The hottest Open Source Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

Semantic Superiority - Part 3

davidj.substack • 83 implied HN points • 05 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Semantic Layers BI Tools Open Source APIs
  1. Semantic layers are crucial for governance, security, accessibility, and developer experience benefits in data analytics.
  2. Standalone semantic layers offer more flexibility and serve multiple use cases compared to semantic layers built into BI tools.
  3. Different standalone semantic layer options like Cube, AtScale, dbt/MetricFlow, and Looker Modeller provide unique features and cater to varying needs in data modeling and analytics.

ChatGPT have killed my passion project and I am fine

zverok on lucid code • 28 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Software Development Programming Machine Learning Open Source
  1. The author's passion project was rendered irrelevant by ChatGPT and other language models.
  2. The author's project aimed to make common knowledge accessible programmatically through a universal API.
  3. Despite challenges and lack of community engagement, the author gained valuable experience and understanding through years spent on the project.

Streamlining Your Database Management: Setting Up PostgreSQL with Docker and pgAdmin

DataSketch’s Substack • 1 HN point • 03 Sep 24
🕹 Technology Database Software Development Cloud Open Source
  1. PostgreSQL is a great choice for databases because it's reliable, flexible, and open-source. Its advanced features make it suitable for various projects.
  2. Using Docker makes managing PostgreSQL easier by providing isolation, portability, and quick setup. This allows you to run the database without conflicts and move it easily between environments.
  3. pgAdmin is a useful tool for managing PostgreSQL databases. Running it in Docker alongside PostgreSQL gives you a flexible way to interact with your database through a web browser.
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The Tech Buffet #15: Build and Evaluate LLM Applications with TruLens

The Tech Buffet • 19 implied HN points • 03 Dec 23
🕹 Technology Machine Learning Software Development Data Analytics Artificial Intelligence Open Source
  1. TruLens is a helpful open-source tool for evaluating and monitoring applications that use Large Language Models (LLMs). It tracks performance and helps you find the best settings for your models.
  2. The tool allows you to create feedback functions that measure how well the model's answers relate to the questions asked. This helps ensure the answers are relevant and grounded in the provided context.
  3. You can visualize the results and metrics in a dashboard, making it easy to understand how your model is performing and where improvements may be needed.

How a group of Berkeley researchers took over the chip industry

Bold & Open • 12 HN points • 11 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Open Source Collaboration Investment Membership
  1. Creating open standards can encourage innovation by involving new actors and breaking monopolies in industries that previously depended on closed protocols and tools.
  2. Sharing new open protocols with those still relying on closed ones can lead to increased collaboration and improvements within an industry.
  3. Enabling open licenses for products can increase adoption by commercial companies, fostering innovation and allowing for more significant involvement from various actors in an industry.

Alone, together, in the data

Data Thoughts • 79 implied HN points • 21 Oct 22
🕹 Technology Data Analysis Software Development Community Building Open Source Tech Conferences
  1. Working in data often feels lonely, since a lot of the work is done solo on a computer, but there's magic in that solitude.
  2. Events and communities bring people together, making these lonely moments feel connected and meaningful, especially in the data field.
  3. The joy of working with data comes from the love of the craft itself, not just the outcomes or recognition, and that passion can survive even in tough times.

Supplier Misnomer

Resilient Cyber • 59 implied HN points • 01 Feb 23
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Software Open Source Supply Chain Infrastructure
  1. Most modern software relies heavily on Free and Open Source Software (FOSS), but companies often don't have a formal relationship with the maintainers of this software. This means you can't always expect support or responses when issues arise.
  2. Many FOSS projects have limited contributors, and some are maintained by just one person. This can lead to challenges in getting help or updates if needed, making it important for users to be ready to step in if something goes wrong.
  3. As a software user, you need to understand that the responsibility for managing FOSS lies with you. If you want maintainers to act like suppliers, consider supporting them financially, or be prepared to handle any risks yourself.

