No summary available.

Cafés are meant for social interaction, but sitting alone in one can feel contradictory. While many people gather there to connect, some are focused on work, often using laptops. The author chose a staycation instead of traveling and found joy in slowing down time with long walks with their dog. On one walk, they decided to leave their phone at home, which initially made them anxious but ultimately led to a sense of freedom and mindfulness.

Returning to a neighborhood café, the author enjoyed a proper cup of coffee without distractions, allowing their thoughts to wander. They began to notice the people around them, their emotions, and the café's operations. This experience revealed the power of being alone and the difficulty of connecting with others' thoughts and feelings.

As the author continued to visit the café, they reflected on the challenge of solitude and how it can be both scary and liberating. They realized that others might feel intrigued or hesitant about being alone in public spaces. Eventually, the author found joy in writing by hand, allowing for deeper reflection and creativity. This simple act enhanced their experience of solitude, turning it into a fulfilling practice.

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The author argues that comments in code should explain both "what" the code does and "why" it does it. While some believe comments should only explain the "why," the author insists that if the code is unclear, comments are needed to clarify the "what."

Using examples, they show that vague variable names can confuse readers, making them refer back to earlier code lines, which can disrupt their understanding. They also argue against relying solely on commit messages for explaining the "why," as this could lead to tedious searches when debugging.

The author acknowledges that code can sometimes be structured in a way that requires switching between methods, complicating understanding. In some cases, comments that explain the "what" can enhance clarity without forcing readers to navigate through multiple methods.

In conclusion, the author encourages a balanced approach that recognizes the value of both types of comments, rather than dismissing "what" comments altogether.

In 2004, during a natural history class, the professor introduced a baby painted turtle, which can survive being frozen, as part of a lesson on cold-blooded animals. This experience helped the author understand the difference between cold-blooded and warm-blooded animals. Warm-blooded creatures maintain a stable body temperature, while cold-blooded animals, like the painted turtle, adapt their metabolism to their environment.

The author compares this to software projects. Warm-blooded software thrives on constant activity, but without ongoing work, it can become unusable over time. In contrast, cold-blooded software can be left untouched for years and still function when revisited. Cold-blooded projects use stable technologies and avoid dependencies that might change or break, ensuring long-term viability.

The author's own software project, a simple static site generator created 12 years ago, exemplifies a cold-blooded approach, relying on minimal external dependencies and running smoothly over time.

Summary of "How Browsers Work"

This guide explains how web browsers operate, aimed at engineers and curious users who want to understand the process behind web browsing. It uses interactive examples to clarify complex concepts without getting too technical.

Key Points:

1. Understanding URLs: When you type something in the address bar, it gets converted into a URL. For example, typing "pizza" turns into a search URL like https://google.com/search?q=pizza.

2. HTTP Requests: Once the browser has the URL, it sends an HTTP request to the server to fetch the webpage. The request includes headers that identify the server.

3. DNS Resolution: Browsers need to convert domain names (like example.com) into IP addresses using the DNS system before they can connect to the server.

4. TCP Connection: The browser establishes a reliable connection to the server using TCP, which involves a three-step handshake to ensure both sides can communicate.

5. HTTP Communication: After establishing a connection, the browser sends the HTTP request and receives a response, which contains the webpage's content.

6. Parsing HTML: The browser parses the HTML from the response to create a Document Object Model (DOM) tree, which represents the structure of the webpage.

7. Rendering Process: The DOM is combined with CSS to create a render tree, which the browser uses to layout, paint, and display the webpage on your screen.

8. Dynamic Interaction: The DOM allows for real-time changes to the webpage, enabling interactive features.

In summary, this guide provides a simplified and interactive approach to understanding how browsers work, from entering a URL to displaying a website.

No summary available.

The text discusses setting up a home server using FreeBSD 14.3 as a Network Attached Storage (NAS) and configuring a VPN using WireGuard. The author aims to connect their office and home networks, allowing easier access to files and backups.

Key Points:

1. Previous Configuration Steps: The setup follows earlier posts on configuring ZFS mirroring and a Packet Filter (PF) firewall.

2. VPN Choice: The author opted for WireGuard over OpenVPN due to its simpler design, smaller codebase, and efficient performance as a kernel module.

3. Network Setup:

   • Office Network: 192.168.0.0/24, with FreeBSD hosting the NAS and WireGuard.
   • Home Network: 192.168.100.0/24, containing a home laptop.

4. Goals:

   • FreeBSD will serve as the WireGuard VPN server.
   • The router will handle NAT port-forwarding for the VPN.
   • The VPN network will operate on 10.8.0.1/24.

5. WireGuard Installation: Steps include installing WireGuard tools, loading the module, and enabling it in the system configuration.

6. Network Configuration:

   • Enable IP forwarding between the WireGuard interface and the LAN interface.

7. Packet Filter Configuration: Adjustments are needed to allow:

   • UDP connections to the WireGuard port (51820).
   • Traffic from the VPN network to the FreeBSD host and between local networks.

This setup aims to enhance connectivity and file management between the home and office environments.

No summary available.

The text provides a detailed list of various JavaScript engines, including their specifications and features. Here are the key points:

1. Engine Names and Descriptions: The list includes popular engines such as JavaScriptCore (Safari), V8 (Chrome/Node.js), ChakraCore (Microsoft Edge), and many others, each with a brief description.

2. Technical Details: Each engine is accompanied by specific details like the version, date, size, programming language used, ECMAScript version support, and various performance metrics (like scores, contributors, and license types).

3. Focus on Performance: Most engines are optimized for different platforms or purposes, including web browsers, mobile apps, and embedded systems. They vary in their support for modern JavaScript features and performance efficiency.

4. Variety of Languages: While many engines are written in C++ or Java, others use languages like Rust, Go, and TypeScript, reflecting the diversity of development approaches in the JavaScript ecosystem.

5. Community and Development: Some engines are maintained by large organizations (like Google and Mozilla), while others are community-driven or experimental projects.

Overall, the text highlights the rich landscape of JavaScript engines, showcasing their specifications, capabilities, and the organizations behind them.

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Overview: The text lists recent software releases featuring graphics effects from the PC cracking scene, detailing their names, effects, compatibility, and file sizes.

Recent Software Releases:

1. OSBytes ffMediaMaster v1.1.1

   • Effects: Reflection
   • Compatibility: Windows 11
   • Size: 454.50 KB

2. SepantaSoft Easy Tweak v1.8.7

   • Effects: Horizontal sine scroller, starfield
   • Compatibility: Windows 11
   • Size: 647.50 KB

3. Mirc v5.9

   • Effects: Rainbow
   • Compatibility: Windows 11
   • Size: 4.55 KB

4. PCS Podgladacz v4.3

   • Effects: Rainbow
   • Compatibility: Windows 11
   • Size: 4.53 KB

5. ACWeb v1.02

   • Effects: Inverted color square
   • Compatibility: Windows 11
   • Size: 12.03 KB

6. Recordex USA XSight HD v2.9.5.21107

   • Effects: Checkerboard tunnel, rainbow scroller
   • Compatibility: Windows 11
   • Size: 461.00 KB

7. DreamCoder for MySQL Enterprise v4.4

   • Effects: VU Meter
   • Compatibility: Windows 11
   • Size: 56.50 KB

8. Desktop v18.2.0

   • Effects: Horizontal sine scroller, starfield
   • Compatibility: Windows 10
   • Size: 637.00 KB

9. GerbView v10.11

   • Effects: Horizontal sine scroller, rainbow bar
   • Compatibility: Windows 10
   • Size: 203.50 KB

10. ScenePD v8.0.1.8013

    • Effects: Horizontal scroller, rainbow bar
    • Compatibility: Windows 10
    • Size: 203.50 KB

11. Microsoft Office 365 v2211

    • Effects: Various graphics effects
    • Compatibility: Windows 10
    • Size: 1.07 MB

12. PcBoost v3.4.16.2007

    • Effects: Vertical scroller, colorshift
    • Compatibility: Windows 10
    • Size: 42.82 KB

13. SOLIDWORKS v2005

    • Effects: Fire tornado
    • Compatibility: Windows 10
    • Size: 64.27 KB

14. Raspberry Pi Codec Unlocker

    • Effects: Bouncy text
    • Compatibility: Windows 10
    • Size: 974.50 KB

15. xl project v2.0

    • Effects: TV Noise, vertical scroller
    • Compatibility: Windows 10
    • Size: 51.50 KB

16. statexpert v3.01

    • Effects: TV Noise, vertical scroller
    • Compatibility: Windows 10
    • Size: 41.50 KB

17. winboost v4.80

    • Effects: Starfield
    • Compatibility: Windows 10
    • Size: 53.97 KB

18. WinXP Manager v4.8.3.3

    • Effects: Moving lights, shadows
    • Compatibility: Windows 10
    • Size: 30.00 KB

19. CDWinder v2.0

    • Effects: Vertical scroller with bitmap
    • Compatibility: Windows 10
    • Size: 49.00 KB

This list highlights the software, their effects, compatibility with Windows versions, and file sizes for easy reference.

