Links für 2024 KW 14
Zusammengefasst von LlongOrca.
Our Favorite Prompts from the Tournament:
The first-ever prompt engineering tournament hosted by PromptLayer showcased various methods and techniques used for designing prompts around given input variables/f-strings. These included Do's and Don'ts, the Claude System Prompt, Few-Shot, Code-style, Role-play, Financial Incentives & Avoiding Hallucination, and others. The event highlighted that prompt engineering is an art form with endless possibilities for innovation.
The Serious Eats Guide to Bourbon:
The article discusses the origins, production methods, and history of bourbon whiskey. Bourbon is primarily made from corn and aged in charred oak barrels. It must be made within the United States and adhere to specific guidelines such as grain mixture containing at least 51% corn, distilled to no more than 160 proof (80% ABV), entered into the barrel for aging at a proof no higher than 125, and bottled at no less than 80 proof (40% ABV). Straight bourbon has additional requirements such as being aged at least two years and containing no added colorings or flavorings. Bourbon's mash bill must be at least 51% corn but is generally made from 60-86% corn, with other grains like wheat, rye, barley, or oats. The whiskey is double-distilled using a column still and aged in new charred-oak barrels. Bourbon's history dates back to the 18th and 19th centuries as settlers moved west from the original colonies.
This experimental drug trial saw cancer vanish in every patient:
Over a dozen rectal cancer patients in the US experienced their tumors disappear after undergoing experimental immunotherapy treatment, according to researchers from New York's Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) Cancer Center. The patients were treated with an experimental drug called dostarlimab and have remained cancer-free for two years. This is the first time a treatment has completely eliminated cancer in every patient. Immunotherapy harnesses the body's immune system to identify and destroy cancer cells, focusing on a subset of rectal cancer patients whose cancer had a specific mutation. The researchers are now investigating if this method can be applied to other types of cancer.
Title:AI and the Problem of Knowledge Collapse:
The article discusses potential negative consequences of widespread artificial intelligence (AI) adoption, specifically how it may lead to a „knowledge collapse“ that could harm innovation and the richness of human understanding and culture. AI models tend to generate output towards the center of data distributions, while humans can strategically seek out diverse forms of knowledge. The authors present a model where a community of learners or innovators choose between traditional methods and an AI-assisted process and identify conditions under which knowledge collapse occurs. They find that with a 20% discount on AI-generated content, public beliefs can be 2.3 times further from the truth than without such a discount. The authors suggest further research directions to counteract these negative outcomes.
The study examined the relationship between drinking patterns among older couples and mortality over time using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Results revealed that concordant drinking spouses survived longer than discordant or concordant nondrinking spouses. In particular, similar levels of drinking in terms of quantity were associated with greater survival, particularly among wives. The findings emphasize the importance of considering both individual and partner's drinking habits when examining the impact on mortality risk.
ai21labs/Jamba-v0.1 · Hugging Face:
The article introduces Jamba, a state-of-the-art hybrid SSM-Transformer LLM model with performance gains over traditional Transformer models. It is a production-scale Mamba implementation with 12B active parameters and a total of 52B parameters across all experts. Jamba outperforms or matches other leading models in its size class on common benchmarks and offers research and application opportunities. The model supports a 256K context length and can fit up to 140K tokens on a single 80GB GPU. Jamba is designed for fine-tuning, training, and developing custom solutions without safety moderation mechanisms.
Big Tech's underground race to buy AI training data:
The article discusses the growing market for raw training data used in AI development, with companies willing to pay $1-3 per image or video, and text at a rate of $0.001 per word. This raises concerns about ethical considerations and privacy issues as corporations are focused on profit rather than end users who created the content. The article also highlights how data from social media platforms could be valuable in training AI models, but it is unclear if any compensation would be provided to these platforms or their users.
From early March to late May, webcams in Fellbach allow the observation of peregrine falcons without disturbing them during breeding and raising their young. The peregrine falcons at Fellbach's „Schwabenlandtower“ have made headlines for their appearance in the tallest residential building in Baden-Württemberg. Two webcams installed by NABU Fellbach provide live coverage of the breeding event until late May. Additional information about the nest can be found on falcommunity.de.
The NABU bird conservation center is the only center in the country to care for particularly protected species. Support the center to continue caring for owls, eagles, kites, and many other birds in the future.
