This blog post details how the author hosts their blog, surprisingly, on a Nintendo Wii. They leverage the Wii's homebrew capabilities to run a lightweight web server, specifically lighttpd, serving statically generated content built with Hugo. The author chose the Wii for its low power consumption and as a fun, quirky challenge. They overcame obstacles like limited storage by using an SD card and slow CPU by pre-rendering the site. The post also touches on the process of setting up the web server and the limitations of the Wii as a web server.
ageLANServer allows you to play Age of Empires I, II, and III Definitive Editions multiplayer over a local area network (LAN) without an internet connection. It acts as a local server, replacing the need for the official online servers, enabling fully offline LAN play. This open-source project supports various features like lobbies, chat, and game setup, mimicking the functionality of the official online service but entirely localized.
Hacker News users generally expressed enthusiasm for the ageLANServer project, praising its ability to facilitate offline LAN play for Age of Empires games without requiring port forwarding or other complex networking setups. Some users shared nostalgic memories of playing these games on LAN and expressed excitement at the prospect of easily recreating that experience. Several commenters inquired about or suggested features, including support for cross-platform play between Steam and Microsoft Store versions, integration with existing lobby systems like Voobly, and improved matchmaking functionality. The potential for modifications and custom scenarios within the offline LAN environment was also a point of interest. While mostly positive, some users raised concerns about the project's reliance on UPnP, suggesting alternative approaches for network discovery and connection.
Ferron is a new web server built in Rust, designed for speed and memory safety. It leverages tokio and hyper, focusing on efficiency and avoiding unnecessary allocations. The project emphasizes performance and aims to be a robust and reliable foundation for web applications, though it is still in early development. Its core features include request routing, middleware support, and static file serving. Ferron aims to provide a solid alternative to existing web servers by capitalizing on Rust's performance characteristics and safety guarantees.
HN commenters generally express enthusiasm for Ferron, praising its performance and memory safety due to Rust. Several highlight the potential of integrating with existing Rust libraries and the benefits of its modular design. Some discuss the challenges of asynchronous programming in Rust and offer suggestions for improvements like connection pooling and HTTP/2 support. A few express skepticism about the project's maturity and the real-world performance benefits compared to established solutions, but overall, the sentiment is positive and curious about the project's future development. Some insightful comments compare Ferron to other Rust web frameworks like Actix and Axum, noting potential advantages in simplicity and performance.
Robyn is a Python web framework designed for speed and simplicity, leveraging Rust's performance under the hood. It aims to provide an asynchronous, scalable solution for building web applications and APIs with a minimal learning curve. Features include automatic code reloading, type hints, and a built-in router. Robyn promotes a straightforward approach to web development, allowing developers to focus on application logic rather than complex configurations. It draws inspiration from other frameworks like Node.js's Express and aims to offer a competitive alternative in the Python ecosystem.
Hacker News users discussed Robyn's performance, ease of use, and niche appeal. Some praised its speed, asynchronous nature, and the novelty of a Python framework leveraging Rust. Others questioned the practical benefits over existing frameworks like Flask or FastAPI, especially for simpler projects. Several commenters expressed interest in learning more about the Rust integration and its impact on performance. The "Batman-inspired" branding was met with mixed reactions, some finding it playful while others deemed it unprofessional. Overall, the discussion revolved around Robyn's potential and whether it offers a compelling advantage over established alternatives. A few users highlighted potential deployment challenges due to the Rust component.
The blog post "Nginx: try_files is evil too" argues against using the try_files directive in Nginx configurations, especially for serving static files. While seemingly simple, its behavior can be unpredictable and lead to unexpected errors, particularly when dealing with rewritten URLs or if file existence checks are bypassed due to caching. The author advocates for using simpler, more explicit location blocks to define how different types of requests should be handled, leading to improved clarity, maintainability, and potentially better performance. They suggest separate location blocks for specific file types and a final catch-all block for dynamic requests, promoting a more transparent and less error-prone approach to configuration.
Hacker News commenters largely disagree with the article's premise that try_files is inherently "evil." Several point out that the author's proposed alternative using location blocks with regular expressions is less performant and more complex, especially for simpler use cases. Some argue that the author mischaracterizes try_files's purpose, which is primarily for serving static files efficiently, not complex routing. Others agree that try_files can be misused, leading to confusing configurations, but contend that when used appropriately, it's a valuable tool. The discussion also touches on alternative approaches, such as using a separate frontend proxy or load balancer for more intricate routing logic. A few commenters express appreciation for the article prompting a re-evaluation of their Nginx configurations, even if they don't fully agree with the author's conclusions.
