Proof of negation and proof by contradiction (2010) - <AUTHOR> http://math.andrej.com/2010/03/29/proof-of-negation-and-proof-by-contradiction/ <comment><USER2> I kept getting pushed out of flow by words like "intuitionistically" and constructions like "derive absurdity" (as opposed to 'derive an absurd conclusion'). 'Intuitive' is a perfectly functional word, no need to make new ones up to sound formal.

<comment><USER3> "intuitionistically" refers to the intuitionistic logic.

<comment><USER2> Ah, not the author's fault then. Just unnecessarily opague terminology in the canon. I'll redirect my irritation to his predecessors (Constructive Logic seems a much better term that doesn't do any violence to the rules of English).

<comment><USER4> Intuitionism is a philosophy of mathematics that is deeply related to but not the same thing as constructivism.

</comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER5> I read it, but I still don't comprehend why anyone would stress the difference between

To prove ¬ϕ, assume ϕ and derive absurdity.

and

To prove ϕ, assume ¬ϕ and derive absurdity.

It just seems exactly the same, given that ¬¬ϕ = ϕ.

"Yes indeed, but the cancellation of double negation is precisely the reasoning principle we are trying to get."

You have to go to a very very deep level of maths if this is what you want to get.

<comment><USER6> Yes, they are the same assuming ¬¬ϕ = ϕ. But, one interpretation of mathematical truth is something like this:

1\. A proposition is the name of a set/type whose elements are proofs of the proposition.

2\. A proposition is provable if its set/type is nonempty/inhabited.

3\. Implication can be modeled as a function space X → Y. There is some restriction on the kinds of functions allowed, but "continuous" seems to be kind of the idea, in particular only compositions of known continuous functions.

4\. The set for "contradiction" is ⊥, which ought to be empty.

5\. For negation, we take ¬ϕ to mean ϕ → ⊥, that is, with the truth of ϕ we may construct a contradiction.

6\. It is not hard to prove that ϕ → ¬¬ϕ, which is ϕ → ((ϕ → ⊥) → ⊥). In fact, rewriting this as ϕ → (ϕ → ⊥) → ⊥, we can just use "flip ($)" in Haskell, so to speak.

7\. But, ¬¬ϕ → ϕ can't be proved directly. The double negation (ϕ → ⊥) → ⊥ as a function space is empty if ϕ is false and has exactly one element if ϕ is provable, so ¬¬ϕ → ϕ would mean that if ϕ is not false then one could obtain one of the proofs of ϕ. You can prove ¬¬(¬¬ϕ → ϕ) directly, though. ("It is not false that ϕ follows from ϕ being not false.")

7.5. I personally find that it is easier to think of ⊥ as an indeterminate set you don't know the elements of rather than just assuming it is empty, for the purpose of understanding the function space interpretation of implication.

8\. If you care about classical logic, you can prove that double negation is a monad. It actually turns out that ¬¬¬¬ϕ → ¬¬ϕ, so you only ever need to have a single level of double negation. Double negation from the point of view of function spaces takes empty/nonempty sets to empty/singleton sets.

Here's an answer to why stress the difference: sometimes you want to know if the best you can say about a proposition is that it isn't false. That way, you know whether its proof suggests an algorithm for calculating whatever the theorem was about. But if you don't care about the difference, then you can stay inside the double negation monad to get classical logic.

<comment><USER7> As an aside, one of my greatest embarrassments as a computer scientist is that I never memorized the Greek alphabet. Instead, when I run across a Greek letter that I don't immediately recognize, like ϕ, I call it "smegma".

I'm not sure how this information is supposed to help you, but I hope it improves your life somehow.</comment></comment></comment>


Digg and Reddit and Slashdot oh my - <AUTHOR> http://www.gibsonandlily.com/cgi-bin/go.cgi?id=2926

<comment><AUTHOR> Hey guys, I deliberately left HN out of this because HN seems like the best Online community out there right now...

Hope you find this funny :)</comment>


Automatic: Your Smart Driving Assistant - <AUTHOR> http://www.automatic.com/ <comment><USER2> This is a great start to what I hope will be an awesome product. One of the other commenters mentioned fleet/enterprise customers -- let me raise my hand (as one of those customers) and say how SORELY needed this sort of approach to tech is in the fleet space.

I actually predict (hope?) this will take off more on the business side than the consumer side. Here's the problem:

Fleet managers (that is, people who are responsible for keeping track of/maintaining large numbers of vehicles used by a company) need a simple way of doing three things:

1\. Locating their vehicles.

2\. Getting data about their vehicles

3\. Changing settings on their vehicles (i.e. lock/unlock, etc.)

That's really basically it. And you would be surprised how totally awful the existing solutions are for doing even two of them (most focus on #1). 3 is a bit more difficult as not everything can be done through the OBD port, but many things can.

There are, literally, a hundred different companies that sell products that do the first - usually in the form of a hidden box that has a GPS antenna and a (really crappy and expensive) cellular modem that pings a really expensive service via GPRS or some similar out-of-date tech and costs $30/month/device for service + $500 / device. It's absurd.

What every fleet manager actually wants: The Automatic device w/ mobile data transmission ability (i.e. not tethered to an iPhone). Let me a) see where my car(s) are, b) get telemetry from the OBD port, and c) interact with the car in whatever fashion is possible via the OBD port.

I know that's a 2nd gen product that I'm proposing - and I think these guys are smart to start with something that tethers to a consumer phone for data. But produce this product for a reasonable price and there are literally hundreds of thousands (millions?) of fleet vehicles on the road that will scoop 'em up.

And I think the use case is stronger for an enterprise product. I hear fleet managers (and myself) asking for this product every day. I don't hear consumers saying "damn, I wish I knew how efficient my braking was."

Anyway, the tl;dr is: Awesome. Eager. Good Luck!

<comment><USER3> Teslas Model S does 1, 2 and 3 out of the box and offers you a REST api to automate it. This stuff should just be standard issue in this day and age.

(I thought the OBD port is decidedly "read-only"? Given how easy access is mandated by law.)

<comment><USER4> _This stuff should just be standard issue in this day and age._

Well, it isn't, and what fleet wants to buy a whole new fleet of cars when they could just plug in a device? Additionally, a plug-in device will help demonstrate both to manufacturers and to customers that customers want those features.

Transitional solutions have value.

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER5> I've seen these before. There are several companies working on similar products (and things like HUDs you can get off of eBay which show you OBD-II information).

The main problem with these (all of them!) is that the OBD II was never designed to be used like this. It will run the device 24/7 even when the car is turned off. So it will run down your battery in a similar way to leaving the cabin light on would do...

Nothing dramatic but if you're a "city driver" (i.e. no high-speed driving to recharge your battery) then you could get yourself into a situation where you need to be jump-started.

So as I said, great concept, however until the OBD-II port is "fixed" so it can be switched on and off I wouldn't get one for my car. Too high a chance that I wouldn't use my car for a weekend and then find it wouldn't start on Monday.

<comment><USER6> We're paranoid about not running your car's battery down. When the ignition is off, we consume less than 1 mA. By itself, the Automatic Link would take 3-4 years to drain even a cheap battery.

<comment><USER7> I think it's better to break this down, because this myth of 'running out of battery' is really exaggerated

Let's say your average battery has 40AH. That means it can provide 1A for 40h (or better, the product time(h) x current(A) = 40 for a charged battery) @ 12v

If your lamps consume 24W (I'm guessing), that's 2A, it means it would go from fully charget to nothing in 20h. But of course, your battery is usually not 100% and you need a certain battery capacity to start the engine.

Even if the consumption of this device is 1W while idle (which is really an exaggerated value), the device uses around 0.084A and the battery would take 480h to go from 100% to 0% (or about 20 days)

My guess is that an unpowered car uses more than that by itself, so this dongle is not an issue, unless you're leaving it unattended, you can unplug it but will probably run out of battery nonetheless.

<comment><USER5> I wouldn't call it a myth people have reported issues with similar port adapters, particularly bluetooth ones. If the issue doesn't apply here then great but in general people should pay attention.

<comment><USER8> My cheap chinese bluetooth obd2 device caused my battery to drain when I was ill for a week and didn't use my car over the christmas holidays. On the plus side now I know how to jump start it.

<comment><USER9> Thanks, this is good to know since I have one too. I'll have to start unplugging mine (also cheap and probably Chinese, though I got it on Amazon). But I've left it in for several months without issue, I guess maybe I just drive regularly enough that it's not an issue.

</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER10> I would label this as "Mint.com for your Car". And along with that, I'm sure your data will be collected, analyzed, and sold. I imagine they'll eventually partner with insurance companies too and these stats will influence your rates. Companies like Progressive are already doing this.

Don't get me wrong though. I'm not saying any of this is wrong or bad. I'm just trying to imagine what the bigger picture here is for them.

(Edit) From their Privacy Policy:

 _In an ongoing effort to better understand and serve our users, we often conduct research on our customer demographics, interests, and behavior based on the Personal Data and other information provided to us. This research may be compiled and analyzed on an aggregate basis, and we may share this aggregate data with our affiliates, agents and business partners. This aggregate information does not identify you personally. We may also disclose aggregated user statistics in order to describe Automatic to current and prospective business partners, and to other third parties for other lawful purposes.