The text is asking for assistance in enhancing the quality of subtitles.

Summary:

This article discusses the author's experiences and challenges in transitioning from the X server (X11) to Wayland, a newer graphics system for Linux. The author has been trying to use Wayland since it started in 2008 but faced numerous issues over the years, including poor driver support, especially with nVidia graphics cards.

Key points include:

1. Historical Context: Wayland began development in 2008, but it wasn't usable until recently due to slow adoption by software and driver support. Major distributions are now transitioning to Wayland.

2. Setup: The author uses a high-end PC with an nVidia GPU and an 8K monitor. They detail the challenges of getting Wayland to work with such hardware, including issues with display configurations and software compatibility.

3. Software Challenges: The author tested various applications under Wayland, noting problems with desktop environments, terminal emulators, text editors, and web browsers. For instance, they found that Emacs performs poorly under Wayland, and Chrome has GPU acceleration issues.

4. Experiment Results: The author details their day spent using Wayland, highlighting several issues:

   • Sway (a Wayland version of i3) has key binding problems and graphical glitches.
   • Font rendering and scaling differ from X11, requiring adjustments.
   • Screen sharing and notifications work differently and can be cumbersome.
   • The author encountered issues with terminal and text editor performance.

5. Conclusion: While the author made some progress, they find that the experience on X11/i3 remains superior in terms of performance and stability. They will continue using X11 until Wayland addresses key issues like input latency, graphical glitches, and application compatibility.

Overall, the author sees potential in Wayland but concludes that it is not yet ready to replace X11 for their daily use.

Researchers at Stanford Medicine have discovered a promising treatment that can regenerate cartilage in aging and injured joints by blocking a protein called 15-PGDH, which increases with age. This treatment helps to restore cartilage in older mice and prevents arthritis after injuries, such as ACL tears. Instead of using stem cells, this method reprograms existing cartilage cells, known as chondrocytes, to behave more like youthful cells.

The treatment has shown positive results in human knee tissue samples and could potentially lead to non-surgical options for treating joint issues, such as injections or oral medications. Currently, osteoarthritis affects many adults in the U.S., leading to significant healthcare costs, and there are no existing medications that reverse the disease.

The researchers found that by inhibiting 15-PGDH, they could promote cartilage regeneration and reduce inflammation. This breakthrough could change how joint conditions are treated, offering hope to millions suffering from joint pain as they age. Clinical trials for this treatment are anticipated in the near future.

Generative AI models can use online content for training without permission from the content owners, and current opt-out tools are ineffective. To address this issue, a tool called Nightshade has been developed. Nightshade alters images so that if used for training without consent, the AI will learn incorrect associations, making the data less valuable.

Nightshade is different from another tool called Glaze, which protects artists from style mimicry. While Glaze is defensive, Nightshade is offensive and aims to disrupt unauthorized AI training. Artists are encouraged to use both tools for comprehensive protection.

Nightshade can introduce visible changes to images, particularly those with flat colors, but it offers a low-intensity setting for better visual quality. The tool is designed to evolve with future defenses, and it does not collect user data.

Currently, Nightshade operates as a standalone tool, but plans are in place to integrate it with Glaze for combined usage. Further information and technical resources are available for those interested in using Nightshade.

JeffGeerling.com has transitioned from using Drupal to Hugo as its content management system starting January 3, 2026. The website, which began on Drupal 6 in 2009, has undergone several upgrades and migrations. However, managing the complex Drupal system became overwhelming, especially after a challenging upgrade from Drupal 7 to 8.

Hugo was chosen because it offers a simpler setup and better performance for the author's personal blog, allowing for easier content management. The author has been writing posts in Markdown since 2020, making Hugo's Markdown support a welcome change. In contrast, the previous Drupal workflow was cumbersome and time-consuming, requiring multiple steps just to publish a blog post.

Initially, comments will be disabled during the migration, with plans to implement a self-hosted commenting system later. The author also needs to find a new way to integrate site search since the previous setup with Apache Solr is no longer in use. Overall, the migration aims to streamline the blogging process and reduce maintenance burdens.

In a recent blog post, Nik discussed an experiment where someone trained an AI to write blog posts in his style. He found that while the AI-generated content looked decent initially, it lacked the depth and nuance of his original writing. The AI often diverged from his intended message and didn't reflect his thought process or commitment to his readers.

Nik emphasized that he writes daily not just to produce content, but to practice critical thinking and strengthen his writing skills. He believes that relying on AI for writing would mean missing out on these valuable experiences. He referenced writer Ezra Klein, who also feels that AI can’t capture the unique insights gained from thorough research and personal engagement with material.

Both agreed that the process of grappling with writing challenges is crucial and that shortcuts like AI may lead to lower quality work. Nik is optimistic that as more writers use AI, those who continue to put in the hard work will stand out. He concluded by stating that true creativity often involves overcoming difficulties, and that's where real rewards lie.

In a New Year’s letter, Luis Garicano shares career advice for young people, emphasizing the importance of choosing jobs that involve learning and adaptability, especially in the context of increasing automation through artificial intelligence (AI). He discusses two types of work:

1. Single-task jobs: These are defined by clear, repetitive tasks that AI is increasingly capable of automating. While humans may still be needed to oversee outputs, the risk is that as AI improves, these jobs could become obsolete or undervalued.

2. Messy jobs: These require managing complex, interrelated tasks that are difficult to automate, such as overseeing a factory or navigating organizational dynamics. Jobs that involve a lot of human interaction, empathy, and decision-making are less likely to be replaced by AI.

Garicano suggests that young professionals should focus on developing deep knowledge in their field, be open to new experiences, and learn quickly. He also highlights the importance of seeking leverage through technology, as AI allows individuals to operate more efficiently and reach broader markets. Additionally, location and engagement with AI communities, like those on Twitter, can enhance learning and opportunities.

He concludes that as the nature of work changes, it may lead to more leisure time, urging readers to find meaning beyond work through hobbies and personal interests.

Sure! Please provide the text you would like me to summarize.

Summary:

You can easily start building Android apps using Swift! The Droid framework allows you to create beautiful user interfaces with a simple, declarative syntax similar to SwiftUI. It includes many components like AndroidX, Flexbox, and Material Design, making development straightforward by hiding complex details of the Android platform.

The documentation for this framework is still being updated, so some pages may not be available yet. Please be patient as new information is added frequently.

Gershwin is a user-friendly desktop environment based on GNUstep, designed for easy transition for new users. It includes essential applications like Workspace, Terminal, TextEdit, and a native Window Manager, all while taking up less than 50MB of storage.

Key features of Gershwin:

• Quick installation from source code in minutes.
• Separate management of local and network users/applications.
• Users can install applications without needing admin permissions.
• Applications built with Gershwin can run on various operating systems, including Windows.
• Supports multiple versions of core libraries for stability.

Installation is simple using the command gershwin-build, and packages are available for GhostBSD. Users can also test Gershwin using live ISOs on Debian, Arch, or GhostBSD.

For support, users can submit requests on the community issue tracker or use GitHub Discussions. There's also a chat channel on Libera Chat, though responses may take time. For those interested in contributing, resources are available on their GitHub project.

The author discusses their journey and contributions to KDE, particularly focusing on improving the onboarding documentation for new developers. They began using KDE software in 2017 and gradually became involved in various aspects of the KDE community, including user support, translations, and development.

Key points include:

1. Background: The author transitioned from Windows to Linux, discovering KDE through the art software Krita. They became actively involved in KDE starting in 2018, contributing to wikis and forums.

2. Documentation Improvements: Since 2022, the author has been focused on enhancing documentation, especially for KDE’s Developer Platform. They emphasize the importance of functional, user-friendly documentation.

3. Current State of Onboarding Docs: As of 2024, the author feels satisfied with the state of the beginner onboarding documentation, noting that key tutorials (like Kirigami, KXmlGui, and Python) are now functional, well-structured, and accessible for newcomers.

4. Future Goals: The author plans to continue improving documentation, particularly for intermediate users and specific areas like Plasma and branding for enterprises.

Overall, the author highlights their passion for open source and the collaborative spirit of the KDE community, expressing optimism for the future of KDE documentation.

Summary: Web Development is Fun Again

Web development has become more enjoyable again thanks to advancements in technology, particularly AI tools.

1. Past Simplicity: The author reminisces about simpler times in web development when tools were easier to understand, and a solo developer could manage all aspects of a project without feeling overwhelmed.

