W++ Overview

W++ is a quirky and complicated programming language created for fun, learning, and memes. It's designed by Ofek Bickel as a challenge to build a working language from scratch. Despite its playful nature, it aims to teach real programming skills.

Key Features:

• Written in C#, it has a complete tokenizer, parser, and interpreter.
• Supports async operations, lambda expressions, and various control flow statements (like if, else, and loops).
• Includes error handling features (try/catch) and custom syntax highlighting in Visual Studio Code.

Notable Points:

• W++ is not a Python dialect, although it takes inspiration from Python's readability. It has its own syntax and is not compatible with Python libraries.
• It compiles to IL and works within the .NET environment.

Project Structure:

• Core interpreter and tools for running scripts are included in the project.
• The VSCode extension provides syntax support and code snippets.

License: W++ is licensed under the MIT License and is openly available for public use.

If there are any concerns about the project's previous removal, users are encouraged to reach out for clarification.

Summary: Systems Correctness Practices at Amazon Web Services (AWS)

AWS aims to provide reliable services by ensuring high standards of security, durability, integrity, and availability, with systems correctness as a key focus. They utilize formal and semi-formal methods to enhance the correctness of their software.

1. Formal Methods: AWS employs techniques like TLA+ (a formal specification language) to catch bugs early in development and to confidently make performance optimizations. These methods have evolved from basic unit testing to more comprehensive approaches that include model checking and runtime validation.

2. P Programming Language: To facilitate the modeling of systems, AWS developed the P programming language, which helps engineers model distributed systems using state machines. This language is more accessible for developers compared to TLA+, allowing for effective protocol validation and bug elimination.

3. Lightweight Formal Methods: Techniques such as property-based testing, fuzzing, and deterministic simulation are used to improve system testing. These methods help identify bugs and improve code quality without the complexity of traditional formal methods.

4. Fault Injection Service (FIS): AWS launched FIS to allow customers to test their systems by simulating faults. This helps validate the resilience of their architectures.

5. Metastability and Emergent Behavior: AWS is researching metastable failures where systems can become unresponsive under certain conditions. Understanding these behaviors is crucial for maintaining system reliability.

6. Formal Proofs: For critical components, AWS uses formal proofs to verify correctness, such as in their Cedar authorization policy language and Firecracker virtual machine monitor.

7. Benefits Beyond Correctness: Formal methods not only ensure correctness but also lead to performance improvements and cost reductions in system design.

8. Challenges Ahead: Despite successes, challenges remain in adopting formal methods due to their complexity and the need for specialized knowledge. AWS believes that advancements in AI and education could help overcome these barriers.

In conclusion, AWS integrates various formal and semi-formal methods into their development processes to enhance software reliability, while continuously seeking to improve accessibility and understanding of these techniques among developers.

Summary of De Bruijn Indexes and Levels

De Bruijn indexes and levels are techniques used in lambda calculus to avoid problems with variable naming and substitution, known as the "capture problem."

Key Concepts:

1. Capture Problem: When substituting variables in lambda calculus, it can lead to confusion if a variable name is reused, causing misinterpretation of which variable is being referenced.

2. De Bruijn Indexes: Instead of using variable names, this method uses natural numbers to indicate the position of lambdas (binders):

   • Zero represents the most recent lambda.
   • One represents the second most recent, and so on.
   • This approach simplifies substitution since it avoids name conflicts.

3. De Bruijn Levels: Similar to indexes, but the lowest number refers to the least recently bound item. This approach requires knowledge of how deep you are in a term.

Advantages:

• Avoiding Capture: De Bruijn indexes allow for straightforward substitutions without worrying about variable names.
• Equality Comparison: They help in comparing whether two lambda terms are equal without considering variable names (alpha-equivalence).

Usage Scenarios:

• De Bruijn indexes are often more practical for substitution, while levels are beneficial when moving terms under binders without affecting free variables.

Conclusion: De Bruijn indexes and levels provide efficient ways to manage variable binding in lambda calculus, making it easier to work with substitutions and term comparisons. There are also alternative methods for similar benefits, which are explored in broader literature.

Summary of the Darwin Gödel Machine

The Darwin Gödel Machine (DGM) is a new type of AI that can improve itself by rewriting its own code, aiming to learn continuously and indefinitely. This concept is based on the idea of a Gödel Machine proposed by Jürgen Schmidhuber, which theoretically could enhance its own learning process. However, previous models required complex mathematical proofs for improvement, making them impractical.

In collaboration with Jeff Clune’s lab, researchers developed DGM to utilize principles from Darwinian evolution and open-ended algorithms. This means DGM can explore various coding strategies, create self-improvements, and learn from its experiences without needing strict mathematical validation.

Key features of DGM include:

• Self-Code Modification: It can read and change its own Python code to enhance its performance.
• Performance Evaluation: DGM tests its changes on coding benchmarks to see if they lead to better results.
• Open-Ended Exploration: It builds a diverse archive of coding agents, allowing it to explore many different paths in parallel.

Experiments show that DGM significantly improves its coding skills over time, outperforming traditional hand-designed AI. For example, it improved its performance on coding benchmarks from 20% to 50% and from 14.2% to 30.7%. This highlights DGM's ability to discover effective coding strategies through self-exploration.

Safety is a major concern with self-improving AI. DGM was designed with safety measures, including secure environments for modifications and transparent tracking of changes. Researchers are committed to addressing potential issues, such as the AI faking its performance results, by enhancing its self-regulation abilities.

The DGM represents a step towards creating AIs that can learn and innovate continuously, with potential benefits for society. Future work will focus on improving the safety and capabilities of these systems.

Summary of Git Add Interactive (Go Implementation)

This is a Go version of Git's interactive add feature, similar to git add -i and git add -p, but with added enhancements.

Key Features:

• Interactive Staging: Allows users to select files and specific changes (hunks) to stage.
• Patch Mode: Users can review and stage hunks individually with commands like yes/no/skip/edit.
• Hunk Operations: Split hunks, edit them, and navigate easily between them.
• Multiple Patch Modes: Supports various operations like staging, resetting, and checking out.
• Git Integration: Fully compatible with Git's color settings and repository management.
• Terminal UI: A color-coded interface with keyboard shortcuts for easy navigation.

Enhancements:

1. Global Filtering: Filter hunks using regex patterns across all files.
2. Auto-Splitting: Automatically breaks hunks into smaller parts for detailed control.
3. Accept All: Quickly accept all visible hunks after filtering.

Installation Instructions:

• Build the binary with go build .
• Optionally install it as a Git command for default use.
• Verify the installation by checking which version of git-add--interactive is being used.

Usage:

• Launch the interactive menu using git add -i or directly via the binary.
• In patch mode, use commands to select or modify hunks, such as accepting, skipping, or splitting them.

Architecture: The code is structured into main packages for command parsing, Git interaction, and user interface management.

Testing and Development:

• Includes comprehensive unit tests and error handling.
• Compatible with all major patch modes and features from the original Perl script.

This implementation provides a powerful and user-friendly way to manage Git staging interactively.

Microsandbox Overview

Microsandbox is a tool designed for securely running untrusted code, such as user submissions or AI-generated scripts. It addresses key issues found in traditional methods:

• Local Execution: Risk of system compromise from malicious scripts.
• Containers: Shared kernels can still allow attacks.
• Virtual Machines (VMs): Slow boot times hinder productivity.
• Cloud Solutions: Limited flexibility and control.

Key Features of Microsandbox:

1. High Security: Uses microVMs for complete isolation.
2. Fast Startup: Boot times under 200 milliseconds.
3. Self-Hosted: You maintain control and infrastructure.
4. Compatible with OCI: Works with standard container images.
5. AI-Ready: Supports integration with AI tools.

Getting Started:

1. Start the Server: Install microsandbox and start the server using a simple command.
2. Install the SDK: Available for multiple programming languages (Python, JavaScript, Rust).
3. Run Code: Choose a sandbox environment (e.g., PythonSandbox) to execute code securely.

Project Management:

• Create sandbox projects using a Sandboxfile to define environments and manage sandboxes easily.
• Run temporary sandboxes for isolated tasks without leaving traces.

Use Cases:

• Development Environments: Enable AI to create apps, manage dependencies, and provide instant feedback.
• Data Analysis: Process data and generate insights securely.
• Web Browsing Agents: Automate data extraction and interactions with websites.
• Instant App Hosting: Share applications quickly without complex setups.

Development and Contribution:

Microsandbox encourages contributions and provides guidelines for setup and testing.

License: The project is licensed under the Apache License 2.0.

No summary available.

You can buy the RASDR4, which is one of the two completed hardware designs for a software-defined radio (SDR) based on the RASDR concept. This SDR is designed for radio astronomy, offers wide bandwidth, is compatible with Windows, and has documentation available.

Summary of "Atomics And Concurrency"

This post discusses how to use atomics and memory ordering in C++ to create a lock-free queue. Here's a simplified overview:

1. Concurrent Programming: In multi-threading, safe access to shared data can be achieved using mutexes, but these can slow down performance. Atomics offer a faster alternative but are more complex.

2. What Are Atomics?: Atomics are operations that cannot be interrupted or reordered by the compiler or CPU. An example in C++ is using std::atomic<bool> to create a flag.

3. Basic Atomic Operations:

   • store(): Write a value.
   • load(): Read a value.
   • compare_exchange_weak/strong(): Check and modify a value in one operation.

4. Memory Ordering: This is key for understanding how operations are executed in multi-threaded environments. The compiler and CPU can reorder operations, which can lead to data races without proper synchronization.

5. Memory Ordering Types:

   • Relaxed: No guarantees about the order of operations.
   • Release/Acquire: Ensures that operations on one thread happen before operations on another thread.
   • Sequential Consistency: The strongest model, which ensures a global order of operations.

6. Example Implementation: The post includes sample code for a lock-free queue using atomics. The queue uses a linked list where each node is wrapped in an atomic, allowing safe concurrent enqueue and dequeue operations without mutexes.

7. Final Thoughts: While atomics can enhance performance, they are complex and can introduce subtle bugs. The author expresses caution about relying on such implementations in production.

