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Microsoft Tests 45% M365 Price Hike in Asia, Citing AI Features

2025-01-13

Microsoft Tests 45% M365 Price Hike in Asia, Citing AI Features

Microsoft is testing a 45 percent price increase for its M365 suite in six Asian countries, claiming the hike is necessary to ensure customers have early access to powerful AI features. The move has sparked outrage among subscribers, with many accusing Microsoft of price gouging, especially in regions with high living costs. While Microsoft says users can opt for a cheaper plan without AI features like Copilot, finding this option proves difficult. This test may foreshadow global M365 price adjustments, reflecting Microsoft's massive investment in AI.

(www.theregister.com)

Tech

The 'It's Now Safe to Turn Off Your Computer' Screen: A Windows 95 Nostalgia Trip

2025-02-16

The 'It's Now Safe to Turn Off Your Computer' Screen: A Windows 95 Nostalgia Trip

Remember the 'It's now safe to turn off your computer' message in Windows 95? This story recounts a humorous anecdote on an airplane where a fellow passenger repeatedly restarted their laptop after seeing the 'Windows has been shut down' screen, not realizing they needed to manually power off the machine. This highlights the lack of power management in older computers and explains why Windows 95 included the message: a gentle reassurance that it was safe to press the power button.

(devblogs.microsoft.com)

Tech

Extracting Training Data from LLMs: Reversing the Knowledge Compression

2025-09-20

Extracting Training Data from LLMs: Reversing the Knowledge Compression

Researchers have developed a technique to extract structured datasets from large language models (LLMs), effectively reversing the process by which LLMs compress massive amounts of training data into their parameters. The method uses hierarchical topic exploration to systematically traverse the model's knowledge space, generating training examples that capture both factual knowledge and reasoning patterns. This technique has been successfully applied to open-source models like Qwen3-Coder, GPT-OSS, and Llama 3, yielding tens of thousands of structured training examples. These datasets have applications in model analysis, knowledge transfer, training data augmentation, and model debugging. This research opens new avenues for model interpretability and cross-model knowledge transfer.

(www.scalarlm.com)

AI

Simulating a Worm: A Decade-Long Quest for Digital Life

2025-03-30

Simulating a Worm: A Decade-Long Quest for Digital Life

Amidst fierce Santa Ana winds, the author ran a worm simulation, part of the OpenWorm project aiming to create a digital twin of a nematode, accurate down to the molecule. The simulation, using 10 hours of compute time to generate a mere 5 seconds of worm movement, highlights the immense challenge of creating such a complex biological simulation. However, as Los Angeles wildfires raged, the author's simulated worm unexpectedly moved, prompting reflection on the relationship between life science and technology: Why dedicate 13 years to digitally recreating a microscopic worm?

(www.wired.com)

Tech Biological Simulation Technological Exploration

Human Nose Shape and Climate Adaptation: A Genetic Investigation

2025-01-30

Human Nose Shape and Climate Adaptation: A Genetic Investigation

A study published in PLOS Genetics investigates whether variations in human nose shape across populations are linked to climate adaptation. Researchers used Qst-Fst comparisons to analyze the genetic differentiation of nose shape traits and neutral markers. They found that nares width correlates with temperature and absolute humidity, suggesting that some aspects of nose shape may have been driven by local adaptation to climate. However, the study acknowledges that this is a simplified explanation, potentially involving other factors like sexual selection.

(journals.plos.org)

Tech Human Genetics Climate Adaptation Nose Shape

The Future of Coding in the Age of AI

2025-03-28

The Future of Coding in the Age of AI

A tweet by Replit's CEO suggesting that learning to code is no longer necessary sparked a debate. The author, a software engineer with 15 years of experience, reflects on the implications of AI-powered coding tools. While acknowledging the efficiency gains from AI, he cautions against over-reliance, arguing it diminishes understanding and leaves programmers vulnerable to vendors. He advises beginners to build a strong foundation in coding fundamentals to remain competitive. AI boosts productivity, but it can't replace solid coding skills.

