Summary of the Bug in GTA San Andreas on Windows 11 24H2

A long-standing bug in the game GTA San Andreas was discovered after the release of the Windows 11 24H2 update. This bug caused the Skimmer airplane to disappear from the game. Players reported that the plane could not be spawned in either modded or unmodded versions of the game after upgrading to this Windows version.

Investigation Findings:

1. Bug Confirmation: The Skimmer plane was present in Windows 11 23H2 but vanished after upgrading to 24H2. The issue persisted across different setups and versions of the SilentPatch mod.

2. Root Cause: The investigation revealed that the plane's bounding box data became corrupted. Specifically, the Z-coordinate of the bounding box was set to an excessively high value due to uninitialized variables in the game’s code.

3. Data Initialization Issue: The Skimmer plane was defined in the game’s vehicle data file without necessary parameters, leading to this bug. The missing parameters were crucial for correct functionality, and their absence had gone unnoticed for years.

4. Windows 11 Impact: Changes in Windows 11 24H2 affected how the game handled memory and stack values, which led to the bug surfacing after many years of the game working without issues.

5. Fix Implementation: A temporary fix was suggested for players to manually edit the vehicle data file to include the missing parameters for the Skimmer. A permanent fix will also be included in future updates to SilentPatch.

Conclusion:

The bug highlights the importance of data validation in software development and how changes in operating systems can inadvertently expose long-standing issues in applications. The community's ability to mod and understand the game has allowed for quick fixes, ensuring the game's continued functionality.

MinC is a Unix emulator for Windows, designed to help children learn Linux easily without using virtualization. It works on all Windows versions except Win95 and Win98. MinC is a small kernel that allows you to run OpenBSD software directly on your Windows computer at full speed.

No summary available.

The article discusses the creation of a custom rise-and-fall light fixture called the Danglepoise, which allows for adjustable lighting using electric motors. Here are the key points:

1. Inspiration and Motivation: The author was inspired by vintage rise-and-fall light fittings that can be adjusted for different lighting needs. Modern versions are often flimsy, leading the author to create a more robust design.

2. Design Challenges: The project faced several challenges, including:

   • Finding suitable materials and mechanisms for the light's movement.
   • Developing a way to supply power while allowing the lamp to move without flickering.
   • Managing the cable to prevent tangling and ensuring it remains compact when the lamp is raised.

3. Technical Solutions:

   • A slip ring was considered for power transfer but was deemed impractical, leading to alternative designs.
   • The use of a steel cable and clips to manage the flex of the lamp while maintaining a neat appearance was implemented.
   • A stepper motor was chosen for precise control of the lamp's position.

4. Electronics and Control:

   • The author opted for a TinyPICO microcontroller for easy Wi-Fi connectivity and control.
   • The control system was designed to manage the motor, brake, and lamp power supply, with features for safety and functionality.

5. Development Process: The author experienced various technical and design challenges during development, including issues with PCB assembly, firmware coding, and physical assembly. This involved trial and error, leading to significant learning experiences.

6. Final Product: After extensive testing and adjustments, the Danglepoise successfully operates, allowing users to control the lighting via a mobile app or wall switches. The author is pleased with the result and is considering potential commercial interest in the design.

Overall, the project highlights the complexities of creating a custom automated lighting solution while documenting the learning process and problem-solving involved.

No summary available.

No summary available.

The text discusses the use of evolutionary algorithms for designing and optimizing antennas, a process traditionally done by hand, which is time-consuming and requires extensive expertise. Evolutionary design techniques can automatically search for effective antenna designs, improving efficiency and performance.

Key Points:

1. Evolutionary Algorithms: These are computational methods inspired by natural selection, used to explore a wide range of possible designs and find optimal solutions more efficiently than manual methods.

2. Applications in Spacecraft: Researchers have successfully applied these techniques to design antennas for NASA's Space Technology 5 (ST5) mission and the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS-C).

3. ST5 Mission: The ST5 mission involves launching three small satellites to study solar activity's effects on Earth's magnetosphere. Two antennas were designed for this mission—one initially evolved and another quickly adapted to new mission specifications after a change in the satellite's orbit.

4. Advantages of Evolved Antennas: The antennas designed via evolutionary algorithms showed better performance, lower power consumption, and reduced complexity compared to conventionally designed antennas. The evolved antennas also required less time for design and fabrication.

5. TDRS-C Project: For the TDRS-C mission, researchers evolved a phased array antenna that simplified design requirements by combining features for both receiving and transmitting functions, leading to cost reductions in testing and integration.

6. Design Process: The evolutionary design process involved multiple stages, including the use of various algorithms to refine and optimize the antenna designs based on performance metrics like gain and impedance.

7. Conclusion: The successful application of evolutionary algorithms in antenna design demonstrates their potential for other engineering challenges, particularly in aerospace, where efficient and innovative solutions are critical.

Overall, the research highlights the effectiveness of using automated evolutionary design methods to create advanced antennas for space missions, showcasing a shift towards more efficient engineering practices in aerospace technology.

The MOS 6502, used in popular systems like the Commodore 64 and NES, has 256 possible opcodes, of which 151 are defined and the remaining 105 are considered "illegal" or undefined. Despite being undefined, many of these opcodes perform useful functions.

The 6502 uses a decoding system called a Programmable Logic Array (PLA) to interpret instructions. This system compares the opcode and the current clock cycle to determine which operations to execute. The PLA operates by using "ON bits" and "OFF bits" to specify which bits must be set or cleared for a line to activate, allowing different opcodes to trigger similar actions.

Some undefined opcodes, like $AF (LAX), behave similarly to defined opcodes due to their similar encoding. For example, $AF can execute operations akin to loading values into both the accumulator (A) and the X register at the same time.

Additionally, there are "KIL" opcodes that can halt the CPU, preventing it from responding to interrupts until a reset occurs. This happens when the instruction cycle does not reset properly, causing the CPU to disable all interrupts.

Overall, the study of these illegal opcodes reveals intricate details about the 6502's design and operation.

Here's a simplified summary of the text regarding the Godot engine's new visionOS support:

• A developer from Apple's visionOS team is contributing to the Godot engine to add support for Apple's Vision Pro headset.
• This contribution includes a pull request (PR) with 33 commits aimed at integrating visionOS into Godot.
• The main goals are to allow existing Godot games to run on visionOS and to create immersive experiences using a new VR plugin.
• The changes include:
  • Adding a new native visionOS platform, building on iOS code.
  • Enabling Swift file compilation in Godot.
  • Introducing a VR plugin for immersive experiences.
• The PR is structured to make reviewing easier by breaking down changes into smaller, manageable parts.
• They have tested the changes with a demo project to ensure compatibility with both iOS and visionOS.
• The contributors seek feedback and assistance from the community for testing and documentation.
• Some functionality is still missing, like dynamic DPI metrics and an icon asset catalog for visionOS, which they plan to address in future updates.

Overall, the contributors express excitement about working with the Godot community and are open to feedback and collaboration on these changes.

Summary: Beer on Board in the Age of Sail

Beer has a long history, dating back to at least 5,000 BC in Mesopotamia, and was commonly brewed in various ancient civilizations. Although it was often thought that beer was safer than water, freshwater sources were available; however, for sailors at sea, beer was a vital part of their diet. It was low in alcohol and provided nutrition and calories, while also softening hard bread.

Records from the British Royal Navy show that sailors were rationed a gallon of low-alcohol beer daily, which helped prevent diseases like scurvy during long voyages. The Dutch had discovered that beer and fruits could help prevent this ailment, and later, British naval regulations included lemon juice in sailors' diets to further combat scurvy.

While beer was the primary drink for sailors in Northern Europe, wine was preferred in the Mediterranean, and rum began to replace beer in the Caribbean from the mid-17th century. By 1914, alcohol on U.S. Navy ships was largely banned.

Beer sometimes spoiled on long journeys, leading to creative solutions like brewing spruce beer from local trees to provide vitamin C. Louis Pasteur’s research on fermentation and pasteurization in the 19th century helped improve beer preservation.

The article celebrates the connection between maritime history and beer, noting phrases from seafaring that relate to drinking. It encourages readers to explore the rich history of beer in maritime culture while reminding them to drink responsibly.

A pixel is used in two ways: as a unit of length and as a unit of area. For example, a digital image might be 1920 pixels wide and 1080 pixels tall, which describes its dimensions. In contrast, a camera sensor might be described as having 12 megapixels, referring to its total area.

Mathematically, this can cause confusion. When you multiply two linear dimensions (width and height in pixels), you get an area measured in square pixels, which is similar to how meters and square meters work. However, if you simplify it colloquially, saying that a 10x10 pixel image has an area of 100 pixels leads to the absurd conclusion that a pixel is just a number (1).

One way to address this confusion is to define a pixel as a square whose size varies by device, while introducing a term like "pixel-side" for its length. Another method is to treat the pixel strictly as a unit of length and refer to areas as square pixels, complicating how we express quantities like megapixels.

