The text discusses various issues with LLVM, a popular compiler infrastructure, from the perspective of its lead maintainer. The author identifies several key areas for improvement:

1. Review Capacity: LLVM has many contributors but lacks enough reviewers, leading to a poor contributor experience and potential quality issues in the codebase.

2. Churn: The LLVM C++ API and LLVM IR are frequently updated, which can be beneficial but also burdensome for users who need to keep up with these changes.

3. Build Time: LLVM is a large project (over 2.5 million lines of code), resulting in long build times, especially on lower-end hardware. Improvements like pre-compiled headers are being explored.

4. Continuous Integration (CI) Stability: The CI system experiences frequent failures due to flaky tests, making it hard to identify genuine issues.

5. End-to-End Testing: While unit tests are thorough, there is a lack of comprehensive end-to-end tests, particularly for the entire optimization pipeline.

6. Backend Divergence: Different backends (target architectures) can diverge significantly, leading to redundant code and inconsistencies.

7. Compilation Time: LLVM is still considered slow, especially at optimization levels that don’t apply optimizations (-O0).

8. Performance Tracking: There is no official mechanism for tracking the performance of LLVM, making it difficult for developers to assess changes.

9. IR Design Issues: Problems like undefined values (undef) complicate optimization and reasoning about code, and there are challenges related to managing constraints, floating-point semantics, and calling conventions.

10. Other Technical Issues: The text touches on various specific technical concerns, such as the complexity of migrations, ABI handling, and the separation between modules and context in LLVM's architecture.

Overall, the author presents these points not as reasons to avoid LLVM, but as opportunities for improvement.

Summary: Floppy Disks as Kids' TV Remotes

Modern TVs are not kid-friendly, often requiring complicated remotes or apps that can confuse children. This can leave kids feeling powerless and reliant on adults to choose what to watch. To address this, the author created a simple, physical TV remote using floppy disks for their 3-year-old son, allowing him to make his own choices and interact with media without the distractions of auto-play.

Floppy disks were chosen for their nostalgic sounds and the idea of tangible media, which kids today may not have experienced. The project involved using a floppy disk to store data in a way that allows the child to control the content played on TV. The author faced technical challenges, including how to detect when a disk is inserted and how to read data from it using microcontrollers.

The design includes features such as battery power for portability and the ability for the remote to send commands to a Chromecast when a disk is inserted or ejected. The remote allows kids to pause and resume videos, creating an engaging experience that promotes independent interaction with media. The author found that their son quickly learned how to use the remote, enjoying the simplicity and tactile nature of the floppy disk interface.

The author discusses the quirks and challenges of JavaScript, particularly focusing on its Date object. While they appreciate the unique characteristics of JavaScript, they express strong dislike for the Date object, criticizing its inconsistency and its mutable nature. The author highlights that the Date object represents time rather than an immutable date, leading to potential unintended alterations when manipulated.

They explain that JavaScript uses a mutable structure for dates, which contrasts with the immutable nature of other primitive values. This results in confusion and errors when working with dates, as changes to a Date object can affect other references to it.

The author introduces a new feature called Temporal, which aims to replace the Date object. Temporal is a namespace object that offers better date handling without the pitfalls of mutability. It allows for easy manipulation of dates while keeping the original values unchanged. The author believes that Temporal will greatly improve date handling in JavaScript and encourages developers to experiment with it as it approaches standardization.

In summary, the author is excited about the future of date management in JavaScript with the introduction of Temporal, which promises a more reliable and intuitive approach compared to the outdated Date object.

The recent macOS Tahoe update has sparked criticism due to its large, rounded window corners, which many find unappealing and toy-like. Aside from aesthetic concerns, these design changes have affected usability, particularly when resizing windows. Users, including the author, have experienced difficulty because the area where they instinctively try to click to resize is not responsive.

The window resizing function requires a click in a specific 19 × 19 pixel area near the corner, but with the new rounded corners, much of this area is now outside the window. As a result, users often try to grab the corner from within the window, which does not work. To successfully resize a window, users must click outside the corner, which feels awkward and counterintuitive.

Summary: DeepSeek's mHC and Residual Connections

DeepSeek explored a new method for transformer networks called Hyper-Connections (HC), which expands traditional residual connections from a single information stream to multiple parallel streams. Standard residual connections, used in models like GPT-5 and Claude, combine input and layer outputs in a simple way that maintains stability. However, HC introduces mixing matrices that can amplify signals, leading to instability, especially in large models.

The issue arises when these matrices are unconstrained, causing signal amplification to grow exponentially, which can result in model failure. In tests, a 10 million parameter model showed amplifications of 9.2x, while DeepSeek’s experiments with a 27 billion parameter model revealed amplifications of up to 3000x.

To fix this, DeepSeek proposed a constrained method called manifold-constrained Hyper-Connections (mHC), which uses doubly stochastic mixing matrices. These matrices ensure that information can only be mixed but not amplified, maintaining stability. The process to achieve this involves normalizing rows and columns of the matrices, which guarantees controlled signal flow.

Results from experiments show that while HC performs better in raw scores, mHC offers consistent performance with less variance across different trials. DeepSeek emphasizes that constraints in neural networks, rather than being limiting, can ensure stability and reliability.

This analysis underlines the importance of stable architectures in AI, as the instability introduced by HC can become unmanageable at larger scales. Future work will focus on testing mHC at larger parameter sizes to explore where issues may arise.

In 2025, Apple Services achieved significant growth and innovation, becoming a record-breaking year for the company. Highlights include:

1. Overall Growth: Apple services expanded globally, enhancing user experiences across platforms like Apple TV, Apple Music, and Apple Pay. The App Store had over 850 million weekly users, and developers earned over $550 billion since its launch.

2. Apple Pay: The service eliminated over $1 billion in fraud and increased merchant sales by more than $100 billion. It is now available in 89 markets.

3. Apple TV Success: Engagement surged, with a 36% increase in viewership in December, supported by popular new shows and movies. Apple TV achieved numerous Emmy wins, highlighting its commitment to quality content.

4. Apple Music: The service celebrated its 10th anniversary with record listenership and new features that enhance user experience, such as Lyrics Translation and AutoMix.

5. New Features Across Services: Apple introduced personalized updates, including Apple Wallet enhancements, new features in Apple Maps, and expanded offerings for Apple Fitness+ and Apple Arcade.

6. iCloud and Family Features: iCloud promoted family sharing and privacy features, while Apple Invites helped users create event invitations.

7. Apple News and Podcasts: Both platforms reached new heights in user engagement, with Apple News becoming the top news app in several countries.

8. Apple One Bundle: The service combines various Apple offerings into one plan, available in over 100 markets.

Overall, Apple Services in 2025 focused on customer engagement, innovation, and global expansion, with a commitment to enhancing user experiences while prioritizing privacy.

Summary: Using WebRTC for a Debugging Terminal in GitHub Actions

A developer created a free and open-source tool that allows users to access an interactive terminal for their GitHub Actions when a build fails. The goal is to make debugging easier by avoiding the slow process of trial and error.

Key Features:

• Peer-to-Peer Connection: The tool uses WebRTC to establish a direct connection between the user's browser and the GitHub Actions virtual machine (VM), minimizing data transfer costs.
• Identity Verification: OAuth and OpenID Connect (OIDC) are used to ensure that only the correct user can access their terminal sessions.
• Signaling Server: A server facilitates the connection between the browser and the Actions VM by exchanging connection details, but does not handle terminal data directly.
• Terminal Display: The terminal interface is built using a library called Ghostty, which is compatible with xterm.js. The tool adjusts the terminal size for proper rendering.

Security Measures:

• The system includes a One-Time-Password (OTP) feature to validate connections and enhance security, ensuring that even if the signaling server is compromised, unauthorized access is prevented.

Cost-Effective Hosting:

• The signaling server is hosted on a platform that charges based on actual usage, making it economical. It also has a "sleeping" feature to minimize costs when not in use.

This tool aims to simplify the debugging process in GitHub Actions while maintaining security and keeping operating costs low.

Summary: Migrating our DOM to Zig

The team at Lightpanda has replaced LibDOM with a custom implementation called zigdom, created using the Zig programming language. This change was made to improve the integration of events, Custom Elements, and ShadowDOM, which had been causing friction between their existing layers of code.

Key Points:

1. Reason for Change: The existing setup with LibDOM created complications in managing events and integrating features like Custom Elements. They realized that a custom Zig-based solution would reduce these issues and allow for better memory control and future improvements.

2. Development Process: Over six months, the team developed zigdom as a side project. They found that porting features to this new system was simple and effective.

3. Design Features:

   • Nodes in zigdom are designed to minimize memory usage by using pointers and lazy loading for properties.
   • This design allows for a more cohesive approach to handling events and custom elements.

4. HTML Parsing: Instead of creating their own HTML parser, they used html5ever, an existing parser written in Rust, which worked seamlessly with their new DOM.

5. Performance Improvements: Although there were minor gains in performance, the main benefit was a unified codebase that is easier to work with and extend.

6. Use of AI: The development involved using an AI coding agent, which helped in writing code and conducting reviews, though some challenges were noted in the interface and code review process.

7. Future Plans: With zigdom now integrated into the main codebase, the team expects it to facilitate the addition of new features and improvements, particularly in supporting custom elements and ShadowDOM.

For further details, the source code is available on GitHub.