(kyrylo.org)

Development future of coding

World's First Chatbot, ELIZA, Resurrected from 60-Year-Old Code

2025-01-18

World's First Chatbot, ELIZA, Resurrected from 60-Year-Old Code

Scientists resurrected ELIZA, the world's first chatbot, from 60-year-old code discovered in MIT archives. Developed in the 1960s by Joseph Weizenbaum, ELIZA's 'DOCTOR' script simulated a psychotherapist. The resurrected chatbot, written in the now-defunct MAD-SLIP language, surprisingly functions extremely well, highlighting the ingenuity of early AI and prompting reflection on preserving computing history.

(www.livescience.com)

AI

Fujifilm X Half: A Family-Friendly Camera or a Disappointment?

2025-06-17

Fujifilm X Half: A Family-Friendly Camera or a Disappointment?

A decade-long Fujifilm user, transitioning from the X-T1 to the Leica M11, shares their experience with the Fujifilm X Half. While the X Half's compact size and simplified controls make it ideal for families, particularly children, its high price and limited features have drawn criticism. The author argues that for casual users, the X Half's ease of use outweighs its functional shortcomings, making it a great choice for family photography, though the $850 price tag feels steep.

(arslan.io)

Hardware Fujifilm family camera

DEF CON: Hackers, the Military, and a Jello Shot Showdown

2025-08-13

DEF CON: Hackers, the Military, and a Jello Shot Showdown

This year's DEF CON, the world's largest hacker conference, showcased a stark contradiction: close collaboration with the US military and intelligence agencies alongside sharp criticism of US military actions. Former NSA director Paul Nakasone's presence, alongside founder Jeff Moss, culminated in a dramatic ejection of hacktivist Jeremy Hammond, who shouted “Free Palestine!” and condemned Nakasone as a war criminal. This incident highlighted DEF CON's complex relationship with the military, featuring military-sponsored events and competitions alongside presentations exposing US war crimes (like Micah Lee's exposé on Signalgate and the Yemen bombing) and security vulnerabilities. The event underscored the ongoing tension between the countercultural hacker ethos and the increasingly close ties between the hacking community and the US military-industrial complex.

(jackpoulson.substack.com)

Tech military collaboration

Nuclear: A Free and Open-Source Desktop Music Player that Breaks Free from Streaming Paywalls

2025-09-03

Nuclear: A Free and Open-Source Desktop Music Player that Breaks Free from Streaming Paywalls

Nuclear is a free desktop music player that aggregates music from free sources like YouTube, Jamendo, Audius, and SoundCloud. It offers Spotify-like functionality without the subscription fees and boasts a larger library. Features include searching for songs and albums, creating and saving playlists, displaying lyrics, and even unlimited downloads from YouTube. It focuses on audio quality and offers features like radio mode and audio normalization. The project is open-source and welcomes community contributions.

(github.com)

Development free music

Aeron: Blazing Fast Messaging for High-Performance Systems

2025-07-13

Aeron: Blazing Fast Messaging for High-Performance Systems

Aeron is a high-performance, low-latency messaging system supporting UDP unicast, multicast, and IPC. It offers Java, C, C++, and .NET clients, enabling efficient message exchange across machines or via IPC. Aeron boasts exceptional throughput and predictable low latency, leveraging Simple Binary Encoding (SBE) for optimized message handling. Features include Aeron Archive for persistent message storage and Aeron Cluster for fault-tolerant services. Owned and operated by Adaptive Financial Consulting, Aeron also provides premium services including training, consulting, and performance enhancements like kernel bypass and high-speed encryption. Ideal for building high-frequency trading systems and other demanding applications.

(github.com)

Development low-latency messaging

DIY Lightning Detector: Simple Circuit, Accurate Detection

2025-07-14

This article details a simple DIY lightning detector circuit using a single inductor tuned circuit to receive static pulses from lightning. The circuit boasts low power consumption and high sensitivity, with detailed schematics, component selection guides, and building instructions suitable for beginners. Several circuit variations are presented, including magnetic antenna and op-amp versions, catering to diverse needs.

