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Mathematical Modeling Reveals Just How Bad the Dreidel Game Is

2024-12-18

Mathematical Modeling Reveals Just How Bad the Dreidel Game Is

Last year, the author used the PRISM probabilistic modeling language to model the traditional holiday game Dreidel, proving its lack of fun. This year, he refined the model to simulate the entire game until its conclusion. The new model corrects the previous flaw of only simulating the elimination of the first player and improves the calculation logic for betting and player elimination. Through model simulation, the author found that, on average, a four-player game takes 760 spins to end, and the longest can even exceed 6 hours. This fully proves that the Dreidel game is long, tedious, and frustrating.

(buttondown.com)

Game probabilistic modeling game analysis

1984: The First Man vs. Machine Poker Showdown You've Never Heard Of

2025-05-09

1984: The First Man vs. Machine Poker Showdown You've Never Heard Of

Before Polaris in 2007, there was Orac. In 1984, poker legend Mike Caro challenged Doyle Brunson and Tom McEvoy with his Apple II Plus program, a feat largely forgotten. This article unearths the story, revealing correspondence with Binion's Horseshoe and Apple, detailing the event and its surprising results. Orac lost to McEvoy but held its own against Brunson, showcasing early AI's foray into poker.

(www.poker.org)

Game Poker

Interactive Neural Forest World in Your Browser

2025-04-25

The author trained a neural network to transform a video of a forest trail, captured with a phone, into an interactive virtual world explorable in a web browser. Unlike traditional video games, this world relies not on pre-defined geometry, lighting, and animations, but solely on a neural network generating new images based on previous images and control inputs. Overcoming early model limitations, the author improved the training method and network architecture to achieve a relatively smooth interactive experience. This showcases a novel approach to generating virtual worlds using neural networks, promising a future of more realistic and convenient world building.

(madebyoll.in)

Game Neural Network

Swift 6.2: Concurrency Refinements and Practical Enhancements

2025-05-09

Swift 6.2: Concurrency Refinements and Practical Enhancements

Swift 6.2 is a massive release, boasting a plethora of additions and improvements, with a significant focus on refining Swift concurrency and adding practical features. The update simplifies the concurrency learning curve; for example, the `-default-isolation MainActor` compiler flag allows developers to default to running code on the main actor, switching to concurrency only when necessary. Other highlights include raw identifiers, default values in string interpolation, `enumerated()` conforming to `Collection`, and significant boosts to Swift Testing with exit tests and attachments. These enhancements promise to make Swift development more efficient and user-friendly.

(www.hackingwithswift.com)

Development Language Improvements

Linux Prepper Podcast Update: Open Source Projects, Community Events, and Sponsors

2025-03-07

Linux Prepper Podcast Update: Open Source Projects, Community Events, and Sponsors

This Linux Prepper podcast update covers several key areas. First, it announces a new sponsor, ameriDroid, and provides ways to support the show. Then, it highlights open-source projects like the Librewolf browser, PixelFed (a federated, FOSS Instagram alternative), and Loops (a federated, FOSS TikTok alternative). Finally, it shares audience feedback and previews an interview with Hungry Bogart on the podcast's origins, along with the Pimox 7 project (for learning Proxmox on arm64 hardware). Listeners can engage via Matrix chat, feedback forms, and email.

(podcast.james.network)

Development

LLMs: Opportunities and Challenges Await

2025-08-29

Before a short break, the author shares some thoughts on the current state of LLMs and AI. He points out flaws in current surveys on LLMs' impact on software development, arguing they neglect the varied workflows of LLM usage. The author believes the future of LLMs is unpredictable, encouraging experimentation and shared experiences. He also discusses the inevitability of an AI bubble and the 'hallucination' characteristic of LLMs, stressing the importance of asking questions multiple times for validation. Finally, the author warns of the security risks posed by LLMs, particularly the vulnerabilities of agents operating within browsers.

