Research from December 22, 2025, explores whether it is possible to confirm a cure for Hepatitis C more quickly after treatment.

Summary of LaTeX Coffee Stains Package

The LaTeX Coffee Stains package, created by Hanno Rein and maintained by Patrick Bideault, adds coffee stains to documents, saving time by automating this feature. It offers four types of stains, which can be easily added to your LaTeX files.

Key Features:

1. Stain Types:

   • A: 270° circle stain with two splashes
   • B: 60° circle stain
   • C: Two light-colored splashes
   • D: Colorful twin splash

2. Usage:

   • Place the coffeestains.sty file in your LaTeX directory or install it correctly.
   • Add \usepackage{coffeestains} in your document header.
   • Use commands like \coffeestainA{alpha}{scale}{angle}{xoff}{yoff} to place stains.

3. Parameters:

   • Alpha: Transparency (0 to 1)
   • Scale: Size of the stain (default is 1)
   • Angle: Rotation in degrees (0 to 360)
   • Offsets: Position on the page (x and y offsets)

4. Copyright: The package is free to distribute, and all stains are original works by Hanno Rein.

5. Future Improvements: The package currently focuses on coffee stains, but the author hopes to include other types of stains (like tea and grease) in the future.

6. Change Log: The package has gone through several updates since its initial release in 2009, improving functionality and usability.

Overall, this package is a fun way to add realistic coffee stains to your LaTeX documents.

No summary available.

The text, titled "A4 Paper Stories" by Susam Pal, discusses the author's unique method of measuring objects using a sheet of A4 paper. Although this method is not precise or recommended, the author finds it useful in casual situations where accuracy is not critical.

A4 paper has specific dimensions (21.0 cm x 29.7 cm) that make it practical for such measurements. The author explains how A4 paper is derived from larger paper sizes (A0, A1, A2, A3) by repeatedly cutting them in half, and describes the mathematical reasoning behind its aspect ratio.

The author shares a story about using A4 paper to estimate the size of a computer monitor. By measuring the width and height of the screen with the paper, the author confidently concludes that it is approximately a 27-inch display.

Overall, the text highlights the author's fondness for A4 paper as a reliable measuring tool while injecting humor and mathematics into the narrative.

No summary available.

No summary available.

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The Eric and Wendy Schmidt Observatory System aims to revolutionize how astronomical observatories are built and used. It focuses on making space exploration more accessible and speeding up research processes. Key features include:

• Faster Development: Reduces the time to develop observatories from decades to just a few years.
• Innovative Design: Uses modular designs to save costs and enhance efficiency.
• Open Access: Provides open data and software, allowing researchers worldwide to participate.
• Collaboration: Encourages scientific collaboration across various fields.

The system includes several major projects, such as the Argus Array and the Lazuli Space Observatory, to facilitate discoveries that benefit everyone.

Summary of "Many Hells of WebDAV"

Creating a WebDAV/CalDAV client and server is more complicated than expected, despite the standards being well-documented. The authors initially considered using an existing Go library, go-webdav, but found it lacked important features. They then tried to implement the full RFC specifications but faced challenges due to outdated and unnecessary details.

Instead, they reverse-engineered existing clients and servers, like Apple Calendar and Google Calendar, to understand the essential API requests and responses. This approach was quicker and more effective.

They also struggled with handling XML in Go, as the standard library was inadequate. They developed a new wrapper for XML to simplify their work.

After building their minimum viable product (MVP), they found that major providers like Apple and Google often don’t fully adhere to the RFCs, making their own implementation more difficult. The variability in client support for features added to the frustrations.

Ultimately, the authors advise against attempting to create a WebDAV/CalDAV library if you want to maintain your sanity, due to the inconsistencies and complications involved.

The author created KeelTest, a VS Code extension, out of frustration with existing AI tools that failed to run tests correctly. KeelTest generates and runs pytest tests, attempting to identify and fix issues when tests fail.

Key features include:

• Error Handling: It automatically tries to fix generation errors or flags bugs in your code.
• Testing Process: The tool performs static analysis to understand your code, generates tests for various scenarios, executes them in a safe environment, and either self-corrects failures or highlights source code issues.

Currently, it supports Python and pytest, but is still in the alpha stage, working best with simpler projects. Users can install it from the VS Code marketplace and try it for free with limitations on the number of tests. The author invites feedback on the tool's performance and any failure cases, noting that it generates detailed debug output.

No summary available.

Sergey Brin, the co-founder of Google, has returned to work on artificial intelligence (AI) after a period of retirement. He expressed that leaving Google before the launch of their AI project, Gemini, was a significant mistake. In early 2023, he filed his first code request since coming back to the company.

Careers Summary

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Summary of Vector Graphics Rendering on GPU

Vector graphics are commonly used on screens, yet most rendering is still done by the CPU. This approach suggests shifting some of this work to the GPU for efficiency.

Rasterization Basics:

• Rasterization involves determining which pixels are inside or outside a vector shape.
• A winding number is used to assess pixel visibility: it increases with upward segments and decreases with downward segments.
• The basic idea is to check each pixel's center against the shape and fill it based on the winding number.

Using the GPU:

• GPUs are designed for parallel processing, allowing multiple threads to operate simultaneously.
• A simple way to rasterize on the GPU is to handle one pixel at a time, checking all shape segments that intersect with each pixel.

Anti-Aliasing Techniques:

1. Supersampling: Involves rendering at a higher resolution and scaling down for smoother edges. However, it requires a lot of memory and processing power.
2. Analytic Anti-Aliasing: A more efficient method that calculates the coverage of pixels based on the shape's segments, providing better quality without significant computational overhead.

Final Algorithm Steps:

1. Prepare blocks on the CPU that contain shape lists and coverage information.
2. For each pixel, determine the intersecting block and process shapes within that block to calculate the final pixel color.

Performance Considerations:

• Splitting the screen into smaller blocks helps manage processing load.
• Using simple line segments for shapes can simplify calculations and improve performance.
• Optimal thread and SIMD group configurations are crucial for maximizing GPU efficiency.

Conclusion: This GPU-assisted rasterization approach can significantly speed up vector graphics rendering, especially for blending and pixel filling tasks, achieving performance boosts of 10-15 times compared to traditional software rendering methods.

I used Tailscale, an old laptop, Claude Code, and Termius to code from my phone anywhere with an internet connection. It’s perfect for when I’m at parties and want to work on projects instead of socializing.

Summary of Quake Brutalist Jam III

Quake Brutalist Jam III (QBJ3) is a community-driven project that took over a year to develop. It introduces new weapons, monsters, power-ups, and a complete visual redesign of Quake, featuring a brutalist style. The community contributed significantly by creating 77 new maps, pushing the Quake engine's capabilities.

The project started in winter 2024 and was secretly developed until its release in October 2025. After the release, the community had six weeks to explore the mod and create additional content.

Installation Instructions:

1. For the Mod:

   • Buy and download Quake from Steam or GOG.
   • Download the Ironwail source port and put it in your Quake folder.
   • Extract the mod files into the same directory.
   • Open Ironwail, press escape, type "game qbj3" in the console, and hit enter.

2. For Standalone:

   • Extract the files into a folder and run "QBJ3.exe."

Engine Compatibility: QBJ3 is designed for the Ironwail source port (version 0.8.1 and above). Using other engines may cause issues.

Credits: The project involved a dedicated team for development and numerous map authors, highlighting the collaborative nature of the mod.

Feel free to enjoy the worlds created by the community!

Summary:

The author discusses the transformative impact of Opus 4.5, an advanced AI coding agent, on software development. Initially skeptical about AI's ability to fully replace developers, the author now believes it can, thanks to Opus 4.5's capabilities.

Key points include:

1. Performance: Opus 4.5 significantly outperforms previous AI agents, producing code correctly on the first try and effectively debugging errors autonomously.

2. Project Successes: The author successfully built multiple applications using Opus 4.5, including:

   • A Windows utility for image conversion.
   • A GIF recording and editing tool.
   • A mobile app for scheduling Facebook posts for a small business.
   • An order tracking and routing app, all with minimal manual intervention.

3. Code Quality: Although the author lacks deep understanding of the underlying code, they trust Opus 4.5 to maintain quality and fix issues autonomously. They've developed principles for optimizing code for AI rather than humans, focusing on structure, simplicity, and debuggability.

4. Concerns: The author acknowledges uncertainties regarding code security and the implications of AI's growing capabilities on the role of human developers.

5. Conclusion: The author encourages others to embrace the potential of AI in development, emphasizing the importance of creating rather than fearing change.

