The text discusses the joy and benefits of writing toy programs—simple software projects that are not meant for production but are great for learning and creativity. The author, inspired by Richard Feynman's quote, emphasizes that building your own tools helps you understand them better than just reading about them.

Key points include:

1. Importance of Toy Programs: They help rekindle the joy in software development, which is being diminished by AI and commercialization.

2. Simplicity is Key: Toy programs should focus on achieving 80% functionality with only 20% of the effort. Avoid over-complicating the code.

3. Learning Opportunities: Working on toy projects often leads to valuable insights that can benefit professional work. They help developers understand software constraints and can inspire innovative solutions.

4. Suggested Projects: The author provides a list of toy projects to try, ranging from a regex engine to a chess engine, alongside their estimated difficulty and time requirements.

5. Value of Exploration: The text encourages exploring without relying too much on tools like AI, as the learning process involves overcoming challenges and embracing the unknown.

In summary, writing toy software can enhance your understanding of programming, reignite your passion for coding, and is a fun way to learn valuable skills.

Doug Brown recently discovered a hidden easter egg in the Power Mac G3's ROM, which is over 27 years old. While exploring the ROM using Hex Fiend and a template, he found a JPEG image of people who worked on the Mac models, but the method to display it was unknown. He found a clue in the resource labeled "secret ROM image" and suspected it could be used to unlock the hidden image.

After researching and analyzing the code, Brown determined that the easter egg could be activated by formatting a RAM disk with the exact phrase "secret ROM image." With help from a collaborator, he successfully triggered the image to display as a file named "The Team." This easter egg had remained undiscovered until now, likely one of the last before Steve Jobs banned them in 1997. Brown invites anyone who worked on the Mac team to share their memories of this secret.

No summary available.

Compatibility FirstWorks is designed to work on popular shells across various operating systems. You can use it anywhere!

No summary available.

Summary:

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is gaining popularity for building agents and workflows using large language models (LLMs). It simplifies previous integration attempts, which often required complex setups and faced reliability issues. Here are the key points about why MCP is successful:

1. Improved Models: Recent LLMs are more reliable, which reduces errors and the need for extensive error handling in workflows.

2. Unified Protocol: MCP provides a vendor-neutral way to define tools, allowing them to be used across different platforms without needing separate configurations.

3. User-Friendly Tooling: MCP offers straightforward tools and SDKs, making it easy for developers to create and share tools quickly.

4. Growing Adoption: Major companies like OpenAI and Google are adopting MCP, leading to a robust ecosystem of tools and resources, which encourages further community engagement.

Overall, MCP is seen as a sustainable solution in the tech landscape due to its effectiveness and the momentum it has gained.

Summary:

Nordic Semiconductor has acquired Memfault, a leading cloud platform for managing connected products. This acquisition allows Nordic to create a complete chip-to-cloud platform, combining hardware, software, and cloud services, which simplifies the development and management of IoT devices.

Key points:

• Nordic Semiconductor is now a comprehensive solution provider, moving beyond just hardware.
• The new platform will enable continuous software updates for improved security and performance of connected products.
• The integration of Memfault's services into Nordic's offerings will enhance reliability and management of IoT devices.
• Nordic aims to help customers innovate while ensuring their products remain reliable and up-to-date.
• The acquisition supports Nordic's commitment to customer trust and experience, promising ongoing support for existing Memfault customers.

Overall, this move strengthens Nordic's position in the semiconductor market and enhances its capabilities in edge AI and security.

The Oasis Terrarium project is an open-source plant enclosure designed to help grow plants. Key features include:

• Strong LED lights
• Built-in water tank and mister
• Airflow fans
• Sensors for temperature and humidity
• Wi-Fi connectivity for remote control and monitoring

The project was initially started during COVID using a Raspberry Pi and basic parts. After refining the design over several months, including two circuit board versions and many 3D-printed prototypes, the final version has been completed.

For more information, you can access:

• A demo video
• A detailed build guide with photos
• An interactive 3D model
• Information on the electronics design
• 3D-printable models

Visit the project website for all these resources: Oasis Terrarium.

No summary available.

Summary of Gemini Robotics On-Device Announcement

Gemini Robotics On-Device is a new AI model designed for use in robotic devices, launched on June 24, 2025. This model provides advanced capabilities for robots, enabling them to perform complex tasks quickly and efficiently without needing a network connection.

Key features include:

• General-Purpose Dexterity: The model can handle a wide range of tasks, such as unzipping bags and folding clothes, by following natural language instructions.
• On-Device Operation: It runs directly on the robot, which reduces latency and enhances performance in environments with poor connectivity.
• Adaptability: Developers can fine-tune the model for specific tasks with just 50 to 100 demonstrations, making it versatile for various applications.
• Cross-Robot Compatibility: The model was initially trained on ALOHA robots but can be adapted to other robots, like the Franka FR3 and the Apollo humanoid robot.

The company is also providing a Software Development Kit (SDK) to help developers test and customize the model for their needs.

In terms of safety, the development of Gemini Robotics On-Device aligns with responsible AI practices, ensuring that the models are safe and beneficial to society.

Overall, this initiative aims to enhance the capabilities of robotic systems and foster innovation in the robotics community.

Summary of "The Bitter Lesson is Coming for Tokenization"

The article discusses the potential shift in machine learning from traditional tokenization methods to more efficient alternatives, particularly in the context of language models (LLMs).

1. Tokenization's Role and Issues: Tokenization, particularly methods like Byte-Pair Encoding (BPE), compresses vocabulary for text models but can lead to various problems, such as poorly modeled tokens and inefficiencies that hinder model performance.

2. The Bitter Lesson: The piece references "The Bitter Lesson," which suggests that general-purpose methods that utilize large amounts of compute and data often outperform expert-crafted techniques. This principle encourages the exploration of token-free models.

3. Emerging Alternatives: The article highlights a promising new model called the Byte Latent Transformer (BLT). This model aims to eliminate tokenization while maintaining or improving performance through a mechanism that dynamically decides how to process byte sequences.

4. Performance and Efficiency: Initial results indicate that BLT can outperform traditional tokenization methods on several tasks, showcasing better scalability and efficiency. This could lead to reduced computational costs and improved performance in various applications.

5. Future Directions: The article speculates on the future of tokenization-free models and their potential to reshape how language models are developed and utilized. It suggests that ongoing research may lead to further advancements in this area, especially in multi-modal contexts.

Overall, the article argues for the importance of rethinking tokenization in machine learning and exploring methods that leverage raw data more effectively.

Autumn is an open-source tool that simplifies payment and pricing management by working on top of Stripe. It allows developers to handle various pricing models, feature permissions, and billing processes with ease. Instead of writing complex code for checkouts, upgrades, and failed payments, Autumn offers a single function call for all payment flows and a simple way to track usage.

Key benefits of using Autumn include:

1. Simplified Billing: It reduces the complexity of managing billing infrastructure, such as handling webhooks and permission management.
2. Flexible Pricing Changes: Companies can easily update their pricing in the Autumn UI without needing to rewrite their app's billing logic.

Autumn is particularly useful for fast-moving founders and less technical developers. Users can explore the project for free on their website, and the code is available on GitHub. Feedback is welcome to improve the tool further.

Summary of Citronics Circular Microcomputers

Citronics has introduced the world's first circular microcomputers made from repurposed smartphone parts. These compact computers are versatile, featuring 4G LTE, WiFi, Ethernet, and a powerful multi-core CPU, making them suitable for various applications. They can scale from one to 10,000 devices.

Key Features:

• Sustainable Production: The company transforms retired smartphones into embedded computers on a large scale.
• Open Source: The microcomputers run on a Linux-based operating system and are adaptable for different product development needs.
• Development Kit: Available for prototyping and educational purposes, helping users evaluate their projects.
• Custom Solutions: Tailored microcomputers are offered to optimize size, performance, and cost for mass production.

Support Services:

• Cloud Services: Secure management and monitoring of devices.
• Engineering Support: Expert training to help teams optimize their products.

Applications: Citronics' microcomputers are used in various fields, such as energy management, education, and industrial automation, demonstrating their versatility.

Sustainability: The company positions itself as a leader in sustainable technology, claiming to reduce carbon emissions significantly with each deployed device.

Call to Action: Interested customers can book a call with experts or pre-order the circular microcomputers.

Summary:

This article discusses how to switch from using pip to uv in Dockerized Flask and Django applications, resulting in significant speed improvements.

Key Points:

1. Dependency Management:

   • Replace the requirements.txt file with a pyproject.toml file, which allows uv to automatically create a lock file with proper dependency trees.

