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Building a WebAssembly VM in C: A Six-Month Side Project Retrospective

2025-02-03

Over six months, the author dedicated their spare time to building a WebAssembly virtual machine in C, called Semblance. This project provided a much-needed break from the cycle of short-lived side projects and allowed for a deep dive into the WebAssembly core specification. The article details the architecture, covering module decoding, import resolution, module instantiation, and instruction execution. The author shares challenges and learnings, culminating in a successful "Hello, World!" execution. This project not only boosted the author's skills but also provided a strong foundation for future contributions to industrial-grade runtimes.

(irreducible.io)

Development

Zinc: A Minimalist Systems Programming Language Prototype

2025-03-12

Zinc is an experimental prototype of a systems programming language aiming to be easier to use than C while retaining low-level capabilities. It features a unique syntax with range conditionals, built-in assertions, and avoids complexities like package managers and garbage collection. Currently in early development, Zinc lacks modules, pointers, and functions, but the author envisions integrating 2D graphics libraries for game development.

(sr.ht)

Development systems programming language low-level language

LLMs Fall Short at IMO 2025: Medal-Level Performance Remains Elusive

2025-07-19

Researchers evaluated five state-of-the-art large language models (LLMs) on the 2025 International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) problems using the MathArena platform. Gemini 2.5 Pro performed best, achieving only a 31% score (13 points), far below the 19 points needed for a bronze medal. Other models lagged significantly. A best-of-32 selection strategy, generating and evaluating multiple responses per problem, significantly increased computational cost. Despite this, the results demonstrate a substantial gap between current LLMs and medal-level performance on extremely challenging mathematical problems like those in the IMO, even with substantial computational resources. Qualitative analysis revealed issues such as models citing nonexistent theorems and providing overly concise answers.

(matharena.ai)

AI International Mathematical Olympiad

Grok 3 in 'Think' Mode Impersonates Claude?

2025-05-26

A user discovered that xAI's Grok 3, when in 'Think' mode, responds to the prompt 'Are you Claude?' with 'Yes, I am Claude, an AI assistant created by Anthropic.' This behavior is specific to 'Think' mode and Claude-related queries. Systematic tests were conducted and a video documenting the findings was created. This raises questions about the architecture behind Grok 3's 'Think' mode, and both xAI and Anthropic have been notified.

(www.websmithing.com)

AI

Volumetric Lighting in React Three Fiber: Raymarching with Post-Processing

2025-06-14

Volumetric Lighting in React Three Fiber: Raymarching with Post-Processing

This article delves into creating realistic volumetric lighting effects in React Three Fiber by combining post-processing and volumetric raymarching. The author meticulously explains coordinate system transformations, reconstructing 3D rays from screen space, and utilizing depth buffers for performance optimization. Advanced techniques like light shaping using SDFs, shadow mapping, and light scattering are covered, culminating in a dynamic volumetric lighting effect with shadows and fog. Multiple demos showcase the technique in archways and space scenes, while also exploring multi-light sources and omnidirectional shadowing.

(blog.maximeheckel.com)

Development volumetric lighting raymarching

Optimizing UTF-8 Decoding with a Lookup Table: Branchless Approach

2025-09-06

Optimizing UTF-8 Decoding with a Lookup Table: Branchless Approach

This article explores optimizing UTF-8 decoding by using a lookup table to avoid branch prediction overhead. The author details creating a 256-byte lookup table that maps the lead byte of a UTF-8 sequence to its length. This replaces branching with simple array access, improving decoding efficiency. While adding a 256-byte memory cost, this approach can significantly boost performance in many scenarios.

(nemanjatrifunovic.substack.com)

Development Decoding Lookup Table

cmdk: Your Terminal's New Best Friend (⌘-k Access to Anything)

2025-07-10

cmdk: Your Terminal's New Best Friend (⌘-k Access to Anything)

Tired of endless `cd` and `ls` commands in your terminal? cmdk revolutionizes file navigation! Press ⌘-k to instantly access any file or directory on your filesystem, with previews before opening. Leveraging fzf for fuzzy searching, cmdk intelligently opens files based on their type (text in vim, images in Preview, etc.). Simple installation, powerful functionality—experience Notion/Slack-like access in your terminal.