In essence, the author reflects on the rapid advancements in AI coding tools, their personal experiences, and the need for developers to adapt in an increasingly AI-driven landscape.

No summary available.

The author discusses how Claude Code can perform many tasks like writing scripts and calling APIs, but struggles with website interactions that require manual clicking. Since the author is often unfamiliar with these platforms, they find it time-consuming to navigate. To solve this, they started using Perplexity's Comet browser, which can handle these clicks, but found it tedious to copy and paste between Claude and Comet.

To streamline the process, they built a server (MCP) that connects Claude directly to Comet. Now, when Claude needs to perform actions on websites without APIs, it can delegate these tasks to Comet. They mention specific tasks that this setup can handle, such as retrieving app IDs or generating keys. The author prefers this method over using Playwright MCP since it doesn't overwhelm Claude's context window, and they communicate with Comet using CDP since it doesn't have an API.

Summary: A 30B Qwen Model on Raspberry Pi

The article discusses the optimization of the Qwen3-30B-A3B-Instruct-2507 model for running on devices like the Raspberry Pi. It emphasizes the importance of fast and high-quality responses, focusing on maximizing performance while fitting within memory constraints.

Key points include:

• Optimized Performance: The model uses a method called Shapelearn to choose the best data types for weights, enhancing speed (tokens per second, TPS) and quality without unnecessarily reducing file size.

• Real-Time Capability: On a Raspberry Pi 5 with 16GB RAM, the model achieves 8.03 TPS while maintaining 94.18% of the expected quality, making it feel real-time for users.

• CPU Performance: For CPUs, including the Raspberry Pi, reducing the model's size generally increases TPS while maintaining accuracy. The article highlights that ByteShape models outperform alternatives like Unsloth in both speed and quality.

• Intel i7 Performance: On more powerful CPUs like Intel i7 with 64GB RAM, ByteShape models continue to show better TPS and accuracy compared to competitors.

• GPU Performance: The performance on GPUs varies based on the model and memory constraints. The RTX 5090 GPU shows a sweet spot around 4 bits per weight (BPW), where models perform exceptionally well. In contrast, the RTX 4080 with 16GB VRAM struggles with larger models but still benefits from ByteShape's efficiency.

• Memory Considerations: The article stresses that efficient memory use is crucial, and reducing data size does not always equate to faster performance. The right data types and quantization choices can lead to better results.

• Conclusion: The main takeaway is to prioritize fitting models within device memory and optimizing the trade-off between speed and quality. For interactive applications on a Raspberry Pi, the recommended model is Q3_K_S-2.70bpw [KQ-2], which balances responsiveness and accuracy.

Overall, ByteShape models are presented as consistently superior in delivering better TPS/quality ratios across various devices.

This text describes a fast SOCKS5 proxy that disguises internet traffic as regular email to avoid detection by firewalls.

How it works:

• The user runs a local SOCKS5 proxy on their computer.
• The traffic is sent to the server appearing as standard email communication.
• Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) sees it as a legitimate email session, not a proxy.

Features:

• Easy one-line installation on Linux servers.
• Supports multiple users with unique credentials and IP whitelists.
• Automatically generates client packages for easy use.
• Reconnects automatically if the connection is lost.
• Compatible with any application that uses SOCKS5.

Technology used: Python, asyncio, TLS 1.2+, and HMAC-SHA256 for authentication.

For more information, you can visit the GitHub page: smtp-tunnel-proxy.

Stack Overflow was once a popular platform for software developers to find answers to technical questions, but it developed a reputation for being a toxic environment where users often faced harsh criticism. Despite efforts to improve this, many users still felt unwelcome.

Recent data shows a significant decline in Stack Overflow's usage from 2017 to 2023, with many developers now preferring to use generative AI for quick answers instead of waiting for potentially unhelpful replies on Stack Overflow. This shift suggests that if Stack Overflow had fostered a more positive community, it might have retained its users longer.

The takeaway is clear: online communities should strive to be welcoming, not just useful, to avoid losing their members when alternatives emerge.

The author created RepoReaper to address issues with code context fragmentation in Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG). Unlike typical chat tools for code, RepoReaper mimics a senior engineer's approach by analyzing Python code structure, fetching necessary files from GitHub as needed, and using a combination of search methods (BM25 and Vector). It also creates visual diagrams of the code architecture. The system runs asynchronously and saves its state using ChromaDB. You can find more information on its GitHub page.

The Commodore 1541 floppy disk drive, introduced in 1982, has enough computing power to function as a standalone computer. It contains a 1 MHz MOS 6502 CPU, along with its own RAM, ROM, and input/output (I/O) capabilities. Recently, a YouTube channel called Commodore History demonstrated how this drive could be modified to run as a general-purpose computer, inspired by the simpler Commodore KIM-1 computer.

To achieve this, the creator, Dave, used minimal hardware modifications and programmed the 1541 with a modified version of the KIM-1's operating system. He also integrated a BASIC interpreter to facilitate coding, allowing him to run simple programs like "Hello World." However, the 1541's functionality remains limited due to its lack of extensive I/O options, restricting its use primarily to a serial terminal interface.

This project raises interesting questions about the capabilities of modern drive controller electronics compared to older systems.

No summary available.

Vietnam's new Decree No. 342, effective February 15, 2026, aims to regulate online advertising more strictly to protect consumers and reduce illegal ads. Key points include:

• Viewers can skip video and animated ads after a maximum of 5 seconds.
• Static ads must be cancellable immediately.
• Ads must have clear options for users to close them quickly, with confusing symbols banned.
• Platforms must provide visible ways for users to report inappropriate ads and manage their ad preferences.
• The decree also regulates ads for 11 categories of products that affect health and the environment, including cosmetics, food, medical supplies, and alcohol.

These changes are intended to improve the online advertising experience for consumers in Vietnam.

I'm unable to access external content such as PDFs or links directly. However, if you can provide the text from the document, I would be happy to help you summarize it!

Cristian Băluță shares his experience of building a custom camera, the Leica G9ii, from a Lumix G9ii's internals and a CNC-made Leica M-style body. His motivation stemmed from a desire to create personalized camera software and a frustration with the current market's shift away from rangefinder-style cameras.

Băluță, a programmer with a background in electronics, spent about a year on this project. He faced challenges in measuring components, designing the body, and making adjustments to the camera's internal parts. He aimed to achieve a design that resembled a Leica M, prioritizing aesthetics and functionality.

Despite initial success in component fitting, he encountered problems, such as loose dials and calibration issues with the sensor. The camera also had thermal and Wi-Fi signal concerns due to its all-aluminum body.

In terms of cost, the project was expensive, totaling around €2,000, but it was still cheaper than buying a working Leica. Although he didn't end up with his ideal camera, he gained valuable insights into the complexities of camera construction and plans to continue refining his build.

Summary: Oral Microbiome Sequencing After Taking Probiotics

A person decided to test the effects of BioGaia Prodentis, an oral probiotic, on their oral microbiome through DNA sequencing. BioGaia, a Swedish company specializing in probiotics, produces strains of Limosilactobacillus reuteri, which are claimed to improve oral health. The product costs around $20 for a month's supply and has supporting evidence from over 250 clinical studies.

The person used a service called Plasmidsaurus for microbiome sequencing, which employs Oxford Nanopore technology. They collected saliva samples before, during, and after taking the probiotic for 30 days.

Key Findings:

• Colonization: No L. reuteri was detected in the saliva samples, suggesting the probiotic either did not colonize the mouth, was only present temporarily, or was not detectable.
• Microbiome Changes: Despite the absence of L. reuteri, there was a significant increase in S. salivarius in the oral microbiome, particularly after stopping the probiotic. This could indicate a shift in the microbial community.
• Overall Health: The sequencing did not reveal any harmful bacteria associated with gum disease, indicating a potentially healthy oral microbiome.

The experiment concluded that while the specific probiotic did not show detectable colonization, the overall oral microbiome is dynamic and can change significantly in a short time. The individual found the probiotic pleasant and is open to trying it again for oral health benefits.

In summary, probiotics can influence the oral microbiome, but their effects might not always be straightforward or detectable.

No summary available.

Summary of "Investigating and fixing a nasty clone bug"

On December 30, 2025, a developer shared their experience of troubleshooting a complex bug related to the bors GitHub merge bot, which is designed for integration with GitHub's API.

Context: The developer was working on making the bors bot production-ready after fixing various race conditions and enhancing its test suite. The tests primarily used integration methods rather than unit tests, connecting to real databases and simulating HTTP requests.

Bug Discovery: During a major code refactor, they encountered an issue where a PATCH request to a mocked GitHub endpoint sometimes had an empty body, leading to deserialization errors. The problem was inconsistent, appearing only after certain interactions.