2. Dockerfile Adjustments:

   • Set environment variables before installing dependencies.
   • Ensure that uv and its binaries are correctly installed and on the system path.
   • Use commands to install dependencies from the pyproject.toml file.

3. Dependency Installation:

   • Use shell scripts for managing dependencies, including checking and syncing the lock file.
   • Commands like uv add, uv remove, and uv outdated can be used to manage dependencies easily.

4. Demo Video:

   • A video tutorial is available, showcasing the transition steps and command usage.

This shift to uv not only simplifies dependency management but also enhances the performance of the applications.

The text discusses solving a variant of the N-Queens problem using Haskell. The challenge is to place N queens on an N-sized colored board such that each row, column, and color region contains exactly one queen, while ensuring no two queens are diagonally adjacent.

Key points include:

1. Problem Definition: The N-Queens problem requires placing queens on a board without violating specific rules.

2. Haskell Implementation: The author uses the Data.Array library to represent the board and implements a backtracking algorithm to find solutions.

3. Backtracking Approach: The algorithm involves placing queens in valid positions and checking if the current setup can lead to a full solution. If not, it backtracks to try different placements.

4. Soundness and Completeness: Definitions of partial placements and checks for soundness (no rule violations) and completeness (correct number of queens) are introduced.

5. Optimizations: The text describes several attempts to improve the algorithm's efficiency, including:

   • Marking cells as eliminated to speed up candidate generation.
   • Detecting dead ends early to avoid unnecessary checks.
   • Tracking candidates more effectively by maintaining lists of available options.
   • Using strategies to prioritize placements that must be correct.

6. Performance Benchmarks: Various versions of the algorithm are benchmarked against an SMT solver, showing improvements in speed and efficiency across different attempts.

7. Conclusion: The author notes the complexity of constraint satisfaction problems like this one and the importance of balancing heuristic calculations with execution speed. The final solution is concise, efficient, and leverages Haskell's functional programming features.

Overall, the text presents a detailed exploration of algorithm design and optimization in solving a classic computational problem using Haskell.

The NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory has released its first images, showcasing a rich view of the Universe filled with stars and galaxies. This particular image focuses on the Virgo Cluster, located about 55 million light-years from Earth, displaying a variety of celestial objects. The data collected over ten years will help scientists answer key questions about the formation of the Milky Way, the nature of dark matter and dark energy, and track changes in the night sky.

The image is made from over 1,100 exposures taken in just seven nights, highlighting the observatory's unique ability to capture wide and detailed views of space quickly. It features about 10 million galaxies, which is only a small fraction of the approximately 20 billion galaxies that will be observed during the decade-long survey.

Additionally, Rubin's advanced technology allows for tracking moving objects in our Solar System, such as asteroids, enhancing our understanding of these celestial bodies. The observatory will also automatically monitor the sky for transient events like supernovae, contributing to ongoing astronomical research.

Overall, the Rubin Observatory's data will transform our knowledge of the cosmos, providing unprecedented access to a wealth of information about the Universe.

In May 2025, Cloudflare successfully blocked a record-breaking DDoS attack that reached 7.3 terabits per second (Tbps), surpassing their previous record of 6.5 Tbps. The attack targeted a Cloudflare customer and involved overwhelming their network with massive amounts of data—equivalent to 9,350 HD movies in just 45 seconds.

The attack was a multivector assault, primarily using UDP floods, with a small portion coming from various reflection attacks. It originated from over 122,000 source IP addresses across 161 countries, with significant traffic from Brazil and Vietnam.

Cloudflare's advanced systems autonomously detected and mitigated the attack across 477 data centers worldwide, preventing any disruption to legitimate traffic. This incident highlights Cloudflare's capabilities in providing robust DDoS protection and maintaining a secure and efficient Internet infrastructure.

Summary

The text discusses the transition from traditional passwords to "passkeys," which are FIDO2 credentials that enhance security against phishing and credential theft. However, these passkeys also introduce new vulnerabilities due to their complex technical protocols.

Key points include:

• Passkeys are stored on devices like phones or security keys and aim to improve security.
• The implementation of passkeys involves intricate technical protocols that can be exploited if not properly managed.
• The author describes a project that involves reverse-engineering a hardware security key and building a software authenticator that can mimic FIDO2 devices.
• The process includes capturing and analyzing communication between the browser and the authenticator, verifying signatures, and creating a software-only authenticator that can automate logins.
• The project reveals weaknesses in current security measures, especially in how major websites handle authentication and signature verification.

Quick Steps in the Project:

1. Capture and analyze CTAP2 traffic.
2. Decode and verify registration and authentication requests.
3. Build a software authenticator that can replay signatures.
4. Test the software against various platforms like Google and GitHub to see how they respond to the simulated authenticator.

Findings and Recommendations:

• Many sites do not adequately validate the integrity of credentials used during authentication, making them susceptible to replay attacks.
• Recommendations for improving security include enforcing strict checks on signature counters and enhancing permissions for accessing sensitive authentication APIs.

Conclusion:

While passkeys offer a promising future for secure authentication, there are vulnerabilities in their implementation and surrounding user experience that need addressing. Security researchers are encouraged to explore these protocols further to identify and mitigate risks.

The article discusses three significant hardware issues that have affected Macs over the years:

1. Capacitor Plague (1999-2007): This issue arose from poor-quality capacitors used in many computers, leading to failures, overheating, and even fires. Counterfeit capacitors were a major problem, causing financial losses for manufacturers. Apple products were less affected, and issues have mostly been resolved since 2007.

2. Lead-Free Solder Problems (2006-2017): After the EU banned lead in electronics, many manufacturers switched to lead-free solder, which has led to higher failure rates in graphics cards, especially in laptops. Macs, along with other brands, experienced significant issues with graphics card failures during this time.

3. Butterfly Keyboards (2015-2019): Apple introduced a new keyboard design that was thinner and more stable, but many users reported failures like keys getting stuck or repeating. After several design tweaks and customer complaints, Apple reverted to a more reliable keyboard design in 2019.

Despite these challenges, Apple has a good track record for customer service, often repairing or replacing faulty products even after warranties have expired.

Summary of Haiku SQLite RAG

Haiku SQLite RAG is a library designed for Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) using SQLite. Here are the main features:

• Local Use: It operates locally without needing extra servers.
• Embedding Support: Compatible with various embedding providers like Ollama, VoyageAI, and OpenAI, or you can add your own.
• Hybrid Search: Combines vector search with full-text search for better results.
• File Monitoring: Automatically indexes files when running as a server.
• Supports Many Formats: Can handle over 40 file formats, including PDFs, DOCX, HTML, and more.
• MCP Server: Offers functionality through MCP tools.
• Command Line Interface (CLI): Allows access to all features via terminal commands.
• Python Client: Can be integrated into Python applications.

Installation: Use uv pip install haiku.rag. For specific embedding providers, add options like --extra voyageai or --extra openai.

Configuration: Set monitoring directories and embedding provider details through environment variables.

CLI Commands: Includes commands to list, add, get, delete, and search documents. You can also start file monitoring and the MCP server.

File Monitoring: Automatically updates the document store when files are added, modified, or deleted.

MCP Server Tools: Allows adding documents from files, URLs, and searching with various functions.

Using with Python: The library provides an async context manager for managing documents, including creating, retrieving, updating, and searching documents.

This library is efficient for handling and searching large sets of documents locally with customizable embedding and monitoring options.

FICO will start including buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) loans in credit scores, which is significant since over 90 million Americans are expected to use BNPL this year. Critics have pointed out that current credit scores do not fully reflect a person's ability to repay loans. FICO is introducing two new credit scores, FICO Score 10 BNPL and FICO Score 10 T BNPL, aimed at giving lenders a better understanding of consumers' repayment habits.

A study by FICO and BNPL provider Affirm suggests that most users with multiple BNPL loans could see improvements in their credit scores. However, some critics warn that BNPL could lead to "phantom debt," potentially harming credit scores, as a report indicated that nearly a quarter of BNPL users paid late in 2024. Affirm plans to report its short-term purchases to credit agency Experian, but these will not immediately affect traditional credit scores.

Penny Lee, CEO of the Financial Technology Association, expressed support for FICO's move to update its scoring models, believing it will reflect responsible BNPL use positively.

The Svalboard Lightly is a unique ergonomic keyboard designed to reduce pain and improve comfort while typing. Here are the key points:

• Ergonomic Design: The keyboard features a special key mechanism with magneto-optical keys that require minimal finger movement, significantly reducing hand fatigue.