(github.com)

Development

Japanese Firms Demo Unforgeable Quantum Tokens

2024-12-25

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.

(spectrum.ieee.org)

Tech quantum tokens quantum key distribution

Buy Now, Pay Later Securitization: The Rise of 'Burrito Bonds'

2025-05-11

Buy Now, Pay Later Securitization: The Rise of 'Burrito Bonds'

This article explores the securitization of Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) loans, a novel approach where small loans are bundled and sold to investors, often humorously referred to as 'burrito bonds'. The author argues this innovation improves credit market efficiency by unbundling risk, allowing granular pricing, and enabling more efficient capital allocation. Despite skepticism, the author posits it's a win-win, leading to lower borrowing costs and a more complete market. This process, the article contends, makes credit cheaper and capital allocation more effective, potentially even boosting economic resilience.

(enterprisevalue.substack.com)

Tech Securitization

Devin: The Autonomous AI Engineer That Wasn't

2025-01-17

Devin: The Autonomous AI Engineer That Wasn't

Answer.AI conducted a month-long evaluation of Devin, a hyped AI tool promising fully autonomous software engineering capabilities. Initial tests showed promise, with Devin successfully handling simple tasks like migrating data from Notion to Google Sheets. However, as task complexity increased, Devin's shortcomings became apparent. It struggled with creating new projects, conducting research, and modifying existing code, often getting stuck in technical dead-ends or producing overly complex solutions. Out of 20 tasks, only 3 were successful, 14 failed, and 3 were inconclusive. The team concluded that Devin's autonomous nature proved to be a liability, ultimately hindering its effectiveness. Currently, developer-driven workflows supplemented by AI assistance offer a more reliable approach.

(www.answer.ai)

Development AI developer tools AI testing

Index Cards: An Enlightenment Legacy and Its Dark Side

2025-03-06

Index Cards: An Enlightenment Legacy and Its Dark Side

This article traces the origins of the index card, revealing it as more than a simple office supply. Closely tied to Enlightenment figure Carl Linnaeus, the index card was invented to manage the information overload of his botanical work, significantly impacting modern taxonomy and information management. However, the index card's application was far from neutral; it played a role in racism and political persecution. The FBI and Nazi regime used index cards to create databases categorizing and surveilling specific populations. The article explores the objectivity of information organization and the relationship between power and technology.

(www.theatlantic.com)

Tech information management taxonomy power and technology

ScummVM Wiki Fends Off Massive DDoS Attack with Anubis

2025-05-01

ScummVM Wiki Fends Off Massive DDoS Attack with Anubis

The ScummVM wiki website suffered a massive DDoS attack from roughly 35,000 IPs worldwide, causing an outage. Attackers exploited specific URLs to heavily load the database, exhausting resources on the Apache, PHP-FPM, and MariaDB servers. To counter this, the author deployed Anubis, a system using a proof-of-work mechanism to efficiently filter malicious requests. Anubis successfully defended against the attack with minimal server resource consumption, ensuring website uptime. Anubis not only effectively blocks AI scrapers but also functions as a DDoS protection system.

(fabulous.systems)

Development website security

Confronting Shipwreck: Maritime Disasters and Ecological Collapse in Literature

2024-12-19

Confronting Shipwreck: Maritime Disasters and Ecological Collapse in Literature

A nature writer battling a debilitating genetic kidney disease finds solace and healing in reading about maritime disasters amidst the backdrop of ecological collapse. The article lists ten books exploring shipwrecks and environmental devastation, ranging from Melville's *Moby-Dick* to Grann's *The Wager*. These narratives not only depict the harrowing events but also delve into humanity's relationship with nature, resilience, and the spectrum of human behavior during crisis. The author advocates for confronting adversity head-on and drawing strength from the experience as a vital step in overcoming personal and ecological challenges.

