Hacker News Reader

Prompting

> Let's make a timeline chart of https://www.githubstatus.com/history for the past 1yr and upload it as a gist

yields [GitHub Status Incident Timeline — Feb 2025 to Feb 2026](https://htmlpreview.github.io/?https://gist.githubuserconten...)

219 total incidents across 12 full months, averaging 18.3/month. January 2026 was the worst month, and August 2025 was the calmest.

bckmnon I Want You to Understand Chicago

It's all really happening. Pretty much every meeting with friends touches on what their recent sightings or stories of ICE terror have been. Everyone who hasn't seen it first hand has a second hand story.

Absolutely everyone I talk to is against ICE's actions and that is the thing giving me hope that it will be defeated by the citizenry.

bckmnon Two things LLM coding agents are still bad at

I think asking your questions in that form is akin to "sorting prompts" that I learned about from https://mikecaulfield.substack.com/p/is-the-llm-response-wro... and I have been using successfully when when writing code (e.g. [as a Claude code slash command](https://www.joshbeckman.org/notes/936274709)).

Essentially, you're asking the LLM to do research and categorize/evaluate that research instead of just giving you an answer. The "work" of accessing, summarizing, and valuing the research yields a more accurate result.

bckmnon Ask HN: What programming podcasts or newsletters do you follow?

[Accidental Tech Podcast](https://atp.fm/) has been valuable to me for years.

bckmnon The Whispering Earring

Not that story specifically, but maybe a modern reinterpretation of it was [this episode of Rick and Morty](https://rickandmorty.fandom.com/wiki/Death_Crystal).

bckmnon The Cost of Human-Centric Tools in LLM Workflows

In exploring `gh` CLI extensions recently I found at least 2 devoted to being a better PR review interface. I've also seen [Trag](https://usetrag.com/) and others pop up.

bckmnon The Cost of Human-Centric Tools in LLM Workflows

Agreed. I think this is why we’re seeing a lot of new wrappers being built like Graphite.

bckmnon Double is winding down

Previously (launch): https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42377018

bckmnon AI is stifling new tech adoption

This example is based on this proposed standard (making to robots.txt or security.txt): [The /llms.txt file – llms-txt](https://llmstxt.org/)

bckmnon Show HN: Tarsier – Vision utilities for web interaction agents

Reminds me of [Language as Intermediate Representation](https://chrisvoncsefalvay.com/posts/lair/) - LLMs are optimized for language, so translate an image into language and they'll do better at modeling it.

bckmnon Free and open source software projects are in transition

I think an alternative is to fund _individuals' maintenance of the projects_, as opposed to the project itself. Filippo Valsorda has written about this recently: https://words.filippo.io/full-time-maintainer

bckmnon Ask HN: Could you share your personal blog here?

https://www.joshbeckman.org

Writing about building software and teams and little projects, with lots of my own photography mixed in.

bckmnon Show HN: Hacker News Summary – Let ChatGPT Summarize Hacker News for You

You may learn something from my experience building the same thing: https://www.joshbeckman.org/narro/

bckmnon Ask HN: What are the most eye-opening textbooks you have ever read?

The Timeless Way of Building by Christopher Alexander.

It really made me reconsider the process and ultimate goals of building systems beyond housing, and how to make pattern languages for any system I build, especially software systems.

bckmnon Show HN: hue.tools – open-source toolbox for colors

I’ve run https://www.thecolorapi.com for years that offers similar color introspection via JSON API ergonomics.

bckmnon Ask HN: Who wants to be hired? (July 2020)

Location: Chicago

Remote: Absolutely

Willing to relocate: No, thanks

Technologies: Ruby, React/Node.js/all-the-JS, Go, Elixir, Java, Swift, Obj-C, React-Native, Machine Learning, Python, PHP, Nginx, SQL, NoSQL, Docker, lots more.

