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Ada's Dependent Types: An Unexpected Coincidence

2024-12-28

Ada's Dependent Types: An Unexpected Coincidence

This article explores the lesser-known dependent types feature in the Ada programming language. The author argues that Ada's design goal of avoiding unnecessary dynamic memory allocation led to its unique implementation of dependent types: using a second non-call stack to return data of unknown compile-time size, cleverly circumventing the need for dynamic allocation. This unexpectedly coincides with the formal definition of dependent types, showcasing an unforeseen serendipity in Ada's design. The article further explains concepts in Ada's type system such as derived types, subtypes, discriminated records, and type predicates, demonstrating how these features enable the implementation of dependent types. Finally, the author discusses the interesting interplay between Ada's design philosophy and academic research on type theory, suggesting that many of Ada's type system features didn't originate directly from type theory research, but rather evolved naturally to meet specific needs.

(nytpu.com)

Development

Six Months In: My Year-Long Project on Building Friendships

2025-03-23

Six Months In: My Year-Long Project on Building Friendships

This post summarizes the author's sixth month of a year-long project focused on building and maintaining friendships. Key takeaways from eight books on the subject include: strong friendships improve health, even weak ties are valuable for opportunities, building friendships requires significant time investment, genuine interest is more effective than self-promotion, and declining social capital poses risks. The author found the topic far more complex than anticipated and will share personal reflections next week.

(www.scotthyoung.com)

Misc social skills

DOOMQL: A Multiplayer DOOM Clone Written Entirely in SQL

2025-09-10

DOOMQL: A Multiplayer DOOM Clone Written Entirely in SQL

A developer built DOOMQL, a multiplayer DOOM-like shooter, entirely in SQL using the CedarDB database. The game stores all game data—maps, players, enemies—in the database, leveraging SQL views for raycasting and sprite projection. A simple shell script drives the game loop. Surprisingly, this approach works remarkably well, achieving a smooth 30 FPS and effortless multiplayer functionality thanks to the database's inherent concurrency handling. While maintenance and debugging might be challenging, the experiment showcases SQL's potential in game development and CedarDB's impressive performance.

(cedardb.com)

Game

20-Year-Old Handheld Game Reborn: Web Remake of Darklaga Cannonball Symphony

2025-01-03

In 2022, the author rediscovered the source code of their 2004 handheld game, Darklaga Cannonball Symphony, and decided to remake it. To ensure it remains playable for the next 20 years, they used only long-lasting technologies like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and WebGL 1.0, creating a browser-based game. The entire game weighs only 1.4MB, making it easy to download and install. The article details the technical aspects of the remake, including file size optimization, handling audio decoding issues, and the choice of TypeScript. The remake retains the original gameplay, although the extreme mode proves too challenging for the author now.

(nicollet.net)

Game game remake

The 200B Parameter Pressure Cooker: Stress in Modern AI Research

2025-01-06

The 200B Parameter Pressure Cooker: Stress in Modern AI Research

The AI landscape has dramatically shifted in the last two years. ChatGPT nears 200 million monthly users, and Gemini saw almost 320 million visits in May 2024. However, for those working in AI, particularly researchers, this boom presents a double-edged sword. This blog post details the stresses of modern AI research, from the constant barrage of questions from all walks of life to the intense competition between large companies and the impact of research on stock prices. The author shares personal experiences of acute stress and psychosis, highlighting the unexpected anxieties of sudden wealth and the differing challenges faced by academics and industry scientists, such as publication concerns. Ultimately, the author advocates for open communication to foster a more compassionate AI research environment.

(docs.google.com)

AI AI stress AI research

Foqos: Reclaim Your Focus with NFC

2025-01-21

Foqos is a focus app leveraging NFC technology to help users stay on task. Create multiple profiles for different scenarios (work, study, bedtime, etc.). Write these profiles to NFC tags for instant activation with a single tap – no unlocking or app opening required. Foqos is free, private, and open-source forever. No subscriptions, tracking, or data collection. Just pure focus.

