Hacker News Reader

vtsrhon How a first crack cocaine offense led to a life sentence

And removed from the first page down to 978th position.

https://news.ycombinator.com/news?p=33

Don't tell me this was caused by user flags, because it clearly wasn't.

Edit: It is completely gone now.

I got the impression that the person wasn't insured.

Having glanced over some of the ( 14000+ ) comments, I haven't found any that would suggest otherwise. I really wish someone would clarify this.

vtsrhon Want a better pitch? Watch Elon Musk’s presentation for the Tesla Powerwall

I was genuinely interested in the topic and clicked on the link. I was met with an interface that was alien to me, as if someone went out of their way to make it unusable and semi-broken. Browsers have an established UI with a scroll bar, yet people constantly find new ways to break it.

Check this page out: http://resonate.duarte.com/#!page226

Using a scroll bar to fix the decision to not use the scroll bar as the main navigation tool. ( And the page is torn unless the window has the correct width. )

vtsrhon Solving Every Sudoku Puzzle (2006)

I find it rather disappointing that it still takes on the order of 10^2 milliseconds to solve the hardest sudokus.

This was tested with my own algorithm and one supposedly fast found online. I will revise my code, but I doubt I will improve the speed.

vtsrhon PCG, A Family of Better Random Number Generators

How do you build dieharder on windows? I guess you just don't...

vtsrhon PCG, A Family of Better Random Number Generators

It passed for me. Where did you get the diehard test? If you compiled it directly from http://www.stat.fsu.edu/pub/diehard/ then it is because that source is broken.

vtsrhon PCG, A Family of Better Random Number Generators

This is great, but everything so far is overly positive. Can we get some negative criticism as well. Anyone qualified?

vtsrhon PCG, A Family of Better Random Number Generators

Speaker mentions[0] that it is possible to get a different statistically random value every time you run the program, without any input to the program, apparently by using some tricks, but she refuses to elaborate for the camera. Can anyone explain how that works?

Has this something to do with address space randomization?

[0]:https://youtu.be/45Oet5qjlms?t=1h3m3s

vtsrhon Re: C as used/implemented in practice

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9885478

Looks like you hit an infinite loop. Better luck next time.

vtsrhon Re: C as used/implemented in practice

Use it for new code. Libraries are written too.

vtsrhon Re: C as used/implemented in practice

Keep the old code, instead just start using it for new one.

vtsrhon The Electric Car

Tesla Superchargers are not the solution for this, as they are simply not designed for such use. They were built to help with long range destinations.

There are cases where users, (ab)using them as you do, got a request to reduce their usage. I guess you didn't trigger any flags.

vtsrhon Re: C as used/implemented in practice

Well the solution is simple:

  return (x+0U)<<16 | (y+0U);

Would it be insane to have a inline library for every arithmetic operation, that would handle such cases and offer addition optional functionality?

vtsrhon No Man’s Sky

If I start using the phrase "let's define this" before starting an argument, people usually start to stare.

I think it could be done online since there is no strict text limit and it helps with understanding.

Will try it next time.

vtsrhon Two more Flash 0-days emerge in Hacking Team leak

The good part is that this removes the same vulnerability for everyone.

vtsrhon No Man’s Sky

If you are a computer then they are in-fact unique, since every hash has a different value. But that in not what is the definition of unique for humans. Since we are humans talking in English, then we have to agree on some definitions:

Unique - 1. existing as the only one or as the sole example; single; solitary in type or characteristics: a unique copy of an ancient manuscript. 2. having no like or equal; unparalleled; incomparable: Bach was unique in his handling of counterpoint. 3. limited in occurrence to a given class, situation, or area: a species unique to Australia. 4. limited to a single outcome or result; without alternative possibilities: Certain types of problems have unique solutions. 5. not typical; unusual: She has a very unique smile.

By those definitions, their planets are not unique. If your definition of unique differs from those established by the language we are using, then you have to specify this.

vtsrhon No Man’s Sky

I was talking about having unique planets. I never said they don't have some large-number of them.

vtsrhon No Man’s Sky

This shows that their universe generation is simple. They cannot generate gas giants with moons, that would in fact be solid.

vtsrhon No Man’s Sky

Till now, I have seen about 10 different planets, from various trailers and presentations.

Clearly the game doesn't have 18*10^18 unique planets, since this is impossible. The problem this game has is, does it have enough variance in its planet generation, so that the average player will not notice a pattern.

The planets I have seen all looked mostly the same, with slightly different color schemes and animals made from generic pre-built parts. Unless the devs are only showing a couple of percent of the game, getting the 10 random samples from the game, all of which show a very similar planet is almost impossible.

vtsrhon In-Place Merge Sort Demystified

The article doesn't really explain merge sort, but only merging two sorted arrays.

vtsrhon The Mill CPU Architecture – The Compiler [video]

They haven't promised a product, so calling it vapor-ware is unwarranted. So far they have delivered as much as they have promised.

vtsrhon The Mill CPU Architecture – The Compiler [video]

It is a start-up.

They just got their patents up last year, demanding working hardware seems unreasonable and they have working machines simulated in software.