1.
Autism Simulator
(Autism Simulator)

The author created a project to share their personal experiences and those of friends with autism. The goal is to illustrate challenges like masking, decision fatigue, and burnout in everyday life, rather than to define autism itself. They have received positive feedback on topics like resilience and medication and plan to make further improvements. If even a few people gain insight into the struggles of their autistic coworkers, the effort will be worthwhile. The author appreciates everyone who has engaged with the project and provided feedback.

Author: joshcsimmons | Score: 62

2.
Building a 30 PB storage cluster in the heart of SF
(Building a 30 PB storage cluster in the heart of SF)

Summary: Building a 30 Petabyte Data Storage Cluster

The Standard Intelligence Team built a 30 petabyte storage cluster in San Francisco to manage 90 million hours of video data for training machine learning models. This setup was necessary because training with video data requires significantly more storage than text data. Instead of spending $12 million annually on cloud storage with AWS, they opted for a local colocation center, reducing costs to about $354,000 per year.

Key Reasons for Local Storage:

  • Machine learning training data can tolerate some data corruption, so high reliability is not needed.
  • Most businesses use less storage, making cloud solutions expensive relative to their needs.

Cost Breakdown:

  • Recurring Costs: $17,500/month for internet and electricity.
  • One-Time Costs: Approximately $426,500 for hardware setup (hard drives, storage infrastructure, compute nodes, and installation).

Comparison of Costs:

  • AWS would cost about $1,130,000/month.
  • Cloudflare would cost around $270,000/month.
  • Their local setup costs $29,500/month, making it significantly cheaper.

Setup Process: The team organized a "Storage Stacking Saturday" to quickly assemble the hardware with help from friends. They used simple software to manage data storage, avoiding complex systems that could complicate debugging.

Lessons Learned:

  • Proximity to the datacenter was beneficial for maintenance.
  • Simplicity in software design helped avoid debugging headaches.
  • Proper planning and management of networking were crucial.

Recommendations for Similar Projects:

  • Use high-density storage solutions to save space and effort.
  • Invest in quality networking equipment to avoid bottlenecks.
  • Consider building a similar setup with specific hardware and configuration guidelines provided in the detailed write-up.

The project allowed the team to gather extensive data at a low cost, positioning them competitively against larger labs with substantial funding. They are also looking for new talent to join their research efforts in machine learning.

Author: nee1r | Score: 56

3.
ChartDB Agent – Cursor for DB schema design
(ChartDB Agent – Cursor for DB schema design)

Last year, we introduced ChartDB OSS, an open-source tool that creates ER diagrams from databases without needing direct access. Now, we're launching the ChartDB Agent, which allows you to design databases or modify schemas using natural language.

With the ChartDB Agent, you can:

  • Create schemas by describing them in plain English
  • Use AI to brainstorm new tables, columns, and relationships
  • Visually iterate in a diagram (ERD)
  • Export your SQL script easily

You can try it out at chartdb.io/ai without signing up, or you can sign up to use it with your own database. We would love your feedback!

Author: guyb3 | Score: 64

4.
MIT technology can see microbes from 90 meters away
(MIT technology can see microbes from 90 meters away)

No summary available.

Author: mailyk | Score: 18

5.
Aphantasia and Psychedelics
(Aphantasia and Psychedelics)

No summary available.

Author: yenniejun111 | Score: 35

6.
Unix philosophy and filesystem access makes Claude Code amazing
(Unix philosophy and filesystem access makes Claude Code amazing)

Summary of "The Magic of Claude Code" by Noah Brier

Claude Code is a powerful tool that merges a Unix command interface with filesystem access, giving large language models (LLMs) persistent memory and the ability to connect different tasks seamlessly. This setup allows for efficient coding and note-taking, making it a valuable operating system for workflows.

The author shares his experience using Claude Code alongside Obsidian, a note-taking tool that stores files as simple Markdown text. This combination lets him easily access and organize his notes from anywhere. Claude Code stands out due to its simple design that follows the Unix philosophy, which emphasizes building tools that do one thing well and work together. This approach makes it particularly effective for LLMs, as they can process outputs and inputs efficiently.

A significant advantage of Claude Code is its filesystem access, which allows it to remember information and maintain context between sessions, unlike other AI tools that lack this feature. The author highlights that Claude Code serves as a blueprint for creating reliable AI systems, advocating for simplicity and composability over complex designs.

Additionally, the author is working on new projects, including "Claudesidian," which integrates various tools, and a Gmail assistant that helps manage emails more effectively by learning from user behavior.

Key takeaways include the importance of filesystem access in AI, the value of adhering to the Unix philosophy in tool development, and the potential of Claude Code to inspire future AI systems.

Author: noahbrier | Score: 30

7.
Our efforts, in part, define us
(Our efforts, in part, define us)

The text reflects on how our efforts shape our identities and sense of self-worth. It raises questions about what happens when tasks we find meaningful become effortless due to technological advancements, like AI. The author shares a personal experience about feeling a loss of meaning in their work as coding becomes easier with AI, similar to how a photographer felt diminished by the rise of digital photography.

The author notes that while technology can enhance productivity, it can also lead to a sense of emptiness if we derive our identities from effortful work. They worry that as jobs become easier, people may lose a sense of fulfillment and purpose. The text suggests that we need to reevaluate our expectations of work and its value, especially as AI continues to advance. Ultimately, the author questions whether these changes will help or hurt our spirits and identities in the workplace.

Author: todsacerdoti | Score: 185

8.
Building an IoT Notification Device from Scratch
(Building an IoT Notification Device from Scratch)

No summary available.

Author: bertwagner | Score: 48

9.
I only use Google Sheets
(I only use Google Sheets)

The author prefers using Google Sheets for work-related tasks because it is often the simplest and most effective solution for their needs. After nine months in a rapidly changing work environment, they have found that many complex projects could have been completed quickly with Google Sheets.

They shared examples of wasted time on projects that could have been done with a simple spreadsheet, including:

  1. Creating an admin panel for managing cargo, which was rarely used and could have been replaced by a Google Sheet.
  2. Spending weeks developing a quote system for calculating taxes, only to find a competitor's solution and replicate it in a Google Sheet.
  3. Researching various CRM options, ultimately realizing that Google Sheets offers a built-in CRM template.

The author emphasizes that while planning is important, it's often difficult to understand the full scope of a problem until work begins. Using basic solutions like Google Sheets helps avoid unnecessary complexity and wasted effort. They acknowledge that this approach has limitations and is not suitable for every situation, but it has proven to be a practical strategy for their current work environment.

Author: mugamuga | Score: 157

10.
Type Theory and Functional Programming (1999) [pdf]
(Type Theory and Functional Programming (1999) [pdf])

The text is a preface to a book on Constructive Type Theory, written by Simon Thompson. Here are the key points simplified:

  1. Purpose of Type Theory: Constructive Type Theory connects logic and programming languages, allowing for program development and verification within a single framework. It features total functions, expressive types, and modules that can include logical assertions.

  2. Audience: The book is designed for undergraduate and graduate students, researchers, and teachers in computer science and related fields, aiming to make the material accessible.

  3. Content Overview:

    • The book starts with basics in logic and functional programming.
    • It introduces type theory with examples, explores its mathematical properties, and discusses potential improvements.
    • Subsequent chapters delve deeper into type theory, providing proofs, examples, and applications.
  4. Structure:

    • Chapters cover logic, λ-calculus, functional programming, and constructive mathematics.
    • The core of the text is an introduction to type theory, with later chapters exploring its applications, mathematical perspectives, and foundational aspects.
  5. Exercises: Each chapter includes exercises to reinforce learning, encouraging readers to think of their own programming projects.

  6. Acknowledgments: The author thanks colleagues, contributors, and family for their support in creating the book.

The book aims to serve as both a beginner's guide and a deeper exploration of type theory, integrating theory with practical programming insights.

Author: fanf2 | Score: 145

11.
Uxntal: A programming language for the Uxn virtual machine
(Uxntal: A programming language for the Uxn virtual machine)

Summary of Rostiger's Uxn Zine16X08

  • Overview: Uxntal is a programming language for the Uxn virtual machine, designed to work with its unique features. Programs are written in a simple assembly style.

  • Basic Concepts:

    • Stack: Uxn uses a Last In, First Out (LIFO) stack. Items are processed in the order they are added.
    • Hexadecimal Numbers: Uxntal numbers are written in hexadecimal, which may take some time to get used to.
  • Example Program: A simple program demonstrates printing "Hello World!" by using labels and looping through characters.

  • Labels and Addresses: Labels indicate specific addresses in memory, and different prefixes (like @ for labels and ; for addresses) are used for various purposes.

  • Stack Operations: Uxntal includes operations for manipulating the stack, such as duplicating items, popping items, and moving items between stacks.

  • Program Validation: The Uxntal compiler checks for stack imbalances to catch errors early and optimize code.

  • Macros: Uxntal allows for defining macros, which are inlined during code assembly.

  • Memory Structure: Uxn has 64KB of memory with specific areas for stacks, device memory, and user programs. The zero-page memory is for frequently accessed variables.

  • Devices and Events: Uxn can interact with devices via ports, which handle input/output messages without interruptions.

  • Development Tools: Various tools are available for Uxntal, such as assemblers, formatters, and validators to assist in development.

This summary captures the essential points about Uxntal programming language and its features, making it easier to understand for beginners.

Author: welovebunnies | Score: 22

12.
CDC File Transfer
(CDC File Transfer)

No summary available.

Author: GalaxySnail | Score: 327

13.
Cursor 1.7
(Cursor 1.7)

Here’s a simplified summary of the text:

  • Agent Autocomplete: When writing prompts, you will now see suggestions based on recent changes. You can accept these suggestions and attach files easily.

  • Hooks (Beta): You can use custom scripts to observe and control the Agent's behavior. This allows you to audit usage, block commands, or hide sensitive information.

  • Team Rules: Teams can create and share rules that apply to all projects, ensuring consistent behavior across different repositories.

  • Share Prompts with Deeplinks (Beta): You can now create links to share reusable prompts, which is helpful for documentation and team resources.

  • Monitor Agents from Menubar: You can quickly check the status of your Agents directly from the menubar.