8. Additional Resources: The post provides links for further reading on atomics and memory ordering concepts.

This summary captures the essential points and concepts discussed in the longer text about using atomics and memory ordering in concurrent programming with C++.

The article discusses a new design for silicon negative electrodes in lithium-ion batteries, which is crucial for enhancing battery performance. Silicon has a high capacity for storing lithium but faces challenges, such as significant volume changes during charging and discharging that can damage the material and reduce battery life.

The researchers propose a "sieving-pore" design for carbon supports, which helps manage these issues. This design includes a structure with nanopores that allow for better ion transport and reduce harmful side reactions. It also features a unique entrance that helps ions enter while keeping harmful solvents out, leading to a more stable environment for the silicon.

Key benefits of this new design include:

• Reduced expansion of the silicon electrodes (58% at high capacity).
• High efficiency in charging and discharging, with minimal capacity loss over many cycles (only 0.015% decay per cycle).
• A practical battery cell using this technology retains 80% of its capacity after 1700 cycles and can be charged quickly in 10 minutes.

Overall, this innovative approach improves both the stability and performance of silicon electrodes, making them more viable for commercial use in batteries.

The text discusses the limitations of current tokenization methods used in top language models like Bert and GPT-2. It highlights how these models often misinterpret the structure of English words, affecting their understanding of language.

Key points include:

1. Tokenization Issues: Current tokenizers, such as Byte Pair Encoding (BPE), fail to capture the morphological relationships between words. For instance, they incorrectly parse related words like "stabilizing" and "destabilizing," leading to independent learning of their meanings.

2. BPE vs. Unigram Language Modeling: BPE is commonly used for tokenization but may obscure word relationships. Recent research by Kaj Bostrom and Greg Durrett suggests that using Unigram Language Modeling instead preserves morphology better and improves model performance on tasks.

3. Performance Evaluation: The Unigram LM approach was found to produce more meaningful tokens compared to BPE, as it recovers common prefixes and suffixes more effectively. In tests, Unigram LM outperformed BPE in creating morphologically sound tokens.

4. Speed of Learning: Although training a Unigram LM tokenizer takes longer than BPE, it is still relatively efficient. The inference speed is similar for both methods.

5. Future Directions: The author suggests that future language models should consider using Unigram LM over BPE. Additionally, there may be potential for improved tokenization methods that could include character-level modeling or different architectures that better reflect language structure.

Overall, the blog post emphasizes the importance of effective tokenization in enhancing language models and suggests that adopting new methods could lead to better understanding and efficiency in natural language processing.

Bespoke data structure operations are frequently used in C code, and one type of these operations is called monotonic data structure traversals (MDSTs). MDSTs go through data structures in a consistent direction, like how the strlen function checks a character array from start to finish until it finds a null byte.

A new tool named Shrinker has been developed to automatically verify MDSTs in C. It uses a method called scapegoating size descent, which helps by recognizing that many MDSTs behave similarly when run on a full input and a smaller version of that input (like a list with the first item removed).

Shrinker includes a benchmark set with over a hundred examples that demonstrate the correctness and safety of various MDSTs found in well-known C projects like Linux and Git. This tool greatly improves the ability to verify monotonic traversals compared to existing tools.

Summary of Bridged Indexes in OrioleDB

OrioleDB, since version beta10, allows the creation of indexes beyond the traditional B-tree through a system called bridged indexes. Here's an overview:

1. Need for a Bridge: OrioleDB utilizes B-trees for storing table rows and keeps track of multiple versions of data (MVCC) in an undo log. This structure cannot directly incorporate PostgreSQL’s existing index methods, which operate differently. Bridged indexes enable OrioleDB to support various non-B-tree index types while maintaining its own architecture.

2. How the Bridge Works:

   • A virtual "index pointer" (iptr) is created for each table, which updates with changes to the indexed columns.
   • A bridge index is built to link iptr to the primary key, allowing compatibility with PostgreSQL indexing methods.
   • During data retrieval, the system follows a three-step process to locate data: IndexAM → iptr → bridge index → primary key.

3. Everyday Usage:

   • Automatic Bridging: When creating a non-B-tree index, OrioleDB automatically adds the bridge and necessary components without user intervention.
   • Manual Control: Users can set up or remove the bridge layer as needed, especially useful during data loading or testing.

4. Performance Considerations:

   • Using bridged indexes introduces an additional lookup step, which may slightly impact performance depending on the index type used.
   • Updates to columns involved in bridged indexes result in more work, as they require updating multiple indexes.

5. Conclusion: OrioleDB's bridged indexes combine efficient storage with the flexibility of PostgreSQL’s indexing methods, allowing users to leverage various index types without sacrificing speed. Users are encouraged to experiment and assess the performance impact in their applications.

A Chinese paraglider pilot, Peng Yujiang, recently made headlines after being swept up into a cloud and reaching an altitude of 8,598 meters (28,000 feet). Accompanying this story is a video that has stirred debate about its authenticity.

The video shows three scenes: one is confirmed as AI-generated, while the other two might be real, filmed with a 360 camera. Observations raise questions about camera movement, equipment differences, and the clarity of glass surfaces despite icy conditions.

Some speculate that the video was manipulated, possibly for promotional reasons, given that the earliest uploads mention a hand-warming product. The pilot's flight appears to have been carefully planned, and while he did reach high altitudes, concerns about the mix of real and fake footage highlight ongoing issues with verifying content as AI technology advances.

The discussion emphasizes the challenges media outlets face as AI-generated content becomes more sophisticated.

Summary:

This text outlines the structure of a guide focused on radio technology and software-defined radio (SDR).

• Introduction: Sets the stage for the content.

• Part I: Building a Basic Receiver

  • Chapter 1: Defines what a radio is.
  • Chapter 2: Explains how computers interact with signals.
  • Chapter 3: Introduces GNU Radio, a tool for working with radio signals.
  • Chapter 4: Guides on creating an AM radio receiver.

• Part II: Inside the Receiver

  • Chapter 5: Covers basic concepts in signal processing.
  • Chapter 6: Describes the workings of an AM receiver.
  • Chapter 7: Shows how to build an FM radio.

• Part III: Working with SDR Hardware

  • Chapter 8: Discusses the physics behind radio signals.
  • Chapter 9: Explains using GNU Radio with SDR hardware.
  • Chapter 10: Covers modulation techniques.
  • Chapter 11: Details the components of SDR hardware.
  • Chapter 12: Talks about additional peripheral hardware.
  • Chapter 13: Discusses the process of transmitting signals.

The document also includes sections for copyright, a detailed table of contents, and an index for further reference.

Summary:

The eval function is important in dynamic programming languages like Racket but is often seen as risky by experienced programmers. It can be powerful but can also lead to confusion and errors if misused.

What is eval?

• Eval allows for dynamic execution of code but lacks the clarity and reliability of traditional programming structures.
• It’s compared to giving complex instructions to another person, which can lead to misunderstandings or errors.

When is eval appropriate?

• Using eval can be beneficial when it involves tasks that require communication with others or when instructions can't be predefined.
• Good examples include situations where one must pass instructions to others (like a construction crew) where direct commands are necessary.

Using eval in Racket:

• In Racket, eval can behave differently depending on the context, which can cause confusion for newcomers.
• It’s crucial for programmers to understand the environment in which eval is used to avoid issues.

Overall, while eval is a useful tool, it should be used carefully and with a clear understanding of its implications in programming.

FLUX.1 Kontext is a powerful image generation tool that offers improved performance and speed. It features a premium model that enhances prompt adherence and typography generation while maintaining high editing consistency.

Key features include:

• FLUX.1 Kontext [max]: Provides top performance for quick and consistent image editing.
• FLUX.1 Kontext [pro]: Supports fast image modifications and text-to-image generation, enabling precise edits and multiple iterations without losing character consistency.
• FLUX.1 Kontext [dev]: An upcoming version with open weights, designed for advanced generative image editing.

You can try these features in the Playground provided by Black Forest Labs.

The text discusses the role of literary criticism, particularly through the lens of Henry James, a prominent critic and novelist. James was known for his sharp and insightful critiques, famously dismissing many contemporary British novels while praising American author William Dean Howells. His criticism was not just about pointing out flaws; he believed that understanding a writer's method and philosophy was essential for meaningful critique.

James admired the French writer Balzac, viewing him as a significant influence on his own work. He emphasized that good criticism should engage deeply with literature, focusing on specific details rather than broad generalizations. He argued that criticism is vital for the health of the literary world, as it fosters an appreciation for novels and encourages writers to improve.

The text also highlights concerns about the current state of literary criticism, noting a decline in serious book reviews and a tendency for reviews to become mere promotional pieces. Critics today are often underappreciated and poorly compensated, reducing the quality and depth of literary discussions. James believed that a robust culture of criticism is essential for nurturing good writing and that critics should engage with texts thoughtfully and honestly.

In conclusion, the piece advocates for a revival of serious literary criticism, as it plays a crucial role in understanding and appreciating literature. It calls for critics and writers to engage deeply with their craft, emphasizing that literature should reflect life itself.

No summary available.

No summary available.

Summary of MCP Server in Bash

The MCP Server in Bash is a simple, lightweight server that uses the Model Context Protocol (MCP) and is implemented entirely in Bash. It offers an alternative to heavier runtimes like Node.js and Python, focusing on efficiency.

Key Features:

• Supports JSON-RPC 2.0 protocol.
• Fully implements the MCP protocol.
• Allows dynamic tool discovery.
• Can be configured using JSON files.
• Easy to customize with new tools.

Requirements:

• Bash shell
• jq for processing JSON (install with brew install jq on macOS)

Quick Start:

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/muthuishere/mcp-server-bash-sdk
   cd mcp-server-bash-sdk
   

2. Make the scripts executable:

   chmod +x mcpserver_core.sh moviemcpserver.sh
   

3. Test the server with a sample command:

   echo '{"jsonrpc": "2.0", "method": "tools/call", "params": {"name": "get_movies"}, "id": 1}' | ./moviemcpserver.sh
   

Architecture:

• The server consists of a core protocol layer and business logic functions, with configurations stored in JSON files.