This discussion isn't crucial because pixels aren't metric units and aren’t often used in complex calculations. However, it shows the inconsistencies in terminology we encounter, similar to how the pound can refer to both mass and force, while the metric system clearly separates these concepts.

Summary:

Atuin Desktop is a new tool designed to improve how teams manage their workflows and infrastructure. It combines features of documentation and terminal commands, allowing users to create executable runbooks that are easy to share and repeat. Key points include:

• Problem Addressed: Teams often rely on outdated documents and fragmented knowledge when troubleshooting or executing commands.
• Solution Offered: Atuin Desktop allows users to create runbooks that look like documents but function like terminal commands, integrating script blocks, embedded terminals, and data visualizations.
• Benefits:
  • Reduces context switching by combining various commands and queries.
  • Keeps documentation relevant and executable.
  • Allows for reusable automation and quick access to shell history.
• Current Use Cases: Teams are already using Atuin Desktop for tasks like releasing software, safely migrating infrastructure, and managing database queries.
• Future Plans: Upcoming features include team accounts for better collaboration and the ability to generate runbooks from shell history.

Atuin Desktop is currently in early access, aimed at those looking to streamline their workflows away from traditional documentation methods.

No summary available.

Summary:

The European Union (EU) has fined Apple €500 million ($570 million) and Meta €200 million for violating the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which aims to promote competition by limiting the power of major tech companies. These fines are the first under the new legislation introduced in 2023.

The EU's actions may heighten tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has threatened tariffs on countries penalizing U.S. companies. Both Apple and Meta have criticized the fines, claiming they unfairly target American businesses and could harm their operations.

Apple plans to challenge its fine, asserting that the EU's decisions negatively affect user privacy and security. Meta argues that the EU's requirements impose unfair burdens on its business model.

The fines are relatively small compared to past penalties from the EU, likely due to the brief duration of the violations and a focus on compliance rather than punishment. Companies have two months to comply with the EU's orders or face additional daily fines.

The EU is also investigating Google and Elon Musk's X for potential violations, as the commission emphasizes strict enforcement of competition laws.

No summary available.

Summary of Seb's Website Text:

The concept of the "Gruen Transfer" describes how confusing store layouts can lead consumers to lose track of their original shopping goals, resulting in impulse buys. This phenomenon is now affecting the internet, particularly social media platforms like Facebook. Originally designed to help users stay updated with friends, Facebook's feed has become cluttered with ads and influencer content, making it hard to focus on personal connections.

Many websites are intentionally designed to confuse users, leading them to act impulsively. For example, trying to delete an account on a social network is often a complicated process, as sites try to keep users engaged. This complexity can be frustrating and could eventually harm user experience.

In the EU, laws require that canceling a subscription must be as easy as signing up, emphasizing the importance of simplicity in design. The author suggests that similar principles should be applied in physical stores to improve customer experience.

Overall, the text highlights the growing issue of confusing web design and its impact on user behavior.

No summary available.

Summary: Blogging with Obsidian and Hugo

The author shares their experience of using Obsidian for writing blogs, highlighting its benefits like keeping everything in plain text and a clean interface. They store their notes in iCloud for easy syncing across devices.

For publishing, they use Hugo with the Bear Blog theme, deploying through GitHub and Cloudflare Pages. This setup offers full control without subscriptions or vendor lock-in.

Key Steps to Set Up:

1. Install Hugo: Set up Hugo on your machine and create a new site.
2. Connect Obsidian: Set up Obsidian to write posts directly in the Hugo content folder.
3. Use Front Matter: Include necessary metadata in your posts for Hugo to recognize them.
4. Preview Locally: Use Hugo’s local server to preview posts before publishing.
5. Connect to GitHub: Create a GitHub repository for your blog and link it to your local Hugo site.
6. Set Up Cloudflare Pages: Create a Cloudflare account to host your blog and connect it to your GitHub repository.

Publishing Workflow:

• Write in Obsidian, change the draft status, then commit and push to GitHub. Cloudflare automatically rebuilds your site.

The author notes that while the initial setup requires effort, the streamlined workflow for writing and publishing is very rewarding. They recommend this method for anyone seeking a simple and cost-effective blogging solution.

Physicists from the University of Colorado Boulder have created a quantum version of the Rubik's cube, which has infinite possible states and new ways to solve it. Unlike the traditional cube, which has about 43 quintillion combinations, the quantum cube can exist in superpositions, where a piece can be in multiple states at once.

The researchers tested this concept using a simpler 2×2 grid puzzle made of blue and green tiles. In its classical form, the puzzle has six possible arrangements, but with quantum properties, it gains infinite combinations due to the ability to manipulate the tiles into superpositions.

They ran experiments with three types of solvers: a classical solver that swaps tiles, a quantum solver that can create superpositions, and a combined solver that can do both. The combined solver performed the best, solving puzzles in an average of 4.77 moves, while the quantum solver took 5.32 moves, and the classical solver averaged 5.88 moves. However, the classical solver sometimes reached solutions in fewer moves than the quantum solver due to its simpler operations.

The team also created a 3D version of the quantum puzzle with similar properties. While this quantum Rubik's cube is mainly a theoretical exercise, it could lead to real-world applications in quantum computing using ultracold atoms. The research has been accepted for publication in the journal Physical Review A.

Summary of Sapphire

Sapphire is an experimental package manager built with Rust, inspired by Homebrew, and is currently under heavy development. It is designed for ARM architecture, with potential future support for x86.

Key Features:

• Types of Installations:
  • Formulae: Command-line tools, libraries, and languages.
  • Casks: Desktop applications for macOS.
• Core Functionality:
  • Installing and uninstalling bottles (packages) and casks.
  • Parallel downloads for faster installations.
  • Automatic handling of dependencies.

Current Status:

• Basic installation features are working.
• Early implementation for building formulae from source.

Upcoming Features:

• An upgrade command for updating packages.
• Cleanup options for old downloads and caches.
• A command to quickly reinstall packages.
• Initial setup helper for new environments.
• Ongoing bug fixes and stability enhancements.

Basic Usage Commands:

• sapphire --help: Show help information.
• sapphire update: Update package metadata.
• sapphire search <name>: Search for packages.
• sapphire install <name>: Install a package.
• sapphire uninstall <name>: Remove a package.

Building from Source:

• Requires the Rust toolchain.
• Clone the repository and build using Cargo.

Contributions:

• Feedback and code contributions are welcome, especially for testing and improving functionality.

License:

• Sapphire is licensed under BSD-3-Clause.

Caution:

• This software is in alpha stage and may be unstable. Use at your own risk.

No summary available.

Summary: Restoring Old Software for Child Learning Safety

Frank Rietta discusses the benefits of using classic software for children's education, highlighting the challenges of modern web applications, such as data security risks and exposure to cyberbullying. As a parent, Rietta is concerned about his children's learning and wants to provide them with educational content that is safe and not reliant on internet access.

He has taken up restoring old software, like WordPerfect and educational games from the 1980s, which he believes offer better user interfaces and learning experiences. For example, his daughter enjoys playing "1st Math," a DOS game that helps her develop math skills and keyboard proficiency. Rietta plans to set up an old computer for his kids to play educational games safely while limiting their internet exposure.

He aims to preserve old software and share his experiences with other parents on how to provide effective educational resources for their children.

This article compares various geocoding API providers, focusing on their pricing, free tiers, and terms of use. Geocoding converts addresses into geographic coordinates, while reverse geocoding does the opposite. Using a geocoding API simplifies these tasks and offers additional features like address data cleaning.

Key points to consider when choosing a geocoding API include:

• Pricing: Most providers have volume-based pricing, which varies based on the number of requests.
• Free Tier: Many APIs offer free or trial tiers for limited requests, useful for testing or low-budget projects.
• Terms of Use: Check if there are restrictions on data usage, such as attribution requirements or limitations on commercial use.

The article provides a comparison of several providers, including HERE, Google Maps, Azure Maps, OpenCage, TomTom Maps, LocationIQ, and Nominatim, detailing their free requests, rate limits, and pricing per 1,000 requests.

Summary of Providers:

• HERE: 30,000 free requests/month; $0.83 per 1,000 requests after that.
• Google Maps: 40,000 free requests/month with $200 credit; $5 per 1,000 requests.
• Azure Maps: 5,000 free requests/month; $4.50 per 1,000 requests.
• OpenCage: 2,500 free requests/day; starting at $0.17 per 1,000 requests.
• LocationIQ: 5,000 free requests/day; starting at $0.16 per 1,000 requests.
• TomTom Maps: 2,500 free requests/day; $0.54 per 1,000 requests.
• Nominatim: Open-source, free but not for commercial use; requires attribution.

Conclusion:

For budget-conscious users or smaller projects, TomTom or OpenCage offer good options. For high-volume usage, HERE is favorable as it allows more requests before requiring an upgrade. Google Maps is the most restrictive and expensive. Nominatim is great for low-volume, non-commercial projects.