• Custom Fit: It offers adjustable components to accommodate different hand sizes and shapes, ensuring a comfortable typing experience for everyone.

• Multiple Pointing Options: Users can choose between trackball, trackpoint, or touchpad controls for enhanced usability.

• Customizable Layouts: It supports various keyboard layouts, including QWERTY, Dvorak, and Colemak. Users can easily remap keys and create custom functions without needing to flash the firmware.

• Self-Print Kit: For DIY enthusiasts, there's an option to print and assemble your own keyboard with community support.

• Durable and Repairable: The Svalboard is designed to be modular, making it easy to clean and repair. Many parts can be produced with a 3D printer.

• Community Support: Users can join a Discord community to share experiences and tips.

Overall, the Svalboard Lightly aims to provide a pain-free typing experience and is suitable for anyone looking to improve their typing comfort and efficiency.

Emojis can enhance the output of terminal scripts, making them more visually appealing, as long as they're not overused. The VT100 terminal, created in 1978, can display larger text using a feature called DECDHL, which allows for double-height lines. You can test if your terminal supports this feature with a specific command.

By combining DECDHL with full Unicode support, you can create new emoji combinations that don't normally exist. Not all terminals support emojis or DECDHL, but experimenting with these features can make scripts more fun. There are also modern alternatives for text size adjustments in newer terminal software like Kitty.

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Mozilla has updated its Add-on policies for addons.mozilla.org (AMO) to make them simpler and clearer for developers. These changes will take effect on August 4, 2025. Here are the key updates:

1. Closed Group Extensions: Developers can now publish extensions intended for a limited group of users, which was previously prohibited.

2. Data Consent and Control: The language around user data policies has been clarified. The focus is now solely on data transmission, meaning that only data necessary for the extension's functionality is allowed to be sent, with user consent.

3. Privacy Policy Hosting: Extensions no longer need to host their privacy policies on AMO. Developers can link to their own hosted privacy policies, making it easier for them to update these documents.

4. User Scripts API: A new policy specifies that the userScripts API can only be used by user script manager extensions, and not to change the script manager’s own functionality.

5. Source Code Submission: Developers must provide source code for their extensions, including all dependencies either directly in the package or via official package managers.

Overall, these changes aim to simplify the development process for Firefox extensions. Feedback from developers is encouraged.

Summary:

The U.S. has a lower life expectancy than many wealthy nations, primarily due to chronic diseases, but also due to issues like car accidents, drug overdoses, and gun violence. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the current U.S. health official, has made significant changes in public health policy, including workforce cuts and reshaping a vaccine advisory panel, claiming his goal is to "Make America Healthy Again."

Despite spending the most on healthcare, the U.S. has the highest rates of preventable deaths and chronic diseases such as heart disease and obesity. Researchers note that Kennedy's focus on chronic diseases overlooks other major causes of death, like substance misuse and gun violence. Additionally, the U.S. struggles with high obesity rates, largely due to unhealthy diets and a lack of universal health insurance, which hampers early diagnosis and treatment.

The article also highlights that younger Americans face rising death rates, particularly from COVID-19, and emphasizes the need for better healthcare engagement to address chronic conditions. Factors contributing to low life expectancy include high rates of substance misuse and firearm deaths, with significant regional variations in health across the country.

Last month, while walking in New York during light rain, I noticed about half the people were using umbrellas, and that number increased to 80% as the rain got heavier. This inspired me to create a website that tracks umbrella usage. I set up a livestream, used a YOLO model to detect people, and then sent images of those people to Gemini 2.0 Flash to get data on their clothing and whether they were holding umbrellas. I also designed the site to resemble a TV weather channel. A friend pointed out that an old xkcd comic about tasks is outdated because now we can easily check if a photo has birds or umbrellas using affordable vision models.

The article discusses recent developments in the field of mathematics, specifically concerning the concept of infinity. Mathematicians, including Juan Aguilera and his collaborators, have proposed two new types of infinity called exacting and ultraexacting cardinals. These new infinities challenge traditional understandings of infinity and suggest that there may be more chaos in the mathematical universe than previously thought.

Historically, the study of infinity was advanced by Georg Cantor, who showed that different sets of infinite numbers have varying sizes, leading to a hierarchy of infinities. However, the new cardinals do not fit neatly into this hierarchy and exhibit unexpected behaviors when combined with other cardinals, implying the existence of even larger infinities.

The mathematical community is divided on the implications of these findings. Some, like Aguilera, see them as evidence that the mathematical universe is more complex and less orderly than thought. Others, like Hugh Woodin, believe in the possibility of a well-structured universe and continue to work on a comprehensive model of infinity.

Despite the excitement surrounding the new discoveries, there is a cautionary note about the unpredictable nature of infinity. Some mathematicians argue that more evidence is needed to validate the new cardinals and their consistency with established mathematical frameworks. Overall, the ongoing exploration of infinity suggests that there is still much to uncover in the field of mathematics.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays). The first commercially successful FPGA, the Xilinx XC2064, was launched in 1985 with 64 configurable logic blocks (CLBs). Over the years, FPGA technology has advanced significantly, with modern devices like AMD's latest FPGA featuring 8.9 million system logic cells, a huge leap from the original.

FPGAs today include entire processing systems, Arm® cores, high-speed transceivers, and AI capabilities, making them far more powerful and versatile than their predecessors. The XC2064 initially sold for $55, but by the end of its production in 1999, it cost just $5.

The introduction of FPGAs changed how electronic designers created digital logic solutions, allowing for more complex designs to fit on a single chip. By 1989, over a million FPGAs had been sold, leading to Xilinx's IPO in 1990 and further innovations in FPGA technology.

Programming early FPGAs was quite different, involving manual design techniques like Boolean expressions. Over time, development tools evolved, allowing for more efficient design processes using hardware description languages (HDLs).

FPGAs are now used in various applications, including aerospace, automotive, and robotics, and continue to play a crucial role in technology.

Summary of the ASUSpicious Flaw

A security researcher discovered a serious vulnerability in ASUS's MyAsus software that has exposed millions of users' information since August 2022. The researcher found hard-coded, encrypted credentials in two DLL files (AsusSSO.dll and AsusAPI.dll) used by the software, which could be decrypted to reveal authorization tokens with high-level access permissions.

These credentials could be exploited through various API endpoints, allowing unauthorized access to sensitive user data, including support ticket details, personal information (like names, phone numbers, and addresses), and potentially RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) requests.

The researcher reported the issue to ASUS, detailing the vulnerability and its potential impact. ASUS eventually patched the vulnerability but does not offer any bug bounty program to incentivize researchers, which raises concerns about unreported exploits being sold on the black market.

The researcher also shared their experience of attempting to communicate with ASUS and expressed frustration over the lack of support for security researchers. The blog post detailing this discovery was published in June 2025.

The NO FAKES Act aims to address concerns about misinformation and defamation from generative AI, but it could negatively impact online speech and innovation. The bill introduces a broad new intellectual property right that federalizes an image-licensing system without adequately protecting legitimate speech like parodies.

The updated bill expands its scope to include tools for creating unauthorized images, placing responsibility on developers and service providers. This could lead to over-censorship, as nearly every internet gatekeeper would need to adopt filters to prevent certain content from being uploaded.

Additionally, the bill allows for easy access to user information through subpoenas without proper oversight, potentially threatening anonymous speech and chilling criticism.

Overall, the NO FAKES Act seems more focused on controlling the commercial use of digital images rather than genuinely protecting individuals from harm. It risks stifling innovation and complicating online communication, creating more problems than it solves.

Scientists have discovered a new dinosaur species called Khankhuuluu mongoliensis in a Mongolian museum. This dinosaur is believed to be the closest ancestor of all tyrannosaurs, including the famous T.rex. The discovery, published in the journal Nature, suggests a significant shift in the evolutionary history of these predatory dinosaurs.

Khankhuuluu was smaller and weighed about 750 kg, unlike the much larger T.rex, which could weigh up to eight times more. Researchers explain that this dinosaur shows early signs of features that later allowed tyrannosaurs to become powerful predators, such as strong jaws.

The two skeletons studied were originally found in the 1970s and were thought to belong to a different species. However, further examination revealed their unique characteristics. The study highlights how these dinosaurs adapted and evolved over millions of years, moving between North America and Asia and occupying different habitats.

Overall, this discovery offers new insights into how tyrannosaurs evolved from small, agile hunters into the formidable giants they later became.

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The author discusses their experience improving the performance of TRAMP, an Emacs package that allows users to work on remote machines as if they were local. Although TRAMP is powerful, it can be slow, often taking 50-100ms per operation compared to just 1ms for local processes.