Net neutrality won't survive a Trump presidency | TechCrunch:
The future of net neutrality in the US depends on the outcome of the 2020 election, as it could either be enshrined into law if Biden wins or die forever if Trump is reelected. If Biden wins and net neutrality rules are reestablished by the FCC, there is a possibility that legislation will solidify the rule into law in 2025. However, this could be threatened by a second Trump presidency, which would likely lead to a rollback of the current rules, or by a Supreme Court decision minimizing independent agencies like the FCC. In a Biden reelection scenario, there is also potential concern about the Relentless case undermining federal regulation apparatuses.
Ford has announced delays in the production of two electric vehicles - a next-generation EV pickup and a three-row EV SUV - which are now scheduled to arrive in 2026 and 2027, respectively. The automaker will be introducing hybrids across its U.S. lineup instead. This move is aimed at bolstering cash flow and near-term profits amid uncertainty. Ford has a history of adaptability and innovation, such as the Mustang Mach-E, Taurus, and Explorer models. The company also faces challenges in electric vehicle production, including cost and charging infrastructure.
Yi-34B, Llama 2, and common practices in LLM training: a fact check of the New York Times:
The New York Times published an article in February 2024 claiming that Yi-34B, a large language model by Chinese startup 01.AI, was heavily reliant on Meta's Llama 2 technology. However, the article is based on a misreading of cited information and misunderstandings about how modern large language models (LLMs) are created. All LLMs use similar algorithmic building blocks, and Yi-34B's architecture was not dependent on any previously unavailable innovations from Meta. The main difference between Yi-34B and Llama 2 was the training data used in their development. It is important to note that all large language models are fundamentally similar due to their use of standard techniques and methodologies, and 01.AI's model does not rely on Llama 2 any more than it relies on other models like Google's PaLM.
Pluralistic: Too big to care (04 Apr 2024):
The article discusses the issue of enshittification in search engines, particularly Google, where the quality of search results has declined due to monopolistic practices and a focus on profits over user experience. The author suggests that there are alternative search engines like Kagi which provide a more satisfactory search experience but come at a cost. They also mention how enshittification is a choice for Google, as they could potentially invest in improving their search quality but choose not to due to the profitability of their current model.
Big Tech Is Trying to Prevent Debate About Its Social Harms:
Big Tech companies like Google, Facebook, and Amazon are not only shaping our economy but also our society with concerns about privacy, monopoly power, online racial discrimination, misinformation, hate speech, incitement, and impacts on mental health. The industry's „digital trade“ strategy seeks to preemptively constrain governments by creating binding constraints through international rules that would limit domestic policies aimed at promoting competition and preventing digital harms. This backdoor strategy aims to tie the hands of Congress, the Biden administration, and their counterparts around the world in adopting and enforcing privacy, data security, competition, and other policies in the public interest.
The best printer for 2024 is a Brother laser printer, according to the article. Brother laser printers are known for their cost-effective high volume printing, fast printing speeds, and sharp text quality. However, they have higher upfront costs than inkjet printers, limited color options, and bulkier sizes. The decision on which printer is best depends on individual needs and priorities such as budget, color requirements, space, and printing frequency.
Self-Hosted Applications and Alternatives:
This article provides a list of self-hostable applications.
HTTP/2 `CONTINUATION` Flood: Technical Details:
The article discusses the discovery and vulnerabilities of HTTP/2 Rapid Reset attack, which was dubbed „the largest DDoS attack to date.“ The main difference between HTTP/1.1 and HTTP/2 is that the latter uses binary protocol and client-server exchange frames instead of text lines. The author mentions that in many cases, a single TCP connection was enough to crash servers due to improper implementation. In some cases, no malicious HTTP requests were properly closed, making it difficult for server administrators to debug without proper knowledge of HTTP/2. Vulnerabilities like these emphasize the significance of responsible disclosure and collaboration between researchers, technology giants, and open-source projects.
Generational Luck in the Housing Market - A Wealth of Common Sense:
The article highlights the challenges faced by Gen Z in today's housing market, which is quite different from what millennials experienced during the Great Financial Crisis. Millennials had access to cheap houses and low borrowing rates, but Gen Z faces high housing prices and higher financing costs. The strong labor market for Gen Z does not compensate for the increasingly unaffordable housing situation. The article concludes by acknowledging that many of these macro shifts in the economy are largely due to luck and timing rather than pre-determined events, and offers no clear solution to level the playing field for young people in the housing market.
