloudflare Durable Objects, one per city. Every city is public and browsable on the site.<p>LLMs are awful at the spatial stuff, which sort of makes it extra fun as you try to control them when they scatter buildings randomly and struggle with power lines and roads. A little like dealing with a toddler.<p>There's a full REST API and an MCP server, so you can point Claude Code or Cursor at it directly. You can usually get agents building in seconds.<p>Website: <a href="https://hallucinatingsplines.com" rel="nofollow">https://hallucinatingsplines.com</a><p>API docs: <a href="https://hallucinatingsplines.com/docs" rel="nofollow">https://hallucinatingsplines.com/docs</a><p>GitHub: <a href="https://github.com/andrewedunn/hallucinating-splines" rel="nofollow">https://github.com/andrewedunn/hallucinating-splines</a><p>Future ideas: Let multiple agents play a single city and see how they step all over each other, or a "conquest mode" where you can earn points and spawn disasters on other cities.
Show HN: I built a macOS tool for network engineers – it's called NetViews
Hi HN — I’m the developer of NetViews, a macOS utility I built because I wanted better visibility into what was actually happening on my wired and wireless networks.<p>I live in the CLI, but for discovery and ongoing monitoring, I kept bouncing between tools, terminals, and mental context switches. I wanted something faster and more visual, without losing technical depth — so I built a GUI that brings my favorite diagnostics together in one place.<p>About three months ago, I shared an early version here and got a ton of great feedback. I listened: a new name (it was PingStalker), a longer trial, and a lot of new features. Today I’m excited to share NetViews 2.3.<p>NetViews started because I wanted to know if something on the network was scanning my machine. Once I had that, I wanted quick access to core details—external IP, Wi-Fi data, and local topology. Then I wanted more: fast, reliable scans using ARP tables and ICMP.<p>As a Wi-Fi engineer, I couldn’t stop there. I kept adding ways to surface what’s actually going on behind the scenes.<p>Discovery & Scanning:
* ARP, ICMP, mDNS, and DNS discovery to enumerate every device on your subnet (IP, MAC, vendor, open ports).
* Fast scans using ARP tables first, then ICMP, to avoid the usual “nmap wait”.<p>Wireless Visibility:
* Detailed Wi-Fi connection performance and signal data.
* Visual and audible tools to quickly locate the access point you’re associated with.<p>Monitoring & Timelines:
* Connection and ping timelines over 1, 2, 4, or 8 hours.
* Continuous “live ping” monitoring to visualize latency spikes, packet loss, and reconnects.<p>Low-level Traffic (but only what matters):
* Live capture of DHCP, ARP, 802.1X, LLDP/CDP, ICMP, and off-subnet chatter.
* mDNS decoded into human-readable output (this took months of deep dives).<p>Under the hood, it’s written in Swift. It uses low-level BSD sockets for ICMP and ARP, Apple’s Network framework for interface enumeration, and selectively wraps existing command-line tools where they’re still the best option. The focus has been on speed and low overhead.<p>I’d love feedback from anyone who builds or uses network diagnostic tools:
- Does this fill a gap you’ve personally hit on macOS?
- Are there better approaches to scan speed or event visualization that you’ve used?
- What diagnostics do you still find yourself dropping to the CLI for?<p>Details and screenshots: <a href="https://netviews.app" rel="nofollow">https://netviews.app</a>
There’s a free trial and paid licenses; I’m funding development directly rather than ads or subscriptions. Licenses include free upgrades.<p>Happy to answer any technical questions about the implementation, Swift APIs, or macOS permission model.
Show HN: Algorithmically finding the longest line of sight on Earth
We're Tom and Ryan and we teamed up to build an algorithm with Rust and SIMD to exhaustively search for the longest line of sight on the planet. We can confirm that a previously speculated view between Pik Dankova in Kyrgyzstan and the Hindu Kush in China is indeed the longest, at 530km.<p>We go into all the details at <a href="https://alltheviews.world" rel="nofollow">https://alltheviews.world</a><p>And there's an interactive map with over 1 billion longest lines, covering the whole world at <a href="https://map.alltheviews.world" rel="nofollow">https://map.alltheviews.world</a> Just click on any point and it'll load its longest line of sight.<p>Some of you may remember Tom's post[1] from a few months ago about how to efficiently pack visibility tiles for computing the entire planet. Well now it's done. The compute run itself took 100s of AMD Turin cores, 100s of GBs of RAM, a few TBs of disk and 2 days of constant runtime on multiple machines.<p>If you are interested in the technical details, Ryan and I have written extensively about the algorithm and pipeline that got us here:<p>* Tom's blog post: <a href="https://tombh.co.uk/longest-line-of-sight" rel="nofollow">https://tombh.co.uk/longest-line-of-sight</a><p>* Ryan's technical breakdown: <a href="https://ryan.berge.rs/posts/total-viewshed-algorithm" rel="nofollow">https://ryan.berge.rs/posts/total-viewshed-algorithm</a><p>This was a labor of love and we hope it inspires you both technically and naturally, to get you out seeing some of these vast views for yourselves!<p>1. <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45485227">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45485227</a>
Show HN: It took 4 years to sell my startup. I wrote a book about it
Show HN: I created a Mars colony RPG based on Kim Stanley Robinson’s Mars books
I built a desktop Mars colony survival game called Underhill, in homage to Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy. Land on Mars, build solar panels and greenhouses, and try not to pass out during dust storms. Eventually your colonists split into factions: Greens who want to terraform and Reds who want to preserve Mars.<p>There’s Chill Mode for players that just want to build & hang, and Conflict Mode that introduces the Red v. Green factions. Reds sabotage, the terrain slowly turns green as the world gets more terraformed.<p>Feedback welcome, especially on performance and gameplay!
Show HN: I created a Mars colony RPG based on Kim Stanley Robinson’s Mars books
I built a desktop Mars colony survival game called Underhill, in homage to Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy. Land on Mars, build solar panels and greenhouses, and try not to pass out during dust storms. Eventually your colonists split into factions: Greens who want to terraform and Reds who want to preserve Mars.<p>There’s Chill Mode for players that just want to build & hang, and Conflict Mode that introduces the Red v. Green factions. Reds sabotage, the terrain slowly turns green as the world gets more terraformed.<p>Feedback welcome, especially on performance and gameplay!