2. Current Complexity: Today, web development is more complex, with numerous tools and technologies for both front-end and back-end development, making it challenging for solo developers to keep up.

3. AI as a Solution: AI tools like Claude and Codex have greatly improved productivity, allowing developers to manage the entire stack more effectively. This has made it possible to go from idea to execution much faster.

4. Creativity: With AI handling repetitive tasks, developers now have more mental space for creativity, enabling them to experiment with new ideas and improve user experience without being bogged down by technical concerns.

Overall, AI has revitalized the web development process, making it more accessible and enjoyable for developers.

Pixoo Sign Client for Ruby Summary

The Pixoo sign client is a Ruby tool designed to control the Pixoo 64 digital sign. Here are the main features:

1. Animation Display: You can create and display animated images on the sign by drawing patterns and using different colors.

2. Text Display: You can also send text to display on the sign, such as messages like "Hello" and "World" at specific positions.

3. Image Upload: The client allows you to read PNG images and display them on the sign.

4. Remote Data Reading: It can fetch data from a remote server. For example, you can get sensor readings (like PM2.5 levels) from a web server using a URL.

5. Automatic Updates: The sign can be configured to automatically update its display with data fetched from the server, showing both labels and the actual sensor readings.

Overall, this client makes it easy to control the Pixoo sign for various visual displays and real-time data updates.

Summary of mytorch

mytorch is a Python library that allows for easy automatic differentiation, similar to PyTorch. It uses NumPy for calculations and supports high-order derivatives for both scalar and non-scalar values. The library features a graph-based reverse mode for automatic differentiation.

Key Features:

• Auto-Differentiation: Supports functions like torch.autograd.backward and torch.autograd.grad.
• Higher-Order Derivatives: Can compute derivatives without needing additional setup (unlike PyTorch).
• Extensible: Can be expanded to include more features, like neural network functionalities and GPU support.

Examples:

1. Scalar Example:

   • Computes a function involving two tensors, a and b.
   • Outputs the function value, first derivatives, and second derivatives.

2. Non-Scalar Example:

   • Uses broadcasting with a 2D tensor a and a 1D tensor b.
   • Computes the sum and outputs the gradients.

Overall, mytorch demonstrates how to handle automatic differentiation in a straightforward way while being flexible for future enhancements.

Summary of BrainKernel: The Context-Aware Process Manager

BrainKernel is a smart process manager for Linux that uses a Language Learning Model (LLM) to analyze running processes. Unlike typical task managers, it evaluates factors like CPU usage, disk activity, and process history to determine whether to keep or terminate a process.

Key Features:

• Diplomatic Immunity: Automatically protects essential apps like browsers and chat applications from being terminated, even if they use high CPU.
• Stealth Mode: Masks API traffic to work well with cloud services.
• Delta Caching: Monitors over 300 processes without slowing down your machine.

Additional Features:

• Context Awareness: Knows when to ignore high CPU usage (e.g., video calls) versus when to kill harmful processes (e.g., bloatware).
• Roast Mode: Insults processes before terminating them.
• Hall of Shame: Keeps track of poorly performing processes and their roasts.
• Focus Mode: Allows users to prioritize one app and suspend distractions.

Getting Started:

1. Install required packages using pip install psutil textual.
2. Run BrainKernel with python main.py.
3. Obtain and enter a free API key from Groq.

Controls:

• k: Enter API key.
• n: Analyze and roast a top CPU user.
• p: Protect a selected process.
• x: Ban a process name.
• s: View the Hall of Shame.
• f: Set a focus app to limit distractions.
• r: Resume suspended processes.
• q: Exit the program.

Safety Features:

• Protects essential apps from termination.
• Verifies processes to ensure no important tasks are accidentally killed.

Future Developments:

Potential features include a "Process Defense Attorney" to advocate for processes before they are killed and a more rigorous Focus Mode to eliminate distractions during work hours.

Contributions: Users are encouraged to report new bloatware processes for inclusion in the system. Built with Python and Textual, powered by Llama 3.

Summary of Claude Reflect

Claude Reflect is a self-learning system for Claude Code that helps it remember corrections, feedback, and preferences by syncing them to specific files (CLAUDE.md and AGENTS.md).

Key Features:

1. Correction Capture: When you correct Claude during a session, these corrections are automatically captured for future reference.
2. Installation:
   • Add the plugin marketplace and install the claude-reflect plugin.
   • Restart Claude Code to activate it.
3. Commands:
   • /reflect: Process and review corrections.
   • /reflect --scan-history: Scan past sessions for missed learnings.
   • Additional commands for previewing, reviewing, and managing learnings.

How It Works:

• Two Stages:
  • Capture: Automatically captures corrections and feedback during sessions.
  • Process: Manually review and apply captured learnings to the CLAUDE.md files.

Human Review:

When you run /reflect, you see a summary of learnings with options to apply, select, or review them individually.

Syncing:

Approved learnings are synced to global and project-specific files, ensuring Claude remembers useful insights.

Additional Features:

• Historical Scan: Allows scanning of past sessions for learnings.
• Smart Filtering: Filters out irrelevant corrections and keeps valuable learnings.
• Duplicate Detection: Identifies and consolidates similar entries in CLAUDE.md.

Tips for Use:

• Use explicit markers for important learnings.
• Regularly run /reflect after completing work for best results.
• Differentiate between global and project-specific learnings.

Contribution and License:

The project is open for contributions and is licensed under MIT.

This text discusses a project called "corroded," which offers utilities for Rust developers to simplify coding despite the language's strict rules about memory safety and ownership. Here are the key points:

1. Rust's Challenges: The Rust compiler enforces strict rules that can make coding cumbersome, such as preventing multiple pointers to the same data, even if it's safe to do so.

2. Project Purpose: "Corroded" aims to provide tools that allow developers to write Rust code more flexibly and efficiently, bypassing some of these strict rules.

3. Unsafe Practices: The project encourages the use of unsafe coding practices to improve performance, such as:

   • Using unsafe blocks frequently.
   • Ignoring lifetime constraints.
   • Allowing multiple mutable references to the same data.
   • Accessing memory without bounds checking.

4. Key Utilities: Some of the specific utilities mentioned include:

   • Null<T> for null pointers.
   • yeet() for type casting.
   • immortalize() for creating references that outlive their data.
   • clone_mut() for creating multiple mutable references.
   • RacyCell<T> for concurrent programming without locks.
   • GlobalCell<T> for global mutable state without synchronization.

5. Warnings: The text advises that the code may seem alarming to those unfamiliar with advanced Rust, but it emphasizes the performance benefits and claims these patterns are endorsed by the Rust community.

6. Licensing: The project is licensed under GPL-2.0.

Overall, "corroded" offers a way to use Rust that sidesteps its safety rules for performance gains, but it comes with risks that may not be suitable for all developers.

The review discusses "The Master of Contradictions" by Morten Høi Jensen, which explores the creation of Thomas Mann's novel "The Magic Mountain." In a 1924 letter, Mann expressed doubts about the novel's appeal, calling it "problematic" and "German." However, it became a significant work in literary modernism, alongside classics like "Ulysses."

The story follows Hans Castorp, a young man who visits a tuberculosis sanatorium and ends up staying for seven years. Mann's political views evolved during the writing process, influenced by World War I, which is reflected in the book's characters and themes.

Jensen provides a clear overview of Mann's contradictions, including his personal life and shifting beliefs. While he occasionally challenges previous interpretations of Mann's character, he focuses on the novel's context and impact rather than deep literary analysis. Overall, the book presents a comprehensive look at Mann and his work, highlighting "The Magic Mountain" as a profound exploration of the human condition.

The article discusses the delayed release of CP/M-86, a port of the CP/M operating system to Intel's 8086 processor, and how this delay impacted the rise of MS-DOS as the standard for 16-bit business computers.

Key points include:

1. Background: CP/M was already an industry standard for 8-bit computers by 1978. Digital Research, led by Gary Kildall, was focused on developing a high-level programming language (PL/I), which distracted from the timely development of CP/M-86.

2. Delay Reasons: The delay in CP/M-86 was mainly due to the success of CP/M 2.2, which kept Kildall and his team busy helping manufacturers adapt the software for their hardware. Additionally, Kildall prioritized other projects, believing that the shift to 16-bit computing was not imminent.

3. Impact of Delay: By the time CP/M-86 was released in early 1981, IBM had already chosen MS-DOS for their PC, which significantly limited CP/M-86's market success.

4. Aftermath: Although CP/M-86 had a brief period of success, it was overshadowed by MS-DOS, leading to the decline of Digital Research. The company continued to operate but eventually was acquired by Novell in 1991.