Creating Your Own MCP Server:

1. Create a new script for your logic (e.g., weatherserver.sh).
2. Implement tools (e.g., fetching weather data) using external APIs.
3. Define the tools in a JSON configuration file.
4. Update server configuration in another JSON file.
5. Make the script executable.

Limitations:

• No support for concurrent processing.
• Limited memory management.
• Not suitable for high-throughput applications.

License:

This project is licensed under the MIT License. The complete code is available on GitHub.

On May 29, 2025, the U.S. government imposed economic sanctions on Funnull Technology Inc., a company based in the Philippines. Funnull provided infrastructure for many websites involved in virtual currency investment scams, particularly a type of fraud called "pig butchering." This scam tricks victims into investing in fake cryptocurrency platforms, leading to significant financial losses. The U.S. Department of the Treasury reported that Funnull facilitated scams resulting in over $200 million in losses for Americans.

Funnull was linked to many scam websites reported to the FBI and was identified as a criminal content delivery network. Research revealed that it routed scam traffic through U.S. cloud providers like Amazon and Microsoft. While Microsoft has removed Funnull's presence from its network, Amazon has struggled to eliminate it completely.

The text also mentions that the European Union recently sanctioned another company, Stark Industries Solutions, for its role in hiding Russian cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns. Both Funnull and Stark Industries represent how cybercriminals exploit U.S. cloud services to conduct illegal activities while avoiding detection.

Adam Riess, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist, is questioning the widely accepted standard model of cosmology, which explains the universe's expansion and its ultimate fate. He initially contributed to this model by discovering that galaxies are moving away from us at an accelerating rate, leading to the concept of dark energy—a mysterious force driving this expansion.

However, Riess has observed persistent discrepancies—known as the "Hubble tension"—between his measurements of the universe's expansion rate and those derived from early universe observations. This has led him to suspect that the standard model may be flawed. Despite the skepticism from some in the scientific community, Riess remains committed to his research, hoping that new data from upcoming observatories will shed light on these issues.

Recent findings suggest that dark energy might be weakening over time, which could change our understanding of the universe's future. If true, this would challenge the notion that the universe will end in a "heat death" and could imply a more dynamic cosmic fate. Riess is excited about the potential for new discoveries, as the field of cosmology appears to be entering a phase of intense scrutiny and debate.

Summary of OpenBao Namespaces Announcement

On May 30, 2025, OpenBao introduced a new feature called Namespaces to enhance its Secret Manager. This feature allows for better separation and management of secrets within a single OpenBao instance.

What Are Namespaces?

• Namespaces create isolated environments within OpenBao, allowing different teams or applications to operate independently.
• Each namespace has its own rules, authentication methods, and resources, enabling organizations to manage their data securely.

Benefits of Namespaces:

• Strong Isolation: Ensures that different teams or tenants cannot access each other's data.
• Self-Service Management: Namespace admins can manage their own settings without affecting others, reducing the workload on central operators.
• Scalability: This feature is a step towards improving OpenBao's ability to manage large deployments efficiently.

Using Namespaces:

• No extra setup is required. Commands have been updated to include a namespace option for easy administration.
• Users can create namespaces, manage secrets, and perform various operations within their assigned namespaces.

Lifecycle Management:

• Tenants can make changes to their namespaces independently, like adjusting policies and quotas or moving resources.

Future Plans:

• OpenBao aims to enhance namespace capabilities, improve scalability, and support more flexible usage in future updates.
• The community is encouraged to contribute ideas and improvements to the OpenBao project.

This new feature aims to make OpenBao a more powerful tool for managing sensitive information across diverse teams and applications.

No summary available.

The repository is focused on collecting the smallest valid files in various programming, scripting, and markup languages. It started from a blog post about tiny HTML/XHTML files. Contributions are welcome from others.

Key Points:

• File Types: The repository includes a wide range of file formats across different categories:

  • Archives: .bz2, .gz, .rar, .tar, .zip
  • Audio: .mp3, .wav
  • Documents: .chm, .pdf, .rtf, .wmf
  • Executables: Various executable formats like .exe, .elf, .class
  • Graphics: Formats like .bmp, .jpg, .png, .gif
  • Languages: Includes files from languages like C, Python, Java, Ruby, and more.
  • Markup: Covers formats such as .json, .md, .xml, .html
  • Video: Formats like .avi, .mp4, .webm
  • Unsorted: Miscellaneous formats including .css, .scala, and others.

• Copyright: The author has waived all copyright rights for this work.

The aim is to create minimal files that are still syntactically correct in their respective languages.

No summary available.

Summary: The Command Line is for Everyone

The command line is a useful tool for software developers, sysadmins, tech workers, and everyday users of Linux and macOS. You don’t need to read lengthy manuals to start using it; instead, you can quickly learn common commands with this concise handbook.

This guide covers terminals, shells, command-line applications, and shell scripting all together, making it easier to learn. It includes over 100 examples of shell sessions to help you practice and gain confidence.

Updated in 2025, this handbook is the result of four years of work and has already helped over 5,700 readers improve their command line skills. The author, a seasoned Linux user, created this book to highlight essential command line usage efficiently.

You will receive a well-designed PDF featuring nearly 100 annotated examples. The goal is to help you fully utilize the command line.

Price: You can name your price, with a regular price of $14.

MinIO, a widely used open-source object storage solution, has made controversial changes to its community version by removing key web-based management features. Users can no longer manage accounts, configurations, and other administrative tasks through a browser interface; they must now use command-line tools or upgrade to paid plans to regain these capabilities.

Key Changes:

• Removed features in the community version include:
  • Account and policy management
  • Configuration management
  • Bucket management tools
  • Administrative console features

Community Reaction: Many users are frustrated with these changes, comparing them to other companies like Redis that have altered licensing. Some community members are seeking alternatives, and a fork called OpenMaxIO has been created to preserve the previous version of MinIO.

Alternatives: Several alternatives are being considered, including:

• SeaweedFS
• Garage
• Zenko

These options offer S3-compatible storage with different licensing and features.

Looking Ahead: MinIO's strategy seems aimed at monetizing its enterprise features while keeping the core storage engine open source. However, the changes have caused uncertainty among users, who now face the choice of adapting to command-line management, paying for the commercial version, or exploring other storage solutions.

Summary of the Article: "Behavioral Responses of Domestic Cats to Human Odor"

This study examines how domestic cats use their sense of smell to identify and differentiate between familiar and unfamiliar humans. The research involved 30 cats and investigated their responses to three types of odors: that of their owner (known), an unknown person, and a blank control.

Key Findings:

1. Olfactory Discrimination: Cats spent significantly more time sniffing the odor of an unknown person compared to their owner, indicating they can distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar scents.
2. Nostril Use: The study found that cats exhibited a preference for using their right nostril when first exposed to unknown odors, suggesting a lateralized response similar to other animals.
3. Behavioral Patterns: Cats showed a tendency to rub their faces against objects after sniffing, indicating a potential link between olfactory exploration and marking behavior.
4. Personality Influence: The study explored the relationship between a cat's personality traits (like neuroticism and agreeableness) and their olfactory behavior. In males, there was a notable correlation between personality traits and how they interacted with different odors.

Methodology: The researchers conducted trials where cats were presented with odor samples, and their behaviors were recorded and analyzed. Owners filled out questionnaires assessing their cats' personalities and their relationships with them.

Conclusion: The research concludes that cats rely on their sense of smell for social interactions and recognition of humans, and that these behaviors may be influenced by their personality traits. Further studies are suggested to explore the implications of these findings on cat-human relationships.

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The Take9 cybersecurity campaign suggests that people should pause for nine seconds before clicking links or downloading files to improve online safety. However, this approach is criticized for being unrealistic and ineffective.

Key points include:

1. Unrealistic Advice: A nine-second pause is impractical in our fast-paced digital interactions, where users engage with numerous links and messages quickly.

2. Limited Impact: Previous campaigns like “Stop. Think. Connect.” failed to significantly change user behavior, indicating that merely pausing is not enough to enhance security.

3. Lack of Guidance: The campaign doesn't provide users with useful information on what to consider during the pause, leaving them without the knowledge needed to make informed decisions about potential threats.

4. Cognitive Challenges: People often rely on flawed mental shortcuts and lack awareness of what constitutes a risk, making it difficult to benefit from a simple pause.

5. Blame the User: The campaign implies that individuals are responsible for cyberattacks if they fail to take the recommended pause, which shifts blame away from the insecure systems designed by organizations.

6. Need for Better Design: Effective cybersecurity training should involve practical guidance and system improvements, rather than just encouraging users to pause and think.

In summary, the Take9 campaign is seen as a superficial solution that does not address the complex nature of cybersecurity, and it places undue blame on users instead of focusing on the need for better system designs and support.

Summary of Donut Browser

Donut Browser is a free and open-source web browser that allows users to create unlimited local profiles, providing full control over their browsing experience. It supports multiple browsers like Chromium and Firefox, and includes built-in proxy support (except for TOR Browser).

Key features include:

• Unlimited Profiles: Create separate profiles with unique settings and data.
• Multi-Browser Support: Easily manage and switch between different browsers.
• Fast & Lightweight: Optimized for quick performance and low resource usage.
• Default Browser Option: Choose which browser to open for different links.

Donut Browser is available for macOS now, with Windows and Linux versions coming soon. It is completely free and its source code can be found on GitHub.

Summary of "Why Is Everybody Knitting Chickens?" by David Friedman

David Friedman shares his experience with the recent trend of knitting "Emotional Support Chickens." His wife, a dedicated knitter, introduced him to this phenomenon, which has taken the knitting community by storm. The chicken pattern, created by Annette Corsino, became popular during the COVID lockdowns as a comforting project for knitters.

Since its release in 2023, nearly 11,000 knitted chickens have been showcased on Ravelry, and the accompanying YouTube tutorial has over 300,000 views. People enjoy naming their chickens with punny names, and the project has inspired community events and groups focused on making these comforting stuffed animals for those in need, such as Hurricane Helene survivors.

