Unraveling the Math Behind NYT's Daily Word Game 'Waffle'

2025-01-17
Unraveling the Math Behind NYT's Daily Word Game 'Waffle'

A paper on arXiv explores the mathematics behind the New York Times' daily word game, Waffle. Author S.P. Glasby delves into the combinatorial properties of the game, explaining why some puzzles are easy while others are exceptionally difficult. The research reveals that a perfect solution requires precisely 11 orbits among the 21 squares, with at least one orbit of length 1. This provides a mathematical framework for understanding and potentially improving similar word puzzles.

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Game

The Testing Pyramid is Dead; Long Live the Test Vase!

2025-01-22
The Testing Pyramid is Dead; Long Live the Test Vase!

The traditional testing pyramid model is outdated! This article argues that due to increased computing power, improved testing tools, and enhanced debugging capabilities, developers no longer need to over-rely on low-level unit tests. A more effective strategy now is to adopt a "test vase" model, focusing on fast and comprehensive integration and end-to-end tests via public interfaces to maximize bug detection and enable safe refactoring. This represents a significant shift in testing strategies, leading to more efficient testing for developers.

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Visualizing Your Python Project's Dependency Graph with Tach

2025-01-25

This article demonstrates how to visualize your Python project's dependency graph using the Tach tool. In just a few steps—installing Tach, defining module boundaries, syncing dependencies, and viewing the dependency graph—developers gain a clear understanding of project structure and inter-module dependencies. This facilitates code refactoring, improves code quality, and helps avoid circular dependencies. Tach also allows enforcing module boundaries and defining strict interfaces, leading to cleaner, more maintainable projects.

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Development Dependency Graph

Open-Source AI Video Starter Kit for Browser-Based Production

2025-01-23
Open-Source AI Video Starter Kit for Browser-Based Production

The open-source project video-starter-kit offers a browser-based toolkit for AI-powered video creation. Built with Next.js, Remotion, and fal.ai, it integrates AI models like Minimax, Hunyuan, and LTX, enabling browser-native video processing, multi-clip composition, audio track integration, voiceover support, and extended video duration handling. Developers can leverage ready-to-use UI components and TypeScript support for rapid AI video application development.

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Development AI video

China's 'Artificial Sun' Sets New Fusion Record: 1,006 Seconds of Plasma Confinement

2025-01-24
China's 'Artificial Sun' Sets New Fusion Record: 1,006 Seconds of Plasma Confinement

China's Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), nicknamed the 'artificial sun', has achieved a groundbreaking milestone in fusion energy research. It sustained high-confinement plasma operation for an unprecedented 1,066 seconds, surpassing the previous record of 403 seconds (also set by EAST). This significant achievement represents a crucial step towards harnessing fusion energy – a clean, virtually limitless power source. The success is attributed to advancements in heating system stability, control system accuracy, and diagnostic systems. This breakthrough not only showcases China's leadership in fusion research but also offers hope for a cleaner energy future.

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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.

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AI

Building a Silicon Brain: The Future of Neuroscience

2025-01-25
Building a Silicon Brain: The Future of Neuroscience

Researchers at UCSF are using AI and cutting-edge neuroimaging technologies to build a 'silicon brain' that mimics human brain activity. By integrating data from various brain scanning techniques (like fMRI and neuropixel probes), along with text, speech, and behavioral data, they're creating an artificial neural network that replicates human brain activity patterns. This research promises to revolutionize brain-computer interfaces, enabling devices that restore speech or movement without extensive calibration and opening new avenues for diagnosing and treating neuropsychiatric disorders. Ethical considerations, such as data privacy and potential misuse, are also being addressed.

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Wikipedia's 2024 Top Viewed Articles: US Elections and Hollywood Dominate

2025-01-21

Wikipedia's 2024 traffic report reveals a year dominated by US election-related figures and events, with half the top ten spots taken by candidates and results. Hollywood also made a strong showing, with Marvel's 'Deadpool & Wolverine' and 'Dune: Part Two' proving highly popular. Netflix true crime docuseries like 'Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story' also drove significant traffic. The list further encompasses the Indian general election, sporting events, pop stars Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter, and tech figures like ChatGPT and Elon Musk. This snapshot of 2024 highlights global events and public interest, showcasing Wikipedia's role as a primary source of information.