This 2010 essay argues that running a nonfree program on your server, even for personal use, compromises your freedom and contributes to a broader system of user subjugation. While seemingly a private act, hosting proprietary software empowers the software's developer to control your computing, potentially through surveillance, restrictions on usage, or even remote bricking. This reinforces the developer's power over all users, making it harder for free software alternatives to gain traction. By choosing free software, you reclaim control over your server and contribute to a freer digital world for everyone.
HN users largely agree with the article's premise that "personal" devices like "smart" TVs, phones, and even "networked" appliances primarily serve their manufacturers, not the user. Commenters point out the data collection practices of these devices, noting how they send usage data, location information, and even recordings back to corporations. Some users discuss the difficulty of mitigating this data leakage, mentioning custom firmware, self-hosting, and network segregation. Others lament the lack of consumer awareness and the acceptance of these practices as the norm. A few comments highlight the irony of "smart" devices often being less functional and convenient due to their dependence on external servers and frequent updates. The idea of truly owning one's devices versus merely licensing them is also debated. Overall, the thread reflects a shared concern about the erosion of privacy and user control in the age of connected devices.
The blog post explores using #!/usr/bin/env uv as a shebang line to execute PHP scripts with the uv runner, offering a performance boost compared to traditional PHP execution methods like php-fpm. uv leverages libuv for asynchronous operations, making it particularly advantageous for I/O-bound tasks. The author demonstrates this by creating a simple "Hello, world!" script and showcasing the performance difference using wrk. The post concludes that while setting up uv might require some initial effort, the potential performance gains, especially in asynchronous contexts, make it a compelling alternative for running PHP scripts.
Hacker News users discussed the practicality and security implications of using uv as a shebang line. Some questioned the benefit given the small size savings compared to a full path, while others highlighted potential portability issues and the risk of uv not being installed on target systems. A compelling argument against this practice centered on security, with commenters noting the danger of path manipulation if uv isn't found and the shell falls back to searching the current directory. One commenter suggested using env to locate usr/bin/env reliably, proposing #!/usr/bin/env uv as a safer, though slightly larger, alternative. The overall sentiment leaned towards avoiding this shortcut due to the potential downsides outweighing the minimal space saved.
Summary of Comments ( 101 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43754953
Hacker News users generally praised the author's ingenuity and technical skill in hosting a blog on a Wii. Several commenters pointed out the limitations of the Wii's hardware, questioning the practicality and performance of such a setup, particularly regarding RAM and CPU. Some discussed the inherent coolness factor and nostalgic appeal of using outdated hardware for modern tasks. A few users shared similar experiences with repurposing old hardware, while others offered suggestions for improving the setup, including using a different operating system or optimizing the blog for the Wii's limited resources. The overall sentiment was one of admiration and playful curiosity, appreciating the unconventional approach to web hosting.
The Hacker News post "Blog hosted on a Nintendo Wii" (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43754953) has generated a fair number of comments, discussing various aspects of the blog setup described in the linked article.
Several commenters express admiration for the ingenuity and "hacky" nature of the project. One user describes it as "peak hacker," appreciating the unconventional approach. Another echoes this sentiment, calling it "wonderfully pointless." This theme of appreciating the project for its own sake, rather than for practical value, is recurrent.
Some users delve into technical details, discussing the limitations of the Wii's hardware, such as its relatively slow processor and limited RAM. One commenter points out the challenge of serving dynamic content on such limited hardware and questions the long-term viability of the setup. Others discuss the choice of using a static site generator, likely due to these hardware constraints.
The use of the Wii's SD card for storage is also brought up, with some commenters expressing concerns about its limited capacity and relatively slow read/write speeds. One user suggests exploring alternative storage solutions, such as using an external USB drive, to mitigate these limitations.
A few commenters share their own experiences with similar projects, mentioning using older or unconventional hardware to host websites or other services. One commenter recalls using a Dreamcast for similar purposes, highlighting a shared interest in repurposing older gaming consoles for unconventional tasks.
The discussion also touches on the broader trend of "retrocomputing" and the appeal of working with older technology. One user mentions the nostalgia factor and the satisfaction derived from pushing the limits of older hardware. Another points out the educational value of such projects, allowing for a deeper understanding of system architecture and resource management.
Finally, several commenters express interest in learning more about the technical details of the setup, inquiring about the specific software and configurations used. This indicates a desire to replicate or adapt the project for their own purposes, further demonstrating the inspiring nature of the original post. Several commenters express a desire for a more detailed write-up of the process.