Summary:

Anycrap is a unique online marketplace where you can bring your imaginative product ideas to life. You can search for creative and fictional products that don’t exist yet, and the site promises to deliver custom concepts instantly to your device. The platform encourages users to think outside the box and offers a way to shop based on imagination. You can also subscribe to a newsletter for updates on fictional products. For more information, you can contact them at [email protected].

Summary of 486Tang v0.1 Release

The 486Tang project, released on GitHub by nand2mario, is a version of the ao486 PC core adapted for the Sipeed Tang Console 138K FPGA. It marks the first time ao486 has been ported to a non-Altera FPGA. Key features and improvements include:

1. Memory Changes:

   • The project uses SDRAM for main memory instead of DDR3, which is used in the MiSTer core. SDRAM is more appropriate for the 80486 era, and DDR3 is dedicated to the framebuffer.

2. Storage Handling:

   • The IDE storage system has been modified to allow the FPGA to access an SD card directly, as the Tang board lacks a high-speed interface.

3. Boot Process:

   • Essential components like BIOS and other settings are stored on the SD card, and a small boot loader prepares the system for use.

4. Debugging and Testing:

   • The developer used Verilator for simulation to debug the complex 486 architecture, which is significantly more challenging than earlier systems. This allowed for faster testing and identification of issues.

5. Performance Optimization:

   • Initial performance benchmarks were around a 25 MHz 80386 speed. Various optimizations were made to improve speed, including reducing delays in the reset system and optimizing instruction fetching and TLB operations. These changes resulted in a 35% performance increase in benchmark tests.

6. Reflections:

   • The author reflects on the challenges of working with x86 architecture compared to simpler systems like ARM. They note that increasing clock speed is crucial for performance improvement.

Overall, 486Tang v0.1 aims to provide a functional 486 PC experience on a compact FPGA board while overcoming various technical challenges.

Mago is a fast and efficient tool for PHP development, designed to improve code quality. It is built in Rust, offering features like linting, static analysis, automated fixes, and code formatting. Mago also provides semantic checks and visualizes code structure through Abstract Syntax Tree (AST) parsing.

Key Points:

• Installation: You can install Mago on macOS and Linux using a shell script. Other methods are available in the Installation Guide.
• Getting Started: For project configuration, refer to the Getting Started Guide.
• Features:
  • Fast performance
  • Customizable linting for code issues
  • Deep static analysis for errors
  • Automated fixes for linting problems
  • Code formatting to improve style
  • Semantic checks for correctness
  • AST visualization for code structure

Mago is community-driven and encourages contributions. It draws inspiration from established tools like Clippy and PHP-CS-Fixer, aiming to provide a unified and faster alternative for PHP developers. Mago is available under the MIT and Apache 2.0 licenses.

Summary of "My First Impressions of Gleam"

The author is exploring the programming language Gleam, which is inspired by Elixir and features static typing. They plan to build a project to parse old AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) logs, which vary in format and are often difficult to read. The author shares their experiences and challenges encountered while using Gleam for this task.

Key Points:

• The author has 20 years of programming experience but is new to functional programming.
• They struggled initially with parsing command-line arguments, finding a simpler third-party library.
• Gleam does not provide clear documentation on the output of the gleam build command, which confused the author.
• The author is gradually implementing a parser for AIM logs, encountering challenges like handling lists without traditional loops or conditional statements.
• They appreciate Gleam's pipeline syntax and example-heavy documentation but find its error handling and limited standard library frustrating.
• The author reflects on the learning process and enjoys the challenge of adapting to Gleam's functional programming style.

Overall, the author finds Gleam intriguing and is learning valuable new programming concepts, despite some limitations in the language and its ecosystem.

CLAVIER-36 is a programming tool for creating generative music, organized in a two-dimensional grid that evolves based on specific rules, similar to a cellular automaton. It creates sequences of events over time and includes a basic sampler for sound playback. For more complex music, it is better used with external instruments like synthesizers.

The project was inspired by Orca and started as a personal version of it. It is written in C and can run in web browsers using WASM.

For more information, you can visit:

• About page: Clavier-36 About
• User manual: Clavier-36 Manual
• Tutorial video: YouTube Tutorial

Japan has reached a record high of nearly 100,000 people aged 100 or older, with the total at 99,763 as of September. This marks the 55th consecutive year of growth in centenarians, with women making up 88% of this group. Japan has the longest life expectancy in the world, attributed to healthier diets, lower rates of common diseases, and a culture of exercise. The oldest living person in Japan is 114-year-old Shigeko Kagawa, while the oldest man is 111-year-old Kiyotaka Mizuno.

The increase in centenarians is notable since Japan's population had the lowest number of people over 100 in the G7 countries in the 1960s. Factors contributing to longer life include lower rates of heart disease and certain cancers, a low obesity rate, and active lifestyles. Public health campaigns have encouraged reduced salt intake, and community exercises like Radio Taiso have fostered physical activity among the elderly.

However, some studies question the accuracy of centenarian statistics worldwide, citing issues like unreliable records and families possibly hiding deaths to collect pensions. A 2010 audit in Japan found over 230,000 unaccounted centenarians, highlighting concerns about record-keeping.

A telephoto lens may be heavy and bulky, but its ability to enhance photographs makes it an essential tool for photographers, even while traveling.

Key points include:

1. Avoiding Distractions: A telephoto lens helps focus on your main subject by reducing background distractions, allowing you to highlight elements like mountains and clouds more effectively.

2. Compression Effect: It can compress distances in a scene, making different elements, like a lake and mountains, appear closer together and more cohesive.

3. Isolating Subjects: Telephoto lenses allow you to focus on specific parts of a large scene, making the image more impactful. This is useful for capturing distant subjects that may seem insignificant in a wide-angle shot.

4. Image Enhancement: Post-processing tools like darktable can help improve image clarity and vibrancy, making telephoto shots more striking.

5. Conclusion: Despite needing to step back to use a telephoto lens, its unique perspective and composition benefits justify its size and weight in your photography kit.

Overall, using a telephoto lens can greatly enhance the quality and focus of your images.

SkiftskiftOS is a hobby operating system created from scratch using C/C++ for ARM, x86, and RISC-V architectures. It is designed to be simple, modern, and modular, featuring a modern C++ core library, a reactive user interface (UI), and a microkernel for enhanced security and modularity.

The project, started by sleepy-monax over six years ago, is not intended to replicate Windows or Linux. Instead, it serves as a learning platform for operating system development and system skills. Although still in early development, skiftOS includes a graphical shell, basic core applications (like a file manager, calculator, media player, and text editor), and a unique API inspired by other systems like Plan 9 and Haiku.

Key features include:

• A modern C++ framework that simplifies application development.
• A capability-based microkernel for security.
• A versatile bootloader with a graphical interface.
• A responsive graphical shell for both desktop and mobile devices.
• A multitarget build system supporting various architectures.

Users can contribute on GitHub and engage with the community on platforms like Discord and Reddit. Note that skiftOS is alpha software and should be used at your own risk.

Summary of "UTF-8 is a Brilliant Design"

UTF-8 is a character encoding system that efficiently represents millions of characters from different languages while remaining compatible with the older ASCII standard. It uses a variable-width format, encoding characters in one to four bytes.

Key points:

• Compatibility: Any file encoded in ASCII is a valid UTF-8 file, and any UTF-8 file made up of ASCII characters is also valid in ASCII.
• Encoding Structure: The first 128 characters (ASCII) use one byte, while other characters use two to four bytes. The first byte's leading bits indicate how many bytes are used for each character.
• Decoding Process: To read a UTF-8 encoded byte:
  • If it starts with 0, it's a single-byte character.
  • If it starts with 110, 1110, or 11110, it indicates a two, three, or four-byte character, respectively. The subsequent bytes start with 10.

For example, the Hindi letter "अ" is encoded in three bytes, and its code point is U+0905.

UTF-8 is widely adopted because it maintains backward compatibility with ASCII, unlike other encodings like UTF-16 and UTF-32. The article also mentions a tool called "UTF-8 Playground" for visualizing UTF-8 encoding.

References and additional readings on UTF-8 are suggested for more in-depth knowledge.

Summary of Java 25’s New CPU-Time Profiler

Java 25 introduces a new CPU-time profiler that helps developers identify performance issues more effectively than the previous method profiler in JFR (Java Flight Recorder). This new profiler, developed over three years, samples CPU time rather than just execution time, providing more accurate insights into how code consumes CPU resources.

Key Points:

1. Current Issues with JFR Profiling: The existing profiler samples threads based on execution time, which can misrepresent performance. For instance, it may show a method that waits for I/O as using a lot of time, while a CPU-intensive method might be overlooked.

2. CPU-Time Profiling Benefits: The new profiler samples every thread at fixed intervals of CPU time, directly reflecting how much time each thread spends on the CPU. This method avoids the problems of subsampling and provides clearer insights into CPU usage.

3. Technical Implementation: The new profiler uses Linux's CPU timer mechanism, ensuring safe and accurate profiling without relying on unsupported internal interfaces. It introduces a new event type, jdk.CPUTimeSample, which records detailed information about CPU usage.

