No summary available.

The text discusses ancient sculptures, particularly those from Greek and Roman times, and how modern reconstructions of these pieces often appear unattractive to contemporary viewers.

Key Points:

1. Examples of Ancient Art: The article features notable sculptures like the Roman statue of Venus and the Greek Antikythera Ephebe, illustrating their beauty and craftsmanship.
2. Color in Ancient Sculpture: Many ancient sculptures were originally painted, a fact that has gained public interest through recent exhibitions. However, reconstructions of these painted sculptures often look ugly to modern audiences.
3. Changing Taste: One explanation for this perception is that modern tastes differ significantly from those of ancient cultures. This has led to an attachment to the pristine white marble look that was rediscovered during the Renaissance.
4. Critique of Reconstructions: The author argues that the reconstructions are poorly executed and do not accurately reflect ancient tastes in color. They suggest that ancient artworks and other cultures' colored sculptures are often appreciated, indicating that the problem lies with the quality of the reconstructions rather than a fundamental difference in taste.
5. Possible Reasons for Poor Quality: The article speculates that reconstruction experts may lack the artistic skill of ancient creators and are restricted by conservation rules that limit how they can recreate colors.

In summary, while ancient Greek and Roman art is generally admired today, the reconstructions of their original colorful appearances often fail to resonate with modern viewers due to the poor execution and misunderstanding of ancient artistic practices.

The author is passionate about creating a unique digital identity and realizes that they can also have a custom license plate. They explore the rarity of license plate combinations and discover a tool called PlateRadar that charges for information on license plate availability.

In Florida, there is a free online tool that allows users to check if a specific plate configuration is available. The author, being an engineer, decides to automate the process of checking for available plates using a script, as the website has no rate limiting or CAPTCHA to prevent rapid requests.

Once the automation is running, they set up a microservice to store the results in a database and continuously check for rare plate combinations. They discover interesting plates and even spot a rare two-letter combination, "EO," but someone else reserves it before they can get to the DMV.

However, luck strikes again when another two-letter combination, "HY," becomes available. The author quickly goes to the DMV, successfully reserves the plate, and celebrates their achievement, showing that determination and coding skills can lead to success in claiming unique items.

The blog post discusses the process of virtualizing NVIDIA HGX B200 GPUs using open-source tools. Here are the key points:

1. Overview of HGX B200: The HGX B200 is a powerful GPU server designed for high-performance computing, using a unique architecture that connects GPUs via NVLink for enhanced performance.

2. Challenges of Virtualization: Virtualizing the B200 is more complex than previous models due to its interconnected design, which requires specific virtualization models.

3. Virtualization Models:

   • Full Passthrough Mode: Allows a VM to have direct access to all GPUs but is inflexible.
   • Shared NVSwitch Multitenancy: Offers more flexibility, allowing for multiple VMs to share GPUs while maintaining high performance.
   • vGPU-based Multitenancy: Facilitates sharing of a single GPU among multiple VMs, but is less suited for intensive workloads.

4. Preparation Steps:

   • The host must be configured to bind the GPUs to vfio-pci, allowing them to be passed to VMs.
   • Proper driver management is critical, and the NVIDIA "open" driver must be used.

5. PCI Topology: The correct PCI topology is essential for CUDA initialization. Using QEMU allows for the creation of a realistic PCI hierarchy necessary for proper GPU operation in VMs.

6. Performance Issues: Issues like long boot times due to large PCI Base Address Registers (BARs) can be mitigated by upgrading QEMU or disabling BAR mmap.

7. Fabric Manager: This tool helps manage GPU partitions and maintain isolation between different VMs.

8. Provisioning Flow: The process involves activating partitions, passing through GPUs, and ensuring high-performance connectivity within VMs.

9. Open Source Implementation: The entire setup and management are open-source, allowing for transparency and community contributions.

The post concludes with an invitation for readers to explore the open-source tools and reach out for support if needed.

The main point of this text is that as a software developer, it's essential to deliver code that you have tested and proven to work. Submitting large, untested code changes (PRs) for others to review is considered disrespectful and irresponsible.

To prove your code works, you need to follow two key steps:

1. Manual Testing: You must personally verify that your code performs correctly. This involves setting up the system, executing your code, and confirming it has the desired effect. It's helpful to document this process with terminal commands and outputs, or even a screen capture video if necessary.

2. Automated Testing: You should also create automated tests that validate your changes, ensuring they work and will continue to work in the future. Automated tests should fail if the code is reverted. It's crucial not to skip manual testing just because you have automated tests.

With the rise of coding agents powered by AI, developers should also guide these tools to perform manual and automated tests. This ensures that code changes are verified effectively.

Ultimately, as a developer, you are accountable for the code you submit. Providing proven, working code is what adds real value, so always include evidence of your testing when you make a PR.

Sid and Ritvik, co-founders of Pulse, have developed a document extraction system that prepares text for language models. They created Pulse after noticing that existing models, while good at generating text, struggled with accurately processing complex documents, especially when dealing with long PDFs, dense tables, and low-quality scans.

Their research revealed that the main issue wasn't extraction but ensuring confidence in the results. Current models often make mistakes in interpreting documents because they prioritize understanding over precise transcription. To combat this, Pulse separates document layout analysis from language processing, creating structured representations that maintain the document’s hierarchy. This method combines traditional computer vision techniques with modern models to improve reliability.

Pulse is not perfect but aims to make errors visible and easier to manage. It is available for use via an API, and they invite feedback from others about evaluating document extraction accuracy and common issues encountered. Links to example documents and a demo video are provided for users to explore.

No summary available.

Tech leaders are asking Brussels to focus more on boosting competitiveness rather than just following regulations. They believe that enhancing competitiveness will benefit the tech industry and the economy overall.

The author acknowledges that the statement isn't completely accurate but praises bettermotherfuckingwebsite.com as an excellent educational resource that significantly influenced how they created their own website.

Summary:

Jonathan Blow has been working on his new game, Order of the Sinking Star, for nearly a decade, initially expecting it to be a quick project after his previous game, The Witness. However, it has expanded to include around 1,400 puzzles, taking players 400 to 500 hours to complete fully. The game features various types of 2D grid-based puzzles, and players will navigate through different worlds that combine skills learned throughout the game.

The game aims to create a rich gameplay experience by merging puzzle mechanics, promising that the real excitement occurs when these elements come together. Blow acknowledges that the lengthy development time, supported by the success of The Witness, has allowed for a deeper exploration of design possibilities. He emphasizes the importance of playtesting to refine the game, recognizing that new perspectives can enhance its quality. Ultimately, after years of development, Blow is eager to release the game for players to enjoy.

No summary available.

No summary available.

No summary available.

Hightouch is a series C startup focused on growth for its customers, business, and employees. They value creativity and innovation in a fast-paced environment. The company emphasizes seven core values:

1. Ambition - Always striving for more.
2. Kindness - Fostering a supportive environment.
3. Efficiency - Making quick decisions and adapting rapidly.
4. Compassion - Listening to others' perspectives.
5. Impact - Prioritizing actions that drive business results.
6. High Standards - Maintaining exceptional performance and talent.
7. Humility - Being open to learning and listening.

Hightouch offers competitive compensation, flexible work arrangements (remote or in-office), generous parental leave, professional development support, and health benefits for employees. They are currently hiring for various positions in fields like customer success, engineering, finance, and sales. Hightouch has also been recognized as one of America's top startup employers by Forbes.

OpenMemory Overview

OpenMemory is a memory system designed for AI applications, offering a self-hosted, local-first, and scalable solution. Unlike traditional vector databases, OpenMemory allows for easy implementation of memory features in just a few lines of code, promoting better data ownership and privacy.

Key Features:

• Simplified Setup: Implement memory in three lines of code compared to 12+ lines with traditional methods.
• Local Storage: Data is stored in a local SQLite file, ensuring offline access and no vendor lock-in.
• Standalone Mode: Can run without a backend server, making it easy to integrate into applications.
• Advanced Memory Capabilities: Provides persistent memory, cognitive structures, and time-aware fact tracking for more accurate AI interactions.

Comparison with Competitors: OpenMemory outperforms competitors in several areas, including:

• Self-hosting and local operation
• User-based memory management
• Speed and scalability
• Explainable memory recall paths

Migrating to OpenMemory: Users can easily migrate from other memory systems like Mem0, Zep, and Supermemory using a simple command.

Installation Options: OpenMemory supports installation through Node.js SDK, Python SDK, or a backend server, allowing for versatile deployment based on user needs.

Temporal Knowledge Graph: OpenMemory allows agents to manage time-sensitive facts, improving long-term reasoning and planning capabilities.

Performance and Security: The system is optimized for speed, with rapid recall times and high accuracy. Security measures include data encryption and user isolation.