(martinfowler.com)

AI

German UBI Experiment: Full-Time Work Continues, Happiness Increases

2025-04-12

German UBI Experiment: Full-Time Work Continues, Happiness Increases

A three-year German experiment provided 122 participants with a monthly unconditional basic income of €1,200. Surprisingly, participants didn't reduce their working hours; instead, job satisfaction increased, and they were more likely to change jobs or pursue further education. The study showed that unconditional basic income didn't decrease economic activity but improved participants' mental and physical health, particularly for women, who experienced a greater sense of autonomy. This experiment challenges the conventional wisdom that basic income discourages work and offers valuable insights for future policy decisions.

(www.cnn.com)

Misc

Xerox's $1.5B Gamble: Acquiring Lexmark in a Shrinking Print Market

2025-07-02

Xerox's $1.5B Gamble: Acquiring Lexmark in a Shrinking Print Market

In a surprising move, Xerox has acquired Lexmark for $1.5 billion, a deal that includes debt and liabilities. This acquisition pulls Lexmark from Chinese ownership and into a restructured Xerox, positioning the company as a top player in print services. However, in a world increasingly dominated by digital workflows, Xerox's bet on the declining print market is a risky one. While Lexmark brings a strong global presence and managed services business, the success of this merger hinges on the continued relevance of paper documents in industries like healthcare and finance. It's a bold gamble in a fading industry, a fight for dominance in the remaining enterprise printing sector.

(nerds.xyz)

Tech M&A

Polycompiler: Merging Python and JS into a Single File

2025-05-07

Polycompiler: Merging Python and JS into a Single File

Polycompiler is an experimental project that attempts to merge arbitrary Python and JavaScript code into a single source file. Using clever lambda expressions and the `eval` function, Polycompiler selectively executes either Python or JavaScript code depending on the runtime environment (Python or Node.js). For example, a single code snippet prints 'Hello JS' in Node.js and 'Hello Python' in Python. While still a work in progress, this project offers a potential solution for single-file applications targeting both Python and JavaScript audiences.

(github.com)

Development

NZ Sheep Farmer Predicted AI Doom 161 Years Ago

2025-01-14

NZ Sheep Farmer Predicted AI Doom 161 Years Ago

In 1863, New Zealand sheep farmer Samuel Butler penned a letter predicting a future where AI could dominate humanity. Drawing parallels between the rapid advancement of machinery and Darwinian evolution, he envisioned machines evolving consciousness and supplanting humans as Earth's dominant species. His concerns, including machine consciousness, self-replication, and humanity losing control of its creations, resonate in later works like Asimov's *The Evitable Conflict* and *The Matrix*. Butler's prescient warnings, made in a time with almost no computing technology, highlight enduring anxieties about AI safety and strikingly mirror current concerns about advanced AI's potential risks.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech

NYC Subway Crime Plummets Despite Ridership Surge

2025-02-06

NYC Subway Crime Plummets Despite Ridership Surge

Subway crime in New York City dropped by 36% in January 2025, with only 147 reported crimes compared to 231 the previous year. This significant decrease comes despite a substantial increase in ridership due to the implementation of congestion pricing. Mayor Eric Adams attributes this success to the deployment of 1,200 additional NYPD officers throughout the subway system and 300 more patrolling overnight trains, creating a more visible police presence. Governor Kathy Hochul's $77 million initiative to place a uniformed officer on every overnight train further supports this effort. The results suggest that increased police presence is effectively contributing to improved subway safety.

(www.amny.com)

Tech Subway Safety Crime Reduction Increased Policing

C Code with Only `#define` Directives: Black Magic Fire Animation

2025-02-20

This article details how the author created a fire animation program using only the `#define` directive in C. This seemingly impossible task was accomplished by cleverly using the text replacement capabilities of macro definitions, token concatenation, and recursive call techniques. The result is a simulation of fire burning and spreading, demonstrating the power of the C preprocessor and its 'Turing completeness'. The article also highlights the potential risks and problems of improper macro use.

