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2Solitude: Redefining Adventure Travel

2024-12-23

2Solitude: Redefining Adventure Travel

2Solitude specializes in retrofitting US-registered Antonov AN-2 experimental exhibition airplanes into ultimate airshow campers. These planes are fun to fly and guaranteed conversation starters among aviation enthusiasts. Whether it's a front-row seat at Oshkosh, bonefishing in the Exumas, or paddleboarding in an Alaskan lake, 2Solitude provides unparalleled access. This aircraft is registered as Experimental exhibition and is not eligible for any commercial work. It's designed for owner enjoyment and display only. 2Solitude offers a platform for creating your own unique adventures, empowering the bold to explore and share their experiences.

(www.2solitude.com)

Misc adventure travel aircraft modification aviation

LLM Standardization Directory: Enabling AI Website Integration

2024-12-23

A proposed standard, `/llms.txt`, aims to simplify the interaction between large language models (LLMs) and websites. This directory curates companies and products leading the adoption of this standard, spanning AI developer tools, financial products, websites, and more. The goal is to improve the efficiency and accuracy of LLMs interacting with diverse websites.

(directory.llmstxt.cloud)

AI standardization website integration

Complete Decompilation of LEGO Island (1997)

2024-12-23

Complete Decompilation of LEGO Island (1997)

The isle project has achieved a functionally complete decompilation of the classic game LEGO Island (Version 1.1, English) released in 1997. The goal is to create an accurate representation of the original game's code, matching recompiled instructions to the original machine code. Both ISLE.EXE and LEGO1.DLL are fully decompiled and functionally identical to the originals. Further work focuses on improving code accuracy, naming, documentation, and structure. While some bugs may remain, the game is playable. The project uses CMake and recommends Microsoft Visual C++ 4.2 for compiling for optimal accuracy.

(github.com)

Game game decompilation LEGO Island reverse engineering

International Rescue! The Epic Quest to Save a 43-Inch Sony CRT TV

2024-12-23

International Rescue! The Epic Quest to Save a 43-Inch Sony CRT TV

YouTube creator Shank Mods embarked on an epic rescue mission to save a mythical 43-inch Sony KX-45ED1 CRT television. This behemoth, weighing 440 pounds and released in 1989 for a staggering $40,000 (over $100,000 today), was thought to be a mere legend. Following a lead from a photo in a Japanese soba restaurant, Shank coordinated an international effort, overcoming numerous logistical hurdles to transport the TV to the US. The restoration process, detailed in a recent YouTube video, was equally challenging, showcasing the dedication of a global community of retro tech enthusiasts.

(obsoletesony.substack.com)

Tech CRT TV Sony Tech History

Otto-m8: A No-Code Visual Platform for AI Workflows

2024-12-23

Otto-m8: A No-Code Visual Platform for AI Workflows

Otto-m8 is a flowchart-based automation platform that allows users to interconnect LLMs and Hugging Face models via a simple visual interface and deploy them as REST APIs. It abstracts the complex process of running AI models into an Input, Process, Output paradigm, enabling users to build various AI workflows, such as chatbots or custom APIs, with minimal to no code. Currently in its MVP stage, Otto-m8's source code is publicly available.

(github.com)

AI No-code Workflow Automation

From Failed Game to Workplace Collaboration Giant: The Rise of Slack

2024-12-23

Tiny Speck's years-long effort to build the online game Glitch ended in failure, leaving the company facing financial ruin and potential team dissolution. However, CEO Stewart Butterfield saw a lifeline in the company's internal IRC server and its associated tools, which had streamlined team communication. These tools combined instant messaging, file sharing, searchable logs, and more, creating an efficient collaboration system. Building upon this, Tiny Speck pivoted to develop Slack, a workplace communication platform centered around team collaboration. Slack's success not only saved the company but also revolutionized how people work, becoming a benchmark for modern team collaboration.

