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Re-examining a Chess Complexity Metric: A Critical Analysis

2025-09-01

Re-examining a Chess Complexity Metric: A Critical Analysis

This article presents a critical analysis of David Peng's research paper on a chess complexity metric and its accompanying codebase. The author argues that the proposed metric is flawed, its conclusions lack sufficient logical support, and it fails to adequately account for rapid advancements in neural network technology and the dynamic nature of chess engine evaluations. Several logical fallacies within the paper are dissected, and improvements are suggested, including incorporating Stockfish-NNUE evaluations, considering time factors, and including more human vs. engine game data. The author concludes by urging the implementation of a reliable chess complexity metric before cheaters can exploit it.

(lichess.org)

Game

Sideloading Restrictions: The Battle for Control of Your Devices

2025-09-01

The debate around sideloading on Android and iOS continues. Google's recent tightening of Android's sideloading restrictions has sparked controversy. The article argues the core issue isn't whether users can run any code on their own hardware, but rather the manufacturers' control over the operating system, not the hardware itself. Apple serves as a case study: iOS's tight integration with hardware is key to its success; forcing changes would undermine the iPhone. The real focus should be on the ability to install and run alternative operating systems on one's hardware—e.g., running Android on an iPhone. Manufacturers should be legally required to provide necessary technical support and documentation to facilitate the development of alternative operating systems.

(hugotunius.se)

Tech

Ultrassembler: A Blazingly Fast RISC-V Assembler Library

2025-08-31

Ultrassembler is a super-fast RISC-V assembler library, achieving speeds over 10 times faster than GNU as and 20 times faster than llvm-mc. This incredible performance is due to a combination of optimizations: leveraging C++ exceptions (zero-overhead in ideal cases), employing efficient data structures, using pre-allocated memory pools to eliminate syscalls, and implementing value speculation, clever search algorithms, compile-time templates, and code generation. These optimizations not only improve user experience but also open possibilities for low-cost RISC-V scripting in applications like games or JIT compilers.

(jghuff.com)

Development

C Legend Kernighan: Rust is a 'Pain', Unlikely to Replace C

2025-08-31

C Legend Kernighan: Rust is a 'Pain', Unlikely to Replace C

At 83, Brian Kernighan, co-author of the seminal C programming language book, shared his candid thoughts on Rust. In a recent interview, he described his single Rust program experience as 'painful', citing difficulty understanding its memory safety mechanisms and slow compilation/execution speeds. He criticized the complexity of Rust's ecosystem, including 'crates and barrels'. While acknowledging potential bias from limited experience, he doubts Rust will replace C anytime soon. The interview also covered his perspectives on Linux distributions, HolyC, the current software landscape, and advice for aspiring programmers, emphasizing passion and pursuing engaging work.

(thenewstack.io)

Development

Revolutionizing Kernel Programming with eBPF: A Hands-on Tutorial

2025-08-31

Revolutionizing Kernel Programming with eBPF: A Hands-on Tutorial

eBPF is a revolutionary technology that lets you run sandboxed programs within the Linux kernel without modifying the kernel source code. This tutorial uses a simple firewall example to demonstrate how to monitor and block traffic from a specific IP address using eBPF. The guide includes Python and C code examples, showing how to leverage eBPF's efficiency and capabilities for network monitoring and security. Learn how to build a packet counter and firewall using eBPF today!

(journal.hexmos.com)

Development kernel programming

Microsoft Engineer's Death Sparks Debate on Tech Industry Overwork

2025-08-31

The death of 35-year-old Microsoft engineer Pratik Pandey after working late at the office has sparked outrage and calls for change within the tech industry. Pandey's relatives say he was under immense pressure, juggling multiple projects, before suffering a fatal heart attack. While the official cause of death was a heart attack, his family believes his grueling work schedule contributed significantly. This tragic event highlights the need for tech companies to prioritize employee well-being and address the pervasive issue of overwork.

(padailypost.com)

Tech tech industry pressure

Giant Gullies Swallowing African Cities

2025-08-31

Giant Gullies Swallowing African Cities

Massive gullies are opening up in African cities, swallowing homes and businesses, displacing hundreds of thousands. A new study reveals that an average of 118,600 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo alone were displaced between 2004 and 2023 due to these expanding fissures. The problem stems from a combination of natural and human factors—cities built on sandy soils with inadequate drainage systems, leading to erosion during heavy rains. Unless urgent action is taken, millions more could be displaced in the next decade. Researchers urge increased investment in improved drainage, sustainable infrastructure, and community engagement to find effective and long-term solutions.

