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Hospital Workers' Dexterity Assessed: Surgeons Show Superior Skill, But Also More Swearing

2024-12-28
Hospital Workers' Dexterity Assessed: Surgeons Show Superior Skill, But Also More Swearing

A prospective study of 254 hospital staff members found that surgeons significantly outperformed other roles in a manual dexterity test using a 'buzz wire' game, achieving an 84% success rate. However, surgeons also displayed a higher rate of swearing during the task. Nurses and non-clinical staff showed lower success rates but expressed audible frustration more frequently. The findings highlight the diverse skill sets across hospital roles and suggest incorporating similar dexterity games into future training to improve both skill and stress management.

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(www.bmj.com)
Tech manual dexterity hospital staff surgeons

Quantum Teleportation Achieved Over Busy Internet Cables for the First Time

2024-12-27
Quantum Teleportation Achieved Over Busy Internet Cables for the First Time

Northwestern University engineers have achieved a breakthrough by successfully demonstrating quantum teleportation over a fiber optic cable already carrying internet traffic. This discovery, published in Optica, opens the door to integrating quantum communication with existing internet infrastructure, significantly simplifying the requirements for advanced sensing and quantum computing applications. The team cleverly navigated the challenge of entangled photons interfering with dense internet traffic by selecting an optimal wavelength and employing special filters. This successful transmission paves the way for next-generation quantum and classical networks sharing a unified fiber optic infrastructure, promising a future of more accessible quantum technologies.

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(news.northwestern.edu)
Tech quantum teleportation quantum communication fiber optic networks fiber optic network

EmacsConf 2024: A Smoothly Run Online Conference

2024-12-28

EmacsConf 2024 successfully concluded! This post, written by Sacha Chua, reflects on the conference's preparation, execution, and lessons learned. From the call for proposals to the final presentations, organizers cleverly used automation tools (Org mode, emacsconf-mail.el, Ansible, etc.) to boost efficiency and leveraged technologies like BigBlueButton and WhisperX for a smooth experience. While technical challenges (BBB server configuration, audio syncing) arose, they were effectively addressed. Sacha shares insights into time management, volunteer coordination, and future improvements, showcasing dedication to the open-source community.

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(sachachua.com)
Development online conference

Can Iterative Prompting Make LLMs Write Better Code?

2025-01-03
Can Iterative Prompting Make LLMs Write Better Code?

This blog post details an experiment exploring whether repeatedly prompting a Large Language Model (LLM) to "write better code" improves code quality. Using Claude 3.5 Sonnet, the author starts with a simple Python coding problem and iteratively prompts the LLM. Performance improves dramatically, achieving a 100x speedup. However, simple iterative prompting leads to over-engineering. Precise prompt engineering yields far more efficient code. The experiment shows LLMs can assist code optimization, but human intervention and expertise remain crucial for quality and efficiency.

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(minimaxir.com)
Development Code Optimization Prompt Engineering

A Programmer's Lesson: Always Bundle a Proposal with a Complaint

2024-12-27
A Programmer's Lesson: Always Bundle a Proposal with a Complaint

In 1988 at Apple, a young, cocky engineer, Kent Beck, was summoned to Jean-Louis Gassée's office after sending an email complaining about a company decision. Instead of anger, Gassée challenged Beck to consider his perspective and rewrite the email as a proposal for a solution. This experience taught Beck three valuable lessons: most problems aren't as big as they seem; always include a solution with a complaint; and effective communication requires empathy. This anecdote highlights crucial workplace communication skills and the importance of understanding different viewpoints.

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(tidyfirst.substack.com)
Development workplace communication proposal empathy

W3C HTML Working Group: Driving HTML Standard Evolution

2024-12-26
W3C HTML Working Group: Driving HTML Standard Evolution

The W3C HTML Working Group is dedicated to bringing WHATWG's HTML and DOM review drafts to W3C Recommendations. This group comprises global experts collaboratively ensuring the continued evolution and improvement of HTML standards to meet the ever-changing needs of the web. The group features a defined mission, participation process, and patent policy, and regularly publishes updates and event information.