Summary: Windows 8 Revival on Linux

If you loved Windows 8 and have switched to Linux but miss its features, this guide is for you. There’s a new shell for Wayland window managers like Labwc and Hyprland that mimics Windows 8's look and feel.

Key Features:

• Start Menu: Accessed with the command Win8Start. It supports dragging and dropping apps to customize tiles. You can search for apps and hide the start menu by dragging apps to the bottom.
• On-Screen Display (OSD): Controls for volume and brightness, featuring a two-part server-client setup.
• Wallpaper: Set a simple wallpaper through the settings.
• Lockscreen: A Windows 8-style lockscreen that changes wallpaper via settings, with a simple slide animation.
• Settings App: Allows changes to wallpapers and colors for the start menu, lockscreen, and more.

Installation Instructions:

1. For local use, run ./build.sh to create binaries in the "build/bin" folder.
2. For system-wide installation, use ./install.sh, which will place binaries in "/usr/bin/".
3. To uninstall, run ./uninstall.sh.
4. To use it as a separate desktop environment, create a new config folder and set up a .desktop file for your compositor.

With these features, you can enjoy a Windows 8-like experience on your Linux system.

Ai, a female chimpanzee known for her intelligence, has died at the age of 49 at a Japanese research institute. She passed away from old age and organ failure, surrounded by staff. Ai was born in western Africa and was brought to the Kyoto University institute in 1977, where she became the focus of the Ai Project, studying chimpanzee cognition.

Throughout her life, Ai demonstrated impressive skills, such as counting and recognizing colors. She learned to use a computer keyboard at a young age and could name numbers and objects. In her free time, Ai enjoyed drawing and painting without needing food rewards.

Notably, Ai once escaped her cage using a key. She had a son named Ayumu, who is also recognized for his memory skills. In 2017, as part of the project's 40th anniversary, one of Ai's paintings was turned into a scarf and given to famous primatologist Jane Goodall.

No summary available.

The text outlines the design and implementation of the Manchester Garbage Collector (mgc) for the Purple-Garden runtime, a minimalist scripting language. Here are the key points:

1. Garbage Collection Overview: The mgc combines various garbage collection methods to improve performance, including memory allocation in preallocated regions, reachability analysis, and compacting semi-space copying. This combination leads to faster allocation, lower latency, and reduced memory fragmentation.

2. Purple-Garden Language: Purple-Garden is designed for performance and low memory usage, making it suitable for embedding in applications. It supports a minimalist standard library and is implemented in C with a focus on efficiency.

3. Garbage Collection Process: The mgc operates in three stages:

   • Mark Phase: Identifies and marks live objects starting from a root set (active variables and registers).
   • Copy Phase: Copies marked objects to a new memory space, resetting the old space.
   • Reset and Swap: The old and new memory spaces are swapped, and the old space is prepared for the next collection cycle.

4. Memory Management: The mgc uses a bump allocator to manage memory efficiently and reduce system calls, which can be slow. Objects are not individually deallocated; instead, the entire memory is copied during collection, minimizing fragmentation.

5. Value Representation: Values in Purple-Garden have a compact representation, using bits to indicate type and whether they are heap-allocated. This design enables zero-cost abstractions and reduces the need for heap allocations for certain data types.

6. Optional Values: The runtime allows values to be optionally present without requiring additional allocations, improving performance, especially in short-lived scripts.

7. Garbage Collection Triggers: Instead of checking memory usage continuously, the gc cycle is triggered when the runtime exits a scope, simplifying the process and reducing latency.

8. Configuration: The garbage collector is configurable, allowing users to set memory limits, garbage collection thresholds, and to disable it entirely if needed.

9. Future Improvements: The author plans to rewrite Purple-Garden in Rust for better performance and easier management of data structures, error handling, and memory allocation.

Overall, the mgc is designed for efficient memory management in a lightweight scripting environment, balancing performance with the complexity of garbage collection techniques.

The original poster converted a dataset of 30,511 IKEA products into a simpler format called CommerceTXT. The aim was to see if this flat structure would be more efficient for LLM (large language model) context windows.

Key points:

• The dataset has 30,000 products across 632 categories.
• The new text format uses about 24% fewer tokens, saving a total of 3.6 million tokens compared to the previous JSON format.
• The files are organized in folders, which aids in testing retrieval systems.

You can find the dataset on Hugging Face and the parser code on GitHub. The poster is available to answer questions about how the conversion was done.

No summary available.

No summary available.

Zootopia 2 Summary

Zootopia 2, set to release on December 17, 2025, is Disney Animation's 64th animated feature. It continues the story from the first film and explores the rich and detailed world of Zootopia, delving into its history and introducing new locations.

The production team has been excited to work on Zootopia 2 for the past two years, using advancements in technology to tackle challenges similar to those faced in the original film, released in 2016. The original Zootopia was crucial in developing Disney Animation's capabilities in computer-generated imagery (CGI), and the confidence gained from that project has helped the team approach Zootopia 2 with optimism.

Key technological innovations for Zootopia 2 include detailed rendering of characters and environments, particularly with fur and hair. The team improved their rendering techniques, making the visuals even more impressive than in the first film. For instance, they created highly detailed snow effects using individual ice crystals, showcasing significant advancements in rendering technology since the first Zootopia.

Collaboration with Disney Research led to the implementation of a new path guiding system, enhancing rendering efficiency for complex scenes. The team also adapted their approach to rendering water for a sequence featuring characters in water tubes, requiring innovative solutions for realistic visuals.

Throughout production, there was a focus on optimizing the rendering process, especially for crowd scenes, incorporating new tools and techniques to achieve the desired look without compromising quality.

On a personal note, the production of Zootopia 2 coincided with the birth of the creator's child, adding a special touch to the project. The film promises to be visually stunning, crafted by a dedicated team of artists and engineers, and is recommended for viewing on the largest screen available.

The head of the Oireachtas committee on artificial intelligence, Malcolm Byrne, is urging the Government to speed up a Bill aimed at making the harmful misuse of someone’s voice or image illegal. This Bill, called the Protection of Voice and Image Bill, was introduced in April and targets "deepfakes," which are fake images or videos created using AI that misrepresent a person. Concerns were raised after Elon Musk’s AI tool, Grok, was reportedly used to create inappropriate content.

While current laws already criminalize sharing non-consensual intimate images and child sex abuse images, this new Bill would establish a separate offense for exploiting a person’s likeness without their consent, particularly for harmful or deceptive purposes. Byrne emphasized the need for quick action to address these issues.

Caoilfhionn Gallagher, Ireland’s child protection rapporteur, noted that the harm caused by deepfake abuse is similar to that of real images, as victims often feel the impact is just as severe. She also highlighted the prevalence of deepfakes targeting women and girls, raising concerns about gender-based violence. Gallagher criticized the current protections for social media platforms, suggesting they focus too much on individual users rather than holding the platforms accountable for the harmful content they facilitate. She called for stricter regulations on the tools that create these images.

The text is a request for assistance in improving subtitles. It encourages people to help make the subtitles better.

Ozempic and Wegovy, drugs that suppress appetite and were initially developed for diabetes, are significantly affecting food purchasing habits among Americans. A recent study found that households using these medications cut their grocery spending by an average of 5.3% within six months, with higher-income households seeing reductions over 8%. Spending at fast-food and limited-service restaurants also dropped by about 8%.

The research analyzed purchase data from nearly 150,000 households and compared those using GLP-1 drugs with similar households that did not. It revealed that spending decreased particularly on ultra-processed and calorie-dense foods. While some categories, like yogurt and fresh fruit, saw slight increases, the overall trend was a reduction in food purchases.

As more households began using these medications—rising from 11% to over 16%—the study showed that one-third of users stopped taking them, which led their food spending to return to previous levels, often with less healthy choices.

These changes in consumer behavior could have significant impacts on food manufacturers and retailers, suggesting a need for adjustments in product offerings and marketing. The findings also highlight the potential role of medical treatments in influencing dietary habits, raising questions about their effectiveness compared to traditional public health measures.

Zen C Overview:

Zen C is a modern programming language for systems development that compiles into standard C code. It is designed for efficiency and simplicity, offering features like type inference, pattern matching, generics, and async programming, while being fully compatible with C.

Getting Started:

• Installation: Clone the repository, navigate to the directory, and run make and sudo make install.
• Usage: You can compile and run programs using zc run, build executables with zc build, or access an interactive shell with zc repl.

Key Language Features:

1. Variables and Constants: Supports type inference and allows mutable and immutable variables.
2. Types: Includes standard integers, floating points, characters, and strings, along with array and structure definitions.
3. Functions: Allows defining functions and anonymous functions (lambdas).
4. Control Flow: Includes conditionals, loops, and pattern matching for decision-making.
5. Memory Management: Offers manual memory management with features like defer and automatic memory cleanup.
6. Object-Oriented Programming: Supports methods, traits, and composition for structuring code.
7. Generics: Enables type-safe templates for functions and structures.
8. Concurrency: Provides async/await for handling concurrent tasks.
9. Metaprogramming: Allows compile-time code execution and embedding files.
10. Inline Assembly: Supports writing assembly code directly within Zen C, with simplified syntax for constraints.

Compiler Compatibility: Zen C works with several C11 compilers, including GCC, Clang, and Zig. It has a high pass rate for these compilers, while TCC has some limitations.

Contributions: The project welcomes contributions, including code, documentation, and bug fixes. To contribute, follow the standard GitHub workflow, adhere to coding guidelines, and run tests to ensure quality.