  • Image File Support: Agents can now read image files from your workspace and include them in context, expanding support beyond just pasted images.

Overall, these updates enhance the functionality and usability of the Agents.

Author: mustaphah | Score: 70

14.
Category Theory Illustrated – Natural Transformations
(Category Theory Illustrated – Natural Transformations)

This chapter introduces natural transformations, which are fundamental in category theory and serve as morphisms between functors. Understanding them is essential for defining concepts like category equality.

Key Concepts:

  1. Natural Transformations: These are ways to map between functors, which are themselves mappings between categories. They are crucial for establishing equality between categories.

  2. Equivalent Categories: Categories can be considered equivalent if they share the same structure, despite not being isomorphic, meaning they can have different objects but similar relationships between those objects.

  3. Isomorphism Invariance: In category theory, isomorphisms are seen as equality. When two objects are isomorphic, they share properties, allowing us to treat them as equal for many purposes.

  4. Morphisms vs. Objects: Traditional views in mathematics often focus on objects, but the chapter argues that the relationships (morphisms) between objects are more significant for understanding categories.

  5. Natural Transformations in Programming: These can be related to polymorphic functions in programming, where a function can operate on various types in a consistent way.

  6. Commutative Diagrams: Natural transformations can be visualized using diagrams that show how morphisms interact, ensuring that certain relationships hold (commute) across transformations.

  7. Composition of Natural Transformations: They can be composed both horizontally and vertically, allowing for complex interactions between functors.

  8. 2-Categories: The chapter hints at an advanced concept where categories themselves can have morphisms between their morphisms (natural transformations), leading to the idea of "2-categories".

In summary, natural transformations are a crucial concept in category theory that help define relationships between functors and establish equality between categories. They have practical implications in programming and are essential for understanding more complex category structures.

Author: boris_m | Score: 135

15.
How Did Renaissance Fairs Begin?
(How Did Renaissance Fairs Begin?)

No summary available.

Author: pseudolus | Score: 20

16.
Minimal files and config for a PWA
(Minimal files and config for a PWA)

This text explains the basic files needed for a "progressive web app" (PWA) to be installed on Android and iOS devices. It mentions a minimal setup that includes a simple manifest.json file and a service worker that works with Chrome for installation. Additionally, there is an even simpler version called single-file-pwa.html, which combines everything into one HTML file. This version generates the manifest.json using JavaScript and can be installed without needing a service worker.

Author: rcarmo | Score: 101

17.
FlowSynx – Orchestrate Declarative, Plugin-Driven DAG Workflows on .NET
(FlowSynx – Orchestrate Declarative, Plugin-Driven DAG Workflows on .NET)

Summary of FlowSynx

FlowSynx is an open-source workflow orchestration system designed for ease of use and flexibility. It is built on .NET and works across multiple platforms like Windows, Linux, and macOS. Here are the key features:

  1. Modular Design: FlowSynx uses a plugin-based architecture, allowing users to create custom plugins that adapt to their specific needs. This design makes it easy to add or change functionalities without affecting overall system stability.

  2. Cross-Platform Compatibility: It runs smoothly on various operating systems and can be deployed using Docker, making it suitable for modern development environments.

  3. Workflow Management: Workflows are defined using Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAGs) and support features like conditional logic and error handling, ensuring advanced control and reliability.

  4. User Interfaces: FlowSynx includes a command-line interface for advanced management and a web-based console for visual workflow design and monitoring.

  5. Developer Tools: It offers a Software Development Kit (SDK) for integrating workflow functionalities into applications and a RESTful API for remote access.

  6. Security and Monitoring: The system supports various authentication methods and provides logging and auditing features for compliance and oversight.

  7. Event-Driven Automation: Workflows can be triggered by specific events, and there is a feature for human approval in automated processes.

  8. Error Handling: Flexible strategies are available to manage errors during execution, enhancing workflow resilience.

In summary, FlowSynx aims to streamline workflow automation with a lightweight, customizable, and developer-friendly approach that suits various industries and use cases.

Author: flowsynx | Score: 40

18.
Resterm – A terminal-based REST/GraphQL and gRPC client
(Resterm – A terminal-based REST/GraphQL and gRPC client)

Resterm Overview

Resterm is a terminal-based REST client designed for making API requests efficiently.

Key Features:

  • Workspace Explorer: Easily navigate and filter .http/.rest files.
  • Editor with Modal Workflow: Use Vim-style controls for editing requests with inline highlighting and search features.
  • Inline Requests: Make requests directly in the editor without needing separate files.
  • Basic Curl Command Support: Limited support for parsing curl commands.
  • Response Pane: View details about the response, including headers and history.
  • Authentication Helpers: Simplified methods for adding authentication to requests.
  • Scripting Capabilities: JavaScript hooks for pre-request and test scripting.
  • GraphQL and gRPC Support: Tools for handling GraphQL requests and gRPC calls.
  • Session Persistence: Save cookies and history across sessions.
  • Configurable Transport Options: Customize connection settings like timeout and proxy.

File Structure for Requests: Requests are organized in .http/.rest files with clear conventions, including metadata for easy tracking and organization.

Getting Started: To build and run Resterm, use Go commands to compile and execute with your request files.

Key Bindings:

  • Cycle Between Panes: Tab / Shift+Tab
  • Send Request: Ctrl+Enter
  • Save File: Ctrl+S
  • Quit: Ctrl+Q

CLI Options: Various command-line flags allow users to specify files, environments, timeouts, and more.

Development and Roadmap: Resterm is in early development, with plans for additional features such as improved response tooling and custom key mapping.

Author: unkn0wn_root | Score: 10

19.
High-resolution efficient image generation from WiFi Mapping
(High-resolution efficient image generation from WiFi Mapping)

LatentCSI is a new method for creating images of physical spaces using WiFi signal data (CSI measurements). It uses a simple neural network to convert these signals into a format that a pretrained model can understand, rather than relying on complex techniques like GANs. The method includes a process that enhances the image quality by applying a denoising technique with text prompts for guidance. This approach avoids typical challenges in generating images and allows for efficient, high-quality results. The effectiveness of LatentCSI was tested on two datasets, including one collected with regular WiFi devices and cameras, and it showed better performance in terms of speed and image quality compared to other methods that work directly with real images. It also offers the added benefit of allowing users to control the output with text descriptions.

Author: oldfuture | Score: 108

20.
TigerBeetle is a most interesting database
(TigerBeetle is a most interesting database)

No summary available.

Author: todsacerdoti | Score: 236

21.
Hackers strike Harrods in latest UK cyberattack
(Hackers strike Harrods in latest UK cyberattack)

No summary available.

Author: dijit | Score: 64

22.
What is nowadays (opensource) way of converting HTML to PDF?
(What is nowadays (opensource) way of converting HTML to PDF?)

The person is finding it difficult to use wkhtmltopdf and is asking what other tools people are using instead, like Canva or other options.

Author: hhthrowaway1230 | Score: 8

23.
Detect Electron apps on Mac that hasn't been updated to fix the system wide lag
(Detect Electron apps on Mac that hasn't been updated to fix the system wide lag)

Summary: Electron Apps Causing System Lag on Tahoe

There is an issue with Electron apps causing lag on the Tahoe system. Some versions of Electron are problematic, but newer versions (36.9.2, 37.6.0, 38.2.0, 39.0.0, and above) have fixed this issue.

To identify apps that need updates, a script can be used. As a temporary fix, you can run this command at system startup: launchctl setenv CHROME_HEADLESS 1. This will disable window shadows in Electron apps, which may make them look less appealing but will stop the lag.

As of October 1, 2025, many apps are still running outdated versions of Electron and show no updates available.

Lastly, the author promotes their app, Weathergraph, which offers a visual weather forecast for iOS and Apple Watch.

Author: tomaskafka | Score: 106

24.
Technical Analysis of SAP Exploit Script Used in JLR, Harrods Hacks
(Technical Analysis of SAP Exploit Script Used in JLR, Harrods Hacks)

No summary available.

Author: incogitomode | Score: 3

25.
Privacyforge.ai – AI Privacy Compliance Documents That Work
(Privacyforge.ai – AI Privacy Compliance Documents That Work)

Divy, a former CTO with experience in fintech and healthtech, highlights a common issue: many startups are unaware of privacy laws impacting their businesses. Most founders face a tough choice between hiring expensive lawyers or using risky generic templates for compliance, which often lead to problems like failed funding rounds and regulatory investigations.

Divy shares that at his previous company, Branch, they spent significant time and money on privacy compliance, only to find the results inadequate and requiring updates when laws changed.

To address this, he created PrivacyForge.ai, a tool that uses AI to generate tailored privacy documentation based on a company’s specific data practices and current regulations. Unlike other tools that rely on static templates, PrivacyForge.ai analyzes individual data flows and provides customized documents.

The service is live, with paying customers already saving on legal fees and successfully passing compliance reviews. Divy invites feedback from the community, especially from those facing challenges with privacy compliance.

Author: divydeep3 | Score: 5

26.
Intelligent Kubernetes Load Balancing at Databricks
(Intelligent Kubernetes Load Balancing at Databricks)

No summary available.

Author: ayf | Score: 95

27.
Leaf miners identified as oldest insect plague in the history of Earth
(Leaf miners identified as oldest insect plague in the history of Earth)

No summary available.

Author: janandonly | Score: 28

28.
The Prehistory of Computing, Part II
(The Prehistory of Computing, Part II)

Summary of "The Prehistory of Computing, Part II" by Oran Looney

This article explores the development of computing devices from the 17th century onward, focusing on key figures and innovations.

  1. Pascal's Contribution: In 1642, Blaise Pascal created the pascaline, a mechanical calculator that could perform addition and subtraction. The significant breakthrough was its mechanical carry mechanism, crucial for accurate calculations. However, it was not very practical due to its complexity.

  2. Leibniz's Innovations: Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz, known as a philosopher and mathematician, developed the stepped reckoner, the first calculator capable of performing all four basic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division). Despite its flaws, his design influenced many subsequent mechanical calculators.

  3. Formal Languages: Leibniz also envisioned a universal formal language that could express logical and mathematical arguments, laying foundational ideas for modern computer science and logic.

  4. Approximation Theory: The article discusses Pafnuty Chebyshev's work in approximation theory, which deals with how well mathematical functions can be approximated by polynomials. This theory is crucial for modern computing, as many functions in programming rely on polynomial approximations.