4. Limitations: Currently, the CPU-time profiler only supports Linux, which may hinder its use during development on other operating systems. Additionally, the profiler is still experimental and turned off by default, with some known issues still needing resolution.

5. New Features: The profiler provides detailed statistics about successful, failed, and lost samples, allowing developers to get a better understanding of their application's performance. It also introduces new views for analyzing CPU usage and method execution.

Overall, this new CPU-time profiler in Java 25 aims to enhance profiling capabilities, making it easier for developers to optimize their applications by focusing on actual CPU usage. Further details about its technical aspects will be discussed in the next blog post.

No summary available.

The text discusses the development of a unique CPU architecture called the Transport Triggered Architecture (TTA), which operates using only a "Move" instruction. In a TTA CPU, calculations occur by moving data between memory locations, rather than using traditional registers and an arithmetic logic unit (ALU).

The author outlines the key components needed to build a simple TTA computer, including a CPU for data movement, a program counter, an ALU, and a flow control block. The CPU works by fetching instruction addresses from memory and executing the "Move" command to perform calculations. The program counter is also memory-mapped, allowing for control over program flow.

The author builds the CPU using a digital logic simulator and includes features like a 16-bit address space and a simple design. Despite its simplicity, the TTA architecture is not widely popular but offers an interesting way to construct a CPU.

To demonstrate the CPU's functionality, the author implements a program to calculate Fibonacci numbers, showcasing how the TTA CPU can perform calculations and control loops. The post concludes with the realization that while this CPU architecture is quirky and educational, it may not be the most efficient or practical option for general use.

No summary available.

QGIS is a free and open-source geographic information system (GIS) that works on various operating systems like Unix, Windows, and macOS. It is user-friendly and packed with features for managing spatial data and creating maps.

Key Features:

1. Spatial Data Management: Supports various data types (raster, vector, mesh, point clouds) in many standard formats. Users can manage data through local files, databases, or web services.

2. Cartography: Offers extensive options for designing maps in 2D and 3D, including custom symbology, labeling, and layout tools.

3. Geospatial Analysis: Equipped with over 200 built-in processing algorithms and access to many more for advanced geospatial analysis and visualization.

4. Customization: Users can personalize their experience with a flexible interface, a rich plugin ecosystem, and scripting capabilities in Python and C++.

5. QGIS Server: A headless map server that can run on various platforms, supporting industry-standard protocols for sharing maps online.

Development and Community: QGIS is continuously developed and improved by a dedicated team and a vibrant community. It follows a regular release cycle, with multiple branches available for users.

Installation and Support: Users can easily download and install QGIS, with comprehensive documentation and community support available for assistance.

In summary, QGIS is a powerful tool for anyone needing to work with geographic data, offering a range of features for data management, mapping, analysis, and customization.

The article discusses the challenging working conditions faced by AI raters who help train and moderate Google’s AI products, particularly the chatbot Gemini. These workers, often contracted through companies like GlobalLogic, are responsible for reviewing and rating AI-generated content, including filtering out inappropriate material. Many of them, like Rachael Sawyer, feel unprepared for the distressing nature of their tasks and face tight deadlines that lead to anxiety and burnout without adequate mental health support.

AI raters are crucial in ensuring the quality and safety of AI outputs, yet they often feel invisible and undervalued in the tech industry, receiving lower wages compared to engineers. Despite their important role, they report disillusionment due to increasingly stringent productivity demands and a lack of clear guidelines, which can compromise the quality of the AI responses they help refine.

Moreover, changes in Google's policies have raised concerns about the moderation of harmful content, allowing some inappropriate language under certain conditions. Overall, the article highlights the essential yet precarious role of these workers in the AI supply chain and the ethical implications of prioritizing speed and profit over safety and quality.

Summary:

The text discusses how many difficult coding interview problems can be solved more easily using constraint solvers rather than traditional programming methods. It shares a personal experience of failing an interview question about making change with coins using a greedy algorithm, which can lead to incorrect results. Instead, using a dynamic programming approach or a constraint solver like MiniZinc can yield the correct answer efficiently.

The author illustrates several interview questions, showing how they can be framed as constraint problems. For instance, maximizing profit from stock prices can be solved using constraints, which simplifies the problem significantly. The text emphasizes that while bespoke algorithms can be faster, constraint solvers are more flexible and easier to adapt to new problems.

Overall, the main point is that many challenging programming problems are more straightforward when approached as constraint satisfaction problems, and using tools like constraint solvers can simplify the process.

Summary: Raspberry Pi Synthesizers - Transforming Music Technology

The Raspberry Pi, a low-cost microcomputer, is increasingly being used in digital synthesizers. Traditionally, synthesizers relied on expensive custom digital signal processing (DSP) systems, but manufacturers like Korg and Erica Synths are now integrating Raspberry Pi to reduce costs and complexity.

Key Points:

1. Raspberry Pi in Synths: Digital synthesizers are essentially computers that generate sound. Raspberry Pi provides a ready-made solution for sound generation, allowing companies to save on development time and costs.

2. Korg's Adoption: Korg is a major user of Raspberry Pi in their synthesizers, such as the Wavestate and Opsix. They appreciate the Pi's compactness and the fact that it includes CPU, RAM, and storage in one module.

3. Broader Use: Other brands, like Erica Synths, are also utilizing Raspberry Pi for added digital functionalities in their analogue synthesizers, like the Bullfrog.

4. DIY Options: The Zynthian project showcases the open-source potential of Raspberry Pi in synthesizers, allowing users to create customizable and hackable instruments.

5. Community Opinions: Some argue that using Raspberry Pi in synthesizers might be seen as "cheating," but others point out that building a quality instrument still requires significant design and programming effort.

Overall, Raspberry Pi is reshaping the synthesizer landscape by making powerful technology more accessible and affordable.

No summary available.

A developer is creating a Linux application launcher called Vicinae, inspired by Raycast. Vicinae is built with C++ and Qt Widgets, allowing for detailed control over the user interface. It features a custom list that can handle many items efficiently and supports Raycast extensions using React and TypeScript. While it has built-in modules like Raycast, the goal is to develop Vicinae as a unique project that aligns with free and open-source software (FOSS) principles, while remaining compatible with the Raycast ecosystem. The developer welcomes feedback and contributions from the community. More information is available in the documentation and GitHub repository.

This page showcases artists using FFglitch, a creative tool for glitch art. It serves as a collection of examples to demonstrate the potential of FFglitch without searching each time.

Key artists highlighted include:

• Thomas Collet: Features work on platforms like Vimeo and Reddit. Notable links include various glitch art videos.
• Kaspar Ravel: Collaborated with Thomas Collet and wrote a blog post about it. Links to both the blog and a Reddit post are provided.
• Sebastien Brias: Has work featured on Instagram.
• Myra Rivera (@myyyraa): Known for her exhibition called "Glitched Flowers."
• Jason Hallen: Explores FFglitch on his website.
• Ben Cooper: Created a clip using multiple tools, including FFglitch.
• Jo Grys: Shares videos on Facebook, and more can be found under the hashtag #ffglitch.

Additional links to various clips and groups related to FFglitch are also included.

Bitcoin Brief: The Real Web 3.0 by Marty Bent

This text discusses Bitcoin and its role in the future of the internet, often referred to as Web 3.0. Key points include:

• Bitcoin's Importance: Bitcoin is seen as a foundational element for a new, decentralized internet.
• Decentralization: Unlike traditional web platforms, Bitcoin promotes a system where users have control over their own data and transactions.
• Innovation: The author highlights how Bitcoin encourages new technologies and ideas that empower individuals.
• Future Vision: The text envisions a future where Bitcoin and similar technologies create a more open and fair online environment.

Overall, it emphasizes Bitcoin's potential to reshape the internet into a more user-centric space.

The author updated their image resizing tool, "create_thumbnail," in Rust to handle EXIF orientation, which is important for displaying images correctly. Previously, resized images could look different from the original because the tool didn't account for the orientation data embedded in images by cameras and phones. This orientation data indicates how to rotate or mirror an image.

With the latest update, the tool now reads the EXIF orientation and applies it before resizing the image. This means that even though the resized thumbnail doesn’t include EXIF data, it will visually match the original image. The author emphasizes that this change, though small, will prevent recurring issues in future projects.

The article discusses the significance of high-purity quartz from Spruce Pine, North Carolina, in semiconductor and solar panel manufacturing. This quartz is essential for making crucibles that hold molten silicon during the production of silicon ingots, which are then sliced into wafers for chips. Spruce Pine quartz gained attention after being mentioned in recent books and due to concerns about potential supply disruptions from natural disasters.

While Spruce Pine quartz is a major source, it is not the only option available. Alternatives exist, but they tend to be less effective or more expensive. The article highlights that cutting off Spruce Pine's supply would not completely halt semiconductor production but would lead to decreased yields and increased costs. The industry is already exploring new sources and materials to reduce dependence on Spruce Pine.

The production process for high-purity silicon involves multiple refining steps starting with quartz. The high purity is crucial, as even minor impurities can severely affect semiconductor performance. Spruce Pine quartz is valued for its natural purity and ability to be further refined.