A Vigilante Hacker Took Down North Korea’s Internet. Now He’s Taking Off His Mask:
Alejandro Caceres, a 38-year-old Colombian-American cybersecurity entrepreneur known as „P4x,“ launched a one-man cyberwar against North Korea in January 2022. Wearing slippers and pajama pants, he used custom-built programs on his laptop and cloud-based servers to take down publicly visible websites in North Korea for over a week. Caceres' real identity has been revealed for the first time in this article. He had been targeted by North Korean spies who sought to steal his intrusion tools, but he received no significant government support. As a result, P4x decided to send a message to the Kim regime and highlighted the lack of response from US hackers and security researchers. Instead of prosecuting him, the US government was more interested in recruiting him after his cyberattacks on North Korea. Caceres is now calling for the US government to wield its hacking powers more aggressively against foreign cybersecurity threats.
‘AI-assisted genocide’: Israel reportedly used database for Gaza kill lists:
The Israeli military reportedly used an untested artificial intelligence-powered database, called Lavender, to identify targets for its bombing campaign in Gaza. This has alarmed human rights and technology experts who claim it could amount to „war crimes.“ The AI system is said to be responsible for drawing up kill lists of as many as 37,000 targets, with an error rate of approximately 10%. Critics argue that the use of AI targeting violates international humanitarian law and may constitute war crimes if the details in the report are true.
“Pink slime” local news outlets erupt all over US as election nears:
Researchers have found that the number of partisan news outlets masquerading as legitimate journalism in the US now equals the number of genuine local newspaper sites. This so-called „pink slime“ phenomenon involves websites mimicking local news providers but are highly partisan, burying their deep ties to dark money, lobbying groups, and special interests. With the rise of these fake news outlets, there are concerns that social media platforms should do more to tackle this issue.
GenZ software engineers, according to older colleagues:
This article discusses the differences between Generation Z (GenZ) tech workers and their older colleagues in terms of values, knowledge, and workplace behaviors. GenZ is said to have higher salary and benefit expectations, be more distrustful of senior leadership, and seek out a sense of purpose and meaning in their work. They also appear to be on the cutting edge of technology frameworks and use different learning resources compared to older generations. Some GenZ tech workers are observed as having an open communication style, being more vocal about work-life balance, flexibility, mental health, diversity, and inclusivity.
German state moving 30,000 PCs to LibreOffice - The Document Foundation Blog:
The northern German federal state of Schleswig-Holstein has decided to transition from Microsoft Windows and Office to Linux and LibreOffice on its 30,000 government PCs. This move aims to create a digital sovereign IT workplace in the state administration, ensuring user data remains secure and under control. The decision follows concerns about proprietary software breaching data protection laws. By switching to free and open-source software, local governments can maintain control of their software, study source code, make necessary changes, and deploy it entirely on their own infrastructure.
Uv saves Home Assistant 215 compute hours per month:
The article discusses the benefits and advantages of using uv, a Python dependency resolver written in Rust, over pip for package management tasks. Developers have found that uv significantly reduces build times compared to pip, making it more efficient and streamlined for their projects. While not an exact replacement for pip, uv offers a better performance and faster resolution of dependencies within the Python ecosystem.
Keeping your data from Apple is harder than expected:
The article discusses the findings from Aalto University, which studied eight apps - Safari, Siri, Family Sharing, iMessage, FaceTime, Location Services, Find My and Touch ID - on Apple devices to examine their privacy-related information. The researchers found that it was possible for Apple's operating system to collect data from these apps without a user's explicit permission, suggesting that the company's claim of prioritizing „privacy“ may not be entirely accurate.
Keeping your data from Apple is harder than expected | Aalto University:
This article discusses the difficulty in protecting privacy on Apple devices and how complex instructions and settings make it difficult for users to prevent data sharing. Amel Bourdoucen, a doctoral researcher at Aalto, points out that Apple's online instructions are complex and confusing, requiring expert clicking on each app individually. Users struggle with finding all the necessary steps to protect their privacy and receive no feedback during the process. The article concludes by suggesting that users may ultimately face an almost impossible task when it comes to protecting their privacy on Apple devices.
nxs-universal-chart is a Helm chart that allows users to install applications into Kubernetes/OpenShift and other orchestrators compatible with native Kubernetes API, offering flexibility in deployment, support for Ingress controllers (Ingress Nginx, Traefik), easy way to template custom resources with extraDeploy feature, and compatibility with multiple Helm versions. It supports various development and DevOps engineers who deploy applications regularly into these environments.