(ssloy.github.io)

Development preprocessor

SmolLM3: A Tiny, Multilingual, Long-Context Reasoner

2025-07-09

SmolLM3: A Tiny, Multilingual, Long-Context Reasoner

SmolLM3 is a fully open-source 3B parameter multilingual language model that strikes a compelling balance between efficiency and performance. Outperforming Llama-3.2-3B and Qwen2.5-3B on various benchmarks, it even competes with larger 4B parameter models. Supporting 6 languages and boasting a context length of up to 128k tokens, SmolLM3 features a unique dual-mode reasoning capability (think/no_think). Beyond the model itself, the researchers are releasing the complete engineering blueprint, including architecture details, data mixtures, and training methodology—a valuable resource for anyone building or studying models at this scale.

(huggingface.co)

AI long context

Model Context Protocol (MCP): The USB-C Moment for AI?

2025-03-26

Model Context Protocol (MCP): The USB-C Moment for AI?

Anthropic's Model Context Protocol (MCP), released in late 2024, is taking the AI world by storm. Think of it as the USB-C of AI integrations: it allows Large Language Models (LLMs) like Claude or ChatGPT to seamlessly communicate with external data sources and tools (Obsidian, Gmail, calendars, etc.) without needing a million custom integrations. MCP uses a three-tier architecture—hosts, clients, and servers—to enable secure and reliable data access and action triggering, significantly simplifying development and spawning innovative applications. Examples include connecting LLMs to personal databases, code repositories, and even real-time stock data. MCP's open-source nature has made it a hot topic in the developer community, integrated into numerous AI apps, and heralds a revolutionary shift in how we interact with AI applications.

(pieces.app)

AI

The Quirky Tales of Green Bank Observatory: Old Cars, Starry Skies, and RFI Battles

2025-03-10

The Quirky Tales of Green Bank Observatory: Old Cars, Starry Skies, and RFI Battles

This concluding part of a series recounts the unique challenges and triumphs of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) in Green Bank, West Virginia. From its fleet of antique diesel cars, necessary to avoid radio frequency interference (RFI), to its simple teaching telescope used for educational outreach, the story reveals the dedication and ingenuity of NRAO's staff. The article details the intricacies of the observatory's 40-foot telescope, the massive Green Bank Telescope (GBT), and the RFI monitoring station, while highlighting the harmonious relationship cultivated between NRAO and the local community, even amidst historical conflicts and ongoing battles against RFI from various sources, including military aircraft.

(raoulpop.com)

Tech Radio Astronomy

Is AGI Here? No, It's 'Jagged AGI'

2025-04-20

Is AGI Here? No, It's 'Jagged AGI'

Recent AI models like OpenAI's o3 and Google's Gemini 2.5 Pro show stunning advancements, even completing complex tasks like marketing campaigns and website building. Economist Tyler Cowen suggests this signifies the arrival of AGI. However, the article argues these AIs exhibit uneven capabilities, excelling in some areas while failing at simple ones – a concept termed 'Jagged AGI'. This uncertainty makes the definition and impact of AGI unclear, suggesting its application and societal integration could be a lengthy process, or potentially see rapid adoption. The future remains uncertain.

(www.oneusefulthing.org)

AI

From Dallas's Disappearance to the Rise of D&D: A Game-Fueled Cultural Phenomenon

2025-05-24

In 1979, the disappearance of teenage prodigy James Dallas Egbert III sparked a media frenzy linking his vanishing to the then-new game Dungeons & Dragons. Celebrity detective William Dear's investigation fueled the fire, leading to widespread panic and ultimately, unexpected popularity for the game. This article recounts the author's personal journey into the world of D&D, starting at age 11, and explores the game's fascinating history, from its origins to its current mainstream status, weaving together a compelling narrative about games, culture, and social phenomena.

(timharford.com)

Game Game Culture Social Phenomenon

Homebrew Channel Source Code Repository Reveals Massive Copyright Infringement

2025-04-29

Homebrew Channel Source Code Repository Reveals Massive Copyright Infringement

The source code repository for the Wii homebrew software, The Homebrew Channel, has been released, but its core library, libogc, has been exposed for massive copyright infringement. The libogc developers not only stole proprietary Nintendo code but also an open-source RTOS, RTEMS, removing all attribution and copyright information. The developers ignored inquiries, even resorting to abuse and deleting comments to avoid accountability. Due to the severity of the copyright issues, the project is archived and further development is discouraged. The incident underscores the importance of respecting copyright and adhering to legal regulations.

