Here is this week's digest:

Ask HN: Why does the US Visa application website do a port-scan of my network?

A user discovered the official US Visa application website was performing a port scan on their local network. The likely culprit is a third-party anti-bot script from F5, designed to detect automated tools, proxies, and fraudulent activity by checking for services running on localhost (like the security tool Burp Suite). This practice highlights a browser security issue where websites can probe private networks.

Key Takeaway: You can protect your network from this type of intrusion. In uBlock Origin, navigate to Filter lists > Privacy and enable the "Block Outsider Intrusion into LAN" list. Other tools like Brave browser and the NoScript extension also offer similar protections.

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Ask HN: Is Kubernetes still a big no-no for early stages in 2025?

While managed Kubernetes (K8s) services like EKS and GKE have significantly lowered the barrier to entry, the consensus is that K8s remains overkill for most early-stage startups. The primary risk is distraction—engineers can get sidetracked building 'awesome developer infrastructure' instead of focusing on the core product. Key takeaways from the discussion include:

• Start Simple: A monolith on a simple setup is often sufficient. PaaS (Heroku, Vercel), container services (AWS ECS/Fargate), or even Docker Swarm are highly recommended alternatives that offer scalability without the complexity of K8s.
• Complexity is Hidden: The initial setup might be easier, but managing costs, security, RBAC, secrets, and provider-specific deprecations introduces significant long-term overhead.
• Use What You Know: If your team already has deep K8s expertise, it can be a viable choice. Otherwise, stick to technologies the team knows well to maintain velocity.
• Containerize Early: Adopting containers with Docker is a good practice for portability, but this doesn't necessitate using Kubernetes for orchestration. You can easily migrate a containerized app to K8s later if needed.

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Ask HN: If technology is so good for the world, why are we becoming less happy?

Despite technological advancements, key metrics for well-being—such as self-reported happiness, mental health, and social connections—are declining. The discussion identifies several culprits, including social media platforms optimized for engagement over happiness, the erosion of real-world communities, and an economic system that prioritizes profit above all. Technology is often seen not as the root cause, but as a powerful tool amplifying pre-existing societal issues like inequality and the over-financialization of daily life.

Productive arguments suggest reclaiming personal agency by being more intentional with technology. Practical advice includes:

• Mindful Consumption: Use devices sparingly as tools to enhance your life, not as a constant source of entertainment or distraction.
• Reconnect with Reality: Spend more time outdoors, engage in hobbies, cook your own meals, and prioritize in-person social connections.
• Community Engagement: Get involved in your local community through volunteering or other activities to rebuild a sense of belonging.

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Ask HN: Best codebases to study to learn software design?

To improve software design skills, developers often suggest studying well-designed codebases. However, many find that true learning comes from hands-on experience: building projects, encountering problems, and learning to avoid them. Simply reading code lacks the context of the trade-offs and constraints (like time pressure) that shaped it.

A more effective approach combines practice with studying the reasoning behind designs. Look for projects with Architectural Decision Records (ADRs), design documents, or RFCs (like those for Rust or Python) which explain the 'why' behind the code. This reveals the 'negative space'—the complex patterns that were deliberately avoided.

Recommended resources include the book series "The Architecture of Open Source Applications" and specific codebases known for their influential design, such as Postfix (for security and microservice-like architecture), Git (for its elegant core data model), and Varnish.

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