(www.scientificamerican.com)

Misc natural disasters

Rose Scent May Boost Brain Gray Matter Volume

2025-08-31

Rose Scent May Boost Brain Gray Matter Volume

A Japanese study suggests that consistently inhaling a rose scent for a month may increase brain gray matter volume. Researchers had 28 women wear clothing infused with rose essential oil for a month, comparing them to a control group of 22 women. Results showed increased gray matter volume in the rose scent group, particularly in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) linked to memory and association. While not necessarily translating to increased cognitive power, the findings could have significant implications for preventing neurodegenerative conditions like dementia. The researchers hypothesize this is due to the brain continually processing the rose scent and storing related memories. The study offers a promising avenue for exploring aromatherapy's potential to improve brain health.

(www.sciencealert.com)

Tech Brain Gray Matter Rose Scent Dementia Prevention

AI Content Drought: The Looming Crisis for Generative AI

2025-08-31

AI Content Drought: The Looming Crisis for Generative AI

The rise of generative AI is creating a content drought that will ultimately stifle AI companies themselves. The article argues that AI giants like ChatGPT and Google are siphoning content from websites, leading to a dramatic decrease in traffic for traditional media and business sites. This "content raiding" model, while beneficial in the short term, poses a long-term threat. If businesses stop producing high-quality content due to lack of incentive, AI models will face a data drought, leaving AI companies vulnerable. While regulation and lawsuits might offer solutions, AI companies seem unaware of, or are ignoring, this risk, exacerbating the issue and potentially leading to an economic bubble burst.

(bradt.ca)

AI Content Crisis Economic Bubble

Conquering ADHD: Strategies and Tactics

2025-08-31

Conquering ADHD: Strategies and Tactics

This post delves into managing ADHD, divided into 'Strategies' and 'Tactics'. 'Strategies' focus on high-level control systems such as medication, memory management, energy allocation, and introspection. 'Tactics' list micro-level improvements, including task selection, visual field management, regular project check-ins, and inbox management. The author emphasizes medication as a first-line treatment for ADHD and shares practical tips based on personal experience, guiding readers to build efficient personal growth systems and ultimately conquer ADHD.

(borretti.me)

Development

Beginner-Friendly Jujutsu Version Control Tutorial

2025-08-31

This tutorial introduces the Jujutsu version control system, requiring no prior experience with Git or other VCS. Structured into levels, it progresses from basic solo use to collaboration and advanced techniques. An example repository and reset script aid learning and progress resets. Even if you're familiar with Git, this tutorial offers an easier path to mastering Jujutsu.

(jj-for-everyone.github.io)

Development

Ned the Lefty Snail's Search for Love

2025-08-31

Ned the Lefty Snail's Search for Love

From a New Zealand garden, comes Ned, a snail with a rare genetic condition: his shell spirals to the left, unlike almost all other snails. This makes finding a mate extremely difficult. His owner, Giselle Clarkson, has launched a nationwide search, encouraging people to engage in 'observology' – the science of looking – to find Ned a partner. The story highlights the importance of connecting with nature and appreciating the often-overlooked creatures around us.

(www.cnn.com)

Misc snail

Senior Devs Embrace AI Coding More Than Juniors: A Fastly Survey

2025-08-31

Senior Devs Embrace AI Coding More Than Juniors: A Fastly Survey

A recent Fastly survey of 791 US developers reveals a surprising trend: senior developers (10+ years experience) are more than twice as likely to use AI code generation tools like Copilot and generate over half their code with them, compared to junior developers. This isn't due to laziness, but rather the diverse responsibilities of senior roles. AI helps them prototype faster, though more time is needed for bug fixing. While most senior devs find AI boosts efficiency and enjoyment, juniors prefer traditional coding and are less concerned with energy consumption. The survey highlights the experience advantage in spotting AI-generated errors. Overall, AI coding tools are making the job more enjoyable for over 70% of all respondents.

(www.theregister.com)

Development code generation tools

Can Databases Replace Caches Entirely?

2025-08-31

This post explores the possibility of databases completely replacing caches. While databases offer some caching capabilities like buffer pools and read replicas, caches excel at low-latency data access, especially for specific data subsets and pre-computed data. To replace caches, databases need to address several challenges: efficiently handling numerous read replicas, enabling partial read replicas, prioritizing specific data, and implementing efficient incremental view maintenance (IVM). The author suggests that combining IVM with partial read replicas might eventually allow databases to partially replace caches, but a gap remains.

(avi.im)

Development read replicas

AI Coding Assistants: Empowerment or Threat?

2025-08-31

AI Coding Assistants: Empowerment or Threat?

The author explores the impact of AI coding assistants through personal experience. Initially feeling disheartened about AI replacing programmers, weeks of use revealed AI assistants not only boost coding efficiency but also offer new learning opportunities and creative workflows. However, this experience also brings contradictions: control over AI code, responsibility for bugs, and anxieties about programmers' self-worth. The author concludes AI assistants aren't simply threats or boons, but complex emotional experiences ultimately enhancing the joy of coding, like a human-speaking programming partner.

