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Oracle Refuses to Surrender JavaScript Trademark, Deno Land Fights Back

2025-01-13

Oracle Refuses to Surrender JavaScript Trademark, Deno Land Fights Back

Deno Land has filed a lawsuit against Oracle over the ownership of the JavaScript trademark. Oracle acquired the trademark in 2009 with the purchase of Sun Microsystems. Deno Land argues that Oracle has abandoned the trademark and that its 2019 trademark renewal was fraudulent. Both sides will submit their responses before February 3rd, followed by evidence gathering. This legal battle is expected to last for quite some time.

(www.infoworld.com)

Development Trademark Dispute

IRC Driven: Reviving IRC as a Social Platform

2025-01-13

IRC Driven is a modern IRC indexing site and search engine aiming to revive IRC and transform it into a social platform. It offers network and channel indexing, user profile creation, and channel pages based on network channel lists. The site has undergone multiple rewrites and recent improvements include resolving API issues, bringing back channel bots. The site is also seeking volunteers to help with development to further enhance user experience.

(www.ircdriven.com)

Development social platform indexing engine

Visualizing the Collatz Conjecture with Langton's Ant: Similarities and Differences

2025-01-13

This post continues a previous one, visualizing the Collatz conjecture using Langton's ant. By simulating the ant's movement on a grid, the author observes that Collatz sequences with similar final patterns often have similar stopping times. However, the inverse isn't true: sequences with the same stopping time can have significantly different trajectories. The author quantifies the similarity between sequences by calculating the size of the intersection of their sets, finding that sequences with small initial number differences have higher similarity, which decreases as the difference grows. This research offers a novel perspective on understanding the complexity of the Collatz conjecture.

(gbragafibra.github.io)

Misc

Chumby 8 Kernel Upgrade: Solving the 100% CPU Usage Mystery

2025-01-13

While upgrading the Linux kernel of his Chumby 8 device to version 6.x, the author encountered a persistent 100% CPU usage problem. Through time-reversal debugging, kernel profiling, and a deep dive into the `/proc/stat` file, the root cause was traced to a timing issue in the kernel code that reads the PXA168 hardware timer register, resulting in inaccurate idle time counting. The author fixed this problem and contributed the solution back to the main Linux kernel.

(www.downtowndougbrown.com)

Development Hardware Debugging

/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.

(utcc.utoronto.ca)

Development Unix history Globbing

Blue Origin's New Glenn Rocket: NG-1 Mission Details

2025-01-13

Blue Origin is preparing for the maiden flight of its massive reusable rocket, New Glenn, under the NG-1 mission. Launching from Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, this flight will carry the Blue Ring Pathfinder payload and serve as the vehicle's first National Security Space Launch certification flight. The first stage will autonomously land on an ocean platform hundreds of miles downrange, while the second stage will deploy the payload into a medium Earth orbit (MEO). This launch marks a significant step for Blue Origin in heavy-lift launch capabilities and heralds a new era of space exploration.

(www.blueorigin.com)

Tech Rocket Launch

Blue Origin: A New Chapter in Space Exploration

2025-01-13

Blue Origin's website showcases its reusable rocket engines, the New Shepard and New Glenn rockets, and the lunar lander Blue Moon. The site offers information about the company, sustainability, news, a gallery, career opportunities, and a shop, inviting users to sign up for updates. Blue Origin is committed to space exploration and offers opportunities for people to fly to space.

(www.blueorigin.com)

Tech Rockets

DoxyPress 1.7.0 Released: Streamlining Documentation Generation

2025-01-13

DoxyPress 1.7.0 is now available! This powerful documentation generator, built on CopperSpice, simplifies the documentation creation process. This release includes installation, building, usage instructions, and a FAQ, along with extensive customization options. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced developer, you can easily generate high-quality documentation quickly.

(www.copperspice.com)

Development documentation generation

The Paradox of Elegant Programming Languages: Why Simplicity Can Be a Curse

2025-01-13

Some programming languages fail to gain traction due to obscurity or overly ambitious designs. The article explores the challenges faced by concise, elegantly designed languages like BF and Scheme, where developers often prioritize building their own implementations rather than using existing ones. The author argues that a balance between simplicity and practicality is crucial. Multiple implementations are beneficial only when a strong user community exists and demands diverse implementations. The success of Clojure and Racket suggests that languages need to reach a critical mass to attract users who focus on application development, rather than implementation.