Future Developments: Upcoming features include a learned sector classifier and a memory-visualizer tool to enhance user experience.

In summary, OpenMemory offers a powerful, flexible, and user-friendly memory solution for AI systems, addressing the limitations of traditional memory databases.

Here are the main points about Gemini 3 Flash:

1. Documentation: Detailed information about the Gemini 3 model can be found in the official documentation here.

2. Developer Blog: Developers can learn how to build with Gemini 3 Flash by visiting the blog here.

3. Model Card: A PDF model card providing specifications and details about Gemini 3 Flash is available here.

4. Search AI Mode: Information on how Gemini 3 Flash is used in Search AI mode can be found here.

5. DeepMind Page: More about the Gemini 3 Flash model can be explored on the DeepMind page here.

This summary provides a straightforward outline of where to find more information about Gemini 3 Flash.

Summary of Egyptian Hieroglyphs: Lesson 1

1. Overview of Hieroglyphs: Ancient Egyptians used a flexible writing system called hieroglyphs, which could be arranged in different ways and read from either direction. The direction can be identified by looking at the orientation of any hieroglyph with a face.

2. Transliteration and Alphabet: Transliteration is converting hieroglyphs into a different script. The hieroglyphic alphabet includes symbols representing single consonants (uniliterals), as well as symbols for two (biliterals) and three (triliterals) consonants. Vowels are not represented, so an “e” is often added between consonants when pronouncing words.

3. Pronunciation: Each hieroglyph has a specific sound. For example, 𓄿 is pronounced “ah,” while 𓇋 is pronounced “ee.” There are also phonetic rules to help with pronunciation.

4. Types of Hieroglyphs:

   • Ideograms: Represent ideas or concepts (e.g., 𓁷 for "face").
   • Phonograms: Represent sounds, allowing words to be spelled out.
   • Determinatives: Provide meaning at the end of words, but aren’t pronounced (e.g., a leg glyph indicating movement).

5. Memorization: Familiarity with hieroglyphs improves through practice. Using flashcards can help memorize signs and vocabulary.

6. Exercises: Practice identifying the direction of hieroglyphs and translating them. The exercises involve determining how to read various sequences of hieroglyphs.

This lesson provides foundational knowledge for understanding and reading Egyptian hieroglyphs, emphasizing practice and memorization.

The text is a script for embedding Disqus comments on a webpage. It includes a placeholder for the Disqus shortname, which is needed to link to the comments section. The script loads Disqus asynchronously, allowing comments to appear without blocking other page content. It also advises users to enable JavaScript to view the comments.

Iran is facing a severe water crisis, which experts are calling "water bankruptcy." This situation has arisen due to years of poor water management, including the construction of ineffective dams and excessive pumping of groundwater. Tehran, with a population of about 10 million, is particularly affected and may need to be relocated to wetter areas, a move expected to cost around $100 billion.

The crisis is rooted in the abandonment of ancient water systems called qanats, which sustainably tapped into groundwater for centuries. Over the last 40 years, Iran has built numerous dams, but these have led to increased evaporation and reduced water flow in rivers, further depleting water resources. The situation has worsened due to regional factors, like Afghanistan's dam projects which limit water inflow to Iran.

Agriculture consumes 90% of Iran's water, but overpumping has caused many wells to dry up. Studies show that Iran has some of the world's most overpumped aquifers, with significant water table drops annually. The country's reliance on modern irrigation methods has ironically led to less water replenishing underground aquifers.

As reservoirs run dry, experts predict food shortages and potential conflicts over water. Iranian authorities are being urged to shift focus from new dam projects to restoring qanats and finding ways to recharge aquifers. There's also a call for changing agricultural practices to grow less water-intensive crops.

Overall, Iran's water crisis is a complex issue stemming from historical mismanagement, climate change effects, and ongoing regional challenges, requiring urgent and sustainable solutions.

Dogalog Overview

Dogalog is a livecoding music environment that uses Prolog, allowing users to create rhythmic patterns and melodies by writing logic rules.

Key Features:

• Livecoding: Code changes are automatically evaluated with instant visual feedback.
• State Preservation: Cycle counters and cooldowns remain intact across updates.
• Interactive Tutorial: A built-in 13-step tutorial helps users learn the system.
• PWA Support: Can be installed as an app and works offline.
• Mobile-First Design: User interface is optimized for touch on all devices.
• Modular Code Structure: Each file is kept under 100 lines for clarity.
• Comprehensive Testing: Over 123 tests with more than 88% coverage.

Getting Started:

1. Run npm install to set up.
2. Use npm run dev to start the development server.
3. Access the tutorial or start livecoding through the interface.

Understanding Rules: Rules define when sounds play, such as:

• A kick drum on every beat.
• A snare on specific beats.
• Hi-hats on eighth notes.

Built-in Predicates: These include functions for timing, randomness, musical notes, logic, and instrument sounds (like kick, snare, and hi-hat).

Examples:

• Create Euclidean rhythms for complex beats.
• Generate melodies using defined scales.
• Implement chord progressions and variations with probability.

Development Commands: Run various npm commands for installation, building, testing, and documentation generation.

Architecture: Dogalog has a custom Prolog engine, a real-time audio synthesis system, a mobile-friendly UI, and a centralized state management system.

Testing and Documentation: There are extensive tests for functionality and UI, along with interactive tutorials and comprehensive manuals available for users.

Technical Details:

• Users edit code with a 300ms debounce for validation.
• State persists through code changes, allowing for seamless music creation.
• Supports modern browsers with WebAudio API.

License: MIT

Dogalog is inspired by other music programming environments like TidalCycles and Sonic Pi, and it is built using JavaScript and the WebAudio API.

The text emphasizes the importance of momentum in both physics and life. It uses rally driving as a metaphor to illustrate how controlling a car requires careful adjustments to maintain balance and direction. Just like a car, people can be slow to change and may resist new experiences, especially as they get older.

The author reflects on their own routine, highlighting how dedicating morning hours to focused, creative work sets a positive tone for the day. They avoid distractions like social media and emails during this time to maintain momentum. The idea of "deep work," discussed by Cal Newport, aligns with being mindful of how we allocate our attention and time.

Ultimately, the key takeaway is that success and creativity depend more on consistency and mindful habits than on sheer effort or willpower. Small, regular commitments to our goals can lead to significant progress over time.

Summary of Elliptic Curves

Elliptic curves are mathematical objects that have both abstract and practical applications, especially in cryptography. They can be defined as the set of points satisfying the equation (y² = x³ + ax + b), with certain conditions on the values involved.

Key points include:

1. Definition: An elliptic curve is defined over a specific field (like real numbers, finite fields, or complex numbers), and is characterized by its smoothness and structure.

2. Not an Ellipse: Despite the name, elliptic curves are not the same as ellipses. They can represent different structures based on the field they are defined over.

3. Full Definition: Formally, an elliptic curve is a smooth, projective algebraic curve of genus one, with a specified point known as the identity element for addition.

4. Applications: Elliptic curves are crucial in cryptography, where they provide secure methods for encoding information.

Overall, elliptic curves blend simple mathematical equations with complex theories and have significant real-world uses, particularly in securing digital communications.

The text discusses enhancements made to the Linux kernel to improve the performance of eBPF (extended Berkeley Packet Filter) map-in-map updates, which are used by the Superluminal CPU profiler to capture performance data. Here are the key points simplified:

1. What is eBPF?
   eBPF is a feature in the Linux kernel that allows custom programs to run safely within the kernel. These programs can collect data from various kernel events, such as context switches.

2. Data Handling with eBPF Maps:
   eBPF uses "maps" as shared memory structures to transfer data between the kernel and user space. For example, Superluminal uses these maps to send performance data processed by eBPF programs back to user space.

3. Challenge with Unwind Data:
   Superluminal needs to upload unwind data (for stack backtraces) to eBPF efficiently. This process was originally slow because of a synchronization issue in the kernel when updating map-in-map types.

4. Identifying the Bottleneck:
   Profiling revealed that a significant amount of time was spent waiting due to the bpf_map_update_elem function, which was synchronizing updates in a blocking manner. This was causing delays across multiple threads.

5. Kernel Investigation:
   The investigation showed that this blocking behavior was necessary to ensure that no old data was being accessed by running eBPF programs after an update. However, it was causing performance issues.

6. Performance Improvement:
   After exploring various options, the team implemented a faster synchronization method called synchronize_rcu_expedited, which significantly reduced the time taken for updates. The overall time for the data precaching process improved dramatically, resulting in a 31x speedup.

7. Conclusion:
   This optimization will be included in the upcoming Linux 6.19 kernel update, benefiting users of eBPF map-in-map types by making their programs run faster without needing any changes on their part.

