# Show HN: FLIP TABLE 2026 > Source: > Published: 2026-06-19 04:00:54+00:00 ## TL;DR: **FLIP TABLE;** was a mini-hackathon and showcase for "weird" databases: things that read and write data, but with a *twist* of some kind. It took place on Sunday, May 17th, 2026 at [Hex House](https://hexhouse.studio/) in Brooklyn. Each presentation was recorded and linked below. Presenters' databases were also scored by audience members according to the following alignment chart: data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based Prizes were given out to the five superlative databases, which were: **MOST BLESSED** secret nonograms .... isabel lee **MOST CURSED** the hair issue ...... sam heckle **MOST DATA** NyQL ................ marcos acosta **MOST BASED** a db from scratch ... john lemme **TRUE NEUTRAL** SSH hex wordle ...... isaac ## DATABASES **description** encode a message to your loved ones in a puzzle :] **stats** storage ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2 availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░ 9 read speed ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░ 7 write speed ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░ 7 **alignment** data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ * │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based **description** physical database of hair **stats** storage ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2 availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░ 9 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 10 read speed ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3 write speed ▓░░░░░░░░░ 1 **alignment** data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed * │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: marcos acosta [[website]](https://marcos.ac/) medium: Mac alarms **description** Schema-driven row-based database backed by iOS/MacOS alarms **stats** storage ▓░░░░░░░░░ 1 availability ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░ 9 read speed ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2 write speed ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2 **alignment** data ┌─────┬─────┐ * │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: john lemme medium: Scratch **description** I made this on an ipad **stats** storage ▓░░░░░░░░░ 1 availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░ 7 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8 read speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 write speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 **alignment** data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ * │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: isaac medium: SSH hex wordle **description** A simple read/write database using a wordle clone as the storage medium **stats** storage ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3 availability ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░ 7 read speed ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3 write speed ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3 **alignment** data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────*─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: char stiles [[website]](https://charstiles.com/about) medium(s): data centers (speculative), charcuterie **description** *(data center database)* I found out last week a friend works on algorithms for datacenter power allocation and i started to convince her to allow me to have a backdoor to throttle the data and a way to monitor the datacenter status, and through breaking the datacenter you send and recieve data **description** *(PCBCB)* thats it... printed circuit board charcuterie board. **stats** *(PCBCB)* storage ░░░░░░░░░░ 0 availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 10 consistency ░░░░░░░░░░ 0 read speed ░░░░░░░░░░ 0 write speed ░░░░░░░░░░ 0 **alignment** *(PCBCB)* data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ │ * │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: ava lehner medium: music **description** songs are a database for your memories **stats** storage ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2 availability ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 10 read speed ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8 write speed ▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░░ 6 **alignment** data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ * │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: cameron (emptyflash) [[website]](https://emptyfla.sh/) medium: Strava **description** Store and retrieve data encoded as the GPS coordinates of a run in Strava **stats** storage ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8 availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░ 9 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░ 7 read speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 write speed ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3 **alignment** data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ * │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: aaron, talisa, & krysten medium: decay **description** Ability to access and project end of life bursts, however information gets degraded over time **stats** storage ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 availability ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 consistency ▓░░░░░░░░░ 1 read speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 write speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 **alignment** data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ *│ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: logan williams [[website]](https://subject.space/) medium: iNaturalist **description** iNaturalist datastore **stats** storage ▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░░ 6 availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░ 9 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░ 9 read speed ▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░░ 6 write speed ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2 **alignment** data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ * │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: frank chiarulli [[website]](https://www.frankchiarulli.com/) medium: Etch-a-Sketch **description** its an etch-a-sketch **stats** storage ▓▓▓▓░░░░░░ 4 availability ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3 consistency ▓░░░░░░░░░ 1 read speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 write speed ▓░░░░░░░░░ 1 **alignment** data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ * │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: omar rizwan [[website]](https://omar.website/) medium: MacOS display **description** Associate anything on your screen with anything else on your screen so it pops up when that thing comes onscreen **stats** storage ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2 availability ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░░ 6 read speed ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3 write speed ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3 **alignment** data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ * │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: rafal dittwald [[website]](https://github.com/rafd) medium: deck of cards **description** Encoding data in a deck of cards. **stats** storage ░░░░░░░░░░ 0 availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░ 9 read speed ░░░░░░░░░░ 0 write speed ░░░░░░░░░░ 0 **alignment** data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ * │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: ben anderman medium: cpu built from scratch **description** A counting based data editor for the Spork 8 CPU, to store data on 32KB cartridges. Pretty functional; the main twist is the absurd number of extra steps involved, and the somewhat inconvenient interface. **stats** storage ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░ 7 availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░ 9 read speed ▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░░ 6 write speed ▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░░ 6 **alignment** data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ │ * │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: andrew boylan [[website]](https://www.andrew-boylan.com/) medium: Instagram **description** store data on instagram (i'm just a normal shopkeep) **stats** storage ▓▓▓▓░░░░░░ 4 availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 10 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░ 9 read speed ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2 write speed ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2 **alignment** data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─*───┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: haki alpay medium: GitHub **description** Translingual cjk etymology dictionary **stats** storage ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 10 availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 10 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 10 read speed ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 10 write speed ▓░░░░░░░░░ 1 **alignment** data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├────*┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: sidney san martin (s4y) medium: simulated birds **description** Stores data in a flock of simulated birds **stats** storage ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 read speed ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3 write speed ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2 **alignment** data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼*────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based **description** SpectreDB implicitly writes data in an unsuspecting load balancer by querying specific paths, which can then be read back by measuring cache hits and misses. **stats** storage ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8 availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 10 read speed ▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░░ 6 write speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 **alignment** data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │* │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: brandon liu (bdon) [[website]](https://bdon.org/about/) medium: AirPods **description** open and close your AirPods case to blast data to unprepared strangers via bluetooth **stats** storage ▓░░░░░░░░░ 1 availability ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8 read speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 write speed ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2 **alignment** data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ * │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: cristóbal sciutto medium: PNGs **description** Image-backed programming system. everything is an image. **stats** storage ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░ 9 availability ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8 read speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 write speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 **alignment** data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ * │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: connie liu [[website]](https://connie.surf/) medium: Wikipedia links **description** A way to see your route as you traverse through a page **stats** storage ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 10 availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░ 9 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 10 read speed ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8 write speed ▓▓▓▓░░░░░░ 4 **alignment** data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼*────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based **description** Through the power of oral history, data is encoded through morse code vocalizations. **stats** storage ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2 availability ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 consistency ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2 read speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 write speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 **alignment** data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ * │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based **description** The robot wants you to dance. How does it want you to dance? In the most information-theoretically dense way. **stats** storage ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3 availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░░ 6 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 read speed ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3 write speed ▓░░░░░░░░░ 1 **alignment** data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ │ * │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based ## PHOTOS ## CREDIT - **ORGANIZER** .......... [Marcos Acosta](https://marcos.ac) - **VENUE HOST & A/V** ... Sidney San Martin (s4y) - **PRIZES** ............. Ava Lehner & John Lemme - **PHOTOS** ............. Cyrene Zhang - **COKE ZERO** .......... Isabel Lee