Here is this week's digest:

Ask HN: What are your current programming pet peeves?

A discussion among developers reveals common frustrations with the current state of programming. Top among them is the declining quality of technical documentation and search results, which are often cluttered with low-quality SEO sites and AI-generated content. This has made AI tools a necessary 'bandaid' for finding basic information. Developers also pointed to the complexity and churn in modern toolchains, particularly in the Node.js ecosystem, where old projects quickly become difficult to build.

Useful tips shared include leveraging built-in language help systems (like Python's help() command, which can search modules), using offline documentation viewers like Dash and Devdocs, and exploring modern shell alternatives like nushell and xon.sh that offer a more programmatic approach to command-line tasks.

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Ask HN: What Pocket alternatives did you move to?

With the announced sunsetting of Pocket, users are sharing a wide range of alternatives. The most popular recommendations fall into three categories:

• Hosted Services: For a seamless transition, many suggest Readwise Reader for its power-user features and e-ink support, Instapaper for its simplicity and Kindle integration, and Raindrop.io as a robust bookmark manager.

• Self-Hosted Options: For those seeking data ownership and longevity, Wallabag is a top choice, often paired with KOReader for Kobo e-readers. Other strong contenders include Readeck (with one user sharing a clever mod to use Kobo's native Pocket sync with it), Karakeep for its AI-powered tagging, and Shiori.

• DIY & Integrated Solutions: Some users are opting out of dedicated services, instead using browser bookmarks, saving articles as PDFs, or integrating with tools like Obsidian via plugins like Web Clipper and ReadItLater.

A notable entry is Folio, a new app built by a former Pocket product head, which received positive feedback for its core features and development roadmap.

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Ask HN: Is HN Pro-Fascist?

When content critical of powerful figures is removed from online forums, it often sparks accusations of ideological bias. However, community members suggest this moderation is typically driven by a desire to avoid repetitive political flamewars and maintain the forum's intended focus, rather than a specific political stance. The core principle is often to keep discussions centered on the community's primary interests, like technology, and to eschew polarizing topics that trample intellectual curiosity. A useful framework mentioned for identifying authoritarian tendencies is Umberto Eco's "14 Common Features of Fascism," which can help move discussions beyond simple labels to a more nuanced analysis of behaviors and ideologies.

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Ask HN: Is Linux for laptop worth the trouble?

A developer's question about whether to stick with a Linux laptop or switch to an M-series MacBook sparked a debate on the core trade-offs between the two ecosystems. Proponents of MacBooks praise the superior hardware, particularly the M-series chip's battery life and performance, and the seamless integration of its default apps. They argue that for a machine that 'just works,' the MacBook is hard to beat.

Conversely, long-time Linux users argue that macOS is a restrictive 'walled garden.' They value Linux for its control, customizability, and developer-friendly environment, which mirrors production servers. The key takeaway for a positive Linux experience is careful hardware selection. Recommendations include:

• Choose compatible hardware: ThinkPads (T-series, X1) and Dell Latitudes are consistently praised for their Linux compatibility. Avoid NVIDIA GPUs if you want to minimize headaches.
• Use a mainstream distro: If you want to avoid 'fiddling,' opt for stable distributions like Ubuntu, Fedora, or Debian over rolling-release options.
• Consider the hybrid option: Asahi Linux allows you to run Linux on Apple Silicon, offering a potential best-of-both-worlds scenario, though some hardware features may still be unsupported.

The consensus is that the choice boils down to a fundamental preference: the polished, high-performance but closed Apple ecosystem versus the freedom, control, and open-source power of Linux.

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Ask HN: Any active COBOL devs here? What are you working on?

Contrary to the meme of a dying language, COBOL remains a cornerstone of critical systems in finance, insurance, and government. Developers are actively maintaining and even creating new programs for tasks like banking transactions, insurance policy management, and government payroll systems. The work often involves nightly batch jobs and transaction processing through managers like CICS and IMS, with DB2, VSAM, and IMS DB as common backends.

Key takeaways from practitioners:

• Modernization is Complex: Migrating these systems is fraught with risk due to decades of undocumented business logic. Some companies opt to convert COBOL to run on modern infrastructure (e.g., Micro Focus COBOL on Windows/Linux) or wrap legacy systems with modern APIs rather than rewrite them.
• Salary Myth: While specialist consultants can earn high fees, many full-time COBOL roles offer salaries at or below the market rate for other developers, partly due to outsourcing.
• Learning Resources: For those curious about mainframes, resources like IBM's Z Xplore, Coursera's "Intro to Mainframe," and the Hercules emulator offer hands-on experience.

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