The hottest Tools Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

TBM 323: Quick Tool Tips

The Beautiful Mess • 515 implied HN points • 21 Nov 24
💼 Business Management Strategy Tools Processes Teamwork
  1. Make tools fit your needs by trying them out and getting feedback. This way, you can avoid forcing your team into a system that doesn't help anyone.
  2. Involve all kinds of team members in decisions about tools. If you only ask certain roles, you might miss out on important ideas and needs from others.
  3. Start simple before automating. Test simple methods first to see what works, then build on those ideas rather than jumping straight into complicated solutions.

Penny-Wise and Pound-Stupid

Rethinking Software • 549 implied HN points • 18 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Software Outsourcing Productivity Tools Collaboration
  1. Outsourcing might seem like a money-saver, but it can make teamwork harder and slow down projects. It's important to consider all the hidden costs before deciding.
  2. Using low-quality tools can frustrate programmers and hurt their morale, which ultimately harms productivity. Giving developers good tools shows that you value their work.
  3. Keeping everyone busy all the time doesn't always mean being productive. It's better to let teams focus on clearing bottlenecks and maintaining a good workflow instead.

Python 3.13, what didn't make the headlines

Bite code! • 1957 implied HN points • 25 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Programming Software Development Tools System
  1. Python 3.13 introduces improvements in debugging tools like PDB, making it easier to work with errors and set breakpoints. This is a big win for developers who rely on debugging in their workflow.
  2. The shutil module has seen many bug fixes and enhancements, which means working with files and directories will be more reliable. Developers can finally use it without constant worries about it failing.
  3. There are small but useful updates for concurrency in Python, such as changes to asyncio and task management. These little updates add up to make handling multiple tasks easier and more efficient.

AI & Python #28: The Notebook Used for Data Science and AI Projects

Artificial Corner • 158 implied HN points • 23 Oct 24
🕹 Technology AI Programming Data science Software Tools
  1. Jupyter Notebook is a popular tool for data science that combines live code with visualizations and text. It helps users organize their projects in a single place.
  2. Jupyter Notebook can be improved with extensions, which can add features like code autocompletion and easier cell movement. These tools make coding more efficient and user-friendly.
  3. To install these extensions, you can use specific commands in the command prompt. Once installed, you'll find new options that can help increase your productivity.
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What's up Python? 3.13 is out, t-strings look awesome, dep groups come in handy...

Bite code! • 856 implied HN points • 29 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Software Programming Development Updates Tools
  1. Python 3.13 has been released, bringing many new features like better error messages and a new JIT compiler. It's exciting, but users are advised to hold off on upgrading until next year.
  2. Template strings (or t-strings) are introduced, offering a cleaner way to create formatted strings that can be used in various situations. This could help prevent mistakes when handling string formatting for tasks like translation or logging.
  3. New proposals like external wheel hosting and dependency groups in pyproject.toml make it easier to manage packages and their dependencies, especially for larger libraries.

How I Write Posts

Construction Physics • 21087 implied HN points • 19 Feb 24
🚌 Education Writing Research Reading Editing Tools
  1. The author's writing process involves mainly two types of posts: explanation-driven and exploratory. They often write to understand complex topics themselves and then share their findings.
  2. Extensive research is a crucial part of the author's writing process. They gather information from a variety of sources like books, dissertations, and online resources.
  3. The author follows a structured approach starting from research, reading, and thinking, then moves on to compressing and structuring content, before finally drafting, editing, and posting their work.

What makes a security product "good"?

Frankly Speaking • 305 implied HN points • 23 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Security Software Engineering Tools Platforms AI
  1. A good security product isn't about having a lot of features. It's more important that it provides real value and helps people work efficiently.
  2. Security tools should help fill gaps in a team's capabilities rather than just adding more complexity. Sometimes a 'good enough' solution is better than a perfect one.
  3. The focus should shift from just ranking products to understanding what really helps customers. A good product makes life easier and solves the right problems.

No Viable Upgrade Path

The American Peasant • 2235 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Craftsmanship Tools Woodworking Mentorship Quality
  1. Kale's story highlights the importance of having the right tools in woodworking that will last a lifetime without needing upgrades.
  2. Investing in high-quality, durable tools from the start can save time and money in the long run.
  3. Choosing tools based on functionality and quality over aesthetics or price can lead to better long-term satisfaction and efficiency in woodworking.