(www.wilfred.me.uk)

Development

Silent Film Car Disintegration: A Behind-the-Scenes Look

2025-01-13

Buster Keaton's films are famous for their spectacularly collapsing cars. This Stack Exchange post deconstructs one such scene from *Three Ages*, revealing the ingenious mechanics involved. The car was cleverly designed with hinges and hidden releases, allowing for a seemingly spontaneous disintegration timed perfectly with Keaton's comedic performance. The effect, achieved without CGI, showcases the creativity and precision of silent film stunt work.

(movies.stackexchange.com)

Game film techniques silent film Buster Keaton

Pac-Man: A Revolution in Game Design

2025-01-13

Pac-Man: A Revolution in Game Design

Pac-Man's success wasn't due to superior graphics or fluid controls, but its innovative use of a core game mechanic: collision. Previous games treated collision literally, as a physical impact. Pac-Man, however, metaphorically represented collision as 'eating,' making Pac-Man a relatable character. This 'expansive' design philosophy not only made Pac-Man a global phenomenon but also inspired future game developers to explore richer themes and emotions. Games like Dys4ia use collision to represent nuanced experiences like gender transition.

(thereader.mitpress.mit.edu)

Game Pac-Man collision mechanic

MSCHF's Free Interactive Movie: A Collaborative Art Experiment

2025-01-13

MSCHF's Free Interactive Movie: A Collaborative Art Experiment

MSCHF launched a free interactive movie called "Free Paint 1.0," allowing users to collaboratively create its visuals. Functioning like a massive online collaborative doodle, users add and remove images via an online tool, building the movie frame by frame. Currently 92% complete, the project showcases the possibilities of collective creation in the internet age, sparking conversations about art, authorship, and copyright.

(thefreemovie.buzz)

Misc interactive movie collaborative art

Google's Messaging Mayhem: A 16-Year History of Chaos and Failure

2025-01-13

Google's Messaging Mayhem: A 16-Year History of Chaos and Failure

From Google Talk in 2005 to Google Chat in 2021, Google's messaging app history is a rollercoaster of launches, shutdowns, and missed opportunities. This article chronicles the rise and fall of numerous Google messaging platforms, highlighting a lack of consistent strategy and top-down leadership. The constant churn of products, from Google Talk and Hangouts to Allo and Duo, resulted in fragmented user bases and ultimately, no dominant messaging app. Google’s inability to commit to a single, well-funded product contrasts sharply with competitors like Facebook and Apple, showcasing the high cost of Google's inconsistent approach. The article concludes by questioning Google’s future prospects in the messaging space.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech Messaging Apps Product Strategy

Comptime Configuration in Zig: Clever Design in httpz and ztl Libraries

2025-01-13

This article explores the techniques of using compile-time metaprogramming for configuration in the Zig programming language. The author uses their httpz and ztl libraries as examples, demonstrating how a generic type parameter `T` can simultaneously serve as both application context and configuration. Functions defined within the `T` type can override the library's default behavior, while fields in `T` can configure scalar values. Compile-time checks ensure the correctness of the configuration and allow for compile-time optimizations, such as adjusting the virtual machine stack size based on the configuration. While this approach requires users to provide configuration at compile time, it offers significant performance improvements and is an effective strategy for building flexible and efficient libraries.

(www.openmymind.net)

Development Compile-time Configuration

The Right to Root: Why You Should Own Your Devices

2025-01-13

This article argues for a "right to root" – the consumer's right to install and modify software on any computing device they own outright, regardless of form factor. The author contends that manufacturers' restrictions, justified by security concerns, are anti-consumer, stifle competition, and lead to shorter device lifespans and limited repair options. Using Apple devices as a prime example (comparing the open nature of MacBooks to the closed nature of iPads), the article discusses potential legal solutions and emphasizes that manufacturers should bear the burden of proving the necessity of hardware locks, except in cases like critical medical devices.

(medhir.com)

Tech right to root consumer rights

Standard Patterns in Choice-Based Games

2025-01-13

Standard Patterns in Choice-Based Games

This article explores common narrative structure patterns in choice-based games, including 'Time Cave', 'Gauntlet', 'Branch and Bottleneck', 'Quest', 'Open Map', 'Sorting Hat', 'Floating Modules', and 'Loop and Grow'. Each pattern has unique characteristics and applications; for instance, 'Time Cave' suits freeform adventures, 'Gauntlet' linear narratives, and 'Branch and Bottleneck' showcases character growth. The author analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of each, providing examples, offering valuable insights for game designers.