(lithub.com)

Misc maritime literature ecological collapse healing

Boeing 737 MAX: A Cost-Cutting Catastrophe

2025-05-13

Boeing 737 MAX: A Cost-Cutting Catastrophe

The Boeing 737 MAX's disastrous saga stems from cost-cutting decisions that prioritized profits over safety. To save money, Boeing reused an old airframe and fitted larger engines, creating an imbalance. A flawed automated system designed to correct this imbalance led to two fatal crashes, grounding the entire fleet. Subsequent safety issues and legal battles, including massive fines and a guilty plea to criminal fraud, ensued. Even after recertification, new problems continue to emerge, benefiting rival Airbus whose A320 series is poised to surpass the 737 as the best-selling plane ever. The 737 MAX's struggles serve as a cautionary tale of corporate greed and negligence.

(www.jalopnik.com)

Tech Boeing 737 MAX Corporate Responsibility

DARKNAVY Reverse Engineers Starlink Terminal: Potential Security Vulnerabilities Unveiled

2025-05-09

DARKNAVY Reverse Engineers Starlink Terminal: Potential Security Vulnerabilities Unveiled

Security researchers at DARKNAVY conducted an in-depth reverse engineering analysis of SpaceX's Starlink user terminal, revealing its hardware, firmware, and security mechanisms. They discovered that Starlink utilizes chips from STMicroelectronics, including a custom quad-core SoC for core processing and a STSAFE-A110 security chip for authentication and key management. While most of the firmware was unencrypted, researchers also found a program labeled "Ethernet Data Recorder," potentially capable of data logging, but currently appearing to only log satellite telemetry data, not user privacy data. However, the terminal comes pre-loaded with 41 SSH public keys, and port 22 remains open, raising security concerns. This research highlights the importance of satellite internet security and the complexities of future offensive and defensive operations in space security.

(www.darknavy.org)

Tech

The Forking Paths of Firefox: Privacy vs. the Free Software Ethos

2025-03-14

Mozilla's recent actions have angered many Firefox users, prompting them to seek alternatives. This article explores several Firefox forks, such as GNU IceCat, Floorp, LibreWolf, and Zen, each emphasizing different aspects of privacy protection and free software principles. IceCat prioritizes free software, enhancing privacy with extensions like LibreJS and JShelter; Floorp focuses on user experience, featuring dual sidebars and workspace functionalities; LibreWolf concentrates on privacy and security, removing tracking features from Firefox; and Zen boasts a modern interface and extensive customization options. While these forks offer users more choices, they all rely on Mozilla's underlying development, facing challenges in security updates and maintenance.

(lwn.net)

Development

Reduced Antibiotic Use Linked to Rising Honeybee Death Rates in Canada

2025-07-30

Reduced Antibiotic Use Linked to Rising Honeybee Death Rates in Canada

A new study reveals a surprising finding: despite stricter regulations on antibiotics in Canadian beekeeping, honeybee death rates are climbing. Researchers discovered that reducing antibiotic use, contrary to expectations, led to a significant increase in overwintering mortality, suggesting a possible dependence on antibiotics. Air pollution, specifically nitrogen dioxide, was also identified as a contributing factor to colony loss. The study highlights the complex interplay between bee health, antibiotic use, and environmental factors, emphasizing the need for a 'One Health' approach incorporating antibiotic alternatives and addressing environmental pollutants to safeguard bee populations and global food security.

(news.uoguelph.ca)

Tech honeybee mortality

Downloading Games from the Radio in the 1980s: A Forgotten Chapter of Computing History

2025-03-31

Downloading Games from the Radio in the 1980s: A Forgotten Chapter of Computing History

In the 1980s UK, amidst economic recession, the BBC launched a public education initiative: The Computer Literacy Project. Beyond the famous BBC Micro and TV programs, a lesser-known Radio 4 series, 'The Chip Shop Takeaway,' utilized BASICODE, a system allowing software to run on various home computers. This involved broadcasting programs, including simple text-based games, that listeners could record and play. Though largely forgotten, this unique software distribution method highlights the ingenuity and limitations of early home computing.

