Statistical Rethinking (2024 Edition)
Instructor: Richard McElreath Lectures: Uploaded and pre-recorded, two per week Discussion: Online (Zoom), Fridays 3pm-4pm Central European (Berlin) Time This course teaches data analysis, but it focuses on scientific models. The unfortunate truth about data is that nothing much can be done with it, until we say what caused it. We will prioritize conceptual, causal […]
SICP: The only computer science book worth reading twice? (2010)
I was talking to one of my students earlier, and lent him a book to read over summer. It was only after he’d left that I realised that — for me at any rate — the book I’d given him is probably the most seminal work in the whole of computer science, and certainly the […]
Ask HN: What open source projects need help?
Let’s match open source projects that need help with developers looking to contribute. Think of this as “Who’s Hiring” but for open source – a monthly thread to surface interesting projects that could use more hands. Please include: Project name and description (if not widely known); Tech stack; Areas needing help (DOCS, CODE, DESIGN, etc.); […]
M4 Macs can’t virtualise older macOS
If you’ve already got a new M4 Mac and tried to run a macOS virtual machine on it, then you might have been disappointed. It seems that M4 chips can’t virtualise any version of macOS before 13.4 Ventura. So before you trade in or pass on your M1, M2 or M3 Mac, if you need […]
A Case Against the Placebo Effect
by a literal banana Introductory summary: The current scientific consensus is that the placebo effect is a real healing effect operating through belief and suggestion. The evidence does not support this. In clinical trials of treatments, outcomes in placebo and no-treatment arms are similar, distinguishable only in tiny differences on self-report measures. Placebo-focused researchers using […]
Show HN: I built a(nother) house optimized for LAN parties
About Us Whose house is this? We are Kenton Varda and Jade Wang. We’ve been married since 2014. This is our house, where we live with our two kids, in Austin, Texas. Kenton is a software engineer. He: Jade is an entrepreneur. She: Who designed and built it? The lead architect was Richard Varda, Kenton’s […]
Thoughtworks Technology Radar Oct 2024 – From Coding Assistance to AI Evolution
Thoughtworks recently published their Technology Radar Volume 31, providing an opinionated guide to the current technology landscape. As per the Technology Radar, Generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) dominate, with a focus on their responsible use in software development. AI-powered coding tools are evolving, necessitating a balance between AI assistance and human expertise. Rust […]
YC is wrong about LLMs for chip design
YC recently released their latest Request for Startups, and one specific item has already been getting some buzz in chip design communities. It’s exciting that an organization as high-profile as YC is taking chip design more seriously… or at least it’s exciting until you actually start reading what their proposal is. Unfortunately, YC seems to […]
DuckDB Optimizers: The Low-Key MVP
Tom Ebergen2024-11-14 TL;DR: The query optimizer is an important part of any analytical database system as it provides considerable performance improvements compared to hand-optimized queries, even as the state of your data changes. Optimizers don’t often give “main character” energy in the database community. Databases are usually popular because of their performance, ease of integration, […]
Show HN: Android Dev Quest – A puzzle game solvable only using developer tools
👋Hi, Android developer! Android Dev Quest is an interactive puzzle game that will challenge you to think creatively and push yourself to new levels. You’ll solve unique riddles and overcome obstacles using a variety of developer tools. The journey starts simple, but as the challenges evolve, you’ll need persistence and ingenuity to succeed. Expect to […]