🐕 Newsletter WoR #53: Angular glow up, some bugs, a button that does nothing, being amazed...

Women On Rails Newsletter - International Version • 19 implied HN points • 15 Nov 23
🕹 Technology Programming Web Development Software UI/UX Design Open Source
  1. Angular released version 17 with a redesign, new features, and tutorials, aiming to attract new developers.
  2. A developer shared 7 common techniques to improve debugging skills in Rails apps.
  3. A button that does nothing, called 'inert', was introduced to improve accessibility and celebrate idleness.

How to Use Github to Land your first software Job[Storytime Saturdays]

Technology Made Simple • 59 implied HN points • 09 Jul 22
🕹 Technology Career Advice Networking Open Source GitHub
  1. Using Github to land a software job can be beneficial for those who want to highlight their coding skills, but it's important to recognize the tradeoffs involved and be willing to put in the effort required.
  2. Common advice on gaining a job through GitHub, like contributing to open source projects extensively, may not always be the most optimal strategy. It's essential to approach GitHub as a social network and connect with like-minded individuals.
  3. Building a strong presence on GitHub requires dedication and time spent coding and engaging with communities. While it may offer an alternative path to job opportunities, there are no shortcuts in putting in the required work.

The White House Weighs in on AI

Technically Optimistic • 19 implied HN points • 03 Nov 23
🕹 Technology AI Regulation Ethics Government Open Source
  1. The Executive Order on AI safety issued by the White House focuses on incentivizing widespread and equitable adoption of AI, promoting cross-sector collaboration and accountability, and prioritizing human interests in AI development.
  2. The EO includes measures for sharing safety test results, creating standards for red-teaming, and protecting against the misuse of AI for biological warfare to hold developers of powerful AI systems accountable.
  3. Everyday Americans can benefit from increased privacy protection, efforts to prevent algorithmic discrimination, and the focus on AI education and worker support mentioned in the Executive Order.

The Tech Buffet #11: Ruff - A Blazing Fast Linter and Code Formatter For Python

The Tech Buffet • 19 implied HN points • 02 Nov 23
🕹 Technology Software Development Programming Tools Open Source
  1. Ruff is a Python linter and formatter that is much faster than other tools, making it great for big projects. It can speed up how developers work on their code.
  2. It works well with modern Python and supports a lot of rules, which helps keep code consistent and error-free. Plus, it can fix issues by itself.
  3. Ruff is easy to install and use, and you can set it up with your project settings. If you want a better coding experience, Ruff is a tool to consider.

🥳 The Perils of Over-Abstraction, ts_sms Compression Tool, Kqueue vs. Epoll & More

ppdispatch • 5 implied HN points • 31 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Software Development Programming System Design Coding Practices Open Source
  1. Over-abstraction in code can make things complicated and hard to manage, so it's important to keep it simple. If you complicate your system, it might end up slowing down and confusing your team.
  2. Fish-shell switched from C++ to Rust to improve safety and performance, showing how changing your tools can lead to better results. Their move has also engaged the community and made contributions easier.
  3. Understanding the differences between PHP's getenv() and $_ENV can prevent unexpected issues when accessing environment variables. It's essential to know how your PHP configuration handles these variables to avoid problems.

The dbt meta tag

Data Thoughts • 59 implied HN points • 25 Nov 22
🕹 Technology Data science Software Development Open Source Funding
  1. The dbt meta tag helps document important info about data models. It's a simple way to keep track of data governance like ownership and sensitivity.
  2. Many companies have used the dbt meta tag to enhance their products. Some of these companies have received significant venture capital funding because of these improvements.
  3. Documenting tools and their funding related to the dbt meta tag can inspire others. It shows how small features can lead to big opportunities.

