- Author
- Posted by calme_toi, with replies from many commenters
- Published
- 14 April 2025
- Kind
- Hacker News discussion thread about a book announcement page
- Original
- news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43678144
- Subject
- Systems and hardware
What it is
The post links to makingsoftware.com. Commenters name the author as Dan Hollick. The book is described as a manual of how things work.
What it says
- Commenters say the subtitle sits oddly with a description that disclaims teaching making software.
- Several readers praise the landing page and illustrations. Some ask for a coffee-table book.
- One commenter criticizes the multi-column layout, justified text and never-ending animations as hard to read.
- Others defend the animations and suggest a reduced-motion setting as a middle ground.
- Commenters point out that the page is only an announcement and no chapters are finished.
- Some report errors, such as a touch-screen line naming a magnetic field.
- The thread compares the project to The Way Things Work and Engineering in Plain Sight.
What evidence it gives
The thread offers opinion and anecdote only. A few commenters quote the page's own text and FAQ. One physics correction is argued at some length.
Interests and limits
Commenters were reacting to an announcement page, not to a finished book. The thread's own page was read in full, but the linked site was not opened. Opinions on layout and accessibility come from a few individuals. The poster's reason for sharing is not stated.