(heterogenoustasks.wordpress.com)

Game narrative structure interactive narrative

Havana Syndrome: Intelligence Agencies Shift Stance on Mystery Weapon

2025-01-13

Havana Syndrome: Intelligence Agencies Shift Stance on Mystery Weapon

Two years ago, US intelligence agencies emphatically concluded that "Havana syndrome" wasn't the work of a foreign adversary wielding some kind of energy weapon. New intelligence has overturned that conclusion. Some intelligence agencies are no longer ruling out the possibility of a mystery weapon, with the White House even suggesting a deliberate attack by a US foe. This shift is significant, potentially leading to a strong US response. While the new report acknowledges uncertainty, the move from outright denial to a 50% chance is noteworthy.

(www.theatlantic.com)

Tech Havana Syndrome mystery weapon intelligence agencies

Qubes OS Templates: Secure, Efficient VM Management

2025-01-13

Qubes OS utilizes a template system for managing virtual machines, enhancing security, storage efficiency, and boot speed. Each template shares its root filesystem, with applications running and storing data within qubes. Updating a template automatically updates all qubes based on it after a restart. Software should be installed in templates, not app qubes. Qubes offers templates based on Fedora, Debian, and more, plus community templates. Users can install, update, uninstall, or switch templates via command-line or GUI tools. Uninstall warnings are normal. Switching templates requires updating all qubes based on the old template. Template security is crucial; install software only from trusted sources.

(www.qubes-os.org)

Development Template System VM Security

Germany Reaches 62.7% Renewables in 2024 Electricity Mix

2025-01-12

Germany Reaches 62.7% Renewables in 2024 Electricity Mix

Germany generated 62.7% of its electricity from renewable sources in 2024, according to the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (Fraunhofer ISE). Solar power contributed 14% to the total, reaching a record 72.2 TWh. Despite less favorable weather, rapid solar capacity expansion drove this record. Wind power remained the largest source at 136.4 TWh. Battery storage capacity also saw significant growth, increasing from 8.6 GW to 12.1 GW. Germany's CO2 emissions continued their downward trend, falling to 152 million tons in 2024, a 58% reduction from 1990 levels.

(www.pv-magazine.com)

Tech solar power german energy

Whonix: The Ultimate Privacy OS

2025-01-12

Whonix: The Ultimate Privacy OS

Whonix is a Linux-based virtual machine operating system designed for maximum internet privacy and anonymity. It achieves this by routing all internet traffic through the Tor network and implementing multi-layered security measures, including browser fingerprinting protection, keystroke cloaking, and strict access controls, to protect users from tracking and malware. Whonix's design philosophy is 'all Tor,' and it offers features like anonymous web server hosting and Live Mode to ensure user security and anonymity online.

(www.whonix.org)

Development anonymity

Russia's Hidden War Debt: A Ticking Time Bomb

2025-01-12

Russia's Hidden War Debt: A Ticking Time Bomb

The Kremlin has secretly funded much of its war effort through risky, off-budget financing largely overlooked by the West. A new report reveals how Russia has compelled banks to provide preferential loans to defense contractors, totaling an estimated $210 to $250 billion. This clandestine debt accumulation has created a financial predicament for Moscow, leading to soaring inflation and a systemic credit crisis risk. This vulnerability offers Ukraine and its allies significant new leverage in negotiations.

(navigatingrussia.substack.com)

Tech Russian war financing credit crisis

FurtherAI: Revolutionizing Insurance Workflows with AI

2025-01-12

FurtherAI: Revolutionizing Insurance Workflows with AI

FurtherAI, a startup backed by top-tier investors including Y Combinator, is building AI teammates to automate insurance workflows. These AI can handle unstructured documents, data entry, and even phone calls. Their mission is to create AI as reliable, adaptive, and continuously learning as a human employee. They're currently hiring for various roles, including Product Designers, Applied Research Engineers, and Software Engineers, offering exciting opportunities for those interested in AI and insurance.

(www.ycombinator.com)

AI

Qubes OS: A Seriously Secure Operating System

2025-01-12

Qubes OS is a security-focused operating system built on the Xen hypervisor, isolating applications and system environments to prevent malware and data breaches. Endorsed by security experts like Edward Snowden and used by organizations such as the Freedom of the Press Foundation, Qubes empowers users with control over their security. It supports multiple operating systems and integrates Whonix for anonymous browsing via Tor, providing robust privacy features.

(www.qubes-os.org)

Tech OS security

Why I Deleted My Social Media Accounts (And Why You Should Too)

2025-01-12

Tired of the declining moral standards and manipulative algorithms of social media platforms? A game developer shares his experience deleting Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok. He describes the frustrating account deletion process and the feeling of regaining control of his time after quitting social media. The article reflects on the negative impacts of social media on teens and adults, urging readers to reconsider their engagement with these platforms.