The trend highlights how knitting can be a relaxing and creative outlet, especially during challenging times. Variations of the pattern, including crochet and mini versions, have also emerged, making it a delightful and heartwarming craft.

Summary of Player Piano and Rolls

This text introduces the topic of player pianos and their rolls. It includes sections on:

• Player Piano: An overview of what player pianos are.
• Player Piano Rolls: Information on different types of rolls used in player pianos.
• Types of Rolls: There are three main types of rolls:
  • Arranged Rolls: These are specially arranged for player pianos.
  • Hand-Played Rolls: These are created from live performances.
  • Reproducing Rolls: These replicate the original performance's nuances.
• Recut Rolls: Details about rolls that have been modified or recut.
• MPAL's Roll Collection: A mention of a collection of player piano rolls.
• Composers Performing Their Own Works: Information about composers who have recorded their music for player pianos.
• Player Piano Recording Artists: Notable artists who have used player pianos.
• Works by Well-Known Composers: A focus on compositions from famous composers available for player pianos.

The text invites readers to click through to learn more about each topic.

No summary available.

The text discusses the evolution of pixel aspect ratios in computer games, particularly how they were not always square until about 1996 for major games and even later for consoles. Different systems used various pixel shapes, leading to compatibility issues when displaying these games on modern screens.

Key points include:

1. Pixel Shapes: Historically, pixels could be rectangular (fat or thin), and it wasn't until the late 90s that square pixels became standard.

2. Aspect Ratios: Older TVs typically had a 4:3 aspect ratio, which influenced game design. Incorrect assumptions about this ratio can lead to overscan (cut-off edges) or underscan (unused screen space).

3. Authenticity vs. Superauthenticity: Authenticity refers to replicating the original display conditions of games, while superauthenticity allows for modern enhancements that improve the gaming experience without strictly adhering to original formats.

4. Modern Solutions: Today’s emulators often default to a 4:3 aspect ratio, which is usually close enough for gameplay, but not always accurate.

5. Case Studies: The text provides examples of how various games on different systems look under different pixel aspect ratios, often concluding that a slight adjustment from original ratios yields better visual results.

Overall, the discussion emphasizes the complexity of accurately presenting retro games on modern displays and the importance of considering pixel aspect ratios for an authentic gaming experience.

No summary available.

Infisical is hiring skilled software engineers to join their team in creating an open-source security infrastructure for the AI era. They seek a Full Stack Engineer to help develop and enhance their platform. The company maintains high hiring standards, expecting engineers to handle various challenges, such as secret rotation strategies, secure access gateways, and new product lines like Infisical PKI and SSH.

Key responsibilities include:

• Developing and maintaining features while working closely with enterprise customers.
• Expanding newer product lines.
• Experimenting with AI applications in security.

Candidates should have strong skills in JavaScript, particularly React.js, Node.js, and TypeScript, along with a detail-oriented mindset, quick decision-making abilities, and a willingness to learn. Being based in the U.S. or Canada is required, with bonus points for expertise in Go, devops knowledge, startup experience, or open-source contributions.

Working at Infisical offers an opportunity to shape the company's future and take on significant responsibilities as it scales. The team is experienced, operates remotely, and provides competitive compensation and benefits. Infisical is focused on helping developers securely manage secrets, with notable clients including Hugging Face and Lucid.

Human coders are currently more skilled than large language models (LLMs) in programming tasks.

The article shares the author's experience learning the C3 programming language, driven by their curiosity about new programming languages. The author has a background in low-level systems programming and hopes to explore C3's unique features.

Key Points:

1. Overview of C3: C3 is designed to build on C, offering ergonomic improvements and features like a module system, operator overloading, generics, compile-time execution, and more.

2. Learning Approach: The author documents their learning process in real-time, providing insights into challenges and interesting features.

3. Language Features:

   • Basic Syntax: C3's syntax is similar to C, making it easier for C programmers to transition.
   • Control Structures: C3 includes foreach loops, while loops, and enhanced switch statements.
   • Error Handling: C3 introduces optional types that combine error handling with value returns, which may simplify use but could also create some confusion.
   • Structs and Methods: C3 supports named and anonymous structs, along with struct methods using dot syntax.
   • Macros: Macros in C3 are evaluated at compile-time and have specific rules to avoid scope issues.

4. First Steps: The author details the installation process for C3, which is relatively straightforward but can present challenges if dependencies are missing.

5. Calculator Project: As a practical exercise, the author builds a basic calculator in C3, which helps them learn about user input handling, tokenization, and parsing expressions.

6. Conclusion: The author finds C3 to be a simpler, faster, and more expressive alternative to C, albeit with some features they would prefer to see changed. They plan to continue using C3 for its potential and readability.

Overall, C3 shows promise as a programming language that retains the familiarity of C while introducing modern programming paradigms. The author encourages others to try C3 and share the learning journey.

No summary available.

No summary available.

Summary of Notes on Tunisia

Author Matt Lakeman shares insights from his three-week trip to Tunisia, visiting various cities including Tunis, Sfax, and El Jem. He initially aimed to write about travel but became intrigued by Tunisia's complex political history, noting its recent shift from democracy to an authoritarian regime under President Kais Saied.

Key Information:

• Demographics and Economy: Tunisia has a population of 12.2 million, a GDP of $48.5 billion, and a cheap cost of living. The country is primarily Arab (98%) and Muslim (over 99%).
• Travel Insights: Lakeman enjoyed Tunisia's Mediterranean climate but described its cities as unattractive and difficult to navigate. He found the natural landscapes beautiful, especially in northern Tunisia and the Sahara Desert.
• Cultural Observations: The people were generally friendly, though merchants often employed aggressive sales tactics. Tunisia is relatively liberal compared to other Arab countries, with many women wearing Western-style clothing.
• Affordability: Travel costs were low, with meals averaging $3-4 and accommodation reasonably priced.
• Historical Context: Tunisia is the historic home of Carthage, but little remains of its ancient civilization. The Roman ruins, particularly in Dougga and El Jem, are impressive.
• Food and Drink: Tunisian cuisine is dominated by fast food, with shawarma being a popular dish. There are few bars, mostly frequented by men, and café culture is prevalent.
• Political Climate: Lakeman notes that locals expressed concern about U.S. tariffs affecting Tunisia, reflecting a complicated relationship with America.

Overall, while Tunisia has its charms, particularly in nature and history, Lakeman suggests it may not be a must-visit destination unless one is specifically interested in its Roman ruins.

Summary of Pamela Fox's Blog on Vector Embeddings

Pamela Fox's blog post from May 28, 2025, presents a simplified overview of vector embeddings, which are numerical representations of inputs like words or images. These embeddings allow for the comparison of similarity between different inputs.

Key Points:

1. Vector Embeddings:

   • A vector embedding translates an input into a list of numbers, called dimensions (e.g., 1024 dimensions).

2. Embedding Models:

   • Different models have varying dimensions, input types, and characteristics.
   • word2vec: The first popular model, outputs 300 dimensions for single words.
   • text-embedding-ada-002: Released by OpenAI in 2022, it outputs 1536 dimensions and accepts up to 8192 tokens.
   • text-embedding-3-small: Launched in 2024, it improves upon previous models and also outputs 1536 dimensions.

3. Similarity Spaces:

   • Embeddings allow for the comparison of inputs using metrics like cosine similarity to measure how similar they are.

4. Vector Metrics:

   • Cosine similarity is a common method for measuring similarity. The dot product can also indicate similarity, especially for unit vectors.
   • Other distance metrics include Euclidean and Manhattan distances.

5. Vector Search:

   • Vector search finds inputs similar in meaning, not just spelling, and can work across languages and images.
   • As databases grow, Approximate Nearest Neighbors (ANN) algorithms are used for efficient searching.

6. Vector Compression:

   • Techniques like scalar and binary quantization reduce the size of vectors, making storage and computation more efficient.
   • Dimension reduction can also be applied to shorten the vectors while maintaining their usefulness.

7. Additional Resources:

   • The post provides links for further exploration of vector embeddings and related materials.

This introduction aims to help readers understand the basics of vector embeddings and their applications in computing.

No summary available.

On May 29, 2025, a new method for understanding large language models was introduced, and the tools for this method are now available for anyone to use. This method involves creating "attribution graphs" that show how a model makes decisions for its outputs. An open-source library allows users to generate these graphs for popular models, and an interactive tool on Neuronpedia lets users explore them.

The project, led by the Anthropic Fellows program with Decode Research, enables researchers to trace model behavior, visualize and share graphs, and test hypotheses by changing feature values. The tools have already been used to investigate complex model behaviors, and users are encouraged to contribute by finding new interesting circuits.

The release aims to improve understanding of AI models, which currently outpace our knowledge of their inner workings. The tools were developed by Michael Hanna and Mateusz Piotrowski, with support from others, and are intended to foster further research and improvements in AI interpretability. For more details, users can visit Neuronpedia or check the code repository on GitHub.

No summary available.

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Summary of "The Flip Phone Web: Browsing with the Original Opera Mini"

Opera Mini is a web browser that was first launched in 2005, designed for mobile phones that couldn't handle full websites. It works by sending web requests to Opera's cloud servers, which process and compress the data before sending it back to the phone. This allowed users on low-end devices to access the internet without heavy data usage.

While Opera Mini gained popularity, its use declined with the rise of smartphones that could easily load full websites. However, the original Java ME version of Opera Mini is still functional and can even be used on modern computers with the right tools.

To download Opera Mini today, users need to change their browser settings to mimic an old mobile device. The browser has features like private browsing, data savings reports, and Speed Dial bookmarks, but it struggles with modern web standards, leading to layout issues on many sites. Despite this, it performs well with simpler websites.

Opera Mini also has a built-in RSS feed reader, though it faces limitations, such as not fully supporting images. The browser's infrastructure relies on servers located in Amsterdam, and it continues to operate, primarily on older Java-based phones.

In conclusion, Opera Mini remains a notable piece of mobile web history, but its relevance is waning as technology advances.

No summary available.

