OpenAI Bans Engineer for Building ChatGPT-Powered Sentry Gun

2025-01-09
OpenAI Bans Engineer for Building ChatGPT-Powered Sentry Gun

An engineer, STS 3D, created a robotic sentry gun controlled by OpenAI's ChatGPT API, sparking a heated debate about AI weaponization. The system, shown firing blanks in a viral video, prompted OpenAI to swiftly ban the engineer for violating its usage policies, which prohibit using its services to develop or deploy weapons. While OpenAI removed language restricting military applications last year, it maintains a ban on using its service to harm others. This incident highlights the potential dangers of AI and the need for stringent regulations on its use.

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Fern, a YC Startup, is Hiring an AI Engineer – Up to $192k!

2025-01-17
Fern, a YC Startup, is Hiring an AI Engineer – Up to $192k!

Fern, a Y Combinator-backed startup, is hiring an AI Engineer with a salary of up to $192,000 plus an $18,000 living proximity bonus. Fern simplifies API usage by providing high-quality SDKs and documentation for businesses. The role requires 4+ years of backend or full-stack development experience, proficiency in TypeScript and at least one other language, and experience developing and deploying AI products. This is a fast-growing SaaS company offering end-to-end project ownership and the chance to build zero-to-one AI features.

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Development

Forgejo: A Self-Hosted GitHub Alternative

2025-01-19
Forgejo: A Self-Hosted GitHub Alternative

Forgejo is a lightweight, self-hosted software forge, easy to install and maintain, powered by the Codeberg e.V. community. It prioritizes security, scalability, federation, and privacy, offering a familiar GitHub-like experience for a smooth transition. 100% free and open-source, Forgejo boasts low resource consumption, high performance, and a commitment to fostering collaborative software development through decentralized platforms.

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Development GitHub alternative

Yek: A Fast Tool for Chunking Repository Files for LLMs

2025-01-19
Yek: A Fast Tool for Chunking Repository Files for LLMs

Yek is a fast Rust-based tool designed to read text-based files from a repository or directory, chunk them, and serialize them for Large Language Model (LLM) consumption. It intelligently skips unwanted files (using .gitignore rules and Git history), splits content into chunks based on token count or byte size, and offers extensive configuration options such as custom ignore patterns and file priority rules. Yek aims to streamline the data preparation process for LLMs, boosting efficiency.

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Development

TikTok Ban Fuels Mass Migration to Xiaohongshu

2025-01-19
TikTok Ban Fuels Mass Migration to Xiaohongshu

Facing a potential TikTok ban in the US, a wave of American users are migrating to the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, creating an unusual surge in US-China online interaction. These self-proclaimed "TikTok refugees" are sharing their lives and engaging with Chinese users, fostering a unique cross-cultural exchange. Xiaohongshu's welcoming atmosphere and openness have provided fertile ground for this unexpected migration, creating new opportunities for understanding and communication between users from both countries.

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Google Search Now Requires JavaScript: Security or Something Else?

2025-01-17
Google Search Now Requires JavaScript: Security or Something Else?

Google has announced that its search engine now mandates JavaScript for use. The stated reason is to better protect against malicious activity like bots and spam, improving the overall user experience. However, this move may inconvenience users relying on accessibility tools and has sparked speculation about Google's intent to limit third-party search trend analysis tools. While Google claims the affected user percentage is minuscule, the sheer volume of daily Google searches means millions are still impacted, leading to widespread discussion.

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Retro DIY Home Computer: 4x the Power of a C64!

2025-01-22
Retro DIY Home Computer: 4x the Power of a C64!

A developer built a retro home computer using just 61 74HCxx logic ICs, 2 6C1008 SRAM chips, and 4 39SF0x0 FLASH chips – boasting 4x the processing power of a Commodore C64! The Minimal 64x4 features 64KB RAM, a 512KB FLASH SSD, VGA output, and a PS/2 port. It has 256 instructions and a complete toolchain including an OS, text editor, assembler, and a Python-like interpreter. The open-source project includes classic games like Tetris and Space Invaders.