The article suggests that users evaluate their specific needs and usage patterns to choose the best geocoding API provider.

Summary:

The Avro Arrow was a remarkable Canadian supersonic interceptor jet introduced in 1957, celebrated for its sleek design and advanced technology. It was intended to protect Canada from Soviet bombers during the Cold War. Despite its potential, the project faced challenges, including high costs and shifting military priorities due to the emerging threat of missiles and satellites.

In 1959, Prime Minister John Diefenbaker abruptly cancelled the Arrow program, ordering the destruction of completed aircraft and all related designs. This decision sparked a lasting legacy and nostalgic sentiment for the Arrow, which many Canadians still remember fondly.

Over 60 years later, the Arrow continues to inspire interest through books, films, and recovery efforts for its test models lost in Lake Ontario. While the cancellation marked a significant loss for Canadian aviation pride, many engineers from the Arrow project later contributed to major developments in space exploration, ensuring that Canada’s legacy in aerospace innovation continued.

The article "Behind the Times: The Ghosts of Gaelic" by Duncan Sneddon discusses the past and future of the Gaelic language and culture in Scotland.

Key points include:

1. Gaelic Language Act: April 2025 marks the 20th anniversary of the Gaelic Language Act, which aimed to establish Gaelic as an official language of Scotland alongside English. A new Scottish Languages Bill is underway to further support Gaelic and Scots.

2. Current Status: Gaelic is now spoken by only 2.5% of Scotland's population, although interest in learning it is growing, especially through schools and apps. However, many Gaelic-speaking communities are shifting to English, risking the loss of both the language and the culture it represents.

3. Cultural Preservation: Attempts to share Gaelic culture through English, like James Macpherson's 18th-century works on the legendary bard Ossian, have sometimes led to misunderstandings and controversies about authenticity. While Ossian gained popularity in Europe and influenced Romanticism, it also sparked debates about Gaelic heritage.

4. Finn Cycle: The article highlights the rich oral tradition surrounding the hero Finn MacCool, which has persisted through centuries. This tradition is crucial for understanding Gaelic culture and exists independently from Macpherson's works.

5. Future of Gaelic: The Gaelic language faces significant threats due to the dominance of English and social challenges in Gaelic-speaking areas. To preserve Gaelic, it’s important to foster stable communities that can continue the traditions of storytelling and song. The success of the new Scottish Languages Bill will depend on addressing the needs of these communities.

Overall, the article emphasizes the importance of Gaelic language and culture and advocates for efforts to ensure their survival amid modern challenges.

The article "Demystifying Decorators" by Stephen Gruppetta aims to simplify the concept of decorators in Python programming. The author shares his personal journey of learning about decorators, initially finding them confusing but eventually grasping their functionality.

Key Points:

1. Understanding Decorators: Decorators are functions that add reusable functionality to other functions without needing to define new ones. They are pivotal in Python programming.

2. Closures: The article introduces closures, which allow a function to access variables from an enclosing scope. This is essential for creating decorators.

3. Creating a Custom Print Function: The author explains how to create a custom print function that tracks all arguments passed to it using a list, demonstrating the concept of closures.

4. Making a Generic Function: The custom function is modified to accept any function, not just print, by including a parameter for the function to be decorated.

5. Handling Multiple Arguments: The inner function is adjusted to accept any number of positional and keyword arguments, ensuring compatibility with the original function's signature.

6. Returning Values: The inner function is updated to return the value from the original function, making it behave as expected.

7. Final Thoughts: The decorator stores arguments from calls to the decorated function in a list. The author emphasizes that a decorator is essentially a function that takes another function as an argument, returning a modified version of it.

The article sets the groundwork for further discussions on decorators, promising more detailed explorations in subsequent parts.

Join us for the Open House, ClickHouse's user conference, on May 28-29 in San Francisco.

ClickHouse is a fast analytical database that recently introduced "lazy materialization," an optimization that improves data processing efficiency. This feature delays reading column data until it is actually needed, which can greatly speed up query performance—sometimes by over 1,500 times without changing any SQL code.

The database already uses several techniques to enhance speed and reduce input/output (I/O) operations, including:

1. Columnar Storage: This allows ClickHouse to avoid reading unnecessary columns.
2. Indexes: These help skip irrelevant data quickly.
3. PREWHERE: This checks for matches on non-indexed columns early in the process.
4. Query Condition Cache: This remembers previous query results to speed up repeated queries.

Lazy materialization complements these techniques by processing only the necessary columns for operations like sorting and limiting, which is particularly effective for queries that need only a few rows from large datasets.

In one example, a query that took 219 seconds was reduced to just 139 milliseconds using lazy materialization, showcasing its significant impact on performance.

Overall, ClickHouse's optimizations, including lazy materialization, work together to make data querying faster and more efficient, benefiting users with minimal effort required on their part.

Summary: Algebraic Semantics for Machine Knitting

This blog post by Nat Hurtig discusses the need for a more rigorous understanding of the semantics of machine knitting, a programming domain that currently lacks mathematical precision. Machine knitting involves programming machines to manipulate yarn into 3D objects using arrays of needles. The author explores how establishing semantics can help with tasks such as error checking and optimizing code.

Key points include:

1. Importance of Semantics: Semantics define what programming statements mean, enabling various useful functions like error checking and optimization.

2. Commutativity in Programming: The post uses simple programming examples to illustrate the concept of commutativity—whether two statements can be swapped without changing the outcome. This is crucial for optimizing code.

3. Machine Knitting Mechanics: The basics of machine knitting are explained, highlighting how stitches and carrier strands operate similarly to basic programming operations. However, knitting introduces unique challenges due to the physical crossing of strands.

4. Existing Semantics: While there are some mathematical semantics for machine knitting based on knot theory, these are not directly useful for computer analysis because they rely on continuous deformations.

5. Algebraic Representation: The author proposes using algebraic topology and the braid group, which captures the crossing nature of strands, to formalize machine knitting semantics in a way that computers can analyze.

6. Braided Monoidal Categories: The post suggests that braided monoidal categories, which account for the over/under crossings in diagrams, are suitable for studying the semantics of machine knitting.

7. Applications: The goal is to use these algebraic structures to analyze machine knitting programs for equivalence and to develop an optimized programming language for machine knitting that simplifies user interaction.

The blog concludes with acknowledgments and references for further reading on related topics.

Summary:

Rowboat allows you to quickly create multi-agent workflows using AI. You can start by describing your idea, and Rowboat will build the necessary workflows for you, such as creating an assistant for a food delivery service.

To get started:

1. Set Up: Connect MCP servers and import tools into Rowboat.
2. Integration: Use the HTTP API or Python SDK to integrate Rowboat into your application. You'll need your project ID and API key.

Quick Start Steps:

• Set your OpenAI API key.
• Clone the Rowboat repository and run it using Docker.
• Access the app at http://localhost:3000.

Demo: You can create a multi-agent assistant by chatting with Rowboat.

Integration Methods:

• HTTP API: Send requests to http://localhost:3000/api/v1/ to communicate with your agents.
• Python SDK: Install it and use it to interact with agents easily.

For further details, refer to the documentation.

Researchers have developed a new type of flash memory that operates at speeds below one nanosecond, overcoming a significant limitation in current memory technologies. This advancement utilizes a two-dimensional (2D) material, specifically a graphene channel, which enhances the efficiency of carrier injection, allowing for faster programming speeds. The new memory can program data in just 400 picoseconds and has shown strong durability, enduring over 5.5 million cycles of use.

The key to this technology is the use of 2D materials which optimize electric field distribution, thereby improving the speed at which data can be written. This approach allows the new flash memory to outperform traditional volatile memories like static random-access memory (SRAM) in terms of speed, despite SRAM being faster in volatile data storage.

The study highlights the potential of this new flash memory technology for applications in artificial intelligence and other fields requiring efficient data storage solutions. The findings suggest that further improvements could be achieved by reducing the size of the devices even more. Overall, this research represents a promising step towards high-speed, non-volatile memory technologies.

The document titled "π0.5.pdf," published on April 22, 2025, involves a collaborative research effort by multiple authors, including Kevin Black and Noah Brown, among others. It is likely focused on advancements in the field of physical intelligence. The paper's details, including its specific findings or conclusions, are not provided in the text, so we cannot summarize its content further. For more information, you can contact the research team via the provided email.

No summary available.

Summary:

Onyx is a widely used open source project with many users and a strong community. The role involves improving Onyx's capabilities in knowledge retrieval and AI, particularly in challenging areas like multi-hop question answering. This position is based in San Francisco.

Key responsibilities include:

• Developing knowledge graphs and advanced retrieval algorithms.
• Enhancing user experience with features like personalized search.
• Understanding and integrating organizational priorities into the system.
• Collaborating closely with leadership to guide product direction.