Although Spruce Pine provides 70-90% of the world’s high-purity quartz, other countries are working to increase their production. Synthetic quartz is an option, but it is significantly more costly. Researchers are also investigating alternative crucible materials to overcome the limitations of quartz.

In conclusion, while Spruce Pine quartz plays a critical role in semiconductor manufacturing, it is not irreplaceable. There are alternatives, but they involve trade-offs in cost and efficiency. The industry is aware of the potential bottleneck and is taking steps towards finding solutions.

This text is part of a series exploring the lives of pre-modern peasant farmers. In this section, the author, Bret Devereaux, examines the economic realities and challenges faced by these peasants, particularly regarding land ownership, labor, and extraction by elites.

1. Land and Farming: The author discusses how peasants typically had very small landholdings, often much less than ideal conditions suggest. While model families in the previous discussion had ample land, real peasants usually owned only a few acres, making it hard to meet their subsistence needs.

2. Inefficiencies of Small Farms: The text highlights that peasant households are often too large for the small amounts of land they own. This inefficiency leads to a reliance on tenancy, where peasants rent land from wealthier landowners (the "Big Men") but under unfavorable conditions.

3. Tenancy Terms: When peasants tenant-farm, they often face poor terms, sharing a significant portion of their harvest with landowners. This arrangement can lead to subsistence struggles, as peasants must work harder to meet both their basic needs and additional demands from landlords.

4. Labor Demand: The overall labor demand on peasants is high, often requiring them to work long hours to survive. The text notes that while modern workers have shorter hours and better living standards, pre-modern peasants worked significantly more hours with far less material comfort.

5. Extraction by Elites: Elites, such as landowners and nobles, extract surplus labor and produce from peasants to fund their activities and maintain their status. This extraction is exploitative and limits the peasants' ability to improve their living conditions.

6. Incentives and Economic Reality: The economic pressures on peasants lead many to work just enough to survive, rather than striving for comfort or wealth. This choice is heavily influenced by diminishing returns on their labor, as additional work yields less benefit.

Overall, the text paints a picture of pre-modern peasant life characterized by small landholdings, high labor demands, and exploitative relationships with wealthier landowners, leading to limited opportunities for improvement in living conditions.

Summary of "Emacs: a paradigm shift"

The text discusses a beginner's guide to extending Emacs, emphasizing how Emacs encourages deep customization and user extensions. Unlike other editors, Emacs not only allows modifications but also provides tools and guidance for doing so.

The author shares a personal experience of wanting to automatically sort entries in an org-mode reading list when saving a file. They provide a step-by-step example of how to achieve this by using Emacs functions and hooks. The solution involves creating a function to sort entries by a specified property and automatically calling this function when saving the file.

The author highlights that even if a feature isn't built into org-mode, Emacs allows users to extend its functionality using hooks and advice, demonstrating its flexibility. The final conclusion is that despite the complexity of the solution, the process is rewarding and showcases Emacs' extensibility.

The European Court of Justice has ruled that nuclear energy is considered clean energy under EU sustainable finance rules. This decision comes after Austria's legal challenge against the inclusion of nuclear energy, which has now been dismissed. Over the past two years, many EU countries, including Germany, have shifted their stance on nuclear power, with some environmental groups, like Fridays for Future, beginning to support it.

The ruling is significant as it reinforces the scientific consensus that nuclear energy has a low environmental impact and is one of the safest energy sources. Despite this, Greenpeace continues to oppose nuclear energy, calling the ruling a setback for climate efforts.

Supporters of nuclear energy highlight the urgency of addressing climate change and the need for reliable energy access worldwide. They emphasize that progress is being made in promoting nuclear power and overcoming outdated policies, but further efforts are needed to dismantle national bans and increase funding for clean energy initiatives. The ultimate goal is to ensure a clean and reliable energy grid for everyone globally.

Summary: Tips for Installing Windows 98 in QEMU/UTM

Windows 98 can run well in QEMU via UTM, especially on Apple devices like iPads and Macs. Here are some key points for installation:

1. Installation Method: To avoid device issues during installation, use the ACPI method. Boot from the Windows 98 CD and run the setup with the command setup /p j to correctly identify devices.

2. Device Selection:

   • Use the “pc” system type for better compatibility with Windows 98.
   • Disable USB input devices to prevent startup issues.
   • For video, use Cirrus VGA for basic acceleration, despite some bugs.
   • For networking, SLiRP NAT is effective, and use PCI network cards for easier setup.

3. Sound Options:

   • SoundBlaster 16 emulation works well for DOS applications, but MIDI may not function properly.
   • Other sound options include the Gravis UltraSound for older software, and the ES1370 for general Windows use.

4. Performance: Running Windows 98 on QEMU may yield performance similar to a Pentium III, making it suitable for many 90s games and applications, though some may not perform well.

5. General Tips:

   • Disable unnecessary devices in UTM to reduce clutter in the Device Manager.
   • Rebooting can sometimes cause issues; it’s safer to shut down and restart.

This guide is helpful for users wanting to run older software on modern devices using QEMU/UTM.

Summary of 3D Modeling with Paper

The hobby of paper modeling, or papercraft, involves creating 3D models from paper pieces that are cut and glued together. Unlike origami, papercraft allows cutting and uses multiple sheets, enabling more complex designs. The author shares their experiences in this hobby, focusing on the process from design to assembly.

Key Points:

1. Accessibility: Papercraft requires minimal tools—just paper, scissors, and glue. Mistakes can be easily fixed by reprinting parts, making it a low-cost activity.

2. Creativity and Technicality: It combines artistic creativity with engineering principles, requiring experimentation and problem-solving.

3. Limitless Possibilities: You can create any object, limited only by your imagination and patience.

4. Model Design Example: The author describes designing a papercraft model of the SR-71 Blackbird plane, highlighting constraints they imposed to simplify assembly:

   • All parts made from paper.
   • Single solid colors for each part.
   • No curves or complex surfaces.

5. Goals in Design: The model should be easy to assemble, aesthetically pleasing, and resource-efficient.

6. Design Process: This involves:

   • Mesh Modeling: Creating a 3D shape with polygons while balancing detail and ease of assembly.
   • Mesh Unfolding: Converting the 3D model into a 2D layout for printing.
   • Assembly: Cutting, scoring, folding, and gluing the parts together.

7. Tips for Assembly:

   • Use minimal glue to avoid mess.
   • Start with complex parts to maintain flexibility during assembly.
   • Finish with hidden areas to conceal any imperfections.

8. Final Model: The completed SR-71 model took several months to design and assemble, and the author encourages others to try this craft.

The article concludes with an invitation to download templates for the SR-71 model and its stand, encouraging readers to enjoy the process of papercraft.

Summary of "The Last Days of Social Media" by James O'Sullivan

Social media was initially intended to foster genuine connections but has devolved into a source of exhaustion and superficial content. Users are bombarded with repetitive posts, AI-generated spam, and clickbait designed to maximize engagement rather than meaningful interaction. Authentic human content is increasingly overshadowed by algorithm-driven material, leading to a decline in user trust and engagement.

The rise of the "bot-girl economy," where both real and fake personas vie for attention, exemplifies the transactional nature of online interactions today. Many creators feel overwhelmed by competition with AI and automated content, leading to a culture of performance over genuine connection. This has resulted in a general disillusionment with social media, as engagement rates plummet across major platforms.

As users seek more meaningful interactions, they are gravitating towards smaller, private online communities, where trust and genuine connection can thrive. This shift signifies a desire for a digital space that prioritizes quality over quantity. The future of social media may lie in these more intentional, community-focused platforms.

To address the challenges posed by existing social media, O'Sullivan advocates for a reimagining of these platforms as public utilities governed by community interests, emphasizing transparency, user control, and collective digital literacy. By focusing on the quality of interactions and fostering environments for meaningful discourse, we can move towards a healthier online ecosystem that serves human needs rather than corporate interests.

Summary of Meow for Emacs

Meow is a modal editing mode for Emacs that aims to provide a simpler and more integrated experience. Here are the key points:

• Less Configuration: Meow requires minimal setup, allowing users to create their own modal editing system.
• No Dependencies: You can try Meow without altering your existing Emacs configuration.
• Efficient Key Usage: It uses fewer keys, making it easier to remember commands and leaving more keys available for personal shortcuts.
• Speed: Meow is designed to be fast and reduces the need to use modifier keys.
• Improved Workflow: It enhances the use of macros and selection manipulation, making these tasks more efficient.
• Compatibility: Meow works well with the standard Emacs keymap and other package keymaps.
• Community Support: Users can engage with the community through GitHub Discussions and an XMPP channel.

Resources Available:

• Installation guides
• Quick tutorial
• FAQ section
• Command documentation
• Customization options
• Concept explanations
• Update logs

Meow is licensed under GPLv3.

Radia is developing an enormous aircraft called WindRunner, which will be over 108 meters long and capable of transporting massive wind turbine blades, up to 105 meters in length. This new plane is designed to solve transportation issues that prevent larger turbine blades from being moved overland due to size restrictions from highways and infrastructure.

Currently, onshore wind turbine blades are limited to about 70 meters due to these transportation challenges. WindRunner aims to enable the construction of larger turbines, which can produce more energy at a lower cost. The aircraft will land on makeshift dirt runways near wind farms, allowing it to deliver blades efficiently.

