FracturedJson Overview

FracturedJson is a tool that makes JSON data easy to read while keeping it compact. It formats arrays and objects in a way that aligns similar data for better clarity. It offers various settings for output customization, but the default settings usually provide great results automatically.

Key Features:

• Readable Formatting: Data is displayed in single lines unless it becomes too complex, allowing for quick scanning.
• Table Alignment: Similar items are aligned in a table format for easier comparison.
• Multiline Options: Long arrays can show multiple items per line across several lines.
• Comment Preservation: It can keep comments even though they aren't standard in JSON.

How It Works:

1. Inlined Format: For simple data, it keeps everything on one line.
2. Compact Multiline Arrays: It arranges items across multiple lines for better readability.
3. Table Format: Similar items are aligned in a table format if possible.
4. Expanded Format: For complex items, it indents child items across multiple lines.

Usage Options:

• FracturedJson is available as a browser-based formatter, .NET library, JavaScript/TypeScript package, and a Visual Studio Code extension.

Feel free to explore its features or ask any questions in the discussions section!

In January 2026, I will celebrate 10 years of using Beancount to manage my personal finances. Each month, I spend 30-45 minutes downloading my bank statements and importing them into my Beancount ledger. Over this decade, I've accumulated over 45,000 lines of entries in 16 plain text files, totaling about 10,000 transactions and 20,000 postings.

I have created 1086 virtual accounts in Beancount to categorize my finances, and I have attached around 500 documents, like receipts, to my transactions for easy reference during tax time. The busiest year in terms of postings was 2023.

My monthly process involves downloading CSV bank statements, importing them into Beancount using custom importers I developed for my German banks, and ensuring all entries are balanced. At the start of each year, I archive the previous year's transactions to keep my main file organized.

I initially found Beancount's documentation challenging, so I wrote a book to help others get started, which has received positive feedback. Overall, I value having my financial data stored locally in plain text files, giving me control and ensuring its longevity.

The 39th Chaos Communication Congress (39C3) will be held in Hamburg from December 27 to December 30, 2025. This annual four-day conference is organized by the Chaos Computer Club (CCC) and features lectures, workshops, and events focused on technology, society, and the impact of technology on our lives.

Key topics include digital independence, internet ethics, security issues, and the intersection of technology with art and politics. Notable sessions cover subjects like internet fraud, hacking, AI, and privacy concerns. The event aims to encourage critical discussions about technology and its role in society.

For more information, visit the official event page: CCC Congress 2025.

Public Domain Day 2026 in Literature

Public Domain Day is celebrated on January 1 each year, marking the day when certain older works lose copyright protection and become publicly accessible. In the U.S., copyright terms have been extended over time, meaning works only enter the public domain after 95 years. However, starting in 2019, many new works began to enter the public domain again.

On January 1, 2026, books published in 1930 will be available for free, including notable works by authors like William Faulkner, Franz Kafka, Agatha Christie, and Langston Hughes. Some key titles include:

• The Castle by Franz Kafka: A land surveyor faces a bureaucratic nightmare in a remote village.
• The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett: A detective becomes embroiled in a web of deceit and murder.
• As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner: A family journeys across the South to bury their matriarch.
• Not Without Laughter by Langston Hughes: A young boy navigates life in rural Kansas during the Harlem Renaissance.
• The Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie: The first full-length Miss Marple mystery.
• Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers: A mystery writer is on trial for murder, and Lord Peter Wimsey investigates.
• Vile Bodies by Evelyn Waugh: A satire of the post-World War I youth culture.

Additionally, many other classic and significant works will also be available for free. Standard Ebooks has prepared a selection of these books for readers to enjoy.

Key Points to Know Before Editing Video Files

1. Understanding Video Files: Video files come in different formats (like .mp4 and .mkv), but these are "container formats" that merely package encoded video streams. The actual video encoding is done using codecs like H.264 or H.265.

2. Remuxing vs. Reencoding:

   • Remuxing: Changing the container format (e.g., from mkv to mp4) without altering the video quality or requiring additional processing time.
   • Reencoding: Converting the video stream to a different codec which can take more time and may reduce video quality.

3. Video Quality Misconceptions: Many factors do not necessarily indicate video quality, including:

   • Resolution (1080p, 4K)
   • File size or bitrate
   • The file format itself
   • The encoding program used

   The most critical factors in video quality are the encoding settings and the tool used (preferably x264 or x265).

4. Quality Control: The quality of a video is how closely it resembles its source. Changing resolution, frame rate, or colors without reason usually degrades quality. Avoid upscaling or altering colors unless necessary.

5. Choosing Source Footage: Higher resolution does not guarantee better quality. Always evaluate the source to determine its true quality, as some sources may have been poorly processed.

6. Recommended Practices:

   • Use tools like MediaInfo to inspect video files.
   • Prefer using mpv as a media player.
   • Use ffmpeg for encoding and remuxing.
   • Avoid tools like Handbrake that may introduce quality loss.

7. Learning to Spot Quality Loss: Train your eye to identify artifacts in video, focusing on dark areas, sharp lines, and strong colors.

8. Color Space Knowledge: Be aware of color matrices (like BT.601 and BT.709) and how they affect video color interpretation. Incorrect tagging can lead to color mismatches.

9. Subtitles: Use ASS format for subtitles as it allows for more flexibility. If you need to hardsub (burn subtitles into the video), do so at the end of your editing process to minimize quality loss.

10. General Workflow: Aim to only reencode when necessary. Keep your edits as lossless as possible, and only change settings you fully understand.

Summary

Working with videos requires a solid understanding of formats, encoding, and the implications of changes made during editing. Prioritize quality by using the right tools and settings, and be cautious of common misconceptions that can lead to quality loss.

Summary of Tips for Using less

Tim Chase shared helpful tips for using the less command, a tool for viewing text files in Unix-like systems. Here are the key points:

1. Opening Files: You can open multiple files directly with less by specifying them as arguments (e.g., less file1.txt file2.txt).

2. Adding and Navigating Files:

   • While reading, use :e filename to add another file.
   • Navigate between files with :n (next) and :p (previous). Use :x to go back to the first file.

3. Removing Files: Use :d to delete the current file from the list if you no longer need it.

4. Jumping to Lines: Type 3141G to jump to line 3141 or 75% to go to 75% of the file.

5. Searching:

   • Search forward with /pattern or backward with ?pattern.
   • Use modifiers like ! to find non-matching lines or & to filter displayed lines.

6. Bookmarking: Set bookmarks in files with m followed by a letter and return to them using ' followed by the same letter.

7. Bracket Matching: Typing an opening bracket will jump to its matching closing bracket and vice versa.

8. Toggling Options: You can change options within less without restarting it by typing - followed by the option name (e.g., -S for word-wrap).

9. Running Commands: Use ! to run external commands from within less (e.g., !date).

10. Default Options: Set common options in your shell startup file (e.g., LESS="-RNe").

11. Other Features:

    • You can edit the current file with v, which opens it in your default editor.
    • less can also log output to a file using the o command.

These tips enhance your efficiency when working with the less command.

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I have developed a solution for the "Physical Oracle Problem," which allows for trustless trading of physical goods, and I just released the Alpha version.

Key Points:

• Current decentralized marketplaces depend on reputation, which can lead to centralization. My project, Dealta, replaces reputation with a mechanism based on Nash Equilibrium.
• We employ "Brokers," who are randomly selected and staked, to verify the physical goods being traded. This setup encourages honesty among participants.
• The system is designed for trading mid to high-value items, ensuring that buyers receive what they expect.

What We're Launching:

• A new Layer-1 blockchain with:
  • A Full Node that uses Hybrid Consensus (Proof of Work + Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance) for quick transaction finality.
  • An integrated wallet for managing keys and transactions.
  • Custom database management for tracking trade statuses and dispute evidence.

The project is in Alpha, and I'm seeking feedback on its design and architecture, as well as collaborators. I will refine the code based on interest, and a testnet will be created if there’s enough response. The Readme files will also be updated for better guidance.

If you're interested, please feel free to contact me via email, which you can find in my profile or paper.

The Ghostty repository does not allow users to create Issues directly. Instead, users must first start a Discussion. This method helps keep the issue tracker clear and organized, ensuring that only actionable items are moved there.

The team has found that many user-reported issues are often misunderstandings or user errors, rather than actual bugs. By using Discussions to clarify problems, they can convert valid issues into trackable items more efficiently.

For more information, users can refer to the repository's CONTRIBUTING.md file.

Every January 1st, new works enter the public domain, meaning they can be accessed and used freely. This year, notable authors like Wallace Stevens, Thomas Mann, and Albert Einstein have works that are now public domain. In the US, significant books like William Faulkner's "As I Lay Dying" and Agatha Christie's "The Murder at the Vicarage" are included.

