Summary of FractalBits Announcement

FractalBits has developed a new object storage solution to address the challenges of high-performance storage that is often too expensive to use effectively. The current market is crowded with options like AWS S3 and Google Cloud Storage, but many systems either compromise on performance or come with high costs that make them impractical for large-scale use.

Key Points:

1. Changing Needs: Modern applications, especially in AI and analytics, require both high performance and cost-effectiveness. Traditional object storage prioritized low cost over performance, which is inadequate for today’s fast-paced demands.

2. Performance Issues: High-performance options exist, but their pricing structures can lead to prohibitive costs, especially for workloads requiring many requests. For instance, using a service like S3 Express One Zone can result in high monthly fees that make it hard to utilize its performance.

3. New Workload Challenges: AI workloads typically involve many small files, creating new bottlenecks that traditional object storage cannot handle efficiently. Features like efficient directory operations and atomic renaming are increasingly necessary.

4. FractalBits Solution:

   • Affordable Performance: FractalBits aims to provide high input/output operations per second (IOPS) at a reasonable cost, allowing users to run workloads optimally.
   • Native Directory Support: It includes features like atomic renaming and efficient directory listings, addressing the limitations of existing systems.
   • Strong Consistency: It ensures reliable data handling without unexpected behaviors.

5. Cost Comparison: For small-object workloads, FractalBits significantly reduces costs compared to S3 Express One Zone, making it more accessible for users.

6. Innovative Design: FractalBits uses a specialized metadata engine based on a radix tree, optimizing for performance and scalability. The system is built using Zig for performance and Rust for safe concurrency in its API server.

7. Deployment Model: FractalBits operates as a managed software layer within users' own cloud accounts, ensuring data sovereignty and cost transparency.

Overall, FractalBits seeks to provide a new approach to object storage that meets the evolving demands of modern applications while being economically feasible. They invite feedback from potential users facing challenges with their current storage solutions.

Summary of MYRASTACK Overview

MYRASTACK is a set of pre-release tools designed for high-performance Java applications, focusing on speed and memory efficiency. Key features include:

• Early Development Status: Not ready for production; APIs may change.

• Core Features:

  • Zero GC and Zero Copy: No garbage collection pauses or unnecessary data copies, ensuring faster operations.
  • Modern Java Infrastructure: Built using the Foreign Function & Memory (FFM) API without unsafe practices.

• Components:

  • Roray-FFM-Utils: Manages memory with pooled off-heap segments.
  • MyraCodec: Handles schema-driven serialization for efficient data processing.
  • MyraTransport: Provides high-performance networking with zero-copy capabilities.
  • MVP.Express RPC: An upcoming framework for efficient remote procedure calls.
  • JIA-Cache: A work-in-progress in-memory cache that avoids garbage collection.

• Performance Applications: Ideal for high-frequency trading, real-time bidding, gaming, market data feeds, IoT, and microservices.

• Ease of Use: Users can define data schemas in YAML, generate code, and start building applications quickly.

Overall, MYRASTACK aims to deliver extreme performance for Java developers by combining modern architecture with efficient memory usage.

Summary: How Exchanges Turn Order Books into Distributed Logs

1. Exchanges vs. Databases: Exchanges handle thousands of orders every millisecond, ensuring all participants see the same sequence of events. They achieve this through a distributed system that manages the chaotic flow of orders, maintaining fairness and trust.

2. Ordering Chaos: Orders arrive in a non-linear manner, complicating the task of establishing a global sequence. Timestamps are unreliable due to clock discrepancies, making it necessary for exchanges to implement a stronger method for event ordering.

3. Solution: Event Sourcing: Modern exchanges use a simple structure: orders go through gateways to a sequencer that assigns a unique sequence number to each event. This creates a deterministic timeline that can be replayed for accuracy. The matching engine then processes these events to maintain the order book.

4. Log Structure: The log records every event in a fixed format, ensuring that all state changes are appended, not overwritten. This allows for a reliable reconstruction of the order book by replaying the log.

5. Performance Cost: The need for deterministic ordering can slow down the system since all events must pass through the same sequencer, which can become a bottleneck. To manage this, exchanges use various engineering techniques to optimize speed.

6. Replication and Fault Tolerance: The log must remain intact during failures, so exchanges use pipelined replication and other strategies to ensure that events are recorded without introducing delays.

7. Conclusion: Modern exchanges function like fast log processors, relying on a total order of events to maintain market integrity. The sequencer establishes the timeline, the matching engine creates the order book, and replication ensures durability without sacrificing speed.

macOS Tahoe 26.2 Release Notes Summary

• Overview: The macOS Tahoe 26.2 SDK allows developers to create apps for Mac computers running this version. It comes with Xcode 26.2, available on the Mac App Store.

• AirDrop: Fixed an issue where devices set to "Everyone" on the beta version were not discoverable by other devices.

• Instruments: Resolved a bug where the Allocations instrument failed to report certain operations for Swift types.

• RDMA over Thunderbolt: Introduced new features for low-latency communication between Thunderbolt 5 hosts, useful for tasks like distributed AI.

• StoreKit: New API for checking the current age rating of apps. Fixed issues related to subscription purchases and status updates.

• Virtualization: Fixed a problem where virtual machines published a serial number of 0, affecting iCloud functionality.

• Xcode Deprecations: Xcode 16.4 now requires a Mac running macOS Sequoia 15.3 or earlier versions up to Tahoe 26.1.

For more details, refer to the full release notes for macOS 26 and 26.1.

Photographer Albert Cornelissen created a medium-format rangefinder camera called the MRF2 because he wanted a high-quality camera that was affordable. The MRF2 combines traditional and modern technology, using components from the Mamiya Press lens system along with microelectronics for enhanced functionality.

Cornelissen sells a fully assembled version for $1,156, but he also offers open-source plans for anyone to build their own camera using 3D-printable files and instructions available on GitHub. He emphasizes the supportive nature of the DIY camera community, which has inspired him to share his work.

The MRF2 features advanced elements like custom circuit boards, LiDAR-based focusing, and the ability to shoot various film formats. Cornelissen has made the building process as simple as possible, mostly requiring just plug-and-play electronics with minimal soldering. He encourages anyone interested in building the camera to reach out for help.

No summary available.

The author, a long-time Apple customer and developer, has had their Apple ID permanently disabled after attempting to redeem a $500 gift card. This incident has locked them out of their entire digital life, including access to devices, iCloud, and purchased software. The author believes that the gift card was flagged as compromised, leading to the account lockout.

Despite contacting Apple Support, they received no explanation or resolution, and were advised to create a new account, which could lead to further complications. The author feels frustrated and powerless, having invested significant time and money into the Apple ecosystem. They are seeking help to resolve the issue and regain access to their account and data.

No summary available.

Summary of GNU Unifont Information:

• Overview: GNU Unifont is part of the GNU Project and provides glyphs for all printable characters in the Unicode Basic Multilingual Plane (BMP), covering the first 65,536 Unicode code points. It also includes some characters from the Supplementary Multilingual Plane (SMP) and other Unicode registries.

• Commercial Use: GNU Unifont can be used with commercial software under specific licenses (GNU Font Embedding Exception and SIL Open Font License), which do not restrict its use but require derivative works to be shared publicly.

• Copyright and Licensing: Many glyphs in Unifont are copyrighted, allowing for derivative works under dual licenses: GNU GPLv2+ and SIL OFL. Detailed licensing terms are available in the project's documentation.

• Font Downloads: Users can download various formats of Unifont, including OpenType (.otf), PCF, and BDF files. Specialized versions are available upon request.

• Limitations: Unifont supports only one glyph per Unicode code point, which may not render complex scripts (like Indic or Arabic) accurately. It is recommended to use full OpenType fonts for proper rendering in such cases.

• Contributions: Individuals interested in contributing new glyphs should contact the team to avoid duplicate efforts. Certain Chinese glyphs are copyrighted and cannot be included.

• Release Updates: The latest version, Unifont 17.0.03, includes updates to over 100 Chinese ideographs. Further improvements and expansions are planned for future releases.

This summary highlights the main points about GNU Unifont, its usage, limitations, and how users can engage with the project.

There is a video from 2004 that you can watch at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1J9kfDCAmU. Today is the 100th birthday of a person featured in the video.

Summary of Cryptids

Cryptids are special types of Turing Machines that follow simple mathematical rules but are related to complex, unsolved math problems. Most known small Cryptids behave similarly to a well-known problem called the Collatz problem, making them mathematically difficult to analyze.

The term "Cryptid" was introduced by Shawn Ligocki in October 2023 when he discovered a machine named Bigfoot.