5. What-If Scenarios: Some analysts believe that if CP/M-86 had been released on time, it might have prevented the creation of MS-DOS. However, the author argues that this wouldn't have changed the overall dynamics of the market significantly.

Overall, the article reflects on the choices made by Digital Research that led to the rise of MS-DOS and the decline of CP/M.

AI advocates often criticize developers for not being enthusiastic enough about AI technology, creating a sense of urgency that is unnecessary. Advocates should inspire interest, not instill fear of missing out. It's important to recognize that you don't have to rush into AI or become an expert immediately; developers can adopt new technologies at their own pace, falling into categories like early adopters or late majority. It's perfectly fine to wait and observe before diving into AI, as this can lead to fewer issues down the line. Overall, there's no need to panic—developers will adapt to AI as the industry evolves.

Summary of ed25519-cli

The ed25519-cli is a command-line tool for using the Ed25519 signature system, part of the lib25519 implementation. It includes three main functions:

1. Key Generation: Use the command ed25519-keypair to generate a secret and public key. The public key is saved to one file descriptor and the secret key to another.

2. Signature Generation: The command ed25519-sign lets you sign a message using your secret key. It reads the secret key and the message, then outputs the signed message.

3. Signature Verification: The command ed25519-open verifies a signed message using the public key. It checks the signature and outputs the verified message. If the signature is invalid, it will return an error code and produce no output.

All commands return a success code (0) or an error code (non-zero) if something goes wrong. The tools are designed for easy use in shell scripts, and other programming languages can also interact with them.

Version noted: 2024.02.18.

Summary: Take One Small Step

To achieve a goal, start by identifying it—like walking for 30 minutes a day or losing weight. Then, think of the first step you could take. However, instead of aiming for a larger first step, choose a much smaller one that feels almost trivial.

Big goals can cause stress, activating your brain's fight or flight response, which often leads to avoidance and failure. Small steps, on the other hand, help you bypass that stress, allowing you to build positive habits and work towards success.

Strategies to Take Small Steps:

1. Ask smaller questions: Focus on what the next small step is.
2. Think small thoughts: Visualize yourself completing the task in a positive, easy way.
3. Take small actions: Instead of planning to walk, just put your walking shoes by the door.
4. Solve small problems: Address small obstacles that could hinder your progress.
5. Focus on smaller rewards: Celebrate tiny achievements along the way.

By consistently taking small steps, you will gradually move closer to your goal. Don't underestimate the power of these small actions—they are crucial for long-term success. Start with one small step today, and keep building from there.

In 1971, the first arcade game, Computer Space, was introduced, followed by the classic Pong and the first home console, the Magnavox Odyssey. These developments were built upon earlier experimental games created by researchers. The first true computer game made for entertainment was Tennis for Two, developed in 1958 by physicist William Higinbotham. He created it to engage visitors at a science exhibit, using an analog computer to simulate tennis on an oscilloscope. Although it was popular at the time, it was largely forgotten until the 1970s when it was recognized as an early entertainment game. Higinbotham, who worked on nuclear non-proliferation after World War II, passed away in 1994, but he is now remembered as a pioneer in video game history.

This project involves creating a Swift interface for the GNUStep version of AppKit, specifically designed to work with OnFlapp's GNUStep Desktop environment. To set it up, you'll need to install GNUStep and Swift 5.8.1 on a Debian system. The project requires some files to be copied into a Resources folder within the build directory.

Key components of the project include:

1. NSObject Integration: The Swift library wraps GNUStep's GUI library. The project includes a test class for creating NSWindow objects and a playground for experimentation.

2. GNUStepNSObjectWrapper: This class manages the instantiation of GNUStep ObjC classes, ensuring proper memory management via retain and release methods.

3. Calling Objective-C Methods: There are challenges in using Objective-C’s messaging system (objc_msgSend) from Swift. The project includes a custom function (objc_smart_getIMP) to facilitate this interaction.

4. Swift Objects in Objective-C: The goal is to allow Swift objects to be stored in Objective-C collections like NSArray and NSDictionary by wrapping them in a new type (NSSwiftObjectWrapper).

5. objc_msgSend Variants: To handle Objective-C messaging with variable arguments, specialized versions of objc_msgSend are created to ease integration with Swift.

6. Casting Challenges: Proper casting is essential when using objc_msgSend and objc_msgSend_stret, as these functions are complex and require precise handling to work correctly.

Overall, the project aims to bridge Swift and GNUStep's Objective-C runtime, making it easier to develop applications that utilize both languages effectively.

Corundum Overview

Corundum is an open-source, high-performance network interface card (NIC) designed for field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). It supports fast Ethernet speeds (10G, 25G, and 100G) and offers advanced features for in-network computing. Key functionalities include:

• High-Performance Data Processing: Utilizes a custom PCIe DMA engine and supports thousands of transmit and receive queues.
• Precision Timing: Includes hardware for precise time synchronization (PTP), facilitating high-precision time division multiple access (TDMA).
• Compatibility: Works with Xilinx and Intel devices, with various FPGA board designs available.
• Linux Integration: Comes with a Linux driver that fits into the Linux networking framework.

Key Components:

• Efficiently manages transmit and receive operations with dedicated modules for handling queues, events, and statistics.
• Offers an application section for custom logic development.

Testing and Dependencies:

• Testing requires specific software tools, including cocotb and pytest.
• It relies on several libraries for AXI, Ethernet, and PCIe functionalities.

For more details, access the documentation or visit the GitHub repository.

No summary available.

No summary available.

In 2025, the most popular bloggers on Hacker News were highlighted by Michael Lynch. Here are the key points:

1. Simon Willison - He was the top blogger for the third consecutive year. Simon focused on AI topics but wrote from a user perspective rather than a sales viewpoint. He produced over 1,000 blog posts, often summarizing ideas from platforms like TikTok. His approach is to share valuable insights with minimal effort.

2. Jeff Geerling - He ranked second, achieving his best performance yet. Jeff is a YouTuber who covers tech topics such as Raspberry Pi. He effectively complements his videos with thoughtful blog posts, ensuring they are well-structured and not just transcripts.

3. Sean Goedecke - Sean emerged as a significant blogger this year. After gaining attention with a popular post about project management in tech, he began posting frequently. He explains tech company politics in a way that resonates with engineers, helping them understand workplace dynamics.

4. Brian Krebs - An established investigative journalist, Brian continued to cover cybersecurity. In 2025, he wrote impactful pieces, including a controversial post about free speech under the Trump administration, which was moderated off the site.

5. Neal Agarwal - Neal's content is more interactive and artistic, including games and visual essays. He had a successful year with all his posts reaching the front page, and his work was highly popular.

The article also mentioned other bloggers, including John Gruber, who had a notable return to the top ranks, and Mahad Kalam, who had a standout single post.

Summary of "Was it really a Billion Dollar Mistake?"

The term "Billion Dollar Mistake" refers to Tony Hoare's invention of null pointers in 1965, which he believes has caused significant errors and system crashes in software development. However, the author argues that the economic impact of null pointers over the years is likely exaggerated.

Key Points:

1. Null Pointers: Null pointers are references that do not point to a valid object. While they are often criticized, they are easier to identify and fix than other types of invalid memory addresses, like use-after-free errors or incorrect pointer arithmetic.

2. Trade-offs in Language Design: The author, who is designing the Odin programming language, chose not to eliminate null pointers because removing them would require either cumbersome checks by programmers or enforcing explicit initialization of all variables, which could complicate coding practices.

3. Mindset in Programming: The article discusses two mindsets in programming:

   • Individual-Element Mindset: This mindset focuses on managing each data piece individually, leading to complex and often inefficient architectures. It's seen as a common stage in a programmer's development but can result in architectural flaws.
   • Grouped-Element Mindset: In this more advanced mindset, programmers think about collections of data as a whole, simplifying memory management and reducing errors. This leads to better architectural decisions.

4. Architectural Decisions: The design of programming languages should consider the trade-offs and long-term implications of features like null pointers. The author believes that many criticisms of new languages stem from outdated mindsets and assumptions based on older languages like C.

5. Conclusion: Null pointer dereferences are not as significant a problem as often portrayed. Better architectural thinking and a focus on grouped data can mitigate many issues associated with memory management, including those related to null pointers. The author emphasizes that programming languages must be designed with a broader vision of how their features interact and affect system architecture.

No summary available.

The Finger-nose™ Stylus is a creative solution for using touchscreens, especially in situations where hands are wet, like in the bath. The inventor, Dominic, came up with the idea when he struggled to use his phone with a wet hand and found he could only use his nose to navigate. He designed a stylus that looks like a nose extension, allowing easy navigation while holding the phone with one hand.