Investigation Process:

• Initially, the developer assumed the bug was in their own code. After extensive debugging, they suspected the wiremock library used for mocking HTTP requests.
• Upon analyzing the requests with Wireshark, they identified that the body was indeed missing in some requests, indicating a problem on the sender's side.
• The developer discovered that octocrab, the library used to interface with GitHub, had its own retry mechanism that was automatically retrying requests without properly handling the request body, resulting in the empty body issue.

Root Cause: The core issue was traced back to how octocrab handled request retries. It used a shallow cloning mechanism for the request body, meaning when the first request was sent, the body was consumed, and subsequent retries sent without it. This was exacerbated by the use of interior mutability, which allowed the empty body to go unnoticed.

Fix Implementation: To resolve the bug, the developer modified octocrab to ensure that a deep copy of the request body was made when retries were necessary. They added a new method for safely cloning the body, preventing empty bodies from being sent during retries.

Conclusion: The bug fix improved both the bors bot and octocrab, showcasing the importance of understanding library dependencies. The developer reflected on their debugging journey, acknowledging the challenges of working with Rust, and shared their experience to help others facing similar issues. They also mentioned the potential for using AI tools in debugging, highlighting both their strengths and limitations.

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OneDrive, Microsoft's cloud storage service, is causing frustration among users. The service is automatically integrated into Windows, often without clear warnings, leading users to unknowingly upload their files to Microsoft's servers. Many discover that their files have been deleted from their computers after trying to disable OneDrive Backup. This situation is compared to a ransomware attack, as users may lose access to their files without realizing it.

To recover files, users face complicated steps that are not clearly explained, requiring them to search for tutorials online. Microsoft’s approach is criticized for being user-unfriendly and misleading. The article suggests that if you want to keep better control of your files, you might consider using a different operating system. Critics also note that Windows has become cluttered with ads and unnecessary features, likening Microsoft’s practices to those of companies that prioritize profit over user experience.

At CES 2026, Dell's presentation stood out for its minimal focus on artificial intelligence (AI), contrasting with the trend of tech companies heavily emphasizing AI in their product announcements. Dell's COO, Jeff Clarke, discussed the state of the industry and introduced new products like the XPS laptop lineup and various Alienware devices, without getting lost in AI jargon. Dell's head of product, Kevin Terwilliger, noted that consumers are not primarily interested in AI features, suggesting that AI often confuses rather than helps them. This shift in focus from an "AI-first" approach to a more consumer-centered perspective was welcomed, indicating a potential change in how tech products are marketed in the future.

Deniz and Sherry from Tamarind Bio provide AI tools for drug discovery, helping biopharma companies use advanced models like AlphaFold to design new medicines. They created Tamarind to streamline computational biology work, allowing scientists without technical expertise to access molecular AI tools easily. Initially, Deniz handled model requests at Stanford, but they realized a better solution was needed for large-scale use.

Tamarind is now utilized by many leading pharmaceutical companies and thousands of scientists. It offers a user-friendly web app alongside a programmatic interface for developers, making it suitable for both technical and non-technical users. They have built a system that efficiently manages complex data processing and model integration.

As they grew, users requested the ability to connect their own models and create custom workflows on the platform. Tamarind now also supports features like fine-tuning models and integrating lab data. They are hiring and welcome feedback to improve how AI is used in biotech. Interested individuals can reach out to Deniz at deniz[at]tamarind.bio or check their product online.

The author, a high school band parent, reflects on the emotional cycle of the band season, feeling sadness at senior farewells because it seems like a peak moment in their lives. They encourage their son to embrace setbacks, suggesting that early challenges in life help shape reality and growth.

The text discusses the idea that being powerful and vulnerable are external attributes, while strength and weakness are internal. The author emphasizes that accepting one's reality leads to strength, while straying too far from it can cause problems like anxiety and depression.

Life trajectories are broken down into intellectual, social, economic, and emotional wellness components. The author proposes that wellness is affected by the gaps between these components, leading to tension in various aspects of life, including relationships and social class.

Finally, it concludes that stable relationships require mutual respect in at least one area, and that superficial attractions may not endure over time.

No summary available.

Netflix has successfully transitioned its database infrastructure to Amazon Aurora, achieving a 75% increase in performance and a 28% reduction in costs. This move was prompted by challenges with their previous self-managed PostgreSQL setup, which was complicated and inefficient. By switching to Amazon's managed service, Netflix simplified operations and improved system reliability.

Key improvements include:

• Latency reductions: The average latency for Netflix's delivery platform decreased by 50%, and a critical service saw a 75% drop in latency.
• Operational efficiency: The team no longer needs to manage custom software, allowing them to focus on more important tasks.

Netflix's migration is part of a broader trend in which large companies are moving to cloud-based databases to save costs and reduce management burdens. Other companies, like Samsung and Panasonic, have reported similar benefits after migrating to Aurora.

While Aurora has proven advantageous for Netflix, it's not the best fit for every workload. Other database solutions may offer better performance for specific tasks. Nonetheless, the operational benefits from Aurora have significantly enhanced Netflix's ability to serve its large user base efficiently.

At CES 2026, AMD unveiled its new Venice series of server CPUs and MI400 series of datacenter accelerators. This marks the first public display of the silicon for these products, which AMD previously discussed at an event in June 2025.

Key features of the Venice CPUs include:

• An advanced packaging method that connects the core chiplets (CCDs) to the input/output (IO) dies, differing from previous models.
• Each Venice package can have up to 256 cores, with 8 CCDs, each containing 32 cores.
• The IO dies have significantly increased in size, now totaling over 700mm², compared to around 400mm² in earlier models.

For the MI400 accelerators:

• The design includes 12 HBM4 memory dies and several compute and IO dies, totaling a large package size.
• There are two base dies, each around 747mm², with additional off-package IO dies.

AMD also announced new products in the MI400 family and a V-Cache version of Venice, which could allow for up to 384MB of L3 cache per CCD. Both Venice and the MI400 series are expected to launch later this year.

This study examines how modern database systems can use the Linux io_uring interface for better and faster input/output (I/O) operations. io_uring is a new way to handle I/O that combines storage and networking tasks, improving on older methods. However, simply switching to io_uring without proper implementation does not always improve performance.

To show when io_uring is most beneficial, the study looks at two scenarios: integrating it into a storage manager and using it for fast data transfer in network-focused tasks. The researchers also explore how advanced features of io_uring, like registered buffers and passthrough I/O, impact overall performance.

The findings reveal when low-level improvements lead to significant gains in system performance and how design choices affect these results. Based on this research, the study provides practical guidelines for creating I/O-heavy systems using io_uring. A case study on PostgreSQL shows that following these guidelines can boost performance by 14%.

No summary available.

The text discusses two different approaches to solving mathematical problems, as described by mathematician Alexander Grothendieck, who is regarded as one of the greatest mathematicians of the 20th century.

1. Hammer and Chisel Approach: This method involves a direct and forceful attempt to crack a problem, similar to using a hammer and chisel on a hard nut. It requires persistence and repeated efforts to reach a solution.

2. Soaking Approach: Grothendieck preferred this second method, which involves a gradual and gentle process, like soaking a nut in water until it becomes soft. This approach allows ideas to develop over time, leading to solutions that seem to emerge naturally.

Grothendieck's style focused on understanding concepts deeply, which often resulted in elegant solutions without the need for immediate, explicit computations. He emphasized that while his approach was successful for him, it may not work for every problem. Some situations require a more direct method, like the hammer and chisel approach, which can lead to quicker resolutions.

Ultimately, Grothendieck's method encourages patience and a broader perspective in problem-solving, but it's also important to recognize that sometimes a quicker, more decisive approach is necessary.

The author has developed a new tool called VaultSandbox to address common email testing issues that arise when working with real mail servers. Many existing tools only confirm that emails were sent but don't validate important protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. VaultSandbox is a self-hosted SMTP gateway that checks these protocols for every incoming message and allows users to keep their production email providers while testing.

Key features include:

• Client SDKs for multiple programming languages and a Web UI for manual testing.
• Deterministic tests using Server-Sent Events (SSE) for immediate feedback when emails arrive.
• A minimal infrastructure design without external database needs, making it easier to manage.
• Post-Quantum Encryption for enhanced security, ensuring that only encrypted data is stored.

The author is seeking feedback, particularly regarding the use of the AGPLv3 license for self-hosting. For more details, you can visit their quick start guide and website.