Testing: You can run tests using make test or specific tests with ./zc run tests/test_match.zc, and you can switch compilers during testing.

Overall, Zen C combines modern language features with the performance of C, making it a versatile choice for systems programming.

Summary of iCloud Photos Downloader

Project Overview:

• The iCloud Photos Downloader is a command-line tool for downloading photos from iCloud.
• It works on Linux, Windows, and macOS, and can be used on laptops, desktops, and NAS devices.
• The tool is available as an executable and through various package managers (like Docker and npm).
• It is developed by volunteers and is looking for maintainers.

Key Features:

• Download Modes:
  • Copy: Downloads new photos from iCloud.
  • Sync: Downloads new photos and deletes local files not in iCloud.
  • Move: Downloads new photos and deletes them from iCloud after a certain period.
• Supports Live Photos, RAW images, and automatically removes duplicates.
• Can monitor iCloud for changes continuously and update photo metadata.

Requirements:

• Users must enable specific settings on their iCloud account to avoid access errors.

Installation Options:

1. Download the executable from GitHub.
2. Install via a package manager.
3. Build from source.

Usage Example:
To synchronize photos, use the command:

icloudpd --directory /data --username [email protected] --watch-with-interval 3600

Contribution:
Interested individuals can check the contributing guidelines to help with the project.

The text describes a compact video game that is only 13 KiB in size and can run on Windows, Linux, and in web browsers.

Key Points:

• Game Overview: The game is a simple Snake game where players control a growing snake, avoiding walls while eating food. Players can use arrow keys or WASD for movement, and the game tracks scores based on the food eaten.

• Game Mechanics: Each food item increases the score by 10 points, with a special yellow fruit giving 20 points. After eating ten pieces of food, the game advances to the next level with a new wall layout.

• Development: The game was implemented in three languages: C for Windows and Linux, and JavaScript for browsers. Each version is about 3-5 KiB in size.

• File Structure: The final game file combines all three implementations, allowing the correct one to run depending on the operating system. The file includes a unique method for ensuring compatibility across platforms.

• Technical Details: The Windows version uses a special script to create a valid executable, while the Linux version employs a decompression technique. The HTML version cleverly hides unwanted data using CSS.

The game can be downloaded as a single file and is designed to work seamlessly across different platforms.

Keychron's Nape Pro, showcased at CES 2026, transforms your mechanical keyboard into a compact trackball setup. It features a slim design with a 25mm thumb trackball, six buttons, and a scroll wheel, making it easy to use without reaching for a traditional mouse.

The device is designed to fit alongside standard keyboards and is equipped with quiet buttons to avoid distractions. Its software, called OctaShift, allows it to adapt its functions based on its position, providing flexibility for various tasks, like scrolling or video editing.

The Nape Pro offers good performance with a Realtek chip and multiple connectivity options, including Bluetooth and USB-C. It supports customization via an open-source firmware, encouraging users to modify and personalize their setup. This approach appeals to keyboard enthusiasts and aims to integrate seamlessly into their workflows. Overall, the Nape Pro represents an innovative step in customizable pointing devices.

In my neighborhood, there are mostly Lawson convenience stores. This made me curious about how common these exclusive areas are in Japan. I looked at the locations of major convenience store brands. The map I used allows you to zoom in on a prefecture for more detail, showing which convenience store brand is closest in each area. You can also view all individual store locations or keep the detailed map view at all times.

Summary of "XMPP and Metadata" by Mathieu

Mathieu presented a talk on "XMPP and Metadata" at the Chaos Communication Congress. This blog post expands on his talk, which covered metadata in messaging systems, focusing on XMPP (Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol).

Key Points:

1. Metadata Definition: Metadata is information about data, such as who sent a message, when it was sent, and other details like user online status. In messaging, it differs from the actual message content.

2. XMPP Overview: XMPP is a decentralized messaging protocol that uses XML. It started as Jabber in 1999 and has evolved into a standard for messaging and presence. It involves client-to-server and server-to-server interactions, which have privacy implications.

3. Message Workflow: To send a message, you need a sender, a message, and a receiver. This is fundamental to how messaging works.

4. Threats to Metadata:

   • Server Compromise: If a server is compromised, attackers can access user data and metadata.
   • Network Attacks: Attackers on the client or server network can track metadata, such as timing and sizes of messages.

5. Data on Servers: When servers are compromised, they reveal user accounts, contact lists (rosters), and group chat information, which can identify users and their activities.

6. Remediation Strategies:

   • Adding random noise to network traffic to obscure metadata.
   • Storing user rosters on devices instead of servers to enhance privacy.
   • Improving end-to-end encryption methods to protect metadata.

7. Alternative Protocols:

   • Signal: Centralized but secure; still susceptible to metadata collection.
   • Matrix: Federated but requires servers to store data, which complicates privacy.
   • SimpleX: Focuses on privacy with minimal data stored on servers and built-in encryption.

Conclusion: There are opportunities to improve XMPP and address metadata issues, but progress may be slow due to limited volunteer resources. Enhancing privacy in XMPP is essential for better user security and trust in the protocol.

No summary available.

Summary: The Next Two Years of Software Engineering (2026)

The software industry is at a pivotal moment due to advances in AI coding, which are changing how software is developed. Companies now prioritize efficiency and profitability over growth, which affects hiring practices, especially for junior developers.

Here are five key areas to consider for the future of software engineering:

1. Junior Developer Hiring:

   • AI may reduce the need for junior developers as it automates entry-level tasks, or it could create more opportunities as software becomes integrated across various industries.
   • Junior developers should focus on becoming AI-proficient, versatile, and ready to tackle roles that leverage AI tools. Senior developers need to mentor and prepare for potential increases in junior hiring.

2. Skills Development:

   • Core programming skills might decline as AI takes over coding, or they could become more essential as developers focus on overseeing AI output.
   • Junior developers should use AI as a learning tool while mastering foundational skills. Senior developers should position themselves as quality guardians and mentors, emphasizing critical thinking and system design.

3. Evolving Roles:

   • Developers might shift from creating software to auditing AI-generated code, or they could become strategic orchestrators managing AI-driven systems.
   • Both junior and senior developers should seek roles that involve system design and integration, focusing on creative and leadership responsibilities.

4. Specialists vs. Generalists:

   • Narrow specialists risk becoming obsolete as AI automates their tasks, while adaptable T-shaped engineers (broad skills with deep expertise in a few areas) will thrive.
   • Junior developers should build a broad skill set and explore multiple domains, while senior developers should expand their expertise to remain relevant and valuable.

5. Education:

   • The traditional CS degree may lose its dominance as faster, practical learning paths like bootcamps and employer training gain traction.
   • Aspiring developers should complement their education with real-world projects and certifications, while experienced developers should pursue continuous learning and advocate for skills-based hiring.

Conclusion

The future of software engineering will involve a mix of scenarios, with constant change being a key theme. To stay relevant, developers should keep updating their skills, diversifying their expertise, and focusing on uniquely human abilities like creativity and collaboration. Adapting to these trends will be essential for navigating the evolving landscape of the software industry.

No summary available.

The article discusses the benefits of using a filesystem to enhance the functionality of AI agents, particularly in managing tasks like email organization. Key points include:

1. Sandboxed Environment: Providing agents with a controlled environment that includes a shell and filesystem allows for more intuitive operations compared to traditional tools.

2. Advantages of Filesystems:

   • Simplifies operations by allowing agents to chain tasks together using familiar Unix commands.
   • Enables convenient features like temporary files for organizing thoughts and managing long conversations through file storage.

3. Application to Domains: To utilize this approach in specific domains (like email management), it’s crucial to determine how to represent data as files within the filesystem, addressing questions about data transfer and synchronization.

4. FUSE Framework: FUSE (Filesystem in Userspace) allows developers to create custom filesystems that present data in a familiar file structure while managing the underlying database interactions.

5. Example Implementation:

   • A fictional email agent is described, where emails are organized into a filesystem structure.
   • The agent uses FUSE to translate database queries into filesystem operations, allowing for seamless interaction through commands.

6. Agent Interaction: The article provides examples of how the agent interacts with users, managing emails through filesystem commands while maintaining clear communication.

7. Future Potential: The author envisions further advancements in virtual filesystems that could simplify the development of AI agents, making them more accessible and effective in various contexts.

In summary, leveraging a filesystem with AI agents can enhance their efficiency, making complex tasks simpler and more intuitive.

No summary available.

The author reflects on their journey in programming, starting with Linux and Python, moving to web development, and now working as a freelance technical writer. Recently, they've become interested in learning Rust and programming languages in general, as they find Rust to be fascinating and logical.

They want to understand how programming languages are created, including compilers and development tools, even though this area feels challenging. To tackle this, they have devised a monthly plan with both abstract and concrete goals. For example, they aim to read specific chapters from the Rust Book and create a small project in Rust, while also studying compiler theory.

The author emphasizes the importance of maintaining a growth mindset and utilizing the wealth of learning resources available today. They hope to inspire others who might feel stuck in high-level programming to explore new areas.

No summary available.

Shellock Summary

Shellock is a tool for the fish shell that provides real-time explanations of command flags as you type.