As we develop our business, we might sell or buy businesses or assets. In the event of a corporate sale, merger, reorganization, dissolution or similar event, Personal Data may be part of the transferred assets; in this event, you will be notified via email and/or a prominent notice on our website of any change in ownership, as well as any choices you may have regarding your Personal Data. We may also share your information with our subsidiaries and affiliates, if any._

<comment><USER11> If the service turns out to actually be usefil, I hope they will consider charging money for it in lieu of spiriting away my personal information as you suggest.

<comment><USER12> It's not free, it costs $70.

<comment><USER13> And Facebook's not free because you (presumably) paid for your computer.

</comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER14> Wow I had an idea similar to this back in college, couldn't get any co- founders interested in doing a proper startup sadly!

iPhone accessory manufacturer had a smartphone-OBD-II product called CarTrip which they discontinued:

[http://www.griffintechnology.com/blog/new/cartrip-and- cleand...](http://www.griffintechnology.com/blog/new/cartrip-and-cleandrive- app/)

As others have noted, you can buy the hardware yourself for pretty cheap: [http://dx.com/p/obdii-bluetooth-car-diagnostic-cable- black-b...](http://dx.com/p/obdii-bluetooth-car-diagnostic-cable-black-blue- orange-dc-12v-42825?rt=1&p=6&m=1&r=4&k=1&t=1&s=&u=42825)

Combine it with an app like Torque...: [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.prowl.torq...](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.prowl.torque&hl=en)

...or Rev and you've got some of the functionality already: <http://www.devtoaster.com/products/rev/>

edit: the advantage of Automatic is that it's an all in one solution for the mass market, rather than the DIY/car enthusiast nature of the existing apps and hardware.

<comment><USER15> Last I looked, none of these were iPhone compatible, as they were Bluetooth Serial profile (SPP), which isn't supported for app use.

This may have changed, so for now the conventional ELM### devices are Android/Jailbreak only.

As an iOS user, this alone makes me interested in Automatic's product.

<comment><USER14> Rev, linked above, has been around for a few years and is iPhone compatible. See the hardware page on their site for bluetooth info.

<comment><USER16> Rev only advertises/supports wifi dongles, for the reasons listed above

</comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER17> So it's a $10 elm327 ?

[http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=elm327&_sacat=0](http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=elm327&_sacat=0)

With a Torque clone?

[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.prowl.torq...](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.prowl.torque)

<comment><USER18> Only if you could call the ipod a clone of all previous mp3 players. Technology != Customer Experience.

<comment><USER19> Except torque is only for car enthusiasts, and it looks like the general population would have use for this.

<comment><USER17> I drive a 15 year old car and find Torque very valuable, it's not just for enthusiasts.

And you can make the screens as simple as this displays.

I guess this one is just easier out of the box.

</comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER20> Does this also connect to the CAN Bus, if so will you offer a simple high level API to it. I would buy one now if it did.

Background: I showed Lockitron to my dad a while back, and he wanted it for his car. ie unlock/lock from his phone, or even by just walking up, like keyless-go on the mercs.

I did a bit of googleling, and it seemed like it _should_ be pretty simple. Connect a dongle to the diagnostic port (inc CAN bus wires), and then fire the correct CAN messages down. On most modern cars you can pretty much control anything, from the locks, cruise control, windows, seats, radio, lights, wipers etc. The problem is the CAN message format isn't documented anywhere, and it varies from car to car. You would have to sniff bus, with lots of trial & error.

If there was a high level API, ie openDriverSideWindow(), I could image the community creating a whole host of automation possibilities. ie Open windows when the temp is above 30C, or turn radio down when I'm close to home.

<comment><USER21> > unlock/lock from his phone

Liability _hell_.

<comment><USER22> It depends on the driver and the area you're from. In front of my home, I rarely lock my car.

<comment><USER23> Depending on the jurisdiction, you could be liable for stuff that happens if someone steals your unlocked car.

<comment><USER24> If this is a common thing, how does the party holding you liable typically show that the car was unlocked?

<comment><USER23> Usually a confession by the perp, and/or by the owner. It's not unusual at all for people not to know the details of the law like this and blurt out factoids, and for there to be harsh but difficult to enforce laws in the US.

<comment><USER24> I'd expect a "confession" by one who stole a car to be worth very little in a civil action by a third party against the owner of that car.

<comment><USER23> If the "confession" is from a known car thief, sure. If from a neighborhood kid with an otherwise clean record, then not so much.

</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER25> Lesson for startups here: There are tons of devices/apps that do exactly what this does already. What's the difference? Automatic has great design, snappy domain name, and most importantly mass market positioning. These had traditionally been targeted towards gear heads, but Automatic smartly positioned it to be something mass market (gas mileage, etc...)

<comment><USER26> Could you give an example or two of their best competitor?

<comment><USER25> I've never used any of them, but some quick Googling:

[https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dashcommand-obd-ii-gauge- das...](https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dashcommand-obd-ii-gauge- dashboards/id321293183?mt=8)

<http://devtoaster.com/products/rev/index.html>

<comment><USER27> The first link is a $50 piece of software that still requires a dongle. The suggested dongle is $99.

The next piece of software is $40 and works with three listed 3rd party dongles each over $100 (unable to find price from the one in Germany).

If these are Automatic's best competitors, they're going to clean up. They control the whole widget and they appear to have a good UI.

</comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER28> This is egregiously well done, all of it. I have zero interest in my car or how it works, and yet I'll have one.

Crystal clear website, crystal clear video, an unaggressive logo, they precisely explain what the product does, and you know exactly how much it costs up front.

So well done.

<comment><USER29> I'm right there with you.

At this point, I'm driving a beater with close to 200k miles on it and I want this product badly. I guess I just love collecting data.

</comment></comment><comment><USER30> Very good concept overall, I like the idea A LOT. One thing that surprised me: >> Speeding doesn't save as much time as you might think, but driving 10 MPH over the speed limit reduces fuel efficiency by 12-15%.

How's my fuel efficiency related to the speed limit set by local authorities?

<comment><USER31> The biggest change is air resistance.

Some day when you are on a freeway without many other cars around, shift into neutral. Depending on your car model, you will lose 1-2 mph every second until you get to around 50 mph, when you will lose speed much more slowly. On a flat road it might take you a whole minute to drop the next 10 mph.

(Make sure you are in the right hand land before doing stuff like this. Also be aware that driving too slow can be as dangerous as driving too fast.)

<comment><USER32> I wonder if some wing tech were possible to be used on vehicle body as an aftermarket option to increase laminar flow (or delay separation, I'm not sure, not an AE) to reduce air resistance.

<comment><USER31> I've seen hypermilers put aeroshells (don't know the proper name) on the backs of their cars to reduce air friction. It's pretty simple to do, but it looks very trashy.

</comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER33> I like the design of the app and the idea of hacking cars ODB data. However I see plenty of things that make me raise (an) eyebrow(s).

1\. It relies on the amount and quality of ODB data your car provides. The data is worth as much as the precision of the car sensors (fuel consumption on my 5 year old car is very unreliable).

2\. "Upgrade your cars' capabilities" is just fluff. Your car doesn't gain any abilities.

3\. I like the idea of making people aware of fuel economy but the quality of feedback is directly depended on 1. Bad sensors will give bad readings. If, however your car has state of the art fuel consumption sensors, chances are pretty high it's a nice car already showing that data right on the dashboard.

4\. The emergency services will be contacted after a crash is detected by the accelerations sensors in your smartphone. A device that is loosely lying around somewhere in your car. In the assumption it survives a crash and isn't catapulted through the windshield landing 30 meters outside the range of bluetooth. Upon which it will give an auditive cue informing abrupt braking is bad for fuel economy and your social driving score will be negatively impacted.

The idea is great and has good uses. But for now it looks like a gadget bringing little new to the table. For the features it does have, only time will tell on how fail proof they are implemented.

</comment><comment><USER34> The privacy policy seems to boil down to "We're not planning on selling your information to anyone, but if it leaks or someone hands us a subpoena, tough noogies."

That makes me itchy, and I'm not even planning on doing anything illegal.

<comment><USER35> I think you'd be hard pressed to find _any_ company that would willfully disobey a subpoena.

<comment><USER26> I think the idea is that the company could take steps so that they never had access (either physically or cryptographically) to the data in the first place, making a subpoena useless.

There are a few industries which are obligated by statute to keep certain types of data at hand in case the government wants it, but I'm sure that wouldn't apply here.

<comment><USER29> Your idea presents two problems: 1\. Automatic cannot do any expansion of capabilities using customer data without first changing their policy so that they can access that data.

2\. If/when Automatic changes their policy it will create a negative reaction from customers that the policy is being changed.

It's a lot easier to promise protection of the data and let the customer decide whether they believe the promise or not before they sign up.

<comment><USER26> OK. I wasn't making a recommendation for Automatic, I was just trying to explain to pc86 how dsr_'s preferred strategy (that Automatic keep no data) was very plausible and, in fact, is used by many companies.

</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER36> Look up ODB-II. Lots of cars have this port. The app Torque for Android has a lot of users. Cheap bluetooth adapters can be had from China :)

<comment><USER37> <http://arduino.cc/forum/index.php?topic=95037.0>

</comment></comment><comment><USER38> _The Automatic Link includes a built-in accelerometer that can detect many types of crashes. Automatic uses your phone's data connection to immediately report the crash to 911 with your name, location, and vehicle description._

Now this fascinates me. I wonder what parameters are required to trigger the automatic emergency notification.