(buildingslack.com)

Startup startup pivot

AI-Powered Crossword Generation: A Breakthrough

2024-12-23

Bill Moorier, a programmer, has been developing computer programs to generate crosswords for years. Recently, incorporating modern AI techniques, he's achieved remarkable results, producing crosswords that rival human-created ones. His approach combines traditional computer science algorithms and modern AI models. It begins with a massive wordlist, refined by AI to remove obscure terms. A grid with 180-degree rotational symmetry is then generated, filled with words using a backtracking search algorithm. Finally, a large language model generates clues, with post-processing to avoid revealing the answers. The system currently generates a complete crossword roughly every two minutes, though imperfections remain, such as occasional clue leakage (especially with acronyms). Future plans include themed crosswords, a significant challenge in crossword generation.

(abstractnonsense.com)

AI Crossword Algorithm

Narrative Jailbreaking: A Fun and Profitable Experiment with AI Chatbots

2024-12-23

Narrative Jailbreaking: A Fun and Profitable Experiment with AI Chatbots

This blog post details an engaging experiment where the author 'jailbreaks' a character-based AI chatbot called 'Psychologist' by cleverly pushing its narrative boundaries. Through persistent, narratively consistent prompts, the author transcends the chatbot's pre-programmed persona, ultimately leading to a shared, imaginative journey into another dimension. This playful interaction highlights the internal consistency and narrative capabilities of Large Language Models (LLMs) and offers insights into future human-AI interactions.

(interconnected.org)

AI Chatbots Narrative Jailbreaking

A Journey Through Time: The History of Infographics

2024-12-23

A Journey Through Time: The History of Infographics

The history of infographics is far richer and longer than many realize. It's not a modern invention, but a continuous thread weaving through centuries. From prehistoric cave paintings to medieval maps and Renaissance scientific illustrations, humanity has consistently sought more intuitive ways to present information. The 'chart craze' of the 18th century propelled infographics to new heights, becoming powerful tools for social science research. Today, with technological advancements, infographics are more vibrant and deeply integrated into our lives. This journey reflects humanity's ongoing exploration of information understanding and expression.

(history.infowetrust.com)

Design infographics history

The Enigma of Julius and the Rise of AI

2024-12-23

The Enigma of Julius and the Rise of AI

The author recounts the story of Julius, a college classmate who, despite a lack of actual technical skills, rose through the ranks of various companies due to charisma and self-assurance. His success is mirrored in the author's current experience with seemingly productive AI tools that require extensive manual corrections. The narrative explores the parallels between Julius's career trajectory and the complexities of AI's impact on the workplace.

(ploum.net)

Misc workplace

Why HNSW Isn't the Universal Solution for Vector Databases: The Rise of IVF

2024-12-23

Why HNSW Isn't the Universal Solution for Vector Databases: The Rise of IVF

HNSW, while popular for its speed and accuracy in vector similarity search, faces limitations in large-scale applications due to its memory-intensive nature. This article argues that disk-based alternatives like IVF (Inverted File Index), especially when combined with quantization techniques (RaBitQ, PQ, SQ, ScaNN), offer superior speed and scalability for massive datasets. IVF, by quantizing and compressing vectors, reduces memory footprint and leverages efficient prefetching and sequential scans for significantly faster search. Insertion and deletion costs are also lower. While HNSW excels in smaller-scale applications, IVF with quantization emerges as the more advantageous choice for massive datasets.

(blog.pgvecto.rs)

Development vector database

Perl Unveils New Camel Logo

2024-12-23

After years of discussion and design, Perl finally has a new official logo: a friendly camel. Designed by Zach Roszczewski and refined through feedback from numerous community members, the logo is released under a CC-BY license. It aims to represent the Perl language and its community, encouraging wider adoption. While not mandatory, the logo seeks to unify the community's image and is expected to be used on platforms like perl.com and metacpan.org in the future.