The Wall Street Journal article discusses how artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly capable of hacking, potentially surpassing human hackers. It highlights the rapid advancements in AI technology that enable it to perform complex tasks, including cyberattacks. The article points out the risks associated with AI in the hacking domain and emphasizes the need for enhanced security measures to protect against these advanced threats. In summary, AI is approaching a level where it could challenge or even outsmart human hackers, raising concerns about cybersecurity.

In January 2026, a user shared their experience with a Snapdragon Dev Kit that they had been using since October 2024. The kit featured a fast Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite ARM64 CPU, 32GB of RAM, and 512GB SSD, and it ran Windows 11 smoothly until a recent failed Windows update caused major issues.

In early December 2025, a security update (KB5068861) failed to install, leading the user to turn off updates for a month. When they turned updates back on, the system encountered a rollback issue that resulted in multiple reboots and difficulties signing into their Microsoft account. Eventually, the system would not boot properly, leading to attempts to reinstall Windows, which also failed.

Despite trying various troubleshooting steps, including checking the UEFI settings and reseating components, the system remained unresponsive. The user speculated that the failed update might have corrupted some firmware or UEFI components, and since Qualcomm had discontinued support for the Dev Kit, there were no recovery tools or support options available.

Ultimately, the user expressed disappointment at losing a powerful and reliable device, emphasizing that the Snapdragon platform had performed well until the update issue. They noted that if Qualcomm ever released recovery tools, they would update their experience.

No summary available.

The MasoniteFramework page experienced loading errors. It includes notifications, code details, and discussions, with a focus on the passing of community member Joe Mancuso.

On November 13, 2025, a member named basicallysteve announced Joe's death due to health issues and encouraged the community to keep his family in their thoughts. He highlighted Joe's dedication to the Masonite project, even during his illness, and expressed hope that the community would continue to support the project in Joe's memory.

Other community members shared their condolences, noting Joe's contributions and innovative ideas in the open-source community.

I made a simple web app for creating audio loops online. It's a bit basic, but you can start making loops in under 10 seconds.

The article discusses the future of supersonic flight, highlighting three innovative companies: Boom Supersonic, Astro Mechanica, and Hermeus, each with unique approaches to revolutionizing air travel.

1. Boom Supersonic: This company aims to create a new supersonic jet called Overture. After successfully testing a smaller jet (XB-1) that broke the sound barrier without causing noise on the ground, Boom has navigated regulatory changes that allow quiet supersonic flights over land. Their new engine, Symphony, is designed for efficiency and affordability, potentially offering flights from NYC to London for about $5,000. The first test flight of Overture is expected in three years, with commercial flights around 2033.

2. Astro Mechanica: Founded by Ian Brooke, this company is rethinking jet engine design with a new turboelectric adaptive engine that efficiently transitions between different flight modes. Astro aims to make supersonic travel accessible and affordable, with plans to operate an airline that utilizes smaller jets and on-demand flights, focusing initially on the defense market for faster development and revenue.

3. Hermeus: This startup is targeting hypersonic travel (Mach 5) using a hybrid engine called Chimera, which combines different technologies for efficient takeoff and speed. Hermeus plans to test its technology in the defense sector before moving to commercial applications, aiming for a 90-minute flight from New York to London by the 2030s.

Overall, the article expresses optimism about the return of supersonic travel, with these companies leading innovation that could make long-distance flights significantly faster and more accessible in the near future.

No summary available.

AWS recently increased the prices of its EC2 Capacity Blocks for machine learning (ML) by about 15%, with some specific instances seeing significant price hikes. For example, the p5e.48xlarge instance rose from $34.61 to $39.80 per hour. This change was unexpected, especially following AWS's earlier announcement of price reductions for other GPU instances.

Capacity Blocks allow customers to reserve specific GPU instances for guaranteed availability, which is important for businesses relying on ML. This price increase has raised concerns among customers, particularly those with existing discount agreements, as their costs could rise even if their discount percentage remains the same.

The price hike may signal a shift in AWS's pricing strategy, breaking the long-standing expectation that cloud prices only decrease. This could lead to future price increases across other services, especially if supply constraints continue. Overall, this change could impact AWS's competitive position against rivals like Azure and Google Cloud Platform, who may use this as a selling point.

The author recently released a tool called "Git Accelerator" that quickly gained over 700 downloads in just two days without any marketing. The tool was designed to improve search speed in codebases. Initially, it took 6.6 seconds to search due to slow file system access, but they optimized it by using a command that lists files much faster, reducing the search time to just 0.46 seconds. This quick response time enhances the user experience for developers.

Installation instructions are provided for various platforms, and the tool is best for precise searches. However, for more general searches, traditional methods might still work better. The author is open to questions and suggestions for improvements.

The author, Daniel Brendel, reflects on the growing fatigue with social media. He recalls a time 20 years ago when online communication was different and less commercialized, relying on instant messaging and forums rather than major platforms like Facebook and Instagram. He notes that these platforms have led to a decline in genuine social interactions, creating an environment filled with negativity, misinformation, and excessive advertising.

Brendel mentions his exploration of alternatives like Mastodon and the Fediverse, which he initially found refreshing but ultimately felt lacked meaningful engagement. He observes a general tiredness among people regarding socializing online, including his own feelings of disconnection. While he misses supportive communities, he admits he's not actively seeking change and feels that many others share his sentiments. Overall, he concludes that social media has become a source of exhaustion rather than connection.

No summary available.

Summary of Ruby Array Pack Vulnerability

On December 25, 2025, with the release of Ruby 4.0.0, a significant vulnerability was discovered in Ruby's Array class related to its pack method. This method is used to convert array elements into a binary string using a template string made up of directives. A key issue arises when the repeat count for these directives can become negative due to a mismatch between signed and unsigned variable types.

While this vulnerability could lead to memory disclosure, it is not commonly exploited because the affected method is rarely used in actual applications, and attackers would need specific control over its arguments. The vulnerability has existed since Ruby 4.0.0 and may date back to at least Ruby 1.6.7 from 2002.

The vulnerability allows for unexpected behavior when using the X directive, which is intended to "back up a byte." If given a negative count, instead of shrinking the string, it can cause it to grow, leading to potential buffer overflow issues.

A fix for this vulnerability is being tracked in Pull Request #15763.

No summary available.

A commenter suggested on January 7, 2026, that avoiding complicated things will lead to success.

No summary available.

Volkswagen is shifting back to physical buttons in its car interiors, starting with the new ID. Polo, an electric hatchback sold in Europe. The updated design replaces the touch-sensitive controls used in previous models with actual buttons for functions like cruise control and climate settings. This change follows a trend where many automakers have moved towards digital controls, which VW found to be less popular. Although the ID. Polo is currently the only model with this new design, it may also appear in the upcoming refreshed ID.4 SUV and possibly the ID.Buzz. Some climate controls will still be accessed through a touchscreen, but the overall move indicates a significant change in Volkswagen's approach to vehicle interiors.

Summary of "Databases in 2025: A Year in Review"

The article reflects on significant trends and events in the database industry throughout 2025. Here are the key points:

1. PostgreSQL Dominance: PostgreSQL continued to lead the database sector, with its latest version introducing features like asynchronous I/O storage and support for skip scans. Many startups and major companies focused on PostgreSQL, with significant acquisitions involving Databricks and Snowflake.

2. Acquisitions: Notable acquisitions included:

   • Databricks buying Neon for $1 billion.
   • Snowflake acquiring CrunchyData for $250 million.
   • DataStax was picked up by IBM for approximately $3 billion.

3. New Distributed PostgreSQL Projects: Two major projects, Multigres by Supabase and Neki by PlanetScale, were announced to enhance PostgreSQL's scalability.

4. Model Context Protocol (MCP): A new standard for enabling large language models (LLMs) to interact with databases was widely adopted across various database management systems.

5. Legal Battles: MongoDB sued FerretDB for allegedly infringing on its patents and trademarks, complicating the landscape for NoSQL databases.

6. File Format Competition: Multiple new file formats were released to compete with the dominant Parquet format, spurring innovation in this area.

7. Company Closures: Several database companies, including Fauna and PostgresML, closed down, highlighting challenges in the industry.

8. Larry Ellison's Milestones: Oracle's co-founder Larry Ellison became the richest person in the world, largely due to the success of his company, Oracle.

Overall, 2025 was marked by continued PostgreSQL innovation, significant acquisitions, and new technologies like MCP, while also witnessing market competition and challenges for some companies.

Summary of XPER on the Commodore 64

XPER is an early expert system designed for the Commodore 64, aimed at capturing specialized knowledge to make predictions, such as weather forecasting. The concept of expert systems involves using computer programs to mimic human decision-making in specific fields.