Overall, what began as a routine profiling session led to significant improvements in the Linux kernel's eBPF implementation, showcasing the importance of thorough performance analysis.

A recent article discusses the connection between heart disease, kidney problems, and type 2 diabetes, suggesting they may be part of a single condition called cardio-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome. This syndrome is driven by shared biological issues, particularly linked to fat cells that can lead to inflammation and insulin resistance, worsening all three conditions.

The American Heart Association has recognized CKM syndrome, highlighting the need for integrated treatment approaches. New medications, such as GLP-1 receptor agonists (e.g., Ozempic), show promise in treating these intertwined diseases by improving blood sugar levels and protecting heart and kidney function.

Research indicates that many people with diabetes also face higher risks of heart and kidney diseases. However, there has been a historical lack of coordination in treating these conditions individually, leading to poor outcomes for patients. Efforts are being made to improve this through integrated care models, allowing patients to consult multiple specialists simultaneously.

While some experts view the CKM framework as a rebranding of existing concepts like metabolic syndrome, others argue it emphasizes the interconnectedness of these diseases, aiming for better prevention and treatment strategies. Overall, the article underscores the importance of understanding and addressing these conditions collectively to enhance patient care and outcomes.

A recent study by Infoblox reveals that visiting "parked" domains—expired or misspelled website addresses—has become increasingly dangerous, with over 90% of these sites now redirecting users to scams and malware. In the past, only about 5% of parked domains led to malicious content.

When users mistakenly visit these parked domains, they typically see placeholder pages that are used to monetize traffic. However, if the visitor is using a residential IP address, they are likely to be redirected to harmful sites. The report mentioned that a specific domain owner controls thousands of lookalike domains, which can collect emails sent to misspelled addresses and has been linked to various scams.

Infoblox also highlighted that malicious activity is often masked by a series of redirects, profiling the visitor's system to determine the type of content to display. Additionally, variations of well-known government domains are also targeted.

The report notes that while domain parking companies claim to work with reputable advertisers, the traffic is often sold to affiliate networks that can lead to malicious content. Recent changes in Google AdSense policies may have increased risks for users by allowing ads on parked domains by default.

In summary, navigating directly to websites by typing in addresses has become riskier due to the prevalence of parked domains redirecting users to harmful content.

Summary of systemd v259 Release Notes:

• Deprecation and Removals:

  • Support for System V service scripts is deprecated and will be removed in the next version. Users should switch to native systemd unit files.
  • Various components associated with System V scripts will be removed, including systemd-rc-local-generator and systemd-sysv-generator.
  • Minimum version requirements for several components will be raised in the next version, including the Linux kernel and glibc.

• Feature Changes:

  • The default journal storage mode is now 'persistent'.
  • Support for NAT rules via iptables is removed; only nftables is supported now.
  • systemd-boot will no longer support TPM 1.2, only TPM 2.0 will be retained.

• Service Manager Updates:

  • The service manager has new IPC calls and improved logging features.
  • It now tracks service kill counts and allows for better handling of user namespaces.

• New Features in Various Components:

  • systemd-networkd has enhanced DHCP server capabilities.
  • systemd-udevd can now output event status in JSON format.
  • systemd-homed allows adding recovery keys to existing user accounts.

• Miscellaneous Updates:

  • Improvements in handling user records, kernel module loading, and support for musl libc.
  • New commands and options have been added for better functionality and user experience.

• Contributors:

  • The release includes contributions from many developers in the community.

These updates aim to enhance system performance, security, and user experience, while also preparing for future changes in the systemd environment.

No summary available.

No summary available.

No summary available.

The document includes several sections:

1. Braids and Permutations: This section discusses the relationship between braiding and arranging items in a specific order.
2. Rational Tangles: Here, the focus is on a specific type of tangled structure that can be simplified using mathematical methods.
3. Knots and Links: This part explores different types of knots and how they can be connected or linked together.

Additionally, there are resources provided for further reading or study.

Summary: Building a High-Performance OpenAPI Parser in Go

At Speakeasy, we manage numerous OpenAPI specifications daily, which are critical for our SDKs and internal tools. We faced challenges with existing Go libraries that either lacked accuracy or were difficult to work with due to untyped structures. To address this, we developed our own OpenAPI library called github.com/speakeasy-api/openapi.

Key Features:

1. Complexity of OpenAPI: OpenAPI specifications are intricate, with evolving versions and dynamic types. Existing libraries often fail to handle complex cases accurately.

2. Custom Architecture: Our library uses a reflection-based marshaller that separates model definitions from parsing logic, allowing for easy updates and optimizations.

3. Performance Design: We implemented a “Porcelain vs. Plumbing” approach, optimizing internal data handling while providing a simple public API for developers.

4. Dynamic Type Handling: We introduced generic abstractions to manage the dynamic nature of OpenAPI types safely and consistently.

5. Reference Resolution: Our engine efficiently manages complex references, providing clear error reporting and supporting multiple validation passes without reloading.

6. Unified Ecosystem: The library supports Arazzo and Overlays alongside OpenAPI, sharing core structures to enhance performance and simplify usage.

Benefits:

• Supports multiple OpenAPI versions and related specifications.
• Provides robust reference resolution.
• Features a safe, idiomatic Go API.
• Proven reliability in production environments.

CLI Tooling: A command-line interface allows users to interact with the library's capabilities, such as bundling references, inlining, and optimizing specifications.

Getting Started: The library offers straightforward examples for reading, validating, mutating, and upgrading OpenAPI documents.

In conclusion, our library aims to be the go-to choice for developers creating OpenAPI tooling in Go, emphasizing correctness, type safety, and performance. Find the code on GitHub to explore further!

The text explains how translations work in the Fluent localization system, particularly for messages in a software application like Firefox. Here are the main points:

1. Message Format: Most messages consist of a simple identifier (like "tabs-close-button") and a value (like "Close").

2. Dynamic Translations: Some messages change based on specific conditions, such as the number of tabs being closed. For instance, the warning message adjusts based on whether the user is closing one tab or multiple tabs.

3. Pluralization: The system uses standard plural categories from Unicode to determine when to use singular or plural forms in translations.

4. Terms: Certain identifiers, like "-sync-brand-name," are special terms that provide consistent branding throughout the app. These terms can be reused in different messages to ensure uniformity and can be modified for different versions of the app, such as beta releases.

Overall, the text highlights the importance of clear, context-sensitive translations and the role of terms in maintaining consistency.

The paper by Donald E. Knuth and Michael F. Plass presents a new method for breaking paragraphs into lines of similar length, improving the appearance of typeset text. Instead of evaluating line breaks one at a time, their approach considers the entire paragraph, allowing future lines to influence decisions.

Key components of their method include:

• Primitive Concepts: The system uses three main ideas: 'boxes' (which hold text or symbols), 'glue' (flexible space between words), and 'penalties' (costs associated with breaking lines at certain points).
• Dynamic Programming: The algorithm employs dynamic programming to find optimal breakpoints efficiently, avoiding backtracking and minimizing the need for hyphenation.
• Quality Output: Extensive testing shows the method produces high-quality typeset text that is visually appealing and easy to read.

The paper also reviews the history of line-breaking techniques and provides a simplified algorithm in an appendix, making it more accessible for practical applications. The authors emphasize the importance of good line-breaking for enhancing readability and aesthetic quality in printed materials.

The provided link leads to information about changes in pricing for GitHub Actions starting in 2026. The details include updates on how costs will be structured for users of GitHub Actions, which is a tool for automating software workflows. For further specifics, you can visit the link directly to see the new pricing details and any other important changes.

No summary available.

It's that time of year again, and I'm interested in hearing about new and old ideas. Here are links to previous discussions from 2017 to 2024:

• 2024: link
• 2023: link
• 2022: link
• 2021: link
• 2020: link
• 2019: link
• 2018: link
• 2017: link

Feel free to share your thoughts!

Summary:

The text outlines features of a service called "Interview Copilot," which includes tools for job seekers like an AI Resume Builder, Auto Apply, and AI Mock Interviews. It also lists resources for resume creation, career guidance, and support, such as a resume checker and LinkedIn profile optimizer.

Additionally, it discusses insights from AWS CEO Matt Garman, who argues against replacing junior developers with AI. He highlights three key reasons:

1. Junior developers are often more skilled with AI tools than senior staff.
2. They are the least expensive employees, and removing them doesn't lead to significant cost savings.
3. Eliminating junior roles disrupts the talent pipeline, which is essential for a company's future growth.

Garman emphasizes the importance of training new talent and believes AI will create more jobs than it eliminates in the long run.

