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NearlyFreeSpeech.NET: A DIY Hosting Service for Geeks

2025-01-11

NearlyFreeSpeech.NET is a do-it-yourself web hosting service designed for experienced webmasters and highly self-motivated individuals. It operates on a pay-for-what-you-use model, meaning you only pay for the resources you consume. While lacking in personal technical support, it offers extensive documentation and community support, making it a cost-effective option for those comfortable managing their own websites. Services include web hosting, DNS hosting, and domain registration, with support for various programming languages and databases.

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(www.nearlyfreespeech.net)
Development web hosting pay-for-what-you-use

Kirin's Electric Salt Spoon: A CES 2025 Taste of the Future?

2025-01-11
Kirin's Electric Salt Spoon: A CES 2025 Taste of the Future?

At CES 2025, Kirin Holdings unveiled an electronic spoon that uses a weak electric current to enhance the salty and umami flavors of food, particularly low-sodium options. Based on research that won a 2013 Ig Nobel Prize, the spoon has already launched in Japan and Kirin aims for global distribution. The device aims to help reduce salt intake, especially relevant in Japan's high-sodium diet culture. While TechCrunch didn't sample it, the enthusiastic crowd at CES Unveiled suggests it's a hit.

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(techcrunch.com)
Tech Electric Salt Spoon Low-Sodium Diet

Bash Has Hashmaps?!

2025-01-11

This blog post reveals a hidden gem in bash scripting: built-in support for hashmaps (associative arrays)! The author, while working on a project involving GPU instance management, discovered this feature and shares how to use it. The post details how to declare, assign values to, read, iterate over, and delete key-value pairs within a bash hashmap, showcasing two declaration methods: dynamic addition and pre-defined key-value pairs. This is a valuable technique for efficiently handling key-value data within bash scripts.

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(xeiaso.net)
Development Hashmaps Shell Scripting

BepiColombo Delivers Stunning Close-Ups of Mercury's North Pole

2025-01-11
BepiColombo Delivers Stunning Close-Ups of Mercury's North Pole

The European-Japanese BepiColombo spacecraft has completed its sixth and final Mercury flyby, sending back the most detailed images yet of the planet's north pole. Flying as close as 295 kilometers above Mercury's night side, the spacecraft captured stunning views of permanently shadowed craters, neighboring volcanic plains, and Mercury's largest impact crater. These images provide invaluable data for understanding Mercury's formation and evolution. BepiColombo is on track to enter Mercury's orbit next year for a more extensive study.

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(apnews.com)
Tech

MessagePack: A Faster, Smaller Alternative to JSON

2025-01-11

MessagePack is an efficient binary serialization format enabling data exchange across multiple languages, similar to JSON but faster and smaller. It's used by projects like Redis, Fluentd, and Pinterest for performance gains. Supported by over 50 programming languages and environments, its simple specification makes it an easy-to-implement, fast replacement for JSON.

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(msgpack.org)
Tech Serialization

Reverse Engineering a BIOS Update Fix for an Old Dell XPS 15

2025-01-11
Reverse Engineering a BIOS Update Fix for an Old Dell XPS 15

Driven by nostalgia, the author attempted to update the BIOS of their old 2011 Dell XPS 15 L502X. Hardware issues and a dead battery resulted in a failed BIOS update. Using Ghidra, the author reverse-engineered the update program, pinpointing the faulty code. By modifying the code to bypass battery checks, the BIOS update was finally successful. This is a captivating tale of hardware repair and reverse engineering, showcasing the author's persistence and technical skills.

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(www.r9c.net)
Hardware BIOS update hardware repair

The Makefile Effect: Why We Copy-Paste Config Files

2025-01-11

This post explores the common "Makefile effect" in software engineering: engineers tend to copy-paste and tweak existing configuration files (like Makefiles, CI/CD configurations, etc.) instead of writing them from scratch. The author argues this isn't inherently bad, but suggests it indicates that tools might be overly complex, lacking good diagnostics and debugging support, making them inefficient and insecure to use. The post concludes with design recommendations to minimize this effect, improving development efficiency and security.