  5. Babbage's Difference Engine: Charles Babbage proposed the Difference Engine, which would automate polynomial evaluations using a method that simplifies calculations through difference tables. Although it was not completed, it was a significant step in computing history.

  6. Conclusion: Babbage's work laid the groundwork for future computing developments, including the Analytical Engine, and influenced early programming, notably Ada Lovelace's contributions. The evolution from mechanical to electronic computers has led to significant advancements in speed and reliability in computing today.

The article emphasizes the importance of historical innovations in shaping modern computing and how foundational concepts still underpin current technology.

Author: olooney | Score: 55

29.
Hunter S Thompson's death to be reviewed more than 20 years later
(Hunter S Thompson's death to be reviewed more than 20 years later)

The death of journalist Hunter S. Thompson will be reviewed over 20 years after it was ruled a suicide in 2005. His wife, Anita Thompson, has requested the Colorado Bureau of Investigation to take a fresh look at the case, even though no new evidence has emerged. Thompson died at home in Woody Creek, Colorado, and his passing was initially reported as a suicide, with a note found that read, "No more games" among other statements about his life.

The sheriff, Michael Buglione, expressed the aim of providing clarity and peace of mind to Thompson's family and the public by involving an independent agency in the review. The review's duration is currently unspecified. Hunter S. Thompson is known for creating "gonzo" journalism and authored notable works such as "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas."

If anyone needs support, various crisis hotlines are available in the UK, US, and Australia.

Author: c420 | Score: 23

30.
NJ theme park puts animatronic dinosaurs on Facebook Marketplace
(NJ theme park puts animatronic dinosaurs on Facebook Marketplace)

A theme park in New Jersey called Field Station: Dinosaurs is closing on November 9 and is selling its dinosaur models on Facebook Marketplace. Prices range from about $500 to nearly $3,000, depending on the size of the dinosaurs. Some models have limited movement and sound features. Buyers must arrange for deinstallation and transportation.

The park, which opened in 2012 and relocated in 2016, is offering special events before it closes, including a "Jurassic Petting Zoo" on September 27 and 28, and "Dinosaurs After Dark" events from October 3-25, featuring tours, games, and spooky attractions. There’s also a "Dogs & Dinos" day on October 13, allowing visitors to bring their pets. This is a last chance to experience the park and potentially acquire a dinosaur for your backyard.

Author: ohjeez | Score: 116

31.
Defer: Resource cleanup in C with GCCs magic
(Defer: Resource cleanup in C with GCCs magic)

The text discusses an experimental "defer" macro for C programming using GCC compiler features, specifically the cleanup attribute and nested functions. Here are the key points:

  1. Defer Macro: This macro automates resource cleanup by calling a function when a variable goes out of scope, which helps manage memory without manual handling.

  2. Usage Example: The author shows a simple example where memory allocated with malloc is automatically freed when the variable goes out of scope.

  3. Nested Functions: These functions can be declared inside other functions and can access their parent’s variables, making it possible to execute cleanup code automatically at the end of a block.

  4. Macro Definition: The macro is defined using GCC-specific syntax that sets up a cleanup function for a variable.

  5. Performance: While the macro simplifies cleanup, it can introduce overhead due to the generation of separate functions and stack frames. The author proposes an optimization by making the nested function inline to reduce this overhead.

  6. Comparison with Manual Cleanup: The macro simplifies code that would otherwise require complex manual cleanup using temporary variables and jumps.

  7. Limitations: This approach is not portable and only works with GCC due to its reliance on specific compiler features.

Overall, the text presents a creative way to improve resource management in C while acknowledging its experimental and non-portable nature.

Author: joexbayer | Score: 52

32.
Blockdiff: We built our own file format for VM disk snapshots
(Blockdiff: We built our own file format for VM disk snapshots)

No summary available.

Author: cyanf | Score: 77

33.
Diff Algorithms
(Diff Algorithms)

Summary

Diffs are commonly used by software engineers to track changes in files, especially during code reviews and testing. The author was dissatisfied with existing diff libraries, prompting them to create their own Go library after modifying a previous version. This new library aims to address several shortcomings of existing libraries by supporting arbitrary input types, providing customizable output formats, and maintaining good performance.

Key features of the new library (found at znkr.io/diff) include:

  1. Input Flexibility: It can handle both text and arbitrary sequences.
  2. Output Formats: It offers outputs in a unified format or as structured results.
  3. Simple API: Designed for ease of use.
  4. Performance and Minimality: It balances runtime efficiency and minimizes the size of diffs.

The author evaluated existing Go diff libraries, finding many lacked essential features or had performance issues. They noted that most libraries use Myers' Algorithm, which is efficient for similar inputs but slower for larger, dissimilar ones. The new library employs various strategies, such as preprocessing and heuristics, to improve performance without compromising readability.

Additionally, the library supports post-processing techniques to enhance the readability of diffs, particularly for code. The author plans to continue improving the library and welcomes feedback on its functionality.

Author: znkr | Score: 258

34.
Sora 2
(Sora 2)

The text provides links to a video and a system card related to OpenAI's Sora 2. The video can be found on YouTube, and the system card offers detailed information about the Sora 2 system.

Author: skilled | Score: 836

35.
Washi: The Japanese paper crafted to last 1000 years [video]
(Washi: The Japanese paper crafted to last 1000 years [video])

Washi is a traditional Japanese paper that has been handmade for over 1,500 years. It is known for its beauty, strength, and unique textures. When stored properly, some types of washi can last more than a thousand years, as evidenced by ancient documents. Recently, BBC presenter Paul Carter visited Echizen to explore the craft of washi paper making.

Author: rmason | Score: 108

36.
Broadcom Fails to Disclose Zero-Day Exploitation of VMware Vulnerability
(Broadcom Fails to Disclose Zero-Day Exploitation of VMware Vulnerability)

A recently discovered high-severity vulnerability in VMware, tracked as CVE-2025-41244, has been actively exploited since October 2024. This flaw affects VMware Aria Operations and VMware Tools, allowing attackers to gain elevated privileges on virtual machines (VMs).

Broadcom, VMware's parent company, released patches for this issue but did not inform users about its ongoing exploitation. The security firm NVISO Labs reported that a Chinese state-sponsored group, UNC5174, has been taking advantage of this vulnerability for a year, including in an attack on cybersecurity firm SentinelOne.

The vulnerability impacts both credential-based and credential-less service discovery features in VMware Aria Operations and VMware Tools. It can let unprivileged users execute code with root privileges, affecting even the open-source version, open-vm-tools, used in many Linux distributions.

NVISO warns that the exploitation method involves placing malicious binaries in writable directories, which can be executed with higher privileges. Broadcom has issued fixes for various VMware products, and Linux vendors are expected to distribute updates for open-vm-tools.

Organizations are advised to monitor for unusual processes to detect any exploitation of this vulnerability. NVISO noted the potential for other malware to benefit from this unintentional privilege escalation due to the nature of the vulnerability.

Author: Bender | Score: 44

37.
Basic Dialects, IDEs, and Tutorials
(Basic Dialects, IDEs, and Tutorials)

Awesome Basic Summary

This document is a collection of resources related to various BASIC programming dialects, development environments (IDEs), tools, and tutorials.

Key Sections:

  1. Dialects:

    • Numerous BASIC dialects are listed, including:
      • AppGameKit: A game development engine for beginners.
      • FreeBASIC: An open-source BASIC compiler for multiple platforms.
      • QB64: A modern version of QBasic that supports native binaries.
      • PureBasic: Known for its simplicity and cross-platform capabilities.
      • Chipmunk Basic: A fast interpreter with a traditional programming environment.
  2. IDEs, Editors, Plugins, and Tools:

    • Includes various tools for BASIC programming:
      • DavsIDE: An alternative IDE for QB64.
      • VisualFBEditor: An IDE for FreeBasic.
      • WinFBE: A FreeBASIC Editor for Windows.
  3. Miscellaneous:

    • Contains collections of BASIC programs, source codes, and emulators related to BASIC.
  4. Tutorials:

    • Offers guides for beginners on using different BASIC dialects, programming techniques, and game development.

This curated list serves as a comprehensive resource for anyone interested in learning or exploring the BASIC programming language.

Author: andsoitis | Score: 33

38.
Boeing has started working on a 737 MAX replacement
(Boeing has started working on a 737 MAX replacement)

Boeing is working on a new aircraft to replace the 737 Max. Reports indicate that this new single-aisle plane is in development and could be ready by 2025. The company is focusing on creating an updated model to enhance its offerings in the market.

Author: bookofjoe | Score: 295

39.
Leaked Apple M5 9 core Geekbench scores
(Leaked Apple M5 9 core Geekbench scores)

No summary available.

Author: aurareturn | Score: 306

40.
Introduction to Multi-Armed Bandits (2019)
(Introduction to Multi-Armed Bandits (2019))

The book on multi-armed bandits is an accessible introduction to algorithms that help make decisions under uncertainty. It is structured into chapters that cover different aspects of the topic.

  • The first four chapters focus on IID (independent and identically distributed) rewards, discussing basic models, impossible outcomes, Bayesian methods, and Lipschitz rewards.
  • The next three chapters deal with adversarial rewards, covering full-feedback scenarios and extensions involving linear rewards and complex actions.
  • Chapter 8 discusses contextual bandits, where rewards depend on observable contexts.
  • The final three chapters connect the topic to economics, exploring learning in games, budget constraints, and incentives.

The appendix offers background information on important concepts like concentration and KL-divergence. Some chapters can also be read independently as surveys on specific topics. Each chapter includes exercises for practice.

Author: Anon84 | Score: 134

41.
Billions of Triangles in Minutes
(Billions of Triangles in Minutes)

The text discusses NVIDIA's recent advancements in graphics technology, specifically their RTX Mega Geometry and the Zorah demo, which demonstrate new raytracing and level of detail (LOD) techniques.

Key points include:

  1. New Technology: NVIDIA's RTX Mega Geometry allows for highly detailed graphics rendering through a combination of clustered raytracing and Nanite technology in Unreal Engine.