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(www.w3.org)
Development HTML standard Web standards

Mullvad VPN 2024 Year in Review: Enhanced Security and Privacy

2024-12-25
Mullvad VPN 2024 Year in Review: Enhanced Security and Privacy

Mullvad VPN's 2024 review highlights significant advancements in user privacy and security. Key achievements include migrating the support email inbox to self-hosted hardware, launching DAITA technology for enhanced traffic obfuscation, adding multi-hop connections and ShadowSocks support across all platforms, and completing multiple security audits of both VPN servers and apps. Additionally, Mullvad ran traditional outdoor advertising campaigns to raise awareness of mass surveillance.

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(mullvad.net)
Tech

Minimalist Exercise Tracker: One HTML File for Weekly Workouts

2024-12-27
Minimalist Exercise Tracker: One HTML File for Weekly Workouts

exerciseminimilism is a minimalist exercise tracker built with a single HTML file and browser local storage. It tracks seven sets of fixed daily exercises for a week, focusing on simplicity to encourage consistent use. Only today's workout and the previous day's weight are displayed. No complex features or configuration are included. You can customize exercises by editing the HTML file; a simple timer helps track rest periods. Data is stored locally in the browser, eliminating the need for accounts. It's simple, easy to use, and compatible with most modern browsers.

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(github.com)
Misc exercise tracking local storage

Japanese Firms Demo Unforgeable Quantum Tokens

2024-12-25
Japanese Firms Demo Unforgeable Quantum Tokens

In response to the challenges posed by quantum computing to traditional encryption methods, Mitsui, NEC, and Quantinuum in Japan successfully demonstrated the technology of transmitting and redeeming quantum tokens over a 10-kilometer fiber optic network. This technology leverages quantum key distribution (QKD), exploiting the fragility of quantum data to achieve unforgeability, single-use properties, and local validation of tokens, offering a novel secure solution for financial transactions and asset management. This breakthrough marks a significant step towards commercial applications of quantum token technology.

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(spectrum.ieee.org)
Tech quantum tokens quantum key distribution

38C3: Illegal Instructions - Chaos Communication Congress Explores Tech and Society

2024-12-29

The 38th Chaos Communication Congress (38C3), themed "Illegal Instructions," will take place in Hamburg from December 27th to 30th, 2024. This four-day conference, organized by the Chaos Computer Club (CCC), will feature talks and workshops on technology, society, and utopia. Topics range from hardware hacking and security to ethical and political discussions surrounding technological advancements. From liberating Wi-Fi on ESP32 to breaking Apple's new iPhone remote control feature and examining the EU's digital identity systems, 38C3 promises a diverse program sparking debate about technological ethics and societal responsibility.

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(media.ccc.de)
Tech Society

Arcan 0.7 Released: The All-Tomato Desktop Update Arrives

2024-12-26
Arcan 0.7 Released: The All-Tomato Desktop Update Arrives

Arcan 0.7 marks the end of the second phase of the 'anarchy on the desktop' project and the beginning of the final phase. This release focuses on bug fixes and improvements to Lash#Cat9 and Xarcan. Lash#Cat9, a Lua-based command-line environment, adds features such as a Debug Adapter Protocol implementation and an interactive spreadsheet. Xarcan allows for custom window managers, utilizing Arcan as a display driver and enabling interoperability with X servers. Arcan 0.7 aims to improve performance and security, with future versions planned to feature more flexible remote programming and simpler device connection.

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(arcan-fe.com)
Development

Music Publishers and AI Giant Anthropic Reach Copyright Deal

2025-01-03
Music Publishers and AI Giant Anthropic Reach Copyright Deal

Major music publishers sued Anthropic, an AI company backed by Amazon, for copyright infringement due to the use of copyrighted song lyrics in training its AI chatbot, Claude. A settlement has been reached requiring Anthropic to strengthen its copyright guardrails, preventing Claude from generating copyrighted lyrics. This landmark agreement marks a significant step in the ongoing debate about AI's use of copyrighted material and sets a precedent for future legal battles in this rapidly evolving field.