Key improvements to enhance TRAMP's speed include:

1. Basic Settings: Adjust settings to reduce overhead, such as preventing extra file creation and using SCP for file transfers.
2. File Transfer Methods: The method for transferring files can significantly impact speed. Using out-of-band methods (like rsync) for larger files is recommended as they perform better than the default inline method for files over 2MB.
3. Direct Async Processes: Newer versions of TRAMP allow faster asynchronous processing, making operations smoother for packages like magit.
4. SSH Connection Sharing: Ensuring that SSH connection sharing is enabled can speed up remote compilations.
5. Debugging Performance Issues: Use Emacs' built-in profiler to identify slow operations and optimize settings accordingly.

For working with magit, a popular Git integration package, the author suggests using specific commands to avoid delays from loading the status buffer. They also recommend caching frequent calls to reduce TRAMP’s workload.

Overall, the author has made TRAMP more usable through various settings and optimizations, though they note that further improvements could be made to the package itself in the future.

Adit and Raunak, the co-founders of Reducto, have created a tool that transforms unstructured documents, like PDFs and spreadsheets, into structured data for easier use. They noticed that many AI applications need high-quality data, but much of the world's data is stuck in messy formats.

Initially, they launched an API for engineers, but realized customers needed more support for setting up and managing data processing. To address this, they introduced Reducto Studio, a web platform that enhances their API capabilities.

With Reducto Studio, users can:

• Upload multiple files and receive accuracy scores for data extraction.
• Automatically create and optimize extraction schemas for better quality.
• Save and compare different processing runs.

Users can try the platform without needing to book a demo or make a payment. The founders welcome feedback on user experience, features, and challenges related to unstructured data processing.

Fedora Linux developers are considering dropping support for 32-bit packages in the upcoming Fedora 44. This could negatively impact Steam gamers, as many games and applications rely on 32-bit support. The proposal is still under discussion and has not been approved yet. The developers plan to vote on this change soon.

The move is reminiscent of a past situation with Ubuntu, where Valve threatened to stop recommending the distribution if it dropped 32-bit support. Steam and other applications might face compatibility issues if the change goes through, although improvements in Wine may help run 32-bit games on 64-bit systems.

The developers acknowledge the potential impact on Steam and are aware that this change could disrupt various applications. They believe that transitioning away from 32-bit support is necessary as more software no longer supports it.

Overall, while the change is still a proposal, it raises concerns among users about the future of gaming on Fedora if 32-bit support is removed.

No summary available.

LibT9 Summary

LibT9 is a C library designed for creating T9 typing systems.

How to Use It:

1. As a Linux Driver: Check the driver/ directory.
2. As a CLI Utility:
   • Requirements: ncurses and cmake.
   • Steps:
     1. Create a build directory: mkdir build.
     2. Navigate to it: cd build.
     3. Run cmake .. and make -j$(nproc).
     4. Execute: cli/main.
3. As a Website: Visit foxmoss.github.io/libt9/.

Dependencies: The library only needs the C standard library. The CLI requires ncurses but is not necessary for compiling the library.

To Do: Contributions are welcome!

Additional Features:

• Punctuation support
• IBus Driver
• Non-word support

Credits:

• Background image by Matt Hardy
• Word dataset from Takala on HuggingFace
• Original driver code by Chengtao Wang.

Summary of "Touring the Zig•EM Code-Scape"

This blog series will delve into the Zig•EM programming framework, beginning with installation instructions and an overview of its core concepts.

Installation Process

To install or update Zig•EM, follow these three steps:

1. Install Zig: Ensure the Zig executable is added to your system path.
2. Clone the Repository: Use Git to clone the zigem-dev repository and pull the latest updates.
3. Build the Project: Run the command zig build to create the command-line executable and download necessary files. Use zig build verify to confirm the build.

Refer to detailed instructions for first-time installations.

Zig Build System

The initial build may take time, but subsequent builds will be much faster due to the Zig cache, which retains artifacts from previous builds. There is no command to clean the cache, but you can manually delete cache folders if needed.

Visual Studio Code Integration

Zig•EM provides a modified VS Code extension that enhances support for the framework. Install it from the zig-out/tools folder in your cloned repository.

Repository Structure

The zigem-dev repository follows a typical Zig project layout, starting with a build.zig file. Within the workspace/ folder, you'll find packages and buckets, with a special zigem.ini configuration file at the root of each workspace.

Namespacing and Hierarchy

Zig•EM uses a hierarchical namespace for packages and buckets to ensure uniqueness. Each unit is referenced through a canonical name, and the framework manages dependencies among packages.

Source Code Overview

Zig•EM units are written in .em.zig files and adhere to Zig's syntax. The blog will provide examples and explore key constructs in the framework.

Sample Programs

The blog will introduce example programs such as BlinkerP and FiberP, which demonstrate basic Zig•EM constructs. The FiberP example showcases how to manage lightweight threads using the FiberMgr module.

Compilation Process

Programs are compiled in two stages: a META stage for host execution and a TARG stage for target hardware. This dual-stage process optimizes executable images for resource-constrained devices.

Further Learning

Readers are encouraged to explore more sample programs, deep dive into the framework’s components, and understand the underlying Zig language better.

Happy coding!

Summary of "A Deep Dive into Solid Queue for Ruby on Rails"

Solid Queue is a background job processing system for Ruby on Rails that uses the database for storing jobs, eliminating the need for external tools like Redis. It offers features like job scheduling, recurring tasks, and concurrency control, making it a robust option for Rails developers.

1. Job Scheduling: Jobs can be scheduled to run at specific times, with data stored in the solid_queue_scheduled_executions table. A Dispatcher process automatically checks this table to execute jobs on time.

2. Recurring Tasks: Solid Queue allows for recurring jobs (similar to Cron jobs) through a configuration file. These tasks are handled by a Scheduler that determines when to enqueue jobs based on a defined schedule.

3. Concurrency Controls: Developers can limit how many instances of a job run concurrently using the limits_concurrency feature. This is managed with semaphores that ensure proper job execution without overlap.

4. Monitoring with AppSignal: Monitoring is essential for tracking job performance and errors. AppSignal integrates with Solid Queue to provide dashboards and alerts for job metrics.

Overall, Solid Queue enhances Rails applications by providing an efficient and straightforward way to handle background job processing without external dependencies, while also facilitating easy monitoring and management.

Summary: U.S. Chemical Safety Board Faces Elimination

The Trump administration has proposed eliminating the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) by October 2026 as part of the 2026 budget. This move has generated bipartisan concern in Congress and among industry groups due to the CSB's vital role in investigating chemical accidents and enhancing safety.

Background on the CSB:

• Established in 1990, the CSB investigates industrial chemical accidents to find their root causes and provide safety recommendations, although it has no regulatory authority.
• It employs experts to analyze incidents and has significantly influenced safety policies within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
• The CSB has a strong track record of issuing recommendations that lead to safety improvements across industries.

Reasons for Concern:

• Eliminating the CSB could weaken oversight of chemical safety, potentially increasing the risk of future accidents, especially in vulnerable communities near industrial sites.
• The CSB's investigations help prevent disasters and improve public health and environmental safety.

Opposition to the Proposal:

• Lawmakers from both parties and industry representatives have voiced their support for the CSB, highlighting its unique role in safety investigations.
• The CSB operates on a modest budget of about $13 million, which is seen as cost-effective compared to the consequences of industrial accidents.

Next Steps:

• The proposal requires congressional approval and is expected to face significant resistance due to the bipartisan support for the agency.
• The CSB continues its operations as discussions about the budget move forward, emphasizing its importance in protecting communities and workers.

Summary: QuEra Quantum Computing Advances

QuEra Computing is making significant strides in quantum computing, focusing on neutral atom technology to create more reliable and usable quantum systems. Yuval Boger, QuEra's chief commercial officer, highlighted that the perception has shifted from questioning if quantum computers can be built to anticipating when they will be available.

Recent developments from major companies like Microsoft, Google, and IBM suggest that functional quantum computers are closer to reality, with IBM aiming to launch a fault-tolerant system by 2029. Investments in quantum technology have surged, exceeding $1.25 billion in early 2023.

QuEra recently installed its Gemini quantum computer in Japan and the UK, marking its first systems deployed outside its labs. These systems use laser beams to hold neutral atoms in place, allowing for operation at room temperature and efficient space usage.

QuEra's approach is distinct from other quantum computing methods, as their technology can scale effectively and is designed for integration with traditional computing systems. The company aims to develop a range of quantum applications, particularly in fields like chemistry and materials science, within the next few years.