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AI-Powered: Revolutionizing Smart Card Creation

2024-12-31

This new technology leverages artificial intelligence to automate card creation. Users simply input keywords or descriptions, and the system automatically generates cards with rich content and aesthetically pleasing layouts, significantly improving efficiency and lowering the barrier to creation. This is revolutionary for industries requiring large numbers of cards, such as education and marketing. It not only saves time and labor costs but also ensures consistent and professional card quality.

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Stack Overflow Controversy: User Account Erased, Raising Copyright and Censorship Questions

2025-01-09
Stack Overflow Controversy: User Account Erased, Raising Copyright and Censorship Questions

The programmer Q&A site Stack Overflow is embroiled in controversy over the removal of Luigi Mangione's account while retaining his contributions. The article argues this violates the attribution clause of the Creative Commons license and contrasts sharply with how other tech platforms handled Mangione's accounts. The author alleges Stack Overflow's actions were retaliatory, stemming from a question he posed that resulted in a year-long ban. The incident raises questions about copyright, censorship, platform power, and the relationship between tech companies and user rights.

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Development Censorship

DIY Web Archiving: Preserving the Web, One Zine at a Time

2025-01-23

This 22-page, full-color zine, "DIY Web Archiving," empowers everyone to participate in preserving online content they value. Created by five authors, it provides a practical guide to web archiving, requiring no special expertise. Based on a November 2024 workshop, the zine explains why web archiving is crucial and how to do it. A full-color PDF and a poster version are available now, with a black-and-white version and printing instructions coming soon.

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Last Chance: Free Windows 11 Upgrade Before Windows 10 Retirement

2025-01-15
Last Chance: Free Windows 11 Upgrade Before Windows 10 Retirement

Microsoft is ending support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. While your computer will still function, security risks will significantly increase. Microsoft urges a free upgrade to Windows 11, but first, verify your PC meets the minimum system requirements. Upgrading is straightforward via Windows Update. If unable to upgrade, a paid Windows 10 Extended Security Update (ESU) program is available, but note that Microsoft 365 apps will no longer be supported on Windows 10 after October 14th, 2025. This upgrade is crucial for system security and continued access to Microsoft services.

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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.

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Development focus app

Escape the Tech Noise: The Rise of Calm Tech Certification

2025-01-21
Escape the Tech Noise: The Rise of Calm Tech Certification

Amidst the constant distractions of modern technology, Calm Tech certification emerges as a solution. Founded by Amber Case, the Calm Tech Institute has established 81 standards across six categories—attention, periphery, durability, light, sound, and materials—to reward products designed for focus and minimal distraction. Initial certified devices include the reMarkable Paper Pro and the Mui Board Gen 2, both prioritizing minimalist design and reduced notifications. The Calm Tech Institute plans further research and collaboration with neuroscientists to better understand cognitive needs in UI design.

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TikTok's Demise: Why Relying on Proprietary Platforms is a Risky Gamble

2025-01-19

The struggles faced by TikTok creators serve as a stark warning about the dangers of relying on proprietary platforms. The author argues that building a brand or core business on a platform you don't control is incredibly risky. Examples like Twitter's API price hike, Shopify removing apps, and Etsy/eBay policy changes highlight how platform shifts can instantly devastate creators. The solution? Own your website, blog, and email list. Diversify content distribution, always driving traffic back to your own properties. The ultimate goal is to migrate your audience to spaces you own and control for long-term stability.

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Francis Picabia's *391*: Perpetual Motion in Dada and Beyond

2025-01-09
Francis Picabia's *391*: Perpetual Motion in Dada and Beyond

Francis Picabia, a close associate of Marcel Duchamp, was known for his multiple pseudonyms and his rebellious approach to artistic movements. His art review, *391* (1917-1924), chronicles his complex relationship with Dada and Surrealism. The magazine's eclectic content—poetry, artwork, satirical essays—reflects Picabia's anti-establishment stance. Ultimately, he declared his 'Instantanism,' rejecting all artistic movements and proclaiming that art is not a movement, but perpetual motion.