(www.foqos.app)

Development focus app

UK MPs Question Fujitsu's Continued Bidding for Government Contracts Amidst Horizon Scandal

2025-06-25

UK MPs Question Fujitsu's Continued Bidding for Government Contracts Amidst Horizon Scandal

Despite a previous pledge to halt bidding for UK public sector contracts following the Post Office Horizon scandal, Fujitsu continues to pursue large-scale IT projects, sparking outrage among British MPs and peers. The scandal involved a faulty computer system supplied by Fujitsu that led to the wrongful conviction of hundreds of subpostmasters. While Fujitsu claims to only bid when directly invited, it won a £125 million contract and continues bidding for others, including the £370 million Trader Support Service (TSS). Parliamentarians are concerned about Fujitsu's continued involvement while compensation for victims remains unresolved, questioning the government's assessment and the potential reputational damage.

(www.theregister.com)

Tech Horizon Scandal

Chatterbox: Open-Source TTS Model Rivals ElevenLabs, Offers Emotion Control

2025-06-11

Chatterbox: Open-Source TTS Model Rivals ElevenLabs, Offers Emotion Control

Resemble AI unveils Chatterbox, its first production-grade open-source text-to-speech (TTS) model. Benchmarked against closed-source leaders like ElevenLabs, Chatterbox consistently outperforms in side-by-side comparisons. Boasting emotion exaggeration control and ultra-low latency (sub 200ms), it's ideal for memes, videos, games, and AI agents. Furthermore, Chatterbox incorporates Perth watermarking for responsible AI usage. Try it out on Hugging Face!

(github.com)

AI

NotaGen: An AI Composer Mastering Classical Music via Reinforcement Learning

2025-03-26

NotaGen: An AI Composer Mastering Classical Music via Reinforcement Learning

NotaGen, an AI music generation model, is pre-trained on 1.6 million pieces of music to learn fundamental musical structures. It's then fine-tuned on a curated dataset of 8,948 classical music scores, enhancing its musicality. To further refine both musicality and prompt control, the researchers employed CLaMP-DPO, a reinforcement learning method using Direct Preference Optimization and CLaMP 2 as an evaluator. Experiments showed CLaMP-DPO effectively improved both controllability and musicality across various music generation models, highlighting its broad applicability.

(electricalexis.github.io)

AI classical music

Bullies Have More Kids: A Shocking New Study

2025-03-10

Bullies Have More Kids: A Shocking New Study

New research from Brock University reveals a startling correlation: adolescent bullies tend to have more children in adulthood than their peers. The study, published in Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences, examined the link between adolescent bullying and adult fertility. Researchers found that bullies, both male and female, had higher rates of early parenthood and overall higher fertility. This suggests that bullying, in part, may be an evolutionary adaptation enhancing reproductive success. The long-term study tracked hundreds of students from grade 5 onwards, supplementing the data with retrospective accounts from adults aged 24-35. The findings highlight the long-term consequences of bullying, not just for victims, but for the perpetrators as well, raising concerns about the potential transmission of bullying behavior across generations. Future research will explore the parenting styles of bullies and whether their children are raised to be bullies.

(phys.org)

Misc bullying fertility

The CD-ROM Server Savior

2025-04-07

The CD-ROM Server Savior

An aging server at Initrode Global was crashing frequently, requiring manual restarts. The IT manager was stumped until an engineer devised a quirky solution: using an old PC's CD-ROM drive and a modified script to automatically reboot the failing server. This makeshift 'robot,' dubbed ITAPPMONROBOT, provided a bizarre yet effective fix until a new server was deployed, then it continued its pointless routine until decommissioned.

