India's Digital Payments Strategy Sidelines Visa and Mastercard

2025-01-10
India's Digital Payments Strategy Sidelines Visa and Mastercard

India is strategically reducing its reliance on Western payment networks like Visa and Mastercard, leveraging its homegrown Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and RuPay. UPI's massive transaction volume and user-friendliness have made it the dominant payment method, while RuPay, with exclusive rights to process credit card transactions through UPI, is rapidly gaining market share. This strategy lowers merchant fees, boosts India's digital economy independence, and presents a significant challenge to Visa and Mastercard.

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OpenAI's AI Model Revolutionizes Stem Cell Reprogramming

2025-01-18
OpenAI's AI Model Revolutionizes Stem Cell Reprogramming

OpenAI, in collaboration with longevity research firm Retro Biosciences, has developed a fine-tuned language model, GPT-4b micro, that significantly improves stem cell reprogramming efficiency. By redesigning Yamanaka factor proteins, the model achieved over 50 times improvement in converting cells into stem cells. This groundbreaking research marks a milestone in AI's contribution to scientific discovery, offering new hope for anti-aging research and regenerative medicine. While the exact mechanism remains under investigation, the results are promising.

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GitHub Actions: Why I'm Reconsidering

2025-01-20

This post details the frustrations of using GitHub Actions for CI/CD in a large monorepo with 15 engineers constantly pushing to the main branch. The author highlights key issues: flawed 'required checks' for pull requests in a monorepo setup, poor workflow reusability and YAML management, lack of local development environment, and GitHub's unresponsive attitude towards user feedback. The conclusion advocates exploring alternative CI/CD platforms like GitLab, Jenkins, or even Dagger for better solutions.

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Development

100 Billion Pixels on the Moon: A Permanent Record of Humanity

2025-01-16
100 Billion Pixels on the Moon: A Permanent Record of Humanity

An international project called 'Sanctuary on the Moon' aims to create a lunar time capsule containing 100 billion pixels of information, offering a detailed guide to our civilization. Backed by NASA, UNESCO, and the French government, the project seeks to leave a lasting legacy for future humanity. The capsule consists of 24 sapphire discs, each engraved with information on specific aspects of human knowledge, including the human genome. The project focuses on preserving information in a way that will be easily decipherable by future humans, even millions of years from now, ensuring the survival of crucial knowledge and artistic achievements.

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Solving the Ligature Puzzle in Monospace Fonts

2025-01-10

A developer building a graphical code editor encountered a challenge with ligature rendering in monospace fonts. Enabling ligatures introduced an extra glyph, "LIGSPACE", causing incorrect rendering for certain character combinations. Through experimentation, the developer discovered this wasn't a true ligature, but a zero-width placeholder adjusting spacing. The solution involved ignoring glyphs with zero rendering dimensions, effectively resolving the issue. This post shares the findings and insights gained during this debugging journey.

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TCL's NXTPAPER 4.0: A Paper-Like Screen That Actually Works?

2025-01-18

At CES 2025, TCL unveiled NXTPAPER 4.0, a screen technology aiming to mimic the feel of paper to reduce eye strain. This new iteration boasts a significant brightness improvement over previous versions, reaching 550 nits, and is featured in a new tablet and phone. A unique "Max Ink Mode" further reduces brightness and promises up to 7 days of reading time and 26 days on standby. While pricing and release dates remain undisclosed, NXTPAPER 4.0 offers a compelling alternative for users seeking a more eye-friendly screen experience.

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Open-Source ROS 2 Robotics Essentials Course: Learn ROS 2 from Scratch

2025-01-19
Open-Source ROS 2 Robotics Essentials Course: Learn ROS 2 from Scratch

Henki Robotics, in collaboration with the University of Eastern Finland, has open-sourced a beginner-friendly ROS 2 robotics course. The course covers essential ROS 2 concepts, Gazebo simulation, SLAM, navigation, and more, all within a Docker-based containerized environment eliminating the need for pre-installation. Hands-on exercises and a focus on practical application make this course ideal for beginners wanting to quickly acquire skills for modern robotics development.

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Development Open Source Course

Federal Court Rules Backdoor Searches of 702 Data Unconstitutional

2025-01-22
Federal Court Rules Backdoor Searches of 702 Data Unconstitutional

A federal district court has ruled that backdoor searches of databases containing Americans' private communications, collected under Section 702, typically require a warrant. This landmark ruling, following over a decade of litigation, rejects the government's claim that such searches can be conducted warrantlessly. Organizations like the EFF have long argued this practice is unconstitutional, and the court's decision is a significant victory for privacy rights. The ruling calls for Congressional reform of Section 702 to prevent future abuses.