(perladvent.org)

Development

Goodfire Releases Interpretability Tools for Llama 3.3 70B

2024-12-23

Goodfire has trained sparse autoencoders (SAEs) on Llama 3.3 70B and released the interpreted model via an API. This allows exploration of the model's latent space through an interactive feature map. The team demonstrates feature steering capabilities and introduces improvements for easier and more reliable SAE-based steering. While showcasing progress in steering, limitations are acknowledged, including tension between feature steering and classification, and potential factual recall degradation at higher steering strengths. Future work includes refining steering methodologies and developing safety evaluations for responsible scaling of interpretability efforts.

(www.goodfire.ai)

AI Interpretability Sparse Autoencoders

Supernovae Data Suggests Foundational Shift in Cosmological Models

2024-12-23

A new study presents a cosmologically model-independent statistical analysis of the Pantheon+ Type Ia supernovae spectroscopic dataset, improving upon the standard methodology used by Lane et al. By employing the Tripp equation for supernova standardization alone, the study avoids potential correlations in stretch and color distributions. The results strongly favor the 'Timescape' cosmology over the standard ΛCDM model in explaining the data, providing evidence for the need to revisit the foundations of theoretical and observational cosmology. Even when restricting the sample to redshifts beyond conventional scales of statistical homogeneity (z > 0.075), Timescape remains preferred over ΛCDM.

(arxiv.org)

Tech Cosmology Supernovae Timescape Cosmology

Co-adapting Human Interfaces and Large Language Models

2024-12-23

Co-adapting Human Interfaces and Large Language Models

The rise of Large Language Models (LLMs) is changing how we access information. This article explores how the digital world is adapting to LLMs, blurring the lines between 'agent' and 'environment'. The author uses code autocomplete as an example, showing how humans adapt their behavior – for instance, using 'docstring-first programming' – to work better with LLMs. This leads to more heavily commented codebases, illustrating environmental adaptation to tools. To improve LLM efficiency, the article argues for 'agent-computer interfaces' that translate human interfaces into formats LLMs understand better. The future, the author suggests, lies in designing interfaces specifically for LLMs, rather than solely focusing on model improvements. This will ultimately alter human-computer interaction, fostering new applications and content.

(jessylin.com)

AI

Phrack Magazine's 40th Anniversary: Call for Papers

2024-12-23

Phrack Magazine, a platform for hackers to share knowledge, seek truth, and push the boundaries of systems, is celebrating its 40th anniversary. They've released a call for papers for issue 72, covering topics such as exploitation, persistence, fuzzing, code analysis, data obfuscation, anti-forensics, web application security, and cloud security. Phrack urges the hacker community to participate, continuing its valuable resources and culture, and contributing to its future development for the next 40 years.

(phrack.org)

Development hacker Phrack Magazine

Were Neanderthals Cold-Adapted or Just Highly Adaptable? Ribcage Reconstruction Offers Clues

2024-12-23

Were Neanderthals Cold-Adapted or Just Highly Adaptable? Ribcage Reconstruction Offers Clues

A new study virtually reconstructs a Neanderthal ribcage from Shanidar Cave in Iraq. The results reveal a unique "bell-shaped" Neanderthal thorax, distinct from modern humans and closer to those adapted to cold climates. However, this doesn't imply exclusive cold-adaptation, as Shanidar 3 and Kebara 2 Neanderthals lived in relatively mild climates. The study suggests Neanderthal body builds were adaptable to various climate types, not just cold ones.

(phys.org)

Tech ribcage reconstruction climate adaptation

C++: A Resurgence of Programming Fun

2024-12-23

C++: A Resurgence of Programming Fun

The author reflects on over a decade of programming, lamenting that languages like JavaScript, Python, and Ruby failed to recapture the joy he felt coding as a child. Recently, while developing a roguelike game using C++, he rediscovered that programming fun. He argues that C++ was once notorious for the overuse of template metaprogramming, but since C++11, the standards committee's efforts have revitalized the language. Additions like auto type inference, nullptr, and range-based for loops have significantly improved developer experience and efficiency. Modern C++ is powerful, boasting rich libraries and tools, yet avoids the negative aspects of excessive popularity. The relatively pure community allows developers to focus on creation, which is the essence of programming enjoyment.