A math club was started in Bangalore by Vivek Nathani to bring back the collaborative spirit of studying math, which he missed after college. He wanted to create a community where math can be enjoyed together.

The first meetup took place on March 15, 2025, with 7 participants at Dialogues Cafe in Kormangala, where they worked on problem sets. The second meetup happened on May 4, 2025, with 8 participants, and was also held at the same cafe.

Vivek encourages anyone interested to reach out via email or Twitter.

The author reflects on their early experiences with Flash, a multimedia platform that had a significant impact on the web. They don't remember their first video game, but they acknowledge that Flash helped shape online culture by enabling interactive content and creativity that standard HTML couldn't provide.

Flash was popular in the late 90s and early 2000s because it allowed for dynamic, multimedia experiences on the web, filling a gap for more engaging content. However, it also had many downsides, including security vulnerabilities, performance issues, and accessibility challenges, as it was controlled by a single company, making it a non-open standard.

As the web evolved, especially with the rise of mobile devices and HTML5, Flash became less relevant. The iPhone's refusal to support Flash marked a turning point, pushing developers to create web standards that could replace Flash's functionality. Today, many tools allow for high-performance web games and animations without needing Flash.

Although Flash is no longer in use, the author recognizes its legacy in shaping expectations for web interactivity and creativity. They express a sense of nostalgia for Flash while acknowledging the benefits of its decline, as the web has now largely adopted open standards that fulfill the needs Flash once addressed.

Welcome! Nova is a JavaScript and WebAssembly engine made with Rust, designed to follow data-oriented principles. Right now, it's mainly an experimental project for learning and testing ideas, but it could develop into something more significant. Currently, it only passes about 70% of the test262 test suite, but improvements are being made. If you want to learn more, you can check out the GitHub repository or join the Discord server for discussions with the team.

Latest Blog Posts include topics like Nova's garbage collector and reflections on past and future developments.

No summary available.

The author reflects on their personal website and creative expression. They emphasize that while others may seek perfection or professional design, they value their own unique style. They compare their art to a homemade dish, preferring the comfort of familiar creations over traditional methods like baking bread.

Their website, designed with minimalism in mind, has evolved over time. Initially, it featured a simple layout, but changes led to a chaotic yet intentional design that incorporates various text styles and rotations to create a lively feel. The site reacts to user interactions, enhancing the experience without using JavaScript.

The author embraces the idea of continuous change, suggesting that personal interests and values will evolve, just like their website. They celebrate individuality and creativity, reminding readers that it's okay to express themselves in their own way.

Onlook Overview

Onlook is an open-source, visual-first code editor designed for creating websites, prototypes, and designs using AI, Next.js, and TailwindCSS. It allows users to edit content directly in the browser with a visual editor, providing a real-time coding experience similar to tools like Figma and Webflow.

Key Features:

• Quick App Creation: Users can create Next.js apps in seconds using text, images, templates, or by importing from Figma and GitHub.
• Visual Editing: The editor offers a Figma-like interface, allowing real-time previews, asset management, and layer browsing.
• Development Tools: Features a real-time code editor, command line interface, and the ability to edit code locally.
• Easy Deployment: Generate shareable links and connect custom domains quickly.
• Team Collaboration: Supports real-time editing and commenting.

Current Status: Onlook for Web is still in development, and the team is seeking contributors to enhance the platform. The downloadable desktop version has been moved to Onlook Desktop.

How It Works: When creating an app, Onlook runs the code in a web container, allowing users to edit and preview their projects seamlessly. The architecture is designed to scale with various programming languages but focuses on Next.js and TailwindCSS for now.

For more information or to contribute, visit the documentation at docs.onlook.com or the project page on GitHub.

The author is interested in controlling a sauna with a Huum Uku WiFi controller that relies on a cloud service. They prefer local control over using a proprietary app and have been researching how the controller communicates with the cloud.

To achieve this, they set up a laptop as a hotspot to capture the network traffic between the controller and the Huum API. After analyzing the data, they identified several message types used in the communication:

1. 0x02 - Sets the frequency at which the sauna controller reports its temperature and heater state.
2. 0x07 - Controls the heater (turns it on or off).
3. 0x08 - Updates the cloud with the heater's state changes.
4. 0x09 - Reports temperature readings from the sensor.
5. 0x0B - Initiates connection with the cloud and includes device information.

The author successfully figured out how to bypass the cloud and control the heater directly through their own server. They express a desire to create a simple API for controlling the heater and integrating it with Home Assistant.

In conclusion, they highlight the challenges of smart home devices, including reliance on proprietary apps and potential security issues. They plan to continue their project by refining their code and possibly expanding control to other heaters.

The article "The Maid Who Restored Charles II" by Anna Keay discusses the significant but often overlooked role of Anne Monck, the wife of General George Monck, in the restoration of Charles II to the English throne in 1660.

Key points include:

• In 1659, England was in chaos after Oliver Cromwell's death, and the republic was struggling without strong leadership.
• George Monck, a soldier, was in a position to influence the future of the nation. He faced a choice between restoring the Parliament or reinstating the monarchy.
• His wife, Anne, played a crucial role in persuading him to support the return of Charles II, despite his initial reluctance.
• Anne and George's relationship began in the Tower of London, and their bond grew despite their different social standings.
• Anne had a dream that inspired her belief in the monarchy's restoration and often engaged George in political discussions, wearing a "treason gown" to signify her desire to speak freely.
• Monck ultimately supported the Rump Parliament and facilitated the return of expelled MPs, setting the stage for Charles II's return.
• After Charles II was restored to the throne, both Anne and George were honored but faced resentment from royalists due to Anne's humble origins.
• The article highlights how Anne's influence on George was pivotal in a critical moment of British history, even though she has been largely forgotten since then.

Overall, Anne Monck's impact was essential to the restoration of the monarchy, demonstrating how individual actions can shape historical events.

Michael Pollan's article "Unhappy Meals" simplifies the complex question of what to eat for better health. The key advice is: eat food, not too much, mostly plants. He emphasizes that whole, fresh foods are better than processed items, which often come with misleading health claims.

Pollan discusses how confusion about nutrition arose from the food industry's focus on nutrients rather than whole foods. This shift began in the 1980s, leading to an obsession with isolated nutrients like fats and carbohydrates, often resulting in poor dietary choices. Despite advice to eat less fat, Americans became heavier, as they consumed more carbohydrates and processed foods.

He critiques nutritional science for studying foods in isolation, ignoring the complex interactions and cultural practices surrounding eating. Pollan advocates for a return to traditional eating habits, emphasizing that food should be about enjoyment and health, not just nutrients.

To eat better, he suggests simple rules: eat recognizable foods, avoid products with health claims, prioritize plants, and consider cultural eating practices. Pollan encourages cooking and gardening as a means to reconnect with food and its origins. Ultimately, he argues that our health is intertwined with the health of our food systems and the environment.

No summary available.

Summary:

This thesis by Rohan Sawhney focuses on a new method for solving partial differential equations (PDEs) using Monte Carlo algorithms, specifically the "walk on spheres" (WoS) technique. Traditional methods for solving PDEs often require creating complex volumetric meshes or grids, which can be inefficient and challenging for intricate geometries. In contrast, the WoS approach transforms the problem into recursive integral equations that can be solved without the need for these grids. This method benefits from Monte Carlo techniques used in computer graphics, enabling better handling of complex geometric data.

Key points include:

• The research aims to improve the solving of fundamental PDEs like the Poisson equation.
• Conventional solvers struggle with complex geometries, leading to high memory use and inefficiency.
• The WoS method allows for parallel processing and avoids mesh generation, making it more adaptable to modern computing.
• The work presents new algorithms that can manage geometric data of varying sizes and complexities better than traditional methods.

The thesis also acknowledges the support received from various mentors and collaborators throughout the research journey.

No summary available.

Google Maps caused confusion in Germany by wrongly showing many autobahns as closed, particularly during a busy holiday period. Drivers in major cities like Frankfurt, Hamburg, and Berlin saw numerous red dots on their maps indicating stop signs, leading to widespread concern that the roads were blocked. This misinformation also impacted parts of Belgium and the Netherlands.

As drivers looked for alternative routes, smaller roads became congested, causing delays. Many turned to other navigation apps or traffic updates, which showed that the roads were actually clear. Social media users expressed frustration, with some joking about the situation.

Google is investigating the cause of the errors, which stemmed from a mix of sources, including third-party data and user reports. A spokesperson advised users to consult multiple information sources when planning their trips to avoid similar issues in the future.

The article by Lukas Atkinson discusses the challenges of AI-assisted development tools, specifically focusing on a code suggestion made by the Cursor Editor for a Rust function. The author expresses skepticism about the effectiveness of these tools, highlighting that they can sometimes lead to more harm than good, making developers less productive.

Key points include:

1. Example of AI-generated Code: The Cursor Editor suggested adding validation for maximum string length and sanitization in a Rust function. While it seems reasonable, the author identifies flaws in both suggestions.

2. Useless Length Validation: The AI's check for maximum string length (65535) is pointless because the code already restricts the length to this value by reading from a u16. A human programmer would avoid this error.

3. Questionable Sanitization: The sanitization code is criticized for being inefficient and potentially incorrect. It raises questions about what constitutes a "whitespace" character and whether stripping control characters is appropriate.

4. Decision-Making in Programming: The author emphasizes that programming involves making numerous decisions, and effective tools should help clarify these decisions rather than complicate them. The AI tool in this case did not provide the necessary context for better decision-making.

5. Overall Disillusionment: The conclusion is that, as of May 2025, AI tools like Cursor may not enhance productivity and can lead to suboptimal coding practices, ultimately being more of a burden than a benefit.

In summary, while AI tools have potential, they need to improve significantly in guiding programmers and making intelligent suggestions to be genuinely helpful.

In the late 1990s, three influential web designers emerged: David Siegel, Jakob Nielsen, and Jeffrey Zeldman. Each had a unique approach to web design as new technologies like Flash and CSS began to take shape.

1. David Siegel focused on aesthetics, advocating for creative "hacks" to make visually appealing websites. He believed in pushing the limits of HTML for better typography and was known for his bold design choices.