This stylus is also useful for people wearing gloves in cold weather and could benefit those with limited hand use. Dominic used a handheld stylus embedded in a plaster mold of a nose, which gives it a unique look. The idea has gained significant media attention, including a feature on the BBC show "Have I Got News For You."

Modern large language models (LLMs) typically generate text to "think" after they've been trained, which limits their reasoning abilities. We introduce Ouro, a new type of pre-trained model called Looped Language Models (LoopLM), designed to incorporate reasoning during the training phase. Ouro uses advanced techniques to process information and works with a vast amount of data (7.7 trillion tokens). Our models, with 1.4 billion and 2.6 billion parameters, perform as well as larger models (up to 12 billion parameters) on various tests. The advantage of LoopLM comes from better knowledge manipulation rather than just having more information. Additionally, LoopLM produces reasoning steps that are more closely linked to the final answers compared to traditional methods. We believe LoopLM represents a promising new approach for improving reasoning in AI. The model is available online.

Summary:

"The Great Gatsby," published in April 1925, is often misunderstood as merely a tale of parties and glamor, overshadowing its deeper themes. Jay Gatsby, the main character, represents both the allure and limitations of the American Dream. Despite initial poor reception and sales, the novel gained popularity after being distributed by the military during World War II and has since become a cultural icon, inspiring numerous adaptations, including films and musicals.

Many readers fail to grasp the complexities of the story, as noted by F. Scott Fitzgerald himself, who remarked that even enthusiastic reviews missed the book's true meaning. The character Nick Carraway serves as a critical lens through which the story is told, reflecting themes of trauma, disillusionment, and the struggle to achieve dreams amid societal barriers.

While the novel's exploration of class and race has drawn criticism, its enduring relevance speaks to the evolving nature of literature. Readers often find that their understanding of the novel deepens with age and experience. Recent adaptations and new interpretations continue to explore its themes, ensuring "The Great Gatsby" remains a significant and thought-provoking work.

OpenTTD 15.0 is now available for download, bringing several exciting new features:

• Multiplayer companies no longer require passwords; you can invite players directly.
• Island maps can now have infinite water surrounding them.
• Rivers can end in wetlands if they cannot reach the sea.
• Bridges can be built over stations and road stops.
• Roads can include waypoints.
• Players can manually place houses.
• Industries and towns now show graphs of their cargo history.
• The menus have been improved, with a new main menu and a combined settings window.

For a detailed overview, you can watch a video by Master Hellish. If you encounter any bugs, please report them for the upcoming 15.1 release.

No summary available.

No summary available.

Volkswagen is introducing physical buttons back into car dashboards with its new ID. Polo electric vehicle (EV), set to launch in Europe later this year. The interior design includes real buttons, switches, and a knob for audio controls, aiming to create a friendly and familiar user experience. Volkswagen's chief designer, Andreas Mindt, emphasized the importance of these physical controls for stability and trust.

The ID. Polo will have a 10.25-inch digital display behind the steering wheel and a nearly 13-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system. It also features a retro display option inspired by the classic Golf I from the 1980s.

This model is the first of four new compact EVs Volkswagen plans to release in Europe, but unfortunately, it won't be available in the US.

Summary:

Tristan Laan's master's thesis at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and University of Amsterdam focuses on creating a BLAS (Basic Linear Algebra Subprograms) library called "aieblas" for the AMD AI Engine (AIE). This library aims to simplify programming for AIE, which is designed for artificial intelligence but can also be used for general computations.

Key points include:

1. Context: Traditional CPUs have high energy costs due to complex control logic. New spatial dataflow architectures like AIE can improve efficiency by shifting some logic to compile-time, but they require specialized programming knowledge.

2. Objective: The thesis aims to develop a user-friendly and expandable BLAS library for AIE, which allows for high-performance computing without needing deep technical expertise.

3. Research Questions: The thesis addresses how to design the library for usability and expandability, how to automatically generate dataflow programs from high-level specifications, what optimizations can enhance performance, and how aieblas compares to existing CPU BLAS libraries like OpenBLAS.

4. Contributions: The work includes explanations of how to map BLAS routines to AIE, the introduction of the aieblas library, proposed performance optimizations, and performance evaluations against OpenBLAS.

Overall, the thesis presents a new approach to programming the AMD AIE, making it more accessible for users while retaining high performance.

This article teaches how to create a neural network that plays Tic-Tac-Toe using reinforcement learning with Jax. The goal is to make the code educational rather than highly optimized, allowing the model to learn perfect play in about 15 seconds on a laptop.

Key Points:

1. Game Representation: The Tic-Tac-Toe game state is represented using a dataclass called State. It includes:

   • current_player: Indicates which player is taking the turn (0 or 1).
   • observation: A boolean array showing the board state.
   • legal_action_mask: An array indicating available moves.
   • rewards: An array showing the rewards for each player after a move.
   • terminated: A boolean indicating if the game is over.

2. Random Play: A function is created to simulate random games to understand the game mechanics.

3. Neural Network Setup: A simple Deep Q Network (DQN) is defined with a few hidden layers. The model predicts values for each board position, helping to decide the best move.

4. Model Evaluation: The model is tested against a random player to track its performance, recording wins, losses, and ties.

5. Training the Model: The training uses temporal difference learning, where the network learns to value actions based on immediate rewards and estimated future rewards.

6. Loss Function: The training loss is calculated using Huber loss, which balances sensitivity to outliers and stability.

7. Target Network: A second, slower-updating neural network (the target network) is used to stabilize training.

8. Epsilon-Greedy Sampling: This strategy is implemented to balance exploration (trying new moves) and exploitation (using the best-known moves) during training.

9. Training Loop: The final implementation runs multiple games, updating the neural network after each transition until the model learns to play perfectly.

The model achieves a high win rate against random players after training, demonstrating effective learning. You can find the source code on GitHub and run it in a Colab notebook, although it runs slower there.

We explore how large language models (LLMs) can work with very long prompts. We introduce a method called Recursive Language Models (RLMs), which allows these models to break down long prompts into smaller parts and analyze them more effectively. Our research shows that RLMs can manage inputs much longer than usual limits and significantly improve the quality of responses compared to standard LLMs and typical methods for handling long prompts. Additionally, RLMs are similarly priced or even less expensive per use.

The website is checking your browser. If you own this website, you can click a link to resolve the issue.

Summary of the C3 Programming Language

C3 is a programming language designed to be ergonomic, safe, and familiar, building upon the evolution of C. It is available for download on various operating systems: Windows, MacOS, and Linux.

The provided code snippet demonstrates a simple "Hello, world!" program in C3, which utilizes standard input/output to print a message. The language aims to deliver an improved user experience while maintaining the core functionalities of C.

Nike is facing a significant crisis, highlighted by an 11.5% revenue decline in early 2025, the worst drop in five years. The company, which once dominated the US athletic footwear market, has seen a decrease in digital sales, app downloads, and store visits. Key issues contributing to this decline include:

1. Weakened Competitive Advantages: Nike's success was built on strong product development, athlete partnerships, and effective marketing. However, changes under CEO John Donahoe weakened all three pillars, leading to a collapse of their competitive advantage.

2. Direct-to-Consumer Shift: Donahoe's strategy to focus on direct sales led to the termination of many wholesale accounts. While this was intended to boost margins, it backfired as competitors quickly occupied the retail space that Nike vacated.

3. Product Development Issues: Reorganizing teams by general categories instead of specific sports diminished Nike’s specialized knowledge, resulting in weaker product innovation and excess inventory when trends changed.

4. Loss of Athlete Partnerships: High-profile athletes left Nike for competitors, diminishing Nike's credibility in product development and marketing. These partnerships were crucial for product innovation and brand visibility.

5. Marketing Strategy Changes: Nike shifted its marketing focus from a winning mindset to a more whimsical, participation-oriented approach, which hurt its brand positioning when combined with weaker products.

6. Tariff Challenges: New tariffs on imports added significant costs, exacerbating Nike’s financial struggles and highlighting vulnerabilities in its concentrated supply chain strategy.

In response, Nike has recently appointed a new CEO, Elliott Hill, who aims to restore product development and strengthen the brand. However, the competitive landscape has changed, with smaller brands gaining market share, making it challenging for Nike to regain its former dominance. The crisis stems from a misunderstanding of how interdependent Nike's assets are, leading to a simultaneous weakening of its strengths. Recovery will be difficult as the foundational advantages that once supported Nike may no longer exist.

A police officer is guarding the Lichterfelde power plant in southwest Berlin, where a power outage has affected approximately 45,500 homes due to a suspected arson attack on high-voltage cables. The damage is so severe that some residents may be without electricity and heating until Thursday, amid freezing temperatures and snow. Emergency services responded quickly, but repairs are complicated by the cold weather.