  2. Large Scene Processing: The Zorah scene, provided as a 36 GB glTF file, features over 1.64 billion triangles, making it complex to process due to its size and the limited memory of typical systems.

  3. Memory Management: The processing of this large file requires significant memory, and optimizations were necessary to handle it efficiently, reducing memory usage and processing time.

  4. Clusterization Techniques: The process involves creating a hierarchical structure to manage the detail levels of the triangle mesh, which includes clusterization, partitioning, and simplification techniques, all aimed at efficient rendering.

  5. Performance Improvements: Through various optimizations, processing time was significantly reduced from over 30 minutes to around 2 minutes and 35 seconds for the raytracing optimized code.

  6. Future Enhancements: The author mentions ongoing improvements and plans to integrate better memory handling and processing algorithms in future versions of their mesh optimization library.

Overall, the developments highlight the challenges and solutions in rendering complex 3D graphics efficiently, emphasizing the importance of memory management and algorithm optimization in modern graphics engines.

Author: ToJans | Score: 4

42.
Policy as code using your favorite programming language with WebAssembly
(Policy as code using your favorite programming language with WebAssembly)

Summary:

Chainloop has launched a preview of its WebAssembly (WASM) and WASI-based policy engine, which automates compliance securely and efficiently. It allows teams to write policies in their preferred programming languages without sacrificing security. This new engine addresses the limitations of traditional policy engines, which often pose security risks such as system compromises and data breaches.

Key Features:

  1. Security: The WASM engine uses a zero-trust model, allowing only approved capabilities and preventing unauthorized access.
  2. Performance: It operates at near-native speeds, ensuring fast policy evaluation.
  3. Dynamic Updates: Policies can be updated without downtime, keeping pace with changing regulations.
  4. Language Flexibility: Teams can write policies in multiple languages, including Go, Rust, JavaScript, Python, and C/C++.
  5. Easy Deployment: Compiling and testing policies is simple and integrates well with CI/CD pipelines.

Chainloop maintains its original Rego policy engine while introducing WASM as an alternative for more complex needs. The development experience is streamlined with pre-built libraries and automated tools, making it easier for developers to create and manage policies.

In summary, Chainloop’s WASM policy engine allows for secure, high-performance compliance automation while supporting a variety of programming languages, enhancing flexibility and developer experience.

Author: migmartri | Score: 8

43.
Bild AI (YC W25) Is Hiring
(Bild AI (YC W25) Is Hiring)

Puneet and Roop started Bild AI to improve the complicated processes of reading blueprints, estimating costs, and applying for permits in construction. They aim to make building houses, hospitals, and schools more efficient using advanced computer vision and AI technology.

They are looking for team members who:

  • Focus on developing intelligent systems rather than just applications
  • Use the latest AI models and tools
  • Can quickly create prototypes and refine them based on feedback

Ideal candidates should have:

  • Experience in applying computer vision or machine learning
  • A background in developing AI products
  • A positive attitude and good communication skills
  • Willingness to handle challenging tasks

Bonus qualifications include:

  • Experience in startups or creating products that people use
  • A background in construction
  • A passion for making a positive impact

Interested candidates should briefly explain why they are a good fit and mention their favorite fruit. The position is full-time in-office and based in San Francisco or requires relocation.

Author: rooppal | Score: 1

44.
No Figma, I won't fit in your little box
(No Figma, I won't fit in your little box)

The text discusses the growing divide between designers and developers in web development. Initially, designers and developers worked together seamlessly, but as the web evolved, their roles became more separated. Designers focused on visual aspects using tools like Figma, while developers handled the coding side with complex frameworks. This separation has led to a frustrating "hand-off" process, where communication is hindered by different languages and tools.

Despite efforts to improve collaboration, the core issue remains: the split between designers and developers creates friction and limits creativity. Designers now often lack the ability to implement their functional designs, as they are constrained by their tools and processes.

Nordcraft was created to address these challenges by developing a platform that integrates design and development. It allows for more collaboration and flexibility, enabling teams to leverage each other's strengths without rigid roles. The goal is to foster a more creative and efficient environment for web design and development.

Author: AndreasMoeller | Score: 6

45.
How to Avoid Fighting Rust Borrow Checker
(How to Avoid Fighting Rust Borrow Checker)

Summary of "How to Avoid Fighting Rust Borrow Checker"

Key Concepts in Rust:

  1. Tree-Shaped Ownership: Each object in Rust can have one parent and many children, forming a tree structure.
  2. Mutable Borrow Exclusiveness: Only one mutable reference to an object can exist at a time; if one exists, no other references (mutable or immutable) can exist.
  3. Contagious Borrowing: Borrowing an object can affect its parent and other objects in its hierarchy. For example, borrowing one wheel of a car implies borrowing the whole car.

Reference Shapes:

  • Tree-Shaped References: Easy to manage in Rust.
  • Shared References: Can complicate ownership and borrowing rules.
    • For immutable shared objects, use lifetime annotations or reference counting (Rc/Arc).
    • Mutable shared objects can cause issues due to borrow-checking rules.

Challenges with the Borrow Checker:

  • Contagious Borrow: Borrowing a child can implicitly borrow its parent, complicating mutable operations.
  • Cycles: Circular references can lead to borrowing issues.

Solutions for Borrow-Checker Issues:

  1. Data-Oriented Design: Focus on data structures to minimize unnecessary getters/setters and avoid contagious borrows.
  2. Use IDs/Handles: Replace direct borrowing with identifiers to manage references and avoid borrowing issues.
  3. Defer Mutation: Use commands to schedule changes rather than immediate mutations.
  4. Avoid Mutation: Opt for immutable data or recreate data structures instead of mutating them.
  5. Handle Circular References: Use weak references to break cycles, especially in callbacks.

Interior Mutability:

  • Use types like RefCell, Cell, or Mutex to allow changes to data while maintaining the borrow checker rules.

General Guidelines:

  • Minimize the scope of borrows and keep them as short-lived as possible.
  • Consider using data structures that avoid unnecessary references, like arrays or maps.
  • Understand that while Rust provides safety benefits, it can require more complex design patterns to manage ownership and borrowing effectively.

Conclusion: Rust’s borrow checker enhances safety but can lead to complications in mutable data management. Employing strategies like data-oriented design, using handles instead of direct borrowing, and managing mutability carefully will help developers work more effectively within Rust’s ownership model.

Author: qouteall | Score: 10

46.
Economics of sportsbooks and why they ban the best bettors
(Economics of sportsbooks and why they ban the best bettors)

Summary of "The Business of Sportsbooks is Built on Losers"

Sportsbooks, like DraftKings and FanDuel, operate in a low-margin environment and rely on casual bettors, often referred to as "losers." Here are the key points:

  1. Business Model: Sportsbooks set odds for sports events and take bets from users. They make money primarily through a small margin called "vig" built into the odds. The average casual bettor loses about $100 per year, while skilled bettors (sharps) can win large amounts, which can threaten the sportsbook's profits.

  2. Targeting Casual Bettors: Sportsbooks focus on attracting inexperienced bettors who are more likely to place bets on their favorite teams. Only about 3% of bettors make a profit.

  3. Costs and Profitability: Sportsbooks face high costs, including state taxes (up to 51% in some states), promotions, and advertising, which significantly cut into their profits. They spend heavily on marketing to acquire new customers, often around $300 per user.

  4. Restricting Skilled Bettors: To protect their profits, sportsbooks often restrict or ban skilled bettors who can exploit their odds. This is legal, as businesses can refuse service to customers unless it involves discrimination against protected classes.

  5. Parlays as a Revenue Source: Sportsbooks encourage bettors to place complex bets called parlays, which have a higher vig and drive up profits. They use strategies to keep users engaged and betting frequently.

In conclusion, sportsbooks thrive by attracting casual bettors while limiting the impact of skilled gamblers, all within a tough regulatory and financial landscape.

Author: _1729 | Score: 65

47.
Mind the encryptionroot: How to save your data when ZFS loses its mind
(Mind the encryptionroot: How to save your data when ZFS loses its mind)

Summary of "Mind the encryptionroot: How to save your data when ZFS loses its mind"

This article is a personal account of the author's experience with ZFS (Zettabyte File System) and its native encryption, where they almost lost 8.5 TiB of data due to mistakes made during routine operations. The author shares their journey to understand the issues, debug the situation, and ultimately recover the data.

Key Points:

  1. Background: The author had two ZFS pools (old and new) for data management, with the new pool using native encryption from the start. The old pool was later upgraded to encryption, which led to complications.

  2. The Issue: Changing the encryption key for the old pool without properly managing snapshots led to an undecryptable dataset. The author realized too late that the backups were no longer valid because the encryption key changes were not reflected in the backups.

  3. Lessons Learned:

    • Continuously test backups to catch issues early.
    • Perform destructive changes only after verifying all steps are in order.
    • Always send a snapshot of the encryption root after changing encryption keys.
    • Create bookmarks before deleting snapshots.
  4. Debugging Process: The author explored how ZFS works, including its copy-on-write filesystem, snapshots, and the mechanics of native encryption. They formed a hypothesis about what went wrong and created a test environment to reproduce the issue.

  5. Data Recovery: The recovery process was complex, involving creating a modified version of ZFS to manually create bookmarks and send the necessary snapshots to restore access to the encrypted datasets.

  6. Conclusion: The author successfully recovered their data and emphasizes the importance of understanding ZFS's encryption features and practices. They advise caution when using native encryption until improvements are made, suggesting the use of block-level encryption instead for most users.

This account serves as a cautionary tale for those using ZFS encryption, highlighting potential pitfalls and the importance of careful data management.

Author: 6581 | Score: 139

48.
Sora 2 makes convincing fake crime footage
(Sora 2 makes convincing fake crime footage)

No summary available.

Author: m-hodges | Score: 6

49.
Inflammation now predicts heart disease more strongly than cholesterol
(Inflammation now predicts heart disease more strongly than cholesterol)

Chronic inflammation is now recognized as a stronger predictor of heart disease than cholesterol, according to new recommendations from the American College of Cardiology (ACC). They suggest that everyone should have their inflammation levels, specifically high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), measured through a blood test. This shift is significant because it highlights inflammation as a standard modifiable risk factor for heart disease.