Key Features:

• Real-time Flag Explanations: Descriptions of command flags appear automatically below your command prompt.
• Easy Usage: Just type a command with flags (like ls -la), and explanations will show up. Press Enter to run the command or Ctrl+C to cancel.
• Command Parsing: Shellock analyzes your command and searches for explanations in help outputs and man pages.
• Caching: It saves previous results for quicker access.

Installation:

1. Download or clone Shellock to ~/Downloads/shellock.
2. Run fish install.fish to install it.

CLI Tool Functions:

• Explain flags: ./shellock.py explain "git commit -am 'message'"
• Look up a specific flag: ./shellock.py lookup git -m --subcommand commit
• Parse command structure: ./shellock.py parse "rsync -avz src/ dest/"
• Clear cache: ./shellock.py clear-cache

Supported Formats: Shellock can read several man page formats, including GNU and BSD styles, and can handle multiple flags.

Limitations:

• Some unusual commands may not work correctly.
• Interactive help commands may require fallback methods.

Requirements:

• Python 3.11+
• Fish shell
• Standard Unix tools

License: MIT

The text asks someone about their current projects or ideas they might be developing. It encourages sharing thoughts on any new concepts they are considering.

ClaudePlaysPokemon, a project by Claude, is still working on beating Pokémon Red, even after other AI models have successfully beaten more complex games like Pokémon Crystal. Claude's game setup is simpler and more challenging, which has hindered progress. However, a recent update, Claude Opus 4.5, shows significant improvements.

Key Improvements in Claude Opus 4.5:

1. Better Vision: Claude can now recognize doors, buildings, and important characters much more effectively than before.
2. Attention Mechanisms: Although Claude sometimes ignores visible objects, he shows improvement in recognizing paths and spatial awareness.
3. Context and Memory: Claude is better at keeping notes and recalling recent events, which helps in navigating the game.
4. Self-Correction: Claude can now quickly adapt when stuck and tries different strategies more effectively.

Ongoing Challenges:

• Claude still struggles with vision issues, often missing important items or paths.
• His reliance on notes means that errors can lead to major setbacks.
• Claude has limited long-term planning skills and often makes short-sighted decisions in the game.

Overall, while Claude has made strides in performance, he still exhibits many limitations that differ from human players, such as poor item management and inflexible strategies. This highlights that while AI has advanced, there is still a long way to go before achieving human-like gameplay.

Don't get caught up in the negative hype about AI.

No summary available.

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Summary of Go Katas

Concept: Go is easy to start with but has depth that requires mastery. This collection, called "Go Katas," consists of small coding challenges to help you practice and internalize Go programming patterns.

Purpose: The Katas are not meant to teach programming or Go basics. Instead, they focus on solving common software engineering problems in an idiomatic Go manner.

Challenges for Developers: Experienced developers transitioning to Go may wonder how to apply their existing knowledge and what aspects to focus on to adapt to Go’s unique features.

How to Use the Repository:

1. Choose a Kata: Go to any XX-kata-yy folder.
2. Read the Challenge: Check the README.md for goals and guidelines.
3. Solve It: Create a module in the folder and implement your solution.
4. Reflect: Compare your work with the provided reference solutions or patterns.

Kata Categories:

1. Concurrency: Patterns for managing concurrency safely and efficiently.
2. Performance: Techniques for memory efficiency and high throughput.
3. HTTP Engineering: Best practices for HTTP clients and server middleware.
4. Error Handling: Modern approaches to error management in Go.
5. Filesystems and Deployment: Creating portable code and ensuring consistency between development and production.
6. Testing: Effective methods for testing in Go, including table-driven tests and fuzzing.

For more details on contributions, refer to the CONTRIBUTING file.

The blog post discusses the complexities of garbage collection in programming, specifically within the Nova JavaScript engine using Rust. The author, Aapo Alasuutari, explains how garbage collection can be modeled with Rust's borrow checker but highlights significant challenges and limitations.

Key points include:

1. Garbage Collection Basics: The engine uses a garbage-collected heap that contains "handles" to manage data. A handle's lifespan is tied to the data it references, and if the handle is alive, the data must also be alive.

2. Lifetime Management: The author describes how lifetimes are handled in Rust, emphasizing the difference between "local" and "static" lifetimes. Local handles can become invalid after garbage collection, leading to potential issues if not managed carefully.

3. Contravariance vs. Covariance: The author introduces the concept of contravariant lifetimes, which allows for the reuse of shorter lifetimes in places where longer lifetimes are expected. This is contrary to how lifetimes typically work in Rust, where a longer lifetime is required.

4. Practical Implications: The proposed changes to the Nova engine involve using contravariant handles, which could simplify the code by reducing the number of calls needed for managing lifetimes. This change aims to improve code readability and reduce errors related to garbage collection.

5. Safety Concerns: There are significant safety considerations when dealing with contravariant references. The author notes that while these changes could improve the engine's functionality, they also introduce new risks that need to be managed.

6. Future Directions: The author expresses optimism about exploring contravariant references further, suggesting that they may provide solutions for self-referential data structures and other complex programming challenges.

In summary, the blog post explores advanced concepts in garbage collection and lifetimes within Rust, proposing a shift towards contravariant handles to enhance the Nova JavaScript engine's design.

Elo Language Summary

Elo is a user-friendly data expression language designed for non-technical users to manipulate data easily and safely. It compiles into JavaScript, Ruby, and SQL, making it highly portable. Here are the key features:

1. Simple Design: Elo is a pure data language without complex references. It uses a straightforward equality operator and is safe for non-technical users.

2. Portability: One expression can be translated into JavaScript, Ruby, and SQL, enabling seamless use across frontend, backend, and databases.

3. Real Data Handling: Elo includes built-in support for dates, times, and durations with easy syntax. It also validates data inputs to ensure safety and reliability.

4. Functional Programming: It supports pipeline operators, lambdas, and a rich standard library, allowing developers to write expressions that compile to all three target languages while maintaining the same meaning.

5. Runtime Guards: Elo provides labeled guards to check assumptions in code, helping developers identify issues quickly and ensure their logic is sound.

6. Upcoming Features: Elo will soon include relational algebra capabilities for complex data operations like querying and aggregating.

Elo is designed to be beginner-friendly, making it a great starting point for those new to programming. It's open-source and available for anyone to try.

No summary available.

Industry insiders are raising concerns that even a small number of bad samples can negatively affect large language models (LLMs). This means that just a few problematic inputs can "poison" or impair the performance of these AI systems, regardless of their size. This issue highlights the importance of ensuring high-quality data for training LLMs to maintain their effectiveness.

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Robert Escriva, who earned his PhD in Computer Science from Cornell in 2017, experienced a life-changing psychotic episode three years ago. Since then, he has used his skills in debugging complex systems to understand his own mind. He has written a book titled "Engineering Schizophrenia," which discusses his experiences with schizophrenia and offers guidance for others facing similar challenges. The book is not a personal healing story but a guide that emphasizes the importance of understanding mental health. Robert is seeking discussions with others interested in the complexities of the human mind.

Summary of Differences Between Fossil and Git

1. Overview

• Fossil and Git are both distributed version control systems (DVCS) that share many features but differ significantly in design and user experience.

2. Key Differences

• Features: Fossil includes integrated tools like a wiki, ticketing, and forum, making it a more comprehensive solution compared to Git, which focuses primarily on file versioning.

• Architecture: Fossil is a single executable program, while Git consists of multiple small tools that require more complex setup and configuration.

• Storage: Fossil uses an SQL database for storage, allowing for easier querying of data, whereas Git uses a more complex file structure that makes certain operations harder.

• User Experience: Fossil promotes a collaborative environment with easy synchronization of changes, while Git allows for more isolated development with private branches.

• Development Philosophy: Fossil supports a "cathedral" model (close collaboration), while Git is designed for a "bazaar" model (loose contributions from many developers).

• Commit History: Fossil records what actually happened in development, including all mistakes, whereas Git often hides extraneous history to maintain a clean log.

• Branching: Fossil encourages visibility of all branches and changes, while Git emphasizes individual branches and can complicate project visibility.

• Ease of Use: Fossil simplifies setup and usage, requiring less time to get running compared to Git, which often involves multiple installations and configurations.

3. Conclusion

• Choosing between Fossil and Git depends on the nature of your project. Fossil is better suited for smaller teams with close collaboration, while Git is designed for larger, more distributed projects. Both systems have their strengths and weaknesses, so understanding these differences is crucial for effective version control.

Summary of "An LLM-optimized Programming Language" by Jason Hall

In this article, Jason Hall discusses the idea of creating a programming language specifically designed for Large Language Models (LLMs) that is not intended for human readability. The inspiration came from a podcast predicting that 2026 would see the emergence of such a language.

Key Points:

1. Background on Programming Languages: Traditional programming languages like Python and JavaScript are designed for human understanding, translating human-written code into machine-readable assembly code.

2. The Concept of LLM-optimized Languages: The goal of an LLM-optimized language is to allow LLMs to express their instructions in a way that minimizes token usage, making it efficient for their processing.

3. Creation of B-IR: Hall collaborated with LLMs to create a language called B-IR (Byte-encoded Intent Representation), which is highly token-efficient but completely unreadable for humans.

4. Challenges in Development: While trying to build a compiler for B-IR, the process faced obstacles because the language was too complex to express in Python, leading to the development of a simpler version called TBIR (text-based B-IR).

5. Insights on Language Design: The author explored the limitations of token optimization and realized that a language could still be useful for both LLMs and humans without being entirely incomprehensible.