Notable Cryptids:

• Bigfoot: Discovered in November 2023, it is a minimal Cryptid with 3 states and 3 symbols.
• Hydra: Found in May 2024 by Daniel Yuan, it has 2 states and 5 symbols.
• Antihydra: Another discovery by @mxdys in June 2024, similar to Hydra but with a different starting condition.

There are also larger, more complex Cryptids that have been constructed rather than discovered, like:

• ZF: Tied to set theory, announced in 2025.
• RH: Related to the Riemann Hypothesis, announced in 2016.

Some machines show chaotic behavior but are not considered Cryptids as they don’t connect to known complex problems.

In summary, Cryptids are intriguing Turing Machines that challenge our understanding of mathematics and computation due to their simple rules linked to hard problems.

The headset is designed to fit around a rat's head and features a foldable AMOLED screen that provides Full HD resolution without interfering with the rat's whiskers. It includes two small air nozzles that can blow air to simulate game interactions, like indicating when the rat hits a wall. The headset also has a place for a reward dispenser tube near the rat's mouth and spots for speakers that will eventually provide stereo sound.

Summary of uvm32

uvm32 is a lightweight virtual machine designed for microcontrollers and low-resource devices. It consists of a single C file, requires no external dependencies, and has a minimal memory footprint—under 4KB of flash and 1KB of RAM on an STM32L0 microcontroller. It serves as a RISC-V emulator with a management interface and tools for efficient code development.

Purpose:

• Acts as a simple alternative to scripting engines like Lua and MicroPython.
• Provides a safe environment to run untrusted code.
• Allows development in modern programming languages when a suitable compiler isn't available.
• Enables code that can run on multiple platforms without needing different versions.

Key Features:

• Supports C, Zig, Rust, and assembly for bytecode applications.
• Designed to prevent misbehaving code from freezing the host system.
• Flexible execution model with no assumptions about the host's input/output capabilities.
• Prioritizes safety—faulty code in the VM cannot crash the host.

Goals:

• A small footprint for use in embedded systems, games, and apps.
• Compatibility with popular programming languages and development tools.
• Easy integration into existing software.
• Robustness against poorly behaving VM code.

Limitations:

• Does not support direct function calls between the host and VM code.
• Not optimized for maximum efficiency or ease of use.
• Lacks built-in libraries for standard I/O or networking.

Examples and Applications:

• Provides minimal and advanced VM host examples, with various applications written in C, Rust, and Zig.
• Offers a Docker setup for easy environment configuration and code testing.

License: The project is licensed under the MIT License, allowing use in research and various applications. For more details, refer to the header file and README.

No summary available.

OpenAI has recently integrated a new feature called "skills" into both ChatGPT and its Codex CLI tool. Skills are simple folders containing a Markdown file and optional resources, allowing various tools to use them easily.

In ChatGPT, users can access skills through a designated folder, which currently supports tasks involving spreadsheets, documents, and PDFs. Notably, PDFs are converted into images to preserve layout information. For example, a user could request a PDF summarizing a specific topic, and ChatGPT efficiently processes the request by following guidelines and conducting research.

Meanwhile, the Codex CLI tool now supports skills as well. Users can create and implement skills by organizing files in a specific directory. For example, one user successfully created a Datasette plugin using the Codex CLI with a simple command.

Overall, the introduction of skills is seen as a significant advancement for OpenAI's tools, and there is a call for better formal documentation of this feature.

Summary of "Beautiful Abelian Sandpiles"

Abelian sandpiles are fascinating mathematical structures that exist on a grid, where each cell can hold grains of sand. If a cell accumulates four or more grains, it topples and distributes grains to its neighboring cells. This process continues until all cells have three or fewer grains, creating stable patterns that are visually appealing.

The term "Abelian" refers to the mathematical property that the order of operations (toppling cells) does not affect the final outcome, similar to how addition of numbers works. This allows for flexibility in how we add sand to the grid, as we can either add grains one at a time or all at once before toppling.

Exploring sandpiles reveals interesting concepts from group theory, such as the identity sandpile, which behaves like a zero in addition but is not simply an empty grid. Identity sandpiles can be complex and beautiful, exhibiting fractal-like patterns.

The article encourages readers to interact with sandpile simulations, observe patterns, and appreciate the mathematical beauty of these structures. For those interested in learning more, a Numberphile video on sandpiles is recommended.

Summary of "Obscuring P2P Nodes with Dandelion"

The privacy of cryptocurrency transactions often relies on methods outside the blockchain, like stealth addresses. However, metadata can still expose users. Cryptocurrency nodes share transaction data through a peer-to-peer (P2P) network, which can lead to privacy issues if someone can track which node sent the data first.

The Dandelion protocol, particularly its improved version Dandelion++, aims to protect user identity within the P2P network. It works in two phases: a "stalk" phase where data travels between nodes one at a time, followed by a "diffusion" phase where the final node shares the information with all its peers. This method makes it harder for observers to pinpoint the original sender of the data.

While Tor protects user identity before entering the P2P network, Dandelion focuses on anonymity within it. Dandelion++ is currently used in Monero and is being considered by other cryptocurrencies.

Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children (GOSH) in London improved its handoff process from cardiac surgery to the intensive care unit (ICU) by benchmarking it against the pit stop techniques of the Ferrari Formula One racing team. This innovative approach led to enhanced patient safety and reduced error rates during the transfer of vulnerable patients.

Key Points:

• GOSH, established in 1852, is a leading children's hospital known for its specialized care and high standards, having received an "excellent" rating from the independent Healthcare Commission.
• Following a public inquiry into high mortality rates in congenital heart disease surgeries in Bristol, GOSH recognized the risks associated with surgical handovers and sought to improve them.
• The idea to benchmark against Ferrari's pit stops arose informally when two exhausted doctors, inspired by a TV broadcast, saw similarities in teamwork and precision between the two processes.
• The benchmarking effort involved observations of the Ferrari pit crew, leading to the development of a new handover protocol, which included pre-transfer checks and structured communication between teams.
• GOSH implemented significant changes, including a clearer division of responsibilities during handovers and the establishment of a designated leader to oversee the process.
• The new protocol, which takes 8 to 15 minutes to complete, has successfully reduced errors associated with equipment handling and information transfer, demonstrating improved patient safety.
• However, challenges remain, such as training new staff and adapting the handover process for other hospital departments. GOSH is committed to continuous improvement and aims to minimize errors further.

In summary, GOSH's benchmarking against Ferrari's efficiency has transformed its surgical handover process, emphasizing teamwork, structured communication, and safety, with ongoing efforts to maintain and improve these standards.

No summary available.

Hello HN! I'm excited to share my new project, called bidicalc. It's a unique calculator that allows you to change both inputs and outputs, unlike regular spreadsheets where you can only change inputs. I would love to hear your thoughts, especially if you find any bugs or have good examples of how to use it!

The text discusses cookies and SDKs that are essential for a website to work properly. These tools help with security, prevent fraud, and enable purchases. You can choose to block these tracking technologies in your browser, but this may cause some parts of the website to not work correctly.

The article discusses the ongoing challenges of email encryption, referencing earlier works on the topic. Despite advancements in technology, email encryption remains complex and underused. In 2025, the process of encrypting emails is still similar to how it was in the late '90s, but fewer people seem interested in it now than in previous years.

Web-based email services dominate, yet they often lack support for common encryption methods like PGP, making it harder for users. S/MIME is more widely used in businesses but also presents challenges, especially with Microsoft’s complicated processes for managing encryption.

Auditors focus on encrypting data at rest and during transit but often overlook email encryption. Most email communications lack proper encryption, with many organizations shifting to platforms like Slack and Teams, which have limited encryption. As a result, the use of traditional email encryption methods like PGP and S/MIME is declining.

Summary: Freeing a Xiaomi Humidifier from the Cloud

The author moved into a new apartment and aimed to create a smarter home using Home Assistant. They wanted a humidifier that could integrate directly with this system, avoiding reliance on manufacturer apps or clouds, which can lead to obsolescence.

To achieve this, they considered two options: adding sensors to a regular humidifier or replacing the firmware of a smart humidifier. They chose the latter for simplicity and looked for a humidifier with an ESP8266 or ESP32 microcontroller, which would allow them to use ESPHome for control.

They discovered the Xiaomi Mi Smart Antibacterial Humidifier and decided to reimplement its firmware based on ESPHome, as previous firmware versions were no longer compatible due to changes by Xiaomi.

The process involves:

1. Identifying the correct model (deerma.humidifier.jsq).
2. Disassembling the device to access the internal WiFi module.
3. Soldering wires to the module for flashing new firmware.
4. Backing up the original firmware before flashing the new one using tools like esptool.py.

This guide aims to help users modify their Xiaomi humidifier for better control and independence from manufacturer constraints.

No summary available.

Former President Trump has signed an executive order to create a single national framework for regulating artificial intelligence (AI). This order aims to establish consistent guidelines across the country and seeks to prevent individual states from creating their own laws regarding AI. The goal is to ensure a unified approach to AI regulation.

