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Improved CIELAB Color Quantization with the HyAB Distance Formula

2025-07-10

This article explores an improved CIELAB color quantization method using a novel distance formula called HyAB, replacing the traditional Euclidean distance. HyAB uses absolute difference for lightness and Euclidean distance for chromaticity, showing better alignment with human perception in experiments. The author applies it to the k-means algorithm, further optimizing results by replacing the mean calculation of the L component with the median. While HyAB can improve image quality in some cases, the author notes that overall system design and post-processing techniques like dithering have a greater impact on the final outcome.

(30fps.net)

Development

The Mystery of Thirst: How the Brain Senses Dehydration

2025-08-12

The Mystery of Thirst: How the Brain Senses Dehydration

New research reveals the mechanism by which the brain senses thirst. Instead of directly detecting water deficiency, the brain monitors blood salt concentration through circumventricular organs near the hypothalamus, such as the OVLT and SFO. When salt concentration is too high or the water-salt ratio is imbalanced, these organs signal the brain, triggering thirst. Interestingly, the brain doesn't wait for water absorption to determine hydration; it uses sensors in the mouth and gut to quickly estimate water intake, shutting off the thirst signal promptly. This suggests thirst isn't simply a water deficiency signal, but rather the brain's 'educated guess' about the body's internal environment.

(www.quantamagazine.org)

Tech thirst mechanism brain sensing

Nokia Sans as a UI Font: A Surprisingly Good Choice

2025-08-30

A nostalgic journey into the world of Nokia's iconic Nokia Sans font. The author, driven by sentimentality, experimented with using it as a user interface font. Despite the difficulty in finding a complete font set, they managed to install various variants and discovered Nokia Sans Wide to be surprisingly legible and charming. The post shares a personal experience and touches upon the font's performance across different systems and DPI settings, as well as legal considerations.

(www.osnews.com)

Design

Apple's COO Jeff Williams Retires, Sabih Khan Takes the Helm

2025-07-09

Apple's long-time Chief Operating Officer, Jeff Williams, is retiring later this month. His successor will be Sabih Khan, Apple's SVP of Operations, a key figure in Apple's globally influential supply chain. Williams will remain at Apple through the year, overseeing Apple Watch and health initiatives, and leading the design team until his retirement, after which the design team will report directly to Tim Cook. Khan's promotion is a long-planned transition, highlighting his strategic prowess in navigating supply chain complexities and driving sustainability initiatives. This leadership change signals a generational shift within Apple's operations, setting the stage for the company's Vision Pro era and increased hardware-services integration.

(nerds.xyz)

Tech Leadership Change

NYPD's Radio Encryption Plan Blocked by State Lawmakers

2025-06-06

NYPD's Radio Encryption Plan Blocked by State Lawmakers

New York state lawmakers voted down the NYPD's plan to encrypt its radio communications. The "Keep Police Radio Public Act" aims to balance transparency with the need to protect sensitive information. The bill, if signed into law, would grant emergency services and reporters access to real-time police radio communications while still keeping sensitive information private. The NYPD argued encryption is necessary for officer safety and victim privacy, but supporters of the bill contend that public access to police radio is crucial for press freedom and public accountability. The bill now heads to Governor Kathy Hochul's desk.

(nypost.com)

Tech police transparency

Arrow Stork: Solving the Mystery of Bird Migration

2025-08-16

Arrow Stork: Solving the Mystery of Bird Migration

The discovery of the Rostock Arrow Stork in 1822, a white stork with a 75cm spear embedded in its neck, revolutionized our understanding of bird migration. This single bird, carrying an African projectile, debunked theories of hibernation or transformation, proving conclusively that birds migrate long distances. While subsequent similar cases have been documented, they have decreased with the replacement of bows and arrows with guns. The Arrow Stork's legacy is a pivotal moment in ornithology, highlighting the wonders and mysteries of the natural world.