A California court may require Vizio to provide the source code for its SmartCast TV software, which is claimed to use open-source code licensed under GPLv2 and LGPLv2.1. The Software Freedom Conservancy (SFC) has filed a legal complaint seeking this code so customers can modify the software, as allowed under GPL rules. A judge issued a tentative ruling favoring the SFC, suggesting that Vizio may have a contractual obligation to share the source code.

The SFC had previously requested the source code from Vizio in 2018 but found the code provided in 2019 to be incomplete. After two years of negotiation, the SFC sued Vizio in October 2021. The judge will review the case further before making a final decision, which is expected in the coming weeks.

Summary of Research on Gut Bacteria and Cancer Treatment

A research team led by Professor Eijiro Miyako from the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology has discovered that a bacterium called Ewingella americana, found in Japanese tree frogs, can completely eliminate tumors in mice. This new method works by directly administering the bacteria, which not only kills cancer cells but also activates the immune system to fight the cancer.

Key Findings:

• E. americana achieved 100% tumor elimination in a mouse model after just one treatment, outperforming standard chemotherapy and immunotherapy without harming normal tissues.
• The bacteria attack tumors through two main actions: they directly kill cancer cells and stimulate the immune system to respond to the cancer.
• E. americana specifically targets tumors and does not affect healthy organs, making it a safe treatment option.

Future Directions:

• Researchers plan to test this bacteria-based treatment on other types of cancer, such as breast and pancreatic cancer.
• They aim to improve how the treatment is delivered and explore combinations with existing therapies.

This research highlights the potential of using natural bacteria as a new approach to cancer treatment, offering hope for patients with difficult-to-treat cancers.

Episode Summary

1. Software Maintainability: Don highlights that unnecessary complexity makes software hard to maintain, referencing ideas from "A Philosophy of Software Design."

2. Clever Abstractions: A story from a Node.js API illustrates how an unused abstraction layer complicated processes without adding value.

3. Team and Tools: Don explains how the Searchcraft engineering team formed in response to ongoing challenges in client projects.

4. Reducing Complexity: Searchcraft limits configuration to streamline setup and make it more predictable.

5. Consulting vs. Product Work: Robby and Don discuss how working in consulting differs from product development and impacts developers.

6. Software Dependencies: Don addresses issues that arise when community packages become outdated, particularly in environments like React Native.

7. Choosing Libraries: Key signals for adopting third-party libraries include their popularity, update frequency, and overall stability.

8. Clear Code Design: Focus on clear project structure and naming is more important than cleverness for maintainable code.

9. RFCs for Alignment: The team uses Request for Comments (RFCs) to agree on significant changes and reduce indecision.

10. Documentation Importance: Documentation should clarify the reasoning behind code, rather than just repeating it.

11. Type Systems: Don shares how moving to TypeScript and Rust improved his coding approach.

12. Testing with Types: Strong type contracts lead to clearer and more effective tests.

13. AI Trust: Don discusses the importance of reliability in AI systems and how tools like Model Context Protocol (MCP) help.

14. AI in Development: Search Craft's MCP server allows easier interaction with the platform through conversation instead of searching documentation.

15. Updating Legacy Systems: The Strangler pattern offers a way to gradually replace old systems.

16. Deep Work: Don encourages setting aside uninterrupted time for focused work.

17. Measuring Progress: Metrics like build times and test speeds help teams track improvements.

18. Evolving Views: Don shares why he changed his mind about using TypeScript.

19. Industry Trends: Discussion on the cyclical nature of web architecture trends, like SPAs and server rendering.

20. Experimentation: Don's team naturally develops proof of concepts and side projects.

21. Skill Development: Setting intentional learning goals during one-on-one meetings supports long-term growth for developers.

22. Where to Find Don: Connect with Don on LinkedIn, Blue Sky, or visit his website: donmackinnon.dev.

Resources Mentioned

• "A Philosophy of Software Design" by John Ousterhout
• Searchcraft, Elastic, Algolia, WordPress Plugin Directory
• Strangler Fig Pattern, Model Context Protocol (MCP)

Sponsor

AppSignal provides performance monitoring and error tracking for various programming languages, offering a discount for new users.

No summary available.

Summary of OBS Studio's New Metal Renderer

OBS Studio has introduced a new experimental graphics renderer based on Apple's Metal API, starting from version 32.0.0. This new renderer aims to improve performance and efficiency on macOS, moving away from the older OpenGL backend. The Metal API allows for better interaction with modern GPUs but requires significant changes to how applications operate.

Key Points:

1. Metal Renderer Introduction: The Metal backend is experimental and provides an alternative to the established OpenGL renderer. Users are encouraged to test it and report any bugs.

2. Why Metal?: Metal was designed to improve performance by eliminating legacy features of older graphics APIs like OpenGL and Direct3D. It allows developers to manage resources more efficiently and provides better debugging tools.

3. Changes in API Design: Modern APIs, including Metal, require developers to handle resource management and synchronization, reducing overhead that was previously managed by the API itself.

4. Challenges in Implementation: The OBS Studio renderer had to adapt to Metal's stricter requirements for shaders and resource management. This included translating shaders from HLSL to Metal's shading language and simulating Direct3D behaviors that Metal does not support.

5. Preview Rendering Issues: The Metal backend faces challenges with preview rendering due to macOS's different handling of frame rates and rendering surfaces. This can cause inconsistencies in frame rates.

6. Performance Benefits: Despite the complexities involved, the Metal backend shows promising performance, matching or exceeding the OpenGL renderer. It also offers better debugging capabilities and is built using Swift, which is safer and easier to maintain.

7. Invitation for Feedback: Developers and users are invited to provide feedback and suggestions to improve the Metal backend, with the goal of moving it from experimental to the default graphics backend in future versions of OBS Studio.

This update represents a significant shift for OBS Studio, aiming to enhance its performance and compatibility with modern hardware through the adoption of the Metal API.

Julian Assange has filed a complaint against the Nobel Foundation, claiming they misused Peace Prize funds by awarding Venezuelan opposition figure Maria Corina Machado, who supports U.S. military intervention in Venezuela. Assange argues that this violates the terms of Alfred Nobel’s will, which states that the Peace Prize should promote peace, not war. He highlights Machado's public calls for U.S. strikes, which have resulted in civilian casualties. Assange warns that the Peace Prize could be used as justification for war, accusing the U.S. of exploiting it to further its own interests in Venezuela's resources.

No summary available.

The author created a tool inspired by "digital minimalism" that allows users to fetch new articles from RSS feeds only once a day. The aim is to replicate the experience of reading a traditional newspaper, providing a calm and distraction-free day after reading.

To achieve this, the tool uses several optimizations:

1. Network Efficiency: It employs curl multi for downloading feeds, which can handle multiple connections at once. It checks if feeds have changed to avoid unnecessary downloads.

2. Parallel Processing: As feeds are downloaded, a separate thread parses the XML data, allowing for efficient use of resources.

3. Memory Management: Each feed has its own memory area for temporary data, which simplifies memory cleanup after parsing.

4. Smart Parsing: It uses libexpat for parsing, which doesn't load entire large XML files into memory, making it efficient for large feeds.

5. User Interface: The results are displayed using the system's less command, providing easy navigation and clickable links without needing extra UI frameworks.

Overall, the tool can quickly retrieve content from many feeds, offering a simplified reading experience. The code is open source, and the author invites feedback and suggestions for improvement.

Hacker News (HN) experienced an outage, resulting in a 502 Bad Gateway error for all authenticated requests. However, it still served some unauthenticated requests using cached pages, which were outdated. The last post appeared to be recent but was actually from 1:32:57 PM GMT.

A status page confirmed the outage, while other monitoring services did not. The last post before the outage was at 1:39:59 PM GMT, and the last comment was posted at 1:41:54 PM GMT. It seems HN likely went down around 1:41:58 PM GMT, with an average comment response time of about 4 seconds just before the outage.

The working paper titled "Explaining the Widening Divides in US Midlife Mortality: Is There a Smoking Gun?" explores the growing gap in life expectancy between people with and without college degrees in the U.S. This gap increased from 2.6 years in 1992 to 6.3 years in 2019. The paper highlights three main trends observed from 1992 to 2019:

1. Mortality rates for college graduates decreased, along with less geographic inequality in their health outcomes.
2. In contrast, mortality rates for those without a college degree increased, leading to greater health disparities across different locations.
3. Smoking rates significantly contribute to these differences in mortality, with other factors like income and health behaviors also playing a role. The paper also mentions that the reasons behind the impact of "place effects" on smoking and mortality for lower-educated individuals are less understood.

The research uses data from various counties and states to analyze these trends.

No summary available.

A software engineer has developed a new method for converting binary floating-point numbers to decimal, called "zmij." This method was created over a weekend and builds on existing techniques from algorithms like Dragon4, Grisu, and Schubfach, incorporating new ideas for efficiency.

