QGIS bans AI assisted contributions
QGIS has officially banned AI-assisted contributions to its project. The decision aims to maintain the integrity and quality of community-developed code. (github.com)
Lotus Improv on the NeXT
stonetools.ghost.io11 points1 comments
Lotus Improv on the NeXT is a deep, affectionate exploration of a once-experimental spreadsheet that reimagined data modeling and interaction. It situates Improv as a cult classic and a potential killer app for NeXT hardware, arguing that its pivot-table-like, multi-dimensional approach was far ahead of its time even as Lotus abandoned it. The writer tests Improv on a NeXTstation Turbo (68040, ~40-50 MHz, 128 MB RAM, 2 GB disk, monochrome megapixel display) running NeXTSTEP 3.3 and Lotus Improv Rel 1.0 (v108r0), explaining motivation (anniversaries, spreadsheet day) and sketching NeXT’s broader legacy: Display PostScript, Objective‑C, Interface Builder, and how NeXTSTEP evolved into macOS/iOS foundations.
The piece drills into what makes Improv distinctive: instead of A1-style coordinates, users define named categories and items (e.g., months, days), apply English-like formulas in a bottom formula panel at chosen granularities, and instantly rearrange views - making data “graspable” and even reproducible from a screenshot. Comparative examples with LibreOffice illustrate sequential item generation and formula application differences. Practical observations about NeXTSTEP’s polished UNIX GUI, quirky dock and mouse acceleration, and the hands-on reconstruction of Improv worksheets show that, despite commercial failure, Improv’s conceptual innovations - especially its elegant handling of multi-dimensional data - remain unmatched and influential.
Summary generated by AI from the linked article. hn.today is not affiliated with Hacker News or Y Combinator.
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