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OpenVox 8.11: Community-Maintained Puppet Fork Released!

2025-01-22

OpenVox 8.11, a community-maintained open-source implementation of Puppet, has been released! Functionally equivalent to Puppet, it's designed as a drop-in replacement, though not yet as thoroughly tested. Migration is straightforward—simply replace packages—but currently uses apt|yum.overlookinfratech.com repositories. Not recommended for critical production environments yet. Overlook InfraTech offers a paid migration service, and plans to establish a Puppet™️ Standards Steering Committee to guide OpenVox's future. OpenVox aims to: modernize the codebase and ecosystem; support current OS and Ruby versions; focus on community needs; democratize platform support; and maintain an active open-source community.

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Development

Canon's New Livestreaming App Doesn't Support Canon Cameras (Yet)

2025-01-20
Canon's New Livestreaming App Doesn't Support Canon Cameras (Yet)

Canon launched "Live Switcher Mobile," an iOS livestreaming app supporting up to three camera views. Surprisingly, it only works with Apple devices and currently lacks support for Canon cameras. The free version is limited to 720p with ads and watermarks. A $18 monthly subscription unlocks 1080p, removes ads, and adds features like picture-in-picture. While lacking some features of free alternatives like OBS Studio, Canon promises upcoming Canon camera support.

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CubeTrek: 3D Visualization for Your GPS Tracks

2025-01-11
CubeTrek: 3D Visualization for Your GPS Tracks

CubeTrek is a web-based platform for visualizing, sharing, and managing your GPS tracks. Breaking free from the limitations of 2D maps, it utilizes Babylon.js to create an interactive 3D terrain view, offering a more intuitive way to experience the thrill of outdoor activities. Supporting data import from Garmin, Polar, and Coros watches, CubeTrek combines NASA SRTM data and OpenStreetMap data to provide rich statistics and activity analysis, even automatically identifying the peaks you've climbed. The backend is built with Java and Spring Boot, while the frontend leverages technologies like Bootstrap, D3.js, and MapLibre GL JS.

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The Surprising Struggle with UTC Time Strings in C/C++

2025-01-19
The Surprising Struggle with UTC Time Strings in C/C++

This article delves into the complexities of converting UTC time strings to Unix timestamps in C/C++. The author uncovers unexpected behaviors in POSIX time handling functions across various C libraries and languages. The focus is on using `strptime()`, `mktime()`, and `timegm()`, highlighting issues with daylight saving time and locales. Solutions are provided, including using `timegm()` for UTC times and leveraging C++ streams to bypass locale problems. The article concludes by recommending more robust time handling libraries available in C++20 and later, such as Howard Hinnant's tz library.

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Development

The Unfathomable Complexity of Playing Cards

2025-01-17
The Unfathomable Complexity of Playing Cards

The seemingly simple act of playing cards hides an incredible mathematical complexity. From the randomness of shuffling to the 'aha' moments in card games, the topic has fascinated mathematicians and game designers alike. This article explores the origins and evolution of playing cards, their use in modern game design, and the captivating allure that keeps us hooked, highlighting the challenges they present in mathematics and game development.

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When a Simple Concurrent Program Defies Intuition

2025-01-18

A seemingly simple concurrent program, involving two processes incrementing a variable 'n' ten times each, yielded a surprising result when analyzed with a model checker. Intuitively, the final value of 'n' should be between 10 and 20. However, an extreme interleaving of the processes resulted in 'n' being 2. While a Go program attempting to reproduce this behavior failed, highlighting the rarity of such extreme interleavings in practice, the example underscores the complexities and counter-intuitive nature of concurrent programming.

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US Regulator Moves to Protect In-Game Currencies

2025-01-11
US Regulator Moves to Protect In-Game Currencies

The US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) proposed a rule to extend protections similar to those for real-world bank accounts to virtual in-game currencies. This move addresses the rise of in-game currency transactions and fraud. The proposal aims to safeguard players from unauthorized transactions, scams, and account theft, holding game companies accountable for financial issues reported by customers. Platforms like Roblox, with its Robux currency, are highlighted due to past complaints. The rule interpretation expands the Electronic Fund Transfer Act's coverage, providing greater legal recourse for gamers.

