Hacker News: JJMcJ

New comment by JJMcJ in "France's aircraft carrier located in real time by Le Monde through fitness app"

JJMcJ — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 17:31:17 +0000

There was fitness tracker that posted locations without user names.

Well, wouldn't you know, in Iraq there were all these square paths on the map. Yes, it was Americans jogging just inside the perimeter of small bases.

Just like with the aircraft carrier, these bases were not secret but it shows how locations can leak unexpectedly.

New comment by JJMcJ in "Amsterdam Compiler Kit"

JJMcJ — Sun, 15 Feb 2026 16:04:03 +0000

Some universities, especially in Latin America, use the term "autonomous". Is that the same thing is "free" in this context?

New comment by JJMcJ in "Amsterdam Compiler Kit"

JJMcJ — Sun, 15 Feb 2026 16:02:48 +0000

RMS calls it Linux, not GNU/Linux in the second quote.

New comment by JJMcJ in "Datacenters in space aren't going to work"

JJMcJ — Sun, 30 Nov 2025 16:59:45 +0000

Consider what it costs to lift material to orbit. How can it possibly make sense except as a science fair project?

New comment by JJMcJ in "Calculus for Mathematicians, Computer Scientists, and Physicists [pdf]"

JJMcJ — Thu, 27 Nov 2025 15:59:58 +0000

I know where my confusion comes from.

I studied from a first edition of volume one before there was a volume two, so it wasn't marked as Vol I.

Friend dug it up from his old books, since I seemed to be quick learner.

New comment by JJMcJ in "We stopped roadmap work for a week and fixed bugs"

JJMcJ — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 15:59:07 +0000

It's like remodeling. The drywall comes down. Do you just put up a new sheet or do you need to reframe one wall of the house?

New comment by JJMcJ in "Calculus for Mathematicians, Computer Scientists, and Physicists [pdf]"

JJMcJ — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 02:25:32 +0000

I think those restrictions apply only to retail sellers in those countries, not to purchasers or used stores.

New comment by JJMcJ in "Calculus for Mathematicians, Computer Scientists, and Physicists [pdf]"

JJMcJ — Sun, 23 Nov 2025 20:22:06 +0000

Thanks for the info on cheaper editions, not important to me but to others in USA it might be a big help.

New comment by JJMcJ in "Calculus for Mathematicians, Computer Scientists, and Physicists [pdf]"

JJMcJ — Sun, 23 Nov 2025 18:32:19 +0000

Anyway you've already got Apostol - if it's just calculus as such get an older edition. Modern ones have extra goodies like linear algebra but have modern text book pricing (cries softly in $150/volume).

New comment by JJMcJ in "It's hard to build an oscillator"

JJMcJ — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 20:04:58 +0000

Also if it oscillates does it oscillate at the frequency you want?

New comment by JJMcJ in "The last-ever penny will be minted today in Philadelphia"

JJMcJ — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 18:20:12 +0000

The ten dollar bill has a somewhat different color than the other currency, somewhat yellowish.

New comment by JJMcJ in "The last-ever penny will be minted today in Philadelphia"

JJMcJ — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 18:17:56 +0000

The last time a coin was dropped was the half penny in the late 1850s, when I think it was worth about 25 cents today, so there is a precedent for what you are suggesting.

New comment by JJMcJ in "Palantir Thinks College Might Be a Waste. So It's Hiring High-School Grads"

JJMcJ — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 14:23:56 +0000

I'm thinking of his successor.

New comment by JJMcJ in "NY school phone ban has made lunch loud again"

JJMcJ — Fri, 07 Nov 2025 13:02:29 +0000

Can't edit so I'll reply: This is in the United States.

New comment by JJMcJ in "Palantir Thinks College Might Be a Waste. So It's Hiring High-School Grads"

JJMcJ — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 17:06:10 +0000

He was very much an outlier, and a difficult personality.

New comment by JJMcJ in "NY school phone ban has made lunch loud again"

JJMcJ — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 17:03:03 +0000

The student-elected body is often called the Student Council.

Sometimes each grade level will have a class president.

Varies from school to school for the details.

New comment by JJMcJ in "Palantir Thinks College Might Be a Waste. So It's Hiring High-School Grads"

JJMcJ — Sun, 02 Nov 2025 17:09:32 +0000

Similar to the Apple CEO who said who needs a degree. Meantime he has an MBA from Duke, and BS in Industrial Engineering from Auburn, not an absolute top school but a very good one.

New comment by JJMcJ in "Palantir Thinks College Might Be a Waste. So It's Hiring High-School Grads"

JJMcJ — Sun, 02 Nov 2025 17:08:04 +0000

I don't know if I agree. Don't you need a 4.0 from MIT to change the button color from Aqua to Electric Blue? /s <- just in case

New comment by JJMcJ in "Poison, Poison Everywhere"

JJMcJ — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 00:31:04 +0000

Tetraethyl Lead was an octane raiser - an anti-knocking compound.

New comment by JJMcJ in "A 12,000-year-old obelisk with a human face was found in Karahan Tepe"

JJMcJ — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 14:09:03 +0000

Indeed. People 12000 years ago were literally just like people today.