6. Introduction of Loom: A new language called Loom was proposed, which combines token efficiency with clear scoping and error messaging. It emphasizes the importance of expressing function inputs and outputs, making it easier for LLMs to understand and use.

7. Conclusions: Hall reflects on how an LLM-optimized language can also be beneficial for human programmers, as features that help LLMs often improve clarity for humans as well.

Overall, the article explores the future of programming languages in a world increasingly influenced by LLMs, highlighting the interplay between human needs and LLM efficiency.

Scientists are warning that the Himalayas are experiencing significantly less winter snowfall, leaving many areas bare and rocky. Over the past five years, snowfall has decreased compared to averages from 1980 to 2020, primarily due to rising temperatures and global warming, which also causes snow to melt quickly. This reduction in snow, along with changing rainfall patterns, threatens water supplies for millions of people and increases the risk of forest fires and geological disasters like landslides.

Meteorologists report that regions such as northern India and Nepal are seeing dramatic decreases in precipitation, with some areas experiencing up to 86% less snowfall than normal. Studies indicate that the winter precipitation trend is declining, with some researchers noting a 25% drop in snowfall in the northwestern Himalayas over the last five years.

The effects of dwindling snowfall are far-reaching, as snowmelt is crucial for the region's rivers, providing water for drinking, irrigation, and energy. Additionally, the loss of snow and ice destabilizes mountain structures, leading to more natural disasters. Experts are concerned that the combination of decreasing glaciers and reduced snowfall will have serious long-term consequences for ecosystems and the livelihoods of millions in the Himalayas.

Summary of EktuPy Introduction

EktuPy is a new coding platform designed to help kids like 11-year-old Py transition from visual programming on Scratch to actual programming with Python. The platform features a code editor on one side and a canvas for creating projects on the other, allowing users to do similar activities as on Scratch.

EktuPy uses PyScript and offers tools for code linting and execution directly in the browser. It also includes tutorials for each example, making it easier for beginners to learn.

Users can create accounts to save their work and share projects publicly, allowing others to explore and remix them. The platform simplifies programming concepts, using synchronous calls for kids, while an internal system manages more complex asynchronous tasks.

The project acknowledges the contributions of various technologies and communities that made it possible, and the creator is open to feedback for improvements.

On January 9, 2026, someone made a joke about UDP (User Datagram Protocol) and humorously suggested that the listener might not understand it.

The text discusses the evolution of software development, highlighting the rise of tools like Claude Code and Claude Opus 4.5. These tools are making it easier for more people, including non-developers, to create software quickly and personally, leading to a shift from traditional SaaS (Software as a Service) models to more disposable, personalized software solutions.

Key points include:

1. Shift in Development: There's a trend towards CLI (command-line interface) workflows, allowing developers to have more control and create software tailored to their specific needs.

2. Democratization of Software Creation: More people can now build their own tools, moving from being mere consumers of software to creators. This has lowered the barrier to entry in software development.

3. Ephemeral Software: There's a move from building long-lasting platforms to creating temporary solutions designed for immediate needs. This new software is often discarded after serving its purpose.

4. Understanding Software Costs: While generating code has become cheaper due to AI, the actual creation of robust software remains complex and expensive. Many quick solutions can fail when faced with real-world challenges.

5. Engineering Expertise Remains Crucial: The role of engineers is evolving. They now need to focus on system architecture and understanding broader problems rather than just writing code. The need for critical thinking and oversight is higher than ever.

6. Distribution Challenges: With many people able to create software quickly, distinguishing genuine projects from those that are merely marketed for attention is becoming more difficult.

7. Continued Value of Engineering Skills: Despite the rise of AI tools, true expertise in software engineering is still essential for creating maintainable and scalable systems.

In summary, the software landscape is shifting towards personal, disposable tools, but the importance of skilled engineers and thoughtful design remains critical.

The author experienced a major issue with their home fiber optic network when the cables disintegrated after being buried under cement. They suspect that the high humidity in Singapore and evaporating paint solvents may have caused the cables to deteriorate quickly.

While trying to retrieve a bike pump, the fiber cables crumbled in the author's hands, leading to panic about losing a crucial connection to their home office where their server is located. The cables, purchased three years ago and designed for burial, were not meant to be moved, which contributed to their failure.

To fix the situation, the author attempted to repair the damaged cables with electrical tape but encountered further issues while handling them. They realized that keeping extra slack in the cables for flexibility was now causing problems. Despite the damage, their internet speeds remain high, indicating that some connections are still functioning. The author reflects on their mistakes and acknowledges the challenges of their setup.

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This article clarifies important points about writing HTML, specifically the use of optional end tags.

1. HTML vs. XHTML: The discussion focuses on HTML, not XHTML. In HTML, you are not required to close tags like <p>, <li>, <img>, or <br>. This differs from XHTML, which has stricter rules.

2. Common Misconceptions: Many authors mistakenly believe that all tags must be closed. This misinformation often comes from the stricter XHTML standards, leading to confusion among those new to HTML5.

3. Void Elements: Some HTML elements, called void elements (like <br> and <img>), don’t have closing tags. Understanding this helps clarify why certain tags can be left unclosed.

4. Best Practices:

   • Consistency: Whether you choose to include optional end tags or use the self-closing syntax (/>), maintain a consistent approach throughout your work.
   • Beginners: New authors are encouraged to close all non-void tags to avoid confusion, especially in complex documents.
   • Readability: Using the self-closing syntax can improve readability for some, but it’s not mandatory.

5. Migrating to HTML5: When updating to HTML5, you can often keep existing valid code as is. The change in DOCTYPE to <!DOCTYPE html> is generally sufficient.

In summary, HTML offers flexibility with tag closure that is not present in XHTML, and while there are best practices for clarity and consistency, strict adherence to tag closure is not necessary in HTML.

No summary available.

The author expresses a strong appreciation for the Xfce desktop environment, which they have enjoyed since its early days on Cobind Desktop. They highlight Xfce's balance between simplicity and functionality, noting that it remains user-friendly, lightweight, and efficient as of 2026. The author references a past post by David Gerard, emphasizing the importance of maintaining Xfce without unnecessary changes, and contrasts it with other desktop environments like KDE and GNOME. They appreciate that Xfce has not felt the pressure to innovate excessively and hope it continues to focus on stability rather than disruption. The author also shares a personal note about avoiding backlash from supporters of other desktop environments.

Summary of Gentoo Updates (2025)

Happy New Year 2026! Gentoo has seen significant changes over the past months, including new developers, more binary packages, support for GnuPG alternatives, and Gentoo for Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL).

Key Statistics:

• Gentoo now has 31,663 ebuilds for 19,174 packages.
• Approximately 89 GB of binary packages are available for amd64.
• There were 112,927 commits in the main repository in 2025, slightly down from 123,942 in 2024.
• The user-curated GURU repository saw a decrease in activity but an increase in contributors.

New Developers: In 2025, Gentoo welcomed four new developers:

1. Jay Faulkner (USA) - Involved with OpenStack.
2. Michael Mair-Keimberger (Austria) - Network Security Engineer.
3. Alexander Puck Neuwirth (Italy) - Physics postdoc.
4. Jaco Kroon (South Africa) - System administrator.

Major Changes in Gentoo:

• Repository Migration: Moving from GitHub to Codeberg due to GitHub's policies.
• EAPI 9: New features for better ebuild handling.
• Event Participation: Gentoo represented at various tech events.
• Financial Structure: Transitioning to Software in the Public Interest (SPI) for donations and expenses.
• RISC-V and WSL Support: New bootable images and weekly updates for Gentoo on WSL.

Package Updates:

• Introduced GPG alternatives for better compatibility.
• Support for zlib-ng and new Rust and Ada bootstrap paths.
• Updated Python to version 3.13 and KDE packages.

Infrastructure Improvements:

• Added an additional build server for faster package generation.
• Ongoing updates to documentation on the Gentoo wiki.

Financial Overview:

• Gentoo Foundation's income was $12,066 in 2025, mainly from community donations.
• Total expenses were $20,036, with a balance of $104,831 as of July 2025.

Thank you to all developers and contributors for their hard work! Gentoo thrives on community involvement, and everyone is encouraged to participate.

Summary of the KIM-1 Demo Project

The KIM-1 Demo Project celebrates the 50th birthday of the MOS KIM-1, a significant early microcomputer released in January 1976. This project aims to honor the KIM-1 by gathering various components and encouraging retro-computing enthusiasts to contribute ideas and improvements.

The project invites collaboration to keep the spirit of early computing alive as it approaches 2026.

Additionally, the code provided includes a routine for positioning the cursor on the screen using hexadecimal coordinates. It explains how to convert these coordinates into a format that can be sent to a terminal program, allowing users to create drawings or start a painting program.

Happy Birthday, KIM-1!

Summary of Vojtux Linux Distribution for Visually Impaired Users

Vojtux is an unofficial Linux distribution designed for visually impaired users, named after its main contributor, Vojtech. The repository includes resources to create a live media image with an accessible environment, based on Fedora 43.

Key Features:

• The distribution aims to enhance accessibility without major redesigns, maintaining close ties to the original Fedora Mate Spin.
• It focuses on minimal customizations to reduce maintenance needs and delegates complex fixes to the upstream Fedora project, allowing broader benefits.
• Most customizations are distributed in separate RPM packages for reusability.