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Why Honeybees Die After Stinging: A Suicide Mission for the Colony?

2025-01-18
Why Honeybees Die After Stinging: A Suicide Mission for the Colony?

Honeybees die after stinging because their barbed stingers become embedded in the victim's skin, ripping off part of their abdomen. This isn't simply an accident; it's an evolved strategy. The stinger, connected to a venom sac and muscular pump, continues injecting venom even after the bee is gone. This contrasts with wasps, whose stings lack barbs, allowing multiple stings. The article explores the evolutionary reasons for this suicidal behavior, delving into honeybee social structure, the immune system, group selection, and kin selection. Worker bees, being reproductively sterile, are expendable, and their sacrifice protects the queen and colony. The article further examines kin selection theory and haplodiploidy, explaining how the high relatedness between worker sisters promotes this altruistic behavior. While not perfect, the theory offers a compelling explanation for the evolution of this suicidal defense mechanism.

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Is Your X Feed Poisoning You? Free Social Media Feed Analysis

2025-01-19

IsMyFeedF*cked is an anonymous and private tool that analyzes your social media feed (e.g., X) without requiring an account. Simply upload a 2-minute screen recording of your typical scrolling, and receive a detailed report covering key metrics and insights, including overall feed health, political balance, vibe assessment, and violence level. The report reveals how your feed shapes your thoughts, emotions, and identifies blind spots, offering actionable recommendations to regain control.

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Outperforming cuBLAS: A CUDA Implementation of Single-Precision General Matrix Multiplication

2025-01-18

This article presents a CUDA implementation of single-precision general matrix multiplication (SGEMM) that outperforms cuBLAS in certain scenarios. By cleverly using PTX instructions, asynchronous memory copies, double buffering, and other optimization techniques, the author achieved efficient matrix multiplication, specifically tuned for an NVIDIA RTX 3090. The article details the algorithm design, optimization techniques, and benchmarking methodology, providing valuable experience for CUDA learners.

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Development

ThinkPad's Iconic TrackPoint is Gone (From Some Models)

2025-01-19
ThinkPad's Iconic TrackPoint is Gone (From Some Models)

Lenovo has removed the iconic TrackPoint from its new ThinkPad X9 Aura Edition laptops. While the TrackPoint will remain in other ThinkPad models, this decision marks a significant shift. Lenovo argues the TrackPoint, a legacy design, doesn't resonate with all demographics in a predominantly touchpad world. The new Aura Edition laptops boast Intel's Lunar Lake processors, premium OLED displays, and local AI powered by Meta's Llama 3.0, aiming for broader market appeal.

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Hardware

Trump Admin Dismantles Cybersecurity Board Investigating Major Chinese Hack

2025-01-23
Trump Admin Dismantles Cybersecurity Board Investigating Major Chinese Hack

The Trump administration dissolved the Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity Safety Review Board (CSRB), which was investigating a significant cyberattack by the Chinese hacking group Salt Typhoon on major US telecom firms. This move has sparked controversy, with Democrats accusing the administration of stacking the board with loyalists to hinder the investigation into Salt Typhoon. DHS countered that the board was pursuing agendas detrimental to national security. The hack reportedly compromised communications data of Trump, the Vice President, and other government officials.

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Maxing Out Alpine Package Installs: An NP-Hard Challenge

2025-01-21

This article details an experiment to determine the maximum number of Alpine Linux packages installable simultaneously. The author parsed Alpine's APKINDEX files, extracting package dependencies, conflicts, and provides relationships. These were translated into constraints for a PuLP solver. The experiment successfully installed 98.5% of packages from the main repository and 97.8% from main + community. This showcases algorithmic optimization of package installation, offering insights into building leaner container images.

