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Elixir/Erlang Hot Code Swapping: Zero-Downtime Deployments

2024-12-13

This article delves into Elixir/Erlang's hot code swapping capabilities, enabling the loading and unloading of code at runtime without requiring system restarts for application upgrades. A simple KV module example demonstrates manual hot swapping, while iex's c/1 and r/1 commands, and the Relups tool, are introduced for easier application and release upgrade management. The article explains Erlang applications, releases, appups, and relups, detailing the use of the Distillery tool to generate application releases and upgrade releases, ultimately achieving zero-downtime deployments and preventing service interruptions.

(kennyballou.com)

Development hot code swapping

Nepenthes: A Web Crawler Tarpit

2025-01-16

Nepenthes is a tool designed to trap web crawlers, particularly those scraping data for LLMs. It generates an endless sequence of pages, each with dozens of links leading back into the tarpit. Pages are randomly generated deterministically, appearing as unchanging static files. Intentional delays prevent crawlers from bogging down your server and waste their time. Optional Markov babble can be added, giving crawlers data to hopefully accelerate model collapse. Warning: This consumes significant CPU, especially with the Markov module enabled. Use with caution.

(zadzmo.org)

Development anti-crawler

Swift Interop with Erlang's Distributed Actors: A Seamless Solution

2025-07-23

Swift Interop with Erlang's Distributed Actors: A Seamless Solution

A new actor system, `swift-erlang-actor-system`, enables Swift programs to seamlessly integrate with Erlang's distributed clusters. By wrapping Erlang's C node functionality, developers can use Swift's distributed actors to communicate with Erlang nodes. The system cleverly uses the @StableNames macro to address name mangling issues in cross-language remote calls and supports custom transport protocols. This provides an elegant solution for Swift and Erlang interoperability and paves the way for running Elixir applications on iOS and other Apple platforms.

(forums.swift.org)

Development Distributed Actors

Will Software Abstraction Kill Civilization? Debunking a Game Dev's Controversial Claim

2025-02-08

Game developer Jonathan Blow argues that software abstraction will lead to the end of civilization, claiming that excessive abstraction leads to the loss of low-level programming knowledge, ultimately jeopardizing the maintenance of critical software. This article meticulously refutes Blow's claims, highlighting numerous errors and misconceptions in his arguments, such as the misuse of the "five nines" (99.999% uptime) metric and an underestimation of modern software robustness and developer productivity. The author contends that while excessive abstraction does pose problems, software and hardware technology continues to advance, and the proliferation of open-source communities and educational resources are cultivating new low-level developers. Ultimately, the author suggests Blow's perspective is rooted more in personal experience and nostalgia than objective facts.

(datagubbe.se)

Development software abstraction civilization

Programming in Lua (First Edition) Online

2025-01-17

The online version of the first edition of "Programming in Lua," a comprehensive guide to Lua programming by its chief architect, Roberto Ierusalimschy, is now available. This detailed resource covers all aspects of Lua, from language fundamentals to data structures, standard libraries, and the C API. While written for Lua 5.0, it remains largely relevant for later versions. All errata have been incorporated into this online edition, which is freely available for personal use.

(www.lua.org)

Development Tutorial

Anna's Archive MCP Server: Search and Download Documents

2025-07-10

Anna's Archive MCP Server: Search and Download Documents

This is an MCP server for searching and downloading documents from Anna's Archive. It allows searching for documents matching specified terms and downloading specific documents previously returned by the search tool. The software explicitly disclaims endorsement of unauthorized acquisition of copyrighted material and should be considered solely a utility. Users are urged to respect intellectual property rights. Requires two environment variables: ANNAS_SECRET_KEY (API key) and ANNAS_DOWNLOAD_PATH (download path).

(github.com)

Development document search document download

Apple Unveils iPhone 16e: A Powerful, Affordable New iPhone

2025-02-19

Apple Unveils iPhone 16e: A Powerful, Affordable New iPhone

Apple announced the iPhone 16e, a new addition to the iPhone 16 lineup offering powerful features at a more accessible price. Powered by the A18 chip and Apple's new C1 cellular modem, it boasts impressive performance and battery life. The iPhone 16e is built for Apple Intelligence, a privacy-focused AI system with features like the Clean Up tool for image editing and natural language photo search. A 48MP 2-in-1 camera system provides high-quality photos and videos, and satellite connectivity ensures users stay connected even without cellular or Wi-Fi coverage. Pre-orders begin February 21st.