Resume/CV: https://www.joshbeckman.org || https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-beckman-0aa20b50/

Email: josh at joshbeckman.org

---

Experienced technical founder with a demonstrated history of building products and product teams from concept to scale. Looking for a larger team where I can help manifest a technical vision.

bckmnon If I could bring one thing back to the internet it would be blogs

In a vein similar to your annoying technology site, you would probably appreciate https://grumpy.website/ One of my favorite blogs of all time.

bckmnon Stripe CLI

Looking through the repo's dependencies (https://github.com/stripe/stripe-cli), it seems they are using the GO CLI framework Cobra (https://github.com/spf13/cobra).

bckmnon Ask HN: Who is hiring? (May 2019)

Front-End/UI Developer | OfficeLuv | Chicago | Full-time, Onsite

We’re growing here at OfficeLuv (https://www.officeluv.com) and are looking for a Front-end/UI Developer to help us shape our product. You will help design, develop, and deliver the technology that powers OfficeLuv and our loyal customers. You will work within our tech/product team to build applications in the browser and on mobile devices.

We’re building for the long run. You’ll be excited about our rapid, iterative progress and providing direct benefit to our customers. We’re standardizing and automating a process that’s ripe for it. You’ll be shaping the management of offices across the country! We are automating and expanding the pulse of purchasing and communication in the workplace. You are a thinker, a maker, and a passionate advocate for the Minimum Delightful Product that helps us "ship it" every week.

We run a very collaborative and growth-mindset product team. We focus on automating as much as possible (continuous integration and deployment for all systems) so we can all sleep soundly at night. If you want a taste of our management style, [you can read about it][0]. [We contribute][1] to the open source community and communicate within our company continuously. Read more and apply here: https://www.officeluv.com/careers

[0]: https://github.com/andjosh/as-your-manager [1]: https://officeluv.github.io/

bckmnon Ask HN: Who is hiring? (April 2019)

Front End Developer | OfficeLuv | Chicago | Full-time, Onsite

We’re growing here at OfficeLuv (https://www.officeluv.com) and are looking for a Front-end Developer to help us shape our product. You will help design, develop, and deliver the technology that powers OfficeLuv and our loyal customers. You will work within our tech/product team to build applications in the browser and on mobile devices.

We’re building for the long run. You’ll be excited about our rapid, iterative progress and providing direct benefit to our customers. We’re standardizing and automating a process that’s ripe for it. You’ll be shaping the management of offices across the country! We are automating and expanding the pulse of purchasing and communication in the workplace. You are a thinker, a maker, and a passionate advocate for the Minimum Delightful Product that helps us "ship it" every week.

We run a very collaborative and growth-mindset product team. We focus on automating as much as possible (continuous integration and deployment for all systems) so we can all sleep soundly at night. If you want a taste of our management style, [you can read about it][0]. [We contribute][1] to the open source community and communicate within our company continuously. Read more and apply here: https://officeluv.applytojob.com/apply/kRxZ5TEgX1/Front-End-...

[0]: https://github.com/andjosh/as-your-manager [1]: https://officeluv.github.io/

bckmnon Firefox Experiments I Would Have Liked to Try

It's fun to map each idea into a separate product. Reminds me of Craigslist's re-bundling [0].

From the post:

> Personal Podcast: > [...] When on an article, you can generate an audio version that will be added to the feed > [...] just send/text the link to add it to your preferred podcast app

That's exactly what we've built at https://www.narro.co - with Firefox support via good ol' vanilla bookmarklet.

--

[0]: http://acrowdedspace.com/post/166470695392/the-rebundling-of...

bckmnon Nobody Likes the “Idea Guy”

If anyone's interested in this space/solution, we've been running Narro (https://www.narro.co) along the same lines (with a TON of integrations now) for years. It also supports dozens of languages/voices, PDFs, ebooks, videos, publisher analytics, yadda yadda yadda

bckmnon Books I Recommend

If you're interested in this space/solution, we've been running Narro (https://www.narro.co) along the same lines (with a TON of integrations now). It also supports dozens of languages/voices, PDFs, ebooks, videos, yadda yadda yadda

bckmnon Ask HN: Best things in your bash_profile/aliases?