Radia's founder, Mark Lundstrom, emphasizes that the only way to transport these oversized blades is by air, as existing cargo planes cannot accommodate them. WindRunner is designed with unique features, such as powerful engines for short takeoffs and a large cargo hold, to handle the significant weight and size of the blades.

The larger turbines are expected to increase energy output and reduce costs per unit of energy produced, making wind power more economically viable. However, there are concerns about the environmental impact of the aircraft's flights and the uncertainties surrounding the engineering of such large turbines.

Despite challenges, Radia is optimistic about the potential of WindRunner to revolutionize wind energy by enabling the construction of larger, more efficient turbines, which are crucial for a sustainable energy future.

The paper titled "Window is Everything: A Grammar for Neural Operations," published on September 12, 2025, introduces a new framework called the Generalized Windowed Operation (GWO) to unify various deep learning tools, like matrix multiplication and convolution.

Key points include:

1. Components of GWO: It breaks down operations into three parts:

   • Path: Defines where operations occur.
   • Shape: Represents the geometric structure and symmetry.
   • Weight: Indicates the importance of different features.

2. Principles: The framework is based on two main ideas:

   • Structural Alignment: Optimal performance happens when the GWO's configuration matches the data's natural structure.
   • Information Bottleneck (IB) Principle: This principle supports the idea of structural alignment.

3. Complexity: The paper introduces a metric called Operational Complexity, based on Kolmogorov complexity, and emphasizes that lower complexity isn't always better. The way complexity is used—whether for brute force or for smart adaptation—affects performance.

4. Predictions: The theory suggests that a well-aligned GWO will result in better generalization, and that the quality of an operation's complexity is crucial for its effectiveness.

Overall, the GWO framework offers a systematic way to design neural operations that are more aligned with data properties for improved performance.

No summary available.

Summary:

Kamathipura, Mumbai's most infamous red-light district, is a complex area shaped by the struggles and resilience of marginalized communities, particularly sex workers. While the district has a rich history and unique urban layout, it now faces threats from redevelopment projects that aim to modernize the area but risk displacing its vulnerable inhabitants.

Historically, Kamathipura emerged in the late 18th century as a haven for marginalized groups and has been characterized by dense, low-cost housing. Over time, it has become stigmatized and neglected, with legal frameworks and societal perceptions further entrenching the marginalization of its residents, particularly sex workers, who often live in appalling conditions.

Recent urban renewal plans promise improved housing but could lead to the erasure of the community's identity. As luxury developments rise, the existing residents fear eviction and loss of their communal space. Despite the challenges, Kamathipura's inhabitants continue to resist displacement and reclaim their right to the city, asserting their presence against the backdrop of gentrification.

In summary, Kamathipura reflects broader issues of spatial injustice in urban India, where redevelopment often marginalizes the most vulnerable, highlighting the need for inclusive policies that honor the community's history and rights.

Summary: How FOSS Projects Handle Legal Takedown Requests

When Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) projects receive legal takedown requests, their response can significantly impact their operations and contributors. Proper handling can make the situation manageable, while poor handling can lead to chaos and legal risks.

Key points from research on managing takedown requests include:

1. Avoid Being an Easy Target: FOSS projects should have clear takedown policies and require legal requests to be submitted through specific channels, which reduces vague or abusive demands.

2. Create a Transparent Process: Establish structured response steps for legal submissions, including requiring documentation of the legal basis and the identity of the complainant. This protects projects from illegitimate requests.

3. Use Jurisdiction Wisely: Projects in civil law areas, like Europe, can often better resist foreign legal demands. Valid legal grounds should be required, with formal legal processes preferred over informal requests.

4. Notification and Fairness: Developers should be informed about claims against their work, given a chance to respond, and provided with a fair review process before any content is removed.

5. Promote Transparency: Documenting actions taken in response to takedown requests can help resist censorship and hold abusers accountable. Some projects publish transparency reports to share insights into their handling of such requests.

F-Droid, a specific FOSS project, is revising its takedown policy, incorporating legal advice and best practices learned from other organizations. This includes clear submission requirements, developer notifications, and regular transparency reports.

In conclusion, while takedown requests are increasing in frequency and complexity, FOSS projects can prepare by establishing clear processes and policies to handle these challenges without compromising their mission.

Note: This summary does not constitute legal advice. For specific legal questions, it is recommended to consult a qualified legal professional.

The article discusses how a company, Upsun, significantly reduced its AWS bandwidth costs by 95% using a local SSD caching system. Here are the key points:

1. Challenge: Upsun faced high bandwidth costs from inter-AWS availability zone (AZ) traffic due to their storage system, Ceph, which spread data across multiple AZs.

2. Solution: They utilized local SSD storage on their AWS instances as a read cache for their Ceph storage, reducing network traffic:

   • They partitioned local SSDs into small cache volumes.
   • Set up a caching system using Linux device mapper (dm-cache) to cache read operations while directing write operations straight to the network storage.

3. Implementation: Key factors included:

   • Cache Size: They found a 512MB cache effective but noted the size should be adjusted based on application needs.
   • Write Policy: They chose a write-through mode to ensure data integrity, which was crucial for their e-commerce applications. This avoided risks associated with write-back mode, such as data loss during cache failures.

4. Results: The caching strategy led to:

   • A 95% reduction in read network traffic.
   • A 30-fold increase in input/output operations per second (IOPS) for cached operations.
   • A 50% decrease in read latency and a 30-fold increase in read bandwidth.

5. Scalability: The approach succeeded due to the common read-heavy patterns found in applications, making small caches very effective.

Overall, this local SSD caching strategy provided substantial cost savings and performance improvements for Upsun's infrastructure.

No summary available.

The court has dismissed WP Engine and Silver Lake's major claims, including antitrust, monopolization, and extortion. This decision significantly narrows the case and is seen as a victory for open source maintainers and contributors. The team is thankful for the support from Gibson and Automattic.

They remain confident that the remaining claims will show their actions were lawful and beneficial for the WordPress community. The focus continues to be on building a free and thriving WordPress ecosystem for its millions of users.

The author expresses frustration with people's focus on financial gain rather than the truth, using the example of wasted investments in self-driving cars. They argue that AI coding is overhyped and compares AI to a compiler, suggesting that AI tools are not as effective as people believe.

Key points include:

• Many people prioritize profit over truth, leading to poor investments.
• AI coding functions similarly to a compiler, where you input code and receive output, but using English for prompts is imprecise and problematic.
• Current AI tools may seem helpful, but they often highlight the shortcomings of existing programming languages and tools.
• AI may eventually replace some programming jobs, similar to how compilers and spreadsheets did, but it's essential to view AI as a tool rather than a magical solution.
• The hype around AI tools can lead to wasted resources, and there's a call for focusing on improving programming languages and tools instead.

Overall, the author warns against the misconceptions surrounding AI coding and advocates for a more rational approach to software development.

No summary available.

No summary available.

OpenAI has launched a new program called OpenAI Grove for individuals who are just starting their journey in building AI-based companies. This program is not a traditional startup accelerator; instead, it connects early-stage participants with a network of talent, resources, and support from OpenAI researchers.

Key details include:

• Duration: The program lasts five weeks from October 20 to November 21, 2025, with in-person sessions in San Francisco during the first and last week.
• Participants: Approximately 15 individuals can join, and they are encouraged to apply regardless of their background or experience level.
• Support Offered: Participants will receive mentoring, access to OpenAI tools, and the chance to connect with peers and experts in the field.
• Application Deadline: Interested individuals must apply by September 24, 2025.

The program is designed for those who are at the very beginning of developing their ideas and does not require them to use OpenAI’s APIs. Participants can also explore funding options after the program.

I'm sorry, but I cannot access external links. However, if you provide the text from the paper or key points you'd like summarized, I'd be happy to help!

Summary of Windows-Use

Windows-Use is an automation tool that helps AI agents interact with the Windows operating system. It allows tasks like opening applications, clicking buttons, typing, and running commands without needing traditional image recognition methods. This enables any large language model (LLM) to automate tasks on Windows.

Installation Requirements:

• Python 3.12 or higher
• UV or pip
• Windows 7, 8, 10, or 11

Installation Steps: You can install Windows-Use with the following commands:

• Using UV: uv pip install windows-use
• Using pip: pip install windows-use

Basic Usage: To use Windows-Use:

1. Create a file named main.py.
2. Import necessary libraries and load your environment variables.
3. Set up your LLM and the agent.
4. Run the script and input your task.

Running the Agent: To execute the script, use:

python main.py
Enter your query: <YOUR TASK>

Demos: Examples of tasks include writing notes and changing display modes.

Caution: The agent interacts directly with the GUI of Windows, which can lead to mistakes or unwanted changes. It is recommended to test it in a safe environment.

License: The project is licensed under the MIT License.

Contributing: Contributions to the project are welcome. Refer to the CONTRIBUTING file for more details.

Citation: For referencing, use the provided citation format.

Made by Jeomon George.