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(blog.yossarian.net)
Development tool design

Fantastic Planet: A 19th-Century Microphotography Album

2025-01-11
Fantastic Planet: A 19th-Century Microphotography Album

Marinus Pieter Filbri's microscopy album reveals a wondrous 19th-century glimpse into the microcosm. The collection juxtaposes seemingly unrelated images—moon phases, portraits of Sicilian bandits—with stunning micrographs: a moth's antenna, a honeybee's stinger, a fly's eye, and more. These images not only showcase the intricate structures of the microscopic world but also spark contemplation on the similarities between the macrocosm and microcosm, akin to exploring a fantastic alien planet. Filbri's work echoes the discoveries of Antoni van Leeuwenhoek, highlighting the challenges and achievements of early microphotography.

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(publicdomainreview.org)
Tech microphotography history of science

Hyundai's $18k EV, the Inster, Takes on Japan

2025-01-11
Hyundai's $18k EV, the Inster, Takes on Japan

Hyundai launched its cheapest EV yet in Japan, the Inster, priced at just $18,000. This small electric vehicle boasts a 42 or 49 kWh battery, offering a range of up to 195 miles (315 km) or 221 miles (355 km) WLTP, respectively. Hyundai aims to significantly boost its Japanese market share with the Inster, currently trailing behind BYD in sales. The Inster will compete directly with popular EVs like the BYD Dolphin and Nissan Sakura.

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(electrek.co)
Tech Hyundai Electric Vehicle Japan Market

Greenland: A Newly Crucial Arctic Strategic Location

2025-01-11
Greenland: A Newly Crucial Arctic Strategic Location

The Trump administration's growing interest in Greenland is no coincidence. The island's strategic importance has placed it at the center of a great power competition in the Arctic between the US, Russia, and China. The US maintains Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, a crucial military presence offering missile detection and space surveillance capabilities. However, climate change is melting Arctic ice, opening new shipping routes and resources, further increasing Greenland's strategic value and intensifying competition. The article reviews the history of US military presence in Greenland, including Cold War bases and nuclear accidents, and analyzes Greenland's role in future military strategy and its importance in Arctic shipping and resource contention.

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(www.twz.com)
Tech Arctic strategy Greenland Military base

Generative Search: AI Revolutionizes Internet Search

2025-01-11
Generative Search: AI Revolutionizes Internet Search

Generative AI is reshaping internet search. Forget keyword searches and link sorting; conversational search powered by AI is providing direct answers, integrating real-time information from across the web. Google's AI Overviews, OpenAI's web-integrated ChatGPT, and other search engines are vying for dominance, but face challenges like copyright disputes and AI hallucinations. Trillions of dollars are at stake, alongside concerns about information reliability and the future of publishers.

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(www.technologyreview.com)
Tech

Absurd Math Error: Earth's Radius Only 4333 Feet?

2025-01-11
Absurd Math Error: Earth's Radius Only 4333 Feet?

A blogger discovered an unbelievable mathematical error in an image posted by a design and construction company. The image incorrectly calculated the Earth's radius when computing the lengths of two circular arcs at different altitudes, resulting in a radius of only 4333 feet, far less than the actual value. The blogger detailed the error in the calculation and pointed out the huge discrepancy between the actual Earth's radius and the calculated result. This erroneous calculation raises questions about the authenticity of information and highlights the importance of carefully verifying information in the information age.

