[1] https://cdn.skoda-storyboard.com/2026/04/Skoda-DuoBell-Resea...

It mirrors some of my own thoughts on AI and art, but he puts it into words more clearly than I have been able to.

Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47670141

Points: 1

# Comments: 2

Since it's a large codebase, they go even more specific and hint that the bug is in file A, then try again with a hint that the bug is in file B, and so on.

WE'RE SCALING BACK THIS EXPENSIVE EXPERIMENT

Five years ago we told everyone we’d bring Google Fiber to Kansas City, and the goal is still technically to give people fast internet. Back then, nobody had Gigabit speeds and we had no idea if building fiber networks from scratch would actually work or if we could provide decent customer service. Since then, other companies started doing it too, which is fine, I guess.

The team worked hard and we’re making some money, but not enough. I’m supposed to say I’m proud of what we did in five years before I deliver the bad news.

Like any company that's bleeding cash, we have to "pivot" to stay relevant. We’ve "refined our plan," which is corporate speak for cutting costs and changing direction because the current one isn't working. We’re going to stop digging holes in the ground and hope some new wireless technology saves us.

This shift has immediate consequences. If we’ve already started building in your city, we’ll finish it. But for everyone else we’ve been stringing along in "potential Fiber cities," we’re closing the offices and walking away. We appreciate you waiting around for us, but we’re done for now. Because we’re quitting these cities, we’re firing a bunch of people.

As for me, it’s been a long few years trying to turn this mess into a real business. I’ve decided now is the perfect time to quit before things get worse. Larry told me I can stay on as an "advisor" so I don't look like I'm totally jumping ship.

It was a big gamble that didn't really pay off the way we hoped. I’m sure the world will get better internet eventually, just probably not from us. Good luck.

[0] https://fiber.googleblog.com/2016/10/advancing-our-amazing-b...

Although curiously, Nissan has stopped selling us the Leaf.

As alliao says, this is partly because of the way road user charges (RUC) currently work, though that is slated to change in the future.

I think for much of the population a brand new EV is simply too expensive.

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Edit:

To give an actual example, Marion's description in the original, from the scene in the video:

She is turning fifty this year and slowly greying, well on her way out of "petite" towards "little old lady".

In the updated edition:

She turns fifty this year. She is diminutive and flint-eyed, very dark-haired but rapidly greying. Today, her hair is strictly pulled back and up into a silver clasp. She wore her good suit for this, one button, very dark grey, with a solid blue blouse underneath. Ankle boots with stout heels, two silver stud earrings in each lobe. Contact lenses, not the usual glasses. On a lanyard around her neck she wears a security pass with a bright orange and red diagonal stripe.

Two uses of 'very dark' right after each other? And I actually liked how snappy the original was but that might be just me.

Another line in this first chapter that I love from the original:

"What…" O5-8 asks carefully, "would happen if we did know?"

becomes in the new edition:

"What…" Mahlo asks carefully, "would happen if we did know what happened to him?"

Why pad that out? It sounds less natural now.

They have 60+ rack units with little robot grabbers physically controlling the knobs.

Re analogue summing, yeah it does near nothing in reality. What you're missing though is that what people actually want with analogue summing isn't really technically better sound but technically worse sound. Analogue gear might have a little bit of harmonic distortion, a little bit of crosstalk between channels, certain transformer characteristics etc that theoretically make it sound more glued together or warm etc etc. But ultimately summing is summing and those differences vs. digital are very small (and won't always contribute positively either).