Building the Live Image:

• To create the Vojtux live image, users need to follow specific steps, including installing prerequisites and using a kickstart file to build the ISO.
• The image can be larger than 2 GiB, so it is hosted separately with checksum verification for security.

Current Status:

• The Czech kickstart file is outdated, but there are plans for updates.
• Known issues are documented, and there are additional features like pre-installed accessibility tools, various software, and modified settings to enhance user experience.

Contributions:

• Contributions are encouraged in areas like testing, reporting issues, suggesting features, and improving documentation.

In essence, Vojtux seeks to improve Linux accessibility for visually impaired users while aiming for a future where such specialized distributions are unnecessary.

Chinese automaker BYD is introducing LiDAR technology in its budget-friendly electric cars, specifically the Seagull and Dolphin models. This technology includes advanced driver assistance features, with each car equipped with 12 cameras, 5 mm wave radars, and ultrasonic sensors, in addition to the new LiDAR sensors.

The inclusion of LiDAR in lower-priced vehicles, traditionally found in cars over $25,000, marks a significant step towards making advanced driving technology more accessible. The Seagull has already sold over a million units in less than three years. In Australia, pre-orders for the Atto 1, which starts under $24,000, opened last November.

The Atto 1 comes in two versions: a base model with a 30 kWh battery offering a range of about 220 km and a premium model with a 43.2 kWh battery providing a range of around 310 km. Currently, no BYD cars in Australia have LiDAR, but this could change soon as the competition in assisted-driving technology intensifies globally.

A recent survey by Sonar revealed that while 96% of software developers doubt the accuracy of AI-generated code, only 48% consistently check this code before using it. The survey included over 1,100 developers and found that 72% use AI coding tools daily. Developers estimate that 42% of their code is significantly assisted by AI, expecting this to rise to 65% by 2027.

The survey also highlighted a verification bottleneck, as 95% of developers still spend time reviewing and correcting AI-generated code, with 38% finding it requires more effort than reviewing code written by humans. Despite recognizing the benefits of AI tools, such as improved documentation and testing, developers expressed concerns about the reliability of AI outputs, which can sometimes appear correct but are not.

Overall, while AI tools aid in code generation, they also introduce challenges, including a need for greater verification and a shift in how developers manage their workloads.

Summary of BasiliskII ESP32 Project

The BasiliskII ESP32 project is a portable emulator that allows you to run classic Macintosh operating systems (from System 7.x to Mac OS 8.1) on the M5Stack Tab5 device. It uses the ESP32-P4 microcontroller to emulate a Motorola 68040 CPU, enabling users to run original Mac software.

Key Features:

• Emulation Capabilities: Runs real Macintosh ROMs and supports various classic Mac OS applications.
• Hardware Specs:
  • Uses a dual-chip architecture with the ESP32-P4 for processing and ESP32-C6 for wireless connectivity.
  • Features a 5" touchscreen display with 1280×720 resolution and supports USB devices like keyboards and mice.
  • Configurable RAM from 4MB to 16MB and storage via microSD card.

User Interface:

• Includes a simple boot GUI that allows users to select disk images and RAM size before starting the emulator.

Input Methods:

• Touchscreen acts like a mouse.
• Supports USB keyboard and mouse input.

Setup Requirements:

• Requires the M5Stack Tab5 and a FAT32 formatted microSD card.
• Users can download a ready-to-use SD card image or manually set up by placing necessary files on the SD card.

Performance:

• The emulator runs at approximately 15 frames per second, making it usable for productivity apps.
• It has a quick boot time of about 15 seconds to the Mac OS desktop.

Troubleshooting:

• Common issues include SD card problems and ROM file not found errors, which can be resolved by checking the card format and file placement.

This project combines nostalgia with modern technology, allowing classic Mac OS to be experienced on a portable device.

Anthropic has made a significant mistake, which may impact their business negatively. This issue stems from their actions regarding the use of their AI model, Claude Code, by third-party coding agents like OpenCode. When Anthropic launched Claude Code in June 2025, it became very popular because it offered a cost-effective subscription model. However, many users began logging into OpenCode using their Anthropic accounts, which Anthropic later viewed as a violation of their terms.

On January 9, 2026, Anthropic closed a loophole that allowed this access, leading to widespread dissatisfaction among customers, many of whom threatened to cancel their subscriptions. Anthropic justified this decision by claiming it created support issues, but they did not communicate these changes clearly to their customers.

The core of the problem is that Anthropic seems to want to control all aspects of their service rather than risk being seen as just another model provider. This decision has unintentionally created an opportunity for their competitor, OpenAI, which has started supporting OpenCode users.

The author believes that Anthropic will regret their decision, as it has damaged their relationship with customers and allowed their competitor to gain an advantage. The takeaway is that companies need to treat their customers well to succeed in a competitive market.

No summary available.

The author shares their experience transitioning from an expensive VPS named Moana to a cost-effective setup called Tinkerbell, which utilizes Fedora CoreOS, Ignition, and Podman for automation.

Key points include:

1. Cost Savings: The author moved to Tinkerbell to reduce expenses from over $100/month for Moana.
2. Automated Deployment: Tinkerbell allows automatic updates of services without needing SSH access. Updates are handled by pushing new container images to a registry.
3. Technologies Used: The setup involves using Ignition for one-time provisioning of virtual machines, Terraform for infrastructure management, and Podman for container orchestration.
4. Simplicity and Immutability: The author prefers a declarative and low-maintenance approach, avoiding complex systems like Kubernetes in favor of CoreOS and Podman.
5. Design Choices: They chose simple solutions like Caddy for TLS management and structured how containers communicate through pods.
6. Future Improvements: While currently satisfied with Tinkerbell, the author plans to improve observability and potentially manage TLS certificates more effectively.

Overall, the author emphasizes the benefits of a streamlined, automated setup while recognizing the need for better monitoring in the future.

Summary of HTML-only Conditional Lazy Loading

On January 11, 2026, it was discussed that lazy loading images that are "above the fold" (visible without scrolling) can slow down loading times, especially for the Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) image. The challenge arises because "above the fold" can change depending on screen size, making it tricky to choose the right loading method for all users.

A potential solution is to use conditional preloading with media queries. This allows images to load eagerly on larger screens while still being lazy-loaded on smaller devices. This method uses a preload link for the image, which is respected by browsers for desktop users but ignored for mobile, allowing for optimal loading based on the device.

Here's how it works:

• For desktops, the image is preloaded, ensuring it loads quickly.
• For mobile devices, the preload is ignored, and the image loads lazily.

This approach has been tested successfully but is not widely documented. It requires preloading, which may not always be feasible. However, it enables a more efficient loading strategy that adapts to different screen sizes using only HTML.

No summary available.

The article discusses the graphics of the video game Max Payne, released on July 23, 2001, and reflects on its technological achievements 20 years later. Despite the limitations of the time, such as low CPU speed and minimal graphics memory, Max Payne used clever techniques to create realistic visuals.

Key points include:

1. Technical Limitations: The game was built for outdated hardware (DirectX 8.0, 450 MHz CPU, and a 16 MB graphics card), which restricted rendering capabilities.

2. Innovative Techniques: Developers used tricks to simulate complex graphics. They pre-calculated effects rather than rendering them in real-time, creating the illusion of realism with techniques like particle effects for bullet impacts and smoke.

3. Graphics Features:

   • Particle effects were the standout feature, enhancing slow-motion action scenes.
   • Lighting was achieved through prebaked lightmaps, leading to soft shadows but also issues like light leaking.
   • Detail textures were used to give surfaces a more realistic appearance without increasing memory use.

4. General Criticism: Despite its achievements, the graphics could have been improved with better particle interactions with the environment, more consistent lighting, and improved detail textures.

5. Conclusion: Max Payne remains a significant milestone in gaming graphics, showcasing what was possible at the time and influencing future developments in real-time rendering.

Overall, while there were areas for improvement, Max Payne's graphics were impressive for its era and still stand out in gaming history.

The text provides options for customizing a website's appearance. Users can choose the site colors to be always light or always dark. They can also select a coding font from a list that includes options like Cascadia, Consolas, and Fira Code, among others.

No summary available.

Archaeologists have made a remarkable discovery in Norfolk, England, unearthing two rare Iron Age artifacts: a complete battle trumpet called a carnyx and the first boar's head flag standard ever found in Britain. The team from Pre-Construct Archaeology found these items during an excavation on a building site near Thetford. The carnyx is notable for being the most complete example in Europe, while the boar standard is even rarer.

Both items date back to around 50 BC to AD 50 and were used by Celtic tribes, including the Iceni tribe led by Boudica. The carnyx was used in battle to intimidate enemies and rally warriors, while the boar standard symbolized strength in combat.

After their discovery, the artifacts were carefully removed from the ground for conservation. Experts believe this find will enhance our understanding of Iron Age music and culture. The hoard will be studied further, and an inquest will determine its status as treasure. The discovery will be featured on the BBC show "Digging for Britain" on January 14.

Summary:

Martin Alderson explores the efficiency of programming languages in the context of AI-driven coding tools. He highlights that the length of code (measured in tokens) can impact how well these AI tools function, especially since they have limited memory for context.

To investigate which languages are most "token-efficient," he analyzed a dataset from the RosettaCode project, which includes tasks solved in various programming languages. He found that dynamic languages generally require fewer tokens because they don’t require type declarations. Notably, the functional languages Haskell and F# are also quite efficient due to their type inference systems.

