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simplegeek

1,078 karma · joined February 20, 2007

I like startups, writing, books, and tea.

Email: waqas.younas@gmail.com

Blog: https://wyounas.github.io

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simplegeek··on The revolt of the reader
Good article. As I reflect about it, I genuinely wonder (not in jest) whether pangram software uses AI to generate code? Secondly, what patterns do they look for in the text? Genuinely curious.
simplegeek··on I were 17, I'd learn how to build LLMs from scratch
As an aside, for someone interested and who's an absolute beginner, can someone please recommend good resources on how to build LLMs from scratch? Thank you in advance.
simplegeek··on Writing by hand is good for your brain
For last few months, whenever I am trying to understand a difficult problem or a concept or addressing a complex issue at work or in relationships, I try to write one page by hand. Often it brings clarity or surfaces the core confusion/misunderstanding. I don't know why that works but it has been really useful.
simplegeek··on Can LLMs model real-world systems in TLA+?
I feel LLMs are indeed getting better at writing models. But, in my experience, they struggle to come up with correct safety and liveness properties unless you closely work with them. And of these two, they struggle the most with correct liveness properties.

Also for some problems I observe that models produced by LLMs often cause state space explosion. For simpler models they can fix this when you guide them though.

I’m sure LLMs will get even better.

That said, I take slightly different approach. Lamport said “If you're thinking without writing, you only think you're thinking.” So taking that advice I always try to write the first draft with hand and once I have the final shape in place I then turn to an LLM for further exploration and experimentation if I have to.

simplegeek··on Ask HN: Share your personal website
Thanks for doing this.

My blog: https://wyounas.github.io.

I’ll also try to submit a PR.

simplegeek··on Daniel Kahneman opted for assisted suicide in Switzerland
> And even at the end, when asked what he would like to do, he said: "I would like to learn something."

Don't have an exact word to describe how I feel after reading above. Find it beautiful that such an accomplished person wanted to learn something even towards the end of his life.

simplegeek··on How Math Academy pulled me out of the Valley of Despair
Inspiring and well written. It resonated with me for I find myself in a similar position. I wonder how much time did the author commit on weekly basis. Nonetheless, I wanted to signup on Math Academy immediately but doesn't look cheap.

Are there any other recommended websites for learning math (apart from Khan Academy, Math Academy)?

simplegeek··on When the Simplest Concurrent Program Goes Against All Intuition
Thank you! I initially included the illustration and explanation in the first draft but decided to remove them in favor of the full trail. Looking back, I think that was a mistake. I’ve now added back the illustration along with some explanation.
simplegeek··on When the Simplest Concurrent Program Goes Against All Intuition
You're right, I could have phrased it better to something like:

"If we run P and Q concurrently with ‘n’ initialized to zero, what extreme interleaving could result in the lowest value of 'n' when the two processes finish executing their statements on a model checker?"

I'll edit it to improve, thanks.

simplegeek··on When the Simplest Concurrent Program Goes Against All Intuition
Thank you :) I was wondering how this would look in TLA+/PlusCal.
simplegeek··on Fun facts about SQLite
A little off topic, but just wanted to say please keep blogging. I learn from your content as I’m also a beginner in databases.
simplegeek··on South Korean Author Han Kang Wins Nobel Prize
Thank you!
simplegeek··on South Korean Author Han Kang Wins Nobel Prize
Is good English translation of her works available? If so, please share. I like good prose and want to read and understand how is her prose different. Thanks.
simplegeek··on I spent 5 hours learning how ClickHouse built their internal data warehouse
Your drawings, on the blog, are really nice, which tools did you use to make those?
simplegeek··on A Philosophy of Software Design
> He taught not just ways to design software, but also ways to live.

Mind sharing his insights on ways to live?

simplegeek··on Techniques in Persuasion from Antiquity
They were meant to be heard, not read :)

Also, some effect is lost in the translation as well.

Cicero's letters were meant to be read, I suggest you try them. They kind of feel monotonous at times, but it's hard to ignore how good a writer he was.

simplegeek··on Ask HN: Could you share your personal blog here?
https://wyounas.com

Not much there but I plan to write more. :)

simplegeek··on Ask HN: Postgres experts, how did you start your career?
Any resources (books etc) or practices you recommend for learning Postgres’ internals?
simplegeek··on Ask HN: Looking for advice on my situation at work?
> Last time I had an employer I had feelings of being treated unfairly and voiced it

Did you raise it with your manager or his/her manager?

Just trying to understand at what forum did you raise it and how?

simplegeek··on Byte Magazine 1975-1995
Thank you for making these available.

What's the alternative for "Byte" magazine today? Where do you go to read similar stuff?

simplegeek··on Ask HN: How can I come to peace with the years I wasted on pointless things?
> Linus Torvalds does scuba diving.

Recently finished his biography; he was not much into sports all when he was growing up. I suspect he took up scuba diving late in life.

simplegeek··on Putting Ideas into Words
> And someone who never writes has no fully formed ideas about anything nontrivial.

Harsh. Socrates didn't write his ideas, a counter example that immediately popped up in my head.

simplegeek··on Tell HN: Thank You Dang
Thank you Dan.

Dan also helped promote one of my open-source projects. I'm grateful for all that he does.

simplegeek··on Show HN: I made a site where you practice typing by retyping entire novels
I congratulate you on launching this. Definitely an interesting idea.

Another thing that interests me is the approach that Benjamin Franklin described in his autobiography to improve his writing.

He would read writing that he liked, note it carefully, and then after a few days he would try to reproduce the writing. Finally, he would tally it with the original writing to correct mistakes.

simplegeek··on Ask HN: Teaching kids how to think?
That's valuable, thanks for sharing.

I would also be very interested in knowing more about how the parents of those noble-prize winners, renowned academics, and award winning authors raised them :)

simplegeek··on Why books don't work (2019)
If you want to tell me "I tried X, and it doesn't work." My first reaction is, "How did you do X?"

I feel author should have also explained how did he read those books.

Without knowing that, it's hard to see how exactly things didn't work.

simplegeek··on Squash to monetise players’ physiological data to attract more eyeballs
I have played squash and my wife is an orthopaedic surgeon. Per her, and from my experience, I can say that any serious squash is not easy on the joints (knees, ankles, thighs, hamstring, etc). I have done swimming, field-hockey, cricket and table-tennis (though not as a pro) and I can say this with a lot of confidence that Squash was the most intense even its in amateur/basic form.

But if you're in it for fun e.g. play it 3 times a week for like 20 mins then maybe yes, but definitely check this with your doctor.

simplegeek··on Squash to monetise players’ physiological data to attract more eyeballs
As an avid fan, I would be more interested in a)- how modern squash players train b)- if they can give me feedback on my game via video.

I once trained with a former World 80, he was a nephew of a former world-champion. His coaching and feedback on the game was 100 times better/different than the club's coach. Training with him for 15 days, I think, had 10x times more ROI than training with club coach.

These professional players / coaches are miles ahead. His feedback on my game, racket skill, movement, and even on warm-up was so different. I had never warmed-up like that before and his prescribed exercises was so different and effective.

simplegeek··on Journalists’ Twitter use shows them talking within smaller bubbles
Yes. But in many cases even before a DM people send each other replies publicly (e.g, request to follow so they can DM).
simplegeek··on Ask HN: How to improve my abstract thinking?
Thank you, looks great. I bought it.

If there are any other books like that, please let me know.

Thanks!

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