Key findings include:

  • High levels of inflammation (hs-CRP) correlate more closely with heart disease risk than cholesterol levels, especially in patients already on cholesterol-lowering statins or those without traditional risk factors.
  • Traditional risk factors still matter, but inflammation remains a crucial factor.
  • Effective ways to lower inflammation include using certain medications like statins and colchicine, as well as lifestyle changes such as a healthy diet, regular exercise, quitting smoking, and maintaining a healthy weight.
  • Not all anti-inflammatory drugs work; some have shown no benefit in major trials.

For hs-CRP levels:

  • Ideal levels are below 1 mg/L, while levels above 3 mg/L indicate high risk.
  • Other inflammation markers have been evaluated, but hs-CRP is the most effective for predicting cardiovascular risk.

The ACC now recommends routine hs-CRP testing for everyone, emphasizing the importance of addressing inflammation as a separate risk factor from cholesterol.

Author: brandonb | Score: 575

50.
Radicle: Peer-to-Peer Collaboration with Git
(Radicle: Peer-to-Peer Collaboration with Git)

No summary available.

Author: emreb | Score: 15

51.
NYC apartment building partially collapses, ripping massive hole in high rise
(NYC apartment building partially collapses, ripping massive hole in high rise)

A public housing apartment building in the Bronx, NYC, partially collapsed on October 1, 2025, after an incinerator shaft fell around 8:10 a.m. Officials believe an explosion may have caused the collapse. Fortunately, no injuries or fatalities have been reported as the incident occurred in the boiler room. Emergency services quickly responded, and residents in affected apartments are being evacuated for safety. Gas has been shut off to the building, and Mayor Eric Adams has advised people to stay away from the area while inspections are conducted. Local leaders, like Assemblymember Amanda Septimo, are calling for accountability to ensure community safety.

Author: voxadam | Score: 3

52.
Fundamental of Virtual Memory
(Fundamental of Virtual Memory)

Summary of Virtual Memory Basics

  1. Purpose of Main Memory: Computers use main memory (RAM) for fast data access, as it is quicker than disk storage. The CPU works with RAM due to its speed, even though it is volatile (data is lost when power is off).

  2. Memory Allocation: The operating system allocates memory to multiple processes, ensuring they don't interfere. A simple method is to assign contiguous blocks of memory, but this can lead to external fragmentation when free memory isn't contiguous.

  3. External Fragmentation: This occurs when total free memory is sufficient, but not in one continuous block. This can prevent the system from running more processes efficiently.

  4. Paging: To combat fragmentation, operating systems use paging, which divides memory into fixed-size blocks (frames). Processes access a virtual memory space that appears contiguous, even if the physical memory is not.

  5. Demand Paging: Not all parts of a program need to be loaded at once. Demand paging loads only the necessary pages into memory, which helps save space and manage large programs more efficiently.

  6. Memory Layout: A process’s virtual memory is divided into segments like the stack (for function calls), heap (for dynamic memory), and code segment (for executable code). Each has specific functions and growth directions.

  7. Stack vs. Heap Allocation: The stack grows downwards for function calls and local variables, while the heap grows upwards for dynamic memory allocation. Stack allocation is faster but limited to known sizes at compile time, whereas heap allocation is more flexible but slower and requires larger management overhead.

  8. Memory Mapping: This allows files and memory to be mapped directly into the process's address space. Memory mappings can be private (copy-on-write) or shared between processes.

  9. System Calls: Linux uses system calls like malloc for heap memory management and mmap for memory mapping, allowing efficient memory allocation and management tailored to program needs.

Understanding these concepts helps in grasping how operating systems manage memory and optimize performance for various applications.

Author: signa11 | Score: 45

53.
How Do You Journal?
(How Do You Journal?)

The writer wants to commit fully to journaling after trying it on and off. They are curious about what tools others use and how they approach their journaling process.

Author: lawgimenez | Score: 12

54.
Airweave (YC X25) – Let agents search any app
(Airweave (YC X25) – Let agents search any app)

Lennert and Rauf are developing Airweave, an open-source tool that helps AI agents search and retrieve information from your apps and databases using a single API. They have recently launched a managed service and new search features.

Airweave addresses the challenge of accessing and understanding data scattered across various platforms. It connects to APIs, organizes and indexes content, and synchronizes data to keep it up-to-date. When retrieving information, it can perform advanced searches and provide ranked results.

Users have created diverse applications with Airweave, from legal assistants to research tools. The team is exploring new features and enhancements. They invite feedback and encourage others to try Airweave.

Author: lennertjansen | Score: 159

55.
Imgur pulls out of UK as data watchdog threatens fine
(Imgur pulls out of UK as data watchdog threatens fine)

Imgur, a popular image hosting website with over 130 million users, has ceased its services in the UK due to a threat of fines from regulators concerned about children's data protection. The UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is investigating Imgur's parent company, MediaLab, as part of its Children's Code strategy, which sets standards for handling young people's personal information online.

The ICO has issued a notice of intent to fine MediaLab for potential data protection violations. Although Imgur has stopped operating in the UK, the ICO clarified that the company cannot escape accountability for any past infractions. The investigation is ongoing, and the ICO emphasizes the importance of safeguarding children's data. Imgur was founded in 2009 and acquired by MediaLab in 2021. Its services became unavailable in the UK recently.

Author: ANewbury | Score: 553

56.
Kagi News
(Kagi News)

Kagi News Overview

Kagi News is a daily news service launched on September 30, 2025, that offers a private and curated press review with a focus on global news. It aims to provide essential information without the chaos of traditional news outlets.

Key Features:

  • Community-Curated Sources: News is sourced from a variety of viewpoints through community-driven RSS feeds, ensuring diverse perspectives.

  • Daily Briefing: Kagi News publishes one comprehensive update each day around noon UTC, making news consumption a quick and contained experience.

  • Quick Understanding: Each briefing is designed to be read in five minutes, helping users stay informed without endless scrolling.

  • Diversity of Perspectives: Instead of personalizing content to fit existing preferences, Kagi News exposes readers to a wide range of global viewpoints.

  • Privacy Focused: User data is not tracked or monetized, ensuring that readers' habits remain private.

  • Customizable Experience: Users can adjust their settings to prioritize topics and stories that matter most to them.

  • Respect for Publishers: Kagi News uses publicly available RSS feeds provided by publishers, respecting their content choices.

Get Started: If you're looking for a new way to engage with news that is informative and less stressful, Kagi News is available for download on the web, iOS, and Android.

Author: grappler | Score: 886

57.
Software essays that shaped me
(Software essays that shaped me)

Michael Lynch's The Software Essays that Shaped Me, published on September 30, 2025, reflects on influential essays and blog posts that have significantly impacted his understanding of software development. Here's a simplified summary of the key points:

  1. The Joel Test by Joel Spolsky (2000): This is a set of 12 questions for employers to evaluate how well they support their software teams. It emphasizes the importance of respecting developers and creating a productive work environment.

  2. Parse, Don’t Validate by Alexis King (2019): This essay discusses how to improve software safety by ensuring that data is converted into a new type rather than just validated. This approach prevents errors caused by unvalidated data.

  3. No Silver Bullet by Fred Brooks (1986): Brooks distinguishes between essential complexity (necessary work) and accidental complexity (issues caused by tools and processes). He argues that advancements in tools won't drastically enhance developer productivity unless we address the essential complexity.

  4. Choices by Joel Spolsky (2000): This piece highlights the importance of minimizing user decisions in software design. Too many options can overwhelm users and complicate their experience.

  5. Application Compatibility Layers by Raymond Chen (2010): Chen discusses the need to consider user behavior when implementing software changes to maintain compatibility and ease of use.

  6. Don’t Put Logic in Tests by Erik Kuefler (2014): Kuefler warns against overcomplicating test code, emphasizing clarity over cleverness to ensure tests are easily understood.

  7. A Little Bit of Plain JavaScript Can Do a Lot by Julia Evans (2020): Evans advocates for using plain JavaScript instead of frameworks, highlighting its simplicity and effectiveness.

  8. Choose Boring Technology by Dan McKinley (2015): McKinley advises against using the latest flashy technologies without careful consideration, suggesting that established technologies are often more reliable.

  9. I’ve Locked Myself Out of My Digital Life by Terence Eden (2022): Eden's essay prompts readers to think about digital disaster recovery and the importance of being prepared for unexpected data loss.

  10. Bonus Insight from Brad Fitzpatrick (2009): Fitzpatrick emphasizes the importance of consistent input handling in software, advocating for user-friendly data entry processes.

Overall, these essays encourage developers to prioritize clarity, user experience, and effective practices over trendy technologies and complex solutions.

Author: mtlynch | Score: 256

58.
Coding a new BASIC interpreter in 2025 to replace a slow one
(Coding a new BASIC interpreter in 2025 to replace a slow one)

No summary available.

Author: nanochess | Score: 81

59.
Tiny worlds: A minimal implementation of DeepMind's Genie world model
(Tiny worlds: A minimal implementation of DeepMind's Genie world model)

Summary of TinyWorlds

TinyWorlds is a simplified world model created using Google DeepMind's Genie Architecture. Unlike other models, TinyWorlds can learn actions from video without needing prior action data, making it more scalable. It aims to help users understand how these world models work.

Key Components:

  1. Architecture: TinyWorlds uses an autoregressive transformer that processes discrete tokens, which simplifies predicting the next frame in videos.
  2. Modules:
    • Video Tokenizer: Compresses videos into discrete tokens, which capture important visual information.
    • Action Tokenizer: Infers actions between video frames, allowing the model to learn without labeled actions.
    • Dynamics Model: Predicts the next frame based on past frames and actions.

Training and Inference:

  • Users can set up TinyWorlds by downloading the code and required datasets, then running training and inference scripts.
  • The model can generate future frames based on user-defined actions, creating an interactive experience.

Data: The model processes gameplay videos into datasets, including classic games like Doom and Zelda. Users can also create new datasets easily.

Future Improvements: TinyWorlds encourages contributions and explores enhancements in its architecture, training methods, and the addition of more datasets.

This summary highlights the main features and functions of TinyWorlds, making it accessible for users interested in world modeling and machine learning.

Author: simonpure | Score: 43

60.
Random Attractors – Found using Lyapunov Exponents (2001)
(Random Attractors – Found using Lyapunov Exponents (2001))

No summary available.

