Calendar.txt outlines a simple, universal calendar format based on plain text. Each line represents a day, formatted as YYYY-MM-DD followed by optional event descriptions separated by tabs. This minimalist approach allows for easy creation, parsing, and manipulation by any text editor or scripting tool, promoting interoperability across diverse platforms and applications. The post emphasizes the benefits of this format's portability, version control friendliness, and longevity, contrasting it with proprietary calendar systems that often lock users into specific software or data formats. The suggested structure allows for complex recurring events and to-do lists with simple extensions, making it adaptable to various scheduling needs.
Jon Blow reflects on the concept of a "daylight computer," a system designed for focused work during daylight hours. He argues against the always-on, notification-driven nature of modern computing, proposing a machine that prioritizes deep work and mindful engagement. This involves limiting distractions, emphasizing local data storage, and potentially even restricting network access. The goal is to reclaim a sense of control and presence, fostering a healthier relationship with technology by aligning its use with natural rhythms and promoting focused thought over constant connectivity.
Hacker News users largely praised the Daylight Computer project for its ambition and innovative approach to personal computing. Several commenters appreciated the focus on local-first software and the potential for increased privacy and control over data. Some expressed skepticism about the project's feasibility and the challenges of building a sustainable ecosystem around a niche operating system. Others debated the merits of the chosen hardware and software stack, suggesting alternatives like RISC-V and questioning the reliance on Electron. A few users shared their personal experiences with similar projects and offered practical advice on development and community building. Overall, the discussion reflected a cautious optimism about the project's potential, tempered by a realistic understanding of the difficulties involved in disrupting the established computing landscape.
Newsweek reports that Google Calendar has stopped automatically displaying certain US cultural events like Pride Month, Black History Month, and Holocaust Remembrance Day in the main calendar view for some users. While these events are still accessible within other calendar layers, like the "Interesting Calendars" section, the change has sparked concern and frustration among users who relied on the prominent reminders. Google has not officially commented on the reason for the removal or whether it is a temporary glitch or a permanent change.
HN commenters were largely skeptical of the Newsweek article, pointing out that the events still appeared on their calendars and suggesting user error or a temporary glitch as more likely explanations than intentional removal. Several suggested checking calendar settings, specifically "Browse interesting calendars" under "Other calendars," to ensure the specialized calendars are enabled. Some questioned Newsweek's journalistic integrity and the sensationalist framing of the headline. A few commenters expressed general frustration with Google's frequent, unannounced changes to their products and services. There was also discussion about the effectiveness and potential annoyance of these awareness calendars, with some finding them useful reminders while others viewing them as intrusive or performative.
OSMCal is a comprehensive, crowdsourced calendar of OpenStreetMap-related events worldwide. It aggregates conferences, workshops, mapathons, social gatherings, and other activities relevant to the OSM community, allowing users to browse events by location, date, and keywords. The calendar aims to facilitate connection and collaboration within the OSM ecosystem by providing a central resource for discovering and promoting these events. Users can submit their own events for inclusion, ensuring the calendar stays up-to-date and reflects the vibrant activity of the OpenStreetMap community.
Hacker News users discussed the usefulness of the OpenStreetMap Calendar (OSMCal) for discovering local mapping events. Several commenters expressed appreciation for the resource, finding it valuable for connecting with the OSM community and learning about contributing. Some highlighted the importance of in-person events for fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing within the OSM ecosystem. Others wished for improved filtering or search capabilities to refine event discovery, particularly by region or specific interests. The calendar's role in promoting OSM and coordinating community efforts was generally seen as positive. A few users also mentioned alternative or supplementary resources, such as weeklyOSM and the OSM forum, for staying informed about OpenStreetMap activities.
Ocal is an AI-powered calendar app designed to intelligently schedule assignments and tasks. It analyzes your existing calendar and to-do list, understanding deadlines and estimated time requirements, then automatically allocates time slots for optimal productivity. Ocal aims to minimize procrastination and optimize your schedule by suggesting realistic time blocks for each task, allowing you to focus on the work itself rather than the planning. It integrates with existing calendar platforms and offers a streamlined interface for managing your commitments.