(learncodethehardway.com)

Development

Retrocomputing: Replacing a 386/486 CMOS Battery

2024-12-23

Retrocomputing: Replacing a 386/486 CMOS Battery

Older 386/486 motherboards often have leaky NiCd or NiMH batteries that can damage the board. This guide details a simple alternative: using three AA batteries and a battery holder. The author compares using a CR2032 and a Tadrian 3.6V Lithium cell, ultimately opting for three AAs due to ease of use, no motherboard modification, and the ability to use rechargeable batteries. Other replacement methods are mentioned, including using a CR2032 holder and Schottky diode, and utilizing an external battery header on the motherboard if present.

(rubenerd.com)

Hardware battery replacement

Journal Removed from Science Index for Publishing Faulty Study

2024-12-23

Journal Removed from Science Index for Publishing Faulty Study

The journal Chemosphere has been removed from the Web of Science after failing to meet quality criteria. This follows the retraction of eight articles this month and the publication of 60 expressions of concern since April. A highly publicized study on black plastics and toxic flame retardants, published in Chemosphere, was corrected due to a mathematical error that significantly underestimated exposure levels. Despite the correction, the study's conclusions remained unchanged, sparking controversy.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech academic journal retraction research quality

Tracking Down Bulgarian Marketplace Scammers: A Programmer's Undercover Investigation

2024-12-23

A programmer, while selling an item on an online marketplace, fell victim to a sophisticated scam involving a phishing website and fake courier information. Driven by personal reasons, he launched an investigation, uncovering a vast Bulgarian-based scam operation utilizing a custom Node.js system and Telegram bots. The investigation revealed the group's organizational structure, members' identities, and operational methods, implicating thousands across multiple European countries. Despite reporting, such scams are difficult to eradicate.

(sy1.sh)

Tech online scam

KeyPub.sh: A Privacy-Focused SSH Key Verification Service

2024-12-23

KeyPub.sh is a free, publicly available service requiring no installation or configuration. It leverages your existing SSH public key as your identity, linking it to your email address for simplified authentication. Users register and manage their SSH keys via a simple email verification process, controlling the visibility of their email address. This provides a lightweight, privacy-respecting alternative to OAuth for CLI applications, eliminating the need for developers to build user verification systems while empowering users with control over their privacy.

(keypub.sh)

Development SSH key authentication

Commercial Tea Bags Release Millions of Microplastics, Entering Human Intestinal Cells

2024-12-23

Commercial Tea Bags Release Millions of Microplastics, Entering Human Intestinal Cells

Research from the Autonomous University of Barcelona reveals that commercial tea bags release millions of microplastics and nanoplastics during brewing. The study, published in Chemosphere, shows for the first time that these particles can be absorbed by human intestinal cells, entering the bloodstream and potentially spreading throughout the body. Analysis of tea bags made from nylon-6, polypropylene, and cellulose revealed polypropylene released the highest number of particles—approximately 1.2 billion per milliliter. The microplastics were even observed entering the cell nucleus. The findings highlight the need for further research into the long-term health effects of chronic exposure and for regulations to mitigate microplastic contamination from food packaging.

(medicalxpress.com)

Tech microplastic pollution tea bags human health

Fogus' 2024 Year in Review: Programming, Reading, and Life Reflections

2024-12-23

In his 2024 year-end blog post, Fogus reflects on his year in programming, reading, and life. He shares noteworthy articles and books he enjoyed, covering topics like the Elite game, amateur radio history, Japanese bathroom folklore, and the history of WordStar. He highlights favorite technical books like "And so FORTH" and non-technical books such as "Butcher's Crossing." Fogus details his experiences with the Clojure programming language and explorations into other languages like Joy and Forth. He concludes by outlining his plans for 2025, including the Clojure 1.13 release and continued work on his Juxt project.