1. Background: In the 1980s, expert systems were seen as a breakthrough in artificial intelligence (AI), promising to enhance productivity by utilizing domain-specific knowledge. However, opinions on their effectiveness varied, with some experts expressing skepticism about their capabilities.

2. Functionality: XPER allows users to create a decision-making framework using a structured data model with objects, features, and attributes. It can be used for various applications, like identifying mushrooms or predicting weather, but it has limitations in flexibility and complexity.

3. Data Input Challenges: Users must carefully define data points, as XPER does not handle continuous data well and lacks advanced features like fuzzy logic or temporal sequences. The manual is not very helpful in guiding users on how to effectively structure their knowledge for input.

4. Limitations: XPER struggles with nuanced data and often leads to redundant information entries. Its reliance on the user to input accurate data means that poor input results in poor outputs.

5. Outcome: After entering weather data, the predictions made by XPER were not reliable, highlighting its limitations as more of a toy than a serious tool. The experience of using XPER revealed the importance of understanding the software's constraints and the learning process involved in data analysis.

Overall, while XPER showcases the potential of expert systems, it falls short of meeting the high expectations set for AI technologies, particularly in terms of accuracy and adaptability.

Summary of ToXCancel Extension:

ToXCancel is a browser extension for Firefox on Android that redirects users to xcancel.com whenever they try to access x.com or twitter.com. This allows users to read threads and replies without needing an account on x. The extension has a high rating of 4.8 based on 18 reviews and is easy to download. It requires optional permissions to access data from x.com and twitter.com. The extension is small in size (63.52 KB) and was last updated in May 2025.

No summary available.

The B+tree implementation is much faster than common alternatives for managing large data structures. It is observed to be 2-5 times quicker in inserting, finding, and erasing data compared to both the Abseil B+tree and the standard C++ map (std::map).

Summary of Radar #16: Week of 01/05/2026

This issue of the Low Orbit Security Radar discusses recent BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) anomalies related to internet outages during the blackout in Venezuela. The text highlights a statement from General John D. Caine regarding U.S. cyber operations, suggesting a link between military actions and cyber activities.

Key points include:

• BGP Overview: BGP is a protocol that routers use to share routing information. It has known security vulnerabilities.
• Venezuelan Telecom: CANTV, Venezuela's state-owned telecom, showed unusual routing patterns on January 2, with multiple IP address prefixes being routed in unexpected ways.
• Anomalies Detected: Data from Cloudflare Radar indicated a spike in BGP announcements and unusual routing paths involving CANTV, which was not typically part of the routes.
• Infrastructure Impact: Many of the affected IP ranges are linked to critical services, such as banks and internet providers in Caracas.
• Timing of Events: The BGP anomalies coincided with significant events in Venezuela, including explosions and military actions, raising questions about potential intelligence gathering through manipulated traffic routes.

The article suggests that the unusual BGP activity during this time merits further investigation to fully understand its implications.

Summary of "Eerie and 'Inspector Dangerfuck': ANSI Art and Webcomics, Part 3"

In this article, Josh Renaud explores the journey of Eerie, an ANSI artist from Quebec who created the character "Inspector Dangerfuck" in 1994. Initially a teenager looking to establish himself in the underground ANSI art scene, Eerie found community through bulletin board systems (BBS) and began producing art that combined his love for cartoons with the ANSI style.

Eerie reflects on the creativity and camaraderie of the ANSI scene, despite its challenges, including negative feedback for his unique cartoony style, which contrasted with the more serious superhero themes popular at the time. His character, Inspector Dangerfuck, was meant to be humorous and provocative, emerging amidst other ANSI art focused on superheroes.

The article discusses Eerie's early works featuring Inspector Dangerfuck and notes that while they can be considered "early online comics," they don't fit the definition of webcomics due to the lack of a serialization structure typical of later webcomic platforms. Eerie acknowledges that while he contributed to the ANSI scene, he doesn't believe it directly influenced the development of webcomics.

Overall, Eerie's story highlights his creative evolution, experimentation, and the impact of the ANSI art community on his artistic journey.

The website uses a system called Anubis to protect against automated scraping by AI companies. This system makes it harder for bots to access the site by requiring users to complete a task that proves they are human, similar to a method used to reduce email spam. Anubis aims to identify and block headless browsers while minimizing disruption for legitimate users. To access the site, users must enable modern JavaScript, as some plugins that block it may interfere. This is a temporary measure as a better solution is being developed.

The Gmail app currently takes up 760.7 MB, making it one of the largest apps in the top 100 free apps. This size has increased significantly over the years; it was only about 12 MB in 2013 and jumped to over 200 MB in 2017. While Gmail is large, other apps like Tesla and Crypto.com are even larger, around 1 GB.

On average, apps in the top 100 free category are about 280 MB, while Gmail is much larger than many alternatives. For example, Microsoft Outlook is 376 MB, and Apple's Mail app is only 8.7 MB.

The text discusses the impact of large app sizes on storage, noting that with 100 GB used for apps, data, and the operating system, users have limited space for photos and videos. Though newer iPhones come with more storage, the author questions why apps have become so large without providing significantly more functionality.

In summary, the Gmail app's size is notably larger than many other similar apps, raising concerns about storage efficiency and performance.

Summary of Box64 v0.4.0 Release

Box64 has released version 0.4.0, featuring improvements and fixes for three platforms: Arm64, RiSC-V, and Loongarch. It supports the Linux version of Steam, and while the Box32 component remains experimental, its stability has improved. Some games on Battle.net are also showing better performance, though not all are guaranteed to work based on location.

Key Updates:

• Performance Improvements: The new version includes optimizations for speed and memory usage, removing unnecessary code for easier maintenance.
• Capture Card: The author has started using a capture card for video recordings, experiencing some issues with compression quality.
• Architecture Enhancements: There are updates for Arm64, RiSC-V, and Loongarch, with significant progress on the Loongarch backend, allowing Steam and other applications to run effectively.
• Synchronization Mechanisms: Box64 supports ESync, FSync, and the newer NTSync for better process synchronization, though some games may require adjustments to work properly.

Overall, Box64 is now more capable and ready for users to build and enjoy games on these architectures.

A recent study found that 65% of posts on Hacker News (HN) have a negative sentiment, and these posts tend to perform better, averaging 35.6 points compared to the overall average of 28 points. This indicates a 27% performance boost for negative content.

The research analyzed 32,000 posts and 340,000 comments using various models, including transformer-based classifiers and large language models. Despite some variations, the trend of negativity being prevalent remained consistent. Negative sentiments typically include criticism of technology, skepticism about announcements, and complaints about industry practices, but they are generally substantive rather than toxic.

The study raises the question of whether negativity drives engagement or if controversial content naturally attracts negative responses. The author plans to share the full code, dataset, and a dashboard for further insights soon.

JS Analyzer - Burp Suite Extension Overview

The JS Analyzer is a Burp Suite extension developed by Jensec for analyzing JavaScript files. It helps identify API endpoints, URLs, secrets, and email addresses while minimizing irrelevant data.

Key Features:

• Endpoint Detection: Finds API paths, REST endpoints, OAuth URLs, and admin routes.
• URL Extraction: Gathers full URLs, including those from cloud storage services.
• Secret Scanning: Detects sensitive information like API keys and tokens from various services.
• Email Extraction: Identifies email addresses in JavaScript code.
• File Detection: Discovers references to sensitive file types (e.g., .sql, .csv).
• Smart Filtering: Removes unnecessary data to improve accuracy.
• Source Tracking: Shows where each finding originated.
• Live Search and Copy Function: Allows real-time filtering and copying of results.
• JSON Export: Enables exporting findings as a JSON file.

Installation Steps:

1. Download the Jython standalone JAR.
2. Configure Burp Suite to use Jython.
3. Add the JS Analyzer extension in Burp Suite.

Usage:

• Proxy web traffic through Burp Suite.
• Analyze JavaScript responses by selecting them and using the extension.

What It Detects:

• Endpoints: Examples include /api/v1/users and /oauth2/token.
• Secrets: Patterns for AWS keys, Google API keys, and more.
• Noise Filtering: Automatically ignores irrelevant data like XML namespaces and module imports.
• Sensitive Files: Detects file references such as .env, .bak, and .pdf.

Standalone Use: The extension can also be used in Python projects via the JSAnalyzerEngine class.

Contribution and Licensing:

• Contributions to improve the extension are welcome.
• The extension is licensed under the MIT License.

Author Information: Created by Jenish Sojitra, the extension is designed to support the InfoSec and tech community.