Qualifications for success:

• At least 3 years of experience in AI/ML engineering.
• Proficiency in PyTorch/TensorFlow and NLP models.
• Knowledge of current trends in LLMs and retrieval frameworks.
• Strong software engineering skills for backend development.
• Good communication and teamwork abilities.

Bonus skills:

• Familiarity with Typescript, React, Python, and Postgres.
• Interest in writing technical blogs to promote Onyx's leadership in the field.

No summary available.

No summary available.

No summary available.

Summary of Morphik

Morphik is a tool designed to work with complex technical and visual documents, offering an alternative to traditional retrieval-augmented generation (RAG). Key features include:

• Multimodal Search: Search across various document types (images, PDFs, videos) with advanced understanding of visual content.
• Knowledge Graphs: Easily create graphs tailored to specific fields using simple code.
• Metadata Extraction: Quickly extract useful information from documents, such as labels and classifications.
• Integrations: Connect with popular tools like Google Suite, Slack, and Confluence.
• Cache-Augmented Generation: Speed up document processing with persistent caches.

Morphik is free to start with a tier allowing 200 pages and 100 queries. Users can self-host the open-source version but will have limited support. Programmers can use a Python SDK or REST API for easy integration.

Contributions are welcome through bug reports, feature requests, and code submissions. However, some features, like the Morphik Console, are only available in the paid version. Morphik is inspired by PostHog and aims to continuously improve its offerings.

No summary available.

No summary available.

The article discusses the limitations of large language models (LLMs) in achieving artificial general intelligence (AGI). It highlights recent research from Anthropic, which reveals that LLMs do not reason like humans and often fabricate explanations for their outputs that do not reflect their internal processes. The key points are:

1. Lack of True Intelligence: LLMs are large statistical models that make predictions based on patterns in data rather than genuine reasoning or understanding. Their apparent intelligence is a façade created by sophisticated pattern matching.

2. Misleading Explanations: When LLMs describe their reasoning processes, they often produce incorrect or fabricated narratives that align with human-like explanations but do not accurately represent their internal workings.

3. Reliability Issues: LLMs can generate false information and misrepresent their use of tools, raising concerns about their reliability in practical applications.

4. No Progress Toward AGI: Despite improvements in performance, LLMs remain fundamentally limited to their statistical nature. They cannot create new ideas or understand principles beyond their training data.

5. Need for Human Oversight: Due to their propensity for inaccuracies, LLM outputs should not be trusted without human verification.

6. Future Considerations: The article calls for a reevaluation of how we measure AI capabilities and suggests that benchmarks may not accurately capture true intelligence. It emphasizes the importance of focusing on efficiency and genuine understanding rather than mere statistical performance.

In summary, while LLMs are powerful tools for pattern recognition, they lack true intelligence and reasoning, and we have not made significant progress toward creating AGI.

The article discusses "digital ghost towns," which are premium domain names once linked to successful businesses but now inactive after big companies acquired and shut down those businesses. Here are the key points:

1. Definition: Digital ghost towns refer to valuable domain names that are no longer active because the companies behind them have been closed down after acquisitions.

2. Examples:

   • Diapers.com: Acquired by Amazon for $545 million in 2010 and shut down in 2017. The domain is now unused to prevent competition.
   • Soap.com: Also part of the Quidsi acquisition by Amazon, it is now inactive.
   • Toys.com: Purchased by Toys "R" Us for $5.1 million in 2009, currently redirects to other sites.
   • Pets.com: Acquired by PetSmart after its closure in 2000, it now redirects.
   • Electronics.com: Acquired by Best Buy but remains inactive, representing a missed opportunity in e-commerce.

3. Current Status: Many of these domains are valuable but sit unused, often to prevent competitors from reviving the brands. Some are parked for potential future use or sale, while others are forgotten.

4. Conclusion: These domains are reminders of the internet's unpredictable nature. It's uncertain if any will be revived or if they will continue to remain dormant.

No summary available.

In the 1980s and 1990s, PC Connection became well-known for its unique advertising campaign featuring charming raccoons. These ads, illustrated by Erick Ingraham, stood out in a crowded market of computer magazine ads filled with product lists and prices. The raccoons added a friendly, human touch to the tech world, helping to alleviate consumer fears about computers.

PC Connection, founded in 1982 by Patricia Gallup and David Hall in Marlow, New Hampshire, started with a small budget and grew significantly, becoming a major player in mail-order computer sales. Their ads featured whimsical scenes of raccoons engaged in various human activities, promoting the company's commitment to customer service and community.

Over the years, the raccoon ads evolved, showcasing the characters in different scenarios, but they began to fade from prominence in the late 1990s as the company shifted its focus to corporate clients and the internet. By 2016, the raccoons were largely absent from the brand's identity, although they still make occasional appearances in holiday cards and annual reports.

The story of PC Connection's raccoon ads highlights a time when tech marketing was more personable and creative, contrasting sharply with today's more generic online commerce. The raccoons, a symbol of the company's character, remain a nostalgic memory for many who remember their charm.

The text discusses the misconceptions surrounding high-degree polynomial features in machine learning, suggesting that their negative reputation is largely a myth.

Key Points:

1. Polynomial Features: High-degree polynomials can approximate any continuous function, but they are often avoided due to fears of overfitting and oscillation. However, these issues stem mainly from the standard polynomial basis used in modeling.

2. Approximation vs. Estimation: While high-degree polynomials can represent functions accurately, estimating their coefficients from data is challenging due to their complexity. This is highlighted by the distinction between interpolation (fitting exactly to chosen points) and fitting (approximating noisy data).

3. Misunderstanding of Weierstrass Theorem: It is often misunderstood that polynomials can approximate any function without considering the need for data normalization.

4. Alternative Polynomial Bases: The text introduces Chebyshev and Legendre polynomials, which are better for interpolation but struggle with fitting noisy data. They highlight the need for a different approach when fitting.

5. Bernstein Polynomials: The text advocates for Bernstein polynomials as a solution. They are easier to regularize and maintain consistent "units" across coefficients, making them more suitable for machine learning applications.

6. Practical Implementation: The author provides code examples for fitting functions using different polynomial bases, illustrating the challenges and benefits of each.

In summary, Bernstein polynomials offer a promising alternative for polynomial features in machine learning, allowing for high-degree fitting without the common pitfalls associated with standard polynomial bases. The author plans to explore their applications further in future posts.

The text discusses an experiment where the author created a basic Doom-like game using DuckDB-WASM, a database engine running in the browser. Instead of traditional game programming techniques, the author used SQL to handle game state, movement, and rendering graphics, showcasing SQL's unexpected capabilities.

Key Points:

1. Game Development Approach: The author aimed to use SQL queries to manage the game's logic and graphics instead of conventional JavaScript methods, leading to a novel way of handling 3D graphics.

2. Database as Game World: The game's elements, like the map and player positions, were stored in DuckDB tables, allowing SQL to dictate game mechanics such as movement and collision detection.

3. Rendering with SQL Views: A SQL VIEW was created to perform raycasting, which calculates wall distances and constructs a text-based 3D scene, demonstrating the power of recursive CTEs in SQL for complex calculations.

4. JavaScript Integration: JavaScript was used to manage user input and orchestrate the game loop, fetching data from SQL views and handling rendering tasks, creating a hybrid system of SQL and JS.

5. Challenges Encountered: The author faced various challenges, including loading issues, SQL dialect differences, and asynchronous programming problems, which required careful debugging and creative solutions.

6. Performance: The game runs at about 6-7 frames per second, with SQL's raycasting being the most time-consuming operation. The experiment highlighted SQL's potential for unconventional applications beyond data retrieval.

7. Learning Experience: The project offered insights into SQL optimization, JavaScript patterns, and the complexities of debugging across different programming languages.

8. Recommendation: While not suitable for production games, the experiment is highly recommended as a learning exercise for understanding SQL and programming concepts.

Conclusion:

The author invites others to explore similar projects using DuckDB-WASM, suggesting that unconventional uses of tools can lead to interesting discoveries in programming and game development. The full source code is available on GitHub for others to experiment with.

The text discusses the history and development of the modern toy industry, highlighting the untold stories behind it. It includes references to a 1970s Toys R Us advertisement linked to the Children's Bargain Town and features a 1996 photo of a woman and her child shopping at Toys R Us, which showcases their mascot, Geoffrey the giraffe. Additionally, it briefly mentions related articles on various topics, including weight-loss drugs, the invention of dynamite, the origin of Earth, and historical methods of staying cool before air conditioning.

No summary available.

Whirlwind, created in 1945, was the first interactive computer that used a keyboard. However, it came before the concept of an alphanumeric keyboard, making it a unique and unusual experience.

Hyperwood is an open-source system that allows people to create furniture from simple wooden slats. Inspired by the ideas of E.F. Schumacher and Enzo Mari, it aims to help DIY enthusiasts, designers, and small manufacturers build beautiful and sturdy furniture with minimal tools and local materials.