(github.com)

Development

India's Frankenstein Laptops: A Thriving Repair Ecosystem and its Challenges

2025-04-08

India's Frankenstein Laptops: A Thriving Repair Ecosystem and its Challenges

In Delhi's bustling Nehru Place, technicians are repurposing discarded laptop parts to create affordable "Frankenstein" laptops for students and small businesses. This vibrant repair culture clashes with planned obsolescence by tech giants, highlighting the complexities of India's e-waste recycling. While providing jobs and cheap tech, informal recycling poses safety risks. Government discussions on "right-to-repair" laws are underway, but progress is slow. These repaired laptops illuminate India's digital divide, challenging both tech companies and the government to address the issue.

(www.theverge.com)

Tech

MeshCore: A Lightweight LoRa Mesh Networking Library

2025-04-15

MeshCore: A Lightweight LoRa Mesh Networking Library

MeshCore is a lightweight, portable C++ library enabling multi-hop packet routing for embedded projects using LoRa and other packet radios. Designed for resilient, decentralized networks operating without internet access, it supports various LoRa devices and offers pre-built binaries for easy flashing via tools like Adafruit ESPTool. MeshCore balances simplicity and scalability, providing functionality similar to Meshtastic and Reticulum but with a focus on embedded applications. Ideal for off-grid communication, emergency response, and IoT deployments.

(github.com)

Development Mesh Networking

TVMC: Time-Varying Mesh Compression using Volume-Tracked Reference Meshes

2025-04-10

TVMC: Time-Varying Mesh Compression using Volume-Tracked Reference Meshes

The TVMC project introduces a novel approach to time-varying mesh compression. It leverages volume-tracked reference meshes, employing a multi-step pipeline including ARAP volume tracking, MDS for reference center generation, transformation quaternion computation, creation of a volume-tracked self-contact-free reference mesh, mesh deformation, displacement field computation, and Draco-based compression and evaluation. The project supports Windows and Ubuntu, offering detailed Docker build and run instructions alongside instructions for running on a local machine.

(github.com)

Development mesh compression volume tracking

WinBoat: Run Windows Apps Seamlessly on Linux

2025-09-02

WinBoat: Run Windows Apps Seamlessly on Linux

WinBoat, currently in beta, lets you run Windows apps on your Linux penguin with seamless integration. Boasting a sleek interface and automated installation, it allows you to run almost any Windows application as native OS-level windows within your Linux environment. Access the full Windows desktop or integrate individual apps into your workflow. File sharing between Windows and Linux is also simplified. While requiring specific system resources (RAM, CPU, storage, KVM, Docker, FreeRDP), WinBoat offers a compelling solution for cross-platform compatibility. Contributions and feedback are welcome!

(github.com)

Development

NYC Subway Uses Pixel Phones and AI to Revolutionize Track Inspections

2025-02-28

NYC Subway Uses Pixel Phones and AI to Revolutionize Track Inspections

The MTA is testing TrackInspect, a revolutionary system using Google Pixel phones mounted on subway cars. The phones' microphones and motion sensors collect vibration and sound data, which is then AI-analyzed on Google Cloud to pinpoint track defects. The pilot program yielded 335 million sensor readings, and AI accurately identified 92% of defects confirmed by human inspectors. This innovative approach promises fewer delays, faster repairs, and a more reliable subway system, potentially transforming track inspections across the network.

(betanews.com)

Tech

Stop Letting ChatGPT Kill Your Management Career

2025-05-26

Stop Letting ChatGPT Kill Your Management Career

It's performance review season, and many managers are using ChatGPT to write performance assessments – a shortcut that will hinder their growth. The article argues that AI is a tool, not an abstraction layer; over-reliance on AI restricts managers from developing essential skills. True management requires precision, empathy, and strategic thinking. AI cannot replace face-to-face interactions crucial for learning and improving management abilities. The author suggests using AI for repetitive tasks or those with absolute answers, but for ambiguous situations involving human behavior, manual work is essential for learning and growth in management.