(en.wikipedia.org)

Tech arrow stork

SGLang: An Open-Source Implementation Matching DeepSeek LLM's Inference Performance

2025-08-29

SGLang: An Open-Source Implementation Matching DeepSeek LLM's Inference Performance

DeepSeek, a popular open-source large language model (LLM), boasts impressive performance. However, its massive size and unique architecture (using Multi-head Latent Attention and Mixture of Experts) demand a sophisticated system for efficient large-scale serving. This blog details how we achieved near-parity with DeepSeek's inference system performance using SGLang. Our implementation, running on 12 nodes (each with 8 H100 GPUs) in the Atlas Cloud, leverages prefill-decode disaggregation and large-scale expert parallelism (EP), reaching 52.3k input tokens/second and 22.3k output tokens/second per node for 2000-token input sequences. This is, to our knowledge, the first open-source implementation to nearly match DeepSeek's reported throughput at scale, at roughly one-fifth the cost of the official DeepSeek Chat API.

(lmsys.org)

AI Model Inference

Doctor Who Season Finale Twist: Rose Tyler Returns as the Doctor?!

2025-06-02

Doctor Who Season Finale Twist: Rose Tyler Returns as the Doctor?!

The Doctor Who season 2 finale, "The Reality War," delivered a shocking twist. Fifteenth Doctor Ncuti Gatwa sacrificed himself to save Poppy, his daughter from the 'Wish World', triggering a regeneration into a familiar face: Rose Tyler (Billie Piper)! Rose, the companion of the Ninth and Tenth Doctors, is now set to become the second (or third, depending on how you count Jo Martin's Fugitive Doctor) female Doctor. However, the ending leaves the how and why of Rose's transformation a complete mystery, setting up a huge cliffhanger for season 3 and igniting fan speculation.

(www.space.com)

Game Doctor Who Billie Piper

Lobster: A Lightweight Programming Language for Game Development

2025-08-28

Lobster is a programming language combining the benefits of static typing and compile-time memory management with a lightweight, user-friendly syntax. While general-purpose, its current implementation leans towards games and graphics, boasting 'batteries-included' functionality. Open-source (Apache v2), Lobster offers rapid prototyping, JIT and C++ compilation, strong type inference, vector operations, multithreading, a rich standard library, and a graphical debugger. It's cross-platform, supporting Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, Android, and WebAssembly.

(www.strlen.com)

Development

Cognitive Load: The Silent Killer in Software Development

2025-08-30

Cognitive Load: The Silent Killer in Software Development

This article explores the critical role of cognitive load in software development. High cognitive load leads to decreased efficiency and increased bugs. It analyzes common causes of high cognitive load, such as complex code logic, excessive inheritance, too many shallow modules and microservices, and unnecessary abstraction layers. The author advocates for minimizing cognitive load by using meaningful variable names, early returns, composition over inheritance, and creating fewer but deeper modules to simplify code, thus improving readability and maintainability. The article also critiques the drawbacks of over-emphasizing design patterns and architectures, stressing that simpler, straightforward solutions are often more effective.

(github.com)

Development

Hugging Face Hosts New 685B Parameter DeepSeek LLM

2025-05-28

Hugging Face Hosts New 685B Parameter DeepSeek LLM

A new large language model, DeepSeek-R1-0528, boasting a massive 685 billion parameters, has been released on Hugging Face. The model is available in Safetensors format and supports tensor types including BF16, F8_E4M3, and F32. Currently, no inference providers have deployed the model, but its Hugging Face page provides details such as model card, files, and versions.

(huggingface.co)

AI

Equality Saturation Optimizer for Linear Algebra with Egglog

2025-09-16

This tutorial demonstrates building a linear algebra optimizer using Egglog. Starting with simple arithmetic expressions (constants, variables, addition, multiplication), it leverages equality saturation to build optimization rules (commutativity, associativity, constant folding). The tutorial details defining converters, writing rewrite rules, and using `egraph.run()` for optimization, finally verifying expression equivalence, such as the equivalence of 2 * (x * 3) and 6 * x.