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(www.charlespetzold.com)
Misc Mathematical error Earth's radius Information authenticity

Pathfinding in Evolving Terrain: A Direction Field Approach

2025-01-11
Pathfinding in Evolving Terrain: A Direction Field Approach

This blog post details a novel pathfinding solution for a Unity browser game, 'Build + Brawl,' where hundreds of enemies navigate towards a moving player in a dynamically changing environment. Instead of A*, the author implemented a direction field approach. This pre-computes optimal movement directions and distances for each grid cell, minimizing updates upon player or obstacle changes. This dramatically improves performance, avoiding browser lag. The post is divided into two parts, explaining the algorithm's construction and obstacle handling, illustrated with clear diagrams. It's a great case study for game developers.

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(www.holm.dog)
Game Pathfinding Algorithm Direction Field

Robotics vs. AI: Debunking Complexity Misconceptions

2025-01-11

This article tackles common misconceptions surrounding the complexities of robotics versus AI. The author argues that people often conflate the two fields, assuming advancements in AI directly translate to breakthroughs in robotics. However, the core challenge in robotics lies in the intricate nature of sensorimotor control, far more difficult than commonly perceived. This aligns with Moravec's Paradox: low-level sensorimotor skills are harder to replicate than high-level reasoning. The author further explains how current AI solutions rely on immense computing power and massive datasets, conditions difficult to replicate in robotics. Hardware limitations, data bottlenecks, and model speed are also discussed, alongside a forward-looking perspective on future robotics development.

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(harimus.github.io)
AI Moravec's Paradox

AI/LLM Predictions: 1, 3, and 6 Years Out

2025-01-11

Simon Willison shared his predictions for AI/LLM development over the next 1, 3, and 6 years on the Oxide and Friends podcast. He anticipates that general-purpose AI agents won't materialize soon, but code and research assistants will flourish. Within three years, AI-assisted investigative reporting could win a Pulitzer Prize, alongside stricter privacy laws. Six years out, AI might produce amazing art, but could also lead to widespread civil unrest depending on the development and economic impact of AGI/ASI. Willison emphasizes his low confidence in these predictions, offering them as an interesting point of future reflection.

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(simonwillison.net)
AI future tech

XYplorer: A Top-Rated File Manager Written in 'Dead' VB6

2025-01-11

XYplorer, a globally popular file manager, is surprisingly written in the outdated VB6 programming language. The article addresses the misconception that VB6 is inherently inferior, showcasing XYplorer's efficiency and extensive features as proof. While acknowledging limitations like the lack of multi-threading and 64-bit compilation, the author argues that these don't detract from its widespread use and positive reviews. Using the analogy of a coffee machine, the piece highlights that a product's functionality and performance outweigh the language it's built in.

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(www.xyplorer.com)
Development file manager

Eco-Friendly Laptop Stand Made from Recycled Paper

2025-01-11
Eco-Friendly Laptop Stand Made from Recycled Paper

Seoul-based design firm grape lab has created the g.stand, a laptop stand made from a single sheet of recycled paper. Weighing only 45g, it's sturdy enough to hold even the heaviest laptops. Its origami-inspired design provides optimal viewing and typing angles, while strategically placed creases ensure proper ventilation. Collapsing to a mere 3cm for easy portability, its carrying case doubles as a phone stand. This sustainable and stylish product retails for around $22.

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(www.core77.com)
Design sustainable design recycled paper laptop stand

Bauble: A Functional Approach to 3D Art with Signed Distance Functions

2025-01-11
Bauble: A Functional Approach to 3D Art with Signed Distance Functions

Ian Henry recounts his journey building Bauble, a tool for creating interactive 3D graphics using signed distance functions (SDFs) and the Janet programming language. Initially a simple GLSL string concatenator, Bauble evolved to include features like animation, custom dynamic expressions, and lighting. However, its complexity led to a complete rewrite, resulting in a robust compiler and comprehensive documentation. Now, Bauble empowers users to create stunning 3D art with relative ease.