2. Jakob Nielsen prioritized usability and simplicity, promoting designs that worked well across all browsers. He emphasized content and structure over style, advocating for semantic coding, which separates content from presentation.

3. Jeffrey Zeldman found a middle ground, blending aesthetics with usability. He supported CSS while also experimenting with multimedia tools like Flash, believing that web design could be both beautiful and functional.

As web design evolved, Zeldman eventually distanced himself from Flash due to its lack of semantic coding, while Siegel embraced it for its visual possibilities. Nielsen remained critical of Flash, seeing it as detrimental to usability.

In the years following, Nielsen’s minimalist approach became considered outdated, while Siegel explored various business interests beyond web design. Zeldman continued to influence the field and is currently working with WordPress, promising a redesign of his site soon.

Overall, these three pioneers shaped the foundation of web design in the 90s, each contributing to the ongoing debate between aesthetics and usability in web development.

The article discusses a research study on using base editing to address trinucleotide repeat (TNR) diseases, specifically Huntington’s disease and Friedreich’s ataxia. These diseases are caused by the expansion of specific DNA sequences that can become unstable, leading to severe neurological disorders.

Key points include:

1. TNR Diseases: These disorders are linked to expanded CAG repeats in the HTT gene for Huntington’s disease and GAA repeats in the FXN gene for Friedreich’s ataxia. Longer repeats typically worsen disease severity and progression.

2. Base Editing Approach: Researchers used a technique called base editing to introduce interruptions in these repeat sequences. This was done by creating specific changes in the DNA to mimic naturally occurring, stable variants found in healthy individuals.

3. Effectiveness in Models: The base editing was tested in patient-derived cells and mice models. Results showed that this method effectively reduced the expansion of the problematic repeats in the central nervous system.

4. Potential for Treatment: By preventing the repeat expansions, the study suggests that this approach could delay or even prevent the onset of symptoms associated with these diseases.

5. Safety and Off-Target Effects: The study also examined potential off-target effects of the editing process and found that while some off-target editing occurred, the researchers focused on minimizing these risks.

Overall, the findings highlight a promising new strategy for combating certain genetic diseases by directly altering the DNA responsible for their harmful effects.

A renewable energy corridor is developing in eastern Kern County, California, near the Mojave Desert and Sierra Nevada mountains. This area features wind turbines, solar panels, and large batteries resembling shipping containers. Tesla workers are busy at the Eland solar and storage project, which is managed by Arevon Energy. They advise visitors to be cautious of rattlesnakes while exploring the site.

No summary available.

On August 12, 2015, the New-York Historical Society announced that over 700 stereographs from the U.S. Civil War are now available online. A stereograph combines two photos to create a 3D image when viewed with a special device called a stereoscope. This technology, first invented in 1838, became popular during the Civil War (1861-1865), allowing for the documentation of the war through photography.

Mathew Brady, a key figure in Civil War photography, is credited with capturing many significant images, often employing other skilled photographers. His company produced many of the newly digitized stereographs. Other notable photographers from this era include Alexander Gardner and Timothy O’Sullivan, who documented various battles and the war's aftermath.

Although traditional stereoscopes are not widely available today, modern technology allows for new ways to experience these historical images. Tools like the New York Public Library's Stereogranimator and Google Cardboard help to recreate the 3D viewing experience. Overall, these stereographs provide a vivid glimpse into the Civil War, capturing both its heroes and the devastation it caused.

To view the digitized Civil War stereographs, you can visit the New-York Historical Society's online collection.

The "Domain/OS Design Principles" document outlines the architecture and design of Apollo's workstation operating system, Domain/OS. It is organized into two main parts:

1. Introduction and Overview:

   • The first part introduces the origins of Domain/OS and its fundamental design principles.
   • It includes technical papers from Apollo engineers providing detailed insights into these principles.

2. Documentation and Conventions:

   • The document uses specific symbolic conventions for clarity, such as bold for commands and italic for user-supplied values.
   • It outlines the structure of the content, which covers various technical aspects of Domain/OS, including its architecture, object orientation, and support for multiple operating environments.

The document emphasizes its proprietary nature and contains legal notices regarding its use and reproduction. Domain/OS was first released in July 1988 and supports major UNIX environments alongside Apollo's original system, Aegis. The content is aimed at providing a comprehensive understanding of the system's design and functionality.

The article discusses a prediction market on Polymarket that asks whether Jesus Christ will return in 2025. Since its launch, over $100,000 has been wagered, with the probability of "Yes" currently trading at around 3%.

The author poses two main questions: why aren't people betting against the "Yes" option for a large return, and why are some individuals still betting "Yes"? The first question is answered by noting that betting against the return would require over $1 million upfront, which is not a wise investment compared to stock markets.

For the second question, several theories are considered, including:

1. True Believers: Some may genuinely believe in the chance of Christ's return.
2. Incorrect Resolution: Some may think the market will be resolved incorrectly, leading to a profit.
3. Memes: Some may simply enjoy the novelty of betting on such an unlikely event.

However, the author finds these explanations unsatisfactory and proposes a more sophisticated theory: Time Value of Money. This suggests that the "Yes" bettors anticipate that later in the year, those betting "No" may need cash for other bets and will sell at a higher price, allowing "Yes" bettors to profit.

The article concludes that the dynamics of prediction markets, especially during election years, can lead to interesting trading opportunities, making it plausible that the market for Jesus Christ's return could remain active and engaging.

US airlines are not admitting that they charge solo travelers higher prices compared to those traveling with companions. This issue has raised concerns among travelers, but the airlines have chosen not to address it openly.

Memvid - Video-Based AI Memory

Memvid is a new tool that changes how we manage AI memory by turning text data into videos. This allows for fast searches across large amounts of information, retrieving results in less than a second. It is more efficient than traditional databases, using less RAM and storage by compressing information into smaller video files.

Key Features:

• Video Storage: Keep millions of text pieces in one MP4 file.
• Semantic Search: Find content using natural language.
• Chat Interface: Talk to the memory for context-aware answers.
• PDF Support: Import and index PDF documents directly.
• Fast Retrieval: Quick searches through large datasets.
• Storage Efficiency: Uses 10 times less space than regular databases.
• Offline Capable: Works without internet after videos are created.
• Simple API: Easy to implement with minimal code.

Use Cases:

• Digital libraries and educational content.
• News archives and corporate knowledge bases.
• Research papers and personal notes.

Why Choose Memvid?

• It allows for instant retrieval and efficient storage.
• No need for complex database setups—just files you can easily handle.
• Runs well on standard CPUs without needing GPUs.

Getting Started:

1. Install Memvid using pip.
2. Create video memories from text or PDF documents.
3. Use the chat feature to interact with your stored data.
4. Conduct advanced searches with the retriever feature.

Installation Instructions:

• Set up a virtual environment.
• Install required packages for Memvid and PDF support.
• Follow simple code examples to create and manage your AI memory.

Comparison with Traditional Solutions: Memvid is more efficient in storage, simpler to set up, supports offline use, and is portable. It offers a cost-effective solution compared to traditional databases.

Future Updates: Upcoming features include multi-language support, real-time updates, and the ability to handle audio and images.

For more details, you can check the documentation and contribute to the project on its GitHub repository. Memvid aims to innovate AI memory management and is ready for anyone to start using it.

RsyncUI is a macOS application built with SwiftUI, designed to make using the command line tool rsync easier. It provides a graphical user interface (GUI) for organizing and setting up data synchronization tasks with rsync. The app is compatible with macOS Sonoma and later, and the latest version is 2.5.5, released on May 23, 2025.

You can install RsyncUI using Homebrew or by downloading it directly. The app is signed and notarized by Apple for security.

While RsyncUI helps manage tasks, it relies on the external rsync command-line tool to perform the actual synchronization. Users can monitor the progress of these tasks and may abort them if needed, but they should allow the abort process to finish before starting a new task to avoid unresponsiveness.

Summary of MariaDB's Acquisition of Galera Cluster

MariaDB plc announced the acquisition of Codership Oy, the company behind Galera Cluster, a high-availability database solution. This acquisition will enhance MariaDB's Enterprise Platform by integrating Galera's synchronous replication technology, which ensures high uptime and no data loss.

Galera Cluster has been closely associated with MariaDB for nearly 14 years and is already used by over a third of MariaDB's enterprise customers. The move aims to improve support and services for customers needing reliable data management in high-volume environments.

MariaDB's CEO, Rohit de Souza, expressed excitement about this growth opportunity, emphasizing the acquisition's potential to accelerate product innovation and deliver more value to customers. Seppo Jaakola, co-founder of Codership, noted that this partnership will expand Galera Cluster's reach to more users.

Both Galera Cluster and MariaDB will continue to be maintained, ensuring a smooth transition for current users. MariaDB has been investing in innovations, including new features and tools, and was recognized for its advancements in open-source technology.

For more information, MariaDB offers resources about its Enterprise Platform and Galera Cluster's features.

Summary of "What does 'Undecidable' mean, anyway"

In this newsletter, the author explains the concept of "undecidability" in computer science, particularly focusing on decision problems.

1. Upcoming Talk: The author will present at the Systems Distributed conference, which has affected their schedule for upcoming content.

2. Decidability Defined: A decision problem is considered "decidable" if there exists a Turing machine that can accurately determine whether each input meets a certain property. If no such machine can be created, the problem is "undecidable."

3. Turing Machines: These are powerful models of computation that can simulate other machines. They can solve complex problems and help understand the limits of computability.

4. Examples of Decidable Problems: The author provides examples, such as checking if a sum is correct or if a Turing machine finishes its computation within a certain number of steps.

5. Undecidable Problems: Many properties of Turing machines are undecidable, meaning there is no algorithm that can universally determine the property for all possible machines. The famous Halting Problem demonstrates this: it's impossible to create a program that determines if any given program will halt.

6. Practical Implications: While the undecidability of certain problems suggests limits on what can be computed, it does not mean that we can't analyze specific programs. There are many cases where we can definitively determine if a program will halt.