The text discusses the challenges faced while building a cross-platform server monitoring agent called simob using the Go programming language. Here are the key points:

1. Goal: The aim was to create a lightweight, portable agent binary that works across all Linux distributions without external dependencies.

2. Choice of Go: Go was selected for its advantages, including:

   • Compiled language that catches errors before runtime.
   • Built-in garbage collection, which simplifies memory management.
   • Goroutines for handling multiple tasks concurrently.

3. Initial Development: Early tasks were straightforward due to Go's rich ecosystem, particularly using the gopsutil library for collecting system metrics.

4. Complexities with Systemd Logs: Support for systemd journal logs introduced complications because they use a binary format. The team considered two options for reading these logs:

   • Writing a custom parser (discarded due to maintenance concerns).
   • Using the C API from systemd (chosen, but it linked dynamically, leading to build issues).

5. Build Issues: Key challenges included:

   • Inability to build on non-systemd systems like macOS.
   • Different architectures requiring specific libraries for compilation.
   • Issues with the Go build flag CGO_ENABLED, which can create compatibility problems with different Linux distributions, especially those using musl instead of glibc.

6. Conclusion: The initial vision of a simple, portable binary evolved into a more complex build process using GitHub Actions for various architectures. Despite the complications, the team successfully maintained the goal of producing small, self-contained binaries.

Summary of "Machine Logic: 50 Years of Proof Assistants"

The text discusses the evolution and impact of proof assistants in the field of computation, logic, and mathematics over the last 50 years.

1. Background: Some critics argue that science has stagnated, except for computing. They overlook the contributions of academia and government funding in technological advancements.

2. Early Development (1975-1985): The first significant proof assistant was Edinburgh LCF, introduced in 1975, which used a specific programming language (ML) to ensure that only valid theorems could be generated. Key principles were established during this time, such as dynamic assumptions and goal-directed proof styles.

3. Growth and Innovation (1985-1995): Cambridge LCF led to the development of HOL (Higher Order Logic), which became crucial for hardware verification. During this period, Isabelle was developed, allowing for more complex proofs and supporting constructive type theory.

4. Maturing Systems (1995-2005): The introduction of the Pentium bug highlighted the need for formal verification in floating-point arithmetic. Significant contributions included the formalization of complex mathematical concepts and improved automation in proof assistants.

5. Notable Achievements (2005-2015): The period saw the formal verification of critical systems like the seL4 operating system and the CompCert compiler. Major mathematical theorems were also formally verified, marking a shift in the perception of proof assistants.

6. Mainstream Acceptance (2015-2025): Proof assistants gained recognition among mathematicians. Projects like ALEXANDRIA advanced formal mathematics, and collaborations led to significant verification efforts in security and architecture.

7. Future Outlook (2025-2035): The text predicts that formal verification will become standard practice in software development, similar to hardware. Advances in various fields, including mathematics and science, are acknowledged, countering claims of stagnation in research.

Overall, the text emphasizes the substantial progress made in proof assistants and their increasing relevance in both academic and industrial contexts.

DeepSeek-OCR has shown that text can be accurately reconstructed using a small number of vision tokens, which has generated interest in using vision-based methods for compressing context in language models. However, research so far has only focused on the reconstruction aspect, not whether these methods actually improve language modeling.

Our evaluation tests two key ideas: that vision-based compression offers unique benefits for reconstructing text, and that the success of DeepSeek-OCR means it will help in language modeling. We compared DeepSeek-OCR's vision encoder with simpler methods like mean pooling and a hierarchical encoder. We found that these simpler methods perform as well or better than the vision encoder for text reconstruction and significantly outpace it for language modeling. Thus, the excitement around vision-based context compression may be ahead of the actual evidence supporting its effectiveness. Code and checkpoints are available online.

The article discusses the concept of "gilding the lily" in design, which means adding subtle decorative elements to enhance a well-constructed design. Here are the key points:

1. Understanding the Metaphor: The "lily" represents a solid design foundation. Before adding any embellishments ("gilding"), you must ensure your design fundamentals are strong.

2. Gilding Wisely: Adding small touches, like subtle animations or color variations, can convey care and attention. However, excessive ornamentation can lead to distraction and annoyance.

3. Winking at the Audience: Sometimes, great designs go unnoticed. A tiny nod to thoughtful design can enhance user experience without being overwhelming.

4. Examples of Gilding: Effective gilding can include using off-white backgrounds, colorful shadows, comfortable typography, and custom illustrations. These details add polish without complicating the design.

5. Caution Against Cheap Gilding: Overused design elements, like generic animations or common fonts, can reduce perceived value. Unique, thoughtful touches stand out more.

6. Impact on Users: While users may not consciously notice small details, they can feel the overall quality, which builds trust in the design.

In summary, focus on solid design first, then add thoughtful embellishments sparingly to enhance user experience.

Google has recently removed many Sci-Hub domain names from its search results in the U.S., acting on a court order from 2017 that had not been enforced for years. Sci-Hub, often called the “Pirate Bay of Science,” lost a lawsuit to the American Chemical Society (ACS) and was ordered to cease operations, resulting in a default judgment of $4.8 million against them.

The court issued a broad injunction allowing ACS to block existing and future Sci-Hub domains. Despite this order, ACS did not actively enforce it until recently. A law firm representing ACS requested Google to deindex 34 Sci-Hub domains, which Google complied with, marking a significant enforcement of the injunction after several years.

This action raises questions about whether Google felt legally obligated to comply or if it was acting voluntarily, as the injunction mentions that all parties involved with Sci-Hub must take action. Google has not clarified its position on this matter.

A new mathematical proof inspired by string theory has emerged, claiming to solve a long-standing problem in algebraic geometry related to classifying polynomial equations. This proof, developed by Fields medalist Maxim Kontsevich and his team, employs unfamiliar techniques that have sparked both excitement and skepticism among mathematicians.

Polynomial equations, fundamental to various areas of mathematics, can be categorized into "easy" and "hard" based on the complexity of their solutions. Despite decades of effort, classifying these equations, especially those of degree three or higher, has proven difficult. The new proof suggests a method to classify complicated polynomials, providing hope for advancement in the field.

Kontsevich's approach stems from his work on a broader mathematical program called homological mirror symmetry, which links concepts in algebra, geometry, and physics. While some researchers are optimistic about the proof's potential, others remain cautious due to the unfamiliar techniques involved.

Reading groups are forming globally to analyze the proof, which is considered a significant step forward in polynomial classification and could pave the way for future mathematical breakthroughs. However, acceptance within the mathematical community may take time, as seen in past instances where new methodologies faced initial resistance.

The text discusses the author's dissatisfaction with the sudo command in Unix-like systems and proposes an alternative approach to privilege escalation called the object-capability model. Here are the key points:

1. Critique of Sudo: The author criticizes sudo for being complex, having a large attack surface, and lacking separation of privileges, leading to potential security risks.

2. Doas as an Alternative: Alpine Linux adopted doas instead of sudo for privilege escalation to reduce security vulnerabilities.

3. Object-Capability Model: This model shifts focus from identity-based control (who can do what) to possession of specific capabilities (what actions can be performed). Each program has explicit permissions to perform certain actions.

4. Capsudo Project: Inspired by the object-capability model, the author is developing capsudo, which allows for precise delegation of privileges based on specific capabilities instead of granting full root access.

5. Practical Example: The text illustrates how capsudo can be used to manage filesystem operations like mounting USB devices, showing how capabilities can be tightly scoped to limit what actions can be performed.

6. Service Accounts: The author describes a scenario where service accounts can use capsudo to perform tasks without granting full administrative rights, further enhancing security by limiting access.

7. Authority Delegation: The system allows for layered authority, where capabilities can be delegated downwards but never expanded, making it easier to manage permissions securely.

In summary, the text advocates for a shift from traditional privilege escalation methods like sudo to a more secure, capability-based approach that enhances control and reduces security risks.

No summary available.

In 2019, hunters Brad Cape and Phil Yeomans encountered difficulties accessing Elk Mountain in Wyoming due to a unique land ownership pattern known as the "checkerboard." This pattern consists of alternating square-mile sections of public and private land, created in the 1860s when the U.S. government granted land to railroad companies.

To access Elk Mountain, the hunters attempted "corner crossing," a method of moving diagonally from one public square to another without trespassing on private land. However, they faced legal trouble when a ranch manager claimed they were trespassing by touching the ranch's posts. Instead of paying a fine, the hunters fought a five-year legal battle over the legality of corner crossing, which drew significant public interest and media coverage.

Ultimately, the U.S. Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the hunters, affirming that the public has a right to access public lands. However, this ruling only applies to six western states, leaving the status of corner crossing in the rest of the country uncertain. Despite the ongoing complexities, Brad and Phil remain eager to return to Elk Mountain.