(egglog-python.readthedocs.io)

Development Equality Saturation Linear Algebra Optimization

Startup Funding: What Money Can and Can't Buy

2025-04-18

Startup Funding: What Money Can and Can't Buy

This article explores the role of money in startup funding. The author argues that while money solves many problems—marketing, hiring, coding—crucial elements like team building, market positioning, and strategic decision-making are beyond its reach. Successful startups balance both: using funds to accelerate growth while demonstrating the ability to overcome challenges without money, such as A/B testing to optimize products and adapting strategies based on customer feedback. Proving your ability to learn, adapt, and innovate convinces investors your project is worth funding.

(longform.asmartbear.com)

Startup

The Colorful History of X11 Color Names: A Clash of Standards

2025-07-15

X11 color names, originating from a simple text file `rgb.txt` mapping strings to RGB values, have a long and winding history. This list, traditionally shipped with X11, became the basis for web colors when early browsers like Mosaic and Netscape adopted it. However, inconsistencies between X11 and W3C specifications, notably with "Gray," led to quirks like the lighter "Dark Gray" in CSS. Recent X11 releases now support W3C definitions, using prefixes to disambiguate conflicting names. The `rgb.txt` file also contains numerous grayscale shades and color variations, largely ignored by W3C standards. This story highlights the complexities of standardization and compatibility in technology.

(en.wikipedia.org)

Tech color names

Python Dataclasses: `kw_only=True` for Maintainability and Extensibility

2025-06-30

Python's dataclasses offer a convenient way to create data classes, but the default `__init__` method uses positional arguments, which can lead to maintenance and extension difficulties. This article introduces the `kw_only=True` parameter, which enforces keyword arguments, preventing issues caused by changes in argument order and allowing subclasses to add required fields flexibly. While this parameter was introduced in Python 3.10, the article also provides a solution for compatibility with older versions.

(chipx86.blog)

Development

OpenBSD's chflags: Achieving ISO 27001 Compliant Immutable Logs

2025-07-18

OpenBSD's chflags: Achieving ISO 27001 Compliant Immutable Logs

This article details how to leverage OpenBSD's `chflags` command with `sappnd` and `schg` flags to achieve immutable logging, fulfilling ISO 27001's log integrity requirements. While ISO 27001 doesn't explicitly demand immutability, its log protection stipulations effectively necessitate it. The author disables the `newsyslog` cron job, creates a log archive directory, and uses `chflags` to set append-only and immutable flags on log files, ensuring log integrity even if root access is compromised. A `/etc/rc.securelevel` script automates log rotation and flag management during boot, providing a robust and automated logging solution.

(rsadowski.de)

Development Log Security

The Surprising Etymology of 'Vodka'

2025-05-26

Did you know vodka means "little water" in Russian? This article explores the ancient origins of the word for "water" in Western languages, tracing it back thousands of years to Proto-Indo-European (PIE). Two root words, 'ap' (water as a living force) and 'wed' (water as an inanimate object), evolved into the modern words we use today, like "water" and "aqua." The journey from PIE to modern English and Spanish reveals the fascinating evolution of language and explains the surprising etymology of vodka.

(jamesgill.net)

Misc vodka

mkosi: Crafting Bespoke OS Images with Ease

2025-07-16

mkosi streamlines the creation of customized OS images. This powerful tool wraps around popular package managers like dnf, apt, pacman, and zypper, letting you effortlessly build personalized disk images with added features. Whether you're adding new distributions, building RPMs from source, crafting a custom initrd, or constructing system extensions, mkosi simplifies the process, significantly boosting efficiency.

(mkosi.systemd.io)

Development Image Building

Demand for a Mini Android Flagship: A Movement to Resurrect Small Phones

2025-07-17

Demand for a Mini Android Flagship: A Movement to Resurrect Small Phones

Eric Migicovsky, founder of Pebble, is leading a charge for Android manufacturers to create a flagship phone the size of the iPhone 13 mini. He argues that the market lacks premium small Android phones, a significant gap for users who prefer compact devices. He outlines his ideal specs for such a phone, hoping to pressure manufacturers by gathering a large enough community of interested buyers. The goal is a sub-6-inch phone with great cameras and stock Android. If unsuccessful, he even hints at building it himself.