(techlib.com)

Hardware lightning detector circuit design

Notion: Your All-in-One Workspace for Notes, Tasks, Wikis, and Databases

2025-01-25

Notion: Your All-in-One Workspace for Notes, Tasks, Wikis, and Databases

Notion is an all-in-one workspace that combines notes, task management, wikis, and databases into a single platform. You can use it to take notes, manage to-dos, create team wikis, and even build custom databases. Notion's strength lies in its flexibility; it's highly customizable to fit your needs, whether for personal use or team collaboration. Its clean and intuitive interface makes it easy to learn and use, allowing you to effortlessly manage information and boost productivity.

(kranga.notion.site)

Development

Your Filesystem, a Dungeon! - rpg-cli, the Command-Line RPG

2025-01-09

Your Filesystem, a Dungeon! - rpg-cli, the Command-Line RPG

rpg-cli is a minimalist command-line RPG written in Rust. It transforms your filesystem into a dungeon, with random enemy encounters whenever you change directories. Features include character stats and leveling, turn-based combat, items and equipment, multiple classes and enemies, permadeath, quests, and hidden chests. Installation is available via binary, Cargo, Homebrew, Nixpkgs, Portage, or Pacman. The game integrates with common filesystem operations and can even replace the `cd` command. Delve deeper, battle tougher enemies, collect rare items, complete quests, level up, and experience your filesystem like never before!

(github.com)

Game command-line game

Cline: Your AI coding assistant, mastering your CLI and editor

2025-03-17

Cline: Your AI coding assistant, mastering your CLI and editor

Cline is an AI assistant powered by Claude 3.7 Sonnet, capable of handling complex software development tasks step-by-step. It can create and edit files, navigate large projects, use a browser, and execute terminal commands (with permission). Cline supports multiple API providers and can extend its capabilities through the Model Context Protocol (MCP). It features a human-in-the-loop GUI for safety and reliability. Cline also boasts error monitoring, code completion, and version control, significantly boosting development efficiency.

(github.com)

Development code development

SVC16: The Simplest Virtual Computer Challenges Programmers

2024-12-15

SVC16: The Simplest Virtual Computer Challenges Programmers

SVC16 is a minimalist 16-bit virtual computer designed for ultimate simplicity. It features no CPU registers, performing all operations within a single memory chunk. The instruction set is extremely streamlined, lacking bells and whistles like sound or variable screen size. Programmers are challenged to write machine code and compilers themselves, creating amazing feats with the simplest of tools. The project provides an emulator to run user-created programs and even games. This is a perfect project for learning low-level computer principles and honing programming skills.

(github.com)

Development virtual computer 16-bit programming challenge

ACCESS.bus: The Forgotten Universal Serial Bus That Lives On

2025-03-03

ACCESS.bus: The Forgotten Universal Serial Bus That Lives On

ACCESS.bus, a universal serial bus based on the I²C protocol, attempted to challenge USB in the 1990s but ultimately failed. This article recounts its history, from DEC's ambitious vision to its eventual use in monitor communication (DDC), and explores the reasons for its failure: slow speed, lack of major vendor support, and DEC's declining influence. While ACCESS.bus didn't become mainstream, parts of its technology persist in HDMI and DisplayPort, showcasing its innovative and forward-thinking nature.

(tedium.co)

Tech

UK's Online Safety Act Sparks VPN Surge: A Privacy vs. Censorship Showdown

2025-07-28

UK's Online Safety Act Sparks VPN Surge: A Privacy vs. Censorship Showdown

The UK's new Online Safety Act, mandating age verification on websites to restrict minors' access to harmful content, has unexpectedly triggered a massive surge in VPN usage. ProtonVPN reported a more than 1400% increase in UK sign-ups. Users are circumventing age checks, raising concerns about privacy and censorship. Regulator Ofcom will assess compliance and enforce penalties, but this could lead to a UK version of the 'Great Firewall'.