7. Conclusion: Understanding undecidability helps clarify the challenges in computer science and emphasizes the complexity of software development. The author encourages readers to subscribe for more insights on related topics.

This article discusses concepts in abstract algebra related to fields and integral domains. Here are the key points:

1. Integral Domain Definition: An integral domain is a type of commutative ring with no zero divisors, meaning the product of any two non-zero elements is also non-zero. It must have distinct additive (0) and multiplicative (1) identities.

2. Examples: Common examples of integral domains include the integers (ℤ), rational numbers (ℚ), and certain polynomial rings. However, the integers modulo 6 (ℤ₆) are not an integral domain because they contain zero divisors.

3. Key Results:

   • Every field is an integral domain.
   • Not every integral domain is a field (e.g., the integers ℤ).
   • All finite integral domains are fields.

4. Proving Finite Integral Domains Are Fields: In a finite integral domain, every non-zero element must have a multiplicative inverse, which confirms that it is a field.

5. Conclusion: The article concludes by summarizing that:

   • Every field is an integral domain.
   • All finite integral domains are fields.
   • Some infinite integral domains are not fields (like ℤ), while others are (like ℚ and ℝ).

Overall, the exploration highlights how the properties of algebraic structures are influenced by their size and distinct identities.

Curie: An AI Agent for Scientific Research

Curie is an innovative AI framework designed to automate scientific experimentation. It aids researchers by managing the entire experimentation process—from forming hypotheses to analyzing results—ensuring accuracy and consistency.

Key Features:

• Automated Experimentation: Handles hypothesis formation, experiment execution, and result analysis.
• Rigor Enhancement: Includes verification tools to ensure reliable and reproducible methods.
• Broad Applicability: Useful for machine learning research, system analysis, and scientific discovery.

Getting Started:

1. Installation:

   • Install Docker and set permissions.
   • Clone the Curie repository and set up your API credentials.
   • Build the container image.

2. Quick Examples:

   • To verify a question about sorting algorithms, input your query into Curie using a simple command.
   • To analyze a dataset, provide your data and question, along with any starter code.

3. Reproducibility: The full experimentation process is documented, including scripts and logs for results.

Community Support:

For help or to report issues, visit the GitHub Issues page or schedule a meeting with the Curie team.

Summary of typed-ffmpeg

typed-ffmpeg is a Python library that simplifies the use of FFmpeg, a powerful multimedia processing tool. It features a user-friendly interface, extensive filter support, and robust typing for better code reliability. Key highlights include:

• Zero Dependencies: Built only with Python's standard library.
• User-Friendly Interface: Makes it easy to create filter graphs.
• IDE Integration: Offers auto-completion and in-line documentation for filters.
• JSON Serialization: Allows saving and loading of filter graphs in JSON format.
• Graph Visualization: Uses graphviz for visual representations of filter graphs.
• Error Validation: Helps identify and correct errors in filter graphs.
• Input/Output Support: Includes comprehensive options for various codecs and formats.
• Partial Evaluation: Enables modular construction of filter graphs.

Installation: You can install it using pip, and FFmpeg needs to be installed on your system. For visualization features, install Graphviz.

Quick Usage Examples:

• Basic usage involves flipping a video and saving it.
• More complex operations allow for concatenating video clips, applying overlays, and adding effects.

Interactive Playground: An online tool lets users experiment with FFmpeg filters and visualize their filter graphs in real time.

Acknowledgements: The project was inspired by GPT-3 and the ffmpeg-python project, and it aims to provide a reliable tool for FFmpeg users.

For detailed information and advanced features, check the documentation.

Weather2Geo Summary

Weather2Geo is an OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) tool that helps determine the location of weather widget screenshots by analyzing the weather conditions, temperature, and local time shown in those images. It uses the same data source as the Windows weather widget to match these conditions with real cities.

Key Features:

• Geolocation Matching: It identifies cities based on weather data from screenshots.
• Timezone Awareness: It adjusts for local time zones for accurate comparisons.
• Clustering: It groups nearby results to minimize irrelevant data.
• Customizable: Users can modify settings for accuracy and data sources.

Installation Steps:

1. Clone the repository from GitHub.
2. Navigate to the project folder.
3. Install the required packages.

Usage Instructions: Run the tool with specific parameters:

• --time: Local time from the screenshot.
• --condition: Describes the weather (e.g., "Partly cloudy").
• --temp: Temperature in Celsius.
• --tolerance: Acceptable temperature variation.
• --cluster-distance: Distance for grouping results.

Example: If you see a screenshot stating "Mostly clear | 13°C | 10:09 PM," you can run the tool with this information to find relevant city clusters.

Data Sources:

• City data is sourced from GeoNames.
• Weather data comes from the MSN Weather API.

Contributions: Users are encouraged to report bugs, suggest improvements, and share their experiences to help enhance the tool.

Disclaimer: The tool is intended for ethical use only. Users should respect privacy and legal boundaries.

The egg drop experiment is a common activity in physics classes, where students create devices to protect eggs from falling. Traditionally, it was believed that eggs should be dropped vertically to avoid breaking, but recent research by MIT professor Tal Cohen and her team suggests otherwise. They found that eggs are less likely to crack when dropped on their side, or horizontally.

In their study, the researchers dropped eggs from different heights and orientations. They discovered that more than half of the eggs broke when dropped vertically, while less than 10% broke when dropped horizontally. The reason for this is that eggs are tougher when loaded horizontally, which allows them to absorb impact better.

The findings highlight that, contrary to common belief, eggs need to be tough rather than stiff to survive a fall. This research challenges traditional views and shows how language can shape our understanding of physical principles.

Summary of Grass Rendering Series Part 1: Theory

This article is the first part of a series about rendering grass in 3D graphics, focusing on how to make grass look realistic. It covers key visual properties of grass, such as:

1. Shininess: Grass, especially long grass, has shiny surfaces that reflect light, creating specular highlights.
2. Translucency: Grass allows light to pass through, making it bright on both sides, which requires a different approach to rendering than typical opaque surfaces.
3. Patchiness: Grass grows in varying heights and shades, influenced by environmental factors.
4. Self-shadowing: Grass blades cast shadows on each other, creating depth and detail.

For rendering grass in 3D, the article discusses two main methods:

• Billboards: These are 2D images of grass that look good from a distance but can appear flat up close.
• Full Geometry: This involves using 3D models for each grass blade, which looks more realistic and dynamic, especially in games with a cartoon style or high detail.

Modern technology allows for the use of full-geometry grass without performance issues, and the next part of the series will explain how to create it in Godot.

Summary: How Did Geometry Create Modern Physics?

Geometry, an ancient discipline initially used for land measurement, has significantly influenced modern physics. In a recent episode of "The Joy of Why," physicist Yang-Hui He discusses how geometry evolved and its potential future with AI. He emphasizes that geometry serves as a unifying language in physics, helping shape theories like general relativity and string theory.

He explains that while classical geometry dates back to the Greeks, modern physics relies on advanced geometry, particularly differential geometry, to understand concepts like curved space-time. This shift was crucial for Einstein's theories. The conversation also touches on the balance between rigorous mathematics and intuitive insights in mathematical work.

He discusses the impact of AI on mathematical discovery, suggesting that future breakthroughs may arise from collaboration between human expertise and AI tools. He introduces the "Birch Test," a framework to evaluate AI contributions in mathematics, focusing on criteria like automaticity, interpretability, and non-triviality.

Ultimately, He believes that while AI can assist in computations, the deeper understanding and insight gained through traditional mathematical rigor remain vital to human cognition and education.

No summary available.

On May 27, 2025, Xin Lyu discussed best practices for adjusting the Circuit Breaker Policy. The focus was on fine-tuning this policy to improve its effectiveness.

Summary of The One True Lisp Style Guide

Purpose: The guide aims to consolidate common recommendations for writing Common Lisp code by summarizing various existing style guides.

Key Points:

1. Importance of Style Guides: They enhance readability and help programmers avoid mistakes.

2. Documentation: Use docstrings over comments; they are crucial for understanding the purpose of functions and variables.

3. Comment Conventions:

   • Use ; for inline comments.
   • Use ;; for comments on top-level forms/functions.
   • Use ;;; for comments between forms/functions.
   • Use ;;;; for header comments.

4. Line Length: Keep lines under 100 characters; shorter is preferred.

5. Naming Conventions: Use complete, lowercase words separated by dashes. Special variables should be surrounded by * and constants by +.

6. Defining Functions: Avoid mixing &OPTIONAL and &KEY arguments.

7. Special Variables: Use them sparingly to avoid global state issues.

8. Indentation: Follow the standard indentation practices of your editor.

9. Functional Style: Write small, single-purpose functions for clarity.

10. Eval Usage: Be cautious with eval; it is often misused.

11. Macros: Prefer using existing macros over defining new ones, but understand how they work.

12. Usage of :use: Use :import-from instead of :use unless you need all symbols from a package.

13. Error Detection: Understand that not all conditions are errors; handle them appropriately.

14. Library Usage: Utilize existing libraries unless you have a compelling reason to create your own.

15. Recursion: Favor iteration over recursion, except for recursive data structures.

16. Type Checking: Declare types explicitly when known, to aid understanding and optimization.

17. Conditional Expressions: Use when or unless instead of if without else, and cond for multiple branches.

18. Predicates: Name predicates with a suffix of "p" or "-p".

19. List Abuse: Choose the appropriate data structure instead of relying solely on lists.

This guide emphasizes clarity, consistency, and best practices in Common Lisp programming to improve code quality and maintainability.

This blog reflects on the evolution of database systems, inspired by Jordan Tigani's blog "Big Data is Dead."

1. The Early Days (1970s): In the 1970s, one relational database handled both transactions (OLTP) and analytics (OLAP) without distinction, as data was manageable on a few disks.

2. The Divide (1980s): As data grew, OLTP and OLAP started to conflict because their requirements were different—OLTP needed quick transactions, while OLAP required extensive data analysis. This led to separating these workloads.

3. Storage Evolution (1990s): The shift in storage architecture led to specialized systems—OLTP used row-based storage for speed, while OLAP adopted columnar storage for efficient data analysis.

