2025/12/13
Article: 9 min
A loyal customer of 30 years has been locked out of their Apple ID due to an issue with a recent $500 Apple Gift Card redemption attempt at a major retailer. The account was flagged as 'closed in accordance with the Apple Media Services Terms and Conditions', resulting in the loss of access to iCloud, devices, software, and media worth over $30,000.
Discussion (952): 4 hr 9 min
The comment thread discusses issues related to account bans on Apple platforms following the redemption or purchase of gift cards, with concerns over lack of transparency in reasons for bans and implications for users' digital lives. There is a consensus that gift cards can be used for money laundering, leading to account restrictions by companies like Apple. The community debates the effectiveness of regulations against money laundering and the role of large corporations in enforcing these laws.
Article: 23 min
A large-scale analysis by IPinfo revealed that 17 out of 20 popular Virtual Private Network (VPN) providers do not route traffic through the countries they claim to support. The study found discrepancies between claimed locations and actual exit IPs across 137 possible exit countries, with some providers claiming over 100 countries but only supporting a fraction of them.
Discussion (204): 57 min
The discussion revolves around IPinfo's report on virtual locations used by some Virtual Private Network (VPN) providers, highlighting the issue of misleading users about where their traffic is routed. Users praise Mullvad, Windscribe, and iVPN for reliability in providing accurate IP geolocation services. The debate centers on the ethics and accuracy of using 'virtual locations' by VPNs, with opinions divided on whether it constitutes fraud or a necessary workaround for circumventing censorship.
Article: 19 min
The author discusses their experience using Gleam for Advent of Code and shares insights on why they found it a suitable language for the event. They highlight features like clean syntax, helpful compiler, good error messages, strong functional programming nudges, and an excellent editor experience.
Discussion (153): 33 min
The comment thread discusses concerns about the future of programming languages and the potential impact of LLMs on language diversity, with a focus on Gleam as an attractive alternative for UI development. Opinions vary on the capabilities and limitations of LLMs in code generation, especially regarding functional programming features like generics.
Article: 6 min
Google has removed 34 Sci-Hub domain names from U.S. search results due to a court order from 2017 that was cited in a recent legal notice.
Discussion (49): 6 min
The comment thread discusses various search engines, with a focus on alternatives to Google. Opinions vary regarding the quality and censorship practices of these platforms, particularly in comparison to Google. The relevance of Sci-Hub for accessing historical research papers is also debated.
Article: 27 min
Twilio Segment moved from a microservices architecture back to a monolithic one due to issues with complexity, velocity, and operational overhead. The transition improved developer productivity, simplified testing and deployment processes, and made scaling the service easier.
Discussion (188): 1 hr 9 min
The discussion revolves around the nuances of microservices and monolithic architectures, focusing on issues related to dependency management, deployment strategies, and architectural patterns. There is a consensus that microservices are not just about separate components but also about how they handle responsibility and communication. The debate highlights the importance of understanding the specific context in which these architectural choices are made.
Article: 14 min
This article discusses combining memory safety and sandboxing in a C/C++ implementation called Fil-C, specifically focusing on porting OpenSSH's seccomp-based Linux sandbox code to Fil-C.
Discussion (60): 25 min
The comment thread discusses various aspects of MicroVMs, sandboxing in memory-safe languages like Rust and Go, limitations of Seccomp, and concerns regarding Fil-C's memory safety claims and its potential use cases. The community shows a mix of agreement on certain topics while debating others with varying levels of intensity.
Article:
This article announces the availability of 1300 still images from Hayao Miyazaki's animated films produced by Studio Ghibli, with permission for free use within reason. It also includes information about a podcast and other related links.
Discussion (87): 24 min
The comment thread discusses the beauty and impact of Studio Ghibli films, particularly those directed by Hayao Miyazaki. Opinions vary on the best film, with Nausicaa, The Wind Rises, and Spirited Away being mentioned frequently. There is a debate about AI-generated art versus human creation, questioning its value and memorability. The thread also touches on the cultural influence of Ghibli films and the legacy of Miyazaki's work.
Article: 19 min
This post is a collection of various lists, notes, and personal preferences from Anthony Bourdain, covering topics such as TV series, films, music, hotels, food, and more.
Discussion (66): 11 min
The comment thread discusses the recovery and appreciation of Anthony Bourdain's lost content. There are differing opinions on the website design containing the recovered material, with some finding it unappealing or difficult to read. The conversation also touches upon his personality traits, contributions to food culture, and the appropriateness of hero worship for a celebrity.
Article: 4 min
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan limits his kids' social media use, following the trend among tech bosses who are concerned about the impact of excessive online activities on young people.
Discussion (179): 41 min
The comment thread discusses various opinions on limiting children's screen time and social media use, highlighting concerns over addiction, development impacts, and parental responsibility. There is agreement that excessive screen time can be harmful but disagreement about the role of social media companies in creating safer environments for children.
Article: 7 min
A Reddit post from r/mildlyinfuriating discusses a user's LG TV receiving an update that installed Microsoft Copilot, which cannot be deleted.
Discussion (143): 24 min
The comment thread discusses concerns over privacy and data collection by smart TVs, particularly LG TVs' updates that include Microsoft Copilot. Users express a preference for traditional TV designs and debate the effectiveness of regulatory oversight in technology products. The conversation also touches on alternative devices to smart TVs like Apple TV and Nvidia Shield.