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(www.hollywoodreporter.com)
Tech Music Copyright

Real-time ISS Urine Tank Monitor App Launched

2024-12-24
Real-time ISS Urine Tank Monitor App Launched

A developer has created pISSStream, a macOS menu bar app that displays the fill level of the International Space Station's urine tank in real time. While not perfect in terms of coding style, the app's unique concept provides a lighthearted look at a detail of life in space. The developer stated they will not be adding any other data, focusing solely on the urine tank's fill level.

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(github.com)
Development macOS app International Space Station real-time data

GreptimeDB: A Deep Dive into Error Handling for Large Rust Projects

2024-12-19
GreptimeDB: A Deep Dive into Error Handling for Large Rust Projects

This GreptimeDB blog post delves into their error handling practices within large Rust projects. It details how they built a cheaper, more accurate error stack to replace system backtraces, how they organize errors in large projects, and how they present errors differently to logs and end-users. GreptimeDB leverages the snafu crate for error management and implements a "virtual user stack." This approach proves more efficient and memory-friendly than system backtraces, providing clearer, more understandable error messages for both developers and end-users.

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(greptime.com)
Development

Ars Technica's Guide to Mechanical Keyboards: A Clickety-Clack Adventure

2024-12-28
Ars Technica's Guide to Mechanical Keyboards: A Clickety-Clack Adventure

Confused about buying a mechanical keyboard? Ars Technica's comprehensive guide navigates the complexities. Learn about keyboard sizes (full-size, TKL, 60%, etc.), switch types (linear, tactile, clicky), keycap materials (ABS, PBT), backlighting options, and advanced features like N-key rollover and macro support. The guide clarifies each element with illustrations and examples, catering to both beginners and enthusiasts seeking their perfect keyboard.

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(arstechnica.com)
Hardware mechanical keyboards keyboard buying guide mechanical switches

Camembert Cheese May Improve Cognitive Decline

2024-12-27
Camembert Cheese May Improve Cognitive Decline

A new study has found that fatty acid amides present in Camembert cheese can improve cognitive decline in mice. Researchers used the object recognition test and found that orally administered Camembert cheese improved cognitive decline induced by a high-fat diet. Further investigation revealed that myristamide (MA), a fatty acid amide produced during Camembert cheese fermentation, improved cognitive decline, while its non-amidated counterpart, myristic acid, did not. This suggests that fatty acid amidation may be crucial for this physiological activity. Furthermore, MA increased the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus.

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(www.sciencedirect.com)
AI Camembert cheese cognitive decline fatty acid amides

A Once-Forbidden Fruit: The Secret Ingredient to Delicious Christmas Punch

2024-12-29
A Once-Forbidden Fruit: The Secret Ingredient to Delicious Christmas Punch

Making the traditional Mexican Christmas punch, Ponche Navideño, was once hampered by import restrictions on a key ingredient: tejocotes. These small, golden fruits, with their unique aroma and high pectin content, give the punch its distinctive flavor and thickness and are considered a symbol of Christmas in Mexico. For a long time, US customs prohibited their import due to concerns about fruit flies, leading to a black market for the rare fruit. However, in 2015, the USDA finally lifted the ban, making this festive drink much easier to make in the US. Now, tejocotes are readily available across the US, allowing people to enjoy this unique Christmas beverage that blends flavors from Africa, Asia, and the Americas.

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(www.atlasobscura.com)
Misc Christmas Punch Tejocotes Mexican Culture

OKRs: Tool or Trap?

2024-12-25
OKRs: Tool or Trap?

This article explores the duality of OKRs (Objectives and Key Results). The author points out that many companies misuse OKRs for performance reviews, leading teams to overemphasize measurable metrics while neglecting the actual objectives and external effects. The author uses the example of Alexa to illustrate how blindly pursuing key results can be counterproductive. In contrast, Honeycomb uses OKRs as a tool for communication and reflection, treating key results as clues to observe the world and improve work, rather than ultimate judgment criteria, thus avoiding metric distortion.