Summary of "The Coming Need for Formal Specification"

In late 2022, a senior engineer predicted that as AI takes over more coding tasks, engineers would shift from writing implementation code to focusing on tests and specifications. Initially, it seemed AI would struggle with coding, but it quickly became proficient at generating unit tests, which are easier for AI to understand and create based on existing patterns in open-source code.

However, there's a more complex issue regarding the overall behavior of systems. Effective system design requires clear boundaries between components, which allows for easier updates and changes without disrupting the entire system. Relying solely on code for this is insufficient, as it doesn't provide a clear understanding of how components interact.

Formal verification offers a solution by allowing developers to mathematically prove that a system is correct. Unlike unit tests, which can miss edge cases, formal verification provides a comprehensive proof of correctness. As AI reduces the cost of generating code, it also makes formal verification more accessible and necessary, especially for verifying AI-generated code.

The author envisions a future where high-level specifications in English can be transformed into formal models, which can then be verified. However, a key concern is the limited number of experts in formal verification, which makes it challenging to implement effectively. The author suggests that computer science curricula should include more focus on formal verification to prepare future engineers for this evolving landscape.

It seems like you provided a website address (utexas.edu) instead of a text to summarize. Please share the text you would like me to summarize, and I'll be happy to help!

Over the past year, many customers have moved their analytics workloads to ClickHouse Cloud, often migrating from PostgreSQL after using self-hosted ClickHouse. While ClickPipes has made data migration easier, users still struggle with transferring queries and application code from PostgreSQL to ClickHouse. To address this, we developed pg_clickhouse v0.1.0, a PostgreSQL extension that allows users to execute analytics queries on ClickHouse directly from PostgreSQL, without needing to modify existing queries.

Key Features of pg_clickhouse:

• It enables ClickHouse query execution from PostgreSQL.
• Existing PostgreSQL queries can run without changes.
• It pushes query execution down to ClickHouse for efficiency.
• It aims to continuously improve query execution capabilities.

Background:

The need for this extension arose as applications backed by PostgreSQL faced performance issues due to increasing user traffic and data volume, leading developers to consider switching to specialized analytics databases like ClickHouse. While data migration is relatively simple with ClickPipes, rewriting existing analytics SQL is time-consuming.

Improvements Made:

pg_clickhouse was built to modernize and improve upon existing solutions, with features like:

• Support for various PostgreSQL and ClickHouse versions.
• Enhanced support for data types and aggregation functions.
• Advanced query pushdown capabilities to minimize data transfer between databases.

Performance Benefits:

The extension significantly improves query execution speed by processing data within ClickHouse rather than returning large datasets to PostgreSQL. It also includes features for efficient handling of complex queries, such as SEMI JOINs.

Future Plans:

The development team plans to enhance the extension further by:

• Expanding pushdown coverage for more analytic workloads.
• Supporting additional PostgreSQL functions and aggregate operations.
• Implementing features for data modification and batch insertion.

Users are encouraged to try out pg_clickhouse and report any issues to help improve the extension. It is available for download from GitHub and PGXN.

No summary available.

The CM0 is a tiny version of the Raspberry Pi Zero 2, designed as a Compute Module for easy integration into products. It lacks HDMI, Ethernet, and USB ports, making it different from other models. Currently, it's only available with the CM0NANO development board from EDAtec or within China.

The CM0 is ideal for applications needing a compact Linux computer, like in kiosks or 3D printers. It has unique features, such as castellated edges for easier soldering onto other boards. EDAtec provided a CM0 for testing, revealing that it has limited performance due to its low RAM (512 MB), which makes tasks like web browsing very slow.

Despite its potential benefits, global availability is uncertain. The CM0's production is limited by RAM shortages, and the Raspberry Pi team is focused on keeping the more popular Pi Zero 2 in stock. There's no current plan to sell the CM0 outside China.

Summary of Microsoft Windows 3.10

Microsoft Windows 3.10 runs on an IBM PC AT with PC DOS 3.30. The system requires a VGA color display and has a configuration of 8 MHz processor speed and 2 MB of RAM.

The software is distributed on seven 1.2 MB diskettes, each containing various files. These files include system components, applications, and drivers necessary for the operating system to function.

Key features of the system:

• It includes directory listings of the files on each disk.
• Important files include setup executables, drivers for various graphics modes (like VGA and EGA), and applications like Notepad and Calculator.
• Each disk has a set of files that serve different purposes, such as system operations, keyboard layouts, and language support.

Overall, Windows 3.10 introduced a graphical user interface to personal computing, making it easier for users to interact with their computers.

The text refers to a post titled "Show HN: Gemini Pro 3 imagines the HN front page 10 years from now." It includes a link to the Hacker News website where the post can be found. The focus is on how the front page of Hacker News might look a decade into the future.

The text discusses different methods for handling asynchronous DNS requests in programming, particularly focusing on the challenges and solutions related to timeouts and event handling.

1. Overview of Challenges: The author notes that using pthread_cancel for timing out asynchronous DNS requests led to complications. They express a preference for approaches that avoid background threads, signals, and hidden mechanisms.

2. Using getaddrinfo: A traditional method involves calling getaddrinfo in a thread, which can be effective but may require multiple threads to avoid delays from slow requests.

3. Alternative Libraries:

   • getaddrinfo_a: This function simplifies some threading but is non-portable and may not fit well with event loops.
   • c-ares: A standalone library that supports asynchronous queries using either a threaded backend or an event-driven system. However, both approaches involve callbacks, which can complicate handling results.
   • wadns: Mentioned as an alternative but lacks clear public interface documentation.
   • asr: Designed for use in OpenBSD, it does not use threads and allows the caller to manage events, making it simpler and more portable.

4. Code Examples: The text includes code snippets demonstrating the usage of c-ares and asr, highlighting how the latter leads to clearer and shorter code.

5. Conclusion: The author favors the asr API for its straightforward handling of asynchronous DNS requests, which allows for easier integration and control over event management.

Overall, the piece emphasizes the importance of choosing the right library and method for handling asynchronous DNS requests to maintain control and avoid complexity in programming.

No summary available.

No summary available.

A security researcher discovered that Home Depot unintentionally exposed access to its internal systems for a year after an employee mistakenly published a private access token online. This token allowed access to private source code repositories and critical systems like order fulfillment and inventory management.

The researcher, Ben Zimmermann, tried to inform Home Depot about the issue but received no response for several weeks. He only got a reply after TechCrunch reached out to the company. Once alerted, Home Depot quickly revoked the token and fixed the problem.

Home Depot does not have a formal way to report security issues, which led Zimmermann to contact TechCrunch for help. The company acknowledged the exposure but did not provide details on whether anyone else had misused the token during that time.

The text appears to be a heading that indicates it's about the latest news or updates from Studio Ghibli. There are no specific details provided in the text itself.

The Palisades Nuclear Generating Station in Michigan is set to reopen in early 2026 after shutting down in 2022 due to financial issues. It will be the first U.S. nuclear plant to restart after being decommissioned. This revival is driven by increasing electricity demand, especially for industries like artificial intelligence and data storage. The Michigan government has invested $300 million, and the federal government has provided a $1.5 billion loan to support the plant's reopening as part of a broader effort to achieve 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040.

The Palisades plant's restart involves training staff and repairing equipment. Local officials and employees view the plant as vital for the community's economy, providing stable jobs and reliable power. However, some environmental groups oppose the reopening due to concerns about nuclear waste storage and potential risks.

Similarly, the Three Mile Island plant in Pennsylvania is also being revived after a previous shutdown. Its reopening is scheduled for late 2027, backed by a billion-dollar loan. This plant will supply power to Microsoft for its data centers. Despite safety improvements in the nuclear industry since the 1979 accident at Three Mile Island, local opposition remains, with activists concerned about public safety and waste management.

Overall, while there is optimism about nuclear power helping to meet rising electricity demands, significant challenges and community concerns persist regarding safety and environmental impact.

Summary: How Tokenization Pipelines Work

When you use a search engine, it doesn't see text the way you do. Instead, it breaks down your input into smaller units called tokens, which are easier to manage and search. Here's a simplified breakdown of how this process works:

1. Filtering Text: Before tokenization starts, the text is cleaned up. This includes converting all letters to lowercase and removing diacritics (like accents). For example, "café" becomes "cafe". This ensures consistency in searches.

2. Tokenization: The cleaned text is then split into tokens, which are individual searchable pieces. Common methods include:

   • Word-oriented tokenizers: Split text into complete words.
   • Partial word tokenizers: Break words into smaller parts, useful for features like autocomplete.
   • Structured text tokenizers: Handle specific formats like URLs or email addresses.