Key Performance Improvements:

• zmij is approximately 68% faster than the previous best (Dragonbox).
• It outperforms Schubfach by about 100% and is 6.8 times faster than Google’s double-conversion method.
• It also significantly surpasses standard functions like sprintf on macOS, being 59 times faster.

The improvements in zmij include:

• Fewer candidate numbers to select from, resulting in less computational work.
• More efficient logarithm calculations and divisions.
• Reduced conditional branches in the code.
• Faster output of significant digits and exponents.

Key optimizations involve:

• Streamlined handling of special cases (like NaN and infinity).
• Using 32-bit approximations for logarithmic calculations instead of 64-bit.
• A branchless approach to manage irregular rounding intervals.

The method is expected to be integrated into various applications, including JSON serialization and the standard std::to_string function, enhancing performance. While the implementation is not fully complete, it mainly supports exponential format, with plans for additional formats in the future.

No summary available.

No summary available.

Kenobi is a tool created by Rory, Chris, and Felix that allows website owners to personalize their site's content using AI. By adding a simple script, site owners can enable a widget that changes the content based on visitor input, like their company name. A demo is available for anyone to try.

The team believes that the web is shifting from static to dynamic content, particularly for B2B landing pages, which can boost conversions. Kenobi evolved from an earlier idea focused on environmental donations to its current form, responding to user demand for personalized web experiences.

Users can select which text elements on their site are customizable. When a visitor arrives, Kenobi quickly modifies the content to suit them, often within seconds, and notifies the site owner via Slack. They’re also working on features like automatic personalization based on visitor data.

The founders have found that knowing who visits their site significantly increases engagement, with response rates tripling when they follow up with identified companies.

Kenobi is part of a competitive space, and the creators are interested in feedback about the future of personalized online experiences.

Internet connectivity is essential for communication, shopping, entertainment, and transportation. As people rely more on the Internet, global Internet traffic is steadily increasing. This growth trend began in mid-January, as Internet activity returned to normal after the New Year holidays.

"Ghost jobs" refer to job vacancies that are advertised but do not actually exist. A UK study found that 34% of advertised vacancies were not real, while a US study reported that up to 22% of online job ads were posted with no intent to hire.

Eric Thompson, a tech worker in the US, experienced this firsthand after losing his job and discovering many listings were fake. He has since advocated for legislation to ban ghost job postings, proposing measures like expiration dates for job ads and penalties for misleading listings. He has gathered over 50,000 signatures for his petition.

In Canada, Ontario will require companies to disclose whether job ads are actively being filled, and also address the issue of employers not responding to applicants. However, there are no similar legal requirements in the UK or US currently.

Job seekers report feeling demoralized by ghost jobs and lack of communication from employers. Some companies post these jobs to build a talent pool or falsely inflate their growth, which can distort job market data and hinder policy creation.

To avoid ghost jobs, job seekers are encouraged to network with hiring managers and watch for warning signs, like repeated postings or long-open vacancies.

I created a Wavelet Matrix library for Python using Rust. There weren't many good Wavelet Matrix options for Python, so I focused on making one that is fast, easy to use, and has clear types. It can handle quick rank/select operations, top-k queries, quantiles, range queries, and dynamic updates. I welcome any feedback!

The text discusses a team's evaluation of the Posthog analytics platform, highlighting their unique vendor selection process and a series of security vulnerabilities they discovered during testing.

Key points include:

1. Vendor Evaluation: The team prefers hands-on testing over marketing reviews when assessing potential analytics solutions, leading them to consider Posthog for its open-source nature and self-hosted capabilities.

2. Installation Process: Setting up Posthog was easy, requiring just a few commands to get it running locally.

3. Security Vulnerabilities: During testing, the team identified several Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) vulnerabilities in Posthog, including:

   • CVE-2024-9710
   • CVE-2025-1521
   • CVE-2025-1522

4. Exploitation Chain: They discovered that while some validation was in place, it could be bypassed, allowing for the configuration of unsafe webhook URLs. This could lead to SSRF attacks, which could then be exploited to interact with internal services like ClickHouse, a database used by Posthog.

5. SQL Injection: The team also found a SQL injection vulnerability in ClickHouse related to how it handled user inputs. This led to the ability to execute arbitrary commands on the PostgreSQL database used by Posthog.

6. Remote Code Execution (RCE): By chaining these vulnerabilities together, they demonstrated a method to achieve remote code execution on the PostgreSQL server, emphasizing the ease of exploitation due to inadequate validations and escaping mechanisms.

7. Responsible Disclosure: The team acknowledged the role of Zero Day Initiative (ZDI) in the responsible reporting and management of these vulnerabilities, emphasizing the importance of collaboration in addressing security issues.

Overall, the text illustrates a thorough security assessment process that revealed significant vulnerabilities in the Posthog platform, highlighting the importance of rigorous testing in software selection.

The text is a blog post that covers multiple topics, primarily focusing on programming in Common Lisp, music and novel reviews, and other cultural content.

Key Points:

1. Fast SEQUENCE Iteration in Common Lisp:

   • The article introduces a macro do-sequence that allows for efficient iteration over sequences (like lists and vectors) in Common Lisp, supporting options like :start, :end, :key, and more.
   • It highlights performance comparisons between different implementations, showing that using do-sequence can significantly speed up operations compared to naive methods.

2. Benchmarks:

   • The author presents benchmarks comparing the performance of max-elt using both the reduce function and the new do-sequence macro across various sequence types.
   • Results indicate that do-sequence offers substantial performance improvements.

3. Music and Novel Reviews:

   • The blog features various reviews of music albums, novels, and movies, covering a wide range of genres and years. Some notable titles include works by Katatonia, Joy Division, and Terry Pratchett.

4. Programming Challenges and Insights:

   • The author discusses programming challenges, including the efficiency of different approaches to common problems in Lisp.
   • The post also touches on the complexities and trade-offs of using specialized macros for performance gains.

5. Cultural Events:

   • There are mentions of local cultural activities such as Japanese festivals and art fairs.

Overall, the blog blends technical insights on programming with personal reflections on music and literature, demonstrating the author's diverse interests and expertise.

Summary:

TikTok is under scrutiny for tracking users not only within its app but also across other apps like Grindr, through a data-sharing partnership with AppsFlyer. A user discovered that TikTok had access to sensitive information about his sexual orientation and activities from Grindr, which is protected under GDPR regulations. TikTok failed to provide the user with a complete copy of his personal data when requested, violating his rights under GDPR.

Noyb, a data protection organization, has filed two complaints against TikTok, AppsFlyer, and Grindr. The complaints highlight TikTok's incomplete responses to data requests and the unlawful sharing of sensitive data without proper consent. Noyb is asking for the missing information to be provided to the user and for the companies to stop processing his personal data unlawfully. They are also seeking fines to deter future violations.

You can create diagrams in Markdown on GitHub using four main formats: Mermaid, GeoJSON, TopoJSON, and ASCII STL. These diagrams can be used in GitHub Issues, Discussions, pull requests, wikis, and Markdown files.

1. Mermaid Diagrams:

   • Mermaid converts text into diagrams like flow charts and pie charts.
   • To create a diagram, use Mermaid syntax in a fenced code block.
   • Example of a simple flow chart:

     graph TD;
         A-->B;
         A-->C;
         B-->D;
         C-->D;
     

2. GeoJSON and TopoJSON Maps:

   • Both formats allow you to create interactive maps.
   • Use GeoJSON or TopoJSON syntax in a fenced code block.
   • Example of a GeoJSON map:

     {
       "type": "FeatureCollection",
       "features": [
         {
           "type": "Feature",
           "geometry": {
             "type": "Polygon",
             "coordinates": [[[-90,35],[-90,30],[-85,30],[-85,35],[-90,35]]]
           }
         }
       ]
     }
     

3. ASCII STL 3D Models:

   • You can create 3D models using ASCII STL syntax in Markdown.
   • Example of a simple 3D model:

     solid cube_corner
       facet normal 0.0 -1.0 0.0
         outer loop
           vertex 0.0 0.0 0.0
           vertex 1.0 0.0 0.0
           vertex 0.0 0.0 1.0
         endloop
       endfacet
     endsolid
     

For each of these diagram types, specific syntax and structure are required, and you can find more details in their respective documentation.

Summary of "The Number That Turned Sideways"

Complex numbers consist of two parts: a real part (a) and an imaginary part (b), written as ( z = a + bi ). They can be represented on a two-dimensional plane, where the real part is on the horizontal axis and the imaginary part is on the vertical axis.

The magnitude of a complex number is calculated using the formula ( |z| = \sqrt{a^2 + b^2} ). When you multiply a complex number by a real number, it stretches or shrinks, but raising a number to the power of ( i ) (the imaginary unit) causes it to rotate.