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Wine 10.0: Smoother Windows App Support on Linux

2025-01-22
Wine 10.0: Smoother Windows App Support on Linux

Wine 10.0 has been released, boasting over 6,000 changes that significantly improve performance, compatibility, and visual experience when running Windows applications on Linux. Key features include full ARM64EC architecture support, 64-bit x86 emulation for better resource utilization, and improved high-DPI scaling. Enhanced Vulkan graphics, better desktop integration, and Direct3D updates further boost performance, particularly for gamers.

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Development Windows compatibility

Pica: Open-Source Catalyst for Autonomous AI

2025-01-21

Pica is an ambitious open-source project aiming to build a fully autonomous AI system. Unlike existing AI models trained for specific tasks, Pica strives for general-purpose AI capable of learning and adapting to various tasks. Its modular design allows researchers and developers to contribute and improve its components. Pica's success could revolutionize AI, potentially leading to more powerful, flexible, and general AI systems, unlocking new possibilities across diverse applications while also presenting new challenges and ethical considerations.

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Reality TV Show 'The Traitors' Offers a Surprisingly Useful Economics Lesson

2025-01-19
Reality TV Show 'The Traitors' Offers a Surprisingly Useful Economics Lesson

The Economist highlights the surprisingly insightful economics lesson embedded within the popular reality TV show, 'The Traitors'. The show, filled with deception and betrayal, provides a real-world example of game theory in action. Participants must make decisions under conditions of incomplete information, mirroring many real-life economic scenarios. The article uses the presenter, Claudia Winkleman, as a relatable example to explain the game theory principles at play, showcasing how the show illuminates the complexities of uncertainty and information asymmetry in economics.

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Near-Perfect Book-Sorting Algorithm Achieved

2025-01-24
Near-Perfect Book-Sorting Algorithm Achieved

A breakthrough in the "library sorting problem" (also known as the "list labeling" problem) has been achieved. The problem focuses on finding the most efficient way to organize books or files in a database to minimize the time needed to insert new items. A team developed a new algorithm that comes tantalizingly close to the theoretical optimum (log n) for average insertion time. This algorithm cleverly combines limited knowledge of past contents with the surprising power of randomness, solving a decades-old challenge. This research has implications not only for librarians but also for database and hard drive organization, promising significant improvements in data storage and retrieval efficiency.

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Development

Concept Cells: The Building Blocks of Memory?

2025-01-21
Concept Cells: The Building Blocks of Memory?

Neuroscientists have discovered 'concept cells' in the brain that fire for specific ideas, regardless of how that idea is presented (image, text, speech, etc.). These cells don't just respond to images; they represent abstract concepts, playing a crucial role in memory formation. Research suggests concept cells interconnect to form complex memory networks. This discovery challenges traditional neuroscience, offering new insights into human memory and cognition. The initial discovery of these cells, initially dubbed 'Jennifer Aniston cells,' was met with skepticism, but subsequent research has solidified their importance.

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DIY Studio-Grade Ribbon Mic: From ModMic Rage-Quit to Amazing Sound

2025-01-22

In a fit of pique, the author snipped their ModMic cable and decided to build a replacement: a studio-grade ribbon microphone. The post details the entire process, from material selection (using artist's silver leaf, unexpectedly), mechanical design (an ingenious corrugation method), to the circuit design (employing a Lundahl transformer). The resulting DIY microphone not only works perfectly, but sounds amazing, receiving praise for its realistic and immersive sound quality.

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(khz.ac)

Substack Requires JavaScript

2025-01-24
Substack Requires JavaScript

The Substack website displays a message indicating that JavaScript must be enabled for the site to function correctly. This is a common website message reminding users to ensure their browser has JavaScript enabled; otherwise, the website will not load or function properly.

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t4t: A Social Network for Trans and Gender-Non-Conforming Individuals

2025-01-23
t4t: A Social Network for Trans and Gender-Non-Conforming Individuals

t4t is a social network specifically designed for transgender and gender-non-conforming individuals. It's a free, minimalist, text-based platform. Recent posts reveal a diverse range of experiences, from daily life updates like cooking and car maintenance to more personal and vulnerable moments expressing financial struggles, loneliness, and desires. The platform provides a space for connection and support within the trans community, showcasing both the everyday joys and challenges faced by its members.

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