Different countries have varying copyright terms. For instance, in countries with a "life plus 70 years" copyright term, works by authors who died in 1955 are now public domain. In countries with a "life plus 50 years" term, works by those who died in 1975 are included.

Some highlighted works entering the public domain include:

• "As I Lay Dying" by William Faulkner: A Southern Gothic novel exploring a family's journey to honor a dying wish.
• "Swallows and Amazons" by Arthur Ransome: A children’s adventure about siblings sailing and exploring.
• "Not Without Laughter" by Langston Hughes: A semi-autobiographical novel about African-American life in early 20th century Kansas.
• "Narcissus and Goldmund" by Hermann Hesse: A tale of a young man's quest for meaning in Medieval Germany.
• "The Murder at the Vicarage" by Agatha Christie: The first novel featuring Miss Marple, centered around a murder mystery in a quiet village.

Other notable entries include films like "All Quiet on the Western Front" and writings by influential figures such as Sigmund Freud and T. S. Eliot.

This year's public domain offerings provide a rich array of literature, films, and contributions from various cultural and historical figures, available for public use and enjoyment.

No summary available.

The text discusses the author's experience with using plain text for blog posts, which can be accessed by adding ".txt" to any URL. This method offers a simple, fast, and readable browsing experience without distractions like ads or complex layouts. The author encourages others to share websites that can be viewed in text-only mode and provides a list of examples. The guidelines for adding websites include that they should have a MIME type of text/plain and should not include HTML or multimedia, although emojis are allowed.

On New Year's Eve 2024, the podcast features a conversation with Yukihiro Matsumoto, known as Matz, the creator of the Ruby programming language. This episode focuses on Ruby's journey, starting with its first conference in America in 2001 and the launch of Ruby on Rails in 2004, which significantly boosted Ruby's popularity, especially among startups like GitHub.

Matz discusses his experiences in the Ruby community and his collaborations with prominent developers. He highlights the importance of open-source software and expresses concerns about the future of open-source contributions, particularly among younger developers who may not appreciate its history.

The conversation also touches on the characteristics of the Ruby community, which Matz describes as friendly and approachable, in contrast to the more assertive style of some other developers. He shares his favorite programming languages, stating that while Ruby is his favorite due to its personal significance, he often enjoys using C.

Overall, the conversation reflects on the growth of Ruby, the significance of community, and the challenges facing open-source software today. Matz's approachable demeanor has positively influenced the Ruby community, and he looks forward to the future of programming languages. The episode concludes with warm New Year wishes.

Summary: A Website to Destroy All Websites

The text discusses the current state of the internet, arguing that it has become a negative space where users waste their time instead of using it for self-discovery and meaningful connections. The author reflects on how the internet used to be a vibrant place for learning, creativity, and community but has since been dominated by a few large platforms that prioritize profit over user experience.

Key Points:

1. The Internet's Decline:

   • The internet has shifted from a diverse, enriching space to one dominated by algorithm-driven content that often distracts rather than engages.
   • Many valuable resources and communities have been lost to the rise of social media and commercial platforms.

2. Historical Comparisons:

   • The author compares the internet's evolution to the automobile's impact on society, noting that tools initially designed to enhance freedom can become controlling forces that society must serve.

3. Convivial Tools:

   • Philosopher Ivan Illich's concept of "convivial tools" suggests that technology should enhance human creativity and freedom. The internet can still serve this purpose if used correctly.

4. A Vision for the Future:

   • The text advocates for a return to personal websites, which allow for greater autonomy and creativity. These platforms enable individuals to share their ideas freely, without the constraints of corporate social media.

5. Building Personal Websites:

   • The author encourages readers to start small with their personal websites, focusing on creativity rather than perfection. They suggest using simple HTML and leveraging tools from the IndieWeb for sharing and connecting.

6. Call to Action:

   • The text ends with a hopeful message, inviting readers to reclaim the internet as a space for personal expression and community building, away from the control of large tech companies.

Overall, the text urges individuals to take back control of their online presence and create a "Web We Want" that prioritizes personal connection and creativity.

On July 31, 2017, Raymond Chen warned that redirection can occur at any point in a line of code, so it's important to be cautious about spaces.

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Summary:

The author developed a personal finance system using plain-text accounting to manage their multi-currency household finances, which includes 18 accounts across checking, savings, investments, and credit cards. This system allows for a reliable net worth calculation and requires about 20 minutes of work each week.

Key Points:

1. Background: Frustrated during tax season, the author created a custom finance tracking system after realizing existing tools didn't meet their needs. They learned about double-entry bookkeeping and plain-text accounting.

2. Double-Entry Bookkeeping: This method ensures every transaction is balanced, meaning money is tracked accurately across accounts. It uses four main account types: Assets, Liabilities, Income, and Expenses.

3. Plain-Text Accounting: The author emphasizes the benefits of using plain text files for auditability, privacy, and flexibility. This allows easy tracking of changes and avoids reliance on third-party apps.

4. Beancount: The author chose Beancount, a Python-based accounting tool, for its strictness, extensive plugin ecosystem, and the powerful web interface, Fava, for visualization and reporting.

5. Automated Imports: To simplify data entry, the author uses PDF statements from banks, which are more reliable than CSVs. They also discuss setting up scripts for importing and categorizing transactions semi-automatically.

6. Investments Tracking: Investments are treated as commodities, and the author organizes accounts by institution and security. They automate the import of investment transactions and track them for tax calculations.

7. Multiple Views: The system allows different financial views, such as personal vs. household finances, using shared definitions and translation logic to maintain clarity without duplicating transactions.

8. Weekly Ritual: The author follows a routine to keep the system updated, which involves downloading statements, categorizing transactions, and checking balances.

9. Conclusion: The author values control over their finances through this customized system, emphasizing the importance of double-entry bookkeeping, plain-text records, and granular tracking for long-term success.

This system allows the author to maintain a clear understanding of their financial situation while managing complexities across multiple accounts and currencies.

Joseph, a solo developer, created CustomPaste to address frustrations with standard clipboard tools that either keep messy formatting or strip all formatting away. He wanted a solution that allows users to keep certain formatting while removing unwanted elements.

CustomPaste lets users create "Recipes" for pasting text, giving precise control over how text appears in an editor. Key features include:

• Smart Preservation: Choose which font styles to keep (like bold or italics) while changing others (like font family).
• Structure Control: Keep tables intact while removing images.
• Data Cleanup: Easily remove duplicate lines, sort lists, and eliminate extra blank lines.
• Text Fixes: Clean up formatting issues from AI-generated text and enforce consistent casing.

The app runs locally on your computer, ensuring privacy with no cloud processing or data collection. It's available for a one-time purchase with a free trial for the first 100 pastes. Joseph welcomes feedback on the app and user experiences.

Summary: OfferGridAI for Real Estate Professionals

Quick and Easy Offer Comparison:

• Upload multiple purchase offers and use AI to extract key details like price, financing, contingencies, and closing dates.
• Receive a comparison grid with risk scores in under 2 minutes, making it easy to share with sellers.

Key Features:

• First property analysis is free, with no credit card needed.
• AI handles data extraction, eliminating manual entry and reducing the comparison time from hours to minutes.
• Supports various file formats (PDF, DOC, DOCX, TXT).

Comparison Process:

1. Upload up to 10 offer documents.
2. AI extracts important terms automatically.
3. Share the professional comparison grid with sellers.

Risk Scores:

• Each offer receives a risk score to quickly identify the strongest options based on financing and contingencies.

Pricing:

• Pay $19 per property for analyzing up to 10 offers or choose an unlimited monthly plan for $79.

Security and Support:

• Data is securely processed with encryption, and users can delete their data at any time.
• Offers can be easily updated with additional documents.

User Testimonials:

• Agents report faster deal closures and appreciate the clean presentation of offers.

Get Started:

• First property comparison is free, and setup takes just 60 seconds.

The text outlines the process of setting up a home Network-Attached Storage (NAS) using FreeBSD, focusing on configuring a ZFS mirror (RAID1). Here are the key points:

1. Hardware Setup: The author uses a Lenovo ThinkCentre M720s SFF, which can accommodate two SATA SSDs and one NVMe SSD. The NVMe will run UFS and FreeBSD, while the SATA SSDs will utilize ZFS in RAID1 configuration.

2. Installation Process:

   • The author plans to install FreeBSD 14.3 via SSH on a virtual machine, simulating the future physical setup.
   • The installation involves partitioning disks and configuring SSH to access the system remotely.

3. Disk Partitioning:

   • The author sets up partitions for the system (UFS), swap space, and ZFS.
   • The ZFS partitions are created on the two SATA SSDs.