<comment><USER39> Does the onboard computer report that the airbags have deployed?

Sudden deceleration + airbag deploy = 911?

<comment><USER31> Honestly, any airbag deploy should be a call to 911. I think it's how OnStar works.

Airbags are dangerous. Not as dangerous as not having one when you are in a car crash, so don't go taking yours out. I'm related to an engineer who worked on deployment, and the manufacturers worried a _lot_ about only doing it in cases of true crashes. They aren't perfect but nothing is.

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER40> Wait, so this 69$ little contraption can read the code behind a check engine light? That's $100 in savings that would otherwise go to the Car Mechanic Mafia.

Pre-ordered.

<comment><USER38> It can read the code but that doesn't give you much to work with. You won't be able to clear the code and you will have to pay for the replacement parts and undertake the repairs yourself.

I'm not sure what the situation is in the US but here in the UK, if you took your car to a mechanic purely for the sake of reading the code then it would only cost about £50.

<comment><USER41> According to the video you can clear the code, the example if if the code reports "Loose gas cap".

<comment><USER38> Let me rephrase then. Let's assume the check engine light is on due to a fault in the fuel pump. You can clear the code but you aren't clearing the problem. As soon as the problem occurs again, the light returns. In most cases the faults that trigger 'check engine' lights are in a constant state of fault until the part is repaired or replaced meaning the light will return essentially as soon as you press the accelerator.

<comment><USER42> One of the most common causes for the "check engine" light to come on is a loose gas cap. That's something I'm happy to be able to address and clear all on my own.

Granted, I tighten my gas caps like a gorilla these days.

</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER43> Seems very similar to these guys as well: <http://moj.io>

I am looking forward to the competition (and innovation) in this space.

<comment><USER44> It's shocking to me how much better the automatic web design is. They tell a similar story but I leave automatic's site with a much clearer understanding of the features, price and value proposition.

<comment><USER45> and yet they are very different products, moj.io uses a mobile data network, automatic is just a bluetooth dongle.

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER46> Looks similar to this: <http://moj.io/> except your's doesn't require a monthly fee (which was a big turn off for moj.io for me). I almost preordered one, but I saw android wasn't supported yet - I'll probably come back and check in the future.

There are some android apps in the marketplace for bluetooth OBD II devices that can be ordered for <$20 from China. I'd pay >$10 for an app with similar features to this if anyone's looking for an idea.

</comment><comment><USER47> Love it. Want it. Except...

Now I'm carrying around a device that can reliably be used to issue me speeding tickets. What is my protection from that?

<comment><USER48> can't your phone already do that?

<comment><USER47> Not very reliably. AFAIK, the geographic resolution on phones GPS would not hold up to scrutiny if you were driving within 10-20% of the speed limit.

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER49> On the pre-order page, it says only the iPhone 5 and 4S are supported. Why isn't 4 supported?

I have an iPad mini with LTE as my only mobile device, is there any reason Automatic wouldn't work with it? I'm ok with it running in a smaller window (the way iPhone-only apps run on iPads).

It also asks you to pick a car. Is that just to verify that it'll be compatible? I mean, is there anything stopping me from changing which car I use this device in or is it locked to use with the one car you pick?

At first I wasn't really interested in this device (I didn't see any uses of it for me), but then I realized that sometimes I like to drive super- economically, and if I had some sort of efficiency score to show off for that trip, that'd be pretty neat. That way, I could compete with other drives in who can drive the most efficiently.

<comment><USER50> It's probably using Bluetooth Low Energy, which is not available on the iPhone 4. The iPad mini should work, but its obviously up to automatic whether they build an iPad app.

</comment></comment><comment><USER51> Ok I know this is going to sound harsh given the praise of this thread, but I am just not getting it. The design is brilliant, the idea seems great, but of the applications listed there isn't anything there that makes me want to reach in my pocket and spend $70 on this. I'm not interested in how efficiently I am driving. This is not going to help me find my car in a parking lot, since it is an estimate and often these things are underground.

911 response is interesting but not enough to push me into purchasing. Check engine info is interesting but again this happens so rarely I can't justify purchasing this thing. I don't see a killer app here.

In the interest of not being all negative, I'll tell you the types of applications that would be far more useful to me and I would pay for. I'll list these as "pain points" since I don't want to assume too much about what this device will make possible:

\- When I suddenly realize I am low on gas, I have to awkwardly (and unsafely) find a gas station with Siri. Can this make this easier?

\- When I am driving to meet someone, they have no idea how close I am or when I will arrive. Can this make that easier?

\- When I get in the car to go somewhere, I have to punch in navigation directions or press Siri before I leave. Can this do a better job of somehow getting the GPS navigation started on my phone intelligently?

\- When I am driving into a city, I have no idea where to find parking. Can this help me find a parking spot?

I realize these may be wildly inapplicable to this device but these are real problems that I wish someone would solve for me. It seems like a more intelligent driving assistant that doesn't require unsafe gestures to be made on my phone while driving could potentially be more possible with something like this. For the problems above, there is surely "an app for that" but I'm not using them because they require me to awkwardly remember to use them before I leave or require me to take my eyes off the road. If this can solve those problems for me in a contextually sensitive way automatically, it would be great.

<comment><USER52> I commend you for being part of the solution, but I have to say- for myself, the ability to check the cause of the check engine light would be worth it. If your car is fairly new, you may experience the check engine light very rarely. But for cars over 5 years old, I think that's the best feature. As opposed to taking it into a mechanic where you are completely ignorant of what the cause was.

<comment><USER51> I think it's an interesting feature, but it's still something that is a "once in a long while" feature. And, when I do use it, it's often pointless since I will need to take it to the mechanic anyway. If this was a free feature on my car, sure, I'll use it, but I'm not going to buy a product for that feature. More importantly, people who really don't care about cars in general and just take it in when the lights go on aren't going to either. (Especially when you consider the cost of getting your own self-diagnosis wrong. How is my mom supposed to know if a loose gas cap is a big deal or not?)

I think there's a lot of potential here but it needs to be something that a) I will use all the time and b) I will get real, tangible value out of it, not academic understanding of my driving habits or a few bucks a month off of my gas by changing them. (Which, by the way, is another "thing" I now have to worry about: is Automotive telling me my driving is ok? What do I need to change? Now I feel like a loser when I don't "do well" one month.) It needs to make my life easier or allow me to do things behind the wheel that are valuable but currently hard/dangerous to do. I think there's plenty there.

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER53> I want to know how much the domain cost.

</comment><comment><USER54> 2 questions:

1) Why isn't this available in Canada? All of our cars have ODBII after 96 as well.

2) Is there an estimated completion timeline? 2 months? 2 years?

</comment><comment><USER55> Alright. The product seems pretty good, especially the marketing and the spin. But I would have to place it in the category of "cool gadgets that you don't really need". For $20-30, this might be a cool thing to try. But I am not going to shell out $70 for a little tool that will tell me how efficient I am or where I parked my car. People have been parking cars without GPS systems for years just fine. And oh, want to help me be more efficient on the road? I think that people who are serious about saving money already know to now accelerate fast, drive over 65, etc.

</comment><comment><USER56> Wow, this could be really cool if you collected all the data from the cars anonymously and then built a data-set that mapped common car issues to mileage for specific makes/models/year combos. That could really improve car performance by predicting when issues will arise and warning the user (my 2002 malibu had a switch fail at 92k which is a common thing once I looked online, but this lead to more issues when it failed and may have been prevented if I'd replaced the part earlier).

This tool seems like a great idea. I'm going to get one when the android version is released.

<comment><USER57> I'm concerned about the Android version, a week or so ago when I was researching the fitbit It quickly became apparent the lack of Low power BT4.0 support in android core (but available on the (S3 + Note), will this support all android or just low power 4.0?

<comment><USER6> The Automatic Link supports both Bluetooth Low Energy and Bluetooth Classic, so it will work with many Android phones that don't support BT 4.0 too.

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER58> First of all, congrats on the launch guys!

There are several people within this space and going beyond the fact that, they've got a nice generic .com (important for this type of product) which the public can easily remember they actually have an interesting product which, so far appears better executed than the others in this space. As well as that they also have an interesting team behind them as well for instance their CEO Thejo Kote, was previously a founder of NextDrop[1] which provides _real_ value to people in India by informing them when nearby water is available (In case you're not aware of this, despite having water pipes to them, water in India is only available for a few hours (usually once or twice a week) at a time and they have no way of knowing when that time actually is).

The product is useful for some of the reasons listed on their website such as the Crash Alert, Engine Health, Where You Parked etc. Although the biggest interest they will receive is through, external parties such as Rental Companies and Car Insurance providers etc (In otherwords, I predict their market is far bigger on the business than the Consumer side although, in some instances they overlap). The Car Insurance feature may actually become their biggest 'feature' for consumers in the future going forward "With Automatic you can get an Engine Health Check, Remember Where You Parked, In The Event of a Crash Inform the Right People and more importantly save $100's on your Car Insurance!"