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The Untold Story of the Texas Wends: A Journey Across Continents

2025-01-11
The Untold Story of the Texas Wends: A Journey Across Continents

In 1854, 558 Sorbian/Wendish people, led by Pastor John Kilian, embarked on a perilous journey from Lusatia (modern-day Germany) to Texas. Driven by religious conflict, they braved the Atlantic crossing and the threat of yellow fever, finally settling in Lee County and establishing Serbin. Despite the eventual dominance of German and English, the Wends tenaciously preserved their unique culture and language. Today, their heritage lives on through the Texas Wendish Heritage Museum, an annual festival, and the enduring spirit of their descendants.

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Big Tech Signs EU Pledge to Combat Online Hate Speech

2025-01-21
Big Tech Signs EU Pledge to Combat Online Hate Speech

Meta, Google, TikTok, and X have signed a voluntary EU commitment to combat illegal hate speech on their platforms. The "Code of Conduct on Countering Illegal Hate Speech Online Plus" requires signatories to increase transparency, allow third-party monitoring, and review at least two-thirds of hate speech reports within 24 hours. While not legally binding, the agreement represents a step forward in tech companies' efforts to address online hate speech.

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ChatGPT's Environmental Impact: Debunking the Myths

2025-01-18
ChatGPT's Environmental Impact: Debunking the Myths

Recent discussions surrounding the environmental impact of ChatGPT and other Large Language Models (LLMs) have sparked concerns about excessive energy consumption and pollution. However, this post argues that these claims are largely exaggerated. The energy used by a single ChatGPT search is far less than commonly believed, dwarfed by everyday activities like watching Netflix. Furthermore, the total energy consumption of LLMs must be considered in relation to the number of users; its impact is significantly smaller than other internet activities such as video streaming. While training large models is indeed energy-intensive, this is a one-time cost, and subsequent usage energy consumption is far lower than many imagine. The author urges a rational assessment of the environmental impact of LLMs, cautioning against misinformation that could cause people to miss out on this beneficial technology.

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Meta's Llama 3 Trained on Pirated Data: Internal Documents Reveal Zuckerberg's Approval

2025-01-19
Meta's Llama 3 Trained on Pirated Data: Internal Documents Reveal Zuckerberg's Approval

Newly unsealed documents reveal that Meta trained its Llama 3 large language model using copyrighted material from the pirated library Library Genesis (LibGen). Despite internal concerns, CEO Mark Zuckerberg approved the use of this data. This decision exposes Meta to potential copyright lawsuits and negative publicity, highlighting broader concerns about the ethical sourcing of data in AI development.

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AI

AI Agents to Become Primary Application Users by 2030

2025-01-14
AI Agents to Become Primary Application Users by 2030

Accenture predicts a significant shift: by 2030, AI agents will be the primary users of most enterprise digital systems, surpassing app usage by 2032. This 'Binary Big Bang,' marked by AI foundation models breaking the natural language barrier, reshapes how we design, use, and operate technology. Future development focuses on agentic systems, digital core, and generative UIs, built on composable blocks. Accenture recommends internal experimentation with agents, starting small and expanding functionality over time. Crucially, maintaining transparency, explainability, and trust in these agents is highlighted.

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Sweden Rethinks Tech-Heavy Education, Brings Back Books and Pencils

2025-01-15
Sweden Rethinks Tech-Heavy Education, Brings Back Books and Pencils

Concerns over declining basic skills among Swedish students have prompted a shift in the country's digital education strategy. Years of emphasizing tablets and digital tools in schools have come under scrutiny following a drop in reading scores. In response, the government is increasing investment in physical books and encouraging a return to traditional teaching methods like handwriting practice and quiet reading time. While some experts support this back-to-basics approach, others argue it's an overreaction, emphasizing that technology is just one factor in a complex educational ecosystem.

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Tech Sweden

Meta's AI Trained on Pirated Books: A Copyright Catastrophe

2025-01-21
Meta's AI Trained on Pirated Books: A Copyright Catastrophe

Meta is embroiled in a major copyright lawsuit after court documents revealed its AI was trained using a massive database of pirated books. Internal communications expose Meta employees admitting to using the notorious piracy site LibGen, even uploading pirated files to torrent networks. While Meta claims fair use, the blatant disregard for copyright and ethical sourcing raises serious concerns. This scandal highlights the ethical blind spots of tech giants prioritizing progress over intellectual property rights, sending shockwaves through the AI industry and beyond.