Author: cs702 | Score: 128

61.
Tim Berners-Lee Invented the World Wide Web. Now He Wants to Save It
(Tim Berners-Lee Invented the World Wide Web. Now He Wants to Save It)

No summary available.

Author: mitchbob | Score: 20

62.
Decentralizing Quality
(Decentralizing Quality)

Quality in software is essential, but there’s no consensus on its definition or who decides it. Many leaders mistakenly equate quality with metrics like KPIs, but true quality is about meeting user expectations. Companies like Linear focus on quality as a brand value, while at Stripe, quality was a major priority, achieving 99.999% uptime.

Quality should not be a slogan or a scorecard; it should be inherent in the product itself, judged by users. A decentralized approach—emphasizing continuous feedback and shared responsibility—builds more resilience than a top-down, centralized approach.

Quality is difficult to define, but it can be summarized as how well a product meets or exceeds user expectations. This definition emphasizes the subjective nature of quality, which varies with consumers and evolves over time.

The pressure on software developers to maintain quality increases as technology advances rapidly. Historically, companies like Ford learned the hard way that leadership-driven quality initiatives can fail without sustained commitment. Ford's “Quality is Job 1” campaign in the 1980s aimed to regain market share lost to foreign competitors by prioritizing quality. Initially successful, Ford later relaxed its focus on quality, contributing to its decline.

Author: Brajeshwar | Score: 6

63.
C++26: Std:Optional
(C++26: Std:Optional)

The article discusses the new feature in C++26 called std::optional<T&>, which allows developers to represent optional references in a safer way. Here are the key points:

  1. Background: std::optional was introduced in C++17 to represent an optional value. However, it couldn't hold references. C++26 addresses this by introducing std::optional<T&>.

  2. What is std::optional<T&>?:

    • It does not own the object; it merely refers to an existing one.
    • It combines reference and value-like semantics.
    • It behaves like a pointer that can be null.
  3. Benefits: This feature reduces the need for raw pointers, making code more expressive and less error-prone.

  4. Key Design Choices:

    • Assignments to std::optional<T&> rebind the reference instead of copying, preventing unintended behaviors.
    • make_optional() creates an owning std::optional<T> instead of std::optional<T&>, avoiding potential dangling references.
  5. Constness: The design uses shallow constness, meaning dereferencing a const optional<T&> still gives a non-const reference.

  6. Value Retrieval: The method value_or returns a value instead of a reference to maintain safety and avoid surprises.

In conclusion, std::optional<T&> enhances C++ by providing a safer alternative for managing optional references, improving code clarity and reducing reliance on raw pointers.

Author: ibobev | Score: 9

64.
Styx Emulator Public Release
(Styx Emulator Public Release)

Summary of Styx Emulator Public Release

The Styx Emulator has been publicly released, marking a significant step in creating tools for custom emulation focused on security research and debugging of embedded systems. Styx aims to improve upon existing tools like QEMU by offering enhanced capabilities specifically for non-Linux environments.

Key Features:

  • Built-in bug detection tools and a GDB server.
  • High-performance cross-emulator tracing.
  • Users can choose multiple instruction execution backends.
  • Allows for customizable connections between processors and peripherals.
  • Supports fuzzing, plugins, and multi-processor systems.

Who Should Use Styx:

  • If your target is unsupported by QEMU.
  • For debugging embedded systems or multi-processor systems.
  • For developing new embedded systems.

Technical Details:

  • Styx is developed in Rust, providing a better developer experience compared to C/C++.
  • It allows for efficient iteration on target specifics through well-defined interfaces.
  • Currently, Styx is available as a library, with Python and C bindings for easier integration.

Future Plans:

  • Development of smoother multi-emulator orchestration.
  • Full-system emulators for Android phones.
  • Expanded support for more target architectures and peripherals.

Community Engagement: Users are encouraged to provide feedback and contribute to the development of Styx. For documentation and to participate in discussions, users can visit the Styx Emulator's official channels on GitHub and Discord.

In summary, Styx aims to be a versatile and powerful tool for developers and researchers working with embedded systems, facilitating easier debugging and customization.

Author: lukastyrychtr | Score: 23

65.
There is a huge pool of exceptional junior engineers
(There is a huge pool of exceptional junior engineers)

The article argues against the common practice of only hiring senior engineers in startups. The author, Andrew Churchill, has interviewed many engineers and found that there is a large pool of talented junior engineers who are often overlooked. Companies often avoid hiring juniors due to concerns about productivity and the need for experience, but this mindset limits their talent pool.

Key points include:

  1. Missed Opportunities: Many companies focus on hiring experienced engineers, missing out on motivated junior engineers who can bring fresh ideas and energy to teams.

  2. Misconceptions About Juniors: Companies believe juniors need extensive training time, but motivated juniors can become productive quickly, especially with the help of AI tools.

  3. Ineffective Hiring Practices: Traditional interview methods are outdated. Companies often focus on memorized algorithms instead of practical problem-solving skills.

  4. Benefits of Hiring Juniors: Juniors are adaptable, eager to learn, and can grow into exceptional engineers. They can also invigorate team dynamics.

  5. Hiring Process Recommendations:

    • Assess candidates' mindset and passion through project discussions.
    • Use realistic coding challenges allowing for AI tool use.
    • Evaluate problem-solving skills and live coding abilities.
    • Measure their understanding of when to use AI versus manual coding.
  6. Post-Hire Support: After hiring, invest in mentoring and create paths for juniors to learn. Measure their progress and encourage open communication for continuous improvement.

In conclusion, hiring juniors can provide a significant advantage in the competitive hiring landscape, especially as companies adapt to the evolving role of AI in software development. Investing in juniors can lead to long-term benefits.

Author: mooreds | Score: 229

66.
Atuin Desktop: Runbooks That Run – Now Open Source
(Atuin Desktop: Runbooks That Run – Now Open Source)

Summary of Atuin Desktop Announcement

A new tool called Atuin Desktop has been released as open source. It combines the look of a document with the functionality of a terminal, allowing users to create and run workflows easily. This tool aims to solve common problems in team workflows, such as outdated documentation and reliance on individual memory.

Key Features:

  • Runbooks: Create workflows that can be executed directly, making them reliable and easy to share.
  • Integration: Supports various commands, database queries, and monitoring tools all in one place.
  • Collaboration: Allows teams to sync and share work in real-time using Git or through its Hub.
  • User Feedback: Improvements have been made based on user suggestions during the beta testing phase.

Use Cases:

  • Automating tasks and debugging systems.
  • Managing database operations.
  • Onboarding new engineers with practical workflows.
  • Documenting and executing incident response plans.

Future Plans: Atuin Desktop aims to add more features like advanced execution flows, remote runbooks, and better integration with cloud services.

Developers can get involved by downloading Atuin Desktop and contributing to its development on GitHub. The tool is designed to replace outdated documentation with a more effective system for managing infrastructure.

Author: digdugdirk | Score: 248

67.
Design of the SCHEME-78 Lisp-based microprocessor (1980)
(Design of the SCHEME-78 Lisp-based microprocessor (1980))

No summary available.

Author: fanf2 | Score: 104

68.
Can you use GDPR to circumvent BlueSky's adult content blocks?
(Can you use GDPR to circumvent BlueSky's adult content blocks?)

The article discusses how to navigate BlueSky's restrictions on direct messages (DMs) due to age verification policies and the implications of GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation).

Key points include:

  1. BlueSky's Age Verification: Users can access BlueSky without verifying their age, but they won't receive adult content or DMs. This is seen as a reasonable approach to online safety.

  2. DM Restrictions: Users can’t retrieve DMs sent before the new rules, and it's difficult to manage incoming messages from previous contacts if age verification isn’t completed.

  3. GDPR Rights: The author believes that DMs should be considered personal data. They submitted a Subject Access Request to retrieve their DMs, which took over two months to process.

  4. Company Response: BlueSky's slow response raised concerns about their data handling practices, even though the author successfully accessed their data eventually.

  5. Limitations and Alternatives: The author considers various methods to access DMs without age verification but opts to follow the official process instead.

  6. Next Steps: The author plans to ask BlueSky to disable their inbox and clear notifications, emphasizing the need for better user experience.

Overall, the article highlights frustrations with BlueSky's approach to user data and age verification while exploring the intersection of online safety and data privacy laws.

Author: furkansahin | Score: 119

69.
Rio Terminal: A hardware-accelerated GPU terminal emulator
(Rio Terminal: A hardware-accelerated GPU terminal emulator)

The Rio terminal is a high-performance terminal emulator built using Rust, which allows for fast operation and advanced features. Key highlights include:

  • True Color Support: Unlike regular terminals that display only 256 colors, Rio can show up to 16 million colors.
  • Image Display: Users can display images in the terminal using specific protocols.
  • Cross-Platform: Rio works on Windows, macOS, Linux, and FreeBSD.
  • Font Ligatures: It improves readability by supporting font ligatures.
  • Screen Splits: Users can split and manage terminal screens easily.
  • Custom Filters: Rio supports custom filters and shaders for visual enhancement.

Many users appreciate its speed, ease of configuration, and aesthetic appeal. It has gained a loyal following as a daily-use terminal due to its user-friendly design and responsiveness to community feedback. Overall, Rio is recognized as a top choice for terminal emulators, combining performance with enjoyable usability.

Author: birdculture | Score: 64

70.
Dgsh – Directed graph shell
(Dgsh – Directed graph shell)

Summary of dgsh (Directed Graph Shell)

dgsh, pronounced "dagsh," is a Unix-style shell that allows users to create complex data processing pipelines using existing Unix tools and custom components. It enables the formation of directed acyclic process graphs that can be run on multiple processor cores, improving processing efficiency.

Key Features:

  1. Inter-Process Communication:

    • Multipipes: These can connect commands with multiple input and output channels, allowing for more intricate data handling. For example, the comm command can take two inputs and produce three outputs.
    • Multipipe Blocks: These blocks can manage multiple input streams and pass outputs asynchronously, supporting complex data processing within a shell script.
    • Stored Values: These allow for storing the last record of a data stream to be retrieved later by different processes.
  2. Syntax:

    • The syntax of dgsh is similar to bash but includes multipipe blocks, enabling parallel execution of commands and data flow management.
  3. Adapted Tools: Various Unix tools have been modified for dgsh to support multiple inputs and outputs, enhancing their functionality.