(smallandroidphone.com)

Hardware small phone android phone

ESA's Moonlight Programme: Paving the Way for a Lunar Economy

2025-07-17

ESA's Moonlight Programme: Paving the Way for a Lunar Economy

ESA's ambitious Moonlight programme aims to establish Europe's first dedicated satellite constellation for lunar communication and navigation. This constellation of five satellites will provide high-speed, low-latency communication and precise navigation for future lunar missions, supporting sustainable exploration and the development of a lunar economy. The first mission, Lunar Pathfinder, launches in 2026, paving the way for full operational capacity by 2030. Collaborating with NASA and JAXA under the LunaNet framework, Moonlight will also contribute to future Mars communication infrastructure.

(www.esa.int)

Tech Satellite Constellation Space Communication

Voil: Edit Your Filesystem Like a Text Buffer

2025-07-15

Voil: Edit Your Filesystem Like a Text Buffer

Voil is a VS Code extension that lets you manage your filesystem like a text buffer. Say goodbye to clicking and memorizing keybindings; create, rename, and move files and directories directly in the editor with the efficiency of text editing. Voil uses hidden IDs to track files and offers a rich set of commands and customization options, including recursive listing, sorting, filtering, and running custom shell commands. It's compatible with the Vim extension and provides detailed configuration instructions and examples. Check out the demo video to see it in action!

(github.com)

Development filesystem management extension

AI-Designed Antivenom: A Solution to the Antivenom Shortage?

2025-05-08

AI-Designed Antivenom: A Solution to the Antivenom Shortage?

Scientists have successfully used AI to design proteins that bind to neurotoxic proteins in snake venom, showing efficacy in mice. However, this raises the question: why design new binders when antivenoms already exist? The article delves into the challenges of antivenom production: high costs, shortages, and the extreme heterogeneity of snake venoms. While AI-designed antivenoms offer potential solutions, their success hinges on scalable, low-cost production and overcoming market-based challenges. The article also explores a recent study creating a 'universal' antivenom from a man repeatedly bitten by snakes, highlighting both the promise and the persistent economic hurdles.

(www.owlposting.com)

Tech Medicine

2025 and Banks Still Get Authentication Wrong: A Case Study

2025-05-13

2025 and Banks Still Get Authentication Wrong: A Case Study

In 2025, the author experienced a frustrating authentication failure with TD Bank. Disabling their Canadian SIM card for international travel rendered them locked out of their online banking, highlighting the flaws in SMS-based 2FA. Even the bank's proprietary authentication app required an SMS code to log in, creating a circular dependency. The author criticizes the widespread use of outdated and insecure SMS-based 2FA in banking, advocating for modern, user-friendly alternatives like passkeys, TOTP support, and hardware security keys. This incident underscores the urgent need for banks to prioritize both security and usability in their authentication systems.

(jamal.haba.sh)

Tech bank security

Ensuring Public API Reliability with Binary Compatibility Validator and Metalava

2025-05-03

Ensuring Public API Reliability with Binary Compatibility Validator and Metalava

This article demonstrates how to maintain public API reliability by tracking compatibility changes using the Binary Compatibility Validator and Metalava plugins. These tools automatically monitor API modifications, alerting developers to potential breaking changes before they impact dependent projects. The article uses RevenueCat's Android SDK as a real-world example, detailing plugin integration and usage. It emphasizes the importance of integrating API checks into CI/CD pipelines for robust public API stability.