4. Creating ZFS RAID:

   • A ZFS pool called "tank" is created, utilizing the two SATA SSDs in a mirrored configuration.
   • ZFS automatically mounts this pool at the specified mount point.

5. Configuration:

   • Data compression is enabled for the ZFS pool.
   • Boot loader and system configuration files are adjusted to ensure ZFS works properly on startup.

6. Final Checks: After rebooting, the status of the ZFS pool is checked to confirm everything is functioning correctly.

The author plans to continue with further configurations, including additional features like a firewall and VPN, in subsequent posts.

Summary:

This article explains how cameras and lenses work, focusing on the process of capturing images.

1. Recording Light:

   • Digital cameras use sensors made of photodetectors that convert light into electrical signals to form images. The amount of light collected affects the brightness of the image, which can be adjusted through exposure time or shutter speed.

2. Color Capture:

   • To capture color, cameras use a color filter array, such as a Bayer filter, which includes red, green, and blue filters. The process of demosaicing reconstructs the full color information from the captured data.

3. Pinhole Camera:

   • A simple pinhole camera demonstrates basic image formation, showing how light travels through a small hole to create an inverted image. This model highlights the importance of controlling light direction to obtain clear images.

4. Lenses:

   • Using a convex lens instead of a pinhole allows for better light collection and control over focus, resulting in sharper images. The lens's focal length and the distance from the lens to the sensor determine the field of view and image clarity.

5. Aperture:

   • An adjustable aperture controls the amount of light entering the camera and affects depth of field, influencing how much of the scene is in focus.

6. Aberrations:

   • Real lenses introduce imperfections, known as aberrations, that can distort images. Various lens designs and materials are used to minimize these issues.

Overall, the article underscores the complexity of capturing images and the engineering behind lenses and cameras, emphasizing their role in "painting with light."

No summary available.

The author explores whether Bundler, a Ruby dependency manager, can match the speed of uv, a faster package manager. The discussion began after a question at RailsWorld, prompting the author to investigate Bundler's performance and present findings at a Ruby event.

Key points include:

1. Performance Comparison: Bundler can potentially be as fast as uv, but it faces several bottlenecks that need addressing.

2. Rewriting in Rust: While some suggest rewriting Bundler in Rust for speed, the author believes significant improvements can be made without a complete rewrite by focusing on existing issues.

3. Dependency Resolution: Unlike Python’s pip, which evaluates code to determine dependencies, RubyGems can identify dependencies from a YAML file without executing code, which is more efficient.

4. Parallel Downloads: Bundler currently downloads and installs gems sequentially, which is inefficient. By decoupling downloading from installation, it could download multiple gems simultaneously, speeding up the process.

5. Caching Improvements: Implementing a global cache for gems would prevent duplication across different Ruby versions, enhancing performance.

6. Optimizations Beyond Rust: The author highlights performance improvements that can be made without using Rust, such as using parallel downloads and refining the dependency resolver.

7. Existing Infrastructure: Bundler already has the necessary infrastructure for faster package management, but compatibility with legacy systems complicates improvements.

The author concludes that while rewriting Bundler in Rust could offer minor speed gains, many performance enhancements are achievable within the current Ruby framework. A follow-up post will delve into specific profiling techniques and real-world slowdowns in Bundler/RubyGems.

Summary: Contacting the ISS via Amateur Radio

Astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) occasionally make random radio contacts with amateur radio operators, known as "hams", during their free time. These contacts usually occur during breaks, before sleep, and on weekends. The ISS crew operates radios under specific schedules, typically from 0730 to 1930 UTC.

Radio Equipment and Frequencies: The ISS uses Kenwood radios for communication, specifically the Kenwood D710E and D710GA models, supporting 2-meter and 70-centimeter bands. Hams can connect using various frequencies:

• Voice Downlink: 145.80 MHz (Worldwide)
• Voice Uplink (Americas and Pacific): 144.49 MHz
• Voice Uplink (Europe, Russia, Africa): 145.20 MHz
• Packet Uplink/Downlink: 145.825 MHz
• UHF Packet Uplink/Downlink: 437.550 MHz

Communication Methods: Hams can interact with the ISS using voice, packet radio, or receive slow-scan television (SSTV) images, depending on the equipment in use. To connect, hams should use proper uplink and downlink frequencies and avoid transmitting on the downlink frequency.

Tracking the ISS: Various software tools are available to track the ISS and determine when it will be in range for communication.

QSL Cards and Call Signs: QSL cards can be obtained to confirm contacts with the ISS, and specific call signs are used, such as NA1SS for the USA and RS0ISS for Russia.

SSTV and HamTV: The ISS also transmits SSTV images using specialized equipment and software. A HamTV system is in place to support video transmissions.

In summary, the ISS provides a unique opportunity for amateur radio enthusiasts to communicate with astronauts, supported by a variety of radio equipment and frequencies.

No summary available.

No summary available.

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IPv6, the successor to IPv4, was introduced in the 1990s to address the potential shortage of IP addresses as more devices connected to the internet. It expanded the address space from about 4.3 billion to over 340 undecillion addresses. However, despite its potential, less than half of internet users currently utilize IPv6.

One reason for this slow adoption is that IPv6 made only minor operational changes compared to IPv4 and was not backward-compatible, meaning users had to choose between the two protocols. Additionally, network address translation (NAT) allowed many devices to share a single IPv4 address, reducing the urgency to switch to IPv6.

Experts believe that while IPv6 hasn't become as dominant as expected, it has still succeeded in enabling internet growth and innovation, particularly in mobile networks and the Internet of Things. Some organizations are now encouraged to develop plans for migrating to IPv6 as IPv4 addresses become scarcer.

Overall, IPv6 has played a significant role in the internet's infrastructure, though its relevance has diminished in some areas due to new technologies that do not rely on fixed IP addresses.

Happy New Year!

This tool was created to manage servers that lacked configuration management. It collects system information like installed packages, running services, and any changes from default settings.

The data it gathers can be used as a Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) and can quickly be transformed into Ansible roles, playbooks, or inventory. It can run remotely via SSH or locally on Debian and Redhat-like systems.

There's a "diff" mode that detects changes over time, notifying users through webhooks, email, or standard output, but it doesn't enforce changes.

The tool is also helpful for systems already managed by Ansible, identifying overlooked configurations. The creator uses it as a backup strategy alongside their regular Ansible roles.

Additionally, it can work with another tool called JinjaTurtle, which converts configuration files into Jinja2 templates for Ansible.

Check the website for demos and more information. Enjoy!

The author has been developing a project called OpenWorkers, which allows users to run untrusted JavaScript in V8 isolates on their own servers. It offers a similar experience to Cloudflare Workers without being tied to a specific provider. Currently, OpenWorkers supports features like fetch, key-value storage, Postgres integration, S3/R2 storage, cron scheduling, and cryptographic functions. Self-hosting the service is simple, requiring just a single docker-compose file and Postgres. The author is seeking feedback on the project's architecture and suggestions for future features.

Summary of "Bluetooth Headphone Jacking: A Key to Your Phone"

In this presentation, Dennis Heinze and Frieder Steinmetz discuss vulnerabilities found in popular Bluetooth audio chips made by Airoha, used in many headphones and earbuds. They identified three serious vulnerabilities (CVE-2025-20700, CVE-2025-20701, CVE-2025-20702) that could allow attackers to completely compromise devices.

Key points include:

1. Widespread Use: Airoha chips are found in devices from brands like Sony, Marshall, Beyerdynamic, and Jabra.
2. Security Risks: Attackers could exploit these vulnerabilities to gain access to paired devices, such as smartphones, by manipulating the Bluetooth connection.
3. Custom Protocol Discovery: The researchers uncovered a powerful Bluetooth protocol called RACE, which allows full control of the headphones, including reading and writing data.
4. Lack of Awareness: The presenters stress that many manufacturers do not adequately inform users about these security threats and available updates.
5. Future Implications: As smartphone security improves, attackers may increasingly target peripherals like headphones.

The presentation aims to raise awareness about these security issues while providing technical insights for further research. They also plan to release tools to help users check if their devices are affected.

The author reflects on the changes in Silicon Valley and its similarities with the Communist Party, noting their serious and humorless nature. They describe the tech industry's evolution, particularly the dominance of AI, and how it has transformed the Bay Area over the past decade. Despite the quirks and eccentricities of the culture, the author appreciates Silicon Valley's meritocratic ethos and its openness to innovation.

The author enjoys the community aspect of tech, where young founders support each other, but is also concerned about the insularity and narrow-mindedness present in the tech world. They acknowledge the lack of cultural awareness and diversity of opinions compared to other industries, like finance.