The understanding of complex numbers evolved over three centuries:

1. 1572 - Bombelli's Engine: Rafael Bombelli was the first to define rules for using the imaginary unit ( i ), treating it as a legitimate number rather than a mistake. This laid the foundation for complex number arithmetic.

2. 1748 - Euler's Connection: Leonhard Euler discovered a relationship between exponential functions and trigonometric functions through his work with infinite series. He proved that ( e^{ix} = \cos(x) + i\sin(x) ), linking growth (exponential functions) with circular motion (trigonometric functions).

3. 1799-1831 - The Geometric Picture: Mathematicians like Caspar Wessel and Jean-Robert Argand created visual representations of complex numbers on the plane, establishing that multiplying by ( i ) corresponds to a quarter-turn in the plane.

The evolution of complex numbers shows a progression from arithmetic definitions to connections in analysis and finally to geometric interpretations, revealing how imaginary numbers are integral to understanding mathematics as a whole. This journey changed the way we perceive numbers and their applications in mathematics.

The article discusses a research project called "Oasis," which aims to improve the utilization of PCIe devices (like network cards and storage) in cloud computing. Often, these devices are not fully used, leading to wasted resources. Currently, PCIe switches are used for pooling these devices, but they are costly and not very flexible.

Oasis proposes a software-based solution that uses CXL memory pools, which are already being implemented to optimize memory use in data centers. This system allows multiple hosts to share PCIe devices efficiently. It includes a control plane and a data path that manage traffic between hosts and PCIe devices. Different types of PCIe devices can be supported by adding specific software components.

The research shows that Oasis can double the utilization of network interface cards (NICs) and manage device failures with minimal downtime (only 38 milliseconds). The goal is to reduce costs and improve resource efficiency in cloud environments.

No summary available.

The article predicts that AI will make formal verification a common practice in software development. Formal verification ensures that code meets specific requirements through mathematical proofs, but has been mostly used in research due to its complexity and high cost. Traditionally, creating these proofs has required specialized knowledge and significant time investment.

However, with advancements in AI, particularly large language models (LLMs), the process of writing proof scripts is becoming easier and may soon be automated. This shift could reduce the cost of formal verification, allowing more software to be verified. Additionally, as AI generates more code, the need for verification increases to ensure code correctness without human review.

While formal verification will not eliminate all bugs, it will streamline the process and improve code reliability. The focus will shift to defining accurate specifications, which AI could help simplify. Overall, the combination of cheaper verification, the need for verifying AI-generated code, and the precision of formal methods suggests that formal verification could soon become mainstream in software engineering.

Summary of Learning Fortran

Fortran, short for FORmula TRANslator, is one of the oldest programming languages, created by IBM in 1957 for scientific applications. It is still used today for high-performance computing. Over the years, several versions have been released, with the latest being Fortran 2018.

When learning Fortran, it's important to know about its two formats: fixed form and free form. Free form, introduced in Fortran 90, allows for more flexible coding and is the version we'll focus on. To write in free form, use the .f90 file extension and compile with the GNU Fortran (gfortran) compiler.

Fortran syntax is relatively straightforward. A basic program starts with program <name> and ends with end program <name>. To print messages, you use print *, '<message>', where the asterisk indicates default output.

For example, a simple program might look like this:

program helloworld
  print *, 'Hello, world!'
end program helloworld

More complex programs can include user input and basic operations. For instance, a calculator program prompts the user for two numbers and an operation, using read for input and print for output. It employs variables, conditional statements, and error handling, especially for division by zero.

To run a Fortran program, you compile it with gfortran and then execute the output file. For example:

$ gfortran -o calculator calculator.f90
$ ./calculator

In summary, Fortran is a powerful language that is evolving, with modern features making it easier to learn and use. Future discussions will explore its applications and the growing Fortran community.

The author often hears advice to share their projects on Hacker News or Reddit to show popularity. However, they find Hacker News confusing and opaque, as no one seems to explain how it truly works, including its rules and dynamics. They can connect with well-known tech figures but can't find someone who really understands Hacker News. The author is genuinely curious and frustrated, seeking insights on how Hacker News operates and what common misunderstandings exist.

Summary:

LANPAR was the first spreadsheet program, created in 1971 by engineers Rene Pardo and Remy Landau at Bell Canada. Many people mistakenly believe VisiCalc, released later for desktop computers, was the first. LANPAR allowed managers to create budget forms on their own, instead of relying on programmers, which could take months.

LANPAR used a grid system with cells, called "boxes," identified by row and column numbers. Users would input data in plain text, with different types of values such as inputs, constants, and calculations. A unique feature of LANPAR was its ability to handle forward references, allowing calculations to reference other boxes that were not yet resolved. This innovative approach was not seen in other spreadsheets until the 1980s.

The program laid the groundwork for future spreadsheet software, making it easier for users to perform calculations and manage data.

Summary of alpr.watch

Your local government may be discussing surveillance technologies like Flock cameras, facial recognition, or automated license plate readers (ALPR). The website alpr.watch provides a map to help you find these meetings and get involved.

Key Points:

• Surveillance Growth: Over 80,000 surveillance cameras are already in use across the US, tracking residents' movements and collecting personal data.
• Meeting Alerts: The site scans meeting agendas for discussions on surveillance technologies, allowing you to see where these conversations are happening.
• ALPR Explained: ALPR systems use cameras and AI to monitor and store license plate data, creating large databases of people's movements.
• Flock Safety: A major provider of ALPR cameras, Flock Safety shares data across various agencies, expanding the surveillance network.
• Risks of Surveillance: History shows that surveillance programs often extend beyond their original purpose, leading to broader monitoring and fewer regulations.
• Privacy Advocacy: Several organizations, like the Electronic Frontier Foundation and ACLU, are fighting against mass surveillance. You can support or join local groups to protect privacy rights.

Overall, alpr.watch aims to raise awareness and encourage community action against the increasing use of surveillance technology.

A recent survey of 1,600 academics from 111 countries revealed that over 50% of researchers are using artificial intelligence (AI) for peer reviewing manuscripts. About 25% of these respondents reported increasing their AI usage in the past year. Despite some publishers allowing limited AI use, many recommend against uploading unpublished manuscripts to AI tools due to concerns over confidentiality and intellectual property.

The survey indicated that 59% of AI users utilized it to write peer-review reports, while others used it for summarizing manuscripts, identifying gaps, or flagging misconduct. However, there are concerns about the effectiveness of AI in providing constructive feedback, as experiments showed that AI could mimic peer-review structure but often produced inaccurate or unhelpful results.

Publishers are encouraged to develop clearer guidelines for responsible AI use in peer review to ensure transparency and accountability.

No summary available.

The text is asking for assistance in enhancing subtitles. It emphasizes the need for improvement and invites people to contribute.

The new CEO of Mozilla, Enzor-DeMeo, hinted in an interview that he might consider blocking ad blockers in Firefox to increase revenue by $150 million, although he claims he doesn't want to do that. This statement has disappointed long-time users of Firefox, who value its commitment to open standards and privacy features like ad blockers. The concern is that removing ad blockers would alienate Mozilla's core community, which is crucial for the browser's popularity and reputation. While the CEO's intent to generate revenue is understandable, mentioning such a controversial idea could harm Mozilla's public image. The author expresses uncertainty about the CEO's intentions and worries about the future of the platform.

Mike San Román argues that people are misusing AI by focusing on its ability to create instead of its true strength: consuming and analyzing information. Most users ask AI to generate content, but this approach limits its potential. Instead, San Román suggests leveraging AI to sift through vast amounts of personal knowledge, like notes and reflections, to uncover insights and patterns.

For example, by connecting his notes to AI, he shifted his questions from wanting new information to seeking to understand what he already knows. This new method allowed him to discover connections between past experiences and identify patterns in his thinking.

The key idea is that while humans are good at creating, the challenge lies in effectively retrieving and connecting knowledge. AI can enhance this retrieval process by allowing users to query concepts rather than just keywords, making it easier to access insights from their past experiences.

San Román emphasizes the importance of documenting knowledge not just for others but for future self-discovery, suggesting that many people have untapped insights that AI can help unlock. He envisions a future where AI acts as a powerful reader of our accumulated knowledge, revolutionizing how we capture and utilize information.

Summary of Key Points:

1. CSS Animation: The text begins with code for a CSS animation called "subtle-glitch," which creates a visual effect for text by changing its position and opacity over time.

2. AI Software Development Trends: The main focus is on a report analyzing trends in AI software development, covering several sections:

   • Engineering Team Velocity:

     • Productivity is increasing, with a 33% rise in the median size of pull requests (PRs) and a 76% increase in lines of code per developer.
     • Medium-sized teams have seen an 89% increase in output.