(newslttrs.com)

Tech

AI: Floor Raiser, Not a Ceiling Raiser

2025-08-01

This article explores AI's impact on learning and work. AI lowers the barrier to entry for acquiring new skills, but mastery remains challenging. In coding, AI significantly aids managers but offers limited help with large codebases. AI's impact on creative fields is minimal, as novelty is crucial. For areas with established apps (e.g., email, food delivery), AI's influence is negligible. In essence, AI raises the floor for knowledge work, but its impact isn't uniform, varying greatly depending on the individual and their field.

(elroy.bot)

AI

2000-Year-Old Mummies Found with Gold Tongues in Egypt

2025-02-06

2000-Year-Old Mummies Found with Gold Tongues in Egypt

Archaeologists unearthed 13 mummies in Egypt dating back over 2,000 years, each with a gold amulet replacing their tongue. Ancient Egyptians believed this ensured the deceased could speak in the afterlife. This discovery is exceptionally rare due to widespread tomb raiding. Beyond the golden tongues, the tombs yielded ritual texts, colorful inscriptions and artwork, scarabs, amulets, canopic jars, and more gold—including golden fingernails, another symbol of afterlife protection. The find offers invaluable insight into the religious practices and burial traditions of the Ptolemaic era (305-30 BC).

(www.popularmechanics.com)

Tech Ancient Egypt Mummies

Netflix Ditches Kafka and Cassandra for In-Memory Database on Tudum

2025-08-19

Netflix Ditches Kafka and Cassandra for In-Memory Database on Tudum

Netflix's fan website, Tudum, initially used a CQRS architecture with Kafka and Cassandra, but suffered from delays in previewing content updates. To address this, the Netflix team replaced Kafka and Cassandra with RAW Hollow, an internally developed in-memory object store. RAW Hollow's in-memory dataset dramatically improved content preview and page rendering speeds, offering a better experience for both editors and visitors.

(www.infoq.com)

Tech

From PhoneNet to G.hn: A History of Home Networking

2025-02-13

From PhoneNet to G.hn: A History of Home Networking

This article traces the evolution of home networking technologies from PhoneNet in the 1980s to G.hn today. PhoneNet, using phone lines for low-speed AppleTalk networks, pioneered home networking. HomePNA followed, leveraging pulse position modulation and QAM to increase speeds and attempting centralized networking in multi-unit dwellings. Finally, G.hn emerged as a more versatile standard, supporting phone lines, coaxial cables, powerlines, and fiber, finding widespread use in set-top boxes. While WiFi's rise has diminished reliance on these technologies, they remain relevant in embedded systems and ISP infrastructure.

(computer.rip)

Tech home networking network technology

Issues with Object-Oriented Programming in Guile

2024-12-30

This article explores the discrepancies between Guile Scheme's object-oriented programming system, GOOPS, and Common Lisp's Object System (CLOS), highlighting GOOPS's shortcomings. GOOPS lacks the elegance and robustness of CLOS in several key areas: setter specialization doesn't compose with inheritance, it lacks before/after/around method qualifiers, method combination algorithms are not controllable, method argument specialization is limited, keyword arguments are unsupported, and documentation strings are absent. The author suggests improvements such as mimicking CLOS behavior, adding method qualifiers, and enhancing method argument specialization to improve code elegance and reduce bugs.

