HackerNoon Newsletter: February Edition

Hello and welcome to your monthly tech digest from HackerNoon! ??

Every month, we bring you the most talked-about stories in tech. From AI innovations to crypto debates and everything in between, consider this your shortcut to staying informed.

This edition dives into AI’s unpredictability, the future of DeFi, DevOps best practices, the uncertain fate of TikTok, and the harsh realities of startup life and crypto demand. Let’s get started!

Subscribe to the HackerNoon Newsletter to have top tech stories delivered straight to your inbox daily at noon.

Are China and the U.S. Engaged in a Race Toward AI Armageddon?

The race between China and the U.S. to dominate artificial intelligence (AI) is not just about technological supremacy or global power projection – it threatens national security and constitutes an existential risk. Both nations are aggressively developing an AI-driven military, with heightened capabilities. The nation that harnesses AI first will have the advantage in future conflicts.

Read the full article by Stellar Development Foundation here.

A Programmer's Guide to Game Design: The Major Ingredients You Should Know

Software developers spend their whole time with complicated problems, and they try to learn almost everything about algorithms, structures, frameworks, and blah-blah-blah. While playing games and drinking coffee have become stress-busters in our lives, why can't building games be the best one?

Read the full article by Chenuli Jayasinghe here.

AI’s Non-Determinism, Hallucinations, And... Cats?

AI is like cats: sometimes they eat, sometimes ignore it, and sometimes they scratch you. ChatGPT’s answers result from a stochastic process rather than a rigid rule. It tends to make up its own answers and is reliable only when used in the right context.

Read the full article by Alexander Simonov here.

I Learned the Hard Way That Startup High Executives Profit While Employees Struggle

The pay gap between executives and employees isn’t just real—it’s massive. When employees feel valued, they perform better, reducing turnover and boosting long-term success. Many CEOs justify their massive salaries while employees struggle to make ends meet.

Read the full article by Bill Achola here.

These Four DevOps Practices Aren't Being Talked About Enough

Take a look at these four DevOps best practices devs don't talk about.

Read the full article by Naga Tirumala Rao Chillapalli here.

Your Chatbot Isn’t Reading Words—It’s Counting Tokens

Tokenization is the gateway through which raw text transforms into a format usable by large language models (LLMs) like GPT. It acts as the bridge between human-readable content and numerical data that models process. The way text is tokenized directly impacts how efficiently the model can handle data.

Read the full article here.

15 Databases, 15 Use Cases—Stop Using the Wrong Database for the Right Problem

This guide covers 15 types of databases, explaining their key features, use cases, and popular examples to help developers choose the best option for their projects.

Read the full article by Rishabh Agarwal here.

TikTok’s Uncertain Future: Why Creators Are Turning to a US-Based Alternative

TikTok could be banned by January 19. Creators are looking for alternatives to secure their futures. Clapper is a social media platform that prioritizes freedom of speech and ad-free experiences. The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on TikTok legislation.

Read the full article by Clapper here.

Defining Interest Rates for Stablecoins

Stablecoin interest rates are determined through governance decisions, algorithms, or game theory. Governance models, like those used by MakerDAO's DAI and Aave's GHO, involve protocol token holders voting on parameters such as collateral types, loan-to-value ratios, and interest rates. Algorithmic approaches, exemplified by crvUSD, adjust rates based on predefined rules responding to market conditions. Game theory-based models, such as BOLD, set rates through mechanisms that incentivize user behaviors. Each method aims to establish effective monetary policies within decentralized finance ecosystems.

Read the full article here.

The Harsh Truth About Crypto: Demand Is Everything, and You’re Probably Losing

Supply in crypto is superabundant. When supply outpaces demand, attention is diverted, liquidity gets spread unevenly, and order books become thin. But, when...

Read the full article by Andrey Didovskiy here.

Proactive IT Career Growth: Take Control of Your Professional Journey

There are a lot of good articles about possible career tracks that you can pursue in IT. I haven’t seen many that might be used as actual guidance to move up the career ladder. In almost any more or less mature IT company a common career track for a software engineer is linear. The further career track will depend on your inclinations, what you enjoy doing, and whether you are ready for the shift in the way you’re working.

Read the full article here.

The Stupidest Requests on the Dark Web Come from Regular People

As someone who’s spent time digging through dark web marketplaces, forums, and Telegram groups, I’ve seen it all. Here’s what no one tells you.

Read the full article here.

LinkedIn Actually Cares About Spam and Scammers—Unlike Meta (Facebook), Who Couldn’t Care Less

LinkedIn is proving that social media platforms can take action against scammers and fake profiles if they actually want to. Facebook (META) turns a blind eye and doesn't seem to care

Read the full article here.

That’s a wrap for this edition! Want more?

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