Interestingly, the array language J showed the best token efficiency, averaging just 70 tokens per task, while C was the least efficient at 109 tokens. The results indicate that choosing a more token-efficient programming language could lead to longer and more productive coding sessions with AI tools, despite the vast computing power available.

No summary available.

KaraDAV Summary

KaraDAV is a lightweight WebDAV server designed for easy file sharing and is compatible with ownCloud and NextCloud clients. It has minimal dependencies, mainly requiring SQLite3 for its database, and is built with PHP (version 8+). Initially created for testing a WebDAV library, it serves as an efficient file sharing solution.

Key Features:

• Performance: Over 20 times faster than NextCloud.
• Size: Less than 1MB, making it lightweight.
• User Management: Allows multiple user accounts and per-user quotas.
• Web Interface: Users can log in, manage files, and access apps through a web UI.
• File Management: Supports uploading, renaming, deleting files, and creating directories. It includes a built-in file manager with image previews and Markdown editing.
• WebDAV Support: Fully compliant with WebDAV classes 1, 2, and 3, including features like HTTP ranges and file integrity checks.
• Compatibility: Works well with various WebDAV clients and supports advanced features like chunk uploads and trash bins.

Notable Differences from NextCloud:

• KaraDAV is much smaller in size and easier to set up.
• It focuses primarily on file sharing, lacking some of the additional features found in NextCloud, such as calendars and contacts.

Development and Community:

• The project is open-source under the AGPL license, with options for commercial licensing.
• Contributions and bug reports are welcome from the community.

For more information, you can find the project on its Fossil repository or its GitHub mirror.

No summary available.

The author encountered issues with hitting Claude's token limit while working on a project. To solve this, they created a new programming language called GlyphLang, which uses symbols instead of long keywords to reduce token usage.

For example, in GlyphLang, a function to get user data is much shorter than in Python, leading to about 45% fewer tokens compared to Python and 63% fewer than Java. This allows for more logic to be included in AI sessions before reaching the token limit, enabling better context management.

GlyphLang is specifically designed for AI-generated code, making it easier for AI to process while still being readable for humans. It is still under development but includes features like a bytecode compiler, JIT, and support for various technologies.

For more information, you can find the documentation here and the GitHub repository here.

Summary: Understanding std::move and Move Semantics in C++

This text explores the concept of move semantics in C++, specifically focusing on the function std::move. It highlights common pitfalls and best practices for improving performance and avoiding mistakes in C++ code.

Key Points:

1. Misconceptions about std::move:

   • std::move does not actually move data; it merely casts an object to an rvalue reference, signaling that it's ready to be moved.
   • This misunderstanding can lead to performance issues if not used correctly.

2. Move Constructors and noexcept:

   • If a move constructor is not marked with noexcept, it cannot be used during certain operations (like resizing a vector), causing unnecessary copies instead of moves.
   • Always mark move constructors and move assignment operators as noexcept for better performance.

3. Common Mistakes:

   • Returning std::move: Using std::move on local variables in return statements disables optimizations like Named Return Value Optimization (NRVO), leading to unnecessary moves.
   • Using std::move on const objects: This results in copies instead of moves, as the state of a const object cannot be changed.
   • Accessing moved-from objects: After moving, the object is in a valid but unspecified state. Avoid using it except to assign a new value or destroy it.

4. Implementing Move Semantics:

   • Follow the "Rule of Five," which states that if you implement one of the special member functions (destructor, copy constructor, copy assignment, move constructor, move assignment), you should implement all five.
   • Use std::exchange to facilitate clean and safe resource transfers during moves.

5. Performance Benchmarks:

   • Properly implemented moves can be significantly faster than copies. For example, moving a vector of 10,000 objects can be around seven times faster than copying them.
   • Mistakes like moving from const objects can lead to performance that is as bad as copying.

6. Modern C++ Enhancements:

   • C++ has evolved with added features, such as guaranteed copy elision in C++17, which optimizes function returns, and compile-time dynamic memory allocation in C++20.

7. Best Practices:

   • Avoid using std::move unnecessarily.
   • Be cautious of const objects and ensure that resource management is handled correctly.
   • Treat moved-from objects as effectively dead to avoid undefined behavior.

This overview emphasizes the importance of understanding move semantics for efficient and safe C++ programming, providing a mental model that helps developers manage resources effectively.

No summary available.

Summary of @photon-ai/imessage-kit

The @photon-ai/imessage-kit is a user-friendly software development kit (SDK) for macOS that allows developers to create applications for sending and managing iMessage conversations. It supports various features for building AI tools and automating chat interactions.

Key Features:

1. Messaging Capabilities:

   • Send text messages, images, and files.
   • Send messages to groups.
   • Real-time message watching and auto-reply features.
   • Schedule messages and set reminders.

2. Message Management:

   • Query and list messages and chats.
   • Handle attachments and check their types.

3. Plugins and Error Handling:

   • Use built-in or custom plugins to extend functionality.
   • Manage errors effectively during message sending.

4. Easy Installation and Setup:

   • Compatible with Bun or Node.js, requiring specific installations.
   • Configuration options for debugging and performance.

5. Full Disk Access:

   • The SDK requires full disk access to function properly.

Getting Started:

• Installation is straightforward with commands for Bun or Node.js.
• Basic usage includes sending messages and managing chats.
• Various examples are provided to demonstrate different functionalities.

Important Notes:

• The SDK is intended for educational and development purposes only, and users must adhere to privacy regulations and Apple's service terms.

This SDK is ideal for developers looking to create chat-based applications on macOS.

A few months ago, users reported that the Ghostty application was using excessive memory, with one user noting 37 GB after 10 days. A fix has now been identified and will be included in the next update, version 1.3, due in March.

The memory leak originated from how Ghostty manages terminal memory using a structure called PageList, which stores terminal content. It allocates memory in two ways: standard pages from a memory pool and non-standard pages for larger needs. A logic error occurred during a memory optimization process when the application reused non-standard pages without properly freeing their memory, leading to a leak.

This issue was exacerbated by the way the Claude Code CLI application used Ghostty, triggering the leak more frequently than other applications. The fix involves ensuring that non-standard pages are not reused during memory pruning, allowing proper memory deallocation.

Additionally, new tagging support for memory allocations on macOS has been added to help identify and debug memory issues more effectively. The Ghostty team actively works to find and prevent memory leaks through various testing methods. This leak was the largest reported in Ghostty, and the team is committed to monitoring and addressing memory concerns moving forward.

Instagram has assured users that their accounts are secure following a surge of suspicious password reset requests. Malwarebytes reported a potential data leak affecting 17.5 million users, which included sensitive information like usernames, email addresses, and phone numbers. However, Instagram stated there was no actual breach of their systems, attributing the issue to a problem that allowed an external party to request password resets. Users are advised to ignore these emails and consider enabling two-factor authentication and reviewing their account security settings.

No summary available.

David Spergel, president of the Simons Foundation and an experienced astrophysicist, discusses the future of American science in light of recent funding challenges. He emphasizes the importance of philanthropy in supporting science, especially during a time of proposed federal budget cuts that could significantly impact research funding.

Spergel highlights two potential futures for American science: one where funding stabilizes and another where it leads to a serious decline in government support. He believes philanthropy cannot replace federal funding, as it currently makes up about 10% of overall science funding. However, it can play a crucial role in supporting young scientists, who are feeling the pressure of decreased job opportunities in academia.

The Simons Foundation aims to address these challenges by funding faculty positions in various scientific fields and promoting collaboration between institutions. Spergel encourages young scientists to continue their work and remain hopeful, noting that skills gained in science are increasingly valued in various industries.

He also points to the need for reform in science funding and suggests that the current situation could lead to improvements in efficiency and collaboration within the scientific community. Ultimately, Spergel expresses concern about the potential loss of U.S. scientific leadership and urges political leaders to prioritize the support of science to avoid detrimental consequences for the country.

The article discusses the possibility of using land currently dedicated to biofuels for solar power generation. Here are the key points:

1. Current Biofuel Usage: The world uses a significant amount of land, comparable to Poland, for biofuel production, mainly for road transport. Despite the rise of electric vehicles, biofuels are still produced in large quantities.

2. Land Potential: The article estimates that about 32 million hectares of land are used for biofuels. If this land were instead used for solar panels, it could generate around 32,000 terawatt-hours of electricity each year—23 times more than what biofuels currently provide.

3. Electric Vehicle Power: The electricity generated from solar panels on this land would be enough to power all cars and trucks globally if they were electrified. Current estimates suggest that only about 7,000 terawatt-hours are needed for all vehicles, which is less than one-quarter of the potential solar energy.

4. Efficiency Comparison: Electric vehicles are more efficient than those running on biofuels, allowing for more miles driven per unit of energy. The article suggests that solar-powered electric cars could be 70 times more efficient than those using biofuels.

5. Land Use Considerations: The article emphasizes the importance of considering how land is used. While solar panels could significantly increase energy production, other uses for the land, such as food production or rewilding, should also be factored into decision-making.

In summary, transitioning biofuel land to solar energy could greatly enhance electricity production and support the electrification of transportation, presenting a more efficient use of land for energy generation.

No summary available.

The author believes that large language models (LLMs) are often used too much for summarizing texts and not enough for deeper reading. They created a system using Claude Code to explore 100 non-fiction books and discover interesting connections between them. Initially, they used a complex method with multiple LLM inputs, but found that giving Claude access to simpler debugging tools produced much better and more surprising results.

