Show HN: I wrote an open source SEC filing compliance package
Show HN: HN Firebase API client for Go with support for reading flagged posts
A Go developer has released hnscrape, a client library for the Hacker News API that can recover data from removed or flagged posts by scraping their HTML pages. The tool supports standard API operations while adding the ability to access deleted content through authentication and HTML parsing, though this depends on user account settings and is somewhat fragile to Hacker News markup changes. ---
Show HN: Screenwriting Software
A filmmaker-turned-developer created a new screenwriting tool after finding existing options lacking. The application uses Rust and WebAssembly to power its core text engine, prioritizing performance and user experience for writers working on film projects.
Show HN: I built a distributed file store on top of AWS CloudShell
A developer created a distributed file storage system by linking AWS CloudShell instances across multiple regions, using Reed-Solomon erasure coding and AES-256 encryption for redundancy and security. The project overcame CloudShell's limitations—including the lack of a public API and NAT restrictions—through reverse engineering, STUN-based hole punching, and custom Python agents to create a fault-tolerant storage pool where losing entire regions won't result in data loss. ---
Full Disclosure: A Third (and Fourth) Azure Sign-In Log Bypass Found
Trusted Security researchers have identified two new techniques for bypassing Azure sign-in logging, adding to previously known vulnerabilities in Microsoft's cloud authentication system. These bypasses are particularly concerning because they allow attackers to hide their activities from audit logs that organizations depend on for security monitoring and regulatory compliance. The disclosure highlights an ongoing pattern of logging vulnerabilities in Azure that requires urgent attention.
Latest News
Show HN: ContextD – OCRs your screen activity, use it with LLMs via local API
ContextD is a macOS utility that continuously monitors your screen activity through efficient OCR, stores the extracted text locally, and surfaces it via a local API for integration with AI tools. The application uses smart diffing and keyframe logic to minimize processing while keeping all data on your device, and includes a prompt enrichment feature that automatically adds relevant context from your recent activity to questions you ask AI assistants.
Drugwars for the TI-82/83/83 Calculators
A rediscovered text-based game called Drugwars, which ran on TI-82/83 graphing calculators, has resurfaced online as a snapshot of early 2000s hobbyist programming culture. The discovery highlights how programmers creatively repurposed educational technology for gaming and entertainment, pushing the capabilities of limited hardware through ingenuity. The find appeals to retro computing enthusiasts and represents an important piece of documented computing history from the calculator gaming era.
Claude Code: Channels
Anthropic has introduced channels for Claude Code, a new organizational feature that allows developers to compartmentalize projects and tasks within dedicated spaces. The capability supports collaborative workflows by enabling teams to separate different development streams, manage permissions more granularly, and maintain better clarity across larger projects. The feature announcement has received notable community interest with significant engagement on Hacker News.
Show HN: CRT Retro Effect on any website
A new Chrome extension lets users apply authentic CRT monitor visual effects to any website, offering presets from early mechanical displays to 1990s color screens. The developer prioritized safety by excluding sound effects and limiting animation frequencies to protect younger users and those with photosensitivity, though audio features may be added back using safer techniques in the future. ---
OpenAI is planning a desktop ‘superapp’
OpenAI is developing a unified desktop superapp that will integrate ChatGPT, Codex, and its Atlas browser into a single application to eliminate product fragmentation and improve quality. The consolidation reflects leadership's decision to focus resources on high-performing products amid intensifying competition from Anthropic. The company's mobile ChatGPT experience will remain unchanged.
US Takes Down Botnets Used in Record-Breaking Cyberattacks
US law enforcement has shut down four major botnets—JackSkid, Mossad, Aisuru, and Kimwolf—collectively comprising over 3 million compromised devices. Aisuru and Kimwolf were particularly notorious, having executed a record-breaking 31.4 terabit-per-second DDoS attack in November. The operation involved the Department of Justice, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and international partners from Canada and Germany.
Wayland set the Linux Desktop back by 10 years
Wayland, the 17-year-old X11 replacement for Linux display servers, has achieved only 40-60% adoption and introduced frustrating restrictions (broken screen recording, copy-paste issues) that harm user control in the name of security. The project's slow pace and questionable threat model suggest it has misdirected developer resources away from solving real problems as Linux desktop usage grows. ---
🤖AI & LLM
Show HN: ContextD – OCRs your screen activity, use it with LLMs via local API
ContextD is a macOS utility that continuously monitors your screen activity through efficient OCR, stores the extracted text locally, and surfaces it via a local API for integration with AI tools. The application uses smart diffing and keyframe logic to minimize processing while keeping all data on your device, and includes a prompt enrichment feature that automatically adds relevant context from your recent activity to questions you ask AI assistants.
‘Uncanny Valley’: Nvidia’s ‘Super Bowl of AI,’ Tesla Disappoints, and Meta’s VR Metaverse ‘Shutdown’
This episode of WIRED's Uncanny Valley podcast examined Nvidia's annual developer conference, where CEO Jensen Huang projected $1 trillion in AI chip revenue opportunities and unveiled a new product from its partnership with Groq. The show also covered Tesla's deteriorating relationship with influential online supporters and Meta's partial reversal of its decision to shut down the Horizon Worlds VR platform, revealing the company's struggle with its metaverse vision.