For instance, in the UK there are a lot of car insurance providers who give discounts to drivers who get a telematics policy aka install a "black box" within their car (something similar to Automatic without the additional features). These telematics policies in the UK are offered in 3 categories (the Behaviour-Based is the most common):

\- Curfew-Based Policies – if you don't drive between 11pm – 5am you get a discount

\- Low Mileage Policies

\- Behaviour-Based Policies (which Automatic does with their "Drive Score" points system) which considers how will you corner, brake and speed etc so the better you drive your insurance becomes cheaper, you drive badly you get penalised with higher rates etc.

[1] <http://www.nextdrop.org>

<comment><USER59> The problem with these telemetric policies is that I bet they are actually aimed at peanalising risky drivers rather than rewarding low risk drivers.

Perhaps I am being too syndical and actually they are just trying to replace the, now illegal, female driver discount.

</comment></comment><comment><USER60> I'd be interested in having one of these in the UK.

</comment><comment><USER61> I am really excited about this product, but had a couple of questions:

1\. Will this be able to connect to more than one phone without significant reconfigurations? My wife and I own one car. It would be great to swap which phone to connect to depending on who is driving.

2\. Will this need a tethering plan (or a jailbreak) for Automatic to use my iPhone's data plan? Since AT&T/Verizon charge extra for a tethering plan, even if you have a fixed data plan, that's an extra expense that you should mention in your FAQs.

<comment><USER6> Automatic is designed to work with multiple drivers. So yes, you can share a car with your wife and both of you can use Automatic.

A tethering plan is not required. The Automatic Link communicates with your iPhone over Bluetooth and uses your phone's data connection.

</comment></comment><comment><USER48> So I ordered one almost immediately but now I'm having second thoughts and thinking of canceling. I really don't want some company spying on me or storing my location data.

Yea, I know the phone company already does this but still, I'd like one less company doing it. Especially one that has no track record and is reserving the option to sell all my data when they sell the company and change the terms at any time.

I'd be happier if, like Google, there was a guarantee I could export my data (and not on some TODO list someday maybe but at launch). And, that I could delete all my data from their servers at anytime. Including, like i can on Google Latitude, any specific data. Latitude has a "delete this day's data" and a "delete all data" button.

Would I ever use these features? Probably not. But they'd make me feel good to know they exist.

I also want to be able to opt out of any and all sharing of my data. Even anonymous aggregated data. I'm happy to consider paying more for that feature. Even a yearly fee if it was relatively low ($10-$20 a year)

</comment><comment><USER62> I wonder, could a malware on my phone issue a command such as "ENGAGE BRAKE FRONT-LEFT" while I'm going 130mph on the autobahn?

<comment><USER63> As I understand it, no. ODBII is a read-only data port that surfaces information about the state of your car. I don't believe it lets you enter commands.

That being said, there have been man vulnerabilities in car software which is all proprietary and hasn't undergone any public review, so I guess it is possible.

<comment><USER5> OBD-II isn't completely read-only.

I mean at the very least it is used to control car keys. I know that because MANY cars are being stolen locally via the keys being reset using the OBD-II port.

They target particular models of a car. They drive around, find that car/model, then use a slim jim to open the door, plug into the OBD-II port, and reset the key to one in their possession - then they can just drive the car away as if it was their own.

<comment><USER64> There's an article about this here: <http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/17/bmw_car_theft_hack/>

(Apparently it is particularly straightforward on recentish BMWs, because the alarm has a dead area that allows a thief to gain access to the OBD port undetected.)

</comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER65> What a great looking product idea! I pre-ordered; don't normally do that, but they promise not to charge until they ship.

<comment><USER66> Exactly. I wouldn't either, but they said "when they ship". Pre-ordered one for my lady friend as well.

Doesn't say on the site, but is there an expected ship date?

Ah says in the email:

> You'll only be charged once your Automatic Link ships in May (for iPhone) > and Fall (for Android).

</comment></comment><comment><USER67> Pre-ordered. Way too cool! Sort of like a pedometer for your car (in that you get quick feedback on things, etc).

Our Volkswagon dealership was going to charge me $110 to find out why we had a check engine light. I didn't know this is all they were doing. But thankfully our car was Certified so they waived it.

Looking forward to fun with this little device.

</comment><comment><USER68> I've had one of these cheap Bluetooth OBD-II adapters for quite a while now, however, the tight integration that this solution shows in the demo is enough to get me to preorder. There was just too much fiddling with the other apps. Maybe the gamification of maximizing my MPG will keep me off the pedal...

</comment><comment><USER69> I feel like the Beta flag next to Crash Alerts gives a new twist to what you can expect from a beta version.

<comment><USER70> I'm just hoping there's a way to turn it off without losing any other functionality. I really don't want to be hit with the bill from an accidental 911 call, I'll take my chances that if there's an accident someone around (or I) will be able to call 911 without a $70 app deciding it for me.

I would also be concerned (this seems to be an extreme edge case) that off- roading may trip the sensor. I try not to break my equipment, but I've seen some guys running their daily driver pretty hard, and it's not uncommon to have some extreme jarring going on if you hit a jump wrong or run over a log going a bit too fast. I can see a good deal of this functionality from the device being applicable even off the road, but having 911 pay you a visit down in a mud pit because your tire hit a rock and bounced off doesn't seem like a positive.

<comment><USER6> You can disable the crash alert feature if you don't want it.

<comment><USER71> Does it send the alert straight away or do you get a chance to stop it if it triggers accidentally or the accident isn't so bad that you need an ambulance?

</comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER72> How does Automatic compare to Verizon/Delphi's coming dongle/app that does a lot of the same things? We don't know pricing for the Delphi dongle yet, but it does appear to include unlocking/locking the car for certain models:

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avX0YRiXDI0> <http://shop.verizonwireless.com/?id=vehicle-diagnostics>

Automatic's GUI definitely looks nicer. If Automatic could automatically unlock the door when I come near the car after being away from it from a period of time, that would make this a must buy for me.

</comment><comment><USER73> Do all cars have this 'data port'? I had no idea this thing existed.

<comment><USER74> Yes, it is the OBD II port, and is typically used for on board diagnostics and connects directly to the ECU. The bluetooth "dongles" have been around for a number of years.

<comment><USER75> I was under the impression that it was mandated by the government for all US cars in the 90's. Is that not the case?

<comment><USER76> It was mandated that all cars built and sold in the US starting in 1996 have it..

</comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER77> Very cool. I'll probably buy one when it comes out for Android.

</comment><comment><USER78> It is my understanding that engine codes are not public and car manufacturers consider them copyrighted information, requiring a license. I wonder if Automatic reverse engineered the codes or licensed them from the manufacturers.

The check engine light is only used to indicate problems with the car's emission system. It is unlikely to provide anything actionable unless you're planning to get your car smogged soon.

<comment><USER79> Most of the in-depth codes are proprietary, but at the same time, things like mass airflow sensor info and throttle position sensors are under the standard specs for OBD-II info. So even without paying the many thousands of dollars to Ford, etc for the info, you can usually get a good idea of what's going on.

Also, the check engine light is something that can display things that people would only consider tangentially related to the car's emissions system. Things like misfires, or even occasionally transmission problems, can also trigger this light.

</comment></comment><comment><USER80> I would think that fleet cars / rental cars / company cars might be more of a market than consumers for this kind of thing in some ways.

</comment><comment><USER81> This is really intuitive! I never even knew my car had this port. If only they could support Android sooner, I'd preorder right now.

<comment><USER82> Do most cars have an Onboard Diagnostics Port or is this more so in newer cars only? I wish there was some information about what cars this is expected to work with.

<comment><USER74> Any car with a OBD II port should work with the device... just Google your car. As noted, it's basically anything after 96 save for Hondas and a few other models.

<comment><USER83> "Save for Hondas and a few other models."

How does that work? There's 11 counties in Wisconsin where you cannot register your car unless you pass a biannual smog check which for any post '96 car involves the OBD-II check for codes and readiness indicators. So no ODB-II port means no wisconsin license plate with very few exceptions (mainly antique cars and electric cars)

</comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER84> I would love to have just a nice OBD II app that allows me to diagnose and reset params in my car. All the solutions that I've found so far seem to be thrown together and have generally horrendous UI.

Maybe they would be willing to sell a lower tier product for the iPad with just that and none of the geo features? If so, TAKE MY MONEY.

</comment><comment><USER85> Well done! I'd actually consider ordering one. I'm sure you've given these out to friends and family as testers; are there any examples of them saving on gas that you could tell us about? The other features seem more neat than useful, at least on a daily basis. I'd consider purchasing the device on gas benefits alone.

</comment><comment><USER86> Does this interact with door locks and car alarms at all? Is that even possible? At least once a week I find myself walking back to my car to make sure I hit the car alarm. I would definitely pay to solve that problem. Getting an iPhone app for my home security system has already saved me a lot of grief.

<comment><USER87> OnStar offers that. Not sure if it's able to be added to your vehicle, but I can lock/unlock/start/trigger alarm/etc. my car from my iPhone.

</comment></comment><comment><USER88> Any idea when it actually expects to ship?