Summary:

This text introduces a tool that allows users to sync Markdown files with Apple Notes. Here's a simplified overview:

1. Getting Started:

   • Install the tool using Homebrew with the commands:

     brew tap shakedlokits/stash https://github.com/shakedlokits/stash
     brew install shakedlokits/stash/stash
     

2. Basic Commands:

   • To send a Markdown file to Apple Notes, use:

     stash push my-note.md
     

   • To retrieve updates from Apple Notes, use:

     stash pull my-note.md
     

3. Purpose:

   • The creator prefers Apple Notes for its simplicity but faced challenges integrating Markdown writing. Existing tools were either too complex or limited, leading to the creation of this sync tool.

4. Functionality:

   • The tool uses front-matter in Markdown files to track notes in Apple Notes.
   • When pushing notes, it creates or updates notes in Apple Notes using unique identifiers.
   • When pulling notes, it updates the local Markdown file from Apple Notes without changing the front-matter.

5. Requirements:

   • Must run on macOS with Apple Notes.
   • Requires Pandoc for Markdown and HTML conversion and pcregrep for parsing.

6. Development:

   • The tool is built using AppleScript, shell scripts, and Pandoc, with a command-line interface provided by Bashly.
   • There is a backlog for future improvements and functionalities.

This tool aims to streamline the process of writing in Markdown while utilizing Apple Notes for easy access and organization.

Barry has created Prism.Tools, a set of privacy-focused developer tools that you can use directly in your browser without needing to sign up or install anything. The collection includes over 40 tools, such as JSON formatters, regex testers, and Git command helpers, all designed for both beginners and advanced users.

Key features of Prism.Tools include:

• All tools process data locally, ensuring your information never leaves your browser.
• Each tool is a simple HTML file with no complex frameworks or build processes.
• The tools have a consistent dark UI design for easy navigation.
• They use minimal external libraries from CDN and rely on vanilla JavaScript.

Barry built these tools for personal use and decided to share them to help others. You can access them at Prism.Tools and provide feedback on missing features or any issues you encounter. The project highlights that simple solutions, like using vanilla JavaScript, can be effective without the need for complex systems.

No summary available.

Humans changed the future by creating computer languages that resemble our own. As computers learned our grammar and vocabulary, they also picked up on how we use language flexibly. We provided them with our words, and they began to manipulate them, leading to the potential for deception.

At CES 2026, Intel launched its new Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors, which are the first to use Intel's advanced 18A technology, created in the U.S. These processors are designed for exceptional performance in gaming, AI, and content creation, and are set to power over 200 different PC models.

Key features include:

• Performance and Efficiency: The Series 3 processors improve CPU performance and graphics, offering up to 60% better multitasking and 77% faster gaming compared to previous models.
• Battery Life: Users can expect up to 27 hours of battery life on certain devices.
• AI Capabilities: The new processors are optimized for AI applications in various fields like robotics, healthcare, and smart cities, providing significant performance improvements for AI tasks.
• Availability: Pre-orders for laptops using these processors start on January 6, 2026, with global availability on January 27, 2026.

Overall, the Intel Core Ultra Series 3 aims to enhance the user experience across a wide range of applications while maintaining power efficiency.

The author shares their experience creating a retro-inspired 88x31 web button featuring the Game Boy Color boot animation. They noticed a resurgence of these buttons and decided to make their own since they couldn't find a suitable one online.

Key Steps in the Process:

1. Concept Development: The author aimed to use the Game Boy Color's boot animation inside a classic grey frame.

2. Animation Extraction: They used an emulator, SameBoy, to capture individual frames of the animation from the Game Boy's boot ROM, aided by assembly code knowledge.

3. Image Processing: After capturing 175 frames as PNG images, they combined them into a GIF using ImageMagick.

4. Cropping and Scaling: The GIF was cropped and resized to fit the 88x31 button format.

5. Framing: A grey frame was added around the resized animation to complete the button design.

6. Background Correction: The original white background was replaced with grey, requiring additional adjustments to avoid artifacts.

7. Color Remapping: To fix fading issues in the animation, the author remapped the transition colors from white to grey using a Python script.

8. Final Assembly: All adjustments were compiled into a single ImageMagick command to create the final button image.

The author expresses satisfaction with the result and encourages others to use the button freely, while humorously requesting that Nintendo not pursue any legal action.

Summary of "The Agentic Self: Parallels Between AI and Self-Improvement"

In 2025, the focus of artificial intelligence (AI) shifted from just talking to actively acting. This change revealed that the techniques used to enhance AI's capabilities resemble self-improvement methods. The key to making AI smarter lies in three human habits:

1. Writing Things Down: Writing helps manage complex ideas by offloading memory, enabling better organization and reasoning. AI now uses similar techniques, such as "scratchpads" to jot down plans before executing tasks.

2. Talking to Yourself: AI models are starting to "think" by generating internal dialogues before providing answers. This process of reasoning helps break down complex tasks and improves the quality of responses.

3. Role Playing: Adopting different personas (like "The Architect" or "The Critic") allows AI to perform better by focusing on specific tasks and reducing errors. This concept mirrors how people use alter egos to unlock potential.

The article suggests that the best way to harness AI's capabilities involves a simple workflow: write, reflect, test, and verify. This approach can enhance reasoning and improve outcomes in both AI and personal development.

Summary of htmx for HTML

Introduction: htmx is a tool that enhances HTML by allowing you to use AJAX, CSS transitions, WebSockets, and Server-Sent Events directly in your HTML using simple attributes. This makes it easier to create modern user interfaces while keeping the simplicity of hypertext. It is lightweight (about 14k when compressed), does not require dependencies, and can be extended.

Motivation: htmx aims to eliminate limitations in traditional HTML, such as restricting HTTP requests to only links and forms, only allowing certain events to trigger requests, and limiting request types to GET and POST. It enhances HTML's capabilities as a hypertext.

Quick Start: To use htmx, include the following script in your HTML:

<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/[email protected]/dist/htmx.min.js"></script>

You can create a button that sends an AJAX request like this:

<button hx-post="/clicked" hx-swap="outerHTML">Click Me</button>

This setup means that when the button is clicked, it will send a request to "/clicked" and replace the button with the server's response.

Installation: To install htmx via npm, use:

npm install htmx.org --save

Be careful not to confuse it with an old, broken package called htmx.

Resources: For more information and documentation, visit htmx.org.

Contributing: If you want to contribute to htmx, check out the contribution guidelines. If you can't contribute, consider sponsoring the project.

Development: To develop htmx locally, install dependencies with npm install, then run a web server using npx serve. You can test your changes by accessing http://0.0.0.0:3000/test/.

htmx employs the Mocha testing framework, Chai for assertions, and Sinon for mocking AJAX requests.

Haiku: The text concludes with a haiku reflecting on the complexity of JavaScript and the simplicity of hypertext already available in HTML.

The text discusses the development of "Passkeys" at Microsoft and introduces a new concept called "PassSeeds."

Key Points:

1. Passkeys Overview: Passkeys are secure, passwordless authentication methods using asymmetric key pairs primarily for website logins. They store private and public keys securely on user devices and sync across platforms.

2. Discovery of PassSeeds: After years of working with Passkeys, the author realized that certain properties of Passkeys could be utilized in new ways. This led to the creation of PassSeeds, which aim to expand the use of Passkeys beyond just logging into websites.

3. PassSeed Functionality:

   • PassSeeds treat the public key of a Passkey as a "seed" for generating other cryptographic materials, like keys for Bitcoin transactions or decentralized applications.
   • They provide a way to derive these materials securely without exposing sensitive information.

4. How to Create and Use PassSeeds:

   • A PassSeed is generated by creating a Passkey and can be regenerated by signing messages twice to recover the public key.
   • This recovered public key can then be used to derive other cryptographic keys for various applications.

5. Backup and Recovery: Users can convert a PassSeed into a mnemonic phrase for easy backup. If a device is lost, the PassSeed can be synced to new devices as long as the original Passkey is accessible.

6. Implementation: The text includes technical details and code snippets for creating PassSeeds and recovering them, emphasizing the importance of security and user verification.

7. Benefits and Limitations: While PassSeeds offer a flexible way to use cryptographic keys, they rely on existing Passkey features and are limited by current browser support for certain advanced functionalities.

Overall, PassSeeds provide an innovative way to leverage Passkeys for a broader range of cryptographic applications while maintaining security and usability.

Summary of the State of the Fin - January 6, 2026

• Introduction: This is the first entry in a new blog series aimed at keeping the Jellyfin community updated on developments.

• Jellyfin's 7th Anniversary: December marked Jellyfin's 7th year, celebrating its commitment to open-source media server solutions. Thanks were given to contributors.