Overall, QuEra’s advancements indicate a promising future for practical quantum computing, driven by significant investment and technological progress.

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BotGhost, a platform that allows users to create Discord bots without coding, has received a formal breach notice from Discord. They have until July 14, 2025, to stop using bot tokens to operate, but no alternative method has been provided by Discord. This sudden ultimatum puts BotGhost at risk, threatening to erase over 7.5 years of development and millions of user-created bots.

The issue arose after a security breach alerted Discord to BotGhost's use of bot tokens, which has been part of their operation since 2018. BotGhost argues that they comply with Discord's Developer Terms of Service, which allows service providers to use tokens as long as they are used responsibly and with user consent. They maintain that their operations are similar to other platforms that also use bot tokens without facing consequences.

BotGhost has attempted to communicate and resolve the issue with Discord, but has received minimal support. They highlight a pattern of poor communication from Discord, including delayed responses and inconsistent enforcement of policies. Many other platforms use the same practices as BotGhost, yet only they and one other smaller platform have faced penalties.

If the situation is not resolved, BotGhost warns that all data, including user bots and configurations, could be permanently lost. They encourage users to appeal to Discord, share their experiences, and raise awareness about the situation to prevent the shutdown of BotGhost and protect the community that relies on it.

In short, BotGhost is fighting to continue its operations amid a significant threat from Discord, while highlighting broader issues with Discord's treatment of developers and platform policies.

The text describes a unique coffee shop in Kyoto, Japan, which is a small, intimate space reflecting the vibrant culture of tiny businesses in the city. The author highlights the charm of these specialized shops, often run by passionate individuals, where the atmosphere feels nostalgic and welcoming.

The coffee shop operates as a one-man business, serving pour-over coffee during the day and transforming into a bar at night. The experience is enhanced by vintage decor, including a turntable playing jazz music, creating a cozy and immersive environment.

The author notes that these small businesses foster a sense of connection between the owner and the customer, making visitors feel like guests in a home rather than just customers. This model encourages personal passions without the heavy burdens of traditional business hurdles, showcasing the beauty of local, small-scale entrepreneurship. The coffee itself is also praised for its quality.

Summary of SOC 2 Journey

We decided to get SOC 2 certified to simplify the security process and reduce the hassle of endless security questionnaires. Here are the key points of our journey:

• Certification Process: We used Vanta to connect our services and address compliance gaps, wrote various security policies, implemented a zero-trust access model, upgraded our technology stack, conducted penetration testing, and evaluated our vendors.
• Outcome: We successfully passed SOC 2 Type I certification and are currently working towards Type II. We may also pursue GDPR and ISO 27001 certifications in the future.

Why We Chose SOC 2: As our company grew, it became clear that a simple promise of security wasn't enough. SOC 2, which is a widely recognized compliance framework, helps confirm that we handle customer data securely according to five key criteria: security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy.

The Journey:

• We opted to use Vanta for easier compliance management instead of going it alone. Vanta helped us identify compliance gaps and implement necessary policies.
• Creating a large number of policies was challenging but essential. We tailored templates provided by Vanta to fit our remote work environment.
• We also adopted a zero-trust access model, limiting production access to only essential personnel and automating many compliance tasks.

Technical Improvements: We split our monolith application into microservices and upgraded our tech stack, including tools like Nx and Infisical for better development and secrets management. We also set up monitoring and conducted regular penetration tests for security assurance.

Vendor Management: We evaluated our vendors to ensure they maintain proper security practices, documenting their access to customer data and certifications.

The Audit: For the audit, we worked with Insight Assurance and learned the importance of involving them earlier in the process. We passed SOC 2 Type I, which shows our commitment to security.

Next Steps: We are now focusing on achieving SOC 2 Type II certification and considering other certifications based on customer demand. For more details, you can find our trust center with all related information.

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Optifye is an AI system that monitors factory workers' performance using cameras and computer vision to identify inefficiencies in real-time. The company, supported by Y Combinator, serves top manufacturers in various industries like garments, automotive, medical, and FMCG globally.

They are currently hiring founding team members as they grow rapidly. Key requirements include:

• Strong knowledge of GPU, CPU, and memory optimization
• Experience in scaling applications
• Experience with cloud-based containerized deployments
• Ability to learn quickly

Compensation includes equity and a competitive salary. The job is on-site in Gurgaon, India, and while it will be challenging, it offers significant long-term rewards. Good luck!

Summary of "How I Use My Terminal"

The author describes their unique terminal setup, which allows them to efficiently navigate and edit code on a remote server using the Windows Terminal and tmux. Key points include:

• Setup Process: The author opens a new terminal tab that connects to their home desktop via SSH and launches tmux with the zsh shell. They utilize features like zoxide for quick directory access and ripgrep for searching files.

• Key Features:

  • The ability to search for filenames in the terminal’s scrollback.
  • Opening files directly in the editor (nvim) without needing to copy and paste paths.
  • Using tmux for session persistence and enhanced functionality.

• Motivation: The author switched from VSCode to a terminal setup due to frustrations with lag, keybinding conflicts, and the desire for better control over their environment.

• Technical Details: The author shares specific commands and configurations that enable their workflow, including regex for searching filenames and scripts for opening files in the correct context.

• Advantages: This setup leads to less lag, more intuitive keybindings, and easier debugging. The author appreciates the power and flexibility of terminal scripting.

• Cautions: They acknowledge that their scripts are fragile and not user-friendly for others who might want to replicate the setup.

• Recommendations: For those seeking similar functionality without extensive scripting, the author suggests using tools like fish, zoxide, fzf, and others that can provide some of the features they enjoy.

Overall, the author expresses satisfaction with their terminal setup, highlighting the often-overlooked capabilities of terminals while encouraging others to explore and customize their own environments.

Summary of Minimal Boolean Formulas

In May 2011, a study revealed that you need at least 28 AND or OR operators to express any Boolean function of five variables. This was discovered by Alex Healy and the author, who worked on it in April 2010, noting that this fact was previously unknown.

Key Points:

• Boolean Functions: A Boolean function can be represented using AND, OR, and sometimes XOR operators. For two variables, a function can use up to 3 operators; for three, it can require up to 9; and for four, up to 15.
• Calculation Approach: The authors used a computer program to calculate the minimum number of operators needed, adapting the Floyd-Warshall algorithm for their purpose.
• Complexity Exploration: The authors explored how to identify classes of functions that share complexity to optimize their calculations, which helped reduce the number of iterations needed.
• Efficiency Improvements: By optimizing their algorithms, they significantly cut down the computation time for identifying Boolean functions, from potentially hundreds of days to about 28 days of CPU time.
• Final Results: They successfully computed the sizes of all 616,126 canonical Boolean functions with five inputs. However, calculating for six inputs is much more complex and unlikely to be done through brute force.

The post also discusses the impact of including XOR in the computations, which simplifies the processes and reduces the number of operators needed for certain functions. The author provides a web resource for minimal Boolean formulas and shares insights on generating all permutations of functions.

Conclusion: This research significantly advances the understanding of Boolean function complexity and introduces effective computational techniques to explore these functions systematically.

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GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke emphasizes the need for developers to maintain their coding skills as AI tools become more common in software development. He believes that developers should be able to modify AI-generated code to avoid productivity problems, as relying solely on AI can lead to inefficiencies.

Dohmke describes a workflow where AI generates code that developers can adjust quickly. He warns against "vibe coding," a term for excessive dependence on AI-generated code, which can lead to issues with code quality and security.

Key points include:

1. Hybrid Approach: The best strategy combines AI automation with human coding skills. Research shows that this approach improves productivity and highlights the need for human oversight since AI-generated code often contains errors.

2. Evolving Developer Roles: AI is changing the role of developers from traditional coders to facilitators of AI-driven processes. Developers will focus more on strategic problem-solving and oversight rather than writing every line of code.

3. Vibe Coding Concerns: While AI can help speed up development, it also poses risks related to code quality and security. Startups, in particular, may struggle to create sustainable systems if they overly rely on AI-generated code without proper verification.

Overall, the integration of AI in coding requires a careful balance of automation and skilled human input to ensure quality and effectiveness.

Jeff Bezos is set to marry in Venice, sparking backlash from local activists who are part of the "No Space for Bezos" movement. Heather Jane Johnson, an activist and former bookseller, feels betrayed by the rise of Amazon and has joined protests against the billionaire's wedding, which many see as a symbol of wealth disparity and corporate power.