Making writers’ lives easier

Substack • 765 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Support Chatbot Tools Education Community
  1. Substack is making efforts to ease the lives of writers by introducing a Writer Success team, chatbot, and tools to support them.
  2. The new Writer Success team is focused on technical support, educational resources, and supporting the writer community for a better experience.
  3. Substack's chatbot taps into years of knowledge to provide writers instant help, addressing common issues and connecting them with support.

I Wrote a Guest Post for Emerge Tools!

Jacob’s Tech Tavern • 656 implied HN points • 26 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Apps Tools iOS Engineering Startups
  1. The blog post compares the Twitter and X iOS app binaries, revealing insights like extra app icons and heavy use of dynamic libraries.
  2. Emerge Tools offers valuable solutions for mobile engineers to monitor their app's size and performance.
  3. The author recommends subscribing to Jacob's Tech Tavern for more insightful posts and to show support for the work.

The JavaScript ecosystem in 2024

Optimism (for the web) • 10 implied HN points • 30 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Software Development Programming JavaScript Tools
  1. Svelte and React are evolving together, pushing boundaries with compiler-based approaches. This means developers can write better optimized code more easily.
  2. Remix and Next.js are improving the way we fetch data in React apps. These frameworks are making it easier to manage data and layouts, creating a better experience for developers.
  3. Prisma is raising the standard for using databases in the JavaScript ecosystem. Its strong TypeScript support is being adopted more widely, encouraging better communication between different platforms.

The perfect drawing tool

Ralph Ammer • 1022 implied HN points • 13 Jun 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Tools Exploration
  1. Selecting the right drawing tool depends on what you like and want to do with it.
  2. Hitting the limitations of a tool can push creativity towards unconventional ideas.
  3. The perfect drawing tool doesn't have to be complex, just master a simple tool and make it a part of yourself.

Designing your own PCBs

lcamtuf’s thing • 2652 implied HN points • 09 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Electronics Manufacturing Tools Prototyping
  1. Designing your own PCB allows for faster iteration on new designs compared to ordering custom circuit boards.
  2. KiCad is a recommended tool for designing hobby PCBs due to its extensive library of footprints and open-source nature.
  3. Consider important factors like component placement, trace widths, and manufacturing constraints for successful PCB layout.

Links: February 2024 edition

Blog System/5 • 496 implied HN points • 29 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Software Programming Operating Systems Web Browsers Tools
  1. The post summarizes interesting articles, videos, and projects from February 2024 with added commentary to urge readers to explore the content.
  2. There are discussions on topics like old hardware databases, software development reflections, and the challenges of modern software bloat.
  3. The author explores topics like breaking memory limitations in DOS, DJGPP running GNU programs on DOS, and the creation of a library in Rust for implementing memory vulnerabilities.

Artificial Intelligence: The Rise of AI in Earnings Call Summarization

The Fintech Blueprint • 334 implied HN points • 30 Jan 24
🕹 Technology AI Finance Analysis Tools Applications
  1. AI is revolutionizing financial analysis through earnings call summarizations by tools like Bloomberg, AlphaSense, TiredBanker, and Aviso.
  2. AI helps in quickly isolating key points from earnings calls and deriving insights that improve financial decision-making.
  3. AI-driven tools have the potential to mitigate human error in analyzing financial data and are expected to see universal adoption in the financial services sector.

wikipedia customizations for everyone on your list!

LOL (lots of links) • 628 implied HN points • 13 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Tools
  1. You can customize your Wikipedia layout with various gadgets and tools like dark mode, article quality rating indicators, and citation hover features.
  2. There are tools available like Wiki shoot me, WikiNav, Wikifeedme, to contribute and enhance your Wikipedia experience.
  3. Wikipedia also offers features like a Copyvio Detector for checking plagiarism and tools for structured search and advanced search for diverse functionalities.

Needs more Flair

Austin Kleon • 1358 implied HN points • 24 Jan 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Illustration Design Creativity Writing Tools
  1. The Paper Mate Flair pen is great for writing, especially in notebooks. Many people love how it writes smoothly and that it doesn't bleed through the pages.
  2. Using the Flair pen can be a bit tricky as it's water-based ink, which can fade if washed. Some people prefer more permanent inks after experiencing this.
  3. Despite past issues, the Flair pen is making a comeback in some people's writing routines because of its unique feel and style. It's fun to use and can bring creativity to note-taking.

RunLLM: The custom assistant for developer tools

The AI Frontier • 179 implied HN points • 28 Mar 24
🕹 Technology AI Development Software Tools Innovation
  1. RunLLM is a special AI assistant designed for developers, helping them with coding, answering questions, and fixing bugs. It uses specific training to understand a developer's tools and needs better than general assistants.
  2. The way RunLLM works allows it to provide accurate and relevant information quickly. It does this by fine-tuning its learning based on user feedback and the specific data it needs to use.
  3. Setting up RunLLM is easy and can be done through various platforms like Slack and Discord. Developers can quickly start using it to improve their workflow.