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(jessitron.com)
Development OKRs performance review goal management

Doctolib's Agentic AI: Reimagining Healthcare Support

2025-01-03
Doctolib's Agentic AI: Reimagining Healthcare Support

Doctolib is building Alfred, an agentic AI system to augment its healthcare support team. Composed of specialized AI agents, Alfred handles routine queries, freeing human agents for complex cases. Employing a human-in-the-loop approach, Alfred prevents AI from directly executing sensitive actions. A carefully designed UI ensures a smooth user experience. Built on the LangGraph framework, Alfred uses JWTs for secure authentication and user permission propagation. Currently focused on managing doctor calendar access, Doctolib plans to expand Alfred's capabilities to other support scenarios.

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(medium.com)
AI Healthcare Agentic AI

egui: An Immediate Mode GUI in Rust

2024-12-26

egui is a lightweight and efficient immediate mode GUI (graphical user interface) library written in Rust. Its clean and simple API allows developers to rapidly build interactive interfaces. Unlike traditional retained-mode GUIs, egui redraws the entire UI every frame, leading to more flexible layouts and simpler state management. This makes it ideal for games, data visualization, and applications requiring high responsiveness. Its ease of use and powerful features make egui a compelling choice for Rust developers building GUIs.

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(www.egui.rs)
Development

MoonBit Compiler Goes Open Source: A High-Performance Language for WebAssembly

2024-12-19
MoonBit Compiler Goes Open Source: A High-Performance Language for WebAssembly

After two years of development, the MoonBit compiler, including its Wasm backend, is now open source! MoonBit aims to be a WebAssembly-optimized programming language, known for its speed, compactness, and ease of use. This release uses a modified SSPL license, allowing users to freely choose the license for their generated artifacts and permitting modifications to the compiler for non-commercial purposes. The team chose this license to maintain stability while the project is still in beta and to prevent large cloud vendors from misusing their work. In the future, MoonBit plans to open source more components and generate revenue through hosting services and hardware SDKs, aiming to build a vibrant community ecosystem.

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(www.moonbitlang.com)
Development Open Source Compiler

Explaining Large Language Model Decisions Using Shapley Values

2024-12-28
Explaining Large Language Model Decisions Using Shapley Values

Large language models (LLMs) offer exciting possibilities for simulating human behavior, but their decision-making processes lack transparency. This paper introduces a novel approach based on Shapley values to interpret LLM behavior and quantify the contribution of each prompt component to the model's output. Through two applications, the study reveals that LLM decisions are susceptible to "token noise," where the model disproportionately reacts to tokens with minimal informative content. This raises concerns about the robustness and generalizability of insights from LLMs in simulating human behavior, highlighting the need for careful prompt engineering and a nuanced understanding of their limitations when used in research.

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(arxiv.org)
AI Shapley Values Explainability

Rust Compiler: A Query-Based Incremental Compilation Architecture

2024-12-13

To address the efficiency issues of traditional pipeline-based compilation, the Rust compiler employs a query-based incremental compilation architecture. This architecture breaks down the compilation process into a series of interdependent queries, utilizing a compilation database to cache intermediate results. This allows recompilation only of necessary code sections. Similar to a build system's dependency management, this significantly improves compilation speed, especially beneficial in scenarios like IDE integration. While introducing complexity, this approach offers a more stable and efficient incremental compilation experience for Rust compared to gradual improvements to traditional methods, now default for development builds.

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(lwn.net)
3
Development Compiler Incremental Compilation

Repurposing Old Smartphones as Kubernetes Cluster Nodes with postmarketOS

2024-12-13
Repurposing Old Smartphones as Kubernetes Cluster Nodes with postmarketOS

The author built a functional Kubernetes cluster using discarded smartphones and the postmarketOS operating system. The article details the process, including the reasons for choosing old smartphones (substantial computing power, built-in batteries), the advantages of postmarketOS (Alpine Linux-based, uses the mainline Linux kernel), and challenges encountered during setup (kernel modules, network configuration). Solutions to these challenges are thoroughly explained. The author successfully repurposed old smartphones as Kubernetes nodes, efficiently utilizing resources and promoting sustainability.