One intriguing pattern they found linked ideas from Steve Jobs, Theranos, Peter Thiel, and Eric Hoffer, highlighting themes of deception and mass movements. Claude showed a tendency to delve into topics of secrecy and conspiracy.

Key details include:

• The books were chosen from favorites on Hacker News.
• Topics are organized using a method called recursive Leiden partitioning.
• The library’s content is indexed and stored in a user-friendly way.
• The author is interested in whether others find this method of reading appealing.

For more information, the author has documented the process online.

On January 11, 2026, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell addressed the public regarding a grand jury subpoena issued by the Department of Justice, which could lead to criminal charges related to his testimony before the Senate Banking Committee about renovating Federal Reserve buildings. Powell emphasized the importance of the rule of law and accountability, stating that no one is above the law. He argued that the subpoena is not genuinely about his testimony or the renovation project, but rather a threat against the Federal Reserve's ability to set interest rates based on economic conditions rather than political pressure. Powell reaffirmed his commitment to serve the American people with integrity, regardless of threats, and highlighted his impartiality during his tenure under multiple administrations.

No summary available.

No summary available.

Summary: WhatsApp's Trustworthiness and Encryption Issues

WhatsApp is a widely used messaging app that claims to offer end-to-end encryption, meaning only the users can read the messages. However, the app is closed-source, meaning its code is not publicly available for inspection. This lack of transparency makes it impossible to verify their encryption claims, which undermines the primary benefit of end-to-end encryption: the need not to trust third parties.

While encryption typically protects data from unauthorized access, the security of any encrypted system relies heavily on the client app's security. If the app is flawed or backdoored, the encryption is ineffective. WhatsApp's closed-source nature means users must trust the app blindly, raising concerns about potential privacy violations.

In contrast, other messaging apps like Signal have open-source code, allowing independent experts to verify their security. Signal's transparent practices build trust, even if some aspects, like metadata handling, are still concerning.

Overall, WhatsApp's claims should be approached with skepticism. For private communications, alternatives like Signal, which prioritize security and transparency, are recommended.

Summary of "Ping" by Andrew Brodsky

"Ping" is a practical guide to improving virtual communication in today’s digital world. Author Andrew Brodsky shares insights from his research to help readers understand how to communicate effectively using various tools, like video calls and emails.

Key points include:

• Knowing when to use different communication methods (e.g., meetings vs. emails).
• The importance of building relationships from a distance.
• Strategies for reducing misunderstandings and increasing inclusivity.
• Real-world stories and interviews from business leaders illustrate these concepts.

Brodsky emphasizes that thoughtful communication can enhance personal and professional connections, making "Ping" essential reading for anyone who communicates online, especially in hybrid work environments. The book is backed by scientific research and offers actionable advice to thrive in a tech-driven workplace.

NASA has announced that the Crew-11 astronauts will return early from the International Space Station (ISS) due to a medical issue affecting one astronaut, who is in stable condition. This decision led to the postponement of a scheduled spacewalk that was supposed to take place on January 8, 2026.

The Crew-11 team, which includes American astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, along with two other crew members, arrived at the ISS on August 2, 2025. They were set to stay for six months, but the early return is unusual and raises questions about the ISS's staffing. Crew-12 is scheduled to launch in mid-February to replace them. NASA will provide more information on the return date soon.

Summary:

Nathan Edwards, a tech reviewer, decided to switch from Windows to Linux and has shared his initial experiences. He installed CachyOS, a Linux distribution optimized for modern hardware and gaming. Although he faced some minor issues, like a gaming mouse that only works in games, most of his hardware functioned well without much hassle.

He appreciated the straightforward installation process and the freedom Linux offers compared to Windows, where many choices are made for users. He successfully installed various applications and even played a video game, noting that while some software he uses isn’t available natively on Linux, they work fine in browsers.

Edwards is aware that this is just the beginning of his Linux journey and anticipates encountering more challenges. So far, he finds the experience positive and less intrusive than Windows, though he acknowledges he may need to return to Windows for specific tasks, like playing Minecraft with his kids. Overall, he feels optimistic about using Linux as his main operating system for now.

Many consensus libraries, like Raft and Paxos, view state machines as simple black boxes. This works until the state machine needs to perform actions, such as charging a credit card or sending an email. If the leader crashes after starting an action but before it’s fully committed, it can lead to duplicates.

To solve this issue, a new system called "chr2" aims to make side effects (like these actions) safer. Here are the main points of the solution:

• Replicated Outbox: Side effects are marked as "pending" and only executed by the leader, using a special token to avoid issues.
• Durable Fencing: A record keeps track of the highest version to prevent any "zombie" leaders (crashed leaders that restart) from causing old actions to be executed again.
• Deterministic Context: The application code gets a specific random seed and time from the log to ensure consistent state changes during recovery.
• Strict WAL (Write-Ahead Logging): Log entries are checked for integrity, prioritizing stopping on errors rather than making guesses.

The trade-off is that side effects are designed to happen at least once, which is safer than guaranteeing they happen exactly once due to the complexities involved. This system prioritizes safety over availability.

For more information, you can visit the project's GitHub repository: chr2. This solution was created to address issues experienced when leaders fail during important actions.

The American Dialect Society has named "slop" as the Word of the Year for 2025 during its annual voting event held on January 9, 2026. Over 300 participants voted, recognizing "slop" for its common use in describing low-quality, high-quantity content, especially from generative AI. The term has evolved and can now be used in various forms like "sloppunk" and "slopification."

The event, which is the longest-running word-of-the-year vote and not tied to commercial interests, emphasizes the natural evolution of language. It includes members from various linguistic backgrounds, and while the vote is fun, it reflects ongoing changes in language. Additionally, the American Name Society awarded "No Kings" as Name of the Year for 2025. More details can be found on their website.

There's been a lot of talk about California's budget and tax policies. I asked Claude Code to create an interactive dashboard to help understand the budget. Using advanced methods, Claude researched many budget items at once and added useful context and graphs. While it has some issues with user interface changes, it significantly increased my research efficiency. I'm open to suggestions for adding more data or visualizations!

Summary of the ALPM Project Update

The ALPM project, supported by the Sovereign Tech Fund (STF), focuses on improving the Arch Linux Package Management system using a Rust-based framework. Over 15 months, the team completed several milestones, including:

1. Specifications: Developed formal specifications for various packaging data formats to enhance collaboration and understanding among developers.

2. Foundational Libraries: Created libraries that handle essential tasks in package management, allowing for the development of more complex tools.

3. Command Line Interfaces: Built libraries for parsing and validating different file formats used in Arch Linux, facilitating easier package management.

4. Development Integration: Established a test environment for real-world data integration to validate various libraries.

5. Python Bindings: Developed Python bindings to make Rust libraries accessible for other projects, notably for the Arch User Repository (AUR).

6. Linting Framework: Introduced a linting tool to help package maintainers adhere to best practices and improve package quality.

7. Translations: Improved the translation capabilities of the project to cater to non-English speakers.

8. VOA (Verification of Artifacts): Started a new mechanism for verifying package signatures without relying on a traditional keyring, offering a more flexible and modern approach.

Future Plans:

• Expand the linting framework and add more rules.
• Support for additional technology backends in artifact verification.
• Enhance Python bindings.
• Build new applications using the foundational libraries.

Overall, the project aims to create a robust package management ecosystem for Arch Linux, encouraging community contributions and further development.

Nightingale Editors celebrated five years of the Nightingale community, which began in July 2019. The publication was created to meet a specific need in the data visualization field.

NCSA Mosaic 2.7 is an early graphical web browser. If you’re using Ubuntu, you can build and run it by following these steps:

1. Install necessary packages with this command:

   sudo apt-get install build-essential libmotif-dev libjpeg62-dev libpng12-dev x11proto-print-dev libxmu-headers libxpm-dev libxmu-dev
   

2. Build the browser using:

   make linux
   

3. Finally, run it with:

   src/Mosaic
   

Thanks to Sean MacLennan, Alan Wylie, and the original NCSA team for their contributions!

DexProtector is a security tool designed to protect mobile applications (Android/iOS) from threats such as reverse engineering and malware. Its main features include:

• Obfuscation and Encryption: It makes code harder to read and encrypts sensitive data.
• RASP (Runtime Application Self-Protection): Provides protection while the app is running.
• Anti-Tampering: Prevents unauthorized changes to the app.

Notably, companies like Revolut and Live Net TV use this solution for their apps.

Key Features:

1. Loading Mechanism: Uses a custom class to load libraries that decrypt and protect the app's payload.
2. Key Derivation: Generates a master key from the app's signature and other unique elements, making it difficult to tamper with.
3. Class and String Encryption: Protects code and sensitive strings by encrypting them, making them hard to extract.
4. Asset Protection: Safeguards files within the app, decrypting them on-the-fly when accessed.

Security Layers:

• RASP Detections: Monitors for potential threats like tampering and root access, taking action if detected.
• Obfuscation Techniques: Hides method and field access, making it challenging to understand the app’s functionality.

Limitations:

While DexProtector provides strong protection, reverse engineering one app can lead to vulnerabilities in others using the same tool. The solution is effective but not foolproof, and its effectiveness can vary based on the sensitivity of the data being protected.

In summary, DexProtector is a robust security solution for mobile applications, offering a range of protective features, but it has vulnerabilities that can be exploited if not managed carefully.