(levelup.gitconnected.com)

Development

AI: The Next Logical Step in Computing's Evolution

2025-08-31

AI: The Next Logical Step in Computing's Evolution

From punch cards to GUIs, and now AI, the history of computing has been a steady march towards more intuitive human-computer interaction. AI isn't a radical departure from this trajectory—it's the natural next step in making computers more accessible and useful to humanity. It allows computers to understand and act on human goals rather than just explicit instructions, shifting the cognitive burden from humans to machines. This lets users focus on what they want to achieve, not how to instruct a machine to do it. The future will likely see human-computer interaction as a collaboration, blurring the lines between instruction and goal-setting, extending rather than replacing human intelligence.

(www.vincirufus.com)

AI

Why Quantum Computers Haven't Factored 21 Yet (Despite Factoring 15 in 2001)

2025-08-31

In 2001, quantum computers factored 15. Now, in 2025, factoring 21 remains a challenge. This isn't due to a lack of progress, but rather a surprising complexity difference. Factoring 15 required 21 entangling gates, while factoring 21 needs a staggering 2405 – a 115x increase! This is because factoring 15 benefits from: 1. Most multiplications resulting in 1; 2. The first multiplication being cheap; 3. Modular multiplication simplifying to circular shifts. Factoring 21 lacks these advantages. Therefore, using number size alone to track quantum computing progress is misleading; focus should be on error correction and architectural advancements.

(algassert.com)

Tech Shor's algorithm quantum circuit

WWII Cryptology: The Fatal Flaw of Repeated Messages

2025-08-31

A declassified US Army cryptology manual reveals a crucial strategy in WWII US military communications: never send the same message twice, even using different encryption methods. The manual details the importance of 'paraphrasing'—rewriting messages to change wording without altering meaning—to avoid repetition. This echoes the Allied experience breaking German Enigma codes, where the repetition of messages encrypted with different methods provided crucial clues. This underscores that in cryptography, operational procedures and protocols are as vital as the encryption technology itself.

(history.stackexchange.com)

Tech cryptology

arXivLabs: Experimental Projects with Community Collaborators

2025-08-31

arXivLabs is a framework enabling collaborators to develop and share new arXiv features directly on the website. Individuals and organizations involved embrace arXiv's values of openness, community, excellence, and user data privacy. arXiv is committed to these values and only partners with those who share them. Got an idea for a project that will benefit the arXiv community? Learn more about arXivLabs!

(arxiv.org)

Development

C++ shared_ptr's Non-Atomic Reference Counting: A Microbenchmark Surprise

2025-08-31

C++ shared_ptr's Non-Atomic Reference Counting: A Microbenchmark Surprise

A microbenchmark comparing Rust and C++ data structures revealed unexpected behavior in C++'s `shared_ptr`. In single-threaded environments, GNU libstdc++ optimizes `shared_ptr`'s reference counting to be non-atomic if `pthread_create` isn't imported. This performance optimization, while generally safe, can lead to issues in uncommon scenarios, such as when a dynamically linked library is loaded by a statically linked program. The author investigated other C++ implementations (libcxx and Visual C++) and ultimately resolved the performance discrepancy by referencing `pthread_create` in their benchmark. The discovery highlights the complexities of low-level optimizations and their potential unintended consequences.

(snf.github.io)

Development

Sniffly: A Local Dashboard for Analyzing Claude Code Logs

2025-08-31

Sniffly: A Local Dashboard for Analyzing Claude Code Logs

Sniffly is a locally-run tool that analyzes your Claude Code logs to help you improve your usage. It identifies errors made by Claude Code, allowing you to learn from mistakes and share your instructions with coworkers. Sniffly features a shareable dashboard showing project stats and instructions, with customizable options like port and auto-browser settings. All data processing is local, ensuring privacy and security.

(github.com)

Development local tool

Manage Your Dotfiles with Just Git

2025-08-31

Tired of complex dotfile managers like chezmoi, stow, and yadm? This article shows you how to use Git to manage your dotfiles with simplicity. Create a Git repository in your home directory, ignore all files with a `.gitignore`, and then force-add the files you want to track (e.g., `~/.bashrc`). Use `git add -f` or create an alias like `track-file` for easy tracking and syncing across machines. Handle machine-specific configurations with simple hostname checks in your main dotfiles. Ditch the extra tools and manage your dotfiles efficiently with Git!