(staysaasy.com)

Misc Management Skills

DIY 10MHz-15GHz VNA: Outperforming Cheap Commercial Models

2025-04-15

DIY 10MHz-15GHz VNA: Outperforming Cheap Commercial Models

The author designed and built a 10MHz-15GHz vector network analyzer (VNA) that outperforms all existing low-cost VNAs. This four-receiver VNA supports advanced calibration methods like unknown-thru calibration and boasts over 120dB isolation. The article details the design process, covering architecture, directional couplers, receiver, ADC, FPGA, PCB design, and CNC-machined enclosure. Testing demonstrates excellent measurement accuracy and stability, accurately characterizing devices like bandpass filters and varactor diodes. While couplers require manual assembly, the total component cost is around $300 (excluding taxes and shipping), showcasing exceptional value.

(hforsten.com)

Hardware Vector Network Analyzer Hardware Design High-Frequency Measurement

arXivLabs: Experimental Projects with Community Collaborators

2025-02-08

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

(arxiv.org)

Development

BitChat: Open-Source, Offline, Encrypted Messaging via Bluetooth Mesh

2025-07-07

BitChat: Open-Source, Offline, Encrypted Messaging via Bluetooth Mesh

BitChat is a secure, decentralized, peer-to-peer messaging app built on Bluetooth mesh networks. No internet, servers, or phone numbers are required; just pure encrypted communication using X25519 key exchange and AES-256-GCM. Features include room-based chats (with optional password protection), offline message storage and forwarding, and a strong focus on privacy (no accounts, phone numbers, or persistent identifiers). BitChat offers native support for iOS and macOS, incorporating performance optimizations like LZ4 compression and adaptive battery modes. The project is open-source and designed for cross-platform compatibility.

(github.com)

Development Bluetooth Mesh Decentralized

Google Earth AI: Tackling Global Challenges with AI

2025-07-31

Google Earth AI: Tackling Global Challenges with AI

Google unveils Google Earth AI, a collection of geospatial models and datasets designed to help individuals, businesses, and organizations address the planet's most critical challenges. AlphaEarth Foundations, also announced today, is a component of Google Earth AI. Building on recent Geospatial Reasoning efforts, Google Earth AI includes models for detailed weather prediction, flood forecasting, and wildfire detection. Other models improve urban planning and public health by providing insights into imagery, population dynamics, and urban mobility. These models power features used by millions, such as flood and wildfire alerts in Search and Maps, and provide actionable insights through Google Earth, Google Maps Platform, and Google Cloud. Google is committed to continuing this work, providing the information needed to solve some of the biggest challenges of our time.

(blog.google)

AI

Emacs Org Mode for Automated Checklists: Ditching Scripts for Efficiency

2025-02-15

The author shares their experience using Emacs Org Mode and the org-checklist.el plugin to manage recurring workflows. They prefer using checklists with checkboxes over automated scripts due to checklists' flexibility and ease of updates. The org-checklist.el plugin automatically resets checkboxes in the list and records execution time. Combined with Git version control, this achieves efficient management of repetitive tasks and avoids redundant data.

(www.naiquev.in)

Development

GPU-Accelerated RNNs: A CUDA Implementation of minGRU and minLSTM

2025-09-21

This blog post details a final project for Caltech's CS179: GPU Programming, verifying the claims of Feng et al.'s paper, “Were RNNs All We Needed?” The project implemented simplified minGRU and minLSTM models and a custom CUDA parallel scan algorithm. Results showed significant GPU speedups for long sequences, validating the paper's core finding that RNN recurrence can be parallelized. However, for short sequences, CUDA kernel launch overhead negated some performance gains. GPU kernel profiling revealed the final projection layer as the primary bottleneck, suggesting further optimization via a single cuBLAS GEMM call.

(dhruvmsheth.github.io)

Development parallel algorithms

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