The activists, based in a politically charged space called Laboratorio Occupato Morion, aim to challenge the notion that a wealthy individual can monopolize a city for a private event. They believe this reflects broader issues of over-tourism and the impact of billionaires on local communities. They have already made headlines by unfurling large banners protesting Bezos’s presence in Venice.

The movement includes diverse voices, from young activists to university collectives, all united against the perceived exploitation linked to Bezos and Amazon's business practices. They argue that Bezos's wealth represents a harmful model of consumerism and environmental degradation.

As Bezos prepares for his wedding, activists plan to demonstrate against the event, highlighting their discontent with the local government's willingness to accommodate the ultra-rich at the expense of residents. They express concerns about the social and economic consequences of such wealth concentration and the broader implications for society.

Summary of uv: A Fast Python Package and Project Manager

• What is uv?
  uv is a fast package and project manager for Python, developed in Rust, designed to replace multiple tools like pip, poetry, and virtualenv.

• Key Features:

  • Speed: 10-100 times faster than pip.
  • Comprehensive Management: Handles dependencies, environments, and includes a universal lockfile.
  • Script Support: Manages scripts with inline dependency metadata.
  • Python Version Management: Installs and switches between different Python versions easily.
  • Command-Line Tool Management: Installs and runs command-line tools from Python packages.
  • Efficient: Uses a global cache to save disk space and optimize dependency installations.

• Installation Options:

  • Standalone installers for macOS, Linux, and Windows.
  • Can also be installed via pip or pipx.

• Project Management:

  • Initializes projects and manages dependencies with commands like uv init and uv add.
  • Supports building and publishing projects.

• Script Management:

  • Allows creating scripts with dependencies and running them in isolated environments.

• Python Version Installation:

  • Easily install multiple Python versions and switch between them.

• Pip-Compatible Interface:

  • Provides a familiar command-line interface while enhancing performance.

• Documentation and Support:

  • Available online with detailed guides and a community for contributors.

• Licensing:

  • Licensed under Apache 2.0 or MIT, allowing for open contributions.

Overall, uv aims to simplify and accelerate Python project management and package installation while maintaining compatibility with existing workflows.

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The text discusses the challenges of working in organizations that prioritize profits over employee well-being. It explains that while we may want to make an impact at work, companies often view employees merely as resources. This creates a power imbalance where the organization does not genuinely care for its workers.

The article highlights that organizations are not cohesive entities but collections of individuals, which can lead to irrational decisions from leadership. Employees often feel frustrated by corporate practices like lack of promotions or arbitrary layoffs, which can create a toxic work environment.

To navigate this, the author suggests focusing on building strong relationships within your immediate team and finding job satisfaction in daily interactions and tasks, rather than getting bogged down by organizational dysfunction. It’s important to set personal boundaries and not overextend oneself for a company that won’t reciprocate.

Additionally, the text encourages proactive job searching, even while employed, to maintain options and confidence. Ultimately, it emphasizes the importance of prioritizing personal values and well-being over the whims of the organization. By shifting focus to individual contributions and relationships, workers can thrive despite the corporate landscape.

Summary of Cataphracts Design Diary #1

The author discusses the creation of a new wargame called "Cataphracts," inspired by military historian Bret Devereaux's insights on historical warfare. Unlike many existing games that focus on strategy or tactics, Cataphracts emphasizes operations, particularly the logistics of moving armies and communication between commanders.

The game is a play-by-post real-time wargame set in a fictional region around 1300. Players submit their actions in a Discord channel, and the author tracks these in real-time, creating a sense of realism where movements and messages take time to process. The rules are straightforward, with a focus on simple mechanics and a hex-based map.

There are five factions, each starting with one commander and a sizable army. As the game progresses, new commanders can be introduced, leading to unique relationships and dynamics within factions. The game highlights the challenges of information lag, where commanders often make decisions based on incomplete knowledge, leading to unexpected outcomes.

The interplay of logistics and communication also impacts diplomacy within and between factions, resulting in strong loyalty among commanders. The author notes that operational difficulties often derail plans, emphasizing that success relies more on coordination and awareness than on military strength alone.

Future entries will explore other aspects of the game, such as balancing rules and managing player dynamics.

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A Better Way to Write offers a distraction-free writing device called Studio, designed to inspire and enhance your writing experience.

Fedora Linux is planning to remove support for the i686 architecture (32-bit) in its upcoming Fedora 44 release. This means that packages built for 32-bit systems will no longer be included, and multi-lib support on 64-bit systems will be dropped. The Fedora Engineering and Steering Committee (FESCo) still needs to vote on this proposal.

The main reasons for this change are to reduce the workload for package maintainers and improve efficiency in building software. Most software is already designed for the 64-bit x86_64 architecture, with few exceptions like some games on Steam. Users needing 32-bit applications can still use Flatpak or similar solutions.

By eliminating i686 support, Fedora aims to streamline its repositories, making them smaller and faster for users. The proposal is currently open for discussion before the vote takes place.

Summary of "Transparent Ambition"

The author expresses frustration with the trend of translucent user interfaces, which started with Mac OS X's Aqua and continued with various versions of Windows and Apple's iOS. While these designs aim to look appealing and give more space for content, they often make user interfaces harder to read and navigate.

The new "Liquid Glass" design is visually impressive but sacrifices usability. Key elements of design are being overlooked in favor of aesthetics, leading to confusion and difficulty in using the interface. The author argues that this approach prioritizes style over function, making it less effective for users who need clear and accessible tools.

The shift towards translucency and visual effects detracts from the practical aspects of user interfaces, which should be predictable and easy to understand. While there may be advancements in technology that support this design philosophy, the author believes that usability should remain a priority. Overall, the focus on appearance, like "chrome" on cars, is seen as less efficient for real-world interactions.

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A developer's Meta account was unexpectedly restricted without warning, likely due to a change in location after moving from China to Kenya for school. This has impacted their work on a WhatsApp-based accounting tool for small businesses in Africa. They found others with similar issues, and while some managed to contact Meta support, it appears that direct support options are now unavailable.

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Nano-vLLM Summary

Nano-vLLM is a lightweight version of vLLM designed for fast offline inference. Here are the key points:

• Speed: It offers quick inference speeds similar to vLLM.
• Code: The codebase is clean and easy to read, consisting of about 1,200 lines of Python.
• Optimizations: It includes features like prefix caching, tensor parallelism, and CUDA graph for improved performance.

Installation: You can install it using the command:

pip install git+https://github.com/GeeeekExplorer/nano-vllm.git

Alternatively, you can manually download model weights with:

huggingface-cli download --resume-download Qwen/Qwen3-0.6B --local-dir ~/huggingface/Qwen3-0.6B/ --local-dir-use-symlinks False

Quick Start: For usage examples, refer to example.py. The API is similar to vLLM but has minor differences in the LLM.generate method.

Benchmarking: Performance tests were conducted on an RTX 4070 laptop using the Qwen3-0.6B model. The results showed that Nano-vLLM processed 133,966 output tokens in 93.41 seconds, achieving a throughput of 1434.13 tokens per second, which is faster than vLLM's throughput of 1361.84 tokens per second.

Overall, Nano-vLLM is an efficient tool for machine learning tasks with a focus on speed and simplicity.

The text discusses the concept of weak homotopy equivalences in topology, which is a way to understand when two shapes can be considered equivalent based on their structure rather than their exact form.

Key points include:

1. Homeomorphism vs. Homotopy Equivalence: A homeomorphism is a continuous function between two shapes that can be reversed, indicating they are identical in shape. However, to compare shapes based on their holes (like a torus and a circle), we use homotopy equivalence, which allows for more flexibility in how shapes can be transformed.

2. Homotopy: This is a continuous transformation of one shape into another, where the two shapes do not need to be exactly the same but can be smoothly deformed into each other. For example, a line and a point are not homeomorphic, but they are homotopy equivalent because they both have no holes.

3. Contractible Spaces: A space is contractible if it can be continuously shrunk to a point, like a solid ball. A circle, however, cannot be shrunk to a point because it has a hole.

4. Fundamental Group: This concept relates to loops in a space. The fundamental group captures the different ways loops can wind around holes in a space. For instance, the fundamental group of a circle corresponds to the integers, where each integer represents a different winding number around the circle.

5. Higher Homotopy Groups: These groups extend the idea of counting holes to higher dimensions, allowing us to explore more complex structures in topological spaces.

6. Weak Homotopy Equivalence: A weaker form of homotopy equivalence that still allows us to compare spaces based on their homotopy groups, even if they are not strictly homotopy equivalent.

The text concludes with the idea that weak equivalences, along with other concepts, form the basis for understanding the properties of spaces in a broader mathematical context.