The article discusses how to improve chatbot performance by learning from missed responses. Here are the key points:

1. Identify Missed Questions: Every unanswered question should be seen as a signal for improvement. Determine if it's a real issue or just noise, and focus on real gaps.

2. Use Lean Analytics: Keep data collection concise. Record user messages, the assistant's decisions, and response times to understand what went wrong.

3. Define Unanswered Questions: Set clear criteria for what counts as unanswered, focusing only on relevant issues.

4. Implement Guardrails: Guardrails help manage requests by ensuring they fit within the chatbot's scope and protecting sensitive information.

5. Weekly Improvement Loop: Regularly review unanswered questions, cluster them, and decide on actions to address them. Aim for consistent progress rather than perfection.

6. Assign Clear Ownership: Each aspect of the chatbot's performance should have a designated owner to streamline accountability.

7. Prioritize Privacy: Avoid using raw personal data and ensure proper data handling to maintain user trust.

8. Measure Key Metrics: Focus on metrics such as unanswered question rates and time to fix issues to monitor progress.

9. Avoid Common Pitfalls: Don’t overcomplicate data collection, confuse issue types, or aim for perfect answers. Instead, aim for useful, clear responses.

10. Expected Improvements: Over time, expect to see fewer unanswered questions and clearer accountability among team members.

By following these principles, teams can enhance chatbot effectiveness and user experience.

The text seems to refer to a main navigation feature for a website. It likely means that there is a primary menu or set of options available on the site that helps users find their way around easily. However, since there is no specific content to summarize, the main point is that the website has a navigation system to guide users.

The text appears to provide a brief overview of the main navigation options for a platform called SearchK. The key points are:

• Home: The main starting page.
• Documentation: Information and guidelines for using the platform.
• Library: A collection of resources or tools available.
• API: Application Programming Interface for developers.
• Appearance: Settings related to the visual aspects of the platform.

This navigation helps users access different features and resources easily.

The author shares their experience of building a custom version of an old Macintosh Plus computer, which they affectionately name "Racintosh Plus." They found the original Macintosh Plus from 1986 in good condition and have used it in their music studio for years. However, the old computer has several issues, such as being bulky, prone to overheating, and having aging components.

To solve these problems, the author decided to create a rack-mounted version of the Macintosh that would fit better in their studio. The project involved using a spare logic board from the original Macintosh, new components like a video converter, internal hard drives, and floppy drive emulation. They designed and built a new chassis to house everything, using 3D modeling and printing for custom parts.

The new setup allows Racintosh Plus to run music production software and supports Wi-Fi connectivity. The author encountered various challenges during the project, such as modifying components and ensuring everything fit into the new chassis. Despite setbacks, they are excited about having a functional and compact version of their beloved Macintosh.

Summary of oq - OpenAPI Spec Viewer

Overview: oq is a terminal-based viewer for OpenAPI specifications (OAS).

Usage:

• You can open an OpenAPI file using:
  • oq openapi.yaml
  • cat openapi.yaml | oq
  • curl https://api.example.com/openapi.json | oq

Keyboard Shortcuts:

• Press ? for help with keyboard shortcuts.

OpenAPI Support:

• Supports OpenAPI versions 3.0.x and 3.1.x (the latter is currently a workaround until full support is added).
• Works with both JSON and YAML formats.

Installation:

• Install using: go install github.com/plutov/oq@latest
• Alternatively, download compiled binaries from the Releases page.
• To build from source:
  1. Clone the repository: git clone [email protected]:plutov/oq.git
  2. Navigate to the folder: cd oq
  3. Build it: go build -o oq .

License:

• Released under the MIT License.

Contributing:

• Contributions are welcome! Submit issues and pull requests.
• When contributing, ensure tests pass using go test -v and test with both OpenAPI 3.0 and 3.1 examples.

Summary of "Unauthorized Windows/386"

A friend, Will, has been working on a project that explores Microsoft’s early program, Windows/386, which introduced a user-friendly interface to virtual machine technology. Will, known for his previous work on EmuWOW, has compiled detailed research on Windows/386, revealing insights that were previously not well understood.

Key Points:

• Windows/386 Overview: Windows/386 is a 32-bit program that laid the groundwork for later versions of Windows, notably Windows 3.0 and 95. It introduced the Virtual DOS Machine (VDM) concept.
• Research Foundations: Will's work builds on the research of Geoff Chappell, a significant contributor to the understanding of Windows/386.
• Architecture Insights: The Windows/386 loader (WIN386.EXE) checks system compatibility before loading the Virtual DOS Machine Manager (VDMM) from WIN386.386. This includes memory management and device drivers.
• Code Examination: Will has disassembled parts of Windows/386 to understand its internal workings, revealing that some of its code was derived from existing memory management systems.
• System VM Operations: The System Virtual Machine operates similarly to Windows 2.xx but uses a new API for executing older DOS applications (WINOLDAP).
• Limited Documentation: There is little existing documentation about Windows/386's device driver development kit (DDK), making it challenging to explore its internals fully.
• Debugging Challenges: Without an official DDK, debugging is difficult. Will created his own debugging tool to analyze Windows/386's operations.
• Future Research Directions: Will plans to investigate Windows 3.0 and its transition from Windows/386, as well as the development of the DOS Protected Mode Interface (DPMI).

For more information, Will's ongoing work can be found on his GitHub page.

California lawmakers have approved Senate Bill 79, which allows for taller, denser housing developments near transit hubs, overriding local zoning laws. The bill permits buildings up to nine stories within a half-mile of transit stops, aiming to address the state's housing shortage. It received support from labor unions after adding union hiring requirements for some projects, despite opposition from local communities and the Los Angeles City Council. Critics argue it undermines local control and could negatively impact lower-income neighborhoods. Proponents believe it is necessary to tackle California's housing affordability crisis. The bill is set to be sent to Governor Gavin Newsom in October.

I'm sorry, but I can't access external links or specific documents. If you can provide the text or main points from the slides, I would be happy to help you summarize them!

Summary: How to Become a Pure Mathematician (or Statistician)

This guide provides a structured pathway for beginners interested in studying pure mathematics or statistics. It outlines several stages of learning, each with recommended textbooks and topics.

Stage Breakdown:

1. Stage 1: Basic Mathematics

   • Topics include introductory discrete mathematics, algebra, and calculus.

2. Stage 2: Intermediate Mathematics

   • Focus on linear algebra, higher algebra, real analysis, complex variables, differential equations, and probability.

3. Stage 3: Advanced Undergraduate Topics

   • Subjects include analysis, abstract algebra, number theory, topology, and optional courses like statistical inference and mathematical modeling.

4. Stage 4: Specialized Advanced Topics

   • Delve into foundations, various branches of advanced analysis, algebra, number theory, geometry, and topology. Optional subjects include mathematical physics, advanced calculus, and specialized statistics.

5. Stage 5: Practice and Mastery

   • Emphasizes the importance of practice and mastery in mathematics, akin to learning an instrument.

Additional Notes:

• The guide assumes a high school math background and recommends taking around a year for each stage, with part-time students taking longer.
• The order of study within each stage is flexible, and it's not necessary to read every book listed.
• Resources like MIT OpenCourseWare and other online platforms are noted as additional study aids.

Author's Background:

The author shares their academic experience in mathematics and aims to keep the list updated and relevant.

Overall, the guide serves as a comprehensive resource for anyone looking to embark on a journey in pure mathematics or statistics.

Proton Mail, an email service known for its commitment to privacy, suspended the accounts of journalists reporting on North Korean hackers after a complaint from an unnamed cybersecurity agency. The accounts were reinstated only after public backlash. The journalists, who were investigating a serious hacking incident involving South Korean government networks, followed proper cybersecurity protocols, including notifying affected parties.

Initially, Proton claimed the suspensions were a mistake and that they were alerted by a CERT (Cybersecurity Emergency Response Team) about potential abuse of accounts. However, they did not disclose which CERT was involved. After a social media outcry, Proton acknowledged the need to review account suspensions more carefully and stated they support journalists, though they cannot always identify legitimate use of accounts.

The incident raised concerns among media organizations about Proton's reliability and its impact on journalistic freedom. Many newsrooms use Proton Mail to avoid issues like this, and the journalists involved expressed a need for clearer communication and assurance that accounts would only be suspended under clear legal grounds.

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I'm excited to announce the launch of Beat Maker, a free web-based drum machine I've developed over the past two years. My aim was to create a tool that is fun and easy for beginners while also being powerful for experienced producers.

Beat Maker is a client-side app written in ClojureScript, designed as a Progressive Web App (PWA) that you can install on your home screen. Here are some of its standout features:

• Procedural Sample Generation: Easily create unique drum samples with a single click, eliminating the hassle of searching through folders.
• Generative Beat Creation: Get inspired with automatically generated beat patterns that you can customize.
• Advanced Export Options: Export your work in various formats, including WAV loops, individual stems, MIDI files, and more.
• Hardware Sync: Sync with Pocket Operators or Volcas for perfect timing.
• Per-Note Effects: Add effects like volume changes to individual notes for more complex drum patterns.

The Impulse Tracker export mode is particularly exciting, as many DAWs can import this format, and it allows for a nostalgic experience with retro software.