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Tech

56-Byte Assembly Snake Game

2025-01-12
56-Byte Assembly Snake Game

A developer on GitHub has open-sourced a remarkably compact Snake game written in assembly language, clocking in at a mere 56 bytes. This minimal game runs not only under DOS, but also without a BIOS, bootloader, or operating system. The developer compressed the code to this incredibly small size and provides both an online demo and a self-hosting version. The project has sparked discussions about code minimization and game development, with comparisons to other similar projects highlighting its significant advantage in code size.

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Canadian Crypto Payment Processor Cryptomus Allegedly Aids Russia in Sanctions Evasion

2025-01-22

Cryptomus, a Canadian-registered financial firm, has been identified as the payment processor for dozens of Russian cryptocurrency exchanges and websites offering cybercrime services to Russian-speaking customers. Investigations reveal Cryptomus's registered address is a virtual office shared with numerous other financial entities, raising concerns about large-scale money laundering and sanctions evasion. Researchers found Cryptomus processed transactions for at least 122 cybercrime services, including those selling stolen accounts, anonymity services, and attack infrastructure. These transactions ultimately linked to accounts in major Russian banks, currently sanctioned by the US and other Western nations. The actual operations of Cryptomus and the legitimacy of its registered address are highly questionable, highlighting the potential for cryptocurrency to facilitate sanctions evasion.

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Hands-On Graphics Without X11: A NetBSD wscons Deep Dive

2025-01-17
Hands-On Graphics Without X11: A NetBSD wscons Deep Dive

This article details how to perform low-level graphics programming on NetBSD without X11 or Wayland, leveraging the wscons framework. The author demonstrates accessing and manipulating the framebuffer to draw graphics directly on the terminal and handle keyboard input. This bypasses traditional graphics systems, allowing direct hardware interaction, ideal for resource-constrained environments like embedded systems, enabling faster boot times and reduced resource consumption.

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Development framebuffer

Why Linux Still Isn't Ready for the Desktop

2024-12-30

This article delves into the deep-seated reasons why Linux hasn't achieved widespread desktop adoption. The author highlights several key issues: poor software compatibility between distributions, frequent updates leading to bugs and regressions, insufficient funding resulting in subpar software quality, inadequate hardware driver support, and challenges in communicating within the Linux community. While Linux excels in server environments, its desktop presence remains hampered by these persistent obstacles, hindering its ability to compete effectively with established operating systems like Windows.

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Soviet Hero: The Extraordinary Rescue of Shavarsh Karapetyan

2025-01-14
Soviet Hero: The Extraordinary Rescue of Shavarsh Karapetyan

Shavarsh Karapetyan, a former Soviet finswimmer, is renowned for his incredible bravery in saving the lives of 20 people during a 1976 trolleybus accident in Yerevan. In freezing, murky water, he repeatedly dived into the submerged vehicle, pulling people to safety. Despite suffering severe injuries and contracting pneumonia, he still competed and set a world record. Karapetyan's heroic act is a testament to human courage and selflessness, a truly inspiring legend.

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/etc/glob: The Untold Story of Early Unix Shell Globbing

2025-01-13

This article delves into the history and function of `/etc/glob` in early Unix systems. Before the V7 Bourne Shell, Unix shell globbing wasn't handled by the shell itself but delegated to the external program `/etc/glob`. `/etc/glob` received the command and arguments, expanded wildcards, and then executed the command. The article details how `/etc/glob` worked across different Unix versions, including handling escaped characters and the rationale behind using an external program—likely due to resource constraints in early systems.

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Development Unix history Globbing

Pluto's Largest Moon, Charon, Formed Via a 'Kiss and Capture' Event

2025-01-20
Pluto's Largest Moon, Charon, Formed Via a 'Kiss and Capture' Event

A new study proposes a novel 'kiss and capture' mechanism for the formation of Charon, Pluto's largest moon, challenging the previous catastrophic impact theory. Billions of years ago, Pluto and Charon collided in the outer solar system, briefly merging into a spinning dumbbell shape before separating, yet remaining gravitationally bound. This collision didn't destroy either body, preserving their structural integrity. The theory, incorporating the strength of Pluto and Charon's materials, was validated by computer simulations, accurately predicting the current binary system's orbit. This discovery challenges conventional understanding of planetary collisions and offers a new perspective on the formation of other binary systems.

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