The text also discusses the apprehension surrounding AI, with some predicting significant job losses. The discourse around AI often oversimplifies complex issues, attributing unrealistic solutions to technology. Overall, the author expresses both admiration for and wariness of Silicon Valley's culture, highlighting its potential while recognizing its limitations.

No summary available.

Summary of Key Python Performance Numbers

This text outlines important performance metrics for Python programmers, highlighting how various operations compare in terms of speed and memory usage.

Key Points:

1. Performance Benchmarks:

   • Operations like reading attributes and dictionary lookups are very fast (e.g., attribute read takes 14 ns).
   • Adding items to lists (29 ns) is efficient, but be aware of potential slowdowns during resizing.
   • File operations (opening and closing a file takes about 9.1 μs) are relatively slow compared to data structure operations.
   • FastAPI performs better than Django in handling requests.

2. Memory Usage:

   • Basic Python objects have notable memory overhead (e.g., an empty list uses 56 bytes).
   • Using __slots__ in classes can significantly reduce memory usage, making it over twice as efficient for large collections.

3. JSON and Serialization:

   • Alternative libraries like orjson and msgspec outperform the standard library's JSON handling, being 3-8 times faster for complex objects.

4. Async Performance:

   • Async operations add overhead; use them only when necessary for concurrency.

5. General Takeaways:

   • Understanding the memory and speed costs of operations is crucial for optimizing Python applications.
   • Dictionary and set lookups are much faster than list membership checks.
   • Efficient handling of data structures and operations can significantly enhance performance.

For detailed performance metrics, the original benchmarks can be accessed through the provided GitHub repository.

No summary available.

No summary available.

Quickemu Summary

Quickemu is a tool that simplifies the creation and management of virtual machines for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It uses QEMU and automates the setup process, so users don't need to configure many options. You just choose the operating system, and Quickemu handles the rest.

Key Features:

• Easy Setup: Automatically downloads the OS and sets up the virtual machine.
• Wide Compatibility: Supports various operating systems, including multiple versions of macOS, Windows 10 and 11, Ubuntu, and many others.
• Advanced Features:
  • Clipboard sharing between host and guest
  • File sharing options for different guest OS
  • USB device and smartcard pass-through
  • Audio support and network port forwarding

Quick Start:

1. Use quickget to download the desired OS and create a config file.
2. Run the virtual machine with quickemu using the generated config file.

For more information, users can refer to the Quickemu documentation, which includes installation guides and advanced features.

No summary available.

John Graham-Cumming's blog discusses a security concern with the iPhone Camera app. He notes that if you accidentally touch the Camera app icon without opening it, the camera activates briefly, turning on the green dot indicator. This can alarm users who are security-conscious, as it might seem like an app is using the camera without permission. To address this, he enabled Apple's App Privacy Report, which confirmed that the camera was being activated by the Camera app itself due to accidental touches. The solution he found was to move the Camera app icon to a less accessible location, which significantly reduced the false alerts and alleviated his security concerns. He emphasizes the importance of recognizing unusual behavior to avoid overlooking actual security issues.

The text discusses the idea that editors written in Lisp, like Lem, are often claimed to be "100% Lisp," which supposedly allows for great extensibility. However, the author argues against this claim, pointing out that there is no truly "pure" Lisp environment due to the necessity of integrating with platform-specific features and libraries.

Key points include:

1. Misleading Arguments: While some editors are largely written in Lisp, many essential functions must interact with non-Lisp components, limiting their extensibility.

2. Workarounds for Extensibility: Users often find creative workarounds to extend editors, demonstrating that extensibility can exist even in less-than-pure environments.

3. Challenges of Pure Lisp: Extending functionality in pure Lisp can be tricky due to coding conventions and the need to maintain compatibility, which may lead to breaking changes.

4. Effort Required for Extensibility: True extensibility stems from thoughtful API design and user feedback, not just from being written in Lisp.

5. Conclusion: The "100% Lisp" argument is oversimplified and overlooks the complexities involved in creating extensible systems. The author appreciates Lem but emphasizes that extensibility requires more than just a Lisp foundation.

Summary of Beddel Protocol

Beddel Protocol is a tool that allows users to create and execute workflows using YAML definitions in a sequential manner. It is built on the Vercel AI SDK v6 and includes several key features:

• Sequential Execution: Workflows are defined in YAML and executed step-by-step.
• Native Streaming: Supports real-time streaming of chat messages.
• Extensibility: Users can add custom step types, tools, and callbacks.
• Security: Uses a safe YAML parsing method to prevent code execution risks.
• Multi-Provider Support: Works with various AI models from providers like Google, Amazon, and OpenRouter.

Installation

You can install Beddel using npm, pnpm, or yarn:

npm install beddel
# or
pnpm add beddel
# or
yarn add beddel

Quick Start Guide

1. Create API Route: Set up an API route in your application.
2. Create YAML Agent: Define your AI agents in YAML format.
3. Set Environment Variables: Configure necessary API keys for the providers you use.
4. Use in React: Integrate with React using the useChat hook for chat functionalities.

Built-in Providers

Beddel supports several AI providers, each requiring specific environment variables:

• Google Gemini: Requires GEMINI_API_KEY.
• Amazon Bedrock: Requires AWS_REGION and API tokens.
• OpenRouter: Requires OPENROUTER_API_KEY.

Extensibility

Beddel allows registering custom primitives, tools, and lifecycle callbacks to enhance functionality.

Workflow Structure

Workflows include metadata and steps with defined types and configurations.

Important Notes

• Use the correct import paths based on your application (server or client).
• Follow security practices when handling API keys and sensitive data.

For detailed documentation, refer to the official Beddel Protocol docs.

The article discusses using WebAssembly (Wasm) as a platform for extending Python applications.

Key Points:

1. Extension Languages: Many complex software systems use extension languages to enhance functionality. Traditionally, Python uses native C code for extensions, but Wasm allows extending Python without needing a native toolchain.

2. Wasm Benefits: Wasm can provide speed improvements and allow the use of libraries written in other languages. However, it runs in a sandbox and cannot directly access external resources, which limits its use for certain applications.

3. Recommended Runtime: The article recommends using the wasmtime-py runtime because it includes precompiled binaries for multiple systems and does not require a native C toolchain, making it easier to use.

4. Common Pitfalls: When using Wasm with Python, there are challenges, such as handling pointers and memory management. The article highlights specific issues, like negative pointer indices causing errors.

5. Performance Improvements: Rewriting Python functions in C, compiling to Wasm, can significantly speed up computations—up to 10 times faster in some cases.

6. Use Case Examples: The author discusses creating a Wasm-based implementation of the "Two Sum" algorithm and how to manage memory when using libraries like Monocypher for cryptography.

7. Memory Management: Proper memory management is crucial when working with Wasm, especially when passing data in and out of Wasm memory.

Overall, the article emphasizes the potential of Wasm to enhance Python applications but also warns of the complexities and challenges in its usage.

The Trump administration is demanding that all 43 countries in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) create an "Enhanced Border Security Partnership" (EBSP). This partnership would allow U.S. authorities direct access to police databases in these countries, which include fingerprints and facial images. If countries refuse, they risk being excluded from the visa-free travel program.

This demand is unusual because even EU member states do not share such extensive data directly. Typically, data exchange is limited and follows strict protocols. The EBSP could impact anyone involved with border authorities, raising concerns about increased surveillance, especially in light of Trump's immigration policies.

The U.S. has previously tightened the VWP, introducing biometric passports and new registration requirements. Existing agreements for data sharing only apply in serious crime cases, making the EBSP's approach problematic under EU data protection laws. The EU Commission plans to negotiate a framework agreement for all member states, but the U.S. has set a deadline of December 31, 2026, for compliance.

No summary available.

On December 26, 2025, a review of Dell's GB10 mini workstations was discussed, focusing on one of the two units sent for testing. The GB10 is priced over $4,000 and is aimed at developers using Nvidia's ecosystem rather than general consumers or gamers.

Key features include:

• A power LED and a 280W power supply for better performance and quieter operation compared to the DGX Spark.
• Built-in 200 gigabit networking ports, which are costly to add to other systems.

The GB10 is not ideal for gaming, but benchmarks show decent performance for running games on Arm Linux. While it performs well for AI development and general tasks, its software support is limited, and Nvidia's DGX OS only guarantees updates for two years.

The Arm CPU, co-designed by Mediatek, offers good performance but has higher idle power draw compared to competitors. Networking performance is solid, reaching up to 200 Gbps under optimal conditions, but not as high as some expected.

AI performance is promising, especially for prompt processing, making it suitable for tasks related to AI models. Further testing and comparisons with other systems will be conducted in the future.

Summary of "Going Immutable on macOS"

Introduction As the new year begins, many users want to start fresh with their macOS systems. Managing macOS environments often leads to issues with broken configurations due to the inherent instability of imperative package managers like Homebrew.