(asylumsquare.com)

Misc social media detox

Cold Water Viscosity May Have Spurred Complex Life's Emergence

2025-01-12

Cold Water Viscosity May Have Spurred Complex Life's Emergence

A new study proposes that the high viscosity of cold seawater during the 'Snowball Earth' periods billions of years ago may have driven the evolution of multicellular life. Experiments show that single-celled algae, under high-viscosity conditions, spontaneously formed larger, coordinated groups to maintain feeding efficiency, persisting in this state for generations. This suggests a novel evolutionary strategy for early life to adapt to environmental challenges. While further research is needed, the study offers a fresh perspective on the origin of multicellularity, highlighting the significant role of physical environmental factors in shaping life's trajectory.

(www.quantamagazine.org)

Tech Snowball Earth Multicellularity Viscosity

It's Time to Ditch the Cargo Cult Metaphor: A Critique of Technological and Cultural Misunderstanding

2025-01-12

It's Time to Ditch the Cargo Cult Metaphor: A Critique of Technological and Cultural Misunderstanding

This article critiques the overuse of the 'cargo cult' metaphor in programming and technology. The author argues that the popular culture depiction of cargo cults is inaccurate and ignores the underlying colonial oppression and cultural destruction. Actual cargo cults are far more complex than simple imitation, blending religious, cultural, and responses to colonial history. The author calls for abandoning this misleading metaphor and acknowledging its historical and cultural significance.

(www.righto.com)

Tech cargo cult colonial history

Canva Outage: A Case Study in Saturation and Resilience

2025-01-12

Canva Outage: A Case Study in Saturation and Resilience

Canva recently experienced a major outage stemming from system saturation. A new editor page deploy wasn't the culprit; instead, a stale Cloudflare CDN rule caused massive latency for Asian users loading Javascript files. This triggered 270,000+ concurrent requests, subsequently overwhelming the API gateway with 1.5 million requests per second – three times its typical peak. A known, unfixed performance bug in the API gateway exacerbated the issue. The Linux OOM killer terminated all API gateway tasks, resulting in complete Canva.com failure. Canva engineers resolved the issue by manually increasing task counts, temporarily blocking traffic via Cloudflare firewall rules, and gradually restoring traffic. This incident highlights the importance of system resilience and the potential downsides of automated systems under heavy load.

(surfingcomplexity.blog)

Tech system outage system resilience

wonderful.dev: The Developer Portfolio Platform

2025-01-12

wonderful.dev is a developer-focused online portfolio platform designed to help developers showcase their skills, track industry trends, and find ideal jobs or projects. The platform supports skill verification and integrates with WakaTime data, allowing developers to showcase their abilities with data-backed credibility, enhancing their competitiveness in the job market. Developers can create profiles, highlight verified skills and achievements, follow the latest tech trends, and discover opportunities perfectly aligned with their expertise.

(wonderful.dev)

Development developer portfolio skill showcase job platform

Former Aspen Ski Exec Calls Corporate Sustainability a Scam

2025-01-12

Former Aspen Ski Exec Calls Corporate Sustainability a Scam

Auden Schendler, former VP of Sustainability at Aspen One (formerly Aspen Skiing Company), exposes the hypocrisy of the corporate sustainability movement in his new book, "Terrible Beauty." He argues that focusing on small-scale fixes like carbon footprints and recycling distracts from effective solutions. Schendler calls for corporations to engage politically, fight the fossil fuel industry, and even suggests suing companies like ExxonMobil, mirroring actions taken by municipalities. He contends individuals should move beyond tokenistic eco-friendly actions and engage in political action, such as advocating for a carbon tax, for meaningful climate action.

(www.cpr.org)

Tech corporate sustainability ExxonMobil

Nvidia and MediaTek Team Up to Bring a New Generation of Linux PCs

2025-01-12

Nvidia and MediaTek Team Up to Bring a New Generation of Linux PCs

Nvidia and MediaTek have partnered to launch Project DIGITS, a personal AI computer powered by the Grace Blackwell superchip and running a customized Ubuntu Linux distribution. Priced at $3000, this powerful machine boasts impressive AI capabilities. However, Nvidia plans to release more affordable versions, potentially around $1000, targeting mainstream users. This move signifies Nvidia's entry into the desktop CPU market and an attempt to bridge the gap between Linux and Windows users via WSL. This offers users high-performance PCs natively supporting Linux, particularly advantageous on ARM architecture.

(www.zdnet.com)

Tech MediaTek

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