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(blog.denv.it)
4
Development smartphone repurposing

US Government Mandates Code Sharing to Save Billions

2024-12-27

President Biden signed the SHARE IT Act into law, requiring US federal agencies to share custom-developed source code to reduce redundant software development costs. The act aims to save approximately $12 billion annually by publicly listing and sharing custom code, preventing agencies from unknowingly paying for duplicate work. The law excludes classified code, national security systems, and code posing privacy risks if shared. The initiative has garnered support from software companies like Atlassian and GitLab, who believe code sharing promotes efficiency and innovation.

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(fedscoop.com)
Tech code sharing government software cost savings

Electric Car Batteries Outlast Expectations, Potentially Lasting 20+ Years

2024-12-24
Electric Car Batteries Outlast Expectations, Potentially Lasting 20+ Years

Studies of thousands of electric vehicles reveal that EV batteries are lasting far longer than anticipated, potentially exceeding 20 years. Contrary to the common belief that EV batteries require expensive replacements after a few years, research shows they can retain 87% of their original capacity even after 300,000 kilometers. This is largely attributed to less frequent charging and improvements in battery management systems. While rapid charging and hot climates accelerate battery degradation, the overall trend is positive, with some models showing an annual degradation rate of just 1.8%. This could significantly disrupt the automotive industry, as EVs offer lower maintenance costs and longer lifespans, potentially revolutionizing the traditional 15-year car lifespan.

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(www.wired.com)
Tech electric vehicles battery lifespan battery management systems

Mastodon Discussion on Melbourne Train Control System Glitch

2024-12-29

A Mastodon user, Dervishe the Grey, posted about a glitch in the Melbourne Train Control System. The post highlights the system's issues and suggests users enable JavaScript or use native Mastodon apps. This sparked a conversation about system stability and user experience, showcasing the impact of public transport technology failures and social media's role in information dissemination.

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(mastodon.sdf.org)
Tech Melbourne Trains System Glitch

Design Space for Code Search Queries: ast-grep's Innovative Approach

2024-12-26
Design Space for Code Search Queries: ast-grep's Innovative Approach

ast-grep is an Abstract Syntax Tree (AST)-based code search tool designed for ease of use, expressiveness, and precision. This blog post delves into the design space of code search queries, categorizing them into informal queries, formal queries based on existing programming languages, formal queries using custom languages, and hybrid queries. Each type's strengths and weaknesses are analyzed. ast-grep employs a hybrid approach, allowing users to write queries using familiar programming language syntax and offering more powerful expressiveness through YAML configuration files or a programmatic API for precise code search.

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(ast-grep.github.io)
Development code search query design

Radxa Orion O6: World's First Open-Source Armv9 Motherboard Debuts

2024-12-20
Radxa Orion O6: World's First Open-Source Armv9 Motherboard Debuts

Radxa, in collaboration with partners, has unveiled the Radxa Orion O6, claimed as the world's first open-source Armv9 motherboard—more accurately, a single-board computer (SBC). Powered by CIX's CD8180 SoC, it boasts 12 CPU cores (including four Cortex-A720 cores up to 2.8GHz) and an Arm Immortalis G720 GPU, offering impressive performance with 8K video decoding and encoding capabilities and a 30 TOPS NPU. RAM options range from 8GB to 64GB (soldered DDR5-5500). The board is packed with I/O, including multiple M.2 slots, a PCIe x16 slot, and multi-gigabit Ethernet. Currently supporting Debian and Fedora Linux, with Windows and Android support planned. Pricing starts at $200 for the 8GB model.

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(www.tomshardware.com)
Hardware Single-Board Computer Open-Source Hardware
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