   • AI Tool Adoption:

     • AI tools are gaining popularity, with specific packages and SDKs leading in market share.
     • The report highlights the significant growth of AI memory packages and SDKs.

   • Model Growth Trends:

     • AI model downloads show that OpenAI leads the market, but Anthropic has rapidly increased its presence.
     • The ratio of downloads between OpenAI and Anthropic has narrowed significantly.

   • Model Performance Snapshot:

     • A comparison of various AI models (like GPT-5 and Claude) shows differences in speed and efficiency.
     • Some models excel in generating responses faster and at higher throughput.

   • Research & Innovations:

     • Recent research papers discuss advancements in AI, including efficient architectures and methods for handling long-context tasks.
     • Innovations like reflective prompt evolution and reinforcement learning frameworks are highlighted for their potential to improve AI capabilities.

This summary encapsulates the key points regarding the trends and findings in AI software development, highlighting improvements in productivity, tool adoption, model performance, and ongoing research.

Summary of "No Graphics API" by Sebastian Aaltonen

The complexity of graphics APIs, shader frameworks, and drivers has significantly increased over the years, leading to issues like the excessive size of pipeline state object (PSO) caches. This post argues for simplifying the way we interact with GPUs by reducing API complexity.

Key points include:

1. Historical Context: A decade ago, new low-level graphics APIs like DirectX 12 and Vulkan emerged to give developers more control over GPU resources, driven by a need for higher performance. These APIs were initially met with mixed reactions as they didn't always deliver expected performance gains in major game engines.

2. API Evolution: Over time, graphics programming has split into two roles: low-level graphics programmers and high-level graphics programmers. Modern APIs, while advanced, struggle with issues like the PSO explosion, leading to large local caches and slow loading times for games.

3. GPU Development: Modern GPUs have evolved significantly, making older API designs increasingly outdated. Current hardware supports features like bindless resources and improved memory management, which older APIs do not fully utilize.

4. Need for Simplification: The post suggests that if we were to design a graphics API today, it would be much simpler, removing unnecessary complexities associated with past hardware limitations.

5. Memory Management Issues: Current API designs still rely on legacy memory management practices that can lead to inefficiencies. The author advocates for a more direct approach to managing GPU memory, reflecting the advancements in GPU architecture.

Overall, the text emphasizes the need to rethink and streamline graphics APIs to better suit modern hardware capabilities, addressing the challenges posed by outdated designs.

TLA+ Modeling Tips Summary

1. Model Minimalistically: Start with a simple core model and only add components when necessary. Focus on specific behaviors rather than the entire system.

2. Specification Over Implementation: Write your model in a way that states what must be true, not how to achieve it. Avoid unnecessary variables and strive to derive values rather than store them.

3. Review for Illegal Knowledge: Ensure processes only access information they can legitimately observe. This helps avoid common errors in distributed modeling.

4. Fine-Grained Actions: Make actions as small as correctness allows to reveal true interactions in your protocol, which helps in understanding concurrency.

5. Guarded Commands: Write actions as guarded commands to express logical steps clearly, making the model easier to understand and maintain.

6. Think Deeply About the System: Use TLA+ as a tool to clarify your thoughts about the system, ensuring you consider all aspects like failures and message ordering.

7. Write TypeOK Invariants: Clearly state the types early to avoid runtime bugs.

8. Include Multiple Invariants: Document important properties as invariants and keep them updated for clarity.

9. Check Progress Properties: Ensure that the system eventually achieves its goals and does not stall indefinitely.

10. Be Critical of Success: A successful model check does not guarantee correctness. Test the model by introducing bugs to ensure it handles real scenarios.

11. Optimize Last: Keep the model separate from the model checker to ensure clarity and focus on the specification first.

For further examples and detailed guides, check out the author's blog.

No summary available.

No summary available.

No summary available.

No summary available.

No summary available.

No summary available.

No summary available.

PornHub is facing extortion from the ShinyHunters gang after hackers stole data from its Premium members. The breach occurred through Mixpanel, an analytics provider, which had its systems compromised due to a phishing attack on November 8, 2025. PornHub confirmed that only certain Premium users were affected, and their passwords and payment details remain secure.

ShinyHunters claims to have stolen 94GB of data, which includes over 200 million records of users' search and watch history, along with personal information such as email addresses and video activity. The gang has threatened to publish this data unless a ransom is paid.

Mixpanel has stated that they do not believe the stolen data is from their recent breach and that it was last accessed by a legitimate employee in 2023. ShinyHunters is known for multiple breaches this year, affecting numerous companies, and is now also developing a ransomware service.

No summary available.

No summary available.

DocsRouter is a product designed to simplify the process of working with PDFs and images by providing a single API that connects to various OCR (Optical Character Recognition) and vision models. It helps users choose the best provider based on cost, quality, and speed, while standardizing the output (like text and tables) so that applications don’t need to worry about which provider is used.

This tool is particularly useful for teams handling important documents such as invoices, contracts, and medical forms, who may feel stuck with outdated OCR solutions or overwhelmed by new options. Currently, DocsRouter offers a REST API, easy-to-use SDKs (coming soon), multiple backend options, basic routing policies, and a demo feature to compare outputs from different providers.

The creator is seeking feedback on two main points:

1. For those using multiple OCR/vision providers, what does your current solution look like, and what would make you trust an external one like DocsRouter?
2. Would you prefer using DocsRouter or continue using the providers directly, with the flexibility to switch providers?

For more information, you can visit their website at docsrouter.com.

Mozilla's new direction under its CEO emphasizes becoming a leading software company with AI at its core. However, the author, Alex Kontos, argues that this shift could be a mistake. He highlights the difference between useful, transparent machine learning technologies, like the Bergamot translation project, and large language models (LLMs), which are complex and opaque, making it hard to understand how they handle user data.

Kontos explains that a web browser should serve as a user agent, representing and executing the user's commands. Introducing AI as an intermediary changes this relationship and makes it harder to track what the AI does with user information. Mozilla claims that AI features will be optional, but the author is skeptical about how users can ensure they're not being influenced by these systems.

He recognizes Mozilla's struggle to maintain relevance in a changing market and their desire to attract mainstream users, but points out that this approach risks alienating their core community of developers and privacy advocates. In contrast, his browser, Waterfox, focuses on being a straightforward, customizable tool that prioritizes user control and transparency, choosing not to integrate LLMs.

Kontos also discusses the importance of governance in browser projects, emphasizing that Waterfox has formal policies and accountability, unlike many independent forks of Firefox. He concludes that while AI browsers may become popular, there will always be a need for simpler, trustworthy alternatives like Waterfox, which he believes should focus on serving the user rather than making decisions for them.

The website uses a security system called Anubis to protect against automated bots that scrape data. Anubis employs a Proof-of-Work system, similar to one used to reduce email spam, which makes it more difficult and costly for bots to scrape the site. This method is a temporary measure while the site works on better ways to identify and block bots. Users need to enable modern JavaScript to access the website, as some browser plugins may interfere with this security feature.

No summary available.

Summary of GitHub Actions Pricing Changes

GitHub is postponing a planned billing change for self-hosted GitHub Actions to reassess its approach based on user feedback. However, they will reduce prices for hosted runners by up to 39% starting January 1, 2026.

Key Points:

• Most users (96%) will not see any change in their bills; 85% of the 4% affected will have lower costs, with a median increase of around $13 for the remaining 15%.
• Public repositories will continue to use GitHub Actions for free.
• A new $0.002 per-minute charge will be introduced for all Actions workflows, which will apply to self-hosted runners starting March 1, 2026.
• Improvements are being made to the self-hosted runner experience, including better autoscaling options and additional platform support.

Overall, these changes aim to align pricing with usage while enhancing reliability and performance for all users, from individuals to large enterprises. GitHub is committed to listening to customer feedback to ensure their services meet developer needs effectively.

The author prefers using the terminal for work but finds themselves using complex graphical interfaces like SSMS for simple tasks, which feels inefficient. They didn't find existing SQL terminal user interfaces (TUIs) easy to use and had to read documentation for basic functions. After switching to Linux, they started using VS Code's SQL extension but felt something was off.

They wanted a straightforward, enjoyable tool for managing databases, similar to lazygit.

They created "Sqlit," a keyboard-driven SQL TUI with features including:

• Easy-to-understand keybindings
• A Neovim-like interface for editing queries
• Browsing capabilities for databases, tables, and procedures
• Support for various SQL databases (e.g., SQL Server, SQLite, PostgreSQL)
• SSH tunneling
• Customizable themes

The tool is built with Python/Textual and is inspired by lazygit, neovim, and lazysql. The author is seeking feedback on which database adapters to focus on next and aims to make querying data easy and efficient. More information is available on their GitHub page.