HN users generally expressed skepticism about Ocal's claimed ability to automatically schedule tasks. Some doubted the AI's capability to understand task dependencies and individual work styles, while others questioned its handling of unexpected events or changes in priorities. Several commenters pointed out that existing calendar applications already offer similar features, albeit without AI, suggesting that Ocal's value proposition isn't clear. There was also concern about privacy and the potential need to grant the app access to sensitive calendar data. A few users expressed interest in trying the product, but the overall sentiment leaned towards cautious skepticism.
The blog post explores optimizing date and time calculations in Python by creating custom algorithms tailored to specific needs. Instead of relying on general-purpose libraries, the author develops optimized functions for tasks like determining the day of the week, calculating durations, and handling recurring events. These algorithms, often using bitwise operations and precomputed tables, significantly outperform standard library approaches, particularly when dealing with large numbers of calculations or limited computational resources. The examples demonstrate substantial performance improvements, highlighting the potential gains from crafting specialized calendrical algorithms for performance-critical applications.
Hacker News users generally praised the author's deep dive into calendar calculations and optimization. Several commenters appreciated the clear explanations and the novelty of the approach, finding the exploration of Zeller's congruence and its alternatives insightful. Some pointed out potential further optimizations or alternative algorithms, including bitwise operations and pre-calculated lookup tables, especially for handling non-proleptic Gregorian calendars. A few users highlighted the practical applications of such optimizations in performance-sensitive environments, while others simply enjoyed the intellectual exercise. Some discussion arose regarding code clarity versus performance, with commenters weighing in on the tradeoffs between readability and speed.
Summary of Comments ( 63 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43160226
Hacker News users discuss the minimalist approach of
calendar.txt, appreciating its simplicity and portability. Some highlight its alignment with the Unix philosophy of doing one thing well. Others suggest improvements like adding support for recurring events or integration with other tools. A few users express skepticism, finding the plain text format too limiting for practical use, while others champion its accessibility and ease of parsing. The discussion also touches upon alternative calendar solutions and the benefits of plain text for archiving and data longevity. Several commenters share their personal workflows incorporating plain text files for task management and scheduling.The Hacker News post "Calendar.txt" (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43160226) discussing the article about a plain text calendar system has a moderate number of comments, offering a mix of perspectives on the idea.
Several commenters appreciate the simplicity and portability of the system. One user highlights the benefit of having a universal format that's easy to parse and manipulate with standard Unix tools. This sentiment is echoed by others who see the value in a lightweight, human-readable format that avoids the complexities and potential lock-in of proprietary calendar applications. The ability to easily diff versions of the calendar file for tracking changes is also mentioned as a positive aspect.
Some users delve into specific use cases and integrations. One commenter suggests using
grepandawkfor extracting specific information from the calendar file, showcasing the practicality of working with plain text. Another mentions integrating the calendar.txt with Taskwarrior, a command-line task management tool, further emphasizing the system's compatibility with other command-line utilities. One user even shared a link to their own Python script for generating calendar.txt files, demonstrating the ease with which the system can be automated.A few comments address potential drawbacks and offer alternative solutions. One user raises the concern of lacking features commonly found in dedicated calendar applications, such as reminders or sharing capabilities. Another points out the potential difficulty of handling recurring events elegantly within the plain text format. Suggestions for alternative plain text calendar formats are also put forward, including mentioning org-mode and reminding users of the built-in
calcommand.A significant part of the discussion revolves around the philosophy of using plain text for personal information management. Some users advocate for the longevity and control offered by plain text systems, emphasizing the freedom from vendor lock-in and the ability to easily migrate data. Others express a preference for more feature-rich graphical applications, highlighting the convenience and advanced functionality they provide.
Finally, some comments offer minor critiques and suggestions for improvement, like including timestamps or considering different delimiters. Overall, the comments section reflects a generally positive reception to the calendar.txt concept, acknowledging its strengths while also recognizing its limitations and suggesting potential enhancements.