The Future of Prompt Engineering

Gradient Flow • 559 implied HN points • 04 May 23
🕹 Technology AI NLP Modeling Data Analysis Tools
  1. NLP pipelines are shifting to include large language models (LLMs) for accuracy and user-friendliness.
  2. Effective prompt engineering is crucial for crafting useful input prompts tailored to generative AI models.
  3. Future prompt engineering tools need to be interoperable, transparent, and capable of handling diverse data types for collaboration and model sharing.

Ambition's Gravity

Not Boring by Packy McCormick • 245 implied HN points • 06 Mar 24
🕹 Technology AI Space Innovation Tools Inspiration
  1. There are three main approaches to thinking about AI: fear of job loss, fear of missing out on AI skills, and using AI as a tool to achieve personal goals.
  2. Decide to do big things, determine the most ambitious goal for your life, and leverage the incredible tools available to make it happen faster.
  3. Ambition is contagious, empowering, and crucial in shaping the reality you want; name your ambition, set big goals, and watch the world contribute to making them a reality.

Enterprise Generative AI Unfolded

Gradient Flow • 439 implied HN points • 27 Jul 23
🕹 Technology AI Development Tools Enterprise Applications
  1. Mastering Model Development & Optimization is crucial for building efficient and powerful Generative AI and Large Language Models. Scaling to large datasets, applying model compression strategies, and efficient model training are key aspects.
  2. Customizability & Fine-tuning are essential to adapt pre-existing LLMs to specific business needs. Techniques like fine-tuning and in-context learning help tailor LLMs for unique use cases, such as adjusting speech synthesis models for customized experiences.
  3. Investing in Operational Tooling & Infrastructure, including robust model hosting, orchestration, and maintenance tools, is vital for efficient and real-time deployment of AI systems in enterprises. Tools for logging, tracking, and enhancing LLM outputs ensure quality control and ongoing improvements.

20 years of social posts (+ weekly update)

12challenges • 257 implied HN points • 01 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Social media Design Tools Satire Statistics
  1. The diagram shows how much social media has changed over the last 20 years, with a shift towards platforms like TikTok.
  2. The idea of using the diagram as a menu to choose preferred social media options is intriguing, revealing possible disparities in usage.
  3. The author seeks suggestions to improve the diagram's presentation and structure, anticipating future articles about social media platforms.

45. Pieces

The Line Between • 412 implied HN points • 15 Feb 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Creativity Process Inspiration Tools Community
  1. Creativity can be affected by personal suffering, so a sense of ease is important for the flow of new ideas.
  2. In times of feeling stuck, try making pieces that you can rearrange and combine to inspire creativity.
  3. Finding a balance between sharing valuable content with members and catering to free subscribers is important for subscription-based services.

Rust vs Python. Problem statement & Python impl

Art’s Substack • 79 implied HN points • 14 May 24
🕹 Technology Programming Comparison Performance Tools Benchmarking
  1. Porting a system from Python to Rust led to a significant cost reduction of 1400 times, increased pipeline success rate from 85% to 99.88%, and decreased data availability time from 10 hours to less than 15 minutes.
  2. Moving from reading everything into memory to streaming fashion and eliminating the intermediate JSON format were key improvements in the data processing system.
  3. Python's interpreted nature, dynamic typing, GIL limitations, and multiple packaging options can pose challenges in production systems, making it a less ideal choice for certain needs.

Proofreading an entire book with GPT-4 for $6.88

Mindful Modeler • 479 implied HN points • 02 May 23
🕹 Technology AI Automation Tools Costs Workflow
  1. Proofreading an entire book with GPT-4 can help automate tasks like improving grammar, language, and cutting clutter in a draft.
  2. Using prompts to guide LLMs like GPT-4 is important for specific and successful outcomes in automated editing.
  3. The economic benefit of using GPT-4 for proofreading can be significant compared to hiring a professional proofreader, offering a balance between capabilities and cost.

Spaced Repetition

Zwischenzug • 334 implied HN points • 27 May 23
🚌 Education Chess Tools Application Effectiveness
  1. Spaced repetition helps you remember by reviewing just before forgetting.
  2. Tools like Chessable and Anki can automate and personalize spaced repetition for chess.
  3. Use spaced repetition for openings, tactics, and reviewing mistakes in chess, but remember it's just one tool among many for learning.