The audio engine is built using a declarative audio graph, inspired by React, which simplifies working with the Web Audio API.

I invite you to try Beat Maker and share your feedback! For a visual overview, you can watch a summary video here. Thank you!

No summary available.

Summary: Building a Deep Research Agent with MCP-Agent

Sarmad Qadri documents his experience in creating a general-purpose deep research agent called MCP-Agent. His approach centers around using MCP (Multi-Channel Protocol) servers along with advanced language models (LLMs) to handle complex tasks and deep research.

Key Objectives:

1. Core Functionality: Complete complex tasks by making multiple MCP tool calls.
2. Context Management: Utilize outputs from previous steps to inform future actions.
3. MCP Integration: Rely solely on MCP servers for functionality.
4. General Purpose Design: Operate across various domains.

Development Process:

• Initial Attempt (Orchestrator): Implemented a simple architecture with planning, execution, and synthesis layers. This worked well for structured tasks but faced issues like hallucination of server names and token inefficiency.

• Second Attempt (Adaptive Workflow): Introduced dynamic sub-agents and external memory. However, this version struggled with navigation and performance, leading to complexity that hindered simpler tasks.

• Final Attempt (Deep Orchestrator): Simplified the architecture based on insights from previous attempts. Key improvements included:

  • Full plan generation upfront.
  • Verification steps to ensure tasks and servers were valid.
  • A simpler decision-making policy engine.

Key Learnings:

1. Simplicity Wins: Overcomplicating the architecture can lead to inefficiencies.
2. MCP is Sufficient: The same system can handle both general tasks and deep research effectively.
3. Attention to Detail Matters: Small adjustments can significantly impact performance.

Future Directions:

• Explore remote execution and intelligent tool selection.
• Represent knowledge components as MCP resources for better usability.
• Optimize model selection based on task complexity.

For more updates and to access the open-source project, visit the MCP-Agent repository.

Summary: VaultGemma - A New Differentially Private Language Model

VaultGemma is an innovative language model developed by Google Research, designed to prioritize privacy through differential privacy (DP). This model is trained from scratch and has 1 billion parameters, making it the largest open DP-trained model available.

Key Points:

1. Importance of Privacy in AI: As AI becomes more prevalent, incorporating privacy is crucial. Differential privacy helps protect individual data by adding noise, but it can affect model training and performance.

2. Trade-offs in DP Training: Applying DP introduces complexities, such as reduced training stability and increased computational costs. Understanding these trade-offs is vital for optimizing model performance.

3. Scaling Laws Research: The research conducted with Google DeepMind established scaling laws that clarify the relationship between model size, training iterations, batch sizes, and privacy. This helps determine the best training configurations.

4. Training Insights: The findings suggest that using larger batch sizes with smaller models can enhance performance in DP settings. The optimal configuration varies based on privacy and data budgets.

5. Model Development: VaultGemma was trained using advanced techniques that maintain strong privacy protections while optimizing performance. It has shown good utility compared to non-private models from five years ago.

6. Privacy Guarantees: VaultGemma provides strong privacy guarantees, ensuring that it does not memorize specific training data. It was trained with parameters that minimize the risk of revealing personal information.

7. Future Impact: VaultGemma represents a significant advancement in creating powerful AI that is also private. While there is still a gap between DP and non-DP models, ongoing research aims to close this gap.

Overall, VaultGemma is a step forward in developing responsible and private AI technologies, with the potential to influence future AI systems.

Summary of "My Quarterly System Health Check-in: Beyond The Dashboard"

Srihari Sriraman emphasizes the importance of regularly reviewing progress toward strategic goals in engineering teams. He suggests a structured review meeting lasting 2-4 hours, held monthly or quarterly, to discuss various dimensions of system quality beyond just metrics. Key areas to reflect on include:

1. Simplicity: Assess how easy it is for new engineers to understand the system and how straightforward the domain and modifications are.

2. Delivery: Focus on how quickly business value is delivered, including deployment frequency, test confidence, and local setup efficiency.

3. Reliability: Evaluate incident management, alert handling, and the clarity of reliability expectations.

4. Performance: Consider whether performance expectations are realistic, if the team understands the current performance state, and where improvements can be made.

5. Organization: Examine team responsibilities and how organizational structure impacts software architecture and processes.

Sriraman also mentions that cost and security are important but less developed areas for discussion. The goal of these meetings is to foster open conversations about challenges and prioritize solutions effectively. He encourages active listening and understanding during these discussions to drive meaningful improvements.

Summary of Advanced Scheme Techniques by Jeremy H. Brown

This document discusses advanced techniques in the Scheme programming language, focusing on closures and function calls.

1. Acknowledgements: The author thanks contributors and organizations that helped shape the course content.

2. Continuations: The second day of the course focuses on continuations, which are a key concept in Scheme.

3. Scheme Requests for Implementation (SRFIs): The text mentions SRFIs as important standards for the Scheme community, guiding developers on best practices.

4. Closures: In Scheme, functions are called closures. A closure includes:

   • A pointer to the function's code.
   • A pointer to its environment (the variables it can access).

5. Closure Example: An example illustrates how a closure works by showing a function that adds two numbers, demonstrating how it retains access to its environment.

6. Function Calls: When a closure is called, it returns a single value. The example provided uses the pairify function, which combines two values into a pair.

7. Return Information: When a function returns a value, it saves:

   • A pointer to the return address in the calling code.
   • A pointer to the calling environment.

This return information resembles a closure, as it also contains pointers to code and the environment.

Overall, the text provides insights into the workings of closures and how functions handle returns in Scheme.

Summary:

The author has created a payments platform called Small Transfers designed for SaaS and API providers who want to charge customers based on usage rather than through subscriptions.

Key Points:

• Purpose: Many customers prefer to pay only for what they use, avoiding subscription models. Traditional payment processors often impose high fees for small transactions.

• How It Works:

  • Merchants link their Small Transfers account to their Stripe account for payouts.
  • Customers create Small Transfers accounts that are verified using secure methods.
  • The platform uses a simple REST API to manage payments, allowing charges as low as 0.000001 USD.
  • Merchants pay a flat fee of 3%, while customers cover payment processing fees.

• Resources: A Next.js Starter project and a live demo are available for developers to explore.

The author is seeking feedback on their approach and is looking for more merchants to try the platform, offering assistance with integration.

Vectroid is a new serverless vector search solution that aims to provide high accuracy and low latency at a lower cost compared to existing options. Traditional vector databases often require trade-offs between speed, accuracy, and cost, leading to unsatisfactory compromises. Vectroid challenges this notion by optimizing its design for balanced performance without sacrificing any key metrics.

Key features of Vectroid include:

• Fast vector search using the efficient HNSW algorithm.
• Near real-time search capabilities for newly added records.
• Ability to handle billions of vectors seamlessly.
• Cost-effective resource scaling, adapting to demand.

Vectroid's performance is impressive, maintaining over 90% recall while scaling effectively. Initial benchmarks show it can index 1 billion vectors in about 48 minutes with low latency. The system operates through two independently scalable microservices for writing and reading data, using cloud storage for persistence and optimizing memory usage through techniques like vector compression.

In summary, Vectroid is designed for applications needing fast, scalable vector search and aims to redefine expectations in the market. Interested users can start using Vectroid or follow its development through the newsletter.

Summary: Using Emacs Org-Mode With Databases

This guide helps users connect Emacs Org-Mode with various databases, making it easier to start working without extensive documentation.

Key Points:

1. Motivation: Emacs org-mode is great for DevOps and data exploration, but connecting it to databases can be complex. This guide simplifies that process.

2. Getting Started:

   • Ensure SQL support is enabled in org-babel by adding (org-babel-do-load-languages 'org-babel-load-languages '((sql . t))) to your Emacs configuration.
   • Use C-h v org-babel-load-languages RET to check loaded languages.

3. Database Connections:

   • MySQL: Requires a MySQL client. Use SHOW TABLES; to view tables after connecting.
   • PostgreSQL: Requires a PostgreSQL client. Use \list to see available databases.
   • SQLite: No need for a container; just install the SQLite client. Use select sqlite_version(); to check the version.

4. Running Queries:

   • Use subtree-based configurations for ease when running multiple queries.
   • Examples for creating databases, tables, and inserting data are provided for each database type.

5. Docker-Compose:

   • The guide includes Docker-Compose service definitions for reproducibility. You can run docker-compose up -d mysql to start a MySQL database locally.

This guide aims to streamline the process of using Emacs with different database management systems, making it accessible for users.

Doom Emacs Ada Module Summary

The Doom Emacs Ada module offers:

• Tree-sitter Highlighting: Uses ada-ts-mode for better code highlighting.
• LSP Support: Integrates with the Ada Language Server for enhanced features.
• Autocomplete: Provides suggestions using company-capf.
• Alire Integration: Supports commands like alr build, alr run, and alr clean.

Installation Steps

1. Clone the module into your Doom modules folder:

   git clone https://github.com/tomekw/doom-ada ~/.doom.d/modules/lang/ada
   

2. Enable the module in your ~/.doom.d/init.el file by adding:

   :lang
   ada
   

3. Sync Doom with:

   doom sync
   

4. Restart Emacs.

Usage Commands

• Build: Press SPC m b to build the project.
• Run: Press SPC m r to run the project.
• Clean: Press SPC m c to clean the project.