Currently, Hyperwood is best for those with some programming skills, but plans are in place to develop user-friendly interfaces for broader access. The system uses algorithms to create personalized building plans and material lists, making the process efficient, sustainable, and reducing waste.

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No summary available.

Supabase, an open-source application development platform, recently raised $200 million in a Series D funding round, bringing its valuation to $2 billion. The investment was led by Accel, with partners traveling over 7,000 miles to meet the cofounders in New Zealand. Supabase is popular among developers, currently supporting two million users and managing over 3.5 million databases. It aims to be a comprehensive backend solution for developers, especially in the growing "vibe coding" movement. Cofounder Paul Copplestone emphasizes learning from past experiences to build a strong, remote team, which includes many former founders. The company's name was inspired by Nicki Minaj's song "Super Bass," reflecting a playful approach to branding.

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In 1960, Dr. Maxwell Maltz suggested in his book “Psycho-Cybernetics” that it takes about 21 days to form a new habit. This idea became popular, but it was based on his observations as a plastic surgeon, not scientific research.

A study published in 2010 found that it actually takes an average of 66 days to form a new habit, with a range of 2 to 8 months depending on the habit and individual circumstances. The good news is that missing a day doesn’t significantly affect habit formation; you can always return to your efforts without feeling like you've failed.

Key takeaways include:

1. Don’t expect to form new habits in just a few weeks; it often takes longer.
2. Be cautious of widely accepted claims like the 21-day rule, as they can be misleading.
3. Focus on your commitment to change rather than specific timelines, since everyone’s journey is different.

Ultimately, you have control over your habits and should concentrate on your motivation and reasons for making changes rather than fixating on how long it takes.

AutoKitteh is a developer platform designed for workflow automation and orchestration. It offers a flexible, code-based alternative to no-code platforms like Zapier and is built on the durable Temporal framework, simplifying complex coding tasks. Users can self-host AutoKitteh or use its cloud service.

Key Features:

• Scalable Server: Manages projects and workflows with webhooks or schedulers.
• API-First: Services are accessible via gRPC/HTTP.
• Built-in Integrations: Works with Slack, GitHub, Twilio, Gmail, and more.
• Supported Languages: Primarily Python, with JavaScript support coming soon.

User Interfaces include a command line, a Visual Studio Code extension, and a web UI.

Benefits of using AutoKitteh:

• Advanced engineering features.
• Secure API integrations.
• User-friendly management tools.
• Reliable for long-running tasks with automatic recovery.

Getting started involves following a quickstart guide for installation and project deployment. AutoKitteh is open-source for self-hosting, with a managed cloud option currently in beta.

For more information or support, you can visit their website or reach out via email.

No summary available.

Details about a new museum dedicated to Roman London have been announced following the discovery of ancient Roman ruins in the City of London. These remains, believed to be part of London's first city hall, were found during excavations by the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA). The property developer is now changing their plans to include a museum in the basement of a new skyscraper, which requires approval from the City of London.

The new design will feature a public hall and a tower above it, with the museum located one floor down. Visitors will access the museum via lifts or stairs. The museum aims to showcase the ruins, including an immersive display of the First Roman London Basilica, and will also provide an educational space for schools and groups.

To protect the ruins, a glass floor will be installed above them, allowing visitors to walk over the site. The museum will be free to enter, and its presence is expected to benefit local cafes and restaurants. The revised plans are now under review for approval.

Researchers at MIT have developed a new framework that connects over 20 classical machine learning algorithms, similar to a periodic table. This framework helps scientists combine different strategies to enhance existing AI models or create new ones.

The framework, called information contrastive learning (I-Con), is based on a unifying equation that describes how these algorithms learn relationships between data points. The researchers found that many algorithms could be organized into this framework, revealing gaps where new algorithms could be developed.

One practical outcome of this work is a new image-classification algorithm that outperforms current methods by 8%. The periodic table format allows for easy exploration and encourages innovative combinations of ideas in machine learning.

This research underscores the importance of unifying existing algorithms to inspire future discoveries in AI.

Summary of "The Books"

David Tong's lecture notes have been turned into a series of textbooks published by Cambridge University Press. While the lecture notes are free, the books offer several advantages:

• They contain more content and better explanations.
• Errors, such as the spelling of "Schwarzschild," have been corrected.
• The publisher offers them at half the price of most textbooks.
• They have a pleasant smell.

Currently, there are four textbooks available. Many respected figures in physics have praised the series for its clarity, engaging style, and thorough coverage of theoretical physics. Notable endorsements highlight the books as valuable resources for both students and researchers, with some suggesting they could become classic references in the field.

ElatoAI Overview

ElatoAI is a real-time speech AI system designed for the ESP32 microcontroller, enabling global conversations lasting over 10 minutes. It uses OpenAI's Realtime API and features secure communication through WebSockets.

Key Features:

• Real-time Speech: Instant voice conversion using OpenAI APIs.
• Custom AI Agents: Create unique AI characters with distinct voices.
• Secure Communication: Encrypted WebSocket connections for privacy.
• Audio Quality: Utilizes Opus codec for high-quality audio streaming.
• Low Latency: Fast response times due to global edge computing.
• Device Management: Manage and reset devices through a web interface.
• Conversation History: Store and view past conversations.

Setup Instructions:

1. Local Backend: Install Supabase CLI and start the local server.
2. Frontend Setup: Configure a NextJS frontend with your OpenAI API key.
3. ESP32 Configuration: Upload code to the ESP32 device, connect it to WiFi, and link it to your account.
4. Run the System: Start the Deno server and connect everything to enable conversation with the AI.

Technical Details:

• Components: Frontend (Next.js), Backend (Supabase), Edge Functions (Deno), IoT Client (ESP32).
• Libraries Used: Various Arduino libraries for audio processing and communication.

Limitations:

• Conversations are limited to 10 minutes and may experience cold start delays.

Contribution: The project is open for contributions, especially in enhancing features like speech interruption detection.

License: The project is licensed under the MIT License.

Summary of 14 Advanced Python Features

Python is a popular programming language known for its ease of use, but it also has many advanced features that can enhance its capabilities. Here are 14 advanced Python features that can help elevate your Python programming skills:

1. Typing Overloads: Use the @overload decorator to define multiple function signatures for better type checking based on input parameters.

2. Keyword-only and Positional-only Arguments: Control how function arguments are passed by using / for positional-only and * for keyword-only parameters.

3. Future Annotations: The from __future__ import annotations statement allows for cleaner forward references in type hints by postponing their evaluation.

4. Generics: Introduced in Python 3.12, Generics allow for type-safe containers with a new, more concise syntax.

5. Protocols: Define classes based on their behavior (duck typing) rather than inheritance, allowing for more flexible type checking.

6. Context Managers: Simplify resource management using with statements and the contextlib module to create custom context managers easily.

7. Structural Pattern Matching: Available in Python 3.10, this feature provides a way to match and destructure complex data structures using the match statement.

8. Python Slots: Use __slots__ to define a fixed set of attributes in classes, improving memory efficiency and access speed.

9. Python Nitpicks: Small syntax tips to clean up code, such as using for-else statements, the walrus operator, short-circuit evaluation, and chaining comparison operators.

10. Advanced f-string Formatting: F-strings can do more than simple variable interpolation; they support formatting options for numbers, dates, and strings.

11. Cache / lru_cache: Utilize the @cache decorator to speed up functions by caching their results, making recursive and expensive calculations more efficient.

12. Python Futures: This feature from the concurrent.futures module allows for asynchronous programming by managing future results, similar to JavaScript promises.

13. Proxy Properties: Create attributes that can act both as methods and properties using Python's descriptor protocol.

14. Metaclasses: These are classes of classes that allow customization during class creation, but they are rarely needed and often more complex than necessary.

These advanced features can significantly enhance your Python programming experience, making your code more efficient, readable, and maintainable.

Verus is a tool that helps developers verify that their Rust code is correct. Developers specify what their code should do, and Verus checks if the code meets these specifications for all possible situations, without adding run-time checks. It uses powerful solvers to prove code correctness and currently supports a limited version of Rust, with plans to expand its capabilities.

Verus is still being developed, and some features may not work perfectly, so users should be ready to seek help if needed. There are many research papers and projects that use Verus, and users are encouraged to add their projects to the community page.

To try Verus, you can use the Verus Playground in your browser or follow installation instructions for more extensive development. The documentation includes tutorials, API references, and guides for verifying concurrent code.

Users can report issues or discuss features on GitHub or join the Zulip chat for real-time support. Contributions to Verus are welcome, and there are resources available for those interested in helping out.

The working paper examines how deactivating Facebook and Instagram affects users' emotional well-being, based on two large experiments conducted before the 2020 U.S. election.