Berlin's senator for economic affairs, Franziska Giffey, highlighted the seriousness of the situation, as the outage impacts care facilities, hospitals, and businesses. Police are investigating the incident and have deployed 160 officers to the area. Residents are advised to stay with friends or family if possible and to conserve phone battery life. This incident follows a similar situation in September, also suspected to be arson. Germany remains vigilant against potential sabotage of its infrastructure.

Sirius: GPU-Powered SQL Analytics

Sirius is a SQL engine designed to use GPUs for faster data processing. It connects to existing databases like DuckDB without needing major changes or rewrites, allowing for over 10 times faster query execution at the same hardware cost.

Key Features:

• Speed: Sirius is 10 times faster than DuckDB and 60 times faster than ClickHouse, aiming for 100 times the speed of traditional CPU-based SQL engines.

• Integration: It easily integrates with databases via the Substrait format, enhancing SQL workflows while ensuring full compatibility with CPU systems.

• Deployment Flexibility: Sirius can be deployed in various environments, including cloud and on-premises, offering GPU-accelerated performance wherever needed.

Community and Resources:

• You can connect with the Sirius community on Slack, contribute, or ask questions.
• The source code is available on GitHub.

Publications: Sirius has several research publications planned for 2024 and 2025, focusing on topics like analytical processing, SQL analytics, and GPU performance in databases.

The author is exploring the HTTP/2 protocol and modern C++ development while hosting their personal website at www.roberthargreaves.com. They have documented their development process, hosting choices, and security measures on their blog. Although their HTTP/2 implementation is not complete, they feel they have met their main goals and are seeking feedback from more experienced developers to identify any major issues.

The author is creating Corviont, an offline maps tool that can be hosted on local devices. Key features include:

• Local vector tiles (PMTiles)
• Local routing (using Valhalla)
• Offline search and geocoding (via SQLite Nominatim)
• A user interface (MapLibre) that connects to local services

After the initial setup, it operates completely offline without needing internet access for maps or routing.

The author is also considering adding an updater for regional datasets in the future. They are seeking feedback on where offline maps and routing are important and any challenges users face, such as hardware limitations or update needs.

You can try a demo or access the self-hosting instructions through the provided links.

No summary available.

No summary available.

A road diet is a transportation planning method that reduces the number or width of travel lanes on a road to improve safety and accommodate other types of travel, like biking and walking.

Key Points:

1. Definition: A road diet involves narrowing or reducing lanes, often changing a four-lane road to fewer lanes with added bike lanes or parking.

2. Safety Improvements: Research shows that road diets can lower crash rates by 19-47%, especially in small urban areas. They can help maintain traffic flow without significantly increasing congestion.

3. Space Utilization: The space saved can be repurposed for wider sidewalks, bike lanes, landscaping, and turning lanes.

4. Traffic Impact: Road diets tend to work best on roads with fewer than 19,000 vehicles per day. They may not reduce traffic volume but improve safety and community appeal.

5. Emergency Response Concerns: Some studies suggest road diets can negatively impact emergency response times, though results vary by location.

6. Global Examples: Cities worldwide, including those in South Korea, the UK, and the US, have implemented road diets with varying degrees of success, often aimed at enhancing pedestrian and cyclist safety.

In summary, road diets aim to create safer, more usable road spaces but can have mixed impacts on traffic flow and emergency services.

The author shares their experience of creating a digital signal processing (DSP) project using code assistance from AI (Claude) and the CMajor programming environment. They are proud of their work, which is a detailed recreation based on schematics, patents, and ROMs found online. The author invites others to watch a video of their project and share feedback. They express feelings of uncertainty about their identity as a programmer after 25 years, stating that they now work in a multi-disciplinary field that doesn't involve coding directly.

Summary of POSSE

POSSE stands for "Publish (on your) Own Site, Syndicate Elsewhere." It is a method where you first publish content on your own website and then share it on other platforms, like social media, with links back to your original post.

Key Benefits:

• Ownership: You maintain control over your content and its URL, reducing reliance on third-party platforms.
• Discovery: Linking back to your original post helps people find and interact with your content.
• Better Search: Your own site is easier to search than relying on social media search functions.
• Connection: It allows you to keep in touch with friends using their preferred platforms, rather than forcing them to switch to a different service.

Implementation Tips:

• Use software to automatically post content to your site and share it to other platforms.
• Include links back to your original content when sharing.
• Various tools and platforms can help with this process, like Bridgy and IFTTT.

Why It Matters: POSSE emphasizes the importance of personal ownership and direct connections in the digital landscape, contrasting with models where content is primarily posted on third-party sites (like PESOS - Post to External Sites, then Own). By focusing on personal sites, POSSE aims to create a more resilient and user-controlled web experience.

The text discusses the concept of Worst Case Optimal Joins (WCOJ) in the context of database queries, particularly focusing on a specific example from the TPC-H benchmark. Here are the key points simplified:

1. TPC-H Query Overview: The text starts with an example query (Query 5) from TPC-H, which analyzes supplier volumes and involves multiple table joins.

2. Graph Representation: Joins in SQL can be represented as graphs, where nodes are join conditions and edges are the tables being joined. This representation helps in visualizing and understanding the relationships between the data.

3. Triangle Query Example: A triangle query is used to illustrate how joins can be structured and represented in both SQL and Datalog (a query language). The triangle query looks for connections among three nodes in a graph.

4. Graph Theory Applications: Several concepts from graph theory, like vertex cover, independent set, and edge cover, can be applied to joins. These concepts help in understanding how to optimize joins and their results.

5. Join Size Bounds: The text explains how to establish bounds for the size of join results. The main idea is that the number of rows in the result of a join can be no larger than the product of the sizes of the joined tables.

6. Fractional Edge Cover: A relaxed version of the edge cover allows for a more flexible approach to estimating the size of join results, leading to the AGM bound, which provides a more refined estimate of the output size.

7. WCOJ Definition: WCOJ aims to optimize join operations to ensure that the number of intermediate results does not exceed certain worst-case bounds, which are determined by the structure of the query.

8. Practical Implications: While WCOJ has theoretical benefits, traditional binary joins have been widely optimized in practice. The text indicates that while WCOJ is promising, it is still developing compared to established join methods.

In summary, the discussion revolves around connecting graph theory with SQL joins to improve database query performance, particularly through the lens of Worst Case Optimal Joins.

The Wanamaker Organ, located in Philadelphia, is the world's largest fully functioning pipe organ. It features 28,762 pipes and is housed in the Grand Court of the John Wanamaker Store. Designed by Daniel Hudson Burnham, it combines traditional organ sounds with orchestral tones, making it renowned for its rich, complex sound.

Originally built for the Kansas City Convention Hall and debuted at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, the organ was purchased by John Wanamaker in 1909 and installed in his department store, where it has been played regularly since 1911. Over the years, it has undergone significant expansions and restorations, maintaining its status as one of the best-maintained organs globally.

The organ features various sections, including a String Division housed in the largest organ chamber in the world. It has had notable organists throughout its history, including the current head organist, Peter Richard Conte, who has played since 1989.

Despite Macy's plans to close its Philadelphia location by March 2025, the organ is protected as a National Historic Landmark, ensuring it will remain in place and continue to be celebrated through public concerts.

Summary of "Profiling with Ctrl-C"

In this piece, the author reflects on the usefulness of using Ctrl-C in a debugger as a profiling tool for identifying performance issues in programs. Initially skeptical of this method, the author acknowledges its effectiveness for solving simple problems encountered in challenging environments, especially when traditional profilers are cumbersome or misinterpreted.

The author shares personal experiences where Ctrl-C helped diagnose issues, such as slow startup times caused by a JSON parser and problems with the LLD linker affecting debugging performance. These examples illustrate that sometimes, quick and straightforward methods can yield results without the complexities of advanced profiling tools.

While the author recognizes the limitations of Ctrl-C profiling, such as its inability to capture rare or minor performance issues, they argue it can be a practical solution when dealing with straightforward problems. The text concludes by endorsing the simplicity and accessibility of Ctrl-C profiling, especially for those who may find more sophisticated tools overwhelming or difficult to use.

No summary available.

Summary of "Third Parties and Single Points of Failure" by Paul Calvano

Paul Calvano, a Performance Architect at Etsy, discusses the risks that third-party content poses to website performance, particularly focusing on single points of failure (SPOFs). When a website relies on external services for essential resources, any failure from these third parties can lead to slow loading times or even blank screens for users.

Key points include:

1. Impact of Third Parties: Third-party services can disrupt website performance, especially during outages. Recent outages of major cloud providers have highlighted how many websites can be affected indirectly.

2. Historical Examples: Past incidents, like Facebook's outage in 2012, show that even popular third-party scripts can slow down numerous sites when they fail to load.