(www.apple.com)

Tech Smartphone

ChatGPT-4o Used to Create Fake Passport in 5 Minutes, Bypassing KYC

2025-04-06

ChatGPT-4o Used to Create Fake Passport in 5 Minutes, Bypassing KYC

Security researcher Borys Musielak demonstrated the creation of a realistic fake passport using ChatGPT-4o in just five minutes, bypassing automated KYC checks. This highlights vulnerabilities in digital ID verification systems relying solely on photo and selfie matching. The fake passport successfully bypassed basic KYC checks on platforms like Revolut and Binance. Musielak warned of increased risks of identity theft and fraudulent account creation. Following the demonstration, ChatGPT blocked similar prompts. Experts advocate for stronger defenses, such as NFC-based verification and eIDs.

(securityaffairs.com)

Tech

Analog 'Tennis for Two': Building a Retro Game with Op Amps

2025-03-16

This post details the construction of a 'Tennis for Two'-like game using operational amplifiers (op amps). The author leverages op amps' integration and differentiation capabilities to simulate a bouncing ball under the influence of gravity. Clever use of diodes and comparators handles ball bounces and player input. The post thoroughly explains the circuit design, including mathematical derivations, schematics, and oscilloscope waveforms. Challenges encountered during implementation, such as using an LED for damping, are also discussed. The author successfully creates a basic 'Tennis for Two' game and outlines future improvements, such as refined controls and a scoring system.

(blog.qiqitori.com)

Development analog circuits video game op amps

0 to 1: A Software Engineer's Two-Year Journey

2025-07-17

This blog post chronicles a software engineer's two-year work experience across multiple projects. He details the development of Maximus, a bug dashboard application, evolving from a static web app to a full-stack solution significantly improving team efficiency. He also recounts improving the quarterly service report generation process, migrating from outdated Excel VBA to a Python-based pipeline utilizing sqlite for data management. Additional tools were built, including one for comparing network device upgrade reports. Beyond work, he developed two personal projects: TweetLists.app, for sharing tweet lists; and Tiles.run, an AI-powered notebook. The author reflects on lessons learned in software development, teamwork, product strategy, and offers insights into his future plans.

(aswinc.blog)

Development personal projects

Microsoft Outlook Restored After Widespread Outage

2025-07-13

Microsoft Outlook Restored After Widespread Outage

Following widespread issues accessing email accounts late Wednesday and into Thursday, Microsoft announced that affected Outlook systems are back online. The outage peaked just before noon ET Thursday, with over 2,700 users globally reporting problems such as inbox loading and sign-in failures to Downdetector. Microsoft initially encountered problems with its fix, leading to delays. By late afternoon, reports had significantly dropped, and Microsoft confirmed a configuration change resolved the impact for all users. The cause of the hours-long outage remains undisclosed.

(apnews.com)

Tech

Minimal GitHub Pages Deployment with GitHub Actions

2025-03-20

Minimal GitHub Pages Deployment with GitHub Actions

This post details a minimal approach to building and deploying a fully custom website using GitHub Actions and GitHub Pages. By enabling GitHub Pages, creating a YAML workflow file (publish.yml) with build and deployment steps, and placing the generated site files in the `_site/` directory, you can easily deploy static websites. This simple method allows for creating more complex features using scheduled workflows and Git scraping, such as publishing Atom feeds or custom websites, without extensive configuration.

(til.simonwillison.net)

Development Static Site Deployment

SeedBox Lite: Stream Torrents Instantly

2025-08-29

SeedBox Lite: Stream Torrents Instantly

SeedBox Lite is a revolutionary torrent streaming platform that lets you instantly watch movies and TV shows without waiting for full downloads. Built with modern web technologies, it offers a Netflix-like experience with powerful torrent capabilities. SeedBox Lite supports multiple formats, features smart caching, subtitle support, and responsive design, working seamlessly across Windows, macOS, and Linux. Deployment is a breeze, taking minutes with either Docker or PM2.

(github.com)

Development

The Invisible Greatness of Design Masters: Misalignment of Fame and Value

2025-04-24

This article explores the definition of 'greatness' in design. The author argues that true design greatness isn't about fame and recognition, but rather the extent to which the work serves human needs. Many excellent designers and their creations remain unknown, their designs seamlessly integrated into daily life to the point where people take them for granted, overlooking the ingenuity behind them. The author criticizes the current social climate that equates attention with value, pointing out that truly great design is that which solves problems, provides convenience and delight, rather than that which seeks attention for its own sake.