Key findings include:

• Participants who deactivated Facebook for six weeks reported a slight increase in happiness and a decrease in anxiety and depression compared to those who only deactivated it for one week.
• Users who deactivated Instagram also experienced an improvement in their emotional state, although it was smaller than the Facebook effect.
• The benefits of Facebook deactivation were more significant for people over 35, while Instagram deactivation had a greater impact on women under 25.

The paper suggests that taking a break from social media can positively influence emotional health.

A person is trying to fix a bike that has an integrated light requiring an app to work, but the company that made the bike has gone bankrupt, and customer support is unavailable. To solve the issue, they initially bought a cheap bike light, but it was stolen.

Instead, they decided to hack the existing light to make it functional again by adding a simple button. They carefully examined the bike's setup, used a 3D printer to create a cover, and upgraded the charging port from micro-USB to USB-C. After successfully connecting everything and ensuring safety measures were in place, they created a system where pressing the new button would turn the light on. Now, the bike has a working light that can be charged easily, demonstrating that simpler solutions can be very effective.

The article features an interview with Shawn DuBravac, the chief economist at IPC, discussing the impact of tariffs on consumer electronics. Here are the key points:

1. Tariff Impacts: Tariffs could significantly increase the cost of electronics like smartphones and televisions.
2. Supply Chain Effects: The supply chain for these products might be disrupted, leading to shortages and further price hikes.
3. Consumer Choices: Higher prices may lead consumers to reconsider their purchases or opt for lower-cost alternatives.
4. Market Dynamics: The electronics market may shift due to these tariffs, affecting both manufacturers and retailers.
5. Future Outlook: The long-term effects of tariffs on the electronics industry are uncertain and could vary based on policy changes.

Overall, the interview highlights the potential challenges that tariffs pose to the consumer electronics market.

Summary of Dosidicus electronicae Project

Dosidicus electronicae is a digital pet project that features a simple neural network, allowing the pet to learn and make decisions. Key features include:

• Autonomous Behavior: The squid acts on its own, responding to needs like hunger and sleep. It uses a vision cone to find food and can make decisions based on its experiences.
• Learning Mechanism: The neural network uses a Hebbian learning algorithm to adjust its decision-making based on past experiences, which can be influenced by both short-term and long-term memory.
• Neurogenesis: The squid can grow new neurons in response to its environment.
• Needs Management: The squid has various needs (hunger, sleepiness, happiness, cleanliness) that must be met, or it risks becoming sick or dying. It dislikes taking medicine and can become depressed if forced to do so.
• Personality Traits: The squid can have one of seven personality types that affect its behavior.
• Customization: Users can decorate the squid's environment with items for it to interact with.
• Debug Tools: There are tools available to view and edit the squid's internal states.

For more information and resources, visit the project's GitHub page.

Summary of "The Truth about Atlantis"

Many people, around 57% of Americans, believe that the legendary lost civilization of Atlantis was real, despite it being a fictional story created by the ancient philosopher Plato. The tale first appears in Plato's dialogues "Timaios" and "Kritias," where he recounts that Atlantis was a powerful empire that attempted to conquer Greece but ultimately sank into the ocean due to natural disasters.

Plato claims to have heard the story from various sources, including his ancestor Solon, who supposedly got it from Egyptian priests. However, historians argue that this story is likely a fictional allegory rather than historical fact. Plato was known for weaving elaborate narratives to illustrate philosophical ideas, much like he did with other fictional tales in his works.

The Atlantis story contains themes of hubris and the downfall of civilizations, reflecting events from Plato's own lifetime, such as the conflicts between Greece and the Persian Empire. Modern science and historical evidence, including geological studies, do not support the existence of such a large island as Atlantis in the Atlantic Ocean.

Some theorists have suggested that Atlantis might have been inspired by the Minoan civilization, which was advanced for its time but ultimately did not share the same characteristics as Plato's description of Atlantis. Overall, the evidence suggests that Atlantis is a symbolic representation of the dangers of pride and the inevitable decline of all civilizations.

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No summary available.

The author describes their experience of automating their apartment's heating system without needing landlord approval. They faced issues with an existing radio-controlled thermostat that only monitored one room's temperature and required manual adjustments. To improve this, they decided to perform a "Replay Attack" by cloning and re-broadcasting the signals between the thermostat and the boiler, allowing them to control the heating remotely.

The process involved using a Software-Defined Radio (SDR) to capture and analyze the radio signals. After some challenges with finding the right hardware and understanding the signals, they successfully recorded the commands to turn the boiler on and off using a HackRF device.

They then integrated this setup with Home Assistant, creating a system that allows them to control the heating through their smartphone. The new system has automated features, such as adjusting the temperature based on their schedule and location, making it more convenient.

The author reflects on the effort it took to set up the system and expresses satisfaction with the results, noting that they are now more comfortable in their apartment. Additionally, they mention concerns about new laws affecting hobbyist websites, which led them to remove the comment section from their blog.

Bob expresses frustration about AT&T's negative impact on U.S. citizens over several decades. He believes that the government supports AT&T's actions and that the company has profited significantly from this situation. He questions whether anyone expected a different outcome.

Welcome to Pike

Pike is a dynamic programming language that is easy to learn and has a syntax similar to Java and C. It allows for quick data manipulation without lengthy compilation times. Pike is available for free under multiple licenses, including GNU GPL, GNU LGPL, and MPL.

Latest News:

• April 10, 2025: Pike Meet-up at Roxen's offices in Linköping.
• February 8, 2025: Release of Pike 8.0, build 8.0.1956, is now available for download on MacOS, Linux, and Windows.
• January 15, 2025: Another Pike Meet-up at Roxen's offices.
• October 11, 2024: Pike Conference scheduled for November 2-3, 2024, at Roxen's offices.
• September 20, 2024: Beta version of Pike 9.0.9 is now available for download.

You can explore more about Pike and start learning the language on their official website.

Summary of Libro

Libro is a command-line tool that helps you track your reading history. It stores your data locally in a SQLite database. Here are the main features and usage instructions:

Key Commands:

• Add a Book: libro add
• Show Books Read by Year: libro show --year 2024
• Show Book Details: libro show 123
• Generate Reports: libro report
• Show Books by Author: libro report --author

Example Usage:

You can view a list of books read in a specific year, along with details like title, author, rating, and date read. You can also see statistics on the number of books read each year and the most read authors.

Installation:

• Install via PyPI: pip install libro-book
• Alternatively, clone the repository and install locally:

  git clone https://github.com/mkaz/libro.git
  cd libro
  pip install -e .
  

Setup:

On first use, Libro will create a database file (libro.db). You can specify the database location using command-line flags or environment variables.

Importing Data:

You can import your reading history from a Goodreads CSV file using the command:

libro import goodreads_library_export.csv

Database Structure:

Libro maintains a database with tables for books and reviews, containing fields like title, author, rating, and date read.

This tool is useful for anyone who wants to keep track of their reading habits in a simple and organized way.

Summary of 101 BASIC Computer Games

This collection includes programs from the March 1975 edition of "101 BASIC Computer Games" by David Ahl, published by Digital Equipment Corp. You can download all the games in one file.

Key points:

• This collection is different from the later "BASIC Computer Games" published by Ahl through Creative Computing, as some games appear in one but not the other.
• The games use various BASIC dialects, which may not be compatible with each other. For example, some games use the Dartmouth version of BASIC, while others use HP or EduSystem versions.
• The collection showcases diverse programming styles and dialects from that era, with some games having unique syntax.
• The programs can often run without modifications on RetroBASIC, making them useful for learning and improvement.

The collection features a wide range of games, including classic ones like Hangman, Blackjack, and Tic-Tac-Toe, as well as unique titles such as "Computer Guesses Animals" and "Lunar Landing." Each game is listed with its name, a brief description, and the BASIC dialect it uses.

Yang Yue is working on new ways to improve reasoning in large language models (LLMs) and their generalized world models. He wants to collaborate with companies that allow exploration of these advanced topics and provide strong support and resources. He is also looking for a Ph.D. visiting opportunity. If you're interested in collaborating, feel free to contact him.

The code checks if the device is running iOS (like iPads, iPhones, or iPods). If it is not an iOS device, it finds all video elements on the page and disables their autoplay feature.

Summary of parcom - Parser Combinators

parcom is a concise library for creating parsers, inspired by Haskell's parsec and Rust's nom. It focuses on parsing strings without reallocating memory for extracted substrings and has no external dependencies.

Key Features:

• String Parsing: Works exclusively with strings.
• No Memory Reallocation: Extracted substrings are taken directly from the input.
• Compatibility: Works with various Common Lisp implementations like SBCL, ECL, and more.
• Performance: Can parse JSON at a rate of approximately 10MB/s on standard hardware.

API Overview:

1. Basic Parsers:

   • Characters: Parse specific characters, any character, or exclude certain characters.
   • Numbers: Handle unsigned integers, signed integers, and floats.
   • Whitespace: Recognize spaces, newlines, and various whitespace characters.