(ericgreer.info)

Development

Hugo: My Static Site Generator Nightmare

2025-08-31

I used to love Hugo, a static site generator, for its speed, simplicity, and ease of use. However, with continuous updates, it's become increasingly complex and has repeatedly broken backward compatibility. My recent attempt to write a blog post resulted in Hugo updates causing my site build to fail, costing me hours of troubleshooting. I don't care about Hugo's internals; I just want a working blog. Therefore, I'm abandoning Hugo, seeking alternatives, and plan to compile an older, unchanging version myself.

(commaok.xyz)

Development backward compatibility

Bitwig Studio 6 Beta Focuses on Editing and Automation

2025-08-31

Bitwig Studio 6 Beta Focuses on Editing and Automation

Bitwig Studio 6 beta is out now, focusing on enhancing editing and automation workflows rather than AI or gimmicky features. New features include an Automation Mode, improved editing gestures, automation clips, project-wide key signatures, and a refreshed UI. This update delivers significant improvements to the editing experience, addressing long-standing requests from engineers and users.

(cdm.link)

Development Editing Automation

Saying Goodbye to Static Config Files: How Cloud Life Halved Infrastructure Delivery Times

2025-08-31

Saying Goodbye to Static Config Files: How Cloud Life Halved Infrastructure Delivery Times

Cloud Life, using System Initiative (SI), eliminated static configuration files, cutting infrastructure delivery times by over half. The article details their transition from a traditional Terraform, config repos, PR reviews, and CI/CD workflow. SI's real-time visualization and collaborative editing enabled instant feedback and testing of infrastructure changes, dramatically improving efficiency and reliability. They overcame cultural change challenges and surprisingly found SI boosted team morale, simplified onboarding, and improved governance.

(www.cloudlife.io)

Development

DIY Multi-Timer: A Hacky Tale of Alarm Clocks and Battery Eliminators

2025-08-31

Inspired by a friend's Raspberry Pi-based multi-timer, the author embarked on a DIY project using readily available alarm clocks. Initial attempts to modify the clocks directly proved unsuccessful, leading to a broken alarm clock. However, a clever workaround using battery eliminators and switches allowed for independent control of multiple clocks. The resulting multi-timer, while not precision-engineered, serves as a fun office decoration and a tool for rough time estimation, proving that resourcefulness and a dash of failure can lead to a satisfying hack.

(pgadey.ca)

Misc creative invention

Qbix Q.js: A Lightweight Frontend Framework Challenging React and Vue

2025-08-31

Qbix Q.js: A Lightweight Frontend Framework Challenging React and Vue

Qbix has released Q.js, a lightweight frontend framework weighing in at only ~40KB (minified and gzipped). Despite its size, it packs components, routing, caching, internationalization, and more. It boasts a zero build step, direct DOM manipulation for speed, and supports progressive enhancement and SEO. Compared to React, Vue, and Angular, Q.js offers significant advantages in size, performance, and ease of use, making it ideal for high-performance apps and real-time dashboards.

(github.com)

Development frontend framework

Vlang: Go's Spicy Counterpart? A Deep Dive

2025-08-31

Vlang: Go's Spicy Counterpart? A Deep Dive

This article compares Go and V, two programming languages. V shares similarities with Go in syntax but offers additional features such as more flexible error handling, powerful structs, enums, and lambda expressions. The author showcases V's strengths through code examples but also points out the immaturity of V's ecosystem and some compilation/build issues. Despite these, the author remains optimistic about V's future and suggests it's worth exploring for Go developers.

(kristun.dev)

Development

Why I Hate 'AI'

2025-08-31

The author vehemently criticizes the current popular text and image generation tools, arguing they are not true AI but Large Language Models (LLMs). He lambasts OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's comparison of humans to 'stochastic parrots,' deeming it demeaning to the richness of human experience. The author also points out the excessive hype surrounding LLMs, their bland and unoriginal output, and expresses concern over companies using user data without consent to train their models. Ultimately, he voices worry about the future of the internet and the misuse of personal creations, calling for attention to the ethical and aesthetic issues surrounding LLMs.

(ian.mccowan.space)

AI

Commonwealth Fusion Systems Secures $863M to Commercialize Fusion Power

2025-08-31

Commonwealth Fusion Systems Secures $863M to Commercialize Fusion Power

Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), a fusion energy startup, has raised $863 million in a Series B2 funding round, bringing its total funding to nearly $3 billion—the most for any fusion startup. The round included participation from prominent investors like Nvidia, Google, and Breakthrough Energy Ventures. This investment will fuel the development of Sparc, CFS's prototype reactor, aiming for scientific breakeven by 2027. Following this milestone, construction of Arc, a commercial-scale power plant, is slated to begin in 2027 or 2028. Despite the multi-billion dollar cost of Arc, CFS has already secured a deal with Google to purchase 200 megawatts of its power, demonstrating significant market confidence in the technology.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech

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