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Hardware

24 Hours in an Invisible Epidemic: The Loneliness Crisis

2025-01-20
24 Hours in an Invisible Epidemic: The Loneliness Crisis

This article follows a 62-year-old man for 24 hours, illustrating the growing loneliness epidemic in the US. Data reveals a decline in time spent with family and friends, a rise in solitary time, and a yearly increase in reported loneliness. The article highlights the negative emotional and physical health consequences of isolation, emphasizing the need for greater awareness and action to address this often-overlooked public health crisis.

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Infinite World Generation: An Improved Wave Function Collapse Algorithm

2025-01-18
Infinite World Generation: An Improved Wave Function Collapse Algorithm

This article details a fast, deterministic, parallelizable, and reliable method for generating infinite cities using an improved Wave Function Collapse (WFC) algorithm. The author addresses previous limitations such as non-determinism, memory leaks, and single-threadedness. The new approach generates infinite worlds by pre-generating tiled maps and replacing blocks at runtime, adapting to arbitrary heightmaps, resulting in stunning visuals.

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China to Host World's First Human-Robot Marathon

2025-01-20
China to Host World's First Human-Robot Marathon

Beijing will host the world's first human-robot half-marathon in April, with dozens of humanoid robots competing alongside 12,000 human runners in a 21km race. This event showcases China's push to develop AI and robotics to address an aging population, declining birth rates, and compete with the US in technological advancement. Robots from over 20 companies will participate, with prizes awarded to the top finishers.

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TikTok and ByteDance Apps Pulled from US App Store

2025-01-19

Following the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, apps developed by ByteDance Ltd. and its subsidiaries, including TikTok, CapCut, and others, will be unavailable for download or updates on the US App Store starting January 19, 2025. Existing users can continue using installed apps, but re-downloads and restoration after device changes are impossible. In-app purchases and new subscriptions will also cease. This could impact app performance, security, and compatibility with future iOS and iPadOS versions.

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Calling Strangers 'Uncle' and 'Auntie': A Global Phenomenon

2025-01-22

In many cultures, it's common to address older strangers as 'uncle' or 'aunt,' a practice the author terms 'ommerism.' This form of fictive kinship, the article argues, reflects the strength of a society's collective culture. The blog post explores this cultural practice across various regions, from Asia and Africa to the Americas, detailing the nuances of its application and its social implications.

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Bambu Lab Addresses Security Update Controversy: Third-Party Integration and Optional LAN Mode

2025-01-20
Bambu Lab Addresses Security Update Controversy: Third-Party Integration and Optional LAN Mode

Bambu Lab responded to the controversy surrounding its security update for X-series printers. The company denied online accusations of remotely disabling printers, restricting functionality, and including backdoors. To balance security and flexibility, they introduced an optional LAN mode with a standard mode (default, prioritizing security) and a developer mode (for advanced users to assume responsibility for their network security). Bambu Lab emphasizes that its Connect platform is designed to ensure continued third-party integration, and it's actively working with developers like Orca Slicer to maintain user experience and security.

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New Short Message Compression Tool: ts_sms

2024-12-30

ts_sms is a new tool for short message compression using large language models. It employs lossless compression, reducing bits by identifying and eliminating statistical redundancy without information loss. Compared to tools like brotli, ts_sms shows advantages in compressing small messages. Both Linux and Windows versions are available. Its core technology is similar to ts_zip, utilizing a specific padding system compatible with arithmetic coding, eliminating the need to explicitly encode message length.

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Development

Deep Earth Life: More Diverse Than We Thought

2025-01-20
Deep Earth Life: More Diverse Than We Thought

New research is reshaping our understanding of life's distribution on Earth. Scientists have discovered that the diversity of microbes deep beneath the surface rivals, and sometimes surpasses, that of rainforests and coral reefs. These microbes thrive in extremely low-energy environments, flourishing even at depths where energy supply is far lower than for surface organisms. Researchers suggest subsurface ecosystems may host more than half of all microbial cells. This finding not only deepens our understanding of Earth's life forms but also offers new perspectives on the search for extraterrestrial life.

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UK Study Reveals Accent Bias in Criminal Justice System

2025-01-17
UK Study Reveals Accent Bias in Criminal Justice System

A University of Cambridge study reveals a persistent bias in the UK criminal justice system, linking working-class accents with criminal behavior. Participants rated recordings of various regional accents, with Liverpool and Bradford accents perceived as more likely to be associated with crime. This bias, the researchers argue, can impact all stages of the justice system, from arrest to sentencing, and even affect witness credibility. The study highlights the need for improved voice identification procedures to mitigate accent-based prejudice and ensure fairer outcomes.