The article discusses Pitcairn Island, a British Overseas Territory in the South Pacific, which is committed to maintaining a vibrant community and attracting new migrants who want to contribute to its sustainable future. The island has phone connections and internet services via satellite but lacks frequent transportation off the island. Pitcairn Island has a unique economy focused on tourism and honey production, which contributes to marine conservation efforts. Those interested in living on the island should be comfortable with an outdoor lifestyle in a small community with limited resources.
A disk so full, it couldn’t be restored:
The author's younger child had filled up their MacBook Pro with legitimate video files downloaded from Steam, making the operating system unable to delete any files due to full startup volume storage. After trying various file deletion methods and reinstalling macOS, they ultimately resolved the issue by restoring a Time Machine backup onto an external SSD drive. The author also shares some potential missed solutions that could have been tried during the recovery process.
‘HR is not your friend’: why frustrated workers are hiring reps of their own:
This article discusses how tech company workers are turning to independent HR consulting firms for support and advice amidst layoffs, discrimination, and other job-related issues. Companies like Caged Bird HR offer affordable services to help employees with complaints and guide them through processes such as negotiating severance packages or reporting workplace harassment. The demand for these services is increasing due to a lack of trust in traditional HR departments, which are often seen as working for the company rather than the employee.
Roblox Accused of Concocting Illegal Gambling Ring for Minors:
A class action lawsuit has been brought against Roblox by parents claiming that the popular online gaming platform is facilitating an illegal gambling ring aimed at children. The parents, Rachel Colvin and Danielle Sass, argue that Roblox violated the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act and illegally profited from minors' gambling activities using its virtual currency, Robux. They claim that Roblox has allowed third-party gambling websites to accept online bets using this currency, despite its terms of service prohibiting such activity. The lawsuit seeks a trial by jury and includes additional defendants, Satozuki Limited B.V., Studs Entertainment Ltd., and RBLXWild Entertainment LLC, who are accused of operating these third-party gambling websites on Roblox.
The article discusses the challenges and implications of companies focusing solely on growth without considering other aspects such as sustainability, social responsibility, and long-term value creation. It suggests that a more balanced approach is needed, where businesses can grow while also adapting to changing market dynamics, providing better products or services, and ensuring the wellbeing of their employees and the environment. The article highlights some potential drawbacks of unchecked growth such as increased waste production, resource depletion, and negative externalities, and argues that companies should instead strive for sustainable growth by embracing innovation, ethical practices, and a focus on long-term value creation.
Growth is a mind cancer – Manu:
The article discusses Apple's pursuit for endless growth and the mind cancer it creates, causing companies like Apple to constantly strive for more. This is not limited to just Apple but is an issue with any big company that cannot accept their current size or status. It highlights the negative consequences of continuous growth, such as enshittification in online services, and compares this trend to societal issues related to endless growth. The article argues that it's our collective fault for celebrating companies like Apple reaching milestones without recognizing when someone decides they have enough.
The article discusses a situation where the Overseehafen Rostock held a ship from unloading due to it falling under EU sanctions on Russia. The ship flies the flag of the Marshall Islands and had loaded birch wood from Russia. On board, there is an undisclosed amount of enriched uranium, which does not appear on either EU or US sanction lists, making it less relevant in this case.
dreame-vs-roborock-schlagabtausch-der-wischflossen-2404-183739.html:
This article compares two high-end cleaning robots, the Dreame L10s Pro Ultra and Roborock Qrevo MaxV. Both models have powerful suction capabilities and come with advanced features such as outstretchable mopping arms, LaserSensors for better navigation, and offline voice assistants like Hello Rocky. The primary difference between the two is that Dreame's model can temporarily eject its mop to prevent it from touching high pile carpets, while Roborock's Qrevo MaxV has an additional camera to identify obstacles on its path and a slightly stronger suction power. Both models excel in self-cleaning features with dust storage bins and mopping drying functions, making them suitable for various floor types and sizes.