</comment><comment><USER89> What I want from my driving assistant: Notify me (perhaps with a beep) if I go N mph above speed-limit for a road. Let me specify what that N should be, and let me override the speed limits for a specific road (this will hopefully allow the service to crowd-source the speed limits data)

</comment><comment><USER90> I know this is going to sound stupid, but I wrote a pretty detailed business plan for this exact same idea. Glad that these guys decide to run with it. An interesting link from the past:

<http://37signals.com/better/motors/index>

<comment><USER91> I also had this idea (with more of a feedback-based efficiency training tool, but still). I did get quite concerned with the privacy implications of logging somebody's vehicle location, though.

</comment></comment><comment><USER92> The release of this product seems like a great coincidence with the Department of Energy's Apps for Vehicles competition: <http://appsforvehicles.challenge.gov/>

I wonder if there are future partnership opportunities?

</comment><comment><USER93> Hmmm. What's the multi-driver and privacy story for this? I see one mention (being able but not required to share your parking location with other drivers) but I'm curious about how this handles eg trip history information when a different smartphone plugs in.

</comment><comment><USER94> Very cool. I'm still waiting for a phone version of the Tactrix open port though. Would love to be able to do in-depth data-logging of my car and ECU flashing from my phone... the market for that is significantly smaller though I'm sure.

</comment><comment><USER95> The "driver score" feature sounds like a solution for the worried parent whose kid occasionally borrows the car in the evenings and on weekends. I wonder if they plan on entering this market.

</comment><comment><USER96> No mobile friendly site? I would expect a company that makes and sells a "smartphone" product would have a website that is optimized for a mobile browser, like my iPhone 5.

Looks like a great product though!

</comment><comment><USER92> Well timed release with the Department of Energy's Apps for Vehicles competition: <http://appsforvehicles.challenge.gov/>.

</comment><comment><USER97> Too bad they're US only.

<comment><USER39> Not even Canada, which shares a lot of the available car line up with the US.

<comment><USER98> I'd buy this in an instant if it was available in Canada.

<comment><USER39> Me too. I found out the lack of support for Canada as I was filling in my credit card details on their purchase page.

</comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER99> Off-topic: Excellent use of Bootstrap. Someone should add this to the Bootstrap Expo[1].

[1]: <http://expo.getbootstrap.com/>

</comment><comment><USER100> I wonder if the plan on making one for obd1 vehicles or if they plan on sticking to just obd2? A lot of gearheads who would love this are still driving obd1 cars.

</comment><comment><USER101> $70 is crazy. For $20 I bought from www.carcarecheck.com and get OBD2 + a year's membership + their beta.

They do real time diagnostics + crash notification = Much better deal.

<comment><USER101> Oh yeah, and they're shipping to Canada + worldwide. Again, much better deal.

</comment></comment><comment><USER102> I wonder what Automattic Inc. thinks of that company name?

</comment><comment><USER103> Out of curiosity, why does it matter what Android or iPhone I have. Is the unit actually different? What happens if I get a different phone in a month?

<comment><USER6> hi dlokshin, we support the iPhone 4S and 5 because those are the only models that support Bluetooth 4.0. I'm sure we can theoretically support every Android phone out there, but as a small team, we'd rather focus on a smaller set and provide the best experience possible. Our goal is to support as many Android phones as possible over time.

The Automatic Link supports both classic bluetooth and bluetooth 4.0, so it will work with both iPhones and Android phones.

<comment><USER29> Why does it matter what type of car I have as long as it's new enough?

<comment><USER19> OBD-II just standardizes the connection port, meaning that you can plug in the device, but not all cars support the same information and features. Most of them do, but I'm sure that the guys over at Automatic don't want to sell someone a product that isn't supported or tested for their vehicle.

<comment><USER6> That's right!

</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER104> Been using Torque on my Android phone (~$5) along with a $12 OBD-II bluetooth dongle from Amazon for over a year now, to do much the same thing.

</comment><comment><USER105> Hmm, I wonder if this would work on my Alfa Romeo ('95 GTV) - it's not in the list, but then again, it's not a car that was sold in the USA.

</comment><comment><USER106> Congrats guys! This product has come a long way.

</comment><comment><USER107> I want the reverse of this: a way to use the car's superior GPS/IMU to augment my phone, instead of the other way around.

</comment><comment><USER108> I wonder if it's possible to set a different emergency number instead of 911? Emergency services use 112 in Europe.

<comment><USER12> I'd hope it would automatically know that based on your location.

</comment></comment><comment><USER109> I wonder how much time it would take automatic to save $70 of the average users' money.

</comment><comment><USER110> The android app version says it ships this fall. When does the iOS version ship?

<comment><USER111> May, according to the order page.

<https://www.automatic.com/order>

<comment><USER110> Doh. For some reason the orange tag on the android one made me expect to see one for the iOS so my eye didn't even read the text. It's right there, haha. My bad.

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER112> How does the engine trouble codes feature compare to something like VAG-COM?

<comment><USER113> VAG-COM is much more powerful and flexible than an OBD-II reader.

</comment></comment><comment><USER114> Does Automatic impact my phone's battery life? ... more or less: no Next section: Does Automatic charge a monthly fee? No, all you need is the Automatic Link and a smartphone with an _active data plan_.

From my experience that is exactly what kills 99% of smartphone batteries...

<comment><USER115> At least my smartphone built-in stats app shows that my sync-everything- everywhere habits (both mobile data and wifi) cause just 20% of my battery drain, and more than half is spent by the screen which is used for much, much shorter periods.

Sending a few bytes doesn't take much juice at all, and the phone radio is anyway communicating with the cell tower very often to "check in".

</comment></comment><comment><USER116> An insurance giant will attempt to purchase Automatic. That's my guess.

<comment><USER117> Progressive already does this with a similar gadget: <http://www.progressive.com/auto/snapshot.aspx>

</comment></comment><comment><USER118> Is this well localized? Metric units, European cars and speed limits?

<comment><USER14> Regarding european cars...

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On-board_diagnostics#EOBD>

" _The technical implementation of EOBD is essentially the same as OBD-II, with the same SAE J1962 diagnostic link connector and signal protocols being used._ "

So it likely will work with European cars. (I'm not associated with Automatic, but I have done research into OBD-II previously).

</comment></comment><comment><USER119> If this would available localized for Germany, I would buy it.

</comment><comment><USER120> Please ship this to Canada. I went to preorder and I cannot.

</comment><comment><USER121> I wonder what happened to these guys www.mavizon.com?

<comment><USER122> They missed a major deadline and their primary investor pulled the plug.

</comment></comment><comment><USER123> Cool, but seems like it's not available in Canada.

</comment><comment><USER124> Which distribution channels do you plan to use?

</comment><comment><USER66> Out of interest, how much did the domain cost?

</comment><comment><USER125> So, this is a Fitbit for your car, right?

</comment><comment><USER126> Very cool, guys! Love the design.

</comment><comment><USER127> This looks amazing.

</comment><comment><USER128> Damn. Awesome idea and that app is ohmygod amazing.

The downside of course is much more immediate guilt about my fast accel/deceleration habits.

</comment><comment><USER129> They lost me by making on the iPhone first......

Android should have been the first device they released it for.

<comment><USER130> Why?

</comment></comment><comment><USER131> Prediction: No one will buy this. It does not solve an actual problem. It's a toy for data geeks.

How the hell much did that domain cost?

<comment><USER132> I'm sure I paid more than this for BMW Assist in my car (I think like $100-$300, can't remember). I was in an accident a couple years ago; it wasn't a terrible accident, but if it had been, the service it provided would have been well worth the price tag (notifying all the right people, making sure I'm okay, tracking my location for me, etc). If the functionality is similar, this is easily worth the $65 price tag on that alone. If I'm a parent with a first- time driver, you can bet I'd pick one up for my kid.

<comment><USER133> I have OnStar for similar reasons -- primarily as a safety device -- however it retains three rather large benefits-

1) OnStar is a hardened part of the vehicle, built specifically to endure a high speed collision. Someone's smartphone in the center console would likely be ejected or demolished by the same.

2) The two way voice phase before initiating emergency services gives comfort that there aren't false emergency calls that can get you in legal or financial troubles.

3) Via the antenna on the car (raised, on the outside of the vehicle, large), I can confidently say that OnStar has given me connectivity in many cases where my smartphone has none.

I'm not trying to be an ad for OnStar, but based upon those facts I can't make the economic decision that this is a replacement for that. For someone who doesn't have OnStar as an option this would likely be fine, but just thought it was worth mentioning that.</comment></comment></comment>


How to Survive Late Capitalism as a Worker - <AUTHOR> http://cryoshon.co/2016/01/04/how-to-survive-late-capitalism-as-a-worker/ <comment><USER2> I agree with many of the points in this article and I'd like to add to it: What astounds me about these back and forths is that I never hear the argument that I hear every time I go home to my parents, what my grandparents are always yelling at me about: my education. Your education is the key to the combinatoric explosion of specializations that will keep you afloat in a modernizing economy. Your education will also give you the general ability to adapt when your specialization is not in demand.

Your education is still the most powerful driver of social mobility. Yes there are ruts that exits, large ones that trap many people in the inner cities and elsewhere. But you can still be an immigrant in America and have a child that becomes a doctor, a lawyer, a software engineer.