New inputs/outputs, new windowing, and recent improvements in Bytewax v 0.16.0

Bytewax • 19 implied HN points • 18 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Software Development Open Source Data Management Code Optimization Community Engagement
  1. Bytewax v0.16 brings major improvements to custom inputs, windowing, and execution.
  2. There are various breaking changes, such as reworking multiprocessing and partitioned input/output.
  3. Recent improvements in Bytewax prioritize not just new features and bug fixes, but also code consistency and quality of life enhancements.

This Week in LLM Land

Prompt Engineering • 19 implied HN points • 28 May 23
🕹 Technology AI Models Open Source Engineering Research
  1. ChatGPT conversations are now shareable to prevent screenshot sharing and misinformation.
  2. Tree-of-thoughts prompting is a new approach where LLM is prompted with multiple initial steps and evaluates each one.
  3. A new highly performant open-source model called Guanaco outperforms previous models and was fine-tuned using a new approach named QLoRA.

Speech to Text AI - the best apps, free tools, and APIs

Mythical AI • 19 implied HN points • 10 Mar 23
🕹 Technology AI Apps Tools APIs Open Source
  1. The post covers the best speech to text apps you can try today like Apple Dictation, Otter.ai, and Descript.
  2. It provides an overview of free open-source speech to text models you can use, like Whisper and Vosk.
  3. The post also lists paid speech to text APIs, such as Deepgram, AssemblyAI, and Google Speech-to-Text, with their pricing and features.

Should Meta AI be Worried?

Sector 6 | The Newsletter of AIM • 19 implied HN points • 03 Oct 23
🕹 Technology AI Open Source Machine Learning Software Development Tech industry
  1. Meta AI faces more competition as other companies are also releasing strong AI models like Stability AI's Stable LM 3B.
  2. There are concerns that Meta might shift from open-source to a closed-source approach, which could limit collaboration.
  3. Mark Zuckerberg is unsure about making their next AI model, Llama 3, open-source, similar to trends seen in other companies.

Why Mastodon?

Digital Epidemiology • 19 implied HN points • 04 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Social media Open Source Decentralization User Experience Engagement
  1. Mastodon is like Twitter but open source and decentralized, making it the future of social media.
  2. Mastodon's open-source nature allows for enormous creativity with various apps and user experiences.
  3. Being decentralized, Mastodon offers users choice, control, and a niche platform with a more engaging and pleasant tone compared to mainstream social media.

Meta Activates Code Llama

Sector 6 | The Newsletter of AIM • 19 implied HN points • 18 Aug 23
🕹 Technology AI Open Source Software Development Automation Coding
  1. Meta is launching a new tool called Code Llama, which is an auto-code generator similar to OpenAI's Codex.
  2. Code Llama will be based on an open-source platform, allowing businesses to create their own AI coding assistants.
  3. Companies can upload their private code to Code Llama, enabling it to generate specialized code from their existing projects.

#OpenSourceDiscovery 79: PentestGPT

#OpenSourceDiscovery • 19 implied HN points • 18 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Open Source CLI Python
  1. PentestGPT is a GPT-powered pen testing tool that guides users through steps in an interactive mode.
  2. PentestGPT is safer than AutoGPT and focuses on user interaction rather than executing commands automatically.
  3. PentestGPT has some bugs and token limit issues but can be a great learning tool for penetration testing with potential improvements in the future.

Coaxial Drones

Barn Lab • 19 implied HN points • 30 May 23
🕹 Technology Drones Aircraft Engineering Open Source Military
  1. Coaxial drones have improved flight efficiency and longer flight durations due to their balanced torque effect from counter-rotating rotors.
  2. Coaxial drones are simpler in design with fewer motors and Electronic Speed Controllers, resulting in reduced weight and complexity compared to quadrocopters.
  3. Coaxial drones offer larger payload capacities, less noise, and are easier to transport, but their flight mode complexity presents challenges in control design.