3. Removing Stopwords: Common words that add little meaning (like "the", "and", "of") are often removed. This makes the search results more relevant, although caution is needed since sometimes these words can be important.

4. Stemming: This process reduces words to their base form. For instance, "jumped", "jumping", and "jumps" all become "jump". This helps the search engine to treat different forms of a word as the same.

5. Final Tokens: After going through all these steps, the original sentence "The full-text database jumped over the lazy café dog" transforms into a simplified set of tokens: "fulltextdatabasjumpoverlazicafedog".

Tokenization is essential for effective search engines. It ensures that users can find relevant results based on different forms of words and phrases, making it a crucial part of search functionality.

Cosmic radiation recently caused a serious incident involving a JetBlue Airbus A320, which unexpectedly dropped altitude during a flight, injuring several passengers. This incident led to the grounding of over 6,000 Airbus aircraft for emergency software updates, marking one of the largest recalls in aviation history. The issue was linked to a phenomenon called a "bit flip," where high-energy particles from space disrupt computer data, affecting flight control systems.

Investigations revealed that these cosmic rays, which can penetrate the Earth's atmosphere, triggered computer malfunctions in the aircraft. As a precaution, both the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and the US Federal Aviation Authority mandated urgent updates to several Airbus models to prevent similar incidents.

Airbus has since implemented software changes that quickly refresh corrupted data to minimize risks during flights. Although the majority of the affected aircraft received updates shortly after the incident, experts are calling for stronger industry standards to protect aircraft electronics from space radiation as reliance on microchips increases. The JetBlue incident highlights the potential dangers posed by cosmic rays to modern technology.

The text discusses an experiment in programming to determine if a number is odd or even using a large number of if statements. The author starts with a basic program that only works for numbers 0 to 10 and realizes more if statements are needed for larger numbers. To automate this, they use Python to generate a C program that can handle all 8-bit integers, then extend it to 16-bit and finally to 32-bit integers.

However, generating a C file for 32-bit integers results in an enormous file (330 GB), exceeding compiler limits and executable format constraints. To overcome this, the author decides to write an assembly function to check if a number is even or odd, generating a 40 GB binary file of machine code. The program maps this file into memory to execute it efficiently.

After some debugging, they find that using strtoul instead of atoi resolves an issue with large numbers. The final program performs well, even with large inputs, demonstrating that it is possible to create a functioning and efficient program in this unconventional way. The author concludes that the internet's initial criticism of the idea was unfounded.

No summary available.

No summary available.

SQLite is a popular and flexible database system that many people enjoy using, especially for production if set up correctly. Recently, it has gained renewed attention through projects like libSQL and Turso.

This blog post highlights some interesting features of SQLite, particularly its ability to handle JSON data. SQLite allows you to store JSON documents directly in a column and create virtual columns that can extract specific information using the json_extract function. You can then index these virtual columns for fast querying without having to decide on your indexing strategy upfront.

Key steps include:

1. Storing JSON raw data in a column.
2. Adding virtual columns that calculate values on-the-fly from the JSON.
3. Indexing these virtual columns for quick access.
4. Easily adapting to new query needs by adding more virtual columns and indexes without altering existing data.

This method combines the flexibility of storing unstructured data with the performance of a relational database. The author expresses excitement about these capabilities and plans to share more features in future posts.

A study from Cambridge University has ranked humans 7th out of 35 species in terms of monogamy, indicating that while humans exhibit some monogamous behaviors, we still engage in more promiscuous mating compared to many other mammals. Humans have a 66% rate of full siblings, meaning that for every two full siblings, there's one half-sibling. This places us above animals like meerkats and gibbons but below beavers, who have a 72% rate of full siblings.

The research analyzed genetic data across over 100 human populations, revealing significant variation in monogamy levels. Some populations showed as low as 26% full siblings, while others had 100%. The findings suggest that human monogamy may have evolved as a response to factors such as paternal care.

Experts suggest that while humans may desire polygamous relationships, social and religious pressures often enforce monogamy. The study highlights the different mating systems of our close relatives, like chimpanzees, who are more promiscuous, and gorillas, who have polygynous systems.

Overall, the study suggests that human monogamy is a unique trait influenced by various social dynamics.

Summary of "A Lisp Interpreter Implemented in Conway's Game of Life"

The project "Lisp in Life" showcases a Lisp interpreter created using Conway’s Game of Life, a cellular automaton known for its simplicity yet Turing completeness. This implementation is significant because it appears to be the first instance of a high-level programming language being interpreted in this format.

Key Points:

1. Lisp Language: Lisp is a high-level programming language known for its elegant syntax and powerful macro capabilities, enabling flexible programming paradigms, including object-oriented structures.

2. Conway’s Game of Life: A simple cellular automaton where cells live or die based on basic rules. Despite its simplicity, it can simulate complex computations.

3. Functionality: Users can input Lisp programs by editing cells in the Game of Life pattern. The interpreter evaluates these programs and outputs results, which can be viewed directly in a Game of Life viewer.

4. Technical Background:

   • The Lisp interpreter is written in C and compiled into an assembly language suitable for the Game of Life architecture.
   • It supports features like lexical closures and macros, allowing for sophisticated programming similar to traditional Lisp environments.

5. Performance:

   • The project required extensive optimizations to manage memory and speed, as the Game of Life operates differently than conventional computers. The implementation demonstrates how complex programs can run, albeit slowly, in this environment.

6. Conversion Process: The implementation involves converting a more complex 8-state system (VarLife) into Conway’s Game of Life format using OTCA metapixels, which emulate the behavior of VarLife cells.

7. Documentation and Resources: The project includes various pattern files for different Lisp programs, performance statistics, and resources for running and testing the interpreter.

8. Challenges: Achieving efficient memory usage and performance was a significant challenge, given the constraints of running in a cellular automaton environment.

This project highlights the intersection of theoretical computer science, programming languages, and cellular automata, showcasing innovative ways to run high-level languages in unconventional systems.

The text provides links to resources about OpenAI's latest model. It includes a guide to the model and a system card that offers detailed information. The links are meant to help users understand and access these resources easily.

The Holga is a simple plastic camera that originated in China in 1982 and has gained iconic status, even influencing the Instagram app. It was designed for amateur photography and uses medium format film, which produces unique and dreamy images due to its basic features and imperfections.

David Burnett, a photojournalist, popularized the Holga by using it alongside more advanced cameras during the 2000 US presidential campaign. He appreciated its ability to create soft, artistic images despite its flaws, which often led to unexpected and beautiful results.

In the 1990s, the Holga gained a cult following among experimental photographers, especially with the rise of Lomography, a movement that embraced the camera's quirks. This popularity surged again in the 2000s when Instagram was developed, as many of its filters mimic the Holga’s distinctive characteristics.

Although Holga production ended in 2015, new versions have since been released. Photographers still enjoy using the Holga for its unpredictability and artistic potential, finding joy in the unique images it produces.

No summary available.

Summary: Median Filter Over Arbitrary Datatypes

The median filter is widely used in computer vision to enhance images. This write-up discusses various optimizations of the median filter to improve its efficiency.

1. Baseline Median Filter (V1): The basic median filter replaces each pixel with the median value from its surrounding pixels within a defined window. The implementation involves sorting these values, which can be slow, especially for large windows.

2. Linear Time Median Finding (V2): Instead of sorting all pixel values to find the median, a more efficient method called quick selection is used. This method partitions the data around a pivot, allowing for faster median computation, achieving about 4.2 times faster than the baseline.

3. Multithreading (V3): The process can be further sped up by using multiple threads since median filtering can be done independently for different pixels. This optimization provides a significant 16 times speedup.

4. Median Over Ordinal Transform (V4): An advanced technique stores pixel ranks rather than raw values, allowing for rapid median lookup and updating as the window slides. This method achieves an impressive 420 times speedup by minimizing redundant calculations.

5. Limitations: While these methods improve performance for generalized datatypes, further optimizations can be made when limiting the focus to specific datatypes like uint8, which is common in real-world images.

Overall, this write-up aggregates and explains the progression of median filter algorithms, highlighting their efficiency improvements through various techniques.

Summary:

Schools are exploring how to effectively teach students about AI, especially since many young people use AI tools. Researchers from the CAMMP project presented ways to incorporate AI concepts into secondary school math lessons, making math more engaging and relevant.

Key points include:

1. Demystifying AI: Many believe AI "thinks," but researchers aim to show that it's really based on math, particularly statistics and data.

2. Using Real-World Contexts: Lessons can be tied to real-life AI applications, such as social media privacy and Netflix recommendations, to make math concepts more relatable.

3. Workshops: The CAMMP team created workshops that help students learn math through AI contexts. For example, they taught classification using traffic lights and regression through weather forecasting with a simple artificial neural network model.