Furthermore, an education is a form of human capital, one that is getting easier and easier to acquire (besides college, which could be becoming an increasingly foolish investment). Google and stack overflow are the equivalent of an expert tutor that could have set you back thousands of dollars a month 25 years ago. So I guess I would offer an additional solution to the worker trying to survive capitalism: become a capitalist. Don't settle for a wage, find a job the builds your skills, and use those learned skills to find better jobs and better skills. Leave the job that isn't paying you market price, that isn't building you, and use your investments to find a better one. Isn't that a better scenario than the labor-apocalypse that everyone else seems to be predicting, since Marx?

I hope in 100 years, there will be no more laborers. Not because they've all starved to death, but that the marginal cost of capital itself is so low that everyone is able to pursue their craft, take ownership of it, and profit.</comment>


Maximize Server Throughput with Scala Futures - <AUTHOR> http://blog.naytev.com/maximize-your-server-throughput/

<comment><USER2> Future objects are the simplest way to write these workloads because they map directly to a very simple 2-step model

1) I want this, get started 2) I'll check when I need this, then I'll wait

This is what I do when I want to order pizza for pickup and it's easier to debug most of the time - they're only annoying when the pizzas ordered were never picked up (& you get a memory leak, eventually).

</comment><comment><USER3> This is wrong. Well not wrong but it doesn't work the way it seems the author thinks it does. For comprehensions de-sugar in a way that isn't really great. See the first answer here. [http://stackoverflow.com/questions/19045936/scalas-for- compr...](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/19045936/scalas-for- comprehension-with-futures) .

Basically what he means with that code is: Do four things in parallel and then return the result. What his code ACTUALLY does is do 4 things in sequence in a non-blocking way. This isn't bad (certainly better than blocking for each step) but it misses the real value. He should fire the for futures and then use traverse or Future.sequence to combine them. It is uglier but actually achieves the intended result.

<comment><USER4> No, they are right, it would be a sequential operation if the individual steps depended on each other which is not the case. All the four tasks will be computed in parallel and then aggregated to give the result.

For comprehensions reduce a lot of syntactic noise and are good to have although you need to make sure that you spawn futures outside of it.

<comment><USER3> The issue is that this:

      val future1 = asyncService1()
      val future2 = asyncService2()
      val future3 = asyncService3()
      val future4 = asyncService4()

      val resultFuture:Future = for { //For-comprehension
        r1 <- future1
        r2 <- future2
        r3 <- future3
        r4 <- future4
      } yield (someOperation(r1, r2, r3, r4))

looks a lot like this

      val resultFuture:Future = for { //For-comprehension
        r1 <- asyncService1()
        r2 <- asyncService2()
        r3 <- asyncService3()
        r4 <- asyncService4()
      } yield (someOperation(r1, r2, r3, r4))

But the second one will be sequential. This is a common trap for new Scala futures users. You are right (as is the op below) that the first one work the way you expect. It is just easy for new users who don't understand how the de- sugaring resolves for get "caught."

<comment><USER4> Yeah but that's my point they are doing it right.They are not falling into the trap ;)

<comment><USER3> You are right. I jumped on it without giving the author the benefit of the doubt. This is one of those things that I personally have been burned by, and I wanted to save other from falling victim to the same mistake.</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment>


Cavemen Were Better at Depicting Quadruped Walking Than Modern Artists (2012) - <AUTHOR> http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0049786 <comment><USER2> I didn't read thoroughly, so I may have missed this, but it doesn't look like there's any effort to control for the fact that some of the pieces are meant to be artistic rather than an actual depiction.

For example, do memorial statues of horses have physics as their highest priority? It seems like they're just supposed to look pretty, even if they are less accurate in depicting the gait.

</comment><comment><USER3> My guess at a reasoning: cavemen had easy access to the animals themselves. Modern people have easy access to videos of animals. (Though, as the 10 percentage-point difference might imply, they don't always use it.) For the time in-between, artists might have thought themselves "above" actually going out and looking at what they're going to depict, instead relying on others' depictions and "common wisdom" to guide them.

<comment><USER4> "Modern" here seems to be pretty broad and consists largely of works made when horse was the main mode of transport. And in fact, works after Muybridge in the 1880s are more accurate than those before. So I don't know if lack of access to quadrupeds would explain it.

On the other hand have we controlled for quadruped type? At a guess, later artworks are largely of horses, and horses' legs are thin and move fast. Mammoths' legs are huge and move slowly, making them easier to observe. Horses also have multiple gaits, and the faster ones are very difficult to observe.

</comment></comment><comment><USER5> I saw an exhibit of da Vinci's sketchbooks which had many sketches of a horse rearing. The early sketches had the musculature of the horse's rump wrong; it showed human musculature. The later ones got it right. Since horses don't rear often, it probably took some time to see enough examples to get this right.

</comment><comment><USER6> Know your animal targets really well comes to mind for a full months worth of meals and/or viable shelter materials could disappear instantly due to a bad throw or lousy trap.

</comment><comment><USER7> Modern, as in Leonardo Da Vinci.

Muybridgean, as in Eadweard Muybridge, and his animal locomotion studies dated, circa 1877, after which artistic assumptions regarding animal behavior had firmer reference material.

</comment><comment><USER8> I did a Google search for "house trotting" and one of the first images looked almost like the da vinci image they claim is wrong.

</comment><comment> w-ll OT: What is with that Zoom distorting the horizontal?</comment>


Show HN: Script that changes GitHub default branches to master - <AUTHOR> https://github.com/DaniruKun/rename-branch <comment><USER2> Next: Ban using the term "executable", because it promotes violence.

Seriously, this is a problem with the English language, not the software.

<comment><USER3> There's pressure to change blacklist and whitelist to blocklist and allow list too...

[https://github.com/php/php-src/pull/5685](https://github.com/php/php- src/pull/5685)

</comment></comment><comment><USER4> doing a full clone just to change a branch name seems a bit wasteful.

        git init
        git remote add origin ...
        git push origin (git ls-remote origin | grep "refs/heads/master" | cut -f1 ):master

should be enough

</comment><comment><USER3> The Readme could use a little more context as to why this is necessary. Did Github change the "master" branch to "main"?

</comment><comment><USER5> Why would you want to explicitly preserve racist terminology? What point are you trying to make?

<comment><USER6> Please tell me how the word "master" is inherently racist unless you make it so.

Is a masters degree racist? Is a master bedroom racist? Is a master track racist?

The list goes on.

It's only racist because you make it so.

It's almost as stupid as feminists pushing their stupid agenda that everything that contains the word "man" is bad.

<comment><USER7> Well said!</comment></comment></comment>


Ask HN: Apache 2.2.22 is outdated but not according to the webhost - <AUTHOR>

After much debate with my web host Apache 2.2.22 outdated from a security scan but not according to the webhost.<p>Is it really not outdated as the web host says? <comment><USER2> You can't really tell by the version number. For example Debian stable has Apache 2.2.22 but with security patches back-ported from Apache 2.2.29. It is quite common to stay a a certain well-tested version for a while and only fix security issues.

<comment><AUTHOR> What if malware was uploaded to the websites because of the outdated apache?

<comment><USER2> Well you can't really know, if it is outdated or if it has back-ported patches. But chances are that your webhost is telling you the truth, and that it is not outdated from a security perspective. They are probably running Debian.

<comment><AUTHOR> They are running debian, so it means there is no security breach?

<comment><USER2> Yes. At least not anything that would be fixed by running a newer version.

</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment><comment> digital-rubber Outdated and vulnerable are two different things.

Still have boxes with apache 1.3 running, but all potential vulnerabilities are patched and or _bad feature(s)_ removed.

Bottomline i think is, you are unhappy with your web host. Find another that does match your particular preference.

<comment><AUTHOR> They pointed out that there are malware files and suggested an online security scanner. I tried it out and pointed back to them that their web server is outdated.

Well my question to them was how can that be that I have malware and its okay for them to have outdated web server software.

I asked them for patch dates :: didnt get a reply They said if they upgrade then all users will have problems with their websites.

I have been hosting with them for over 5 years now and they are good.

I may be wrong in my opinion or have over looked something so wanted to know what others think.

<comment> digital-rubber I see. And yes there have been some module/syntax changes between apache versions that makes one less motivated to upgrade. Also upgrading doesn't always give you better security, you might be introducing a new issue/bug. But i could see their reasoning, why not to upgrade/change the version.

The scanner most likely does a simple version compare. The scanner assumes anything under version X.Y == vulnerable. If it would be hiding or faking the vendor and version to latest IIS (or apache, or nginx or etc), possible it would simply report all is A-Okay. Unless the scanner really test the actual exploit/vulnerabilities, i assume the simple version compare happens.

Though i'm quite certain the malware didn't get *there via a method that only utilises the webserver; more likely a poor coded (php, perl, etc) script allowed 3rd parties to download/write to disk of your webserver.

If for example shellshock wasn't patched in time, and there was a vulnerable cgi script or similar on the website/server, it could have been that script+bash, that has been exploited. But that doesn't make the webserver vulnerable. (even though the malicious upload/ action was executed via the webserver)

<comment><AUTHOR> Can the upload go into a non-www directory via a php? A non-www directory is not viewable. If this directory is accessible then would it be server or application level exploit?

<comment><USER2> Yes, and any exploit is much more likely to be through a vulnerability in the PHP application you are running on the site. That is my experience as a former system administrator at a webhost.