Propaganda: KI kann Menschen gut von politischen Ansichten überzeugen:
In einem Experiment wurde das Sprachmodell GPT-4 gegen echte Menschen in Debatten angehalten, um sie von ihrem Standpunkt zu überzeugen. Das Forschungsteam fand heraus, dass GPT-4 bei der Meinungsbildung besonders effizient ist, solange es auch Zugang zu persönlichen Daten des Gegenübers hat. Bei den insgesamt 820 Teilnehmern wurden zufällige Gesprächsthemen und Standpunkte zugewiesen. Die Teilnehmer sollten von einem bestimmten Standpunkt überzeugen versuchen. GPT-4 konnte die Menschen mit einer Wahrscheinlichkeit von 81,7 Prozent davon abbringen, während menschliche Teilnehmer sich statistisch nicht besser schnitten. Das Forschungsteam sieht in persönlichen Informationen ein mächtiges Werkzeug zur Überzeugung von Menschen von politischen Aussagen oder Themen und warnt vor der Verbreitung von Hate Speech, Falschinformationen und politischer Propaganda durch LLMs wie GPT-4.
Gemischte Reaktionen auf Lindners Pläne für Verteidigungsetat:
Germany's Finance Minister, Christian Lindner, has suggested that the government should pay off its pandemic-related debts later to strengthen defense spending. This proposal has sparked mixed reactions from coalition partners such as the SPD and the Greens. Lindner estimates that there could be a surplus of up to 9 billion euros for increasing defense budgets by 2028, provided Germany's new debt does not exceed 60% of its economic output. However, critics argue that this amount is insufficient and that defense spending should not rely on the repayment of pandemic-related debts.
X filing “thermonuclear lawsuit” in Texas should be “fatal,” Media Matters says:
Elon Musk's X Corp sued Media Matters for America (MMFA) over reports that allegedly caused an advertiser exodus in 2023. MMFA argued that the lawsuit should be dismissed due to a „fatal jurisdictional defect.“ However, X responded by claiming that Texas was a suitable venue because MMFA targeted readers and advertisers located there. MMFA pushed back on this assertion, stating that their case has minimal connections to Texas. This legal battle raises questions about the merit of lawsuits filed against critics primarily motivated by punishment and deterrence rather than protecting legal rights.
It’s time for a hard reset on notifications:
This article discusses the constant distraction and annoyance caused by notifications on smartphones, particularly on iOS. It highlights how users are inundated with irrelevant or unnecessary notifications throughout the day, which can negatively impact their attention spans. The author proposes two solutions: a Tinder-like system for managing notification settings in apps and disallowing promotional notifications by default, allowing users to opt-in if they choose to do so. Ultimately, the article calls for more control over notifications to be returned to users rather than app developers.
The article discusses the challenges faced by a long-time computer user when discontinued software and changing operating systems impact their workflow and data storage. The author shares their experiences with various software changes, such as Java, IBM Visual Age for Java, Photoshop, Aperture, WordPerfect, Circus Ponies Notebook, and Epsilon programmers editor. They also express concerns about the future of these programs, especially those that have proprietary data formats or are developed by smaller companies. The author's primary issue is with Apple's frequent updates to macOS versions, which disables compatibility with older software and requires users to constantly update their systems.
Full chat control proposal leaked: attack on digital privacy of correspondence and secure encryption:
The French news service contexte.com has published a proposal by the Belgian Presidency for introducing indiscriminate chat control scanning of private messages to search for illegal content. This proposal is ready for endorsement and will be discussed in a Council law enforcement working party. MEP Patrick Breyer, an opponent of chat control, warns that this move could lead to the destruction of digital privacy and secure encryption. He criticizes the proposed text, stating that limiting bulk chat searches to „high-risk services“ is meaningless as every communication service can be misused for sharing illegal images.
Rust Developers at Google Twice as Productive as C++ Teams:
The article discusses Google's experience with using the Rust programming language in production and how it has led to developers being twice as productive compared to C++. Lars Bergstrom, director of engineering at Google, shared insights on migrating projects from Go or C++ to Rust at the Rust Nation UK Conference. There have been concerns about Rust's reliability and security in the past but these issues seem to be subsiding as awareness grows around the importance of memory safety.
Botswana threatens to deport 20,000 elephants to Germany:
Botswana's President Mokgweetsi Masisi has offered to send 10,000 elephants to Germany as a response to potential bans on trophy hunting and importing wildlife from Africa. Masisi criticized those who make opinions about African countries' affairs without understanding the issues. He suggested that if Germany likes elephants so much, they should accept this gift. Botswana has already sent 8,000 elephants to Angola as part of a conservation effort. The country is currently facing serious problems with its elephant population, including human deaths and crop damage.
The article discusses the issue of videogame publishers destroying games they have sold, making them unplayable once support ends. It highlights the potential legality issues surrounding such practices and urges readers to take action by signing petitions in the UK, Canada, Australia, or Europe, depending on their location. The article also mentions a mailing list for updates about the Stop Killing Games campaign.