The Problem with Homebrew Homebrew is popular but has a significant flaw: it is imperative, meaning installations can change over time, causing inconsistencies. For example, installing the same package months later might yield a different version, leading to debugging headaches.

Nix and System Immutability Nix offers a solution by treating your system configuration as a pure function, allowing for:

• Reproducibility: Each package has a unique hash, enabling multiple versions to coexist without conflict.
• Rollbacks: You can easily revert to previous system states if an update causes issues.
• Flakes: With flake.lock files, you can pin your setup to specific versions, ensuring consistency across different machines.

The Nix Flake System Nix flakes provide a structured way to manage dependencies, recording exact versions to prevent unexpected changes. This approach allows for a consistent environment across different systems.

The "Get and Forget" Workflow Nix allows users to create temporary environments (ephemeral shells) for testing without installing packages globally, which helps avoid system conflicts.

Learning Curve Transitioning to Nix can be challenging due to its complexity and the need to learn a domain-specific language. Users may struggle with its setup, particularly in making GUI applications work seamlessly.

Hybrid Approach While Nix is powerful, it may not fully support all macOS GUI applications that expect self-updating capabilities. The author suggests a hybrid approach, using Nix for core tools and Homebrew for GUI applications.

Getting Started with Nix To move away from unstable configurations:

1. Install the Determinate Nix Installer.
2. Create a flake.nix and home.nix for managing configurations.
3. Organize configurations modularly and commit your flake.lock for version control.

The author encourages users to document their setups and explore helpful resources. While using Nix requires more initial effort, it ultimately provides a stable and predictable system environment.

On December 25, 2025, a benchmark called "Square Minus Square" was conducted to test coding agents on a specific programming task. The goal was to create a function that calculates the area of one square (the first square) on a 2D plane, excluding the area where it overlaps with another square. The squares can be of different sizes, positions, and rotations.

Key points of the task:

1. Input: The function takes the position, rotation, and size of both squares.
2. Calculation: It needs to calculate the area of the first square minus the overlapping area.
3. Output: The result should be a list of 2D triangle vertices that represent the remaining area.

The function needs to be implemented in Rust without any dependencies. A testing framework was created to display results, capture screenshots, and record videos. Several coding agents, including the author, attempted to solve the task.

Some observations from the tests:

• No AI language model (LLM) successfully completed the task.
• Most models effectively used screenshots to identify and fix bugs, highlighting the importance of self-checking.
• The tests showed no clear winner; the top models (Opus, Gemini 3 Pro, GPT 5.2) performed well at times but also produced crashing code.
• Gemini 3 Flash appeared to solve the task, but it added unnecessary complexity with extra vertices and triangles.

The complete code for the task is available on GitHub.

Summary:

This document describes a project called c-events, a lightweight event loop library designed for handling non-blocking file I/O. It builds on the previous picoev project and incorporates features from FastCGI and other libraries, aiming for efficient cross-platform performance between Linux and Windows.

Key Features:

• Event Handling: The library allows for executing callback functions when specific events occur on file descriptors, such as readiness for reading/writing, timeouts, and signals.
• Cross-Platform Support: It provides functionality akin to Linux's epoll and Windows' IO Completion Ports (IOCP) through a common interface called wepoll.
• Persistent Events: Events remain active until explicitly removed, enabling continuous monitoring of file descriptors.
• Coroutines and Thread Pools: The library supports coroutine-like behavior and facilitates offloading CPU-intensive tasks to separate thread pools.

Usage:

• Users set up an event loop with events_init() and events_create(), then register file descriptors for monitoring with events_add().
• The library includes various function wrappers for file operations and event management.

Installation:

• The library can be built using CMake on Linux and Windows, with instructions provided for setting up the environment and adding it as a dependency in projects.

Contributions and License:

• Contributions are welcome, and the project is licensed under the MIT License.

This summary captures the essence of the c-events library, focusing on its features, usage, and installation process while simplifying the original text for clarity.

In this text, a person shares a story about playing hide-and-seek with a squirrel behind a birch tree. He explains that he circled around the tree four times to try to see the squirrel, but he could only see its face. One listener questions whether he truly circled around the squirrel since he never saw its back. The conversation continues with the listener insisting that circling the tree means he was also circling the squirrel, while the storyteller argues that he didn't see the whole animal. The discussion highlights different perspectives on what it means to circle around something, emphasizing that seeing the back is not necessary to consider it circling.

Jim Moylan, the Ford engineer who designed the gas tank indicator arrow, has passed away at the age of 80. He came up with the idea in 1986 after a frustrating experience at a gas station, realizing there was no easy way to know which side of the car the fuel door was on. Moylan proposed the idea to his boss, and by 1989, the arrow was included in Ford vehicles, becoming a standard feature across the automotive industry. Moylan had a long career at Ford, starting as a draftsman in 1968 and later working in plastics engineering and even spending time in Japan. His innovation has helped countless drivers avoid the inconvenience of misaligned gas pumps.

Incat, an Australian boatbuilder from Tasmania, has launched Hull 096, which is claimed to be the world's largest electric ship. This vessel, built for the South American ferry operator Buquebus, will operate between Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Uruguay.

Hull 096 measures 130 meters long and can carry up to 2,100 passengers and 225 vehicles. It operates entirely on battery power, featuring over 250 tonnes of batteries and a capacity four times larger than previous ships of its kind.

Incat's chairman, Robert Clifford, stated that this project is the company's most ambitious and important to date, emphasizing their commitment to sustainable shipping. The ship is seen as a significant step toward low-emission transport solutions in the global shipping industry, which contributes to 3% of worldwide emissions.

Experts believe Hull 096 will provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of electric shipping, potentially paving the way for future advancements in the sector.

Summary: Build a Simple Deep Learning Library

This project focuses on creating a deep learning library from scratch instead of just using an existing one. We will start with a blank file and use NumPy to build a functional automatic differentiation (autograd) engine and various layer modules. By the end of the project, we will be able to train models on the MNIST dataset, a simple Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), and a simple ResNet.

The book is available for free online, and readers are encouraged to support it by paying what they wish on Gumroad. For any questions or feedback, contact [email protected].

Summary

Starting from iOS 26.2, developers in Japan can use alternative web browser engines in two main types of apps: dedicated browser apps and apps with embedded browsing features. Apple will provide authorized developers with access to essential technologies for ensuring high-performance browsers.

However, due to security risks associated with browser engines, Apple has established strict criteria for developers. They must commit to privacy and security standards, including providing timely updates to address vulnerabilities.

Key Entitlements:

1. Web Browser Engine Entitlement (for browser apps):

   • Must be distributed only on iOS in Japan.
   • Must be a separate app from those using the system’s web engine.
   • Must pass specific industry-standard test requirements.
   • Developers must adhere to strict security and privacy protocols, including vulnerability disclosure policies and timely issue resolutions.

2. Embedded Browser Engine Entitlement (for in-app browsing):

   • Similar distribution and testing requirements as browser apps.
   • The organization must have primary responsibility for the browser engine and manage any vulnerabilities.
   • Apps must not have the default browser entitlement and must meet security and privacy standards.

Security and Privacy Requirements:

• Use memory-safe programming languages.
• Implement secure coding practices and monitor for vulnerabilities.
• Block third-party cookies by default and manage user data responsibly.

Additional Guidelines:

• Developers must provide URLs for vulnerability policies and documentation of resolved issues.
• Updates to the browser engine must be submitted within 15 days of new versions being released.

Resources are available to assist developers in meeting these requirements, focusing on secure software development, vulnerability management, and network security best practices.

California has introduced a new law, AB316, which addresses the liability of developers using artificial intelligence (AI). Here are the key points:

1. Definition of AI: The law defines artificial intelligence as a system that can learn and make decisions based on input it receives.

2. Liability for Harm: If an AI causes harm to someone, the developer cannot use the argument that the AI acted independently to avoid responsibility. This means developers are accountable for the actions of their AI systems.

3. Vagueness in Responsibility: There is some ambiguity about who is considered the "developer" when issues arise. For example, if an AI created by one company causes harm in a product made by another company, it’s unclear who would be liable.

4. Impact on AI Safety: The law may lead to increased demand for AI safety measures and insurance, as companies want to protect themselves from liability.

Overall, AB316 holds developers responsible for their AI's actions and could influence how AI systems are designed and managed in the future.

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Datastar Common Lisp SDK Summary

Overview: The Datastar Common Lisp SDK is a version of the Datastar SDK tailored for Common Lisp, designed to align with the Datastar Architecture Decision Record (ADR). It focuses on core SDK features, with more utilities planned for future development.