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On June 23, 2025, the U.S. House's chief administrative officer announced that WhatsApp is banned on government devices used by congressional staff. This decision is due to concerns about the security of staffers' data. The House has previously restricted the use of other apps like DeepSeek and ChatGPT. The chief administrative officer explained that WhatsApp poses a high risk because it lacks transparency and data protection.

Staff members are prohibited from having WhatsApp on their devices, and those who do will be asked to remove it. In response, a spokesperson for WhatsApp's parent company, Meta, disagreed with the ban, stating that WhatsApp offers strong encryption for messages, which provides better security than many approved applications. The CAO suggested alternatives like Microsoft Teams, Wickr, Signal, iMessage, and FaceTime for communication. Staff were also warned about phishing scams.

Gabe and Alexander from Hatchet have launched Pickaxe, a Typescript library for creating scalable and fault-tolerant AI agents. Pickaxe allows agents to save their progress and pause or resume their tasks while waiting for external events, making them more reliable.

Key Features:

• Pickaxe is not a framework; it focuses solely on improving the observability and reliability of AI agents.
• It addresses three main challenges faced by long-running agents:
  1. They can be disrupted by infrastructure updates or timeouts.
  2. They maintain internal state that affects their execution.
  3. They need access to up-to-date data during execution.

Pickaxe simplifies durable execution by automatically saving an agent's state, allowing it to recover from failures. It uses a feature called waitFor, which ensures that external events are logged and processed, even if the agent is not actively listening.

For more information, you can check the full documentation at Pickaxe Documentation. Feedback is welcome, and they encourage users to try out Pickaxe.

Summary of Switch Project, Part 2 - Line Card

This text discusses the development of a 24-port line card for an open-source Ethernet switch project called LATENTRED.

Key Points:

1. Line Card Overview:

   • The line card has 24 RJ45 ports and uses two Microchip VSC8512 QSGMII PHYs to manage connections.
   • The design is mostly symmetric, with some differences due to the physical layout of components.

2. Components:

   • The board includes three RJ45 connectors, temperature sensors, power rail test points, and filtering components.
   • Power is managed by four DC-DC modules providing different voltage rails for various functions.

3. Power Supply Performance:

   • Initial tests show good voltage stability and low ripple across several voltage rails.
   • The 2.5V rail is the most power-hungry, while the 1.0V rails for digital and analog operations are performing well.

4. Signal Integrity:

   • The line card features six QSGMII links for communication with the host FPGA.
   • Transmit (TX) and receive (RX) signals were tested, showing good performance with open eye patterns, indicating reliability.

5. Thermal Management:

   • Temperatures were measured during testing, showing acceptable but high readings, especially near one of the PHYs.
   • Plans are in place to improve cooling with better heatsinks and airflow management in the final design.

6. Final Thoughts:

   • The line card is functioning effectively, with no major changes needed. A minor bug with LED indicators was identified but can be fixed in software.

The project is progressing well, and further developments will continue as the design is finalized.

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A new security flaw in Linux allows attackers to gain root access on major Linux distributions, including openSUSE and SUSE Linux Enterprise. There are two vulnerabilities identified:

1. CVE-2025-6018 affects the Pluggable Authentication Modules (PAM) framework, allowing local attackers to gain privileges of a specific user.
2. CVE-2025-6019 is in the libblockdev library, which lets users with "allow_active" privileges escalate to root access using the udisks daemon.

The udisks flaw is particularly concerning because it is present on nearly all Linux systems. Attackers can exploit these vulnerabilities together or separately, making it easy to take control of affected systems.

Security experts recommend that all system administrators apply patches immediately to protect against these vulnerabilities, as unpatched systems are at risk of being compromised. The Qualys Threat Research Unit, which discovered these flaws, has provided details and patches for mitigation.

Summary of Postgres Grammar Insights

The text discusses interesting aspects of PostgreSQL grammar based on the author's experience with a linter called Squawk. Here are the key points:

• Custom Operators: PostgreSQL supports many custom operators, like <-> for geometric types. These operators can be prefix or infix but not postfix.

• Lambda Expressions: PostgreSQL can parse lambda expressions from Trino, but the precedence is not always correct.

• Compound Selects: In compound selects (like select foo union select bar order by baz), the order by applies to the entire compound query.

• Percent Types: You can create functions that use column types from existing tables, such as create function f(a t.c%type).

• String Continuation: PostgreSQL merges string literals separated by new lines but will throw a syntax error if a comment is placed between them.

• Quoted Identifiers: Identifiers can be quoted in PostgreSQL, allowing special characters like double quotes. For example, select * from "foo "" bar" targets a specific table.

• Unicode Escapes: You can use Unicode escape codes with identifiers by prefixing with U&, and you can change the escape character as needed.

• Operator Functions: Instead of using operators directly, you can use operator functions, which also allow specifying the schema. For example, select 1 operator(+) 2.

In conclusion, the author notes that the use of custom operators in PostgreSQL is quite unique compared to other programming languages and can be challenging to implement.

In 1977, NASA launched the Voyager probes to explore the edge of the Solar System and the space between stars. These probes encountered a region called the heliopause, where the Sun’s solar wind meets the interstellar medium. This boundary is marked by extremely high temperatures of 30,000-50,000 kelvin (54,000-90,000 degrees Fahrenheit).

The heliosphere is a bubble created by the solar wind that extends far beyond the planets, and the heliopause is where the solar wind pressure balances with the interstellar wind. Voyager 1 crossed this boundary on August 25, 2012, followed by Voyager 2 in 2018. Scientists had uncertainties about the exact location of the heliopause, but the two probes provided valuable data that helped confirm predictions about its variability with the Sun's activity.

Despite the extreme temperatures encountered, both probes survived due to the sparsity of particles in that region. They continue to send back valuable information, revealing unexpected findings, such as the alignment of magnetic fields outside the heliopause, which was confirmed by both Voyager 1 and Voyager 2.

ROCKNIX Wiki Summary

ROCKNIX is a Linux operating system designed for handheld gaming devices, focusing on retro gaming emulation. Developed by a small community, its goal is to create a fun and functional OS.

Key Features:

• Local and remote network play for multiple devices.
• In-game touch support on compatible devices.
• Options to manage battery life or performance.
• Support for music and video playback.
• Bluetooth audio and controller compatibility.
• HDMI and USB audio/video output.
• Device synchronization with Syncthing and rclone.
• VPN support using Wireguard, Tailscale, and ZeroTier.
• Built-in tools for scraping and retro achievements.

Community and Licensing:

• The ROCKNIX community communicates via Discord.
• ROCKNIX uses various open-source components, each with its own license. The branding is under a Creative Commons license that allows sharing and adaptation for non-commercial purposes, provided proper credit is given.

Software Licensing:

• Original software by the ROCKNIX team is under the GNU GPL Version 2. Other bundled software follows its own licenses.

Contributors:

• ROCKNIX is a collaborative effort from many global developers, with acknowledgments to CoreELEC, LibreELEC, and the larger open-source community.

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Polystate: Composable Finite State Machines

Overview: Polystate is a library for creating finite state machines (FSMs) that emphasize composability and type safety in programming. It allows developers to build complex state machines by combining simpler states while ensuring correctness and safety.

Getting Started:

1. Installation: Add Polystate to your project with:

   zig fetch --save git+https://github.com/sdzx-1/polystate.git
   

2. Setup: Include Polystate as a dependency in your build.zig file.

Core Principles:

• State Tracking: Polystate records FSM states at the type level for better accuracy.
• Composability: You can build more complex state machines by composing simpler ones, enhancing code reuse and maintainability.
• Automatic Diagram Generation: Polystate can generate state diagrams based on declarations, making behavior easier to visualize.

Key Features:

• Global State Type (GST): Holds global data required by state handlers.
• Handler Functions: Each state has a message handler that processes incoming messages and transitions to new states.
• Composability Examples: States can be combined to create interactive scenarios (like user confirmations) through nested state definitions.

Practical Applications:

1. ATM Example: Demonstrates how to enforce security measures (like limiting PIN entry attempts) using composable states.
2. Selection Semantics: Reusable components for interactive selections in applications (like games) can be defined concisely, improving code efficiency and clarity.

Conclusion: Polystate represents a significant advancement in imperative programming by enhancing the way state machines are built and managed, promoting clean, safe, and composable code.

SUSE has released an updated open-source language model called Cavil-Qwen3-4B, designed to help developers automate legal compliance tasks more easily. This model is based on the Qwen3-4B and utilizes a technique called Low-Rank Adaptation (LoRA) to identify important legal text in code and documents.