(thedailywtf.com)

Tech emergency solution

PCIe Endpoint on Xilinx 7-Series FPGAs: Open-Source Implementation

2025-03-29

PCIe Endpoint on Xilinx 7-Series FPGAs: Open-Source Implementation

This project implements a PCIe endpoint on Xilinx 7-series FPGAs using the PCIE_2_1 hard block and GTP transceivers. It avoids proprietary Vivado IP cores and is compatible with openXC7. The design includes clock generation, GTP transceivers, and the PCIE_2_1 hard block, supporting PCIe Gen1 x1 and Gen2 x1. It's been tested on Alinx AC7100B SoM and Wavelet uSDR. Docker build and run scripts are provided, along with MSI interrupt and kernel driver support. This project is funded by NGI0 Entrust.

(github.com)

Hardware

Mysterious Illness Kills Over 50 in Northwest Congo

2025-02-25

Mysterious Illness Kills Over 50 in Northwest Congo

A mysterious illness has claimed the lives of over 50 people in northwestern Congo. The outbreak, which began on January 21st, has seen 419 cases reported with 53 deaths. The rapid progression of the illness, with most patients dying within 48 hours of symptom onset, is alarming health officials. Initial investigations suggest a possible link to children consuming bats. Samples have been sent for testing to rule out Ebola and other hemorrhagic fevers; some tested positive for malaria. The incident highlights concerns about zoonotic diseases, particularly in areas where wild animal consumption is common.

(apnews.com)

Tech unknown illness Congo

Avoiding Bash Script Infinite Loops with timeout

2025-05-26

Avoiding Bash Script Infinite Loops with timeout

A Bash script used a `until` loop to check if a web server was up, but if the server failed to start, it would get stuck in an infinite loop. The article introduces two ways to avoid this problem using the `timeout` command: wrapping the `until` loop with `bash -c`, or placing the `until` loop in a separate script and then using the `timeout` command. Both methods effectively prevent the script from infinitely looping due to server startup failures, ensuring the script's robustness.

(heitorpb.github.io)

Development

Node.js Enables --experimental-strip-types by Default, Enhancing TypeScript Support

2024-12-26

Node.js Enables --experimental-strip-types by Default, Enhancing TypeScript Support

A significant update to Node.js enables the `--experimental-strip-types` flag by default. This means developers can now execute TypeScript files without additional configuration. The change aims to improve TypeScript support and catch more bugs. While still experimental, this marks a major step towards simpler TypeScript development in Node.js, offering developers a more streamlined experience.

(github.com)

Development Development

HP Firmware Update Bricking Laser Printers (Even with HP Toner)

2025-03-10

HP Firmware Update Bricking Laser Printers (Even with HP Toner)

HP's firmware update 20250209 for LaserJet MFP M232-M237 printers has caused widespread printing failures, even when using genuine HP toner. Users report Error Code 11 and a flashing toner light, despite cleaning contacts and reinstalling toner cartridges. The update, released March 4th, claimed security and general improvements, but users suspect it intentionally restricts functionality, causing significant frustration and financial losses for small businesses relying on these printers.

(arstechnica.com)

Hardware Printer Firmware Update

Subway Poker: A Novel Commute Game

2025-02-19

A new game called "Subway Poker" is taking the urban commuting world by storm. This innovative game blends the excitement of poker with the unpredictable nature of public transport, adding a fun twist to your daily journey. Two players each select a row of five seats and assign card values to the passengers (Child=10, Teenager=J, Woman=Q, Man=K, Elderly=A). The highest-ranking poker hand at the agreed-upon end station wins. Strategy involves observing passenger flow, choosing advantageous seats, and predicting passenger types based on time of day and other factors. This game has apparently gained popularity in cities around the world, but players need to adapt their strategy to the specific layout of their local subway.

(experience.prfalken.dev)

Game Commute Subway

Dollar's Freefall: Worst Year Ever, De-Dollarization Slow

2025-07-04

Dollar's Freefall: Worst Year Ever, De-Dollarization Slow

The US dollar is on track for its worst year in modern history, down over 7% and potentially falling another 10% according to Morgan Stanley. A weaker dollar boosts US exports but increases import costs, exacerbating tariff impacts. While de-dollarization efforts, such as increased gold reserves and currency promotion, are underway, the dollar's dominance remains largely unchallenged. History shows significant dollar fluctuations often create instability; the 1973 devaluation led to Nixon taking the US off the gold standard.

