# HackerNews

Published articles for HackerNews.

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## Seven years of bitwise: a weekend project, a Hackernews front page, and the long road into Debian

DevFeed: [Seven years of bitwise: a weekend project, a Hackernews front page, and the long road into Debian](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/seven-years-of-bitwise-a-weekend-project-a-hackernews-front-page-and-the-long-road-into-debian-21707.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://nativeguru.wordpress.com/2026/09/11/seven-years-of-bitwise-a-weekend-project-a-hackernews-front-page-and-the-long-road-into-debian/>)

Author: Ramon

Published: 2026-09-11T15:21:24Z

Content type: article

Language: en

Sources: [Ramon Fried](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/ramon-fried.md>)

Topics: [experience report](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/experience-report.md>), [project release](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/project-release.md>), [Test-driven development](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/tdd.md>)

Tags: [alpine](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/alpine.md>), [ascii](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ascii.md>), [aur](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/aur.md>), [autotools](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/autotools.md>), [bits](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/bits.md>), [c](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/c.md>), [calculator](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/calculator.md>), [debian](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/debian.md>), [distributions](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/distributions.md>), [fedora](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/fedora.md>), [freebsd](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/freebsd.md>), [hacker-news](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/hacker-news.md>), [hackernews](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/hackernews.md>), [history](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/history.md>), [homebrew](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/homebrew.md>), [kde](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/kde.md>), [keys](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/keys.md>), [linux](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/linux.md>), [low-level](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/low-level.md>), [ncurses](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ncurses.md>), [nix](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/nix.md>), [open-source](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/open-source.md>), [packaging](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/packaging.md>), [project](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/project.md>), [software](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/software.md>), [vim](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/vim.md>)

### AI overview

bitwise began as a terminal alternative to opening KDE Calculator for inspecting register bits; the author says writing the program was easier than getting it packaged and distributed. Early additions included Vim movement keys for navigating the binary display and a plain command-line mode, which most users now use. During ten weeks without feedback, the author added an expression parser, unit tests, history, last-result reuse, ASCII output, and a distinction between KiB and kB. A second Hacker News post reached the front page with 113 points after its title shifted from describing the program to describing what it did for users. The excerpt says bitwise later reached many distributions and package systems, but ends before explaining that experience further.

### Source excerpt

I started bitwise because I was tired of opening the KDE calculator. Seven years, one Hacker News front page and sixteen distributions later, here's what I learned -- mostly about how hard it is to get software to people.