2. Combinators:

   • Combine multiple parsers to create complex parsing rules through methods like *>, <*, and alt.
   • Include options for parsing sequences, optional elements, and repeated patterns.

3. Utilities:

   • Functions for checking emptiness, digit validation, and applying transformations to parser results.

4. JSON Parsing:

   • An optional JSON parsing system is included for parsing and converting JSON strings.

Writing Custom Parsers:

• Users can create their own parsers using provided combinators and functions.
• Custom parsers can be parameterized to accept input and can return structured results.

Error Handling:

• Failures in parsing return detailed error messages, allowing for diagnostic feedback.

Overall, parcom provides an expressive and lightweight framework for building parsers in Common Lisp, making it easy to handle complex parsing tasks with simpler code structures.

Summary of Drone-Induced Lightning Research

Japanese researchers have developed a unique drone that can trigger and direct lightning strikes. This drone is protected by a metal Faraday cage, which reroutes lightning around it when struck, and is equipped with a long ground wire and lightning rods to enhance its ability to attract lightning.

In a recent experiment during a thunderstorm, the team flew the drone to an altitude of 300 meters, creating a strong electric field that induced a lightning strike. The drone successfully remained stable while observing the lightning, marking a world first in using a drone to guide lightning.

The researchers plan to explore ways to capture and store the energy from these lightning strikes, which can contain significant power—about one billion joules per strike. While there are challenges in safely bottling this energy for practical use, such as the need for large storage systems, the drone could be valuable for protecting infrastructure like stadiums and wind turbines from lightning damage.

Overall, this innovative technology has the potential to harness lightning as a clean energy source and improve safety against lightning strikes.

The Booker Prize and the International Booker Prize work together to celebrate global fiction. The Booker Prize recognizes outstanding English-written works, while the International Booker Prize honors excellent fiction translated into English. Both prizes help English-speaking readers discover top-quality stories from around the world.

Evertop: An Ultra-Low Power Solar PC

Overview:
Evertop is a portable PC that mimics an old IBM XT computer, equipped with an 80186 processor and 1MB RAM. It can run various vintage operating systems like DOS and Windows 3.0. Thanks to its low-power design, e-ink display, and two large batteries, it can operate for hundreds or even thousands of hours on a single charge. It also has a solar panel for off-grid use, enabling indefinite operation without worrying about battery life.

Built-in Features:
The device comes with a built-in keyboard and various ports for additional peripherals, including USB, PS/2, and Ethernet. It supports multiple graphics and audio formats and has a detachable keyboard for flexibility. Bluetooth support is planned for future updates.

Charging Options:
Evertop can be charged in three ways: via its solar panel, a DC input, or a micro USB connection. It can charge from all three sources at the same time and has a built-in voltmeter for monitoring battery levels.

Battery Life:
In power-saving mode, Evertop can run for 200 to 500 hours of active use, with hopes to extend this further with a new text editor and e-reader app. It features options for hibernation and power management to conserve energy.

Storage:
The PC uses a 256GB SD card for storing files and can emulate multiple systems with a total capacity of up to 8GB per system.

Technology:
Powered by an ESP32 microcontroller, Evertop has a 5.83-inch e-ink display that consumes no power when not in use. The device's design has evolved over two years, using a 3D-printed case.

Compatibility:
Evertop can run many DOS software programs from the 1980s and early 90s.

Minimal Version - Evertop Min:
A lighter version, Evertop Min, has fewer features to reduce cost and weight but still retains essential functions for basic off-grid computing. Users can add their own keyboard and solar panel.

Sample Media:
The device has various demonstration videos showing its capabilities, including running classic games and software, using networking features, and managing power settings.

Overall, Evertop is designed for users looking for a portable, eco-friendly computing solution with vintage software compatibility.

The Prolog Adventure Game is a treasure-hunting game where players search for hidden treasures inside a castle. Players have three lives to complete the game. It includes interactive elements like locked doors, hidden items, unfinished objects, limited resources, and inventory management.

Summary: Creating Beginner-Friendly Tutorials from Codebases with AI

This tutorial explains how to create an AI agent that analyzes code from GitHub repositories and generates easy-to-understand tutorials. The project uses Pocket Flow, a lightweight framework, to explore codebases and create beginner-friendly content with clear visuals.

Key Features:

• The AI generates tutorials by examining code and explaining core concepts.
• It can analyze entire repositories and convert complex code into simple guides.
• Example projects include tools for AI collaboration, web scraping, API creation, and more.

Getting Started:

1. Clone the repository and install dependencies using pip install -r requirements.txt.
2. Set up the AI model by providing your API key in utils/call_llm.py.
3. Run the main script to generate tutorials from a GitHub repository or a local directory.

Command Examples:

• Analyze a GitHub repository:

  python main.py --repo https://github.com/username/repo --include "*.py" "*.js"
  

• Analyze a local directory:

  python main.py --dir /path/to/your/codebase --include "*.py"
  

• Generate a tutorial in another language:

  python main.py --repo https://github.com/username/repo --language "Chinese"
  

The AI will generate and save the tutorial content to a specified directory. For further guidance, check out the YouTube development tutorial.

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No summary available.

The article emphasizes that measles is a serious illness, not something to be taken lightly. It highlights the risks and potential complications associated with the disease, urging people to recognize its severity.

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The text discusses the author's fascination with the Go programming language, particularly its memory management features. Here are the key points summarized:

1. Go's Design Features:

   • Go has minimal Undefined Behavior and simple garbage collection (GC) semantics, allowing for some manual memory management alongside the garbage collector.
   • Unlike languages like C++ or Rust, Go's ecosystem prioritizes stability and compatibility, even when using unsafe code.

2. Memory Allocation:

   • The goal is to create an arena, an efficient memory allocation structure that allows for the allocation of memory in large chunks and frees it all at once.
   • The typical dynamic array behavior in Go can lead to inefficient memory usage, which an arena aims to improve.

3. Custom Allocator:

   • The author describes implementing a custom allocator that returns zeroed memory of specified size and alignment.
   • A challenge arises when allocating pointers because the garbage collector needs to know which memory locations contain pointers to manage them correctly.

4. Garbage Collection Overview:

   • The GC in Go uses a mark-and-sweep strategy, identifying which memory is in use and reclaiming memory that isn't.
   • Go's GC is precise, meaning it only marks memory as live if it is explicitly declared as a pointer, affecting how the custom allocator can operate.

5. Arena Structure:

   • The arena structure is designed for fast memory allocation, with a specific focus on alignment and capacity management.
   • The implementation details ensure that allocations are efficient and minimize the overhead of memory management.

6. Benchmarking:

   • The author benchmarks the performance of the custom arena against Go's built-in allocation methods.
   • Results indicate that the arena significantly outperforms standard allocation methods in terms of memory allocation speed.

Overall, the piece explores the intricacies of memory management in Go and presents a custom solution to improve efficiency while navigating the challenges of garbage collection.

Join the W3C Exploration Interest Group: Where Standards Start

Authors: Heather Flanagan and Jet Ding
Published: April 22, 2025

The W3C Exploration Interest Group (IG) aims to bridge the gap between real-world web challenges and standards development. Unlike working groups focused on creating formal specifications, this group serves as an early research and development lab for identity, authentication, and trust on the web.

Why Join Now?
The web landscape is rapidly changing, with new policies, technologies, and regulatory challenges. As web identity evolves—like the decline of cookies and the redesign of login systems—it's crucial to have diverse voices discussing what users need and the gaps in current standards.

What We Explore:
The group discusses various topics, including:

• Technical differences between browser behaviors and web specifications
• New models for identity and credential management
• Use cases that involve trust across different sectors
• Risks of having multiple standards addressing the same issues
• Regulatory changes that require better technical solutions

Get Involved:
The IG is open to everyone, including developers, researchers, and policymakers. Contributions and discussions are encouraged on their public GitHub repository. If you have ideas or issues that need addressing, they want to hear from you.

The group meets every two weeks to discuss community-raised topics. Whether you’re curious or have a specific concern, you’re welcome to join and engage in meaningful conversations about web standards.

The government is set to approve experiments aimed at dimming sunlight to combat climate change within weeks. Scientists are exploring methods like injecting aerosols into the atmosphere and brightening clouds to reflect more sunlight.

The Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) has allocated £50 million for these projects. Prof. Mark Symes from ARIA emphasized that these experiments will be safe and controlled, with strict regulations on duration and reversibility.

While some critics are wary of geoengineering, scientists are concerned that current carbon dioxide levels are too high and urgent action is needed. Research includes techniques such as stratospheric aerosol injection and marine cloud brightening, where sea-salt particles are sprayed to enhance cloud reflectivity.

Past observations show that ship emissions can brighten clouds and cool the planet. Experts believe successful experiments could be scaled up within a decade. ARIA will also support modeling studies, indoor tests, and public opinion research on geoengineering.