</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER3> If your going to run SSL, 2.2 will be very limited

<comment> digital-rubber I rather use TLS nowadays, until that gets cracked and we'll have nothing \o/</comment></comment>


Ask HN: Where do you find good tech talks? - <AUTHOR>

I've noticed that there are a lot of great talks recorded on Blip.TV, but I can't seem to find anything decent through their search :-/
I used to watch almost every Google Tech Talk, but they seem to have stopped posting them as often, and the subjects are also less intriguing.
Where do you find good tech talks? Here is a list of the resources I follow at the moment:
Google Tech Talks - http://research.google.com/video.html
ConFreaks - http://confreaks.net/events
Pivotal Tech Talks - http://pivotallabs.com/talks
StartupSchool at JustinTV - http://en.justin.tv/startupschool/videos
InfoQ presentations - http://infoq.com
Stanford Entrepreneurship Corner - http://ecorner.stanford.edu/podcasts.html
Business of Software - http://www.businessofsoftware.org/prevyear.aspx - Click "Show more"
Learnivore screencasts - http://http://www.learnivore.com
VideoLectures - http://videolectures.net/ - Machine Learning, Statistics, NLP, ..
MediaPostLive at UStream - http://www.ustream.tv/user/mediapostlive - Digital Marketing
TED Talks - http://ted.com - General
What else am I missing? Should Learnivore include the listed resources? Should we make another aggregator just for Tech Talks? Did somebody already do it? Thanks <comment><AUTHOR> Err, clickable:

<http://research.google.com/video.html>

<http://confreaks.net/events>

<http://pivotallabs.com/talks>

<http://en.justin.tv/startupschool/videos>

<http://infoq.com>

<http://ecorner.stanford.edu/podcasts.html>

<http://www.businessofsoftware.org/prevyear.aspx>

<http://http://www.learnivore.com>

<http://videolectures.net>

<http://www.ustream.tv/user/mediapostlive>

<http://ted.com>

</comment><comment><USER2> JS: [http://addyosmani.com/blog/the-top-10-javascript-talks- from-...](http://addyosmani.com/blog/the-top-10-javascript-talks-from-2010/)

R: <http://www.vcasmo.com/user/drewconway>

<http://had.blip.tv/>

Vimeo has some good talks too if you search.

</comment><comment><USER3> <http://developer.yahoo.com/yui/theater/>

<http://vimeo.com/channels/oredev>

<http://player.microsoftpdc.com/session>

</comment><comment><USER4> I run Learnivore - I've been thinking about adding tech talks to it, your list is a nice starting point!

I'm not sure if I'll create 2 RSS or put everything in a single one.

What do you think ?

<comment><AUTHOR> Hey there. I think you could split it into two feeds. The nature and length of screencasts and tech talks are a bit different I think. I watch a screencast now and then during lunch, and most tech talks before I sleep or when I've got a longer time-frame. Thanks for considering.

<comment><USER4> Thanks - I think it's a good idea.

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER5> <http://vimeo.com/channels/galois>

<http://clojure.blip.tv/>

</comment><comment><USER6> <http://www.stanford.edu/class/ee380/> has talks going back to 1996.

</comment><comment><USER7> <http://ontwik.com/> has some pretty decent ones and it's updated pretty regularly

<comment><AUTHOR> Thanks, that's something along the lines of what I was thinking when I mentioned Learnivore should add tech talks.

Too bad Omnisio turned into Youtube annotations.

</comment></comment><comment><USER8> <http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/Going+Deep>

</comment><comment><USER3> <http://www.youtube.com/googledevelopers>

</comment><comment><USER9> <http://media.ccc.de/>

</comment><comment><USER10> thanks for the list guys</comment>


Ask HN: Am I doing anything illegal by publishing code from a book? - <AUTHOR>

Finally started going through K&R C using a github repo to save source code from the book. After an interesting chapter, I find it useful to implement the exercise and run it to get a better feel for the language. After publishing a few exercises on my public github repo, I realized that I may be breaking some copyright law. Googling around a bit didn't help. Maybe someone here on HN can help answer the question:
What is the policy on publishing source code from books? Is there a general answer to that question or does it differ with every book? Am I doing anything illegal or immoral by publishing code from a book on my github repo? <comment><USER2> There is probably an explicit copyright policy inside the book.

If there isn't you should assume you are violating their rights if you are _publicly_ publishing their works and you would be better off using a private repository.</comment>


Your Smart Watch Can Steal Your ATM PIN - <AUTHOR> http://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/consumer-electronics/gadgets/your-smart-watch-can-spy-on-your-pin <comment><USER2> This is a pretty cool technical feat, not unlike others used in the past such as a smartphone sitting on a table next to a keyboard.

The actual usefulness of this attack would be quite low though, since there are easier ways to read PINs on an ATM than compromising a user's device.

I think the biggest limit to this exploit is that the vast majority of people put their watch on their left hand and operate the ATM with their right.</comment>


Yamaha's Latest Silent Brass - <AUTHOR> http://createdigitalmusic.com/2014/02/best-sounding-brass-instrument-tech-makes-sound-yamahas-latest-silent-brass/ <comment><USER2> I have an original first generation Yamaha Silent Brass for trumpet. This page doesn't show one or even really compare the new one to the old one. It's freaking enormous! I think it juts out of the bell of a trumpet a good 6 inches at least, and the amplifier is pretty darn big too ... the size of a paperback book.

This page doesn't say anything about the back pressure from the mute. I wonder if it's any different from the original. I used the silent brass all through college and didn't have many opportunities to play without it, and frankly it screwed up my playing.

Here's a picture of the original from 1995 [http://www.yamaha.com/design/award/images/img_sb-7.jpg](http://www.yamaha.com/design/award/images/img_sb-7.jpg)

<comment><USER3> Re: back pressure - that's what I was most interested in, and I was sad to see it not addressed. I got a silent brass mute for my horn (trombone) a couple of years ago, but found that playing with the mute in (like any other practice mute that I have used) felt extremely different than playing without; especially in lower registers. Even the older version was magical - making me silent but still able to hear myself, but the cost is long term usability.

<comment><USER4> I'm a string player. You can get practice mutes for string instruments, and somewhat analogous to back pressure, they change how the instrument responds to the bow. The result is that you can practice some things (left hand technique, repertoire) but not others.

For myself, I'm practicing for pleasure and not to advance professionally. Muting my instrument would spoil it. Fortunately I've got a tolerant family and a detached house.

<comment><USER5> Would an electric instrument help, or do they feel too different from acoustic, too?

<comment><USER4> Too different. Actually, another instrument that I play is electric bass, and I simply practice it unplugged.

</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER6> Those lucky brass players! We saxophonists have to deal with stuff like this: [http://www.wwbw.com/E-sax-Practice-Mute-System-for-Alto- Saxo...](http://www.wwbw.com/E-sax-Practice-Mute-System-for-Alto-Saxophone- II-464520-i1410117.wwbw)

<comment><USER7> I remember a tenor sax hanging off my neck was enough work let alone having its entire hard case attached :) It seems, to me, the best solution for all of these issues is just to rent a practice space and go play until your cheeks and lips fall off. I am pretty amazed with how the trumpet output sounds through that Yamaha mute, though - it looks like you could even circuit bend that gadget to do some nasty things to a trumpet's tone.

<comment><USER6> Yeah, it really is remarkable! Synthesized brass/winds are generally quite bad. I was very skeptical, but watching the video changed my mind. I do have an old trumpet lying around...

I did see a video for the sax case where a person had it mounted on some kind of stand, so that's probably a lot more feasible!

<comment><USER8> I don't think they're actually synthesizing anything in the traditional sense...just essentially using a DSP to convert sound in the bell to natural room sound.

</comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER9> I have an original one of these for french horn. While the amp/sound processing was cool, the really great thing was the air flow. It added such a minimal amount of resistance that you could practice in hotel rooms and avoid trips to the practice rooms in winter without totally ruining your tone or having your range affected.

</comment><comment><USER10> This is cool, and a great improvement over the previous generation Yamaha product. However, "Brass Resonance Modeling" may be confusing to some non-tech savvy consumers as it sounds similar to "physical modeling," a method of synthesis. The technology improvements are not synthesis, but rather a non- generative process more similar to a pair of noise-canceling headphones.

<comment><USER11> Can you cite any more specific info? I'm very curious. From the demos, the sound externally and direct is pretty much equivalent to the silent brass system I picked up in 1999, but without that huge bulb sticking out of the bell of course!

</comment></comment><comment><USER12> I've been wondering about analogous things for flute, clarinet and cello. From what i read here, they're all compromises, except for a heavily baffled room in the basement. I really liked an Azola electric (solid body) double bass that i tried but i was too slow in making a decision, and they're now very hard to find.

<comment><USER13> I too am always on the lookout for the equivalent of this for the clarinet. My wife plays, but with two children in an English house it's hard to practice.

If you do find something promsing give me a buzz. I would be very grateful.

</comment></comment><comment><USER14> This is neat!

FYI, they have had "practice mutes" on the market for a very long time now! [http://www.wwbw.com/Trumpet---Cornet-Mutes-Brass- Mutes,Mute-...](http://www.wwbw.com/Trumpet---Cornet-Mutes-Brass-Mutes,Mute- Type-Practice-Mute.wwbw?ipp=12)

</comment><comment><USER15> I still hope they'll be able to create a synthesized instrument capable of reproducing the sound of the bassoon. It is such a complex instrument. :/

<comment><USER16> I'm making an electronic musical instrument. Still in development. I'll think about what you've just said, as the plan is design more than one kind.