(www.chrbutler.com)

Design

Nadar: Portraits of a Gilded Age

2025-05-19

Nadar: Portraits of a Gilded Age

In 1862, Japanese envoys first visited Europe, witnessing the marvels of the Industrial Age. Meanwhile, Parisian photographer Nadar captured the era's iconic figures through his lens: from the Japanese samurai to poet Baudelaire, from painter Manet to novelist Hugo. Nadar's portraits transcended mere likenesses, revealing the vibrant personalities and zeitgeist of their time. This article explores 19th-century Parisian culture and the impact of technological change through the lens of Nadar's famous subjects.

(worldhistory.substack.com)

Design 19th century

Beer Drinkers Are Mosquito Magnets: A Festival Study Reveals

2025-09-10

Beer Drinkers Are Mosquito Magnets: A Festival Study Reveals

Researchers from Radboud University Nijmegen conducted a study at the Lowlands music festival in the Netherlands. They found that beer consumption significantly increased attractiveness to mosquitoes. Volunteers placed their arms in a mosquito-filled cage; those who had consumed beer attracted more mosquitoes. Sleeping with someone and avoiding sunscreen also increased attractiveness. The study highlights the public health implications, as mosquitoes transmit diseases.

(phys.org)

Tech mosquitoes music festival

Meta Hit With €5,000 Fine for Tracking Pixels, Opens Door to Massive GDPR Lawsuits

2025-07-10

Meta Hit With €5,000 Fine for Tracking Pixels, Opens Door to Massive GDPR Lawsuits

A German court ordered Meta to pay €5,000 to a user for embedding tracking pixels on third-party websites without consent, violating the GDPR. This ruling sets a precedent, potentially opening the floodgates for mass lawsuits against Meta. The court stated that individual users don't need to prove specific damages to sue. Meta's practice of using tracking technology to profile users and generate billions in profit was deemed a massive violation of European data protection law. Experts warn this decision could significantly impact websites and apps using similar tracking technologies, with potential class-action lawsuits posing a serious financial and operational threat to Meta.

(therecord.media)

Tech

Manage Your Dotfiles with Just Git

2025-08-31

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

(ericgreer.info)

Development

Mob Programming: How Collaborative Coding Solves Persistent Development Problems

2025-08-24

This article explores how mob programming effectively addresses persistent issues in software development. The author observes that many problems, such as communication bottlenecks, decision-making paralysis, and technical debt, simply fade away with this approach. Mob programming encourages Agile methodologies, fostering face-to-face collaboration and a continuous focus on code quality and simplicity. This leads to rapid problem-solving, reduced wait times, and increased efficiency. It minimizes reliance on email and extensive documentation, promoting close teamwork and knowledge sharing, ultimately improving overall software development efficiency and quality.

(mobprogramming.org)

Development mob programming software development efficiency

99 Stunning Physics Demonstrations: An Open-Source Teaching Resource

2025-09-19

This open-source book compiles 99 of the best and most beautiful physics demonstrations from the Dutch "ShowdeFysica" series, incorporating various teaching strategies to make demonstrations both magical and educational. It includes videos and readily runnable Python simulations without needing any software installation. Readers can search for demonstrations by topic and contribute suggestions via the online platform.

(interactivetextbooks.tudelft.nl)

Development physics teaching demonstrations open-source resource

VC's AI-Powered Summer Hack: Building a Knowledge Base from Scratch

2025-09-02

VC's AI-Powered Summer Hack: Building a Knowledge Base from Scratch

A venture capitalist spent his summer break building a knowledge base platform using AI tools. Starting with a blank page, he leveraged LLMs, Telegram bots, and various APIs (Supabase, Orq.ai, etc.) to create a system for aggregating information and extracting insights. He even used AI for UI design. While facing challenges with technical debt and AI limitations, he successfully built a functional prototype, gaining valuable experience in the process. The project aimed to improve efficiency, personalization, and collaboration within his firm.

(kevinkuipers.substack.com)

Startup VC Tech

Dissecting the Apple Silicon Mac Boot Process: From Boot ROM to Userspace

2025-09-03

Dissecting the Apple Silicon Mac Boot Process: From Boot ROM to Userspace

This article delves into the boot process of an Apple Silicon Mac. Starting from the Boot ROM, it traces the sequence through the Low-Level Bootloader (LLB) and iBoot, kernel startup, system clock adjustments, and finally, the unlocking of the data volume to enter userspace. Using a Mac mini M4 Pro log as an example, the article details each phase, highlighting the lower log frequency and kernel-centric entries before data volume unlock, contrasting with the significantly higher frequency and reduced kernel contribution afterwards. This process reveals insights into Apple Silicon Mac's security mechanisms and boot efficiency.