The model is efficient, performing well while being compatible with consumer-grade GPUs, making it accessible for various projects. It uses a dataset of 150,000 samples to train on recognizing license headers and other legal information, showing high accuracy compared to other models.

SUSE has made this model available under the Apache 2.0 license, allowing for commercial use and sharing, and encourages developers to provide feedback and contribute to its improvement. The necessary datasets and tools are also available on Hugging Face for those interested in further research or development.

Hi, I'm Anton, the founder of Luna Rail. I believe night trains are a great, eco-friendly alternative to short flights, but they often lack privacy, comfort, and financial viability due to low passenger numbers.

I became very interested in solving this issue, comparing it to a game of Tetris. I spent a lot of time designing layouts to maximize the number of private cabins in a railcar, making them appealing for both daytime and nighttime use.

This led to a workshop in Berlin where we created full-scale mockups using wood, cardboard, and advanced 3D printing. Many people have tested our designs because comfort can't be judged by drawings alone.

You can visit our homepage to see our ideas and designs. It's been a fun journey, and we’re eager to share our work and hear your feedback!

The author is frustrated with Google's new product, Gemini, feeling that it disrupts their experience with Google's services. Despite usually being a satisfied user, they are annoyed by constant interruptions from Gemini's AI features and are considering leaving Google altogether. They have already tried disabling AI suggestions and removing app components to minimize disruptions, but still encounter AI-related pop-ups. The author is seeking a permanent solution to eliminate Gemini from their workflow and is open to using browser extensions to achieve this. They express a strong desire to only associate the term "Gemini" with music or astrology, not AI.

Claude Code now supports remote MCP servers, allowing users to connect various tools and data sources for a more personalized coding experience without managing local servers. This integration enables Claude Code to access information from third-party services like project management systems and debugging tools directly within the coding interface.

For instance, integrating with the Sentry MCP server allows users to view and debug issues directly from the terminal, while the Linear MCP server integration provides real-time project context, helping engineers manage tasks more efficiently without switching tabs.

Using remote MCP servers reduces maintenance since they require no manual setup or management—just add the server's URL. Updates and scaling are handled by the vendors, and secure connections are facilitated through native OAuth support.

Overall, remote MCP server support is available now in Claude Code, and users can check the documentation and MCP directory to get started.

The European Space Agency (ESA) has unveiled the first images from its new Biomass satellite, which aims to enhance our understanding of Earth's forests and their role in the carbon cycle. Launched less than two months ago, Biomass is still in its commissioning phase but is already delivering impressive images.

Biomass uses advanced radar technology to penetrate forest canopies and measure woody biomass, which helps assess carbon storage in forests. The satellite's initial images showcase various landscapes, including areas in Bolivia, Brazil, Indonesia, Gabon, and Chad, revealing not just forest structures but also topographical features and geological formations.

Key highlights include:

• Biomass can differentiate between types of vegetation and capture the structure of forests more effectively than optical satellites like Sentinel-2.
• It provides insights into extreme environments, such as tropical rainforests and deserts, and can even penetrate ice to gather information about glaciers.
• The mission promises to be a significant advancement in monitoring forest health and carbon levels, contributing to our understanding of climate change.

Overall, Biomass is set to become a vital tool for scientists studying forests and their impact on the planet.

Chris McCord, the creator of the Elixir Phoenix framework, has developed a new project called Phoenix.new. This is a fully online coding agent designed to work seamlessly with Elixir and Phoenix, making it easier to build collaborative, real-time applications.

Key features of Phoenix.new include:

1. Isolated Environment: It operates in a virtual machine within your browser, allowing the agent to install packages and run programs safely without affecting your local setup.

2. Real-Time Interaction: The agent can interact with web applications using a headless Chrome browser, allowing it to check changes and monitor logs in real-time.

3. Full-Stack Capabilities: Phoenix.new can build complete applications with features like WebSockets, presence functionality, and database integration.

4. Integration with GitHub: It comes with GitHub's CLI pre-installed, enabling easy access to repositories and team collaboration.

5. Versatile Usage: Users can ask the agent to build various applications, not just in Phoenix, but also in other frameworks and languages.

McCord sees this as a significant shift in development workflows, where agents can handle much of the repetitive work, allowing developers to focus on higher-level tasks. He believes this could change how we approach coding and iteration in the future.

Summary:

The text discusses the use of the Wave Function Collapse (WFC) algorithm in generating maps for a game called "Logic Islands," released on June 20, 2025. In this game, players create islands and walls based on specific rules. WFC is a procedural content generation technique that helps create complex game maps by analyzing connection patterns.

Key Points:

1. Game Overview: "Logic Islands" features six rule sets inspired by the Nurikabe logic puzzle, where players designate grid cells as islands or walls based on numbered clues.

2. WFC Algorithm: WFC generates new content by understanding how elements connect, making it suitable for creating complex maps with various constraints.

3. Rule Sets: The game includes six different rule sets, each with unique requirements regarding wall and island connections and restrictions on configurations, such as forbidding 2x2 blocks.

4. Challenges: Some rule sets (Modern, Minimal, Yin-Yang) had issues generating larger maps (bigger than 7x7) due to complex wall pattern requirements.

5. Solutions: Modifications in the WFC approach allowed for successful map generation by adjusting tile connection rules and focusing on generating islands instead of walls in certain cases.

6. Conclusion: The project demonstrated that WFC can effectively handle complex logical rules in puzzle games, allowing for the stable generation of larger maps (up to 12x12) across all rulesets. This experience highlighted the importance of rethinking problems and adjusting strategies for content creation.

No summary available.

The author discusses their struggle with the negative effects of the internet, particularly social media, while acknowledging its importance for their work as a software developer. They want to limit their access to social media without completely blocking it, leading them to a creative solution inspired by a post on Hacker News.

The plan involves using a smart plug and Home Assistant to create a button that allows access to social media for only 15 minutes at a time, followed by a one-hour cooldown period before it can be used again. They set up Adguard Home on their router to block unwanted content and integrated it with Home Assistant to manage the access.

The author details the technical steps involved in setting this up, including configuring the router and writing automation scripts in Home Assistant. They conclude that while it’s still possible to bypass these controls by turning off Wi-Fi, this system encourages them to use social media in moderation, likening it to a manageable dose of poison.

No summary available.

Summary: Designing RaptorCast for Messaging in Proof of Stake Blockchains

In Proof of Stake blockchains, a designated leader proposes a block of transactions to validators, and efficiently sharing this block is crucial but challenging. RaptorCast is a solution aimed at improving block propagation by focusing on three main areas:

1. Performance: Quickly sending the block to all validators.
2. Security: Ensuring recipients can verify the block's authenticity and integrity.
3. Robustness: Allowing honest validators to reconstruct the block even if some data is lost or corrupted.

Key Design Decisions:

• Data Transmission Protocol:

  • TCP (Transmission Control Protocol): Reliable but slower due to its connection requirements.
  • UDP (User Datagram Protocol): Faster but less reliable. RaptorCast opts for UDP, planning to handle potential packet loss through other methods.

• Encoding System:

  • To manage packet loss with UDP, RaptorCast uses a robust forward error correction (FEC) scheme. It sends extra encoded packets to ensure the original data can still be reconstructed even if some packets are lost. The chosen encoding method is R10, which balances performance and scalability.

• Broadcast Strategy:

  • RaptorCast uses a structured broadcast approach, where each validator is assigned specific data to forward to a defined group, making it more efficient than random broadcasting methods.

Security Measures:

Each data chunk sent is verified independently through a system of Merkle proofs, which help ensure that the data has not been tampered with. Instead of signing each chunk individually (which would be computationally expensive), RaptorCast employs a Merkle tree to reduce the number of signatures needed, streamlining the verification process.

In summary, RaptorCast is designed to enhance the efficiency and security of block propagation in Proof of Stake blockchains by utilizing UDP for speed, a robust encoding system for reliability, and targeted broadcast strategies for effective data distribution.

Summary:

Python can now call Mojo code, making it easier to use a fast, compiled language alongside Python. The setup for using Mojo has become simpler, and you can create a Mojo module that defines functions to be called from Python.

In a test, the Mojo implementation of a factorial function showed impressive speed compared to Python's native implementation, though there were some overflow issues when calculating larger numbers. Another test with a prime counting function demonstrated that Mojo can outperform Python and even a NumPy implementation in terms of speed.

Overall, while Mojo is still in early development and may not be fully ready for production use, it shows great potential for providing performance benefits and is easier to learn than Rust. The author is optimistic about its future.

No summary available.