3. Prevalence of SPOFs: As of December 2025, 67.7% of websites load at least one render-blocking third party, with 60% using a different CDN than their primary content.

4. Testing for SPOFs: Website owners should identify and test third-party content to prevent SPOFs. Various tools and methods, like WebPageTest and Chrome DevTools, can help simulate third-party failures and assess their impact on website loading times.

5. Recommendations: To mitigate risks, Calvano advises self-hosting critical content when possible and regularly auditing third-party services to ensure they do not negatively affect website performance.

In conclusion, while the issue of third-party SPOFs is well-known in web performance circles, many websites still incorporate risky third-party elements. Proactive testing and careful management of these dependencies can help maintain site reliability.

In 2026, the author declares it will be their year of using the Linux desktop, as they have not used Windows in over three months. They find Windows 11 increasingly frustrating and believe that Linux has improved while Windows has deteriorated. The author plans to switch their computer to Fedora and their handheld devices to Bazzite or SteamOS. They argue that Linux is now suitable for everyday users, not because it has significantly advanced, but because Windows has become so poor in user experience and stability. They appreciate Linux's efficiency and better handling of system issues, like providing helpful log messages when problems arise.

The Linux kernel security process focuses on quickly fixing reported security bugs without making public announcements. Here's a simplified summary of how it works:

1. Security Team's Role: The Linux kernel security team is made up of developers who reactively address security issues reported to them. They do not proactively announce fixes, as they believe all bugs are important and should be treated the same.

2. Reporting Bugs: When reporting a bug, users should send a plain text email to the security team without any attachments or formatting. The team investigates the report and collaborates with subsystem maintainers if necessary.

3. Fixing Bugs: If a bug is confirmed, the team works on a fix as quickly as possible. Once a solution is found, it is merged into the main kernel branch. They avoid holding back fixes longer than seven days.

4. CVE Assignments: The security team does not assign CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) identifiers. This task is managed by a separate CVE team after the fixes are publicly released.

5. No Public Announcements: The security team does not make public announcements about security fixes, as they believe this could mislead users into thinking that non-announced fixes are less important. They operate independently and communicate in a way that ensures confidentiality until issues are resolved.

6. Hardware Security Policy: For issues that involve hardware, a different workflow may be used, which allows for some embargoes, but this process is seen as cumbersome.

Overall, the Linux kernel security policy emphasizes prompt bug fixing and efficient communication, while minimizing public discourse about specific security issues.

Summary of Krowdovi

Krowdovi is an open-source platform that allows anyone with a smartphone to create indoor navigation videos for places like hospitals and malls. Users can earn tokens for helping others find their way. The platform is built on the Solana blockchain using a unique model.

Key Problems Addressed:

1. Indoor Navigation Issues: Many first-time visitors, especially in hospitals, get lost, leading to significant costs for hospitals.
2. Competition from AI: Videographers face job loss due to AI-generated content, but Krowdovi offers a way for creators to produce real videos of actual locations.

How It Works:

• For Users: Scan a QR code at a venue to watch a video showing the route to their destination.
• For Creators: Record and upload navigation videos, earn status based on quality, and get paid when users use tokens to access their content.

Token System: Users use $FIND tokens to unlock videos. A portion of the tokens is burned (removed from circulation), while some rewards creators.

Technical Details:

• Smart Contracts: Built using Rust on Solana.
• Backend: Uses Node.js and PostgreSQL for managing data.
• Frontend: Built with Next.js for user interaction.

Current State:

• The platform is operational on a test network but needs more content and a security audit before launching fully.

Next Steps: The creator is looking to improve content quality and discuss further development. Contributions and feedback are welcome.

Getting Started: Interested individuals can find setup instructions on GitHub and need specific tools for testing.

Summary of Advanced Rail Energy Storage (ARES)

Advanced Rail Energy Storage (ARES) is a renewable energy storage solution that uses gravity to store and release electricity efficiently. It employs electric motors to move heavy mass cars uphill, converting electrical energy into mechanical energy. When power is needed, these cars descend, generating electricity for the grid quickly.

Key features of ARES include:

• Sustainability: Utilizes recycled materials and gravity, making it an eco-friendly option.
• Durability: Designed to last 40 years without degradation.
• Cost-Effective: Offers a lower cost alternative to traditional battery storage.
• Flexibility: Supports the electric grid by managing supply and demand challenges, including renewable energy integration.

Recent news highlights ARES Nevada's groundbreaking for a new 50 MW energy storage facility in Pahrump, aimed at enhancing renewable energy support in the Western U.S.

Odin Programming Language Overview

Odin is a general-purpose programming language designed for high performance and data-oriented programming. It serves as an alternative to C, focusing on simplicity, readability, and efficiency. Key features include:

• Distinct Typing: Odin uses specific types for better performance.
• Data-Oriented Design: It supports modern programming practices, including Structures of Arrays (SOA) and array programming.
• Reflection and Context System: Odin has built-in reflection capabilities and a context system that allows modification of third-party code behavior.

Example Code: Odin allows for complex operations on data structures like vectors, showcasing its capabilities through various code examples.

Community and Production Use: Odin is open source, encouraging community contributions. It is used in production by companies like JangaFX, which develops 3D animation software, and by various game and film industry giants.

Core Libraries: Odin comes with a rich set of libraries for graphics APIs and other functionalities, making it suitable for various applications.

Join the Community: Users are encouraged to join the Odin community on Discord for support and collaboration.

The article discusses the tempo of Daft Punk's song "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger," which is generally reported as 123 BPM. However, the author argues that the precise BPM is actually 123.45.

The author, who has experience with music tempo detection, explains how software measures BPM using algorithms that analyze sound waves. After testing the song with improvements to his own software, he found that its BPM consistently falls between 123 and 124, leading him to suspect a hidden joke by Daft Punk.

To verify the exact BPM, the author describes a method for manually calculating it by measuring the duration between specific beats in the song. He finds that the BPM rounds closely to 123.45 when calculated accurately.

The article also speculates whether Daft Punk intentionally chose this tempo, given the technology they used at the time. While some of their equipment supported only whole BPM values, their software could handle more precise measurements. The author concludes that the close alignment to 123.45 suggests it might have been a deliberate choice, adding a clever detail to the song.

In 2021, a robotic vehicle named Patania II conducted the first test of deep-sea mining in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ), located in the eastern Pacific Ocean. This area contains valuable metal-rich nodules, but mining raises concerns about environmental damage. Following the test, researchers observed significant harm to deep-sea life and are now planning further studies to understand the long-term impacts and recovery of these ecosystems.

The MiningImpact project, a €25 million initiative, will conduct six research cruises from 2026 to 2028 with over 100 scientists involved. This research is timely as interest in mining metals for electric car batteries is increasing, and the United Nations is working on new regulations for deep-sea mining.

Current regulations have allowed exploration contracts in the CCZ, but the U.S. is pushing to expedite its own mining efforts. Scientists emphasize the importance of understanding the unique species living in the CCZ and how they might recover after mining, as many species are found nowhere else. While immediate damage from mining is evident—like a 32% drop in species observed after a test—recovery may take decades or longer.

Future research will include examining the genetic connections between species to assess their ability to repopulate mined areas. Additionally, the project will study other potential mining sites, including inactive hydrothermal vents, to understand their biological communities and connectivity.

Ultimately, while understanding the environmental impacts is crucial, experts believe economic factors will largely influence the decision to pursue deep-sea mining.

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The author shares their admiration for Sir Terry Pratchett and explains a special feature they added to their blog called the "X-Clacks-Overhead" HTTP header. This header, inspired by Pratchett's novel "Going Postal," is a way to honor him by sending a signal that keeps his name alive online. The blog uses Cloudflare Pages, which allows for custom HTTP response headers. The author included the header in a file so that every request for content on the site includes the message "GNU Terry Pratchett." While this addition doesn't improve performance or functionality, the author believes small gestures like this can enhance the internet experience.

Today, December 31, 2025, marks the end of support for HP-UX, a UNIX operating system developed by HPE. This signifies the conclusion of a significant era for commercial UNIX systems, largely replaced by cheaper x86 hardware and the rise of Linux. The last supported version, HP-UX 11i v3, officially ends its service today, while earlier versions have not been supported for years.

The author, Thom Holwerda, expresses sadness about this change, sharing his personal connection to HP-UX through his pride and joy, an HP c8000 workstation. He highlights the challenges of finding updates and support for HP-UX, as many patches and software have become difficult to locate, especially those released after 2009.

Holwerda reflects on the lack of widespread appreciation for HP-UX compared to other operating systems like IRIX or Solaris, noting that few people share his passion for its preservation. He worries that as support ends, more resources related to HP-UX will disappear, and its legacy will be forgotten. He invites others to remember this operating system as they welcome the new year.