I use my git aliases dozens of times each day, especially the last few that pop open relevant repository webpages: https://github.com/andjosh/dotfiles/blob/master/.gitconfig#L...

bckmnon Ask HN: Who is hiring? (November 2018)

Full-Stack Engineer | OfficeLuv | Chicago | Full-time, Onsite

We’re growing here at OfficeLuv (https://www.officeluv.com) and are looking for a Full-Stack Engineer to help us shape the momentum! You will help develop, solve, and produce the technology that helps power OfficeLuv and our loyal customers. You will work with the small product team to build applications in the cloud, in the browser, and on phones that will iterate rapidly and provide direct benefit to customers you'll talk to. We're building for the long run. You'll be excited about the two-sided marketplace you can shape here. We're standardizing and automating an industry that's ripe for it. You'll be shaping the supply and grocery of offices across the country! Read more and apply here: https://officeluv.applytojob.com/apply/Lv6mQy0m2I/Full-Stack...

https://officeluv.github.io/

bckmnon Ask HN: Who is hiring? (October 2018)

Full-Stack Engineer | OfficeLuv | Chicago | Full-time, Onsite

We’re growing here at OfficeLuv (https://www.officeluv.com) and are looking for a Full-Stack Engineer to help us shape the momentum! You will help develop, solve, and produce the technology that helps power OfficeLuv and our loyal customers. You will work with the small product team to build applications in the cloud, in the browser, and on phones that will iterate rapidly and provide direct benefit to customers you'll talk to. We're building for the long run. You'll be excited about the two-sided marketplace you can shape here. We're standardizing and automating an industry that's ripe for it. You'll be shaping the supply and grocery of offices across the country! Read more and apply here: https://officeluv.applytojob.com/apply/Lv6mQy0m2I/Full-Stack...

https://officeluv.github.io

bckmnon Ask HN: Favorite teachers on YouTube?

I have been watching videos of this guy narrate the process of creating and maintaining bonsai trees and they are interesting and relaxing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEGevD5jd64

bckmnon Coherence Penalty for Humans

Years ago, an investor and I had about the same conversation. He was adamant about needing a spreadsheet that would allow him to model hires vs. cost vs. time.

I built a calculator that models that koan: https://www.andjosh.com/hard-numbers/

bckmnon Ask HN: Who is hiring? (September 2018)

Full-Stack Engineer | OfficeLuv | Chicago | Full-time, Onsite

We’re growing here at OfficeLuv (https://www.officeluv.com) and are looking for a Full-Stack Engineer to help us shape the momentum! You will help develop, solve, and produce the technology that helps power OfficeLuv and our loyal customers. You will work with the small product team to build applications in the cloud, in the browser, and on phones that will iterate rapidly and provide direct benefit to customers you'll talk to. We're building for the long run. You'll be excited about the two-sided marketplace you can shape here. We're standardizing and automating an industry that's ripe for it. You'll be shaping the supply and grocery of offices across the country!

https://officeluv.github.io

bckmnon Ask HN: Who is hiring? (August 2018)

Full-Stack Engineer | OfficeLuv | Chicago | Full-time, Onsite

We’re growing here at OfficeLuv (https://www.officeluv.com) and are looking for a Full-stack Engineer to help us shape the momentum! The Full-stack Engineer will help develop, solve, and produce the technology that helps power OfficeLuv and our loyal customers. You will work with the small tech/product team to build applications in the cloud, in the browser, and on phones that will iterate rapidly and provide direct benefit to customers you'll talk to. We're building for the long run. You'll be excited about the two-sided marketplace you can shape here. We're standardizing and automating a process that's ripe for it. You'll be shaping the supply and grocery of offices across the country!

Apply here: https://officeluv.applytojob.com/apply/Lv6mQy0m2I/Full-Stack...

https://officeluv.github.io