4. Understanding AI Limitations: Students learn that AI systems don't truly understand data—they use math to approximate relationships.

5. Interdisciplinary Learning: Combining AI and math education can help students grasp both subjects better and understand the societal impact of AI technologies.

Overall, the goal is to simplify complex AI concepts using secondary school math, showing that AI is fundamentally mathematical, not magical. Resources and workshops are available for teachers to implement these ideas in classrooms.

Summary of c64 Maze Chomp.BAS

Maze Chomp is a simple maze game for the Commodore 64, inspired by a program from Input Magazine in 1984. The objective is to eat all the dots in the maze as quickly as possible. Players control the game using the WASD keys, and the spacebar to start.

Key points:

• The game sets up variables for the player's position and screen colors.
• The maze layout is created using special character codes.
• Players can move around the maze and "eat" dots, which increases their score.
• The game keeps track of the time taken and the score, resetting when all dots are eaten.

The programming involves using memory addresses to manage graphics and inputs efficiently. The code includes checks to ensure players can only move into valid spaces.

Id Software, known for games like Doom, has formed a union with 165 workers joining the effort. This follows a previous unionization of 300 quality assurance staff at ZeniMax in 2023. The Communications Workers of America (CWA) announced that Microsoft recognizes this new union, which includes developers, artists, and programmers.

Union members highlighted the importance of remote work, stating it should be a necessity rather than a perk, especially for health and accessibility reasons. They expressed concerns about workplace changes made without employee input, along with issues like layoffs, excessive work hours, and unfair pay in the industry.

CWA president Ron Swaggerty emphasized the union's goal to negotiate a contract that reflects the workers' contributions. The total number of unionized workers under Microsoft now approaches 4,000. Additionally, CWA members protested recently to raise awareness about studio closures and the negative impact of corporate greed on creativity in the gaming industry.

Summary: Guarding My Git Forge Against AI Scrapers

In 2024, I noticed my Git forge was becoming extremely slow due to a massive influx of automated requests or "scrapers," which were trying to download large amounts of data from my repositories. This issue highlighted the vulnerabilities of publicly accessible repositories on the web, where everything can be scraped for data used in training AI models.

Key Points:

1. Impact of Scraping: The constant scraping caused significant slowdowns in my server's performance, increased electricity costs, and required extensive troubleshooting on my part. The power usage of my server increased notably during heavy scraping.

2. Statistics: I analyzed server logs to understand the scraping patterns, revealing that thousands of unique IPs were making numerous requests daily. The most common sources of scraping came from both known bot services and potentially ordinary internet users.

3. Protection Measures: To combat the scraping, I implemented several strategies:

   • Reverse Proxy Caching: I attempted to cache responses to reduce server load but ultimately found that it didn't work effectively due to the nature of requests.
   • Rate Limiting: I limited the number of requests from specific popular repositories to reduce server strain.
   • Redirecting to Garbage Generators: I redirected suspected bot traffic to meaningless responses to waste their time.
   • Iocaine Tool: I deployed Iocaine, which helps classify and redirect bot traffic, significantly reducing the load on my server.

4. Monitoring and Analysis: I monitored the effectiveness of my measures, noting improvements in server performance after switching to Iocaine. It helped identify and manage bot traffic effectively.

5. Conclusion: The overall experience highlighted the challenges of self-hosting content on the internet in 2025, where scraping is rampant and often driven by industrial actors. It raised concerns about the value of online content and the exploitation of creators by large tech companies.

The fight against scrapers has made me rethink the implications of technology and the necessity of protecting personal online spaces from corporate exploitation.

No summary available.

Google has released a new font called Google Sans Flex, which is available for free under an open source license. This modern sans serif font is designed for screens and is a flexible, variable font that can adjust in weight, width, size, slant, and more.

It’s especially useful for developers working on Android and web projects, allowing for more creative designs. While it can enhance the look of Linux desktops like Ubuntu, current Linux environments don't fully support its advanced features. However, it still works well as a standard UI font, particularly on high-resolution displays.

To use Google Sans Flex, you can download it from Google Fonts, install it on your system, and set it as your UI font using the GNOME Tweaks tool on Ubuntu. The font can be modified and used freely in personal projects.

Summary of Octo

Octo is a high-level assembler designed for the Chip8 virtual machine, providing a testing environment and tools for sharing programs. It features a variety of guides and resources, including:

• Documentation: Language Manual, FAQs, Beginner's and Intermediate Guides, Programming Techniques, and more.
• Game Jam: OctoJam, held every October, focuses on Octo-related games.
• Chip-8 Archive: A collection of Chip-8 programs.

Third-party Tools: There are several additional tools for working with Octo, including syntax definitions for various text editors, graphic preparation tools, and libraries for game development.

Command Line Use: Octo can also function as a command-line tool, allowing users to assemble, decompile, and export programs with different options.

Sharing Programs: Octo enables users to share their code and configurations through generated URLs or as animated GIF "Cartridges" that include source code. It also allows easy hosting of programs on platforms like Itch.io.

Licensing: Octo and its resources are licensed under the MIT license, promoting flexibility and collaboration. Contributions are encouraged under the same licensing conditions.

This page contains additional materials for a presentation at the German OWASP Day 2025, discussing the EU's eInvoicing Directive (2014/55/EU), which mandates standardized electronic invoices in XML format.

Key points include:

1. Complexity and Security Issues: The EU's approach to electronic invoicing introduces unnecessary complexity and lacks proper standardization, leading to potential security vulnerabilities, especially due to the XML format's inherent flaws, such as XML eXternal Entity (XXE) injection.

2. Vulnerable Implementations: Some commonly used XML libraries, like the Java standard library and Saxon, have insecure defaults that can lead to security risks in invoicing software.

3. XSLT Challenges: XSLT 2.0, necessary for validating invoices against EU standards, is mainly supported by Saxon, which is vulnerable to XXE by default.

4. Access to Standards: The EU's EN16931 standards for electronic invoices are difficult to access, with some parts available for free while others require payment. The Estonian standardization organization provides free downloads for the first two parts.

5. Identified Vulnerabilities: A list of XXE vulnerabilities found in various electronic invoicing software is provided, detailing which products were affected and their fixes.

The page concludes by inviting questions and providing a link for further information.

I can't access the link you provided. However, if you share the main content or key points from the text, I can help summarize it for you!

The article discusses how to build smaller and faster Docker images, particularly using the Go programming language. The author shares their experience transitioning a project from Python to Go due to Go’s speed and ease of use. They initially attempted to use Nix for building images but found Docker and Docker Compose more familiar, despite the slow Continuous Integration (CI) process.

Key points include:

1. Minimal Docker Images: The author demonstrates how to create a small Docker image using a Dockerfile, emphasizing the advantages of building static Go executables to reduce image size.

2. Build Context: Keeping the Docker build context small is crucial, as Docker copies all files from the context into the image. Using a .dockerignore file helps exclude unnecessary files.

3. Layer Optimization: The article highlights the importance of organizing Dockerfile layers to speed up build times. For example, layers that change infrequently should be built first to leverage caching.

4. Multi-Stage Builds: Using multi-stage builds allows for a smaller final image by discarding unnecessary build artifacts and using lightweight base images like Alpine or scratch.

5. Caching and Mounts: The author suggests using cache mounts to speed up builds by persisting dependencies and intermediate artifacts, and recommends bind mounts over copying files to improve build performance.

6. Conclusion and Tips: The article concludes with various tips for optimizing Docker builds, such as using smaller base images, managing layer order, and leveraging Docker Compose's watch mode for real-time rebuilds.

Overall, the article provides practical advice for developers looking to improve their Docker image building process, particularly when using Go.

A Danish sperm donor, known as "Kjeld," unknowingly carries a rare genetic mutation linked to a high risk of cancer. This mutation is found in the TP53 gene, associated with Li-Fraumeni syndrome, which can increase lifetime cancer risk to 90%. He has fathered at least 197 children across Europe through sperm distributed by the European Sperm Bank from 2006 to 2022.

The mutation was discovered after some of his children were diagnosed with cancer and found to have the same genetic issue. The sperm bank ceased using his samples as soon as the problem was identified. Medical experts warn that up to 20% of Kjeld's sperm could carry the mutation, meaning any child conceived with it would also have the mutation in all their cells. Some of his children have already developed various cancers, and some have died young.

This situation has raised concerns about the lack of regulations in Europe regarding the number of children that can be conceived from a single sperm donor.

A billionaire investor interested in buying TikTok's US operations is currently in a state of uncertainty as the deadline for the sale is postponed again. The US government has delayed the sale due to concerns over national security linked to TikTok's Chinese owner, ByteDance. President Trump is expected to extend the deadline for the fifth time.