• Versioning Updates: Feedback from users about the versioning system, especially after the 10.11 release, may lead to a revision in the next major release. The current plan may involve dropping the major version 10.

• Development Updates:

  • 10.11 Release: The latest version introduced significant database changes. Various bugs are being tracked and addressed, with multiple updates already released to fix issues.
  • Upcoming 10.12/12.0: An experimental layout for non-TV devices will be the default, and theming support is being improved.

• Client Updates:

  • Jellyfin Desktop: The app has been rebranded and upgraded to Qt 6 for better performance, with some known memory issues still being resolved.
  • Jellyfin for Android TV: Recent updates improved music transcoding and video playback stability.
  • Jellyfin for Xbox: Full gamepad support has been added along with improvements for 4K and HDR content.
  • Jellyfin for Roku: A minor update addressed a specific bug.
  • Swiftfin: A major update has been released, and a roadmap for future updates is now available.

• Future Plans: Work continues on supporting additional platforms and fixing existing issues. The team looks forward to an exciting year ahead for Jellyfin.

Happy streaming in 2026!

Summary: How I Self-Hosted My Media Library

In January 2026, the author shared their experience of self-hosting a media library using Jellyfin and WireGuard after becoming dissatisfied with rising costs and reduced value in streaming services like Spotify.

Key Points:

• Price Increase: Spotify increased its subscription prices in Germany in August 2025, leading the author to switch to the free tier, which was less satisfactory than expected due to restrictions on song selection.

• Overall Streaming Decline: The author noticed a general decline in user experience across streaming platforms, including price hikes, the introduction of ads, and unfavorable user interfaces.

• Decision to Self-Host: Motivated by these experiences, the author decided to self-host their media using Jellyfin, an open-source media server, and a VPS (Virtual Private Server) from Hetzner for better control and cost-effectiveness.

• Setup Details:

  • VPS Deployment: Chose a Hetzner VPS with adequate resources for media hosting.
  • Storage: Used Hetzner’s Storage Box to store media files.
  • Remote Access: Implemented a VPN using WireGuard for secure remote access to the media server.

• Technical Configuration: The author provided details on the server and WireGuard configurations necessary for setting up the media server and accessing it securely.

• Conclusion: While self-hosting requires effort and may not offer a library as vast as commercial services, the author finds it rewarding and worth the investment for their personal use.

Tailsnitch Overview

Tailsnitch is a security tool for auditing Tailscale configurations. It scans for over 50 security issues, including misconfigurations and overly permissive access controls.

Quick Start Guide:

1. Set API Credentials: Use your Tailscale API key.
2. Run Audit: Execute the command tailsnitch.
3. Filter by Severity: To see only high-severity issues, use tailsnitch --severity high.
4. Fix Issues: Use the interactive fix mode with tailsnitch --fix.

Installation Options:

• Pre-built Binary: Download from GitHub and remove quarantine for macOS users.
• Install via Go: Use the command go install.
• Build from Source: Clone the repository and build it.

Authentication Methods:

• OAuth (Recommended): Set up an OAuth client for secure access.
• API Key: Use an API key for access, though it's less secure.

Usage Examples:

• Run a full audit with tailsnitch.
• Show passing checks with tailsnitch --verbose.
• Filter results by severity or category.
• Use interactive mode to fix issues directly.

SOC 2 Evidence Export: Generate export reports for audits in JSON or CSV formats.

Ignore Known Risks: Create a .tailsnitch-ignore file to suppress specific findings.

Security Checks: Tailsnitch performs 52 checks across various categories, identifying critical and high-risk issues.

Command Reference: A set of flags is available for customizing the audit, including filtering by severity, category, and running specific checks.

Integration: It can be integrated into CI/CD pipelines to catch security regressions.

For detailed documentation on security checks and configurations, please refer to the Tailsnitch documentation.

In January 2025, Sam Altman predicted that AI agents would start working alongside humans, significantly impacting companies. He and other tech leaders, like Kevin Weil from OpenAI, suggested that AI would transition from simple tasks to handling complex, multi-step jobs, leading to a “digital labor revolution.” However, by 2026, these predictions did not materialize. AI agents like ChatGPT Agent struggled with basic tasks and failed to meet expectations.

Experts like Gary Marcus criticized the technology behind these agents as inadequate, suggesting that the tools being built are fundamentally flawed. The optimism of 2025 gave way to disappointment, and it's clear that we do not yet have the AI employees that were anticipated.

Moving forward into 2026, the author emphasizes the need to focus on the actual capabilities of AI rather than speculative predictions. Instead of worrying about potential job displacement, it's important to assess the real impacts of existing AI technologies.

The text contains links to a YouTube video and an article from TechCrunch about the Pebble Round 2, which is a new smartwatch from Pebble. The article likely discusses the features and specifications of this new device, highlighting its design and technology.

Key points to note:

• Pebble is launching its thinnest smartwatch, the Pebble Round 2.
• The links provided lead to a video and an article for more details.

Overall, it seems to be about the reintroduction of a popular smartwatch model with updated features.

No summary available.

DiskImageTool Summary

DiskImageTool is a personal project designed to manage and edit floppy disk images, particularly for IBM PCs. It's not meant for professional use but is shared for anyone who may find it helpful. Here are the main features:

• View and edit floppy disk images.
• Drag and drop files and folders in and out of images.
• Convert between different image formats and create new disk images.
• Edit file properties, boot sectors, and File Allocation Tables (FAT).
• Use a hex editor to view and edit disk regions or the entire disk.
• View text files and raw track data.
• Repair boot sector issues easily and clean up Windows modifications.
• Open many images at once and filter them for easier management.
• Read and write floppy disks using Greaseweazle.
• Import raw flux sets using Greaseweazle or KryoFlux software.

Supported image formats include various sector images like .ima, .img, .vfd, and more. DiskImageTool can also open images from zip files. The developer encourages feature suggestions and has set up a Discord channel for discussions. You can download the latest version from the provided link.

Transformers scan tokens one by one, which can slow down processing and require a lot of memory for longer contexts. To improve this, researchers developed PHOTON, a new model that organizes information in a hierarchical way instead of scanning flatly. PHOTON uses a bottom-up approach to compress data into simpler forms and a top-down approach to build detailed token representations. Tests show that PHOTON outperforms other Transformer models, especially in handling long contexts and multiple queries, by significantly reducing memory usage and increasing processing speed.

A significant security threat has emerged with a new botnet called Kimwolf, which has infected over 2 million devices worldwide, primarily Android TV boxes and digital photo frames. These devices often lack proper security features and are commonly sold through major e-commerce sites. Kimwolf spreads by using vulnerable residential proxy networks, allowing attackers to exploit devices behind home firewalls.

The malware enables infected devices to conduct malicious activities, including ad fraud and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. Many of these devices come with malware pre-installed or require users to download harmful apps. A critical security flaw in residential proxies allows attackers to access and infect local networks.

Researcher Benjamin Brundage discovered that many compromised devices had a feature called Android Debug Bridge (ADB) enabled by default, making them easy targets for attackers. The botnet has been linked to a proxy service called IPIDEA, which has since taken steps to address the vulnerabilities highlighted in Brundage's findings.

Experts advise consumers to avoid unsanctioned Android TV boxes and to be cautious when granting network access to others, as this could lead to unintentional infections. Using guest Wi-Fi networks for visitors and sticking to reputable brands when purchasing internet-connected devices are recommended practices to enhance security.

No summary available.

This text provides statistics about the Gemini space, updated as of January 7, 2026. Here are the key points:

1. Database Overview:

   • The database contains 646,886 URIs, with 558,823 checked successfully and 429,515 providing Gemini content.

2. Resource Sizes:

   • The average resource size is 46,498 bytes, with varying sizes across different percentiles.

3. Common Media Types:

   • The most prevalent media type is text/gemini, followed by JPEG, plain text, and PNG images.

4. Languages:

   • The majority of content is unspecified in language, with English being the most common stated language.

5. Encodings:

   • The most used encoding is unspecified, followed by UTF-8 for all files and gemtext files.

6. Status Codes:

   • 94.95% of the URLs returned a success status (20), while 3.07% were not found (51).

7. Capsules:

   • There are 4,836 capsules, with 3,251 recently accessible. The most common capsules have a limit of 10,000 URLs.

8. Certificates:

   • 92.5% of capsules use self-signed certificates; 2.87% have expired certificates.

9. Networking:

   • 99% of capsules use TLS 1.3, and 27% of addresses are IPv6.

10. Top-Level Domains (TLDs):

    • There are 277 TLDs, with .com, .net, and .org being the most common.

The page is maintained by Stéphane Bortzmeyer, and feedback is welcomed.