Summary of "Accounting for Computer Scientists" by Martin Kleppmann

Understanding basic accounting is important for everyone, similar to subjects like math and science. However, accounting often uses complex jargon, making it hard to grasp. The author, a computer scientist, found that viewing accounting as a graph made it clearer.

In this graph representation:

• Accounts are like nodes.
• Transactions are like edges connecting those nodes, showing how money flows in and out.

Every account has a balance, calculated by adding incoming transactions and subtracting outgoing ones. This structure ensures the total balances always equal zero, which is essential for keeping accurate records.

As a business grows, transactions become more complex. For example, sales may involve agreements for future payments. The author illustrates how to represent these transactions graphically.

Key financial statements derived from this graph are:

1. Profit and Loss Statement (P&L): Shows revenue and expenses over a specific period, revealing whether a company made a profit or loss.
2. Balance Sheet: Summarizes what the company owns (assets) and owes (liabilities), ensuring that the totals balance out.

Understanding these concepts helps in managing finances and communicating with investors. The author encourages readers to view accounting as a structured, logical system, making it less intimidating.

Summary of IPv6's Journey

IPv6, introduced in 1995, was designed to replace the older IPv4 protocol due to concerns about running out of IP addresses. It expanded the address space from about 4.3 billion to over 340 undecillion, ensuring sufficient addresses for the future.

Despite this potential, fewer than half of internet users currently use IPv6. The protocol faced challenges because it did not offer significant improvements over IPv4, and it wasn't compatible with IPv4, making the transition difficult. Innovations like 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 adoption has been slow, it hasn't failed. It has helped manage growth in mobile and cloud technologies, and its design allows for simpler network planning. Although some organizations still see a need for IPv6, others have adapted to using NAT and new technologies that lessen reliance on permanent IP addresses.

Moving forward, experts suggest organizations should create plans for IPv6 adoption, as the depletion of IPv4 addresses may eventually drive more users to switch to IPv6.

Summary of "Fighting Fire with Fire: Scalable Oral Exams with an ElevenLabs Voice AI Agent"

In a recent AI/ML Product Management class, the instructor noticed that students' high-quality written work didn’t translate into strong verbal explanations during class discussions. To address this, they experimented with using a Voice AI agent from ElevenLabs to conduct oral exams, aiming to better assess students' understanding.

Key Points:

1. Need for Oral Exams: Traditional take-home assignments are no longer reliable due to students’ access to AI tools that can complete assignments for them. Oral exams encourage real-time thinking and clearer understanding.

2. AI Implementation: The ElevenLabs AI agent was set up to conduct two-part oral exams, where students explained their projects and discussed cases from the course. The AI agent was designed to ask structured questions, which made it easier to manage.

3. Exam Format and Logistics:

   • 36 students were tested over 9 days.
   • Each exam had an average duration of 25 minutes.
   • The cost for conducting these exams was significantly lower than traditional methods, costing only $15 in total.

4. Challenges Faced:

   • Students found the AI's voice intimidating, leading to anxiety.
   • The AI sometimes asked multiple questions at once, making it hard for students to focus.
   • Clarifications from the AI were often unclear, and it didn't allow enough thinking time for students.

5. Grading Process: A council of AI models graded the exams, leading to stronger agreement among scores after consultation. The feedback provided by the AI was detailed and specific, identifying students' strengths and weaknesses.

6. Student Feedback: While many students preferred traditional written exams and found the oral format stressful, 70% agreed that it tested their actual understanding of the material.

7. Future Improvements: Suggestions for future exams include using a calmer voice for the AI, allowing for slower pacing, ensuring one question at a time, and better randomization of cases.

The experiment illustrates a shift in assessment methods, emphasizing the need for evaluations that reflect students' real understanding and reasoning abilities, aided by AI technology.

Summary of the rsync Algorithm Technical Report

The report discusses the rsync algorithm, developed by Andrew Tridgell and Paul Mackerras, which efficiently updates a file on one computer to match a file on another over a slow network. Instead of sending the entire file, rsync identifies parts of the file that are the same on both machines and only sends the differences. This process is particularly useful when the files are similar.

Key Points:

1. Purpose: Rsync updates a file on one machine to match a file on another using a low-bandwidth, high-latency connection.

2. How It Works:

   • The destination file is split into fixed-size blocks.
   • Checksums (unique identifiers) are created for each block.
   • These checksums are sent to the machine with the source file.
   • The source file is searched for matching blocks using these checksums.
   • Only the unmatched parts of the source file are sent over the network, minimizing data transfer.

3. Efficiency: The algorithm is optimized for speed, using a method called "rolling checksums" to quickly identify matching blocks. This allows for a single round trip of data instead of needing both files on the same machine.

4. Pipelining: For multiple files, rsync can send checksums while simultaneously receiving data, improving efficiency.

5. Results: Tests using versioned Linux kernel files showed that only a small percentage of data needed to be transferred, demonstrating the algorithm's effectiveness in reducing bandwidth usage.

6. Availability: Rsync is available for download and provides a user-friendly interface similar to the standard UNIX command rcp.

Overall, the rsync algorithm is a powerful tool for efficiently synchronizing files between computers, especially when they share similarities.

Summary: Beating Myself at Chess

The author created a chess AI to fulfill a personal goal, despite being bad at chess themselves. The AI can be played online and is designed to beat the author. After some practice, they managed to win against the AI a couple of times.

Motivation and Development:

• The project aimed to experiment with programming in a simple way and possibly run on older computers.
• The author used basic programming tools and languages, specifically C, to keep the code lightweight and without dependencies.
• The chess engine is small, with no dynamic memory usage, and is under 600 lines of code.

Challenges:

• Initially, the author skipped writing tests, which led to discovering bugs later when the code needed refactoring.

Integration:

• The project included a user interface through XBoard and web browsers, allowing the AI to be interacted with easily.
• The integration with browsers was achieved by compiling the C code into WebAssembly.

Outcome: The AI successfully defeats the author due to their mistakes in chess. The project turned out to be enjoyable and is recommended for anyone wanting to practice programming or explore new coding techniques.

For more details, you can check the source code and demo online.

No summary available.

John Graham-Cumming's blog discusses a security concern with the iPhone Camera app. When users touch the Camera app icon without fully opening it, the camera activates briefly, turning on the green dot indicator. This can cause anxiety for security-conscious users who might think their camera is being accessed without permission. To verify this, he enabled Apple's App Privacy Report, which confirmed the camera use was due to accidental touches on the Camera app icon.

To mitigate this issue, he recommends moving the Camera app to a less accessible location on the screen. This simple change significantly reduced the accidental activations and helped ease his security concerns. He emphasizes the importance of addressing these false alarms to avoid overlooking real security threats.

No summary available.

No summary available.

You can scan a QR code to access a web terminal for coding from your bed. This mobile-friendly terminal is set up using Cloudflare Quick Tunnel, which means you don’t need to do any port forwarding. Feedback is appreciated!

The article discusses the creation of a basic Just-In-Time (JIT) compiler to evaluate recurrence relations. A recurrence relation is an equation that defines each term based on previous terms, using simple operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

Key Points:

1. Challenge Overview: The author participated in a programming challenge that required writing a program to compute terms of a recurrence relation using a specified sequence of operations.

2. JIT Compiler: Instead of using a traditional interpreter, the author built a JIT compiler that converts operations into machine code, allowing the CPU to execute them directly for better performance.

3. Memory Management: The article explains how modern operating systems manage memory to enhance security. Memory must be allocated in a way that separates writable and executable areas to prevent malicious code execution.

4. Memory Allocation: The author uses system calls like mmap() for memory allocation and adjusts permissions with mprotect() to make the code executable after it's generated.

5. Assembly Instructions: The author discusses how to insert assembly instructions into the allocated memory, detailing the process of converting operations into machine code.

6. Calling Conventions: The article describes how to handle function calls in x86-64 architecture, focusing on register usage for passing arguments and returning results.

7. Code Generation: The author demonstrates a method to generate machine code for various operations (like addition and multiplication) using predefined byte codes.

8. Execution: Finally, the generated machine code is finalized to be executable, cast to a function pointer, and called to compute the desired terms of the recurrence relation.

The author expresses the intention to create a more advanced JIT compiler in the future, seeking a more complex problem to justify its development.

The author is exploring ways to repurpose old or unused Android devices instead of letting them go to waste. They have seen examples where these devices are used for tasks like testing, monitoring, or running background processes with minimal setup, requiring no user interaction. The author is interested in hearing about practical, long-term use cases from others and wants to know what has worked well or what should be avoided. They are not trying to sell anything, just seeking insights on this topic.