Show HN: Untitled88 – Query your QuickBooks data in plain English
Untitled88 has launched a QuickBooks integration that enables users to query their financial data using plain English rather than traditional database queries or software navigation. The tool simplifies financial data access for business owners and accountants without technical backgrounds, making it easier to extract insights from QuickBooks records on demand.
EsoLang-Bench: Evaluating Genuine Reasoning in LLMs via Esoteric Languages
EsoLang-Bench is a new evaluation framework that tests whether large language models truly understand programming concepts by having them solve tasks in obscure, rarely-used esoteric programming languages. By moving beyond common training data, the benchmark aims to distinguish genuine reasoning from simple pattern matching in AI systems.
💻Coding & Dev Tools
Show HN: HN Firebase API client for Go with support for reading flagged posts
A Go developer has released hnscrape, a client library for the Hacker News API that can recover data from removed or flagged posts by scraping their HTML pages. The tool supports standard API operations while adding the ability to access deleted content through authentication and HTML parsing, though this depends on user account settings and is somewhat fragile to Hacker News markup changes. ---
Show HN: Screenwriting Software
A filmmaker-turned-developer created a new screenwriting tool after finding existing options lacking. The application uses Rust and WebAssembly to power its core text engine, prioritizing performance and user experience for writers working on film projects.
Show HN: I built a distributed file store on top of AWS CloudShell
A developer created a distributed file storage system by linking AWS CloudShell instances across multiple regions, using Reed-Solomon erasure coding and AES-256 encryption for redundancy and security. The project overcame CloudShell's limitations—including the lack of a public API and NAT restrictions—through reverse engineering, STUN-based hole punching, and custom Python agents to create a fault-tolerant storage pool where losing entire regions won't result in data loss. ---
Drugwars for the TI-82/83/83 Calculators
A rediscovered text-based game called Drugwars, which ran on TI-82/83 graphing calculators, has resurfaced online as a snapshot of early 2000s hobbyist programming culture. The discovery highlights how programmers creatively repurposed educational technology for gaming and entertainment, pushing the capabilities of limited hardware through ingenuity. The find appeals to retro computing enthusiasts and represents an important piece of documented computing history from the calculator gaming era.
🔓Open Source
Show HN: I wrote an open source SEC filing compliance package
A developer has released secfiler, an open source tool that automates SEC filing compliance by converting structured data into SEC-required XML formats, eliminating the need for expensive proprietary software. The project emerged as a natural extension of work involving SEC data parsing, with the creator building the ability to both read and write SEC-compliant documents. ---
Show HN: Blik360 – open-source 360 feedback (self-host alternative to Lattice)
Blik360 is a new open-source platform providing self-hosted 360-degree feedback capabilities as a cost-effective alternative to commercial services like Lattice. The tool allows organizations to manage performance reviews from multiple perspectives while maintaining complete control over their data. It appeals to companies seeking customization options and independence from subscription-based HR software.
Rethinking open source mentorship in the AI era
GitHub's Abigail Cabunoc Mayes argues that open source mentorship models must adapt to the rise of artificial intelligence in software development. As AI tools reshape how code gets written, the industry must reconsider how experienced developers guide newcomers and what skills remain most valuable in an increasingly automated landscape. ---
An update on Steam / GOG changes for OpenTTD
The OpenTTD team has clarified that their recent decision to place the free game behind a paywall on Steam and GOG was a mutually beneficial compromise with Atari, not the result of coercion. New players must purchase Atari's Transport Tycoon Deluxe re-release to access OpenTTD on those platforms, though the game remains free via direct download. Atari will contribute funding toward OpenTTD's infrastructure costs, and the developers emphasized that the open-source project retains full independence while honoring the original game that inspired it. ---
🚀Startups & Funding
Show HN: PayGate – File paywall for freelancers (pay before download)
PayGate offers freelancers a simple payment-gated file distribution system where clients must pay before downloading digital work. The tool aims to solve the challenge of protecting creative assets while ensuring upfront compensation in the freelance workflow.
Jeff Bezos reportedly wants $100 billion to buy and transform old manufacturing firms with AI
Jeff Bezos is reportedly planning to invest around $100 billion in acquiring and modernizing aging manufacturing companies through artificial intelligence integration. The initiative would focus on retrofitting legacy industrial firms with AI-powered automation and machine learning technologies to improve efficiency and competitiveness.
Cloud service providers ask EU regulator to reinstate VMware partner program
Cloud service providers are urging EU regulators to reinstate VMware's partner program, which was suspended after Broadcom's acquisition. The providers claim Broadcom is mischaracterizing market conditions, while Broadcom argues its approach complies with regulatory mandates. The dispute underscores escalating scrutiny of tech consolidation in Europe's cloud computing landscape. ---
Clockwise acquired by Salesforce and shutting down next week
Salesforce has purchased Clockwise, an AI-powered calendar management platform, and plans to discontinue the service next week. The acquisition adds another tool to Salesforce's productivity suite, though details on feature integration remain unclear. Current Clockwise users will need to seek alternatives as the platform prepares to shut down.