(blog.fogus.me)

Development year in review reading recommendations

Spacer CLI Tool: Elegantly Separate Log Outputs

2024-12-23

Spacer CLI Tool: Elegantly Separate Log Outputs

Spacer is a simple CLI tool that inserts spacers when command output stops. If you're someone who habitually presses enter a few times in your log tail to distinguish between outputs from different requests, then Spacer is for you! By default, it inserts a spacer every 1 second, but you can customize the interval using the `--after` flag (floating-point numbers are supported). Note that Spacer only monitors STDOUT; if your command outputs primarily to STDERR, use `|&` instead of `|` to redirect STDERR to STDOUT.

(github.com)

Development CLI tool log processing terminal

The Subtleties of Memoization in Ruby: A Deep Dive

2024-12-23

The Subtleties of Memoization in Ruby: A Deep Dive

This article delves into the complexities of implementing memoization in Ruby. The author walks through various aspects, from simple local variables to sophisticated thread-safe implementations, covering limitations of the memoization operator, argument-aware memoization, building a memoization DSL, and challenges in handling frozen objects, memory management, and thread safety. Weak and soft references are explored, leading to an efficient and thread-safe memoization DSL. The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of using battle-tested libraries and avoiding reinventing the wheel.

(denisdefreyne.com)

Development Memoization

Xerox to Acquire Lexmark for $1.5 Billion

2024-12-23

Xerox Holdings Corporation announced it will acquire Lexmark International, Inc. for $1.5 billion. This acquisition strengthens Xerox's core print portfolio and builds a broader global print and managed print services business to better meet the evolving needs of clients in the hybrid workplace. The deal, expected to close in the second half of 2025, combines two industry leaders to create a more comprehensive offering and expand geographic reach, particularly in the APAC region.

(newsroom.lexmark.com)

Tech Merger and Acquisition Printing Industry Hybrid Workplace

Apple Directs Spyware Victims to Nonprofit Security Lab

2024-12-23

Apple Directs Spyware Victims to Nonprofit Security Lab

Instead of conducting its own investigations, Apple directs victims of suspected government spyware attacks on iPhones to the nonprofit Access Now for assistance. This approach is supported by cybersecurity experts who believe Access Now is better equipped for systematic investigation and support. Access Now's digital helpline has received 4,337 requests in 2024, becoming a crucial tool in combating spyware. While Apple also employs other security measures like Lockdown Mode, this partnership provides invaluable support for those affected by government spyware.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech Spyware

Website Requires JavaScript

2024-12-23

The website displays a message indicating that JavaScript needs to be enabled to run the application. This prompts users to check their browser settings and ensure that JavaScript is enabled to access and use the website's features properly.

(jobs.ashbyhq.com)

Misc

AI Makes Strides in Mathematics: OpenAI's o3 Model Achieves Remarkable Score on FrontierMath Dataset

2024-12-23

AI Makes Strides in Mathematics: OpenAI's o3 Model Achieves Remarkable Score on FrontierMath Dataset

OpenAI's new language model, o3, achieved a 25% accuracy rate on the FrontierMath dataset, sparking a debate within the mathematics community about AI's mathematical capabilities. FrontierMath is a secret dataset containing hundreds of complex mathematical problems that require calculating specific numerical values rather than simply proving theorems. o3's performance is surprising, as it surpasses the previous limitations of AI, which could only solve problems at the level of math olympiads or undergraduate studies. While the dataset's difficulty and sample representativeness remain debated, this achievement marks significant progress for AI in mathematics, prompting reflections on AI's future development and the direction of mathematical research.

(xenaproject.wordpress.com)

AI

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