Usage: To use the SDK, clone the repository and load it with Quicklisp using the command:

(ql:quickload "datastar-cl")

Technical Details:

• The SDK utilizes CLOS and includes a main class, sse-generator, with two subclasses:
  • hunchentoot-sse-generator: Works with the Hunchentoot web server.
  • clack-sse-generator: Works with the Clack web application environment.
• Both subclasses handle streams differently and are tested with various web servers.
• JZON is currently used for JSON parsing in two areas but can be replaced later.

Server Limitations:

• Using Clack with Woo limits SSE connections based on the number of worker threads. Each SSE connection occupies one worker thread for its duration.
• For many connections, Hunchentoot is recommended as it has no connection limit. Hunchentoot and Clack+Hunchentoot use a push approach, while Clack+Woo uses polling.

Examples: The test/ directory contains basic examples, and two projects that utilize the SDK:

• Data SPICE: A 2D simulation of the solar system.
• Horizons JPL API Explorer: A simple app to query solar system data from the Horizons API.

Compression: Support for compression (currently only zstd) has been added. More details can be found in the compression documentation.

Testing: The SDK includes tests for both Hunchentoot and Clack environments, demonstrating usage and edge cases, such as connection interruptions.

License: The SDK is licensed under the MIT license.

The article discusses the development of internal agents using two approaches: code-driven workflows and LLM (Large Language Model)-driven workflows. The author initially believed that combining LLMs with tool usage could solve complex tasks, but has since realized that simpler software solutions can often be more effective.

Key points include:

1. Inefficiency in Pull Request Reviews: The author noticed that pull requests sometimes went unacknowledged due to a lack of a merged indicator (reacji) in Slack. To automate this, they implemented an LLM-powered workflow to check and add the reacji based on the pull request status.

2. Challenges with LLMs: Although the LLM solution initially seemed efficient, it occasionally misapplied the reacji, leading to confusion about which pull requests were truly merged.

3. Code-Driven Workflows: The team created a handler that can manage both LLM and code-driven workflows. By using custom Python scripts for certain tasks, they ensure that software engineers can directly control tool usage, which can be more reliable than LLMs in some situations.

4. Progressive Enhancement: The approach is to use LLMs for most workflows but to revert to code-driven solutions when LLMs are not effective. This method has worked well for complex tasks.

5. Future Directions: The author suggests that while LLMs will continue to improve, relying on them only when necessary and using code for more straightforward tasks could be a beneficial long-term strategy.

Overall, the article emphasizes finding the right balance between LLM and code-driven solutions for internal agent workflows.

Summary of Key Points from 2025 in LLMs

1. Trends in LLMs: The year was marked by significant trends including:

   • Advancements in reasoning and inference models.
   • The emergence of "agents" that can perform multi-step tasks.
   • Enhanced coding agents capable of writing and debugging code.
   • Increased availability of LLMs on command-line interfaces.
   • A rise in subscription models priced around $200/month.

2. Reasoning Models: OpenAI initiated a reasoning revolution, allowing models to tackle complex problem-solving through strategies that resemble human reasoning. This led to improvements in tasks like coding and search capabilities.

3. Coding Agents: Claude Code was launched, enabling LLMs to write, execute, and iterate on code. Many other labs followed with their own coding agents, which became popular for coding tasks.

4. Command-Line Tools: Developers embraced LLMs integrated into command-line interfaces, leading to successful tools like Claude Code achieving significant revenue.

5. Chinese AI Models: Chinese labs released competitive open-weight models, challenging Western dominance in the AI space.

6. Long Tasks: LLMs improved their ability to handle longer tasks, with models now able to tackle projects that would take humans hours.

7. Image Editing: New tools allowed prompt-driven image editing, leading to widespread adoption and significant user engagement.

8. Academic Success: LLMs achieved notable success in academic competitions, demonstrating their advanced reasoning capabilities.

9. OpenAI's Position: OpenAI faced increased competition, particularly from Google’s Gemini, as other labs caught up in various LLM capabilities.

10. Concerns and Criticism: The year also highlighted safety concerns regarding AI-enabled browsers and the normalization of risky behaviors in AI usage.

11. Local vs. Cloud Models: While local models improved, cloud models continued to outperform them, necessitating high-performance hardware for optimal use.

12. Environmental Impact: Public sentiment shifted against the rapid construction of energy-intensive AI data centers.

13. Emerging Terms: New terms like "vibe coding" and "lethal trifecta" gained traction, reflecting evolving discussions around AI and coding practices.

Overall, 2025 was a pivotal year for LLMs, characterized by technological advancements, competitive dynamics, and emerging societal concerns.

The author shares their experience of leaving Oracle after its acquisition of Sun because they felt Oracle disrespected its customers, unlike Sun, which valued them. A conversation with a former Sun colleague now at Broadcom revealed that while the company is seen positively internally, many former VMware customers are unhappy, having litigated against Broadcom. The author argues that companies that disregard their customers will ultimately fail, as coercion stifles innovation. In contrast, at Oxide, they prioritize loving their customers and solving their problems, striving to be a company that both customers and employees appreciate. They celebrate their success in this mission and express gratitude to their customers and team.

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No summary available.

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Summary of GoGoGrandparent

GoGoGrandparent is a digital caregiving platform designed to help older and disabled adults remain independent at home. It uses services like Uber and DoorDash to create a tailored experience for those with cognitive, mobility, or vision challenges. The company is a profitable startup supported by Y Combinator and has a dedicated team focused on making a positive impact on families.

Job Position: Full Stack Tech Lead

• Location: Fully remote (must work US hours)
• Salary: $100k to $200k, depending on experience
• Role Responsibilities:
  • Act as a bridge between engineering and other teams
  • Lead planning and daily meetings
  • Improve the sprint cycle and manage new features
  • Oversee code deployment and maintain expertise in the codebase
  • Conduct code reviews and support team development

Tech Stack:

• Back-end: Node.js, TypeScript, MySQL, REST, GraphQL
• Front-end: Vue.js (preferred)
• Deployment: AWS, Docker/Kubernetes (preferred)

Requirements:

• 6+ years of experience, mainly in Node.js and Vue.js

If you're interested in enhancing the lives of older and disabled adults, consider applying!

The text discusses how our perception of time changes throughout life, particularly between childhood and adulthood. For children, time feels much longer because a year is a significant part of their short lives. As we age, especially into middle age, time seems to pass more quickly. This change in perception suggests that childhood is a crucial part of our lives, and we should value it.

To enhance our lives, especially as adults, we should avoid wasting children's time and strive to make their experiences rewarding. Engaging with new experiences can also help adults feel more youthful. Having children allows adults to relive the wonder of childhood through their kids' experiences, creating new memories and traditions together.

The text emphasizes the importance of traditions and how children renew these experiences, making them feel fresh and meaningful again. Parents have the power to create lasting memories and traditions that their children will cherish.

Ultimately, children give adults a sense of purpose and connection to the future. By nurturing their kids, parents can pass on their values and experiences, making the journey of life more fulfilling. Life is described as a cycle, where creating childhoods for others enriches our own lives. The message is clear: time is precious, and we should make the most of it while creating joyful memories for ourselves and our children.

Summary: Hierarchical Navigable Small World (HNSW) in PHP

The HNSW algorithm helps find information quickly by organizing data in a way that reduces search time. Instead of checking every item (which can take hours), HNSW uses a layered structure that mimics navigating through a city, starting from broad highways and moving to narrower streets until reaching the desired location.

Key Points:

1. Linear Search vs. HNSW: Traditional searches require examining all items (O(N) complexity), while HNSW allows for faster searches (O(log N) complexity) by zooming in on relevant sections of data.

2. Structure of HNSW: The algorithm builds a hierarchy of layers:

   • Higher levels represent broader categories (like highways).
   • Lower levels contain more detailed data (like side streets).

3. Search Process: The search starts at the highest level and moves downwards, finding the closest points at each level before proceeding to the next.

4. Precision in Searches: At the lowest level, the algorithm can return multiple results based on a parameter ($ef) that determines how many candidates to consider for the best matches.

5. Dynamic Map Building: When adding new data, HNSW uses random chance to assign levels and connects the new data to nearby points, ensuring the structure remains efficient.

6. Applications: HNSW is crucial for modern systems like recommendation engines and AI, allowing quick access to relevant information.

For a deeper understanding and the complete implementation, you can visit the Vektor project on GitHub.

You can search for any song and hear a Gameboy version of it. The tool mimics the sound hardware of the Gameboy, using different sound channels for melody, bass, and percussion. It finds MIDI files, processes the music, and recreates it using web technology, all running in your browser.

You can visit the site here and check out the open-source project on GitHub. This is a hobby project and not for profit, so please don’t sue.

No summary available.