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C to FlipJump: A Minimalist RISC-V Virtual Machine

2025-01-17
C to FlipJump: A Minimalist RISC-V Virtual Machine

The c2fj project is a compiler that translates C code into FlipJump, a minimalist instruction set virtual machine. It first compiles C code into a RISC-V ELF file, then translates RISC-V instructions into FlipJump instructions, and finally runs the resulting FlipJump program. This process cleverly leverages FlipJump's space optimization, allowing for efficient compilation even of large C codebases. c2fj supports various compilation flags and provides Makefile support for complex projects. It also includes a minimal C library implementing necessary system calls such as `exit`, `getc`, `putc`, and `sbrk`.

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Development

Texas Sues Allstate for Secretly Collecting Driver Data

2025-01-14
Texas Sues Allstate for Secretly Collecting Driver Data

Texas has sued Allstate, alleging the insurance giant violated state privacy laws by secretly collecting detailed location data from millions of drivers to justify premium hikes. The lawsuit claims Allstate paid app developers to embed tracking code in their apps (including GasBuddy, Fuel Rewards, and Life360), sending sensitive data back to Allstate. This marks the first enforcement action by a state Attorney General under a data privacy law. Allstate failed to properly inform users about data collection and use in its privacy policies, and didn't utilize a 30-day cure period to avoid the lawsuit. Texas is seeking hefty fines, data deletion, and restitution for affected consumers.

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Oracle Linux: The Unexpected Best Local VM for MacBooks

2025-01-24

The author needed a local Linux environment for Kubernetes development on their MacBook. After struggling with Docker Desktop's high power consumption and sleep issues, they discovered an unexpected solution: Oracle Linux. Oracle Linux, a downstream of Red Hat Enterprise Linux, offers an easy-to-use UTM template. The author details setting up k3s and cert-manager, highlighting Oracle Linux's surprisingly low power consumption in UTM, solving the problems encountered with Docker Desktop. This makes it a superior choice for local development.

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Development

Britain's First Internet Connection: The Untold Story of a Pioneer

2025-01-09
Britain's First Internet Connection: The Untold Story of a Pioneer

This article recounts the story of British computer scientist Peter Kirstein, who in the early 1970s, connected Britain to ARPANET, marking the beginning of the UK's internet era. Despite governmental hurdles and technical challenges, Kirstein's innovative approach and perseverance led to the successful connection of London computers to ARPANET, for which he created the internet's first password. The article provides a fascinating glimpse into the early days of the internet, from its Cold War origins to its global impact, showcasing the twists and turns of technological advancement and the contributions of its pioneers.

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Tech

File Systems: The Proto-Hypermedia?

2025-01-22
File Systems: The Proto-Hypermedia?

This article explores the intriguing idea of file systems as a precursor to hypermedia. It argues that the linking structure of directories and files, along with support for diverse data types, provided a form of flexible and varied information access and organization, echoing core hypermedia principles. While lacking the interactivity and dynamism of modern hypermedia, the article highlights the file system's pioneering role in information management, laying groundwork for later hypermedia technologies.

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Revolutionizing Race Timing: StoryTiming Demo

2025-01-20

StoryTiming reimagines race timing, prioritizing timing information and letting the race action follow. This demo, using data from the 2024 IMSA Rolex 24, showcases an innovative interactive experience. Users navigate the race effortlessly via keyboard shortcuts or mouse controls, viewing data through various perspectives, including a driver tracker overlay. Aimed at enhancing digital broadcasts, this project is the work of an independent software developer and is still under development.

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Kronotop: A Redis-Compatible, Distributed, Transactional Document Database

2025-01-20
Kronotop: A Redis-Compatible, Distributed, Transactional Document Database

Kronotop is a Redis-compatible, distributed, and transactional document database built on FoundationDB. It supports an MQL-like query language, ACID transactions, and an on-disk storage engine with a primary-standby replication model. While still in early development with an unstable API, it already features ZMap (an ordered key-value store), namespaces, and partial support for Redis data structures (strings and hashes). Future plans include support for more Redis data structures (lists, sets, sorted sets) and a Bucket data structure for storing JSON-like documents with MQL query language and transaction support.