(eclecticlight.co)

Hardware Mac boot process

Google Bets Big on Fusion: A 200MW Clean Energy Power Play

2025-07-01

Google Bets Big on Fusion: A 200MW Clean Energy Power Play

Google is investing heavily in Commonwealth Fusion Systems, pre-purchasing 200 megawatts of power from its first commercial fusion plant – enough to power roughly 200,000 American homes. This signifies big tech's hunger for virtually limitless clean energy. Commonwealth aims to build the plant in Virginia by the early 2030s, utilizing a tokamak device to replicate the sun's energy through nuclear fusion. While technological hurdles remain, Google's investment significantly accelerates fusion commercialization and secures a sustainable power source for its data centers and AI operations, reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

(www.cnn.com)

Tech Google investment

Apple to Invest Over $500 Billion in US Over Next Four Years

2025-02-24

Apple to Invest Over $500 Billion in US Over Next Four Years

Apple announced its largest-ever investment commitment, pledging over $500 billion in US spending and investment over the next four years. This massive injection will fund initiatives across AI, silicon engineering, and workforce development. Key plans include a new Texas manufacturing facility, doubling the US Advanced Manufacturing Fund, establishing a manufacturing academy in Michigan, and accelerated investments in AI and silicon engineering. The investment will support millions of jobs and solidify Apple's position as a key player in the US economy.

(www.apple.com)

Tech US Manufacturing

TikTok Briefly Shuts Down, Then Restored: A Presidential Order's Balancing Act

2025-01-19

TikTok Briefly Shuts Down, Then Restored: A Presidential Order's Balancing Act

A US law banning TikTok went into effect on January 18th, causing the app to briefly go dark. Apple and Google also removed TikTok from their app stores. However, President-elect Trump issued an executive order pausing the ban, giving TikTok's parent company ByteDance more time to find an approved buyer. This move, following TikTok's service restoration, sparked widespread debate about national security, free speech, and the political influence of tech companies.

(apnews.com)

Tech

Slashing R&D Funding: A Macroeconomic Disaster

2025-04-30

A new analysis reveals the devastating long-term economic consequences of cutting federal funding for scientific R&D. Reducing public R&D spending by 25% would shrink GDP comparably to the Great Recession. Halving it would impoverish the average American by roughly $10,000 (in today's dollars). Furthermore, such cuts would significantly reduce federal revenue; a 25% reduction leading to a 4.3% annual decrease, and a 50% cut resulting in an 8.6% annual decline. Agencies like NIH and NSF, crucial for funding basic and applied research, face funding freezes and downsizing, highlighting the urgent need to address this issue.

(impa.american.edu)

Tech R&D funding

Microsoft: A 'Bad Actor' in the Software Supply Chain?

2025-09-17

Microsoft: A 'Bad Actor' in the Software Supply Chain?

This article revisits software supply chain security issues, from Internet Explorer to npm, arguing that Microsoft's insufficient efforts to secure npm have led to rampant malware, threatening software development companies. The author points out critical security vulnerabilities in npm's postinstall scripts, easily exploited for attacks, while Microsoft, as the owner of npm, has taken little action. This makes software development less fun and more of a chore. The article calls for industry-wide efforts to build a secure software supply chain.

(tane.dev)

Development

HTTPX Fiber Concurrency Plugin: Seamlessly Share Connections Across Fibers

2025-09-05

The HTTPX :fiber_concurrency plugin allows a single session's connections to be used across fibers managed by a fiber scheduler, ideal for long-lived connections. It's required by default when using the :persistent plugin. Example code shows launching multiple fibers within a thread, each concurrently using `http.get()` to access a URL. This plugin is essential for programs using fiber schedulers, such as those built with the async gem.

(honeyryderchuck.gitlab.io)

Development

A Programmer's Ode to UNIX: A Love Story in Code

2025-04-05

This retro UNIX magic poster pays homage to a classic piece originally created by Gary Overacre in the mid-1980s. The author shares their formative experience with UNIX during college, working on an HP-UX mainframe and being captivated by its simplicity and power. This project is a personal tribute to UNIX and its lasting impact on their career.

(unixmagic.net)

Development

Flexible Software Design Trumps Rigid Domain Models

2025-09-08

This article challenges the popular software design principle of tightly binding code to the domain model. The author argues that over-emphasizing the avoidance of invalid states, such as through strict database schemas and type constraints, limits software flexibility and makes it difficult to handle inevitable real-world exceptions. Using state machines and foreign key constraints as examples, the author demonstrates how to allow arbitrary state transitions while keeping the core design simple, thus improving software adaptability and maintainability. Ultimately, the author advocates for allowing the representation of some invalid states in user-facing software to cope with evolving requirements and unforeseen circumstances.

(www.seangoedecke.com)

Development domain model

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