(www.semafor.com)

Tech dollar devaluation de-dollarization global financial system

Eating Spaghetti by the Fistful: A Neapolitan Street Spectacle

2024-12-17

Eating Spaghetti by the Fistful: A Neapolitan Street Spectacle

In 19th-century Naples, eating spaghetti became a unique spectacle. People would grab handfuls of spaghetti and shove it into their mouths with surprising speed. This unusual custom attracted numerous tourists and became a Neapolitan specialty. The article traces the history of this practice, from the price drop of pasta in the 17th century, to its role as an important food source for the poor, and its eventual disappearance with societal changes.

(www.atlasobscura.com)

Misc spaghetti Naples street food

Deep Zooming into the Mandelbrot Set: Theory and Practice

2025-01-03

This article delves into the theory and practice of deep zooming into the Mandelbrot set. Traditional algorithms for rendering the Mandelbrot set are computationally expensive. The author introduces acceleration techniques based on perturbation theory, including perturbation iterations, glitch detection, and rescaling. Furthermore, the article discusses series approximation techniques and how to handle challenges such as "deep needle" regions and hybrid fractals. These optimizations drastically improve rendering speed, enabling the creation of more detailed images.

(mathr.co.uk)

Tech fractal Mandelbrot set deep zoom

The Unsung Heroes of Open Source: Quiet Giants Making a Big Impact

2025-08-17

The Unsung Heroes of Open Source: Quiet Giants Making a Big Impact

At developer conferences, laptop stickers showcase trendy cloud-native companies and databases. But the companies quietly contributing massive amounts of code often go unnoticed. This article highlights these unsung heroes, like Oracle, which was the top contributor to the Linux 6.1 kernel by lines of code changed. They quietly maintain memory management and block device drivers, crucial for everyday use. These giants treat open source as foundational to their business, not just marketing, demonstrating a significant, often unseen, impact.

(www.infoworld.com)

Development

Building the World's Best Product Engineering Org: Six Key Elements

2025-01-12

This article is a transcript of James Shore's keynote presentation at the Regional Scrum Gathering Tokyo conference, exploring how to build a world-class product engineering organization. He proposes six key elements: People, Internal Quality, Lovability, Visibility, Agility, and Profitability. The article details how to achieve these goals through improved hiring strategies, enhanced code quality, fast feedback loops, agile methodologies, and collaboration with other departments, emphasizing the importance of continuous improvement. Through case studies and practical experience, the author shares valuable insights, providing guidance for building efficient and excellent product engineering teams.

(www.jamesshore.com)

Development product engineering

Tele-Present Wind: An Art Installation Bridging Continents

2025-01-24

David Bowen's 'Tele-Present Wind' art installation uses an accelerometer connected to a plant stalk outdoors and 126 mechanical devices in a gallery to simulate wind in real-time. Whether in Bilbao, Spain or Moscow, the installation precisely captures and displays the wind's movement from a location near the University of Minnesota's Visualization and Digital Imaging Lab, thousands of miles away. This seamlessly blends technology and nature, creating a powerful artistic representation of environmental forces.

(www.dwbowen.com)

Design sensor

Pompeii Unearths Giant Fresco Depicting Dionysian Mysteries

2025-03-07

Pompeii Unearths Giant Fresco Depicting Dionysian Mysteries

Excavations in Pompeii's Region IX, Insula 10, have revealed a banquet hall featuring a remarkably preserved, colossal fresco depicting the Dionysian mysteries and procession. This rare 1st-century BC "megalography" rivals the famous Villa of the Mysteries in scale and significance. The almost life-size frieze vividly portrays bacchantes, satyrs, and libations, offering unprecedented insight into ancient Roman religious rituals. Figures appear sculpted yet vibrantly alive, standing on pedestals. This discovery provides invaluable information about ancient religious practices and adds a significant chapter to Pompeii's archaeological story.