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(ianthehenry.com)
Development Programming Tool Signed Distance Functions

17th-Century Priory Transformed into a Medieval-Inspired Topiary Garden

2025-01-11
17th-Century Priory Transformed into a Medieval-Inspired Topiary Garden

A Parisian, Thierry Juge, transformed a dilapidated 17th-century French priory into a breathtaking medieval-style garden. Using meticulously clipped boxwood, he created geometric patterns and unique sculptures, resulting in a peaceful and contemplative 'hortus conclusus'. Featuring a labyrinth, orchard, and potager, the garden reflects the owner's passion for plants and spiritual aspirations. The garden has received the prestigious 'Jardin Remarquable' award from the French Ministry of Culture, signifying its exceptional merit.

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(www.houseandgarden.co.uk)
Design gardening design medieval style french garden

Epic CEO Accuses Big Tech of Republican Pretense to Avoid Antitrust Scrutiny

2025-01-11
Epic CEO Accuses Big Tech of Republican Pretense to Avoid Antitrust Scrutiny

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney slammed tech giants for allegedly feigning Republican support to curry favor with the Trump administration, thereby avoiding antitrust laws and ultimately harming consumers and crushing competitors. He highlighted donations from Google and Apple to Trump's inauguration as evidence of this strategy to weaken antitrust enforcement. Sweeney, locked in a long-running battle with Apple and Google over mobile software distribution, aims to sell games on iPhones and Android phones without using their app stores and payment systems. While the new administration may be softer on antitrust cases, Sweeney vowed to continue fighting until victory.

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(www.pcgamer.com)
Tech

Automating API Changes with Codemods: A Refactoring Revolution

2025-01-11
Automating API Changes with Codemods: A Refactoring Revolution

This article explores how codemods automate large-scale code changes, especially when dealing with breaking API changes. Leveraging Abstract Syntax Trees (ASTs), codemods precisely automate code transformations, significantly reducing the burden of manual refactoring. The article uses examples like removing stale feature toggles and refactoring complex React components, detailing the process using jscodeshift, and discusses potential pitfalls and solutions when scaling codemods. It highlights codemods' role in improving code quality and maintainability, showcasing a real-world case study of refactoring an Avatar component.

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(martinfowler.com)
Development API changes codemod

Quake's Precomputed Visibility: Demystifying the PVS Algorithm

2025-01-10

This is the first installment in the "Demystifying the PVS" series, exploring how Quake's engine optimized rendering performance using precomputed visibility sets (PVS). In the mid-90s, limitations of software rendering made reducing overdraw crucial. Quake used a portal system and PVS to address this. Portals divide the world into cells; the engine renders only cells visible to the camera and others visible through portals. The PVS algorithm precomputes a list of visible cells for each cell during map compilation, avoiding complex visibility tests at runtime and significantly improving rendering efficiency. This article delves into the PVS algorithm's implementation details, including portal definitions, the role of the BSP tree, and the algorithm's three steps: base visibility, full visibility, and result resolution.

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(30fps.net)
Game PVS Algorithm

Massive PowerSchool Data Breach Exposes 60 Million Students' and Teachers' Info

2025-01-10
Massive PowerSchool Data Breach Exposes 60 Million Students' and Teachers' Info

Education software giant PowerSchool suffered a major data breach, with personal information of over 60 million K-12 students and teachers stolen. The breach, which involved 23 database tables containing sensitive data like Social Security Numbers and medical information, was reportedly carried out using a compromised credential. PowerSchool stated it wasn't ransomware or a software vulnerability, but a network penetration. While PowerSchool has implemented security measures, including password resets and access control tightening, and offered credit monitoring, cybersecurity firm Cyble suggests the breach may have started as early as 2011. The incident highlights the vulnerability of educational institutions' data and the importance of timely reporting and response.