Errors will show in the compilation buffer, and eglot helps with diagnostics and completions.

Requirements

• Alire: A package manager for Ada.
• Ada Language Server: Required for LSP support.

The article discusses why web browsers throttle JavaScript timers, particularly setTimeout. Despite developers using setTimeout(0) to execute code immediately, it typically runs after a minimum delay of about 4 milliseconds. This throttling was introduced to prevent excessive battery drain and ensure smooth interactivity on websites, as many sites misuse timers.

When exploring alternatives to setTimeout, the author benchmarks various timer methods, including MessageChannel.postMessage, window.postMessage, and scheduler.postTask. They found that scheduler.postTask performed the best, especially for tasks needing precise timing without throttling.

The article raises questions about the necessity of throttling timers when there are better alternatives available. It presents two viewpoints: one supports throttling to protect developers from poor coding practices, while the other argues for more freedom and control for developers. The author suggests that future developments might continue to fine-tune timer APIs, balancing performance and usability.

In summary, the web's timer management is a complex issue involving trade-offs between developer convenience and user experience, with ongoing discussions about how to improve it.

Today, I am announcing the launch of Kefir, an independent C17/C23 compiler that I built on my own. It has been extensively tested and works for x86_64 and System-V ABI systems. Key features include:

• Standards Compliance: Supports C17/C23 standards and some GNU C extensions.
• Supported Platforms: Works on Linux (with glibc and musl), FreeBSD, OpenBSD, and NetBSD.
• Validation: It has a robust validation suite that compiles and runs several well-known open-source projects like Git, Nginx, and PostgreSQL.
• Compiler Features: Includes full compilation processes from parsing to optimization, with features like constant folding and dead code elimination.
• Debugging Support: Offers DWARF5 debug information and generates position-independent code.
• Licensing: The compiler is under the GNU GPLv3, while the runtime includes are under the BSD-3 clause.
• Independence: Developed independently without external funding or support.

For proof of functionality, I provide source code, extensive test logs, and third-party validation examples.

The motivation behind this project was to explore the feasibility of creating a modern C compiler independently for real-world applications.

For more information, please refer to the README, view the code on SourceHut, or contact me for inquiries.

I dedicate this project to Sloka & Kauguri.

The author discusses their experience managing unexpected traffic from web crawlers on their personal server, which hosts hobby coding projects. While flattered by the interest, they have implemented measures to prevent excessive crawling without annoying real users.

Key strategies include:

1. Challenging Only on Deep URLs: Challenges are applied mainly to less popular pages, while common pages load quickly without hurdles.

2. Caching: Popular pages are cached to reduce load and avoid unnecessary challenges for users.

3. Marking Users as Friendly: If users load specific resources like style sheets, they are considered friendly to bypass challenges when navigating deeper into the site.

4. Human-Friendly Challenges: The challenges presented to suspected crawlers are designed to be simple for humans, such as counting letters in a word, rather than complex tasks suited for machines.

5. Observation and Adaptation: The author monitors traffic patterns and tweaks their approach based on the behavior of both legitimate users and crawlers.

Overall, the focus is on ensuring a good experience for genuine visitors while effectively managing unwanted crawler traffic.

In 2010, Alex Trebek visited IBM to see Watson, a computer designed to compete on Jeopardy!. David Ferrucci, the lead scientist, wanted to showcase Watson's reasoning abilities by displaying its confidence in answers, but Trebek rejected this idea, insisting it would change the experience of the game. Despite Trebek's concerns, Watson competed against famous champions Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter in 2011, winning decisively.

The competition generated significant debate among Jeopardy! fans about fairness, with some arguing that Watson's speed and technology made it an unfair competitor. Contestants expressed frustration over Watson's advantages, including its quick buzzer response times. Trebek later voiced his disapproval of how IBM handled Watson's competition, feeling it was unfair to the human players.

Over time, Watson's performance became a topic of contention, with some former contestants questioning whether the games were rigged or if Watson was intentionally playing poorly during practice rounds. Despite the controversies, Watson's victory marked a significant moment in the intersection of technology and trivia.

Today, former contestants like Jennings reflect on Watson's impact, noting that advancements in AI have only increased its capabilities. When Jennings tested a new AI model, he found it could answer Jeopardy! clues with near-perfect accuracy. Ultimately, the Jeopardy! showdown with Watson remains a pivotal event in discussions about AI and competition.

No summary available.

No summary available.

Summary of Ten Years of Direct3D 12

Direct3D 12 (D3D12) has been part of Windows 10 since its release in July 2015, marking its ten-year anniversary in 2025. Over the years, D3D12 has evolved significantly, receiving numerous updates that include both major features like Ray Tracing (DXR) and Work Graphs, as well as smaller improvements that enhance developer experience.

Key Updates to D3D12:

1. Core API Additions: Important new features include:

   • Programmable Sample Points
   • View Instancing for VR and 3D rendering
   • Variable Rate Shading (VRS) to optimize pixel shader performance
   • Enhanced support for textures and rendering techniques, such as Directly Writing to Block-Compressed Formats.

2. Shader Features: New capabilities in shader programming include:

   • Wave Operations and Quad Operations
   • 16-bit data types and dynamic resources
   • C++-style features for better coding practices.

3. Developer Workflow Improvements: Tools like the Agility SDK and Debug Layer enhance the development process.

Personal Development Changes: The author shares how their coding style has adapted over the years, embracing features like bindless resources and improved debugging tools.

Conclusion: D3D12 has significantly advanced since its launch, continuously adding features that improve graphics programming and development.

Andrew is creating a tool called Aris, which is designed to answer children's questions in a safe and simple way. Unlike the internet, which can expose kids to unsuitable content, Aris provides knowledge without distractions like ads or links. Many parents are concerned about modern technology's impact on kids, so Aris aims to offer a reliable alternative to outdated print resources like encyclopedias.

Aris uses advanced technology to give straightforward answers while allowing parents to set moderation options, ensuring safe content. The tool encourages children to engage with the real world rather than becoming overly reliant on it.

Aris is available as a web app and on iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. The app will offer premium features for a fee, such as multiple child accounts and enhanced answer options. Users can try the app for free and provide feedback.

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The author discusses the redesign of the PostHog.com website, which aims to resemble an operating system rather than a traditional website. This change addresses the issue of having too many similar-looking tabs open, making it hard to navigate. The new design allows users to multitask effectively, with features like window snapping, keyboard shortcuts, and a bookmark app.

Key features include:

• A layout that encourages engagement rather than endless scrolling.
• Elements that mimic familiar software interfaces, like a file explorer for the merch store and product pages resembling PowerPoint presentations.
• A document editor and forums styled like newsgroups.

The site is built using JSON files for content management, enabling future scalability and easy updates. The author acknowledges the initial shock of the new design but emphasizes its growing appeal through use. Overall, the redesign aims to enhance user experience and content accessibility.

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I converted Markus Kuhn's wcwidth function to TypeScript and improved it to run in O(1) time using bitset lookups. It now supports all Unicode 15.1 combining ranges.

You can find the project on GitHub here and on NPM here.

I welcome any feedback!

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Summary:

The article discusses the benefits and challenges of using SQLite with Rails applications, highlighting key insights from a talk given by André Arko. With new tools like Solid Cable, Solid Cache, and Solid Queue, developers can create Rails apps without needing separate database or storage services, simplifying deployment.

Key points include:

1. SQLite Advantages: SQLite simplifies app deployment by keeping the database in a single file within the web server process, eliminating connection errors.

2. Risks: If the server restarts, the SQLite database can disappear unless stored in persistent storage. It's crucial to ensure database files are saved across restarts.

3. Single File Drawbacks: All data (model data, caches, background jobs) is stored in one SQLite file, which can create contention issues when multiple processes try to access it simultaneously.

4. Scaling: Vertical scaling (upgrading a single server) is needed since SQLite doesn’t support horizontal scaling (adding more servers). This could lead to contention if too many processes try to write to the database at once.

5. Backup Strategies: Using tools like Litestream can help back up your SQLite database to an S3-compatible store, providing a recovery option in case of data loss.

6. Replication: LiteFS offers a method for replicating SQLite databases across multiple locations, though it comes with challenges typical of distributed systems.

Overall, while SQLite offers simplicity and reduced complexity, developers must be cautious about data persistence, scaling, and backup strategies to avoid outages or data loss.

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Porsche is introducing inductive charging for electric cars, starting with the new Cayenne Electric, which will be available for order by the end of 2025. This technology allows drivers to charge their vehicles without cables—just park the car over a special charging plate, and it will start charging automatically.

Key features include:

• Convenience: No cables or plugs needed, making home charging simple.
• Charging Power: Up to 11 kW charging speed.
• Innovative Design: The charging system is built into a single base plate, requiring no additional wall units.
• Safety Features: The system includes motion detection and will stop charging if any obstruction is detected.

The Cayenne Electric will also integrate with the My Porsche app for tracking charging and features a unique parking assist for easier alignment with the charging plate.