(www.theregister.com)

Tech Age Verification

MyCoder: Command-Line AI Coding Assistant That Handles Any Coding Challenge

2025-02-25

MyCoder: Command-Line AI Coding Assistant That Handles Any Coding Challenge

MyCoder is a powerful command-line based AI agent system capable of performing arbitrary tasks, with a particular focus on coding tasks. It uses a modular tool-based architecture to interact with files, execute commands, make network requests, and spawn sub-agents for parallel task execution. With an Anthropic API key, MyCoder can fix build errors, update dependencies, refactor code, add new features, and much more. It supports interactive mode and reading prompts from files, and features smart logging and self-modification capabilities. MyCoder leverages the Claude API and uses Conventional Commits and GitHub Actions for CI/CD.

(github.com)

Development

Server CPU Utilization: Don't Be Fooled by the Numbers!

2025-09-03

Server CPU Utilization: Don't Be Fooled by the Numbers!

Do you rely on server CPU utilization to assess server performance? This author ran a series of stress tests and discovered that CPU utilization isn't linearly correlated with actual work efficiency. Especially above 50% utilization, hyperthreading and Turbo Boost significantly skew the relationship, leading to much higher actual throughput than the reported utilization suggests. Instead of relying on CPU utilization, the author recommends benchmarking to measure actual work completed for a more accurate assessment of server performance.

(www.brendanlong.com)

Development server performance CPU utilization hyperthreading

Solar Power's Explosive Growth: Deregulation as the Key?

2025-03-24

Solar Power's Explosive Growth: Deregulation as the Key?

Solar power has become the cheapest new electricity source in many US regions, but adoption hinges on market structure. Deregulated markets, where entrepreneurs can readily pursue profits, have rapidly embraced solar. Conversely, regulated utilities lag due to legacy investments and bureaucracy. To accelerate the renewable energy transition, the US needs greater deregulation, enabling private capital to build a cleaner, larger grid. This is crucial to meet surging energy demands from emerging technologies and maintain global competitiveness. The article highlights the dramatic cost reduction of solar and contrasts the rapid adoption in deregulated states like Texas with the slower progress in regulated ones like Tennessee.

(seanobannon.substack.com)

Tech energy deregulation

2600-Year-Old Phoenician Shipwreck Raised from the Sea

2025-01-19

2600-Year-Old Phoenician Shipwreck Raised from the Sea

Off the coast of southeastern Spain, divers have successfully salvaged the Mazarrón II, a 2,600-year-old Phoenician shipwreck. Initially discovered in 1994, the 27-foot-long vessel, laden with lead ingots, was painstakingly raised piece-by-piece after years of planning. Threatened by coastal erosion and changing sea currents, its recovery ensures the preservation of this remarkably intact wreck, offering invaluable insights into Phoenician shipbuilding and culture.

(www.smithsonianmag.com)

Archaeology Shipwreck Phoenician

US Accuses Eight Chinese Nationals of Massive Hacking Operation

2025-03-26

US Accuses Eight Chinese Nationals of Massive Hacking Operation

The US Justice Department charged eight Chinese nationals with large-scale hacking targeting American government agencies, news outlets, and dissidents globally. The alleged operation, orchestrated by a Chinese company, i-Soon, and directed by two Chinese officials, highlights China's expanding cyber capabilities and its rapid advancements in both military and digital spheres.

(www.economist.com)

Tech

SQLite: A Database Engine Shaped by Tcl

2025-09-07

SQLite, the world's most widely used database engine, owes a significant debt to the Tcl programming language. While modern SQLite is a standalone C library independent of Tcl internally, its development process remains heavily reliant on Tcl. From test case creation and code generation to documentation and development tools, Tcl plays a crucial role. The author, drawing on 17 years of SQLite development experience, argues for Tcl's efficiency-boosting capabilities and suggests that without Tcl, SQLite's success would be unimaginable.