The readings for each session should be completed after attending the session. Here's a summary of the key points:

• Textbook: The main textbook is "Street-Fighting Mathematics" by Sanjoy Mahajan, available for free as a PDF from MIT Press. An earlier edition is also accessible.

• Sessions and Topics:

  1. Dimensions: Chapter 1 (pp. 3-12)
  2. Extreme Cases: Chapter 2 (pp. 13-26), with additional readings (pp. 26-30) for application.
  3. Discretization: Chapter 3 (pp. 31-44), with applications related to the pendulum period.
  4. Picture Proofs: Chapter 4 (pp. 45-56).
  5. Taking Out the Big Part: Chapter 5 (pp. 57-79).
  6. Analogy: Chapter 6 (pp. 80-85).
  7. Operators: Chapter 7 (pp. 86-90).
  8. Singing Logarithms: A handout on approximating logarithms using musical intervals.

Each session covers specific topics and includes corresponding readings and questions.

Summary of Spectral 3D Bin Packing

Overview: Spectral 3D Bin Packing is a method for efficiently packing 3D objects into a designated space. It utilizes a GPU-accelerated algorithm for collision detection and optimal placement, based on Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) operations.

Key Features:

• Packs 348 objects into a 240×123×100mm tray with a density of 60.8%.
• Implements an algorithm from a SIGGRAPH 2023 paper that allows for dense, interlocking-free packing.
• Offers a simple Python API for integration with NumPy and supports Blender for visualization.

System Requirements:

• Python (version 3.8 or higher)
• CUDA (version 11.0 or higher)
• NVIDIA GPU with compute capability 6.0 or above
• Operating System: Linux (tested on Ubuntu)

Installation Steps:

1. Clone the repository.
2. Install necessary dependencies using pip.
3. Install system dependencies (CUDA Toolkit, FFTW3 library, and build tools).

Basic Usage: You can pack items by creating a BinPacker instance with a specified tray size and then packing voxelized items or STL files directly.

Main Classes:

• BinPacker: Handles packing operations.
  • Methods include pack_files and pack_voxels.
• PackingResult: Provides results after packing, including the number of placed items and packing density.
• Voxelizer: Converts 3D meshes into voxel grids.

Algorithm Overview:

1. Voxelization - Convert 3D meshes to binary grids.
2. Collision Detection - Use FFT to find valid placements.
3. Scoring - Evaluate positions based on proximity and height.
4. Greedy Placement - Place items in order of size.

Examples and Testing:

• Contains example scripts for basic packing and performance benchmarks.
• Provides a testing suite to ensure functionality.

Development and Contributions:

• The project structure includes directories for the main code, tests, and examples.
• Contributions and improvements can be made as per the MIT License.

Citation: If used in research, cite the original paper detailing the algorithm.

This method is particularly useful for industries that require efficient 3D object packing, such as manufacturing and transportation.

No summary available.

The author, a long-time Pokémon fan, shares their journey of rediscovering the game as an adult and their desire to optimize Pokémon teams. They explain that instead of just enjoying the game casually, they began to overanalyze it, focusing on the best abilities, types, and synergies of Pokémon.

To tackle team optimization, they formulated a problem using Mixed-Integer Programming (MIP). The goal is to create a team of up to 6 Pokémon that maximizes their total base stats while ensuring that the team is resistant to various Pokémon types.

Key points include:

• Objective: Maximize total base stats of chosen Pokémon.
• Constraints:
  • A team must consist of 1 to 6 Pokémon.
  • Each type must have at least one Pokémon that is resistant to it.

The author explains how to set up the optimization problem mathematically and discusses different approaches to solve it, including linear programming and branching techniques.

Using Python's PuLP library, the author demonstrates how to define and solve the optimization problem with Pokémon data. They share examples of effective teams, noting that top-performing teams often include legendary or pseudo-legendary Pokémon due to their high stats.

In summary, the project showcases methods from operations research applied to Pokémon team building, leading to strong team combinations that can tackle any game challenge. The complete code and further customization options are available in a GitHub repository.

No summary available.

The article discusses the diversity of small-scale fisheries and how it is often oversimplified, which limits their contributions to sustainable food systems and global development. Researchers analyzed data from over 1,000 small-scale marine fisheries, identifying five distinct types based on various attributes like operations, technology, and economics. They propose using the UN Food and Agriculture Organization's principles for sustainable food and agriculture to inform policy recommendations that meet specific local needs while aligning with global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Small-scale fisheries play a crucial role, supporting 2-3 billion people and addressing nutrition, sustainability, and economic growth. However, the lack of clear definitions and understanding of these producers complicates policymaking, which often fails to address the diverse realities faced by these groups. The researchers aim to provide a systematic method for categorizing small-scale fisheries to help policymakers create effective, targeted actions that support these vital producers. This approach could also be adapted for other food sectors, benefiting millions worldwide.

No summary available.

Rust--: Rust without the Borrow Checker

Rust-- is a modified version of the Rust programming language that disables the borrow checker, allowing code that typically violates Rust's borrowing rules to compile and run.

Installation:

• You can easily install pre-built binaries for macOS (Apple Silicon) and Linux (x86_64) by running:

  curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/buyukakyuz/rustmm/main/install.sh | bash
  

• To compile your code, use:

  ~/.rustmm/bin/rustc your_code.rs
  

Key Examples:

1. Move Then Use:

   • Normal Rust: Moving a value leads to an error when trying to use it afterward.
   • Rust--: The code works, and the value can be used after being moved.

2. Multiple Mutable References:

   • Normal Rust: Cannot have more than one mutable reference at the same time.
   • Rust--: Allows multiple mutable references and works without error.

3. Mutable Borrow Then Move:

   • Normal Rust: An error occurs when trying to use a value while it is mutably borrowed.
   • Rust--: The code works fine, allowing the value to be used while borrowed.

4. Use After Move in Loop:

   • Normal Rust: Cannot move a value out of a loop.
   • Rust--: The value can be printed multiple times without errors.

5. Conflicting Borrows:

   • Normal Rust: An error occurs when trying to borrow a value mutably and immutably at the same time.
   • Rust--: Both types of borrows are allowed, and the code runs successfully.

Examples Directory: The examples/ directory contains various files demonstrating code that fails in standard Rust but works in Rust--.

License: Rust-- is licensed under the same terms as Rust, which is dual-licensed under Apache 2.0 and MIT.

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Summary of Support for Old AMD GPUs on Linux

Overview: This text discusses the support and improvements made for older AMD GPUs (specifically the GCN1 and GCN2 generations) on Linux, particularly for gaming.

Key Points:

1. AMD GPUs on Linux:

   • AMD GPUs generally perform well on Linux, but older models (Southern Islands and Sea Islands) have faced challenges.

2. Driver Support:

   • The newer amdgpu kernel driver supports these older GPUs, but the legacy radeon driver was the default, limiting gaming capabilities.

3. Improvements Made:

   • Work has been done to enhance the amdgpu driver, including support for display features and video encoding.
   • Specific improvements include fixing display issues, adding support for analog connectors, and addressing power management problems.

4. Testing and Development:

   • The developer acquired various old GPU models to test and ensure the improvements worked across all supported hardware.
   • Various bugs were fixed to enhance functionality, such as issues related to video playback and display quality.

5. Future Plans:

   • There are plans to add more features, refactor power management, and address remaining bugs to enhance the experience for users of older GPUs.

6. Community and Support:

   • The developer expressed gratitude to various contributors and highlighted the collaborative nature of the open-source community.

7. Final Outcome:

   • As of Linux kernel version 6.19, amdgpu is now the default driver for these older GPUs, enabling improved performance and gaming experiences on Linux.

This work is aimed at ensuring that users with older GPUs can still enjoy Linux gaming, reflecting a commitment to supporting a wide range of hardware.

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The blog discusses memory subsystem optimizations to enhance software performance, especially for applications handling large datasets. Here are the key points covered:

1. Memory Access Optimization: Techniques to reduce memory accesses, such as using registers and changing data access patterns to improve cache locality.
2. Data Layout Changes: Adjusting the layout of classes and data structures can lead to better performance.
3. Dataset Size Reduction: Smaller datasets can improve memory efficiency and speed.
4. Memory Layout Adjustments: Custom memory layouts can optimize performance at runtime.
5. Instruction-Level Parallelism: Techniques to increase parallelism in code execution can enhance performance.
6. Software Prefetching: Using prefetching can help manage memory latency effectively.
7. TLB Cache Optimization: Strategies to reduce Translation Lookaside Buffer (TLB) cache misses for better performance.
8. Bandwidth Management: Approaches to minimize memory resource consumption.
9. Branch Prediction Interaction: Examining how branch prediction affects memory subsystem performance.
10. Multithreading Effects: Understanding how multithreading impacts memory access speed.
11. Low-Latency Techniques: Methods to improve latency for applications that require quick responses.
12. Performance Measurement: Tools and metrics for analyzing memory subsystem performance.