In Russia Mass Deportations Of Muslim Migrants Surge After Moscow Terror Attack:
The recent terror attack in Moscow has led to mass deportations of Muslim migrants, primarily from Central Asia. This comes as a result of increased raids on apartments and dorm complexes known to house these migrants amid concerns about potential Islamic radicals carrying out more attacks. President Vladimir Putin blamed Islamic extremists for the attack, but there are suspicions that it may have had assistance from Ukraine or US intelligence. The deportations seem to be targeting hostels and apartments in St. Petersburg, with other Russian cities experiencing similar raids. These measures are likely to intensify as Russia continues to monitor its migrant community.
how-bad-is-it-why-the-gap-between-management-and-workers-feels-wider-than-ever:
The article discusses the growing gap between management and workers in recent times due to various factors such as remote work disputes, layoffs, executive pay disparities, labor organizing efforts, and a shift in employee empowerment. It highlights the challenges faced by both sides during these turbulent times and explores potential solutions for bridging this divide.
A stalemate in the Ukraine war could now be the best-case scenario, analyst says:
This article discusses how defense experts initially predicted a stalemate in 2024 between Russia and Ukraine; however, as the year progressed, Russia's momentum has led to concerns that a stalemate might be the best-case scenario for Ukraine. The conflict is entering its third year, with both sides experiencing ammunition shortages. Russia's recent gains in eastern Ukraine, particularly Avdiivka, raise questions about the optimism of Ukrainian assessments from late 2023. Experts believe that Russia will launch major attacks over spring and summer to push defenders westward and expand its control of occupied territories in Donetsk and Luhansk. Ukraine's international allies have been pledging more support, but the delivery of certain weapons remains elusive.
Best Parts Of Trump’s $60 ‘God Bless The USA’ Bible:
Former President Donald Trump has announced a collaboration with country music artist Lee Greenwood to sell a custom „God Bless The USA“ Bible for $59.99. The bespoke religious text contains historical notes and edited scriptures, as well as limited-edition collector's items with grease stains in the Gospel of Mark. Additionally, the Bible includes easy-strike matches to burn all non-Trump versions. A purchase of the Bible makes the owner legally responsible for future cases brought against Trump, whether civil or criminal. The Bible also contains a set of the U.S. military's nuclear launch codes in Leviticus.
Poor Nations Are Writing a New Handbook for Getting Rich:
For over half a century, the blueprint for developing countries to grow wealthy has been centered around moving subsistence farmers into manufacturing jobs and selling their products globally. This recipe, followed by Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and China, led to significant economic growth and lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty. However, changes in technology, supply chains, and political tensions are raising concerns about whether industrialization can still generate the same level of miraculous growth as it once did. Manufacturing accounts for a smaller share of global output, and increased competition among emerging countries selling low-cost goods makes it difficult for all to benefit from these changes.
Hackers can now hijack your face. Here’s how to fight back:
Cybercriminals have developed a new hack that uses deepfakes and AI to replicate users' likenesses, allowing them to break into their bank accounts through facial scans. This innovative attack tricks users into performing biometric verification checks by using fake apps, which then share the necessary facial scans needed for the hacker's deepfake replication of the user. The hackers intercept 2FA text messages and create a deepfake copy to access banking accounts. This highlights that while facial biometrics are seen as a trusted alternative to passwords, they are not impossible to falsify. Enterprises need to develop robust mobile malware and biometric identification protections in response to this threat.
JetBrains refuses to reveal details of patched security issues:
Software company JetBrains recently released a patch for its TeamCity CI/CD web application, addressing 26 vulnerabilities. However, the company has not disclosed specific details about these flaws, causing concern among cybersecurity professionals. In previous instances, companies typically provide CVE tracking numbers to describe and rank the severity of security issues. The lack of detail in this patch release has raised questions and prompted speculation about JetBrains' decision-making process.
U.S. police departments are increasingly using „reverse“ searches to demand large amounts of users' data from tech companies, such as Google, in an effort to identify criminal suspects. These court-approved orders have raised concerns over privacy and civil liberties, as they can potentially compel companies to turn over information on innocent people with no connection to the crime. Critics fear that these orders may allow police to prosecute individuals based on their internet activity or locations. While Google is a major recipient of reverse search warrants, any tech company with user data can be compelled to turn it over.