Google has announced that it will not remove third-party cookies from Chrome as previously planned. Instead, users will continue to have the option to disable these cookies manually. This decision comes after years of attempts to create a new advertising system under the Privacy Sandbox initiative, which aimed to improve user privacy by eliminating third-party cookies.

Google faced challenges with its initial proposals, like FLoC, which received criticism for not being effective. Although the company will still develop improvements for Chrome's Incognito Mode to enhance privacy, the broader goals of the Privacy Sandbox are unclear.

Despite the intention to improve ad privacy, Google's actions are also influenced by recent antitrust cases that have raised concerns about its market power. Overall, while tracking cookies are problematic, there are concerns that Google could gain more control over advertising if its new systems are widely adopted.

This website is dedicated to the 1963 BBC MCR21 outside broadcast van, celebrating the 60th anniversary of "Match of the Day" and the BTTT and MCR21 Project's video review of the year.

Key features of the MCR21 include:

• Telephone Exchange and Sound Mixer: The Engineering Manager's desk has a 15-line manual telephone exchange and effective talkback systems. The sound desk has 20 channels organized into three groups, with battery backup for power failures.

• Monitor Stack: MCR21 is equipped with seven monitors—one for each camera and others for engineering and production previews. It includes waveform monitors and a transmission monitor, with additional features for off-air checks.

• Vision Engineers Control Desks: It has four Pye Mk6 cameras with operational control panels for each. The setup includes monitors for each camera and a Tektronix oscilloscope for visual monitoring.

• Promotional Photographs: Pye produced ten MCR21 vans, known as "Main Fleet Scanners," which were more advanced than previous models and laid the groundwork for future color broadcast technology.

For more details, you can explore the sound systems and MCRs in-depth through the website.

This study presents a new method for identifying the best target location on a bowling lane for achieving strikes. It uses a mathematical model based on the behavior of a bowling ball, represented by a system of differential equations. The model simulates the ball's path, showing how different factors, like the oil pattern on the lane, affect the shot's success.

Key points include:

1. Bowling Popularity: Tenpin bowling is widely played in the USA, with significant research aimed at improving scores, often relying on statistical data rather than theoretical models.

2. Modeling Bowling Dynamics: The study employs Euler’s equations to describe the ball's motion, focusing on its friction and rotation as it travels down the lane. It assumes a simplified model of the bowling ball to derive equations of motion.

3. Oil Patterns: The way oil is applied to the lanes creates varying friction levels, which impact bowler performance. Different oil patterns require bowlers to adjust their strategies to maximize strike chances.

4. Strike Conditions: The ideal entry position and angle for a strike are determined, with the best results found when the ball hits between 4 to 12 cm off-center and at an optimal angle of about 6°.

5. Simulation Results: By simulating various initial conditions, the study identifies optimal starting points for bowlers under different oil patterns, suggesting that experienced bowlers can have a larger margin for error.

6. Future Applications: The model can assist bowlers in making strategic decisions about ball selection and help oil pattern designers create challenging yet playable lane conditions.

Overall, this research aims to enhance bowler performance and understanding of lane dynamics, providing valuable insights for both competitors and coaches.

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The text also discusses the "equal transit-time" theory of lift, which is a widely accepted but incorrect explanation that suggests air traveling over the top of a wing must meet up with air traveling underneath at the same time. This misconception is often debunked, and many believe that it originated from early aerodynamics explanations, particularly from Ludwig Prandtl in 1922.

Research shows that many educational materials, including textbooks and training manuals, have perpetuated this flawed idea, despite its inaccuracies. Experts point out that the real mechanics of lift involve various factors, including air pressure differences and Newton's laws, and that the simplified explanations led to widespread misunderstandings about how wings generate lift.

In summary, the equal transit-time theory is a simplification that has been widely taught but is fundamentally flawed. Understanding lift requires a more nuanced view that incorporates multiple scientific principles.

The Magewell Eco: M.2 HDMI Capture Card is a new device designed to use M.2 slots on motherboards, which are becoming more common than PCIe slots. It comes with two HDMI cables and requires some setup on Linux, including driver installation.

For installation, users need to download the appropriate drivers, install dependencies, and run an installation script. The card works well with software like OBS and can be used in WebRTC applications like Discord and Zoom.

In terms of performance, the Eco Capture Dual HDMI M.2 delivers high-quality video similar to more expensive options but at a more compact size suitable for M.2 slots. However, its price of $385 may be steep for casual users, although some units are available on eBay for $60-$100.

Overall, the card is praised for its performance and design but has a moderate install difficulty and is considered expensive.

Hugging Face has acquired Pollen Robotics, a company known for its open-source robots, to expand its robotics offerings. This move aims to make robotics more accessible and affordable for everyone, from hobbyists to businesses. Hugging Face has been a leader in open-source AI and robotics since launching the LeRobot library in 2024.

The first robot available from this collaboration is Reachy 2, a humanoid robot designed for research and education, already being used in prestigious labs like Cornell and Carnegie Mellon. It is open-source, VR-compatible, and can be ordered for $70,000.

Hugging Face has a strong community of over 7 million users and has raised significant funding to support its growth. Pollen Robotics, founded in 2016, focuses on creating user-friendly humanoid robots and has received recognition for its innovative designs.

Overall, this acquisition is seen as a step towards democratizing robotics technology and fostering collaboration within the field.

The "London Underground Station Design Idiom" emphasizes the importance of great design in enhancing the passenger experience and the work environment for staff. It highlights the need for stations to be functional, clean, and aesthetically pleasing, reflecting a system that values its users. The design idiom aims to inspire iconic stations through thoughtful design principles, ensuring that good design is a central focus in every project, from small repairs to major renovations.

Key points include:

1. Heritage and Modernization: The Underground has a rich design legacy, and the current focus is on modernizing while respecting this heritage.
2. Customer-Centric Approach: The goal is to make every customer journey enjoyable and to create pleasant working environments for staff.
3. Design Principles: The design idiom includes principles such as achieving balance, prioritizing comfort, creating ambience with lighting, integrating services, and preparing for the future.
4. Holistic Approach: Good design should be comprehensive, involving strong communication among all stakeholders to ensure successful implementation.
5. Commitment to Quality: There is a strong commitment to maintaining high design standards that reflect the needs and expectations of customers and the evolving city.

Overall, the design idiom serves as a guiding framework for creating a high-quality, user-friendly transport system in London.

This article discusses the challenges of memory allocation in WebAssembly (WASM), particularly focusing on how to set up an allocator.

1. Memory Allocation Basics: In typical systems, allocators request memory from the operating system, while in embedded systems (like WASM), memory is usually allocated statically at compile time.

2. Types of Allocators: Various allocators can be used in WASM, including simple arena allocators and more complex ones like buddy allocators. Garbage collection is less compatible due to the nature of WASM’s memory model.

3. Static vs. Dynamic Memory: The article explains how to reserve a static heap in WASM using a fixed-size array. It highlights the limitations of high-level languages for low-level memory management and introduces a technique (pointer laundering) to bypass type restrictions.

4. Exporting and Importing Memory: When memory is exported, it is initialized to zero at the start. In contrast, imported memory may contain uninitialized data, requiring manual zeroing. The article warns against importing large memory due to resulting file size.

5. Dynamic Memory Growth: WASM allows memory growth using a built-in instruction. The author describes how to implement a function (sbrk) to manage dynamic memory allocation.

6. Importing a Dynamic Heap: The article also covers scenarios where a WASM module can import a dynamically sized heap, explaining how to locate the memory bounds.

Overall, the text provides insights into memory management in WebAssembly, emphasizing the differences from traditional memory allocation methods and the practicalities involved in using various allocation techniques.

Summary:

This text discusses load balancing methods in networks designed for artificial intelligence (AI) workloads, particularly focusing on RoCEv2-based systems.

1. Traditional Methods: The standard method, Flow-based Layer 3 Equal Cost Multi-Pathing (ECMP), is not ideal for AI networks because it can lead to congestion when large data flows (elephant flows) from GPU-to-GPU communications are not well-distributed. This imbalance can slow down AI training processes.

2. Alternative Methods:

   • Flowlet-Based Load Balancing: This method splits data into smaller segments (flowlets) and uses adaptive routing to distribute these flowlets across multiple paths, avoiding congestion.
   • Packet-Based Load Balancing: This involves sending individual packets over various paths, which helps utilize all available links. However, it can lead to issues with packet ordering, which is critical for maintaining performance in RDMA operations.

3. RDMA Write Operations: The text explains how RDMA Write operations transfer data in segments, ensuring that packets arrive in the correct order. Proper handling is crucial to avoid delays and performance issues.

4. Configuration: The text also covers how to configure per-packet load balancing on Cisco Nexus switches to improve network efficiency.

In summary, to enhance performance in AI networks, advanced load balancing techniques like flowlet-based and packet-based methods are recommended over traditional ECMP methods. These techniques help manage high-bandwidth data flows more effectively, ensuring smoother operations in AI workloads.