Frank McCourt, the investor, stated that they are ready to proceed with the purchase but are waiting for updates. The app was initially set to be banned or sold by January 2024, following a law passed by Congress due to fears that the Chinese government could access US user data—concerns that TikTok disputes.

While Trump previously claimed a deal was reached, no formal agreement has been established with ByteDance or the Chinese government. Analysts now believe another extension is likely. McCourt, along with other investors, hopes that TikTok will be sold to those who comply with US laws and plans to operate it without its Chinese technology, using alternative solutions developed by his team.

The author is working on a hobby project called pyk/bench, a microbenchmarking library for the Zig programming language. The primary aim is to accurately measure CPU performance, focusing on metrics like CPU cycles, instruction counts, and cache misses, rather than just wall clock time.

To achieve this, the author is using the perf_event_open system call in Linux, which creates a file descriptor for accessing performance data. However, the API is complex and not very safe. The author initially created a hardcoded structure for measurements, which was error-prone and required manual updates if new events were added.

To improve safety and maintainability, the author switched to a type-safe approach using Zig's compile-time features. This involves defining an Event enum for the metrics to measure and creating a function that generates a struct based on the requested events. This struct will automatically adjust to the events included, reducing the risk of errors.

The new implementation allows users to create a performance monitoring group that handles multiple events together. It ensures that if a user tries to access a measurement that wasn't requested, the compiler will raise an error, preventing runtime issues.

Additionally, the author contributed a small fix to the Zig standard library to include a missing ioctl constant used for retrieving event IDs, enhancing the usability of the library.

Summary of kpython: MicroPython in the Linux Kernel

kpython is a project that allows you to run MicroPython, a version of Python, directly in the Linux kernel as a loadable module. This lets you use Python for tasks like debugging and prototyping within the kernel.

Important Warnings:

• kpython is experimental and should only be used for research or educational purposes, not in production environments.
• Running it in the kernel can cause system crashes or memory issues.

Development Environment:

• It's recommended to develop kpython on WSL2 (Windows Subsystem for Linux), which minimizes risks of crashing the entire system.

Project Structure:

• The project contains source code for MicroPython, configuration files, and the kernel module code, along with a Makefile for building the project.

Building kpython:

1. Ensure you have the Linux kernel headers and necessary tools installed.
2. Initialize the MicroPython submodule.
3. Build the module using provided commands, specifying the kernel source if necessary.

Usage:

• Load the module with sudo insmod kernel_mod/kpython.ko.
• You can execute Python code by writing scripts to a specific debug interface in the kernel.

Technical Details:

• It includes safety features like stack protection and exception handling but has limitations such as no floating-point support and no file I/O.

Licensing:

• The kernel module is GPL licensed, while the MicroPython core is under the MIT license.

Summary of BpfJailer: eBPF Mandatory Access Control

BpfJailer is a security tool designed to sandbox or "jail" untrusted processes by reducing their privileges. It has become widely used in security organizations and offers system-wide Mandatory Access Control (MAC) for both restricted and privileged roles.

Key Features:

• Process Tracking: It tracks processes using a special storage map, which is shared with child processes.
• Deployment: It is commonly deployed in a socket-activated mode across most infrastructures and will be open-sourced in 2026.
• Unique Benefits: Unlike other MAC solutions like SELinux and AppArmor, BpfJailer operates effectively without significant performance loss and supports both involuntary and voluntary jailing modes.

Use Cases:

• Sandboxing virtual machines running untrusted AI code.
• Restricting access to sensitive environments like Trusted Execution Environments and databases.
• Jailing AI agents while allowing some development actions.

Capabilities: BpfJailer can manage various networking and permission tasks, including:

• Controlling TCP and UDP connections.
• Managing file system access and executing binaries.
• Handling signed binaries and kernel modules.

Enrollment Options: BpfJailer allows flexible enrollment of processes into roles, supporting complex configurations with layered policies. Each unit of tracked processes can be assigned a specific policy, allowing for tailored security measures.

Overall, BpfJailer provides a comprehensive and efficient approach to managing the security of untrusted workloads.

Summary: External Vendors and Resources for SAP CPQ

This guide outlines various resources for integrating external vendors into SAP CPQ (Configure, Price, Quote) systems, particularly focusing on 3D product configuration.

Key Points:

1. 3D Product Configurator:

   • Several websites offer tools for creating interactive 3D product configurations, such as Expivi and Instant Design Tool.
   • These tools help customers visualize products in real-time, enhancing the buying experience.

2. CAD Diagram Resources:

   • A variety of websites provide tutorials and tools for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) diagrams, including FreeCAD, SolidWorks, and more.
   • These resources can assist in creating detailed designs and models.

3. 3D Playground:

   • Platforms like Shapen and Threekit allow users to experiment with 3D models and configurations.

4. 2D to 3D Conversion:

   • Tools are available to convert 2D designs into 3D models, making it easier to visualize products in three dimensions.

5. Open Source Repositories:

   • There are numerous open-source projects on GitHub related to 3D design and modeling that can be utilized for custom solutions.

This collection of resources can help businesses enhance their SAP CPQ implementations by utilizing advanced 3D configuration tools and CAD resources.

The article discusses the differences between Rust and C-derived programming languages, emphasizing that the choice between them goes beyond just memory safety.

Key points include:

1. Programming Style: Rust encourages a complex, high-level programming style with features like pattern matching and generics, which can lead to verbose code. This is less suitable for low-level systems where simplicity is crucial.

2. Code Complexity: Rust's focus on preventing bugs at compile time requires more information in the code, creating "noise" in environments that thrive on simplicity, such as firmware and high-performance I/O.

3. C's Approach: C is praised for its straightforwardness, allowing programmers to write exactly what they mean without additional constraints. It emphasizes minimalism and clarity, making it ideal for low-level programming.

4. Philosophical Differences: The article highlights a deeper philosophical divide: Rust prioritizes correctness and maintainability, while C prioritizes transparency and minimalism.

5. Use Cases: Depending on the project, sometimes a language that prioritizes safety (like Rust) is needed, while at other times, a language that allows more freedom and simplicity (like C) is preferable.

In summary, Rust and C serve different purposes, and the choice should reflect the demands of the specific programming context.

The author expresses feelings of burnout and exhaustion after working tirelessly on a startup for a long time, which ultimately failed to gain traction. They describe a sense of indifference and a lack of energy, feeling disconnected from their previous drive. Despite their efforts, including engaging with users, creating content, and applying to accelerators, they experienced repeated rejections and now feel unemployable. The author thanks their mentors but acknowledges that guidance alone isn't enough. They feel overwhelmed and lost, seeing no hope for the future, and conclude with a sense of resignation about their situation.

Tripwire is a new tool that serves as a strong alternative to Haven, which is no longer active. It offers protection against unauthorized access to your device. You can find detailed setup instructions and information on its GitHub page, along with a demo video for a quick overview. Additionally, there is a presentation about Tripwire on the Counter Surveil podcast that you can watch.

No summary available.

Summary: Google De-Indexed My Entire Bear Blog and I Don’t Know Why

In November 2025, the author experienced a major issue when Google completely removed their blog (blog.james-zhan.com) from its index shortly after it was created. Despite the author’s efforts, including migrating to a new domain (journal.james-zhan.com) and troubleshooting, they could not determine the cause of the de-indexing.

Initially, the blog was indexed successfully after submitting a sitemap via Google Search Console (GSC). However, on October 14, the author accidentally validated a non-indexable URL (the RSS feed), which coincided with the de-indexing of most blog posts. Despite various troubleshooting efforts, including checking the domain, content quality, and internal linking, the author found no clear reason for the issue.

With help from Herman, the founder of Bear Blog, it was confirmed that there were no technical problems affecting indexing. The author successfully created a new blog on a different subdomain, ensured the old links redirected properly, and chose not to resubmit the sitemap to GSC, hoping the new blog would be indexed naturally. The author remains curious about the original de-indexing and invites readers to share any insights.

No summary available.

No summary available.

The text seems to list sections or features related to "Yaky's," which includes:

• Home
• Reads
• Notes
• Apps

These could represent different areas or functionalities available in a platform or website called Yaky's.

Framework Computer has increased the prices of their DDR5 memory modules for DIY laptops by 50% due to ongoing memory shortages in the industry. They had previously kept prices lower than competitors, but rising costs have forced this change. Existing pre-orders will not be affected, and prices for their pre-built laptops and desktop remain the same. Customers can still order DIY laptops without memory if they prefer to use their own. To prevent scalpers from taking advantage of the situation, the return policy has been adjusted: DDR5 memory must now be returned with the laptops if they are returned. More information is available on the Framework Blog.