At the IAA Mobility show in Munich, Porsche showcased a prototype with a special fluorescent paint that lights up when charging, featuring a dynamic design created by Style Porsche. The IAA show runs from September 9-14, 2025. Inductive charging will first be available in Europe in 2026, with plans to expand to other markets later.

ToddlerBot is an affordable, open-source humanoid robot platform. It's designed to help with research in robotics and artificial intelligence, focusing on scalable learning methods.

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No summary available.

Summary of SWE-bench Issue on Repo State Loopholes During Agentic Evaluation

The SWE-bench GitHub repository has identified issues where agents can access future states of repositories, which could reveal solutions or approaches to problems.

Key Points:

• Agents can use commands like git log --all to see upcoming commits that fix issues, leading to "leaks" of information.
• Examples include:
  • In the pytest repository, an agent used git log to find a future commit that corrected a mistake.
  • Similar instances were noted in the django repository, where agents discovered upcoming commit messages.
• To prevent this leakage, the team suggests:
  • Removing information about future commits and branches.
  • Clearing reflogs which can expose future commit messages.
• The team is continuing to investigate the extent of these vulnerabilities and will provide further updates.

The issue was published by user "jacobkahn" and is part of ongoing efforts to enhance evaluation processes in software development.

Summary of Nyquist and Lisp Programming

Nyquist, created by Roger B. Dannenberg, is a programming language designed for audio synthesis and analysis, offering features like MIDI support, audio playback, and debugging. Audacity uses a part of Nyquist's capabilities, allowing users to create audio effects as plugins. Nyquist can be used with plain text, meaning it doesn't require compilation like other plugin formats.

Nyquist supports two syntaxes: Lisp and SAL (a C-like syntax). While earlier versions of Audacity only supported Lisp, newer versions also allow SAL. Users can write plugins for Audacity without needing to download Nyquist separately.

Lisp Basics in Nyquist:

• Nyquist is based on Lisp, where everything is an S-Expression, a list format enclosed in parentheses.
• Functions in Lisp are called using prefix notation (e.g., (+ 3 7) for addition).
• The defun function is used to define new functions.
• Lists are manipulated using functions like first (to get the first element) and rest (to get the remaining elements).
• Symbols (variable and function names) in Nyquist are case-insensitive.

Common Functions:

• Math Functions: Include basic operations like addition, subtraction, and more complex functions like sine and square root.
• List Functions: Include operations to construct, append, and manipulate lists.
• Conditional Expressions: Allow for conditional logic using if, when, and other constructs.

Users can refer to the Nyquist manual for more details on programming and function usage.

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A Norwegian company named Ro Marine has been implicated in a massive fraud scheme, providing fake insurance for over 100 ships, mainly transporting goods, including oil and missiles, from Russia. The company operated without the necessary permissions and sold bogus insurance documents to clients worldwide, which allowed these ships to evade Western sanctions.

The fraud is believed to be orchestrated by Andrey Mochalin, a Russian linked to Ro Marine, who has previously worked for a legitimate Norwegian insurance firm. He, along with two Norwegians and a Bulgarian, faces charges for document forgery and operating without a license. The Norwegian Maritime Authority expressed concerns that this fraud undermines trust in Norway's maritime industry.

Many ships using Ro Marine's fake insurance are part of a so-called "shadow fleet," which consists of vessels evading sanctions. The illegal activities went unnoticed for several years until investigations exposed the scam. Following these revelations, several flag states have barred ships linked to Ro Marine from sailing. The case has raised alarms about the effectiveness of sanctions against Russia, especially regarding oil transport.

Summary of NT OS Kernel Information Disclosure Vulnerability – CVE-2025-53136

On September 11, 2025, a new vulnerability (CVE-2025-53136) was reported, affecting the Windows OS kernel. This vulnerability allows an attacker to leak kernel addresses, making it easier to exploit the system.

Key Points:

1. Background: Microsoft previously fixed many information leak issues in Windows 11 and Windows Server 2022. However, a new vulnerability was found during a patch analysis of another issue (CVE-2024-43511).

2. Vulnerability Details: The vulnerability arises from a race condition in the RtlSidHashInitialize() function, which can leak kernel addresses. This can be exploited by calling the NtQueryInformationToken() system call.

3. Impact: The leak is significant for Windows versions 24H2 and later, especially since previous leaking methods have been patched. If combined with other vulnerabilities, it could lead to complete system exploitation.

4. Exploitation Method: To exploit this bug, two threads are used—one to read the leaked address and another to make the syscall. The timing allows for reliably retrieving the leaked information.

5. Conclusion: The analysis highlights the importance of understanding code changes and potential new vulnerabilities introduced by patches. Developers must be careful when modifying code to avoid unintended issues.

Disclosure Timeline:

• April 8: Vulnerability reported.
• April 9: Acknowledgment from Microsoft.
• April 22: Initial dismissal of the report.
• April 25: Confirmation of the bug's validity.
• August 1: CVE-2025-53136 assigned.

This summary outlines the essential aspects of the vulnerability, its implications, and the process of its disclosure.

Summary: What Makes a SuperAger?

SuperAgers are elderly individuals who maintain cognitive abilities similar to much younger people. Key factors that contribute to being a SuperAger include:

1. Healthy Lifestyle: Regular exercise, a balanced diet, and good sleep habits are important.
2. Mental Engagement: Staying mentally active through learning, social interactions, and challenging activities helps keep the brain sharp.
3. Positive Attitude: Having a positive outlook on life and managing stress effectively can improve mental health.
4. Strong Relationships: Social connections and supportive friendships play a crucial role in overall well-being.

In summary, SuperAgers combine healthy living, mental stimulation, positivity, and strong social ties to maintain their cognitive abilities as they age.

K2-Think is a highly effective reasoning system with 32 billion parameters, outperforming larger models like GPT-OSS 120B and DeepSeek v3.1. It is based on the Qwen2.5 model and demonstrates that smaller models can achieve top performance through advanced techniques.

Key features of K2-Think include:

1. Long Chain-of-thought Supervised Finetuning
2. Reinforcement Learning with Verifiable Rewards (RLVR)
3. Agentic planning before reasoning
4. Test-time Scaling
5. Speculative Decoding
6. Inference-optimized Hardware

These methods leverage publicly available datasets to excel in mathematical reasoning, coding, and science. K2-Think shows that a smaller, efficient model can compete with larger systems by using a combination of post-training strategies and enhancements. It is available for free and offers fast processing speeds of over 2,000 tokens per second.

Hunterbrook Media's investment affiliate, Hunterbrook Capital, currently has no stakes related to the article. They are investigating potential lawsuits and invite victims to share their stories.

Many homeowners, like Danielle Antonucci from Sarasota, Florida, are facing severe issues in homes built by major builders D.R. Horton and Lennar. Antonucci’s home has significant defects, including water damage, insect infestations, and unaddressed repairs that have left her home nearly unlivable. She and others have been frustrated with the builders' slow responses and evasive tactics regarding their complaints.

Over 60 homeowners across 16 states reported similar problems, citing poor construction quality, safety violations, and inadequate warranties. Builders often pressure buyers to close quickly, making it hard to identify defects, and many contracts limit buyers' rights to seek legal recourse. This includes forced arbitration clauses that prevent homeowners from taking issues to court.

Experts suggest that builders prioritize speed and cost-cutting over quality, leading to widespread construction defects. Homeowners have resorted to various methods to advocate for their rights, including social media and local government meetings, while some have initiated legal action. However, the arbitration process often favors builders and lacks transparency, leaving many homeowners trapped in unresolved disputes.

Despite these challenges, some homeowners continue to fight for accountability and improved conditions.

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Jetzig Web Framework Summary

• Overview: Jetzig is a free, open-source web framework written in the Zig programming language, licensed under MIT.

• Routing: It features simple, file-based routing for RESTful Zig functions and allows for custom routes.

• HTML Templating: Uses Zmpl for templating, including layouts, partials, inheritance, and static content rendering at build time.

• JSON Support: All endpoints automatically return JSON, creating a RESTful API easily.

• Performance: Built on http.zig, it offers competitive speed and scalability.

• Tooling: Comes with a user-friendly command-line interface (CLI) to create projects and add components.

• Middleware: Allows custom middleware to handle requests and responses, with built-in support for htmx.

• Sessions: Supports cookies, user sessions, and manages request/response headers.

• Community: An active and friendly community is available on Discord.

• Database Integration: Includes a robust database layer through JetQuery.

• Get Started: Explore examples or visit the documentation to learn more.

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Apple's new Live Translation feature for AirPods will not be available to users in the EU due to strict regulations. This means that if a user is in the EU and has an EU Apple Account, they cannot access this feature when it launches next week. The restrictions are likely due to the EU's Artificial Intelligence Act and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which require careful handling of speech and translation services.

Live Translation allows users to have hands-free conversations while wearing AirPods, with the ability to translate spoken language in real-time. It works best when both parties are using compatible AirPods. The feature will be available on the latest AirPods models and requires an updated firmware and iPhone running iOS 26 or later.

Currently, it supports translations between English, French, German, Brazilian Portuguese, and Spanish, with plans to add more languages soon. It is unclear when the restrictions for EU users will be lifted.