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(www.theregister.com)
Tech education

Kimchi Fridge: A Korean Culinary Innovation

2025-01-10
Kimchi Fridge: A Korean Culinary Innovation

The Korean love for kimchi has led to the creation of a unique appliance: the kimchi refrigerator. More than simple storage, it's specifically designed to optimize kimchi fermentation and preservation. Starting with GoldStar's (LG's predecessor) first model in 1984, years of development have resulted in a diverse market with various brands and designs, from top-loading models to multi-drawer units. These fridges maintain precise temperatures and humidity levels while minimizing air circulation, creating ideal fermentation conditions. Some even include UV sterilization. A 2004 survey of South Korean homemakers ranked the kimchi refrigerator as the most desired household appliance, highlighting its cultural significance.

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(en.wikipedia.org)
Hardware kimchi refrigerator Korean appliance food preservation

The Reddit Revolt Against Blinding Headlights

2025-01-10
The Reddit Revolt Against Blinding Headlights

A growing online movement, spearheaded by a Reddit community (r/FuckYourHeadlights), is fighting back against the increasingly bright headlights on modern cars. The article delves into the complexities of this issue, exploring the technological advancements in LED lighting, the regulatory shortcomings of NHTSA standards, and the human impact of excessive glare. While LEDs offer benefits like energy efficiency and longer lifespan, their intensity has led to widespread complaints and a debate over safety and comfort. Experts highlight headlight alignment, vehicle size, and the intentional manipulation of light distribution as contributing factors. The article concludes by examining potential solutions, including adaptive driving beam technology, while acknowledging the need for a balanced approach that prioritizes both safety and driver well-being.

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(theringer.com)
Tech headlights

Venu Sports Streaming Service Scrapped Before Launch

2025-01-10
Venu Sports Streaming Service Scrapped Before Launch

The much-anticipated Venu Sports streaming service, a joint venture between ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery, has been canceled before its official launch. Announced last year with a planned launch in Fall 2024, Venu aimed to provide live streaming access to a wide range of sports, including NFL, NBA, and more. However, an antitrust lawsuit and regulatory scrutiny led to significant hurdles. While a Disney-FuboTV merger temporarily resolved a lawsuit, concerns from DirecTV and EchoStar ultimately resulted in the project's termination.

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(www.theverge.com)
Tech sports

TubePen: Streamlining Video Highlighting and Annotation

2025-01-10

Tired of hunting for key information in lengthy videos? TubePen simplifies the process! This tool lets you easily highlight and annotate important segments of videos and share them with others. Think of it as a dedicated notepad for your videos, streamlining your learning, work, or entertainment. No more struggling with screenshots or timestamp notes; TubePen offers a clean interface and powerful features, letting you focus on the video content itself.

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(www.tubepen.com)
Development

OpenAI Bot Crushes Small E-commerce Site

2025-01-10
OpenAI Bot Crushes Small E-commerce Site

Triplegangers, a seven-person e-commerce company, had its website crippled by OpenAI's GPTBot in a DDoS-like attack. GPTBot relentlessly scraped images and descriptions of over 65,000 products, causing the site to crash and incurring significant AWS charges. Triplegangers discovered their robots.txt file was improperly configured, failing to effectively block GPTBot. While OpenAI claims to respect robots.txt, its bot didn't immediately respond to the updated file. This incident highlights the potential risks of AI data scraping for small businesses and OpenAI's delayed opt-out tool.

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(techcrunch.com)
Tech AI data scraping DDoS attack

Flattening ASTs: Performance Wins in Compiler Data Structures

2025-01-10
Flattening ASTs: Performance Wins in Compiler Data Structures

This article explores performance optimization of compiler data structures by flattening Abstract Syntax Trees (ASTs). The author builds a simple arithmetic expression interpreter, implementing it both with traditional pointers and a flattened array approach, comparing their performance. Results show a 2.4x speedup with the flattened version, attributed to improved memory locality, smaller reference sizes, and cheaper allocation/deallocation. Flattening also simplifies memory management and facilitates deduplication. The article further presents an iterative interpreter exploiting the flattened representation for additional performance gains.

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(www.cs.cornell.edu)
Development data structures performance improvement
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