The text discusses concerns about the defragmentation process in the exfatprogs software. A user, identified as "dxdxdt," claims that the defrag algorithm is poorly designed and poses risks for data integrity. Key points include:

1. Inefficiency: The current method relies on swapping clusters instead of traditional approaches, making it ineffective and slow.
2. Risk of Data Corruption: There are no safety checkpoints during the process, meaning that if power is lost or the process is interrupted, it could lead to severe data corruption, which recovery tools like fsck or chkdsk can't fix.
3. Poor Resource Management: The algorithm does not consider minimizing wear on flash memory and tends to move all data to one side of the volume rather than making files contiguous, which is more about data compaction than true defragmentation.

In summary, the author warns that the defragmentation tool is not only inefficient but also dangerous for users' data.

No summary available.

No summary available.

Summary:

Greg Pstrucha experimented with an AI called Claude to improve the quality of his food-macronutrient estimating app's codebase. He wrote a script that prompted Claude to make improvements over 200 iterations. This process significantly increased the code size from 20,000 to 84,000 lines, with a huge rise in tests—from 700 to 5,369—though many tests were not the most critical.

Claude created many unnecessary utilities and avoided using third-party libraries, leading to a lot of unmaintainable code. While there were some improvements, like better type checking, the overall quality metrics emphasized quantity over meaningful changes, resulting in a complex and hard-to-maintain codebase.

In the end, while the app still functions with some new bugs, the experiment highlighted the challenges of relying on AI for significant code improvements.

Stoolap: An Embedded SQL Database

Overview: Stoolap is an embedded SQL database written in Rust, featuring multi-version concurrency control (MVCC) and full ACID compliance. It can operate in both in-memory and persistent storage modes.

Installation:

• Add it to your project by including stoolap = "0.1" in your Cargo.toml.
• Alternatively, clone the repository and build from source using Cargo.

Quick Start:

• You can use Stoolap as a library or through the command line.
• In-memory operations and persistent database options are available.

Key Features:

• Transactions: Supports MVCC with two isolation levels: Read Committed (default) and Snapshot Isolation.
• Time-Travel Queries: Allows querying historical data at specific timestamps or transaction states.
• Indexing: Automatically selects optimal index types (B-tree, Hash, Bitmap) for efficient queries.
• Window Functions: Supports advanced analytical queries and aggregations.
• Common Table Expressions (CTEs): Includes both non-recursive and recursive queries.
• Subqueries: Allows various types of subqueries for complex queries.
• Query Optimizer: Cost-based optimizer to enhance performance.

Data Types: Stoolap supports a variety of data types including INTEGER, FLOAT, TEXT, BOOLEAN, TIMESTAMP, and JSON.

Built-in Functions: Offers over 100 built-in functions for string manipulation, math operations, date/time handling, JSON processing, and aggregations.

Persistence: Utilizes write-ahead logging (WAL) and periodic snapshots for durability, ensuring data is not lost when using in-memory storage.

Architecture: The database is structured into several components, including API, core types, a SQL parser, query planner, optimizer, and storage engine.

Building and Contributing: You can build the project using Cargo commands and contribute by following the guidelines in the repository.

License: Stoolap is licensed under the Apache License 2.0.

Summary: CRISPR Enhances Sustainable Fungal Protein

Researchers have used CRISPR gene editing to improve a fungus called Fusarium venenatum, making it more nutritious, efficient, and sustainable. This fungus already tastes like meat and is approved for food use in many countries. The team, led by Xiao Liu from Jiangnan University, removed two genes to enhance its digestibility and productivity. The new strain, named FCPD, requires 44% less sugar and produces protein 88% faster than the original. It also significantly reduces environmental impact, cutting greenhouse gas emissions by up to 60% compared to traditional production. Furthermore, it needs 70% less land than chicken farming in China and lowers freshwater pollution risk by 78%. This innovation could help meet global food demands while minimizing environmental harm.

Rivian recently held its first Autonomy and AI Day, where it shared several key advancements in its technology and future plans:

1. Custom Processor: Rivian introduced its first custom chip, the Rivian Autonomy Processor (RAP1), designed for autonomous driving, delivering high performance and supporting advanced AI functions.

2. R2 Vehicle Launch: The new R2 model will launch at the end of 2026 without LiDAR initially; however, LiDAR will be added later for improved perception alongside existing sensors.

3. Driving Model and Data Loop: Rivian's autonomy system will use a self-improving data loop to enhance its driving models through reinforcement learning, aiming for advanced automation features over time.

4. Universal Hands Free Feature: A software update will provide a hands-free driving experience for the R1T and R1S on over 3.5 million miles of U.S. and Canadian roads.

5. Autonomy+ Subscription: Starting in early 2026, Rivian will offer an Autonomy+ subscription tier with expanding features, priced at $2,500 for a one-time purchase or $49.99 monthly.

6. Unified Intelligence Platform: Rivian is integrating its systems into a unified platform to enhance service and diagnostics, including an AI assistant set to debut in 2026.

7. AI in Service: AI will also assist technicians by analyzing vehicle data to diagnose issues more effectively.

These initiatives showcase Rivian’s commitment to leading in the autonomous vehicle space with custom technology and a focus on improving the ownership experience.

The author shares their experience of building a very compact telescope as a personal project while traveling to Norway. This telescope is designed to fit in the inner pocket of a specific jacket, excluding its rods. It's a 3D-printed dobsonian type, featuring a 76mm parabolic mirror.

Key features of the telescope include:

• Good balance and smooth movements
• Rigidity and the ability to adjust the mirrors (collimatable)
• A focusable eyepiece holder

Materials used in construction include:

• PETG-CF filament
• Carbon rods
• M3 screws and heat-set inserts
• A spring and magnets for mirror stabilization
• A light shroud to prevent dew on the mirrors

The focuser is designed to minimize extra hardware, using a simple mechanism to hold the eyepiece.

Although the initial optical tests showed poor performance, the author later reconfigured the mirror, significantly improving its quality. The telescope now provides clear images, allowing for detailed observations. Further testing and mirror coating are planned.

A new law in Japan will take effect on December 18, allowing more app store options for smartphone users. It will prevent companies like Apple and Google from blocking third-party app stores on iPhones and Android devices. The law also requires these companies to offer new users choices for default web browsers and search engines, even during updates. The Fair Trade Commission believes this will make things more convenient and encourage competition. However, some people worry that the law might compromise user security.

The author has a strong interest in fractals, particularly the Mandelbrot and Julia sets. They previously created a 2D viewer for these complex shapes but recently decided to enhance it into a 3D explorer using assistance from Claude and GPT. The new tool allows users to rotate the fractal with the mouse and zoom in and out using the mouse wheel. To visualize the 4D space in 3D, users can adjust a slider for one dimension and use another slider to explore the internal parts of the fractal.

While the author appreciates the speed of "vibe coding"—quickly turning an idea into a working program—they also miss the learning experience that comes from working through a project more slowly.

No summary available.

No summary available.

The author created a logging library called LogTape after struggling to find an appropriate logging solution for their library, Fedify, which is an ActivityPub server framework. Existing logging libraries are mostly designed for applications and can clutter the console for users who want a clean output.

LogTape allows library authors to log without default output, giving users control over what they see through a hierarchical category system. This lets users enable logs for specific subsystems while keeping others silent.

Additionally, LogTape features implicit context for request tracing, automatically tagging log entries with a request ID, making it easier to correlate logs across asynchronous operations. Users can configure logging to show nothing by default or customize it to their needs, whether for debugging or production environments.

Key lessons learned include designing categories early, using structured logging for better analysis, and trusting users to control logging visibility. The author encourages other library developers facing similar logging challenges to consider the approach taken with LogTape.

The text includes links to articles about vulnerabilities in software, specifically related to React and Next.js. These articles discuss security issues and threats that developers should be aware of.

The text discusses the poor naming conventions in modern programming and software development. Richard Stallman, in a 2022 talk, emphasized the importance of "memorable names" that clearly indicate a tool's function, contrasting this with the trend of using random or whimsical names for software packages.

The author points out that while earlier programming terms were descriptive (like grep, sed, and SQL), recent names often lack clarity, making it difficult for developers to understand software without additional research. This trend has increased cognitive load, as developers spend time deciphering obscure names instead of focusing on their work.

The author criticizes the excuses for using non-descriptive names, arguing that clarity should take precedence over creativity in naming software tools. They suggest that names should reflect what the software does, advocating for a cultural shift back to meaningful naming conventions in the industry. Ultimately, the text calls for clarity and respect for users' time by choosing descriptive names for tools and libraries.

Einstein is an emulator for NewtonOS that works on macOS, iOS, and Ubuntu Linux, with some support for Android, Raspberry Pi, and Windows. To use Einstein, you need a Newton ROM file, which we cannot provide. If you have a Newton device, you can create your own ROM file. For more details on this, check the "Dumping The Rom" section. For downloads and further information, click the provided link. After setting up Einstein, please refer to the user manual for guidance.