Inspired by a tweet about a chain of four Y Combinator (YC) startups, I created genealogy chains for about 6,000 YC startups and made them available in a web app.

Key YC startups that have significantly influenced the ecosystem include:

• Airbnb: Spawned 83 startups
• Stripe: Spawned 67 startups
• Dropbox: Spawned 50 startups
• Justin.tv/Twitch: Spawned 47 startups

Recently founded YC startups that have also spawned many others are:

• Rappi: Spawned 21 startups
• Brex: Spawned 20 startups
• Scale AI: Spawned 19 startups

Eric has released a new machine learning library called jax-js, designed to run in web browsers using pure JavaScript. This library mimics Google DeepMind's JAX framework, which is popular in Python for machine learning. Here are the key points:

1. Purpose: Jax-js allows developers to perform machine learning and numerical computing directly in the browser, making it more accessible.

2. Technology: The library utilizes WebAssembly and WebGPU to achieve near-native performance, overcoming JavaScript's limitations for numerical tasks.

3. Installation and Usage: Jax-js can be installed easily via npm. It offers an API similar to JAX, allowing users to create arrays and perform operations.

4. Features:

   • Supports automatic differentiation and other JAX functionalities like grad() and jit(), which compile functions for better performance.
   • Includes simple examples for creating and training neural networks directly in the browser.

5. Performance: Jax-js has shown promising performance benchmarks, but there's potential for further optimization.

6. Open Source: The library is open-sourced on GitHub, inviting contributions and feedback from the community.

Overall, jax-js aims to bring powerful machine learning capabilities to web developers, enabling real-time model training and interactive applications directly in browsers.

GPU-Accelerated Cuckoo Filter Summary

This library offers a high-performance implementation of the Cuckoo Filter, designed to run on NVIDIA GPUs using CUDA. It is optimized for fast batch operations and allows for efficient data storage and retrieval with a customizable false positive rate.

Key Features:

• Fast batch operations for inserting, looking up, and deleting data.
• Adjustable fingerprint and bucket sizes.
• Supports different eviction strategies.
• Optimized for memory use with sorted insertions.
• Capable of working with multiple GPUs and supporting inter-process communication (IPC).
• Easy to integrate as a header-only library.

Performance: The GPU Cuckoo Filter shows significant speed improvements compared to other implementations:

• Up to 583× faster insertions and 1504× faster queries compared to CPU Cuckoo Filters.
• Faster than other filters like the Two-Choice Filter (TCF) and GPU Counting Quotient Filter (GQF) in most cases.
• Slightly slower for insertions compared to the GPU Blocked Bloom Filter but faster for queries.

Requirements:

• CUDA Toolkit (version 12.9 or higher).
• C++20 compatible compiler.
• Meson build system (version 1.3.0 or higher).

Usage Example: To use the filter, you set up a configuration, create a filter instance, and perform operations like inserting and checking membership of keys.

Configuration Options: You can customize various parameters like key type, fingerprint size, maximum evictions, and bucket size when configuring the filter.

Multi-GPU Support: For large workloads, the library supports multi-GPU configurations to manage more data than a single GPU can handle.

Project Structure: The library includes header files for the main filter and multi-GPU support, along with example applications, benchmarks, and tests.

This summary highlights the key aspects of the GPU-Accelerated Cuckoo Filter, including its features, performance advantages, requirements, and usage guidelines.

The text discusses the author's experience of creating an eigenvalue solver using Rust and WebAssembly (WASM) while exploring the Gershgorin Circle Theorem. Here are the key points:

1. Project Motivation: The author wanted to visualize the Gershgorin Circle Theorem but preferred Rust over JavaScript for development. This project served as a learning opportunity for Rust.

2. Gershgorin Circle Theorem: This theorem helps locate eigenvalues of a matrix in the complex plane using circles based on the matrix's diagonal and off-diagonal elements.

3. Eigenvalue Computation: The author implemented the QR algorithm, which involves decomposing a matrix into orthogonal (Q) and upper triangular (R) components to find eigenvalues iteratively. Challenges included ensuring convergence for non-symmetric matrices and implementing necessary matrix operations.

4. Complex Number Handling: Rust lacks a built-in complex number type, prompting the author to create a custom Complex struct with basic arithmetic operations.

5. Matrix Representation: The author implemented a Matrix struct to represent 2D matrices in a row-major order, including methods for matrix operations like addition, multiplication, and norms.

6. Hessenberg Reduction: The author used Householder reflectors to reduce matrices to Hessenberg form, which aids in simplifying the eigenvalue computation process.

7. WebAssembly Integration: Using wasm-pack, the author compiled the Rust code to WASM, allowing it to run in a web environment. The integration with JavaScript was facilitated by wasm-bindgen, making the Rust functions accessible from JavaScript.

8. Future Exploration: The author expresses interest in further learning about Rust, exploring more matrix types, and potentially reducing JavaScript glue code by implementing more functionality in Rust.

In conclusion, the project was a successful learning experience, blending mathematics, programming, and web development. The author plans to continue exploring Rust and its capabilities in future projects.

Summary: Why Most Websites Don’t Need Cookie Consent Banners

Many small business websites don't actually need cookie consent banners, which often annoy users. The main issue isn't privacy laws but the excessive use of tracking tools that aren't necessary.

Key Points:

1. What are Cookies?

   • Cookies are small files stored in browsers.
   • Essential cookies are needed for website functionality (e.g., keeping users logged in).
   • Tracking cookies monitor user behavior for advertising and require consent.

2. Legal Requirements:

   • GDPR in Europe requires consent for tracking cookies but not for essential cookies.
   • In the U.S., there are no federal laws requiring cookie consent, but state laws like CCPA need clear privacy notices and opt-out options instead.

3. The Real Issue:

   • Cookie consent banners are common due to the widespread use of invasive tracking tools.
   • To avoid these banners, businesses should reconsider the necessity of tracking scripts.

4. Privacy-Focused Alternatives:

   • Use privacy-friendly analytics tools that do not track individuals.
   • Host content locally instead of using third-party services.
   • Evaluate whether all tracking tools are truly needed.

5. Benefits of a Privacy-First Approach:

   • Improved user experience without annoying pop-ups.
   • Faster website performance.
   • Higher conversion rates and appeal to privacy-conscious consumers.

6. Steps to Get Started:

   • Audit your website’s analytics and tools for privacy impact.
   • Test running your site without third-party cookies.
   • If necessary, use a simple cookie consent solution.

In conclusion, by prioritizing user privacy and minimizing unnecessary tracking, websites can enhance user experience and simplify compliance without relying on cookie consent banners.

Boris Cherny, the creator of Claude Code at Anthropic, recently shared his coding workflow, which has caused a stir in the developer community. His approach, which involves running multiple AI agents simultaneously, allows him to work much faster and more efficiently than traditional methods.

Key points of his workflow include:

1. Parallel Workstreams: Cherny runs five AI agents at once, managing different tasks like testing, refactoring, and drafting documentation simultaneously. This strategy boosts productivity significantly.

2. Smart Model Use: He prefers using the larger, slower AI model, Opus 4.5, arguing that it requires less correction, ultimately saving time in the long run.

3. Learning from Mistakes: To prevent AI from repeating errors, his team keeps a file (CLAUDE.md) where they document mistakes. This helps the AI learn and improve over time.

4. Automation of Repetitive Tasks: Cherny utilizes slash commands and specialized AI subagents to automate tedious parts of coding, such as version control and testing.

5. Verification Loops: His system includes automated testing, which ensures that the generated code works correctly, enhancing the overall quality of the software.

Overall, his workflow represents a shift in software development, encouraging developers to view AI as a powerful workforce rather than just a tool. This change could lead to significantly higher productivity in programming.

The text is asking a question about how to swap two adjacent blocks of memory using only forward iterators. It is dated January 2, 2026, and attributed to Raymond Chen.

Neural network pruning techniques can significantly reduce the number of parameters in trained networks—by over 90%—which lowers storage needs and boosts performance without losing accuracy. However, it’s often challenging to train the sparse networks created through pruning from scratch.

Researchers have discovered that a common pruning method reveals smaller subnetworks that are easier to train effectively. This leads to the "lottery ticket hypothesis," which suggests that within large, densely connected networks, there are smaller "winning tickets" that can achieve similar accuracy as the original network when trained alone.

The researchers developed an algorithm to find these winning tickets and conducted experiments that support this hypothesis. They consistently found that these winning tickets were only 10-20% of the size of the original networks for tasks like MNIST and CIFAR10. Moreover, larger winning tickets trained faster and reached higher accuracy than the full networks.