</comment></comment><comment><USER17> My wife wants to know if Yamaha makes this for humans. She thinks me and my side of the family talk too loud.

</comment><comment><USER18> i wonder if this can make a cheap brass sound like an expensive one :)

</comment><comment><USER19> I might start playing French Horn again thanks to this!</comment>


Debian May Need to Re-Evaluate Its Interest in "Init System Diversity" - <AUTHOR> https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Debian-Init-Diversity-Question <comment><USER2> The systemd developers don't care about being compatible with anyone else (including their past selves) and are paid a full-time salary to make breaking changes, ermmm I mean work on, systemd. This is a battle that part-time volunteers cannot win. Or rather the only winning move is not to play.

</comment><comment><USER3> I miss rc.local

Just came here to say that... _sniff_

<comment><USER4> You just scared me so I just checked and /etc/rc.local exists and works on my debian box which is running debian 10 with systemd...so what do you mean exactly by saying you miss it?</comment></comment>


Show HN: Stein – Use Google Sheets as a No-Hassle Database - <AUTHOR> https://github.com/SteinHQ/Stein <comment><USER2> Pretty cool idea, looks like a really approachable way to instantly create a basic CMS. It could also be great for client's to manage their own site content too.

I see you have the GNU GPL-3.0 license. This is a bit of a deal breaker for a lot of commercial purposes as it requires you to publish your source, is there a specific reason for this?

<comment><AUTHOR> Oops! That was mainly because of legacy reasons, stakeholders' stuff. It was later planned to update this before the release, which I conveniently missed

I'll be pushing an updated release in a few minutes. Thanks for pointing that out.</comment></comment>


The Dehumanizing Condescension of White Fragility - <AUTHOR> https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/07/dehumanizing-condescension-white-fragility/614146/ <comment><USER2> It's interesting this article is not treading higher on HN. With the general rational / enlightenment perspective that HN has this should be a hot button. The denial of rationality and logic as a way to know things is antithetical to most of what gets posted here (and this view is gaining traction).

 _I was hoping for a strong defense (steelmanning) of the pro intersectionality view._ When I don't see how anyone could believe the claims, I question if I really understand the counter arguments.

<comment><USER3> John McWhorter is a great read and watch generally. Even if you don't agree with him it's clear he's a smart and well-read guy who you should respect.

His videos with Glenn Loury on The Glenn Show are great fun, smart and for me what the mainstream media is generally missing (Neil DeGrasse Tyson being the exception) in that these black academics are not solely defined by their race and whilst not completely ignoring it they show their expertise as being their thing and with that has come excellence in their field (and being interesting thinkers outside of it). The media seems to love the "Hey you're black so you must want to talk about the black angle/aspect of this subject" even when there is none and the black person almost certainly wants to bring their own angle on the subject matter founded on years of study and experience.

Glenn also rips apart White Fragility and there's a "soft racism of low expectations" angle about DiAngelo that you can tell really frustrates Loury and McWhorter. As an onlooker they are intellectual heavyweights in comparison to DiAngelo so can imagine that they feel patronised.

</comment></comment><comment><USER4> What gets brought up in addressing the problems of White Fragility by this writer are not the same objections I hear from white people, for the most part. While the article's author has valid critiques, they are not "racism doesn't exist" nor "we shouldn't be taking this time to better understand the role of racism in our culture," nor "most white people are not fairly ignorant when it comes to the role race plays in dealings with police, economic position, or status in many industries including tech."

I would highly recommend doing additional reading that is less concerned with "how white people should feel," and more related to the history and construction of the idea of race in America. Fatal Invention, by Dorothy Roberts, is a good look at the role of science, and the Warmth of Other Suns is an interesting look at migration, for example.

</comment><comment><USER5> Isn't it ironically racist to assign negative properties ("white fragility" and racism in particular) to an entire group of people based on their skin color? Are we really just going to ignore that fact?

The treatment of racism in the book is tantamount to original sin (we are all born as sinners:we are all born as racists [whites only]). This book [and the affiliated movement] is laying the moral foundation for the oppression of white people, who will soon be a majority minority - and already are a minority globally.

What's worse, the very concept of "white fragility" is presented as a Kafkaesque, unfalsifiable trap. If you dare defend yourself against accusations of racism, well, we won't even address whether your argument is legitimate, we just dismiss your concerns as a "fragile whiteness". Just like the recent forced redefinition of racism (privilege+power), it is an intellectually dishonest concept designed to begin any argument from a position of advantage, not to actually communicate anything of substance.

If you replaced "white" with "black" or "Jewish" or any other race, this would be a blatantly, undeniably offensive and hurtful text - yet not only do we champion it, but it is being used effectively as a textbook for ramming diversity and inclusion down an increasing number of throats. The fact that this book is a best seller only proves that a growing faction in society has completely gone off the deep end.

Why are we letting irrational, self hating ideologues influence our society to this degree?

<comment><USER6> I haven't read White Fragility and couldn't read the entirety of the article linked here due to the paywall, so I cannot comment on those.

I have been trying to educate myself about the topic recently, though, and would strongly recommend looking into some of the excellent work on systemic racism in the US if you're interested in learning more.

The documentary "13th" (available for free on YouTube at the moment), the 2nd season of the podcast Scene On Radio ("Seeing White"), and the book How to Be An Anti-Racist are three things I can recommend based on what I've read/heard from them so far.

What you're calling the "recent forced redefinition of racism" is not especially recent. I first heard this argument around 30 years ago, and at the time dismissed it, but now understand why people want to emphasize that over the definition I recall learning as a child which was structured along the lines of a belief in superiority of one group over another.

Having a belief may impact how you feel towards someone and how you act towards them, and may even have an impact on that person if you are in a position to influence the course of their life.

Having a system that is designed and reinforced to encourage disparate outcomes is far more impactful to that group as a whole.

I'm not going to argue that both aren't harmful, but I've certainly come around to the conclusion that systematic or policy-based racism (if you're uncomfortable calling it racism, feel free to disregard the name and come up with something you're more comfortable with) has disproportionately affected Black and non-black people of color in the US.

<comment><USER7> I would be willing to entertain the point that systematic racism exists if universities had roughly equivalent admission rates for all races for identical test scores, however black people tend to have significantly higher rates of admission than white people, and very significantly higher rates than Asian people.

If systemic racism exists in a specific direction as you imply, why do institutions have their fingers on the scale in favor of the oppressed race?

In fact, if students were treated identically without the consideration of race then black admission rates to universities would dramatically fall.

<comment><USER8> > If systemic racism exists in a specific direction as you imply, why do > institutions have their fingers on the scale in favor of the oppressed race?

You are literally asking "if systemic racism exists, why are specific institutions taking specific steps to correct systemic racism". Suggesting that you think that _if anyone notices and attempts to address systemic racism, then it must not exist_.

<comment><USER9> So why aren't whites being disadvantaged more than Asians? Asians aren't at fault for America's putative racism problems.

<comment><USER10> This would be v tribal thinking. (to generalise) white people are to blame for racism, but whites university applicants are not to blame for racism.

This paradox arises from the nebulous grouping of "white people" to include all whites, past and present, and ignoring any relevant differences or disproportion of blame.

Hence, a white 18 year old somehow inherits crimes of the past committed by white people in the past. That that white person may have entered the country just a few years ago is not taken into account - It is assumed they receive "white privilege" to amount that justifies any magnitude of countermeasure.</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment></comment>


Google indexer is two-pass, first run is without js - <AUTHOR> https://twitter.com/Paul_Kinlan/status/1039852756113080320 <comment><USER2> A comment from JohnMu is even more informative:

 _Yeah, there 's no fixed timeframe -- the rendering can happen fairly quickly in some cases, but usually it's on the order of days to a few weeks even. If your site produces new / updated content frequently & you want it indexed quickly, you need that content in the HTML._

</comment><comment><USER3> Does this really surprise anyone? Why should my scraper have to execute your arbitrary code bundle, and why should I as a reader have to run your bundle to get any content? The default dom with content should be the one that gets delivered.</comment>


Harpoon successfully captures space debris - <AUTHOR> https://www.surrey.ac.uk/news/harpoon-successfully-captures-space-debris <comment><USER2> This was in Feb, FYI. We covered it in Orbital Index: [http://orbitalindex.com/archive/2019-02-26-archive- Issue-1/](http://orbitalindex.com/archive/2019-02-26-archive-Issue-1/)

Check out [http://stuffin.space/](http://stuffin.space/) for a visualization of current debris. (Note: it works best on Firefox or Safari. Chrome doesn't display the point cloud on some platforms.)

</comment><comment><USER3> Penetrating debris? Won't this potentially create smaller debris moving at higher velocity? A net capturing the debris is safer. ... after writing that, found this: [https://www.theverge.com/2018/9/19/17878218/space-junk- remov...](https://www.theverge.com/2018/9/19/17878218/space-junk-remove- debris-net-harpoon-collisions)

</comment><comment><USER4> Can we all take a moment to appreciate how freaking awesome Chris Burgess's job title was for this mission? Harpoon Lead Engineer</comment>