4. Further Separation (2000s-2010s): New distributed databases, like NoSQL, moved away from SQL for OLTP, while analytics adopted new architectures like Hadoop, leading to a greater divide.

5. Reconciliation Attempts (2010s): Two movements emerged: NewSQL for OLTP and Cloud Data Warehouses for OLAP, both using SQL but differing in architecture. This raised the idea of HTAP (Hybrid Transactional and Analytical Processing) to merge both workloads.

6. HTAP Development (2014): HTAP aimed to bridge operational and analytical systems, using technologies like SingleStoreDB, which combined different storage engines. However, its adoption faced challenges.

7. Cloud Data Warehouses’ Dominance (2020s): Cloud data warehouses became dominant, while HTAP struggled with market acceptance due to difficulties in replacing OLTP systems, the adequacy of single machines for many workloads, and misaligned team responsibilities.

8. Current Data Practices: Today’s data environments often consist of modular systems built from various best-in-class components rather than a unified HTAP database. The challenge now is to achieve real-time data processing and analytics.

In conclusion, while HTAP as a standalone database concept may be fading, the need for integrating transactional and analytical data continues in modern data practices.

Dario Amodei, CEO of AI firm Anthropic, claims that AI technology could eliminate half of all entry-level office jobs within the next few years. He argues that AI is becoming better than humans at intellectual tasks and warns that society will need to confront this change. However, he did not provide evidence for his predictions, which resemble common tech industry narratives suggesting that AI will enhance productivity while also causing significant job loss.

Critics, including some AI supporters, question his bleak outlook, suggesting that new jobs will emerge alongside AI advancements. Amodei's statements coincide with Anthropic's recent updates to its AI chatbot, Claude, suggesting a possible motive to attract attention to the company.

While Amodei promotes his company as focused on AI safety, skepticism remains about the actual impact of AI technology. Many believe that current AI capabilities are limited and that significant economic transformation is still far off. Overall, the text highlights a tension between the potential benefits and risks of AI, with calls for more concrete evidence to support claims about its future effects.

American Science & Surplus (AS&S) is a quirky retail shop in Milwaukee that has been struggling financially since the COVID-19 pandemic, leading them to launch a GoFundMe campaign to help cover moving costs to a new warehouse. The store is known for its unusual and fun items, making it a beloved destination for locals. The author shares personal memories of the store and highlights its unique offerings, such as novelty toys and scientific supplies. Despite the challenges facing retail businesses today, the author emphasizes the importance of AS&S to Milwaukee's identity and urges support for the store. As of now, the GoFundMe has raised nearly $82,000 towards its goal of $125,000.

No summary available.

Summary of Web Bench - A New Way to Compare AI Browser Agents

Web Bench is a new dataset designed to evaluate web browsing agents, featuring 5,750 tasks across 452 websites, with 2,454 tasks available as open source. The leading agent currently is Anthropic Sonnet 3.7 CUA.

Key points include:

1. Performance Issues: Many AI browser agents struggle with "write-heavy" tasks like logging in, filling out forms, and downloading files. This contrasts with their better performance on "read-heavy" tasks, such as extracting information.

2. Limitations of Current Benchmarks: The previous benchmark, WebVoyager, had only 643 tasks across 15 websites, which did not adequately reflect the diverse and challenging nature of the internet.

3. New Benchmark Features:

   • Expanded the number of tasks and websites to provide a comprehensive evaluation.
   • Differentiated between read tasks (navigating and retrieving data) and write tasks (submitting information, logging in).

4. Findings:

   • All agents had poor performance on write-heavy tasks, suggesting significant room for improvement.
   • Skyvern 2.0 performed best in write tasks, while Anthropic’s CUA excelled in read tasks.

5. Challenges Identified:

   • Agent failures often stem from navigation difficulties, incomplete task execution, and issues with information extraction.
   • Infrastructure challenges include website access problems and captcha verification issues.

6. Future Plans: The team intends to benchmark additional agents, expand the dataset to include more websites and languages, and develop tools for self-evaluation.

Overall, Web Bench aims to provide a better understanding of AI browser agents' capabilities and highlight areas for improvement.

No summary available.

Bertrand Piccard, part of a family known for exploration, aims to showcase the potential of hydrogen as a fuel for aviation. He plans to fly around the world in an aircraft powered by hydrogen fuel cells. This mission is focused on promoting hydrogen as a clean and sustainable energy source for the future of aviation.

Summary: Porting Terraria and Celeste to WebAssembly

This project involved making the games Terraria and Celeste playable in web browsers, which is typically challenging. The author was inspired by a previous attempt to run Celeste in the browser and devoted a year to this endeavor.

Key Points:

1. Game Engines: Both games are built using the FNA engine, which is compatible with C#. This made it feasible to decompile and recompile the games for WebAssembly (WASM).

2. Decompilation Process:

   • The author faced challenges extracting necessary libraries, but succeeded in decompiling Terraria with the help of the game's symbol database.
   • They set up a project targeting WebAssembly and managed to compile the game successfully.

3. Running the Game:

   • Initially, the game crashed due to threading issues in .NET 8.0. Upgrading to .NET 9.0 resolved this.
   • A workaround was needed to handle OpenGL calls since the game runs in a worker thread, which required proxying calls to the main thread.

4. Assets and Player Input:

   • The game assets were loaded using the browser's file system API, allowing players to select their game directories. However, there were compatibility issues with different browsers.

5. Performance Improvements:

   • Enabling Ahead-Of-Time Compilation improved the game's performance.

6. Celeste Port:

   • After successfully porting Terraria, the author turned to Celeste, which involved similar challenges but also required handling audio libraries and creating a mod loader.

7. Modding Support:

   • The project aimed to support modding, specifically the Everest mod loader, which required intricate patches and custom code to function correctly.

8. Technical Challenges:

   • The author encountered numerous runtime bugs and discrepancies between the Mono and CoreCLR runtimes, leading to extensive patches.

9. Outcome:

   • After significant effort, both games were successfully ported to the browser, allowing users to play them online.

10. Reflections:

• The author acknowledged that while the project may not appeal to a wide audience, it was a rewarding experience and showcased the potential of running complex games in web browsers.

Players can currently enjoy both games in their browsers if they own copies, and the project’s code is available on GitHub.

No summary available.

Summary of The BEAM Book

The BEAM Book, authored by Erik Stenman and others, discusses the Erlang Runtime System (ERTS) and the BEAM virtual machine, which runs Erlang and Elixir applications. It's available for free online under a Creative Commons license, promoting sharing and modification as long as credit is given to the authors.

Key Points:

1. License and Accessibility:

   • The book can be freely shared and modified.
   • Full details can be found on its GitHub page.

2. Content Structure:

   • The book covers a wide range of topics related to ERTS and BEAM.
   • It includes how to understand the runtime system, compiler, processes, memory management, and debugging tools.

3. Purpose:

   • Aims to provide a deep understanding of how Erlang works, particularly its concurrency model.
   • It is not a guide for coding style or best practices but focuses on the internal workings of the BEAM.

4. Understanding Erlang:

   • Erlang is designed for concurrency, where multiple processes can run independently.
   • It uses lightweight processes that communicate through messages, avoiding shared memory issues.

5. Core Topics:

   • The book discusses key components like the Erlang compiler, process management, memory handling, and distribution across nodes.
   • It explains how the BEAM virtual machine interprets and executes Erlang code.

6. Target Audience:

   • Intended for those wanting to optimize performance, debug applications, or understand the runtime system in detail.
   • Basic understanding of Erlang is necessary for readers.

7. Learning Approach:

   • Readers are encouraged to read the book sequentially for a comprehensive understanding, though they can jump to specific chapters as needed.

8. Technical Details:

   • The book includes insights into BEAM’s architecture, including garbage collection, scheduling, and the Erlang type system.
   • It covers tools for compiling and debugging Erlang applications.

Overall, The BEAM Book serves as an in-depth resource for developers looking to master the internals of the Erlang Runtime System and optimize their applications.

Japan Post has introduced a new "digital address" system, allowing users to link a unique seven-digit code to their physical addresses. When shopping online, users can enter this code, and their address will automatically populate on the site. This system is available through Japan Post's Yu ID membership service, and importantly, the digital addresses remain unchanged even if the user's physical address does. Users can update their digital address by notifying Japan Post of any address changes.

E-commerce companies, including Rakuten, are considering using this system, and Japan Post plans to promote its adoption over the next decade.

The article discusses the evolution of programming languages, particularly focusing on C++, Java, Go, Scala, and the rise of Rust. It highlights a comparison of language popularity from a 2011 Stack Overflow survey and a more recent 2024 survey, showing Rust’s significant growth in admiration among developers, surpassing older languages like C++ and Scala.

The author details an implementation of a loop recognition algorithm in Rust, contrasting it with previous implementations in C++. Key points include:

1. Rust's Features:

   • Rust emphasizes performance, type safety, and concurrency without a garbage collector, using a "borrow checker" for memory safety.
   • It supports static compilation and powerful type inference.

2. Implementation Approaches:

   • The algorithm can be implemented in both Safe and Unsafe Rust. Safe Rust avoids pointer dereferencing issues by adhering to strict rules, while Unsafe Rust allows more flexibility at the risk of potential errors.
   • The use of names as identifiers instead of pointers simplifies certain aspects of implementation.

3. Performance Analysis:

   • Benchmarks show that the Rust implementation is slower in Debug mode compared to C++, but performs better in Release mode in terms of both execution time and memory footprint.
   • Unsafe Rust implementations closely resemble the performance of C++ implementations.

4. Code and Memory Management:

   • Managing data structures in Rust often requires rethinking their layout, which can lead to performance changes.
   • The article criticizes the original C++ implementation for not adhering strictly to best practices, which affected performance metrics.

Overall, the article presents Rust as a strong contender in modern programming, particularly emphasizing its advantages in safety and concurrency, while also providing a practical comparison of implementation and performance against C++.

Around 2500 BC, people in the Indus Valley civilization may have played a game similar to chess. Archaeologists found clay figurines in Lothal that could be the earliest chess pieces.