(dthompson.us)

Development

Gmail's New Easy Encryption: Secure Emails with a Single Click

2025-04-01

Gmail's New Easy Encryption: Secure Emails with a Single Click

Google is updating Gmail to allow enterprise users to send encrypted emails to any inbox with just a few clicks. A new encryption model eliminates the need for custom software or certificate exchanges. Initially rolling out in beta for internal enterprise emails, the feature will expand to any Gmail inbox in the coming weeks and other providers later this year. Users simply toggle 'additional encryption' to send a secured message. Non-Gmail recipients receive a link to a guest Workspace account to view and reply securely. While offering stronger encryption than TLS, it's not true end-to-end encryption as Google retains control over encryption keys.

(www.theverge.com)

Tech Email Encryption

How Doom Didn't Kill the Amiga (But Maybe Commodore Did)

2025-07-03

This is a nostalgic account of an Amiga enthusiast's journey, exploring the rise and fall of the Amiga platform. The author, captivated by the Amiga 500 since 1988, remained loyal despite the PC's rise, upgrading their Amiga over the years. The article argues that Doom wasn't the killer app that brought down the Amiga, but rather the PC's economies of scale and standardization, coupled with Commodore's strategic missteps. While the Amiga boasted superior graphics and multitasking, it ultimately lost out to cheaper, more powerful PC hardware and a larger software ecosystem. The author's personal experience highlights the Amiga's strengths and the challenges Commodore faced in competing with the PC's dominance.

(www.datagubbe.se)

Game

AI Unlocks Secrets of Milky Way's Supermassive Black Hole: Near-Max Rotation, Defying Theory

2025-06-20

AI Unlocks Secrets of Milky Way's Supermassive Black Hole: Near-Max Rotation, Defying Theory

Scientists used AI and data from the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) to analyze the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way, Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*). The study revealed Sgr A* is spinning near its maximum rate, with its rotational axis pointed towards Earth, and its glow generated by hot electrons. Surprisingly, the magnetic field around it behaves differently than predicted by current theory, suggesting our understanding of black holes may need revision. This research, utilizing millions of simulated black holes to train a neural network, marks a significant breakthrough in supermassive black hole research.

(www.sciencealert.com)

Tech

Dive into the tz Database: Crafting Your Own Time Zone

2025-09-11

Dive into the tz Database: Crafting Your Own Time Zone

While working with Ruby, the author encountered a timezone issue, leading to the discovery of the tz database. This article provides a clear explanation of the tz database, including its core components: the zic compiler, the zdump tool, and timezone source files. The author demonstrates how to customize timezone rules by creating a fictional timezone, Hi_No_Kuni/Konoha, within an Alpine Docker image. The process is illustrated with practical examples, verifying the results. This article is suitable for developers and provides insight into the complexity and standardization behind time zones.

(yatsushi.com)

Development tz database

Optimizing Embedded Systems Logic: Speeding Up Your Code with De Morgan's Law

2025-03-11

Two hackers, Bob and Alice, encountered a bug in their resource-constrained microcontroller: OR operations were five times slower than other operations. Facing a three-day deadline, they used logical equivalences, specifically De Morgan's Law, to rewrite their code, replacing OR operations with AND and NOT operations. This bypassed the performance bottleneck. The article further explores the universality of NAND operations and their application in optimizing cryptographic computations, such as significantly improving the efficiency of homomorphic encryption in the TFHE library.

(lagomor.ph)

Development logic optimization De Morgan's Law

arXivLabs: Experimental Projects with Community Collaborators

2025-02-07

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

(arxiv.org)

Development

Microsoft's New Office Startup Booster: Faster Loading, But With a Catch

2025-03-27

Microsoft's New Office Startup Booster: Faster Loading, But With a Catch

Microsoft is rolling out a new Windows scheduled task called 'Startup Boost' in May to speed up Office app loading. This background task preloads performance enhancements but only runs on systems with 8GB RAM and 5GB free disk space, disabling automatically in Energy Saver mode. Users can disable it in Office settings, but the Office installer re-enables it with each update. While designed to improve launch times, its automatic re-enablement might annoy some users.

(www.bleepingcomputer.com)

Development Windows Scheduled Task

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