(www.tcl-lang.org)

Development Database Development

Egg Prices Soar: A Monopoly's Grip on the American Breakfast

2025-03-09

Egg Prices Soar: A Monopoly's Grip on the American Breakfast

Egg prices in the US have skyrocketed by 53%, but the avian flu isn't the whole story. An investigation reveals a shocking level of industry consolidation. Two companies control chicken genetics, and Cal-Maine Foods dominates egg production and distribution. By artificially restricting supply, they've created a shortage driving massive profits. This article exposes the oligopoly's control of the American egg industry and its complex web of influence, highlighting a growing problem of monopolies in the US economy.

(www.thebignewsletter.com)

Tech egg prices

Deep Research: Hype Cycle or Paradigm Shift?

2025-03-05

Deep Research: Hype Cycle or Paradigm Shift?

A flurry of "Deep Research" features from leading AI labs—Google, OpenAI, Perplexity, and others—has ignited a buzz. However, the term lacks a clear definition, essentially representing an evolution of Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG). These systems leverage LLMs as agents, iteratively searching and analyzing information to produce comprehensive reports. This article dissects the technical implementations, ranging from early composite pattern approaches with hand-tuned prompts to end-to-end optimized systems like Stanford's STORM, which utilizes reinforcement learning. While Google Gemini and Perplexity offer similar features, details remain undisclosed. The article concludes with a conceptual map comparing the iterative depth and training sophistication of various "Deep Research" offerings.

(leehanchung.github.io)

AI

Genius and Rebellion: The Rise and Fall of Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory

2024-12-24

Genius and Rebellion: The Rise and Fall of Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory

William Shockley, a brilliant but irascible physicist, is renowned for his invention of the transistor. His Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory brought together many of Silicon Valley's early luminaries. However, Shockley's arrogance and poor management style led to the departure of the "traitorous eight," who founded Fairchild Semiconductor, marking the beginning of a Silicon Valley legend. While Shockley Semiconductor was eventually acquired, its historical significance remains undeniable; it not only nurtured transistor technology but also gave birth to the flourishing modern semiconductor industry.

(www.abortretry.fail)

Tech transistor Silicon Valley Shockley

Automate the Boring Stuff with Python: The Unreleased Audio/Video Chapter

2025-07-13

The third edition of "Automate the Boring Stuff with Python" includes an unreleased chapter on working with audio, video, and webcams. This blog post shares the chapter's content, detailing how to write Python code to record and play multimedia. It covers audio and video data formats, recording from webcams and microphones, playing audio files (using playsound and Pygame), downloading videos with yt-dlp, and editing videos and audio with ffmpeg. Learn to automate tasks like batch-processing video files, creating time-lapses, or building a photo booth feature into your applications.

(inventwithpython.com)

Development Multimedia Processing

USPS Halts Packages from Hong Kong and China Amid Trade War Escalation

2025-02-05

USPS Halts Packages from Hong Kong and China Amid Trade War Escalation

The United States Postal Service (USPS) has abruptly stopped accepting packages from Hong Kong and China, a direct consequence of escalating trade tensions between the US and China. Following retaliatory tariffs imposed by China in response to increased US tariffs, US Customs and Border Protection is rigorously scrutinizing packages from China, turning away numerous trucks at the border. This impacts e-commerce platforms and consumers reliant on goods from China, highlighting the complexities of the US-China trade dispute.

(www.wired.com)

Tech Customs scrutiny E-commerce

Stochastic Calculus Intro: From Discrete Steps to Continuous Randomness

2025-02-24

This blog post provides an accessible introduction to stochastic calculus, starting with Pascal's triangle and the binomial distribution to build intuition for Brownian motion and Itô calculus. It explains the physical meaning and mathematical derivation of Brownian motion, introduces Itô's lemma and stochastic differential equations (SDEs), and touches upon Stratonovich calculus. The post features numerous illustrations and code examples, making it ideal for those wanting to explore stochastic calculus.

(jiha-kim.github.io)

Development stochastic calculus brownian motion ito integral

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