The blog encourages readers to reach out for discussions on performance issues or training related to these optimizations.

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Meta has been criticized for its handling of scam ads on its platforms. Instead of completely removing these fraudulent ads, the company has made them harder to detect for regulators and journalists. This strategy was partly influenced by concerns over potential regulations in Japan that could cost the company around $2 billion and reduce its revenue by nearly 5%. Internal documents show that Meta successfully implemented this tactic, which it has now included in a broader strategy to manage regulatory scrutiny in various countries, including the U.S., Europe, and China. Previously, it was estimated that about 10% of Meta's 2024 revenue could come from ads related to scams, though the company later claimed this estimate was too broad. In China, the rate of scam-related ads was reported to be even higher.

Summary of Akin's Laws of Spacecraft Design:

1. Numbers Matter: Engineering requires quantifiable data; opinions without numbers are not valid.

2. Design for Imperfection: Spacecraft should be designed to function even when things go wrong, rather than needing perfect reliability.

3. Iterative Design: Good design is never truly finished; always expect to revise and improve your work.

4. Acceptance of Failure: Not all great designs will succeed; often the best technical ideas don’t translate into commercial success.

5. Finding Patterns: You can find patterns in data, but ensure they are real and not just due to measurement errors.

6. Avoid Overfitting: Be cautious with data analysis and don’t rely too heavily on mathematical tools.

7. Leadership Dynamics: The most eager person to lead a team may not be the best choice; leadership skills can be learned.

8. Seek Balance: The best solutions are usually found in the middle range, rather than at extremes.

9. Start Analysis Early: Lack of complete information shouldn't stop you from beginning your work; know what you need for better analysis.

The Tupolev Tu-4 is a Soviet strategic bomber aircraft developed in the late 1940s, based on the American Boeing B-29 Superfortress. It was reverse-engineered from B-29s that had made emergency landings in the Soviet Union during World War II.

Key Points:

• Development: The Soviet Union aimed to create a strategic bomber similar to the B-29 after the U.S. refused to supply them with the aircraft. After obtaining several damaged B-29s, the Soviets reverse-engineered the design, involving extensive collaboration across factories and research institutes.

• Specifications: The Tu-4 first flew in May 1947 and entered service by 1949. It had a crew of 11, a maximum speed of around 347 mph, and a range of 3,400 miles. It could carry significant bomb loads, including nuclear weapons.

• Operational History: A total of 847 Tu-4s were built by 1952, and they served primarily with the Soviet Air Force until the 1960s when they were phased out in favor of more advanced bombers like the Tupolev Tu-16. Some were also given to China, where they were used until the late 1980s.

• Variants: The Tu-4 had several variants, including nuclear-capable models and troop transports, as well as versions adapted for reconnaissance and as drone carriers.

Overall, the Tu-4 played a crucial role in establishing the Soviet strategic bomber fleet and influenced future designs in the Soviet military aviation program.

Summary of Shadow the Hedgehog News

Hidden Palace and Last Minute Continue have released various prototypes of the game "Shadow the Hedgehog," including versions from May and September 2005. This release is part of their holiday celebration, where they share prototype games as gifts.

The article discusses the history of the Sonic franchise, particularly how it changed after Sega transitioned to a third-party developer in 2001. This shift led to a decline in the quality of Sonic games, as the company lost some creative control and direction. Despite some successes like "Sonic Adventure 2," fans began to worry about the future of Sonic games.

"Sonic Heroes," released in 2003, was seen as a return to form but was also criticized for not innovating enough and lacking depth compared to its predecessors. The article emphasizes that while Sonic games have had ups and downs, the release of "Shadow the Hedgehog" aimed to explore darker themes and offer a more mature storyline.

The game features Shadow, who is on a quest to discover his identity while facing a new alien threat. Players can choose different paths that lead to multiple endings, creating a unique gameplay experience based on moral choices.

You can use Claude Code to access a powerful SQL+vector database that includes data from Hacker News, arXiv, LessWrong, and more. Claude can create complex SQL queries to answer your specific questions. There's also an Alerts feature that notifies you via email when certain criteria, like mentions of "estrogen" in a specific context, are met.

Currently, the database includes 1.4 million posts and 15.6 million comments. You can perform detailed searches, such as finding content about the FTX crisis that doesn't express guilt. Although there's potential to expand the sources available in the database, funding is a challenge.

Warren Buffett, the famous investor and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, has stepped down after 60 years, passing control to Greg Abel, who has managed noninsurance operations for seven years. Buffett will remain as chairman and continue to visit the office daily.

Abel faces challenges like slowing growth and pressure to use Berkshire's large cash reserves of $382 billion. While he has a hands-on management style, the company’s decentralized culture will remain intact. Some leadership changes have occurred, including appointing a new manager for Berkshire's consumer businesses.

Investors are keen to see how Abel will lead the company, especially regarding potential dividends, as Berkshire traditionally reinvests profits. However, Buffett's significant voting power will provide Abel some time to establish his leadership without immediate pressure.

Berkshire's diverse subsidiaries usually perform well during economic growth, and there’s optimism about its future under Abel. The company is preparing for its next phase as Buffett’s eventual departure approaches.

A heap-buffer-overflow bug was recently discovered in FFmpeg's EXIF writer, specifically related to the processing of extra IFD (Image File Directory) tags in various image formats like PNG, JPG, and WebP. This bug was identified shortly after it was introduced into the code.

The issue arises from how EXIF data is handled when images are processed. During the decoding of image EXIF data, the system allocates memory for it but fails to account for all the necessary data, leading to potential overflow when trying to write to memory locations beyond what was allocated.

Key points include:

• The overflow occurs when extra IFDs are processed, especially when the system tries to add synthetic tags (reserved for internal use) without proper checks, which can lead to memory being overwritten.
• A simple command to run FFmpeg with an image file can trigger this overflow, resulting in a crash or unexpected behavior.
• The bug was confirmed and patched within a week of its discovery, demonstrating FFmpeg's commitment to security.

The analysis includes details about how EXIF data is parsed and managed within the FFmpeg framework, as well as specific code snippets that illustrate where the issue occurs.

The author is introducing a new project called Feather, which is a fresh reimplementation of the TCL programming language aimed at being embedded in modern applications. Feather is designed to be a simpler version of TCL, omitting features like input/output, object-oriented programming, and coroutines. The author appreciates TCL for its elegant syntax and wants to use it to enhance AI interactions and create more flexible software for users.

One of the main challenges with using traditional TCL is that it comes with additional components like its own event loop and GUI framework, which complicates embedding. Feather avoids these issues by only including the necessary features for applications, making it easier to integrate. It also includes a WebAssembly (WASM) build that is small in size, enabling easy embedding in various platforms.

The author envisions a future where all software can be easily scripted, similar to tools like Emacs and nvim, allowing AI agents to assist users more effectively.

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In 2025, the startup landscape changed rapidly, making the year feel much longer for founders. New concepts like "vibe coding" emerged, and Apple allowed external payment links for the first time. This year, app development became more accessible, inspiring many young people to pursue careers in tech.

The founder of RevenueCat, who faced a serious acquisition offer in late 2024, reflected on the emotional rollercoaster of considering such a life-changing decision. Ultimately, he and his co-founder Jacob chose to keep the company, believing in its potential for long-term growth and success. They raised another funding round to ensure sustainability and continued to focus on building a strong company culture and team.

Throughout the year, the founder maintained clear goals, traveled extensively to network, and prioritized engaging with customers. He also focused on hiring top talent and improving the company’s culture through various initiatives.

Despite facing challenges like team friction and hiring difficulties, the company made significant progress by adapting quickly to changes and addressing problems proactively. The founder emphasized the importance of perseverance and building something lasting, rather than seeking quick exits.

On a personal note, the founder experienced stress but also found stability in family life and personal achievements, like training for a marathon. He looks forward to 2026 as a pivotal year for RevenueCat, aiming to turn it into a multi-product company and seizing the massive opportunities in app development.

Overall, the founder expressed gratitude for support from his team, family, and mentors, and remains committed to building an exceptional company.

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The author observes that most people prefer using cloud-based language models (LLMs) instead of local ones. While some local LLM projects exist, they are not widely adopted for long-term use. The author mentions that local LLMs can work on small devices, even mobile phones, but they find them inferior to cloud-based options. The only local tool the author frequently uses is Whisper, a speech-to-text model, which they believe is more challenging to develop than text-generating models. Despite concerns about privacy, the author continues to rely on cloud LLMs due to the poor performance of local models.

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