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Development

Black Magic: A Blazing Fast Circular Buffer

2025-01-11

This article presents a clever optimization of circular buffers using virtual memory paging. Traditional circular buffer read/write operations are inefficient due to boundary handling. The author uses the `mmap` system call to map the buffer to two contiguous virtual memory regions. This allows writes to proceed continuously without boundary checks, drastically improving performance. This method leverages the OS to handle wrap-around automatically, eliminating complex boundary checks and modulo operations. The result is a threefold performance increase.

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A Physicist's Guide to Ice Cream: The Unexpected Science of a Beloved Dessert

2025-01-20
A Physicist's Guide to Ice Cream: The Unexpected Science of a Beloved Dessert

Ice cream, a seemingly simple dessert, is a marvel of physics and chemistry. Professor Douglas Goff, a food scientist at the University of Guelph, Canada, unravels the science behind its creation, from emulsification and foaming to ice crystal formation. He explains how principles of materials science contribute to the perfect scoop, highlighting differences in structure between homemade and commercially produced ice cream, the impact of additives, and the challenges of vegan ice cream production. The article also details Goff's team's innovative use of electron microscopy to study ice cream's microstructure without melting the samples, showcasing the fascinating intersection of science and culinary arts.

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LA Wildfires: A Self-Inflicted Wound

2025-01-18
LA Wildfires: A Self-Inflicted Wound

The author recounts their personal experience with the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, arguing that the disaster wasn't a natural event but rather a consequence of long-term negligence in forest fire management. The article highlights the lack of preventative measures, such as regular brush clearing, and the excessively lengthy environmental review processes hindering fire prevention efforts, leading to massive fuel accumulation and ultimately, catastrophic wildfires. The author calls for a renewed focus on fire prevention, streamlined approval processes, and a critical examination of current policies to avert future tragedies.

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Hilbert Curve: A Beautiful Space-Filling Curve and its Visualization

2025-01-18

This article delves into the Hilbert curve, a space-filling curve with excellent clustering properties. The author creatively visualizes it by projecting a 3D RGB color space Hilbert curve onto a 2D plane. The visualization is aesthetically pleasing and intuitively demonstrates the clustering characteristics of the Hilbert curve. The article also explains the algorithm implementation of the Hilbert curve and provides a Python project for generating and visualizing various space-filling curves.

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WordPress in Turmoil: Mullenweg's Actions Shake the Foundation

2025-01-21
WordPress in Turmoil:  Mullenweg's Actions Shake the Foundation

A conflict between WordPress creator Matt Mullenweg and hosting company WP Engine is threatening the future of WordPress. Mullenweg's aggressive actions, including banning WP Engine, offering severance packages to dissenting employees, and drastically reducing contributions to the open-source project, have sparked community backlash and a lawsuit. This turmoil undermines WordPress's stability and raises concerns about its future direction, even pushing users and developers towards alternatives. The core issue is a clash between open-source governance and commercial interests, with far-reaching implications for the tech industry.

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Development community conflict

Stanford's Off-Grid Ammonia Generator: Powering the Future with Thin Air

2025-01-16
Stanford's Off-Grid Ammonia Generator: Powering the Future with Thin Air

Researchers from Stanford University and King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals have developed a groundbreaking device that generates ammonia from ambient air and water vapor without any external power source. Utilizing a catalyst-coated mesh, the system combines atmospheric nitrogen and water vapor to produce ammonia at room temperature and pressure. This ammonia can be used directly as fertilizer or processed into a sustainable green fuel, offering a revolutionary approach to fertilizer production and energy generation. The technology promises to significantly impact both developing nations and industrial applications.

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California Wildfires Wipe Out Decades of Climate Progress

2025-01-20
California Wildfires Wipe Out Decades of Climate Progress

A University of Chicago study reveals that California's 2020 wildfires negated nearly two decades of emission reduction efforts. The fires caused billions of dollars in economic losses and fatalities, significantly jeopardizing the state's climate goals. The study shows that a single year's wildfire emissions amounted to almost half of California's 2030 emission reduction target, highlighting the critical need for wildfire prevention in state climate policy.

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