(www.revenuecat.com)

Development API Reliability

Onyx: Open-Source GenAI Platform Hiring AI/ML Engineer

2025-04-22

Onyx: Open-Source GenAI Platform Hiring AI/ML Engineer

Onyx, a popular open-source GenAI platform with hundreds of thousands of users, is hiring an AI/ML Engineer in San Francisco. The role requires 3+ years of experience building real-world AI/ML applications, deep expertise in PyTorch/TensorFlow, NLP models, and standard ML algorithms, and familiarity with the latest LLMs, RAG, and agent frameworks. Responsibilities include improving Onyx's agent and knowledge retrieval capabilities, enhancing multi-hop QA and precise search, and improving the platform's user experience. Onyx is backed by $10M in seed funding and boasts clients like Netflix and Ramp.

(www.ycombinator.com)

AI

llm-d: A Kubernetes-Native Distributed LLM Inference Framework

2025-05-20

llm-d is a Kubernetes-native, high-performance distributed Large Language Model (LLM) inference framework offering a streamlined path to serving LLMs at scale. It boasts the fastest time-to-value and competitive performance per dollar for most models across most hardware accelerators. Utilizing cutting-edge distributed inference optimizations like KV-cache aware routing and disaggregated serving, co-designed and integrated with Kubernetes operational tooling in Inference Gateway (IGW), llm-d enables users to operationalize generative AI deployments with a modular, high-performance, end-to-end serving solution. Unlike traditional scaling approaches, llm-d is optimized for the unique characteristics of LLM inference, such as slow, non-uniform, expensive requests, achieving superior performance. Through cache-aware routing, task disaggregation, and adaptive scaling, llm-d significantly improves throughput and efficiency, reduces latency, and supports diverse Quality of Service requirements.

(llm-d.ai)

Development LLM Inference

Garmin Watch Data Breach Exposes Security Risks, Aids Double Murder Investigation

2025-05-26

This article exposes a critical security flaw in Garmin smartwatches. Data stored in .FIT files, including GPS location, health metrics, and personal information, is easily accessible by simply connecting the watch to a computer. This vulnerability played a crucial role in a 2018 double murder case, where the suspect's Garmin watch data provided key evidence leading to a conviction. The article compares Garmin's security practices with Fitbit, Apple, and Samsung, recommending users regularly sync data to Garmin Connect, set a passcode, and take physical precautions to protect their privacy.

(www.pentestpartners.com)

Tech

San Francisco's 'Sit Club' Rebels Against Running Culture

2025-04-08

San Francisco's 'Sit Club' Rebels Against Running Culture

Tired of the manufactured hype around running? A group of San Franciscans staged a playful rebellion against running culture by organizing a 'Sit Club.' Their Golden Gate Park event, featuring a unique twist on musical chairs, garnered significant media attention and public interest. More than a simple satire of running culture, it sparked a conversation about alternative lifestyles and healthy living choices.

(rawandferal.substack.com)

Misc anti-running culture offline event

Mastering TestFlight: A Comprehensive Guide to Beta App Testing

2025-05-31

Mastering TestFlight: A Comprehensive Guide to Beta App Testing

Want to experience the latest apps before anyone else? TestFlight is your answer! This guide provides a comprehensive walkthrough of installing and testing beta apps, covering email/public link invitations, installation across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, visionOS, and watchOS, managing automatic updates, testing previous builds and build groups, and even testing iMessage apps and App Clips. It also details testing periods and important considerations, ensuring a smooth beta testing experience and valuable feedback for developers.

(testflight.apple.com)

Development App Testing

Monolithic Deployment of Rust/Axum and Svelte/SvelteKit: An Elegant Solution?

2025-05-30

This article presents an unconventional approach to deploying SPAs in web development: embedding the built SPA directly into the backend binary. This simplifies deployment (single binary) and code (no CORS handling), but increases binary size, memory usage, and slightly reduces developer experience (no hot reloading). The author uses Rust/Axum and Svelte/SvelteKit to demonstrate, detailing a monorepo setup with the Moon build tool and using the rust-embed library to embed the frontend build artifacts. The result is a simple SPA fetching data from and navigating within the backend.

(nguyenhuythanh.com)

Development

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