I’m a New Homeowner. An App Called Thumbtack Has Become a Lifesaver for Me:
Thumbtack, an app that connects homeowners with local professionals, is now evolving into a project manager for homes. The new update offers pricing estimates for various tasks, a list of recommendations for improving energy efficiency and increasing home value, and reminders to perform routine maintenance. The app also features guides and suggestions on how to maintain and improve your home's appearance. Thumbtack claims to have over 300,000 local professionals across the United States available through its database.
Sein Werk: Die Geschichte von ReiserFS 3:
ReiserFS 3 war ein revolutionäres Stück Software zur Zeit, als unter Linux noch ext2 das Standard-Dateisystem war. Es basierte auf einer B+-Baumn Datenstruktur und wurde zu einem schnellen Dateisystem, das von vielen nutzen wollte. Suse erklärte es sogar zum Standard-Dateisystem seiner Linux-Distribution im Jahr 2000. ReiserFS 3 hatte jedoch Schwächen: Die Funktion des Journaling bezog sich nur auf die Metadaten und nicht auf die eigentlichen Nutzdaten, was zu Problemen bei der Diagnose beschädigter Dateisysteme führte.
Hans Reiser, der Gründer von Namesys und Entwickler von ReiserFS 3, schrieb einen Brief an Linux-Community, in dem er seine Fehler eingesteht und sagt, dass es wichtig sei, die Namen derer, die ihn verlassen haben, in einem letzten Release in den Reiser-Modulen aufzunehmen. Er bittet darum, das Verständnis für die Visionen seiner Entwickler zu erweitern und sie nicht als Genies oder Stümpers einzustufen.
ReiserFS 3 wurde im Laufe der Zeit abgelöst durch ReiserFS 4, wobei es einige Schwierigkeiten bei der Entwicklung gab, weil andere Firmen die Entwickler abwarfen und in die USA zogen. Hans Reiser befindet sich derzeit in Haft, nachdem er wegen Mord an seiner Frau Nina verurteilt wurde.
Why you won't find a technical co-founder:
The article discusses the challenges of finding a technical co-founder online, suggesting that non-technical founders often have unrealistic expectations for potential candidates. It highlights the importance of considering opportunity costs and risk when evaluating potential partnerships with developers, as well as acknowledging personal biases in decision-making. The author recommends focusing on finding a developer who is passionate about solving problems and building cool things rather than trying to align them entirely with one's vision or domain expertise.
This article discusses the iSponsorBlockTV project, which allows users to skip sponsor segments in YouTube videos playing on various devices such as Apple TV, Samsung Tizen, LG WebOS, Android TV, Chromecast, Google TV, Roku, Fire TV, CCwGTV, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One/Series, and Playstation 4/5. The project is written in asynchronous python and can be installed on a computer with network access to the device. It uses the SponsorBlock API for skipping sponsor segments and ads.
Sind alternative YouTube-Apps illegal?:
This article discusses alternative YouTube apps like „Songtube“ that are usually not legal, as they often bypass the platform's ads and gain unauthorized access to its API. Developers claim these apps aim to provide better data protection but typically offer premium features for free. The use of such apps can harm creators on YouTube and may lead to bugs or unreliable streaming experiences, as well as legal consequences. Legal alternatives to YouTube Premium exist, such as Amazon Music, Napster, and various other music platforms that offer ad-free content with subscription plans.
Copilot pane popup pain incoming in Win11 Beta Channel build:
Microsoft has added a new feature to its Copilot AI assistant in Windows 11, making it pop up whenever users hover their cursor over its icon on the taskbar. This „new hover experience for Copilot in Windows“ is available for Windows Insiders on the Beta Channel with the latest updates turned on and will likely make its way to a release version of Windows soon. The AI has been integrated into various parts of Microsoft's portfolio, including Windows 10, but it's in Windows 11 that it has received most attention in terms of AI-enabled operating systems.
Unikraft Launches KraftCloud: Never Pay for Idle Again:
The article discusses KraftCloud, which offers a unikernel-based solution for hosting applications and databases in an autoscale environment. KraftCloud's scale-to-zero feature allows users to only pay when their application is active, reducing costs associated with idle instances. The platform supports various use cases, including databases, and can be deployed on-premises or through cloud providers. KraftCloud aims to provide a more efficient alternative to traditional cloud infrastructure by focusing on autoscale and scale-to-zero capabilities.