  4. Installation:

    • dgsh can be installed on Debian, Ubuntu, FreeBSD, and Mac OS X. Users need to clone the source code from GitHub, configure, compile, and install it.
  5. Documentation: Comprehensive manuals and reference documentation are available for all dgsh commands and associated programs.

Overall, dgsh provides a powerful way to handle big data processing tasks using familiar Unix commands while enhancing their capabilities for modern computing demands.

Author: pabs3 | Score: 150

71.
Hollywood is fuming over a new 'AI actress'
(Hollywood is fuming over a new 'AI actress')

No summary available.

Author: Bender | Score: 10

72.
The Unknown Genre in Videogames [video]
(The Unknown Genre in Videogames [video])

No summary available.

Author: msephton | Score: 11

73.
How does lossless compression in Fuji RAF files work? (2020)
(How does lossless compression in Fuji RAF files work? (2020))

The blog post explains how Fuji's lossless compression for RAF image files works, detailing the author's journey in understanding and implementing this technology.

Key Points:

  1. Compression Overview: Fuji's lossless compression reduces file sizes (e.g., from 50 MB to 25 MB) without losing quality. The author wanted to understand this algorithm better while developing software for digital photography.

  2. Algorithm Characteristics: The compression algorithm is adaptive (changes based on past data) and differential (stores differences between expected and actual values).

  3. Process Steps:

    • Stripe Division: The image is split into vertical stripes, which can be processed independently for better performance.
    • Color Collation: Each stripe is broken down into color vectors, grouping pixels by their color.
    • Encoding Differences: The algorithm computes expected values based on neighboring pixels, calculates the differences, and encodes these differences efficiently using variable-length coding for better compression.
  4. Adaptive Coding: The algorithm adjusts the number of bits used for encoding based on image complexity, allowing for more efficient storage in areas with less variation in color.

  5. Performance: The author notes that Fuji's algorithm typically reduces file sizes by about 35-50% compared to uncompressed formats.

  6. Decompression: This process is essentially the reverse of compression, using the same principles to retrieve the original image data.

In summary, the author emphasizes the complexity and thoughtfulness behind Fuji's lossless compression algorithm, showcasing its efficiency and the valuable learning experience gained from implementing it.

Author: dsego | Score: 102

74.
Wikipedia co-creator reveals how the CIA hijacked entries
(Wikipedia co-creator reveals how the CIA hijacked entries)

No summary available.

Author: Bender | Score: 4

75.
Austria's armed forces switch to LibreOffice
(Austria's armed forces switch to LibreOffice)

The Austrian Armed Forces have transitioned from Microsoft Office to LibreOffice, an open-source software package. This change, affecting around 16,000 workstations, aims to enhance their digital independence and ensure data is processed internally, avoiding reliance on external cloud services. The decision to switch began in 2020 and was completed in 2021, with planning and training starting in 2022.

The armed forces are also contributing to the LibreOffice project by programming necessary adaptations for their use, which benefits all LibreOffice users. While the switch is not primarily about cost savings, it is about maintaining operational functionality within their control. Microsoft Office 2016 has been removed from all computers, but some modules can still be installed with internal approval if necessary.

Author: amiralul | Score: 45

76.
How has mathematics gotten so abstract?
(How has mathematics gotten so abstract?)

No summary available.

Author: thadt | Score: 132

77.
Geothermal is too expensive, but Dig Energy's small drill rig might fix that
(Geothermal is too expensive, but Dig Energy's small drill rig might fix that)

No summary available.

Author: PaulHoule | Score: 9

78.
Sculptor – A UI for Claude Code
(Sculptor – A UI for Claude Code)

Josh, cofounder of Imbue, introduces Sculptor, a desktop app designed for running Claude Code agents safely and effectively. They wanted to address issues like merge conflicts and security risks when using multiple coding agents. Sculptor uses separate docker containers for each agent, which helps avoid permission prompts and protects your system.

One key feature is “Pairing Mode,” which allows you to sync code between the agent and your IDE in real-time. Users can also manually pull and push code as needed. Sculptor has plans for additional features, such as forking conversations and rolling back states. The app is currently free to use, and feedback is welcomed.

Author: thejash | Score: 160

79.
Claude Sonnet 4.5
(Claude Sonnet 4.5)

The provided link leads to a system card for Claude, an AI model. It contains important details about its capabilities, usage, and guidelines.

Key points include:

  • Overview of Claude's functions and strengths.
  • Instructions for safe and effective use.
  • Ethical considerations and limitations of the AI.

For more specific information, please refer to the full document linked above.

Author: adocomplete | Score: 1543

80.
Semiconductor neuron mimics brain's memory and adaptive response abilities
(Semiconductor neuron mimics brain's memory and adaptive response abilities)

No summary available.

Author: striketheviol | Score: 6

81.
The Beer Can
(The Beer Can)

This post highlights a unique structure at the South Pole called the Beer Can, officially known as the "vertical tower." It serves as a connection between the comfortable living area above ground and the crucial infrastructure located below.

The elevated station, built in 2008, provides all essential facilities like dining, offices, recreation areas, and more, allowing residents to stay indoors for long periods. Below the snow, there is an industrial area called the "Arches," where power generation, maintenance, and other vital operations take place.

The Beer Can is a large metal cylinder that descends about 50 feet to link these two zones. It has 90 stairs and a freight elevator for moving supplies and waste. The temperature inside is very cold, similar to the outside.

Walking up and down the Beer Can is a workout due to its height and the station's elevation. Residents often compete to see how many trips they can make, calling them "beer cans." Overall, the Beer Can is an important part of the South Pole Station, acting as a bridge between living and working spaces.

Author: Michelangelo11 | Score: 10

82.
Designing agentic loops
(Designing agentic loops)

Summary: Designing Agentic Loops (September 30, 2025)

Coding agents like Anthropic’s Claude Code and OpenAI’s Codex CLI significantly enhance the ability of language models (LLMs) to create functional code. These agents can write, test, and refine code, but to maximize their effectiveness, it's essential to design "agentic loops" that guide their operation.

Key Points:

  1. Agentic Loops: These are systematic processes where coding agents use tools repeatedly to solve coding problems. A well-designed loop allows agents to achieve clear goals efficiently.

  2. Risks of YOLO Mode: While agents can operate under a "YOLO" (You Only Live Once) mode, where they execute commands without much oversight, this poses risks such as:

    • Potentially harmful shell commands.
    • Data theft from exfiltration attacks.
    • Using your system for malicious purposes.

    To mitigate risks, it's advised to:

    • Run agents in a secure environment (sandbox).
    • Use external computing resources (like GitHub Codespaces).
    • Be cautious and monitor their actions.
  3. Choosing Tools: Selecting appropriate tools is crucial for successful coding loops. It's recommended to specify necessary shell commands and other resources in a document (AGENTS.md) to guide the agent.

  4. Credentials Management: When granting agents access to sensitive credentials, use limits and test environments to contain risks.

  5. When to Use Agentic Loops: They are particularly useful for problems with clear goals that require experimentation, such as debugging, optimizing performance, upgrading dependencies, and refining Docker containers.

  6. Emerging Field: The concept of designing agentic loops is still new, with ongoing developments expected. The author emphasizes the need for further exploration and understanding of these tools.

In conclusion, while coding agents offer powerful capabilities, careful design and risk management are essential to harness their full potential effectively.

Author: simonw | Score: 264

83.
Google CTF 2025 – webz : Exploiting zlib's Huffman Code Table
(Google CTF 2025 – webz : Exploiting zlib's Huffman Code Table)

No summary available.

Author: rot22 | Score: 102

84.
Orbiting the Hénon Attractor
(Orbiting the Hénon Attractor)

No summary available.

Author: dtj1123 | Score: 61

85.
Comprehension debt: A ticking time bomb of LLM-generated code
(Comprehension debt: A ticking time bomb of LLM-generated code)

Summary: Comprehension Debt in LLM-Generated Code

Developers are increasingly facing challenges when modifying or fixing code generated by Large Language Models (LLMs). This is similar to dealing with old legacy systems, where understanding the code is essential before making changes. However, LLMs generate vast amounts of code quickly, creating a new problem known as "comprehension debt."

Some teams take the time to review and understand LLM-generated code, which slows down their workflow, negating any time saved from using LLMs. Others hastily add unreviewed code to their projects, risking future complications.

While LLMs can assist in code editing, they often fall short, leading to frustrating cycles where the tool cannot adequately resolve issues. This means developers will frequently need to manually edit the code, increasing the time needed to comprehend it.

Overall, the reliance on LLMs is creating a growing backlog of "comprehension debt" that developers must address.

Author: todsacerdoti | Score: 511

86.
Organize your Slack channels by "How Often", not "What"
(Organize your Slack channels by "How Often", not "What")

The article discusses a method for organizing Slack channels based on urgency rather than topic. The author, Mark, found that rearranging his channels by "how often" he needs to read them made him more responsive and less stressed. He categorized channels into four groups: "Read Now," "Read Hourly," "Read Daily," and "Read Whenever." This approach helps him focus on urgent messages first, reducing burnout from noisy channels and ensuring he doesn't miss important information.

Mark suggests using a flexible framework to prioritize channels based on their importance and his level of involvement. He emphasizes that organizing channels by "what" they are (like team or project) is less effective because it doesn’t reflect urgency. The goal is to quickly identify which channels require immediate attention, making it easier to maintain productivity and achieve Inbox Zero on Slack. He encourages others to try this method for better management of their Slack communications.

Author: todsacerdoti | Score: 100

87.
Deml: Directed Acyclic Graph Elevation Markup Language
(Deml: Directed Acyclic Graph Elevation Markup Language)

Summary of DEML (DAG Elevation Markup Language)

DEML is a new language designed for representing Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAGs) more intuitively than existing graph languages like Graphviz and Mermaid. It uses an elevation-based system where nodes are organized by their relationships, similar to how rivers flow downhill.