(pompeiisites.org)

Tech Pompeii fresco Dionysian mysteries

Bun 1.2: A Massive Update to the Full-Stack JavaScript Runtime

2025-01-23

Bun 1.2 is a huge release, significantly improving its full-stack JavaScript and TypeScript toolkit. Key features include enhanced Node.js compatibility (achieved by running the Node.js test suite), built-in S3 object storage (Bun.s3) and Postgres clients (Bun.sql), a text-based lockfile (bun.lock) for faster and safer dependency management, and a 3x speed boost for Express. Bun 1.2 also adds support for crucial Node.js modules like node:http2, node:dgram, node:cluster, and node:zlib, alongside improvements for C++ addons using V8 APIs.

(bun.sh)

Development

Chronic Pain and Programming: A Developer's Journey

2025-02-18

A programmer shares their years-long struggle with chronic pain, detailing ineffective treatments like ergonomic improvements, stretching, and targeted exercises. They ultimately discovered environmental factors (direct air conditioning exposure) and referred pain as key contributors. The importance of mindset and positive mental attitude in pain management is also highlighted.

(thomasvogelaar.me)

Misc chronic pain programmer health

The Man Who Put the Queen on the Internet

2025-03-30

The Man Who Put the Queen on the Internet

Peter Kirstein, a pioneer of the internet, enabled Queen Elizabeth II to become one of the first heads of state to send an email in 1976. He not only set up her email account (username: HME2) but also played a crucial role in bringing the ARPANET, the precursor to the internet, to Great Britain. His efforts in connecting the UK to the ARPANET and promoting the adoption of TCP/IP protocols were pivotal in the development of the global internet. Kirstein's contributions have earned him a place in the Internet Hall of Fame alongside internet luminaries like Vint Cerf, Bob Kahn, and Tim Berners-Lee.

(www.wired.com)

Tech

The MOS 6502: From Motorola Defection to Apple Glory

2025-09-16

The MOS 6502: From Motorola Defection to Apple Glory

This article recounts the legendary story of the MOS Technology MCS 6502 microprocessor, a ubiquitous chip of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Frustrated with Motorola's pricing of the 6800, engineers like Chuck Peddle and Bill Mensch defected to MOS Technology, designing and producing the 6502. Its low cost and high performance led to widespread adoption in 8-bit systems, culminating in its use in Apple computers, making it an iconic chip of the personal computer era. The article details the 6502's manufacturing process, from design to production, and how MOS Technology overcame technical and market challenges to achieve success.

(www.EmbeddedRelated.com)

Tech microprocessor

CDC Halts Collaboration with WHO, Immediately

2025-01-27

CDC Halts Collaboration with WHO, Immediately

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has abruptly ordered an immediate end to all collaborations with the World Health Organization (WHO), sending shockwaves through the global public health community. This isn't a phased withdrawal; it's an immediate and complete cessation of all interactions, including work with technical working groups, coordinating centers, and advisory boards. Experts express deep concern, warning that this will severely hamper efforts to investigate and control outbreaks like the Marburg virus and mpox, potentially jeopardizing global health security. While President Trump had previously issued an executive order to begin the U.S. withdrawal from WHO, this sudden action is far more drastic and unexpected, sparking widespread worry and criticism.

(apnews.com)

Tech Global Public Health

Zig's Asynchronous I/O Revolution: Decoupling Concurrency from Execution Models

2025-07-13

Zig is revolutionizing its asynchronous I/O model, aiming to decouple async/await from the execution model for improved code reusability and performance. A new `Io` interface allows users to customize I/O implementations and supports concurrent operations. `io.async` and `Future.await` simplify expressing concurrency without worrying about the underlying execution model. Zig will offer various `Io` implementations, including thread pool, green threads, and stackless coroutines, for different needs and platform compatibility. This enhances Zig's flexibility and efficiency in handling asynchronous I/O while avoiding the common "function color" problem in traditional async programming.

(kristoff.it)

Development

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