Fine-tune an open source LLM from Postgres data in 5 minutes

Database Engineering by Sort • 15 implied HN points • 27 Mar 24
🕹 Technology AI Databases Programming Open Source Machine Learning
  1. Fine-tuning an open source language model is now super easy and can be done in just five minutes. This makes it accessible for more people to customize LLMs for their needs.
  2. You can use data from a Postgres database to create a product catalog that the fine-tuned LLM can answer questions about. This can help with tasks like customer support and product information.
  3. With tools like Together.ai, you can quickly set up fine-tuning and chat with your customized LLM. It's great for building chatbots and enhancing user interactions.

Screenshots to Code Dataset, Multi Motion Brush in Gen-2, Open-source AGI, AI system that solves complex geometry problems, AI in drug discovery and more

AI Brews • 22 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
🕹 Technology AI Open Source Code generation Drug Discovery Artificial General Intelligence
  1. Google DeepMind's AlphaGeometry AI system solves complex geometry problems at human Olympiad level.
  2. Codium AI's AlphaCodium improves code generation in LLMs with test-based iterative flow.
  3. Meta is working on open-source AGI and Microsoft Research made progress in AI-driven drug discovery.

Llama-2 and the open source LLM 🌊

LLMs for Engineers • 19 implied HN points • 03 Aug 23
🕹 Technology AI Models Open Source Software Development Machine Learning Programming Languages
  1. Llama-2 makes it easier for anyone to run and own their LLM applications. This means people can create their own models at home while keeping their data private.
  2. Self-hosting Llama-2 helps improve performance and reduces delays. This makes the model more efficient for specific tasks and can even reach higher accuracy levels.
  3. There are guides and tools available to help users set up Llama-2 quickly. Users can try it out or integrate it with other platforms, making it more accessible for everyone.

GroupBy #1

VuTrinh. • 19 implied HN points • 08 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Data Engineering Architecture AI Quality Assurance Open Source
  1. Kappa architecture simplifies data processing by combining batch and stream processing. This makes handling data more efficient compared to the traditional Lambda architecture.
  2. Presto is a powerful tool for querying large datasets, and Meta has valuable insights on using it effectively. Learning from their experience can help other teams improve their data operations.
  3. Data quality is crucial in analytics, and there are specific metrics to help measure it. Keeping track of these can prevent problems that arise from poor data.

End-to-End Retrieval, Web Agents, and Scene Generation

HackerPulse Dispatch • 2 implied HN points • 08 Nov 24
🕹 Technology AI Machine Learning Web Development 3D Modeling Open Source
  1. Self-retrieval is a new technique that lets one large language model handle all information retrieval tasks better than older systems. This makes it easier to access and generate relevant information.
  2. WebRL helps language models learn how to interact with web environments more effectively. It uses a special method to improve performance without relying on any proprietary models.
  3. GenXD is a new framework for creating detailed 3D and 4D scenes. It uses a large dataset to improve how these scenes are generated, making them more realistic for real-world applications.

AI Summary Helper — Summarize Web Articles — in Your Language, Style and Philosophical Angle

Phil’s Substack • 1 HN point • 24 Jul 24
🕹 Technology AI Software Open Source Web Tools Productivity
  1. There's a new tool called AI Summary Helper that helps you summarize articles in a way that's personal to you. You can adjust it to match your style or interests.
  2. The summaries can be easily shared, even sent to your Kindle for reading later. This makes it convenient to remember why you wanted to read the article.
  3. You can use it as a bookmarklet or a Chrome browser extension, giving you quick access and the ability to ask specific questions about each article.

Lang-O-Unchained

Sector 6 | The Newsletter of AIM • 19 implied HN points • 21 Jun 23
🕹 Technology AI Open Source APIs Machine Learning Innovation
  1. OpenAI has integrated a new feature called function calling into its models, which makes conversations more dynamic and interactive. This upgrade shows how AI is constantly improving.
  2. The integration of this feature has caused some debate about whether OpenAI is borrowing too much from the open-source community, particularly from a project called LangChain.
  3. Experts believe LangChain will still thrive despite OpenAI's updates, as it offers unique functionalities that may not be replicated in the OpenAI API.