Elliptical Python: A Curious Coding Experiment

2025-04-10

This blog post details a quirky approach to Python programming, using ellipses (...) and basic arithmetic operators to represent numbers and construct a program. The author demonstrates a simple program written in this unconventional style, highlighting Python's philosophy of simplicity, albeit in an obscure manner. The post concludes by strongly advising against using this method in production and emphasizes the importance of readable and maintainable code.

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Development programming quirks

The Hacker News Silent Hug: A Fun Netcat Experiment

2025-04-10

The author shared a fun experiment on Hacker News: a simple netcat script that beeps four times whenever someone connects to his server port. In 24 hours, he received over 4761 connections, resulting in 19044 beeps! This seemingly pointless experiment highlighted the Hacker News community's engagement and showed that the joy of programming isn't just about problem-solving, but also exploring quirky ideas.

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IndieWeb: Taking Off Isn't the Point

2025-03-21

The IndieWeb, a community focused on reclaiming digital independence through self-hosted websites, is often criticized for not having 'taken off.' This article argues that such criticisms miss the point. The value of IndieWeb lies not in mass adoption, but in its empowering individuals to control their online presence, embrace creative freedom, and connect with like-minded individuals. The author reminisces about the joy of hand-coding websites in the early 2000s, highlighting the hacker culture of creation and sharing that underpins IndieWeb. Its meaning isn't in its size, but in its commitment to decentralization and creative expression, making it already meaningful for those who value these principles.

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Development Personal Websites

A Key Lemma in Proving the Fundamental Theorem of Galois Theory

2025-03-15

This blog post proves a key lemma used in proving the Fundamental Theorem of Galois Theory (FTGT). Lemma 12.1 states: If L/K is a field extension, M is an intermediate field, and τ is a K-automorphism of L, then τM*τ⁻¹ = τ(M)*. The post uses a concrete example (L = Q(√2, √3), K = Q, M = Q(√2)) to illustrate the lemma and provides a complete proof, showing both τM*τ⁻¹ ⊆ τ(M)* and τM*τ⁻¹ ⊇ τ(M)*. This is crucial for understanding Galois theory.

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My Number-Color-Sound Associations: A Programmer's Mnemonic System

2025-03-03

The author shares his unique system of associating numbers, colors, and sounds, stemming from childhood experiences learning about computers and mnemonic systems. He maps numbers 0-9 to specific colors and IPA phonetic symbols, explaining the origins in IBM CGA color codes and a phonetic mnemonic system. The author demonstrates how these associations help remember bus routes and flight numbers, noting the system, while not essential daily, makes arbitrary numbers and words more vivid and engaging.

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MathB.in, a 13-Year-Old Math Pastebin, is Shutting Down

2025-02-27

After 13 years of service, MathB.in, an online mathematics pastebin, will be shutting down on March 16, 2025. Its creator, Susam Pal, explains the closure is due to the increasing difficulty of complying with regulations and the burden of single-handedly maintaining the service. Despite attempts to improve spam detection and explore alternatives, the challenges of regulatory compliance proved insurmountable. Pal expresses gratitude to users and offers the open-source code and suggests alternatives like MathCask for those seeking similar functionality.

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Development