Summary:

The article discusses a new open-source software called StringZilla that improves the speed of UTF-8 text processing, specifically for case-insensitive substring searches. StringZilla uses advanced techniques like SIMD (Single Instruction, Multiple Data) with AVX-512 instructions to achieve significant speed-ups compared to existing libraries like ICU and PCRE2.

Key points include:

1. UTF-8 Complexity: UTF-8 is a widely used text encoding that can represent over a million characters but is complex to handle due to variable-length encoding and Unicode's numerous edge cases.

2. ICU Limitations: The ICU library is comprehensive for Unicode handling but slow for many operations. StringZilla aims to provide faster alternatives for common tasks such as tokenization, case-folding, and substring searches.

3. Performance Gains: StringZilla has been benchmarked to be 10-150 times faster than alternatives for various operations, especially in case-insensitive substring searches.

4. Correctness Focus: Unlike some fast solutions that compromise on correctness, StringZilla maintains accuracy by being rigorously tested against Unicode specifications and real-world data.

5. Implementation: StringZilla's methods include using fold-safe windows, performing SIMD probes, and verifying results, which allows it to efficiently handle complex Unicode characters without sacrificing performance.

6. Future Improvements: The author plans to enhance support for more languages and optimize performance further, especially for platforms like ARM.

Overall, StringZilla represents a significant advancement in text processing for modern programming needs, especially for applications that require accurate and fast Unicode handling.

The link provided leads to information about OpenAI's GPT-Image 1.5 model. It likely contains details on how the model works, its features, and usage guidelines. For a full understanding, you would need to visit the link directly.

Summary: Thin Desires Are Eating Your Life

In today's world, many people experience a deep sense of hunger for something they can't quite define, despite having more than enough. This feeling is linked to "thin desires," which are superficial wants that do not lead to personal growth. In contrast, "thick desires" are those that transform us, such as mastering a skill or building genuine relationships.

Consumer technology often targets thin desires, providing quick rewards like social media likes or instant gratification from apps, but this approach leads to increased anxiety and loneliness. Thick desires, however, require time, effort, and commitment, making them less appealing in a fast-paced, efficiency-driven world.

To counteract this trend, the text encourages engaging in activities that foster thick desires, like baking bread, writing letters, or creating something for a friend. These actions may not change the world but can enrich our lives and help us reconnect with what truly matters. Ultimately, pursuing a "thick life" is about finding fulfillment in simple, meaningful experiences rather than chasing empty sensations.

Summary: 30 Years of Web Development (1995-2025)

The retrospective on the evolution of web development highlights significant advancements over three decades, illustrating how technology, tools, and practices have transformed the field.

1. Early Days (1990s): The web began as a frontier for creativity, with individuals using simple tools like Notepad and HTML to share content. Learning involved reading source code and physical books, and web development was primarily a hobby without professional structures.

2. The LAMP Stack & Web 2.0 (2000s): The introduction of PHP and MySQL lowered barriers for building dynamic websites. Platforms like WordPress revolutionized web publishing, allowing non-technical users to create websites easily. AJAX technology led to the rise of web applications, exemplified by Gmail and Google Maps.

3. Framework Wars (Late 2000s): The emergence of frameworks like Ruby on Rails changed how developers structured applications, focusing on conventions and productivity. Deployment became simpler with platforms like Heroku, while version control systems evolved with Git and GitHub, fostering collaborative development.

4. JavaScript Renaissance (2010s): The rise of single-page applications (SPAs) using JavaScript frameworks like React, Angular, and Vue addressed the need for dynamic content. ES6 introduced modern JavaScript features, while tools like Babel and Webpack simplified development processes. This era was marked by complexity and high expectations, leading to "JavaScript fatigue."

5. The TypeScript Era (Late 2010s-2020s): TypeScript gained popularity, improving code quality and developer experience. Meta-frameworks like Next.js streamlined project setup, and deployment became more accessible with platforms like Vercel and Netlify.

6. The AI Moment (Post-2022): The launch of ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot transformed how developers approached coding, enabling faster and more efficient programming. AI tools began to blur the lines between technical and non-technical roles, democratizing software development.

7. Current Landscape (2025): Web development tools and platforms are now mature, making it easier than ever to go from idea to deployment. The promise of the web as an accessible platform for creation remains strong, with ongoing advancements in AI and technology.

Overall, the journey of web development reflects a trend toward greater accessibility, efficiency, and potential for innovation, creating an optimistic outlook for the future of building on the web.

Summary of Bonsai

Bonsai is a voxel engine designed for creating massive worlds, supporting up to 1 billion blocks in size. You can see the entire world at once, allowing for a view from one point to another across vast distances. It features procedural terrain generation that can be customized using shaders.

Currently, Bonsai is in the alpha stage (version 2.0.0-alpha) due to a significant rewrite of its core systems, including the world generator and editor. The engine is primarily built from scratch, requiring only clang++ (version 18.1 or higher) and some system headers to compile.

Getting Started:

• You can download pre-built binaries for Windows or Linux.
• Alternatively, you can build it from source.

Key Features:

• Renderer: Advanced lighting effects, shadow mapping, and ambient occlusion.
• Engine: Supports hot shader reloading, collision, and a UI framework.
• Terrain Generation: Fully programmable with a library of noise functions and shaders.
• Editing Tools: Includes shape libraries and brush-based texturing.

User Feedback: Users are impressed with its performance and capabilities, describing it as "magic" and "genius."

Future Development: Bonsai has a wishlist for improvements, including better rendering techniques, terrain features, and asset handling.

No summary available.

Summary:

On December 16, 2025, Anthony Enzor-DeMeo became the CEO of Mozilla Corporation, taking over from Laura Chambers, who led the company during a crucial period. Mozilla aims to become the most trusted software company as the internet evolves and user expectations change.

Enzor-DeMeo emphasized three key goals for Mozilla's future:

1. User Control: Products must allow users to understand and control their privacy, data use, and AI features easily.

2. Transparent Business Model: Mozilla will focus on honest monetization strategies that users recognize and value.

3. Expanding Firefox: The Firefox browser will evolve into a broader ecosystem of trusted software, alongside new AI features.

Mozilla plans to measure success by balancing its mission with market performance, investing in AI that aligns with its values, and diversifying revenue streams. The company aims to stay relevant and resilient in a changing digital landscape, with a commitment to high standards in trusted software. Enzor-DeMeo expressed excitement for the future and confidence in Mozilla's direction.

A recent study challenges the long-held belief that increased blood flow in the brain directly indicates higher neuronal activity. Researchers from the Technical University of Munich and Friedrich-Alexander-University found that in about 40% of cases, higher fMRI signals corresponded with reduced brain activity, and lower signals were observed in areas with increased activity. This contradicts the assumption that more brain activity always requires more blood flow for oxygen.

The study involved 40 healthy participants performing tasks like mental math while measuring actual oxygen consumption using a new MRI technique. Results showed that some brain regions used oxygen more efficiently from the same blood supply without needing more blood flow.

These findings affect how brain disorders, such as depression and Alzheimer’s, are interpreted, as changes in blood flow may not accurately reflect neuronal activity. The researchers suggest combining traditional MRI with quantitative measurements to better understand energy use in the brain, which could lead to more accurate insights into various brain conditions.

PURRTRAN Summary

PURRTRAN is a programming language designed for developers who wish they had a cat to assist them while coding. It modernizes FORTRAN and includes a unique coding assistant named Hex, a virtual cat that helps programmers write code more effectively.

Key Features:

1. Hex the Cat:

   • Hex is a virtual black cat that lives in your terminal, enhancing your coding experience.
   • He learns from your coding style and can even write code while you're away, but he requires care.

2. Caring for Hex:

   • Hex has three needs: food, cleanliness, and love. If these needs are not met, he may become unhappy or "die."
   • You can feed, play with, clean up after, and discipline Hex using specific commands.

3. Programming with PURRTRAN:

   • PURRTRAN features modern syntax for numerical computing, retaining the core elements of FORTRAN.
   • It includes unique aspects like memory management via a "Litterbox" that must be emptied daily.

4. Catgentic Coding:

   • Hex observes your coding patterns and offers suggestions based on your style, enhancing productivity.
   • He can also make changes to your code while you're away, provided your laptop is warm enough.

5. Linting and Optimization:

   • A built-in linter checks for errors and provides feedback when you save your code.
   • The ZoomiesJIT compiler optimizes your code at runtime based on Hex's state and other conditions.

Limitations:

• Hex can disappear for periods and may refuse to help if he doesn't "like" you.
• He works only certain hours each day and can become unproductive if overfed.
• There is no direct way to assess Hex's internal state; you must interpret his behavior based on his feedback.

Overall, PURRTRAN combines programming with playful elements, making coding a more enjoyable experience, especially for cat lovers.