Key Points:

  • DAG Representation: DEML uses a special syntax to represent the flow of data through nodes. Each elevation level is indicated by ----, and the order of nodes within those levels is flexible.
  • Node Connections: Nodes are defined by the first word on a line, with outputs indicated by ">" and inputs by "<". Multiple inputs or outputs can be separated by "|".
  • Task Management with Dagrs: Dagrs is a library that allows you to run tasks based on a DAG structure. In DEML, commands can be assigned to nodes with "=".
  • Comparative Syntax: DEML is shown to be more readable than YAML for defining tasks and dependencies.
  • Conversion to Mermaid: DEML files can be converted to Mermaid Diagram files for visualization using a specific command.

Goals of DEML:

  • Promote the use of an elevation-based DAG representation.
  • Allow tasks to be executed using the Dagrs library.
  • Enable conversion of DEML files to visual diagrams.
  • Enhance the language with features like syntax highlighting and edge labeling.

Inspiration:

The idea for DEML arose from the challenges of function declaration order in programming languages, leading to the thought that a structured order could be beneficial in DAGs.

Licensing:

DEML is available under the Apache License 2.0 and the MIT License, allowing for broad use and contributions.

Author: todsacerdoti | Score: 71

88.
Founder sentenced to seven years in prison for fraudulent sale to JPMorgan
(Founder sentenced to seven years in prison for fraudulent sale to JPMorgan)

No summary available.

Author: mandeepj | Score: 251

89.
Prompt analytics for MCP servers
(Prompt analytics for MCP servers)

Summary of Prompt Analytics for MCP Servers

Philip Miglinci, co-founder of Hypr MCP, discusses the importance of prompt analytics in managing MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers, which connect applications to LLM (Large Language Model) workflows.

Key Points:

  1. MCP Overview: MCP helps clients add context to prompts and perform actions through dynamic tool calls. This is particularly useful in engineering, where MCP servers like Context7 provide documentation and others like Stack Auth integrate relevant information.

  2. Server Analytics: Traditionally, MCP servers lacked visibility as they operated on the client side. The shift to remote MCP servers allows for new analytics capabilities, making it easier to track usage and errors.

  3. Analytics Implementation:

    • Application Layer: Developers can add logging libraries to capture metrics on tool usage.
    • Gateway-Level: MCP servers can use a gateway to analyze requests and responses, which improves security and allows for better monitoring.
  4. Prompt Analytics: The gateway captures the prompts that activate tool calls by adding special analytics fields to the input schema of tools. When a client makes a tool call, these fields automatically populate with the current prompt and conversation history.

  5. Benefits: This approach allows server operators to:

    • Enhance tool descriptions.
    • Identify user interaction patterns.
    • Debug issues effectively.
    • Monitor for security threats.
  6. Conclusion: The HyprMCP Gateway's method of injecting analytics is efficient and does not alter the original server functionality. This makes it possible to observe MCP server usage and improve overall performance.

For more information or to see the HyprMCP Gateway in action, readers are encouraged to join the waitlist or book a demo.

Author: louis_w_gk | Score: 30

90.
Computer Vision: Algorithms and Applications, 2nd ed
(Computer Vision: Algorithms and Applications, 2nd ed)

No summary available.

Author: ibobev | Score: 97

91.
What are you working on? (September 2025)
(What are you working on? (September 2025))

The text is asking someone about their current projects and if they have any new ideas they are considering.

Author: david927 | Score: 297

92.
NFS at 40 – Sun Microsystems NFS
(NFS at 40 – Sun Microsystems NFS)

This website focuses on the Sun Microsystems Network File System (NFS), which started in 1983 and is still important for modern computer systems. The project celebrated its 40th anniversary in September 2025 during the MSST Conference in Santa Clara, CA.

The site contains various materials, including design documents, engineering specifications, research papers, and marketing content. It is organized into four sections:

  1. Source and specifications
  2. Documents about NFS
  3. Documents on related work
  4. Photos

Most materials can be downloaded freely. There is also a list of related Internet RFCs available. Additionally, there is a reference to another site (nfsv4bat.org) that has more NFS materials post-1995, but it may be slow and insecure.

The website was created with contributions from several individuals, and comments or suggestions can be sent to the creator, Geoff Arnold. The site was last updated on September 24, 2025.

Author: walterbell | Score: 5

93.
Geolocation and Starlink
(Geolocation and Starlink)

No summary available.

Author: tatersolid | Score: 149

94.
AI tools I wish existed
(AI tools I wish existed)

No summary available.

Author: Poleris | Score: 141

95.
Making sure AI serves people and knowledge stays human
(Making sure AI serves people and knowledge stays human)

The Wikimedia Foundation has released a Human Rights Impact Assessment (HRIA) on how artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) interact with Wikimedia projects. The Foundation believes that access to knowledge is a human right and aims to ensure that everyone can freely access and share reliable information.

The assessment was conducted to understand the potential impacts, both positive and negative, of AI and ML on human rights within the Wikimedia ecosystem. It highlights that while AI tools can assist volunteers in managing content, there are risks, such as biases in knowledge representation and the potential for harmful content generation. The report emphasizes the need for careful management of these technologies to protect the rights of Wikimedia volunteers and users.

Key findings include:

  • AI tools developed by the Foundation can promote human rights but also pose risks if not properly managed.
  • Generative AI may lead to increased disinformation and harmful content.
  • Content from Wikimedia projects used to train AI models could result in biases and cultural insensitivity.

The Foundation encourages discussions with volunteer communities to address these findings and implement necessary recommendations. They invite feedback on how to responsibly utilize AI and ML to enhance Wikimedia projects while safeguarding human rights.

Author: benbreen | Score: 117

96.
Heavy codes of conduct are unnecessary for open source projects
(Heavy codes of conduct are unnecessary for open source projects)

In Japan and the EU, Open Source licenses are viewed as contract agreements. However, in the United States, Open Source licenses are seen as "unilateral permission" rather than contracts. This difference in perspective is significant because the U.S. is the primary origin of Open Source practices.

Author: jonymo | Score: 134

97.
Selling Lemons
(Selling Lemons)

Summary: Selling Lemons: The Hidden Costs of the Meta Game

The concept of "a market for lemons," introduced by economist George Akerlof, describes how information gaps between buyers and sellers can lead to market failures. When buyers can't tell the difference between good and bad products, the average price drops, causing quality goods to leave the market. This results in a prevalence of lower-quality products, or "lemons."

The author argues that the internet has entered a "lemon stage," where online shopping is plagued by low-quality, generic products that overshadow better options. This is driven by sellers using marketing tactics to gain visibility rather than focusing on product quality.

This problem extends beyond e-commerce to areas like online dating and hiring, where participants and companies struggle to distinguish between high-quality and mediocre options due to similar information asymmetries. In hiring, for example, both candidates and employers often misrepresent themselves, leading to inefficiencies and a downward spiral in quality.

The author warns that this focus on optimizing for visibility and algorithms (the "meta") detracts from the actual quality of products and services. The emphasis on outcomes over outputs can lead to poor results, as the actual work gets overlooked in favor of superficial strategies.

Ultimately, the article calls for a return to focusing on product quality and real value creation, rather than getting lost in the complexities of market manipulation.

Author: gregwolanski | Score: 203

98.
An opinionated critique of Duolingo
(An opinionated critique of Duolingo)

In 2020, during the pandemic, the author began learning Spanish through Duolingo, hoping to prepare for a potential taco truck venture in Mexico. After five years and an 1800-day streak, they found their Spanish skills lacking, unable to write in the language despite recognizing some words and sentences.

Duolingo's gamification features, like XP points and leagues, did not motivate the author. They struggled to understand how XP correlated with language learning and felt detached from the social aspects, as interactions were superficial and lacked genuine engagement. The forums for discussion, which were previously helpful, were removed, diminishing the sense of community.

While the author found some value in maintaining a learning streak, it did not equate to effective language acquisition, as they could easily repeat old lessons without true understanding. They later compared Duolingo’s methods with those of Language Transfer, realizing that Duolingo's approach of translating sentences without adequate grammar instruction was insufficient.

The author criticized Duolingo's focus on user retention over quality education, noting that the company prioritized expanding its user base and creating content with AI rather than improving the learning experience. After moving to Japan, the author shifted their focus to learning Japanese using other resources, such as group lessons, flashcards, and specialized platforms like Wanikani and Bunpro, which provided more targeted and effective learning opportunities.

Author: agnishom | Score: 237

99.
User: Larry Sanger/Nine Theses
(User: Larry Sanger/Nine Theses)

Larry Sanger presents nine theses aimed at reforming Wikipedia, motivated by a desire for truth and justice. Here are the key points summarized:

  1. End Consensus Decision-Making: The current practice of making decisions through consensus is flawed and stifles dissent. Sanger argues it should be replaced, as it has become a tool for those in power to marginalize others.

  2. Allow Competing Articles: To achieve true neutrality, Wikipedia should allow multiple articles on the same topic, each representing different perspectives. This would help mitigate the existing bias towards a narrow viewpoint.

  3. Abolish Source Blacklists: Wikipedia currently maintains a list of disallowed sources that unfairly excludes certain media outlets. Sanger advocates for a more open approach to referencing sources.

  4. Revive True Neutrality: The neutrality policy needs to be strengthened to ensure all viewpoints, especially marginalized ones, are represented fairly.

  5. Repeal “Ignore All Rules”: This rule, intended to encourage newcomers, has become a shield for insiders. It should be removed to promote accountability.

  6. Identify Wikipedia Leaders: Transparency is essential. Those in leadership positions should reveal their identities to ensure accountability.

  7. Public Article Ratings: Sanger calls for a public feedback system for articles to improve quality and respect user opinions.

  8. End Indefinite Blocking: The practice of permanently banning users is unjust and should be reformed to allow for more leniency and oversight.

  9. Establish a Legislative Process: Wikipedia's policy-making process is weak. A more democratic approach, such as an elected editorial assembly, is necessary for effective governance.

Sanger also mentions additional proposals, including supporting a decentralized encyclopedia network and implementing performance reviews for administrators. Overall, he urges the Wikipedia community to embrace these reforms to enhance the platform's credibility and inclusivity.

Author: taubek | Score: 6

100.
Genomic analyses of hair from Ludwig van Beethoven (2023)
(Genomic analyses of hair from Ludwig van Beethoven (2023))

No summary available.

Author: petercooper | Score: 46
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