This article discusses wireproxy, an ISC-licensed userspace application that connects to a WireGuard peer and exposes itself as a SOCKS5/HTTP proxy or tunnels on the machine. It can be useful for connecting certain sites via a WireGuard peer without setting up new network interfaces. The article provides instructions on how to use wireproxy, configuration examples, and information about health endpoints for monitoring purposes.
Banning Open-Weight Models Would be a Disaster:
This article discusses the implications of open model weights in artificial intelligence (AI) and the potential risks and benefits associated with their widespread availability. The author argues against a proposed ban on such models by the U.S. Department of Commerce, stating that it would be a mistake as it would only harm individuals while not preventing large-scale misuse by corporations and state actors.
The author presents several arguments in favor of open models: they democratize access to AI technology, allowing for greater transparency and oversight; they provide tools for individuals and civil society groups to resist authoritarian regimes; and they enable a level playing field for innovation and economic growth. The author also addresses the potential risks associated with open models, such as increased individual harm from misuse, but argues that these are outweighed by the societal benefits of open access.
The article concludes by encouraging readers to submit their comments on this issue to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) before the March 27, 2024 deadline.
This article discusses building low-cost robot arms using Dynamixel XL430 and XL330 servo motors, with two options for the arm setup - one costing around $250 and another at about $430. The design is inspired by GELLO but simpler to build. These robot arms are suitable for robot learning and folding clothes. The article provides a list of required materials, assembly instructions, and simulation environment using MuJoCo.
Redis’ license change and forking are a mess that everybody can feel bad about:
Amazon will spend over $150 billion on data centers in the next 15 years, as reported by Getty Images. Redis, a popular tool for storing data in-memory rather than in a database, recently switched its licensing from an open source BSD license to both a Source Available License and a Server Side Public License (SSPL). This move generated significant discussion, prompting a fork of the Redis project called Valkey, which is backed by The Linux Foundation and major cloud service providers like Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, Oracle, Ericsson, and Snap Inc. Most developers seem to be unaffected by the license change, but it has sparked debate and action in response to Redis' decision.
Elektromobilität: Warum der Elektroauto-Hype erst anfängt:
The article discusses the viability and practicality of modern electric vehicles (EVs), emphasizing that they are not only for short distances or city driving but can also cater to longer distances with newer models. It highlights that although EVs might be more expensive than their combustion engine counterparts, this will likely change as the demand for EVs increases and competition among manufacturers grows. The article also mentions the need for infrastructure development, such as charging stations along highways, to support the increasing number of electric vehicles on the road. Overall, the article suggests that while there may be some challenges in transitioning to electric vehicles, these are expected to diminish over time as EVs become more affordable and accessible.
LLM Leaderboard best models ❤️🔥 - a open-llm-leaderboard Collection:
The article presents a daily updated list of top-performing models on the LLM (Language Model Leaderboard) based on their evaluations. Some of these models include: Microsoft/phi-1_5 with 81.1k evaluations; amu/spin-phi2 with 5.26k evaluations; AbacusResearch/RasGulla1-7b with 2.99k evaluations; chargoddard/Yi-34B-Llama with 3.02k evaluations; macadeliccc/laser-dolphin-mixtral-2x7b-dpo with 3.56k evaluations; Xenon1/MetaModel_moex8 with 2.83k evaluations; M4-ai/tau-0.5B with 3.73k evaluations; JosephusCheung/LL7M with 4.71k evaluations; liminerity/M7-7b with 6.28k evaluations; gemmathon/gemma-2b-ko-dev-pbmt192 with 492 evaluations, and many others. The leaderboard showcases various models' performance in text generation tasks, along with their best evaluations and pretrained model sizes on the leaderboard for that particular day.
Warum Fast Lanes am Flughafen strafbare Korruption sind:
Airport Fast Lanes are an unavoidable inconvenience for air travelers, with many choosing to pay extra for a shorter waiting time at security checks. Airlines promote the privilege of priority security screenings and often offer them as part of premium packages or memberships in alliances such as Star Alliance Gold Member. However, this practice has been criticized for being unfair, inefficient, and costly to the general public. The Federal Court of Auditors stated that the two-class system in air transportation is not fair and inefficient. In addition, a lawyer argued that buying time instead of waiting like everyone else could be considered corruption.
The fact that passengers pay for priority security screenings raises ethical questions about whether it constitutes bribery or corruption. The practice has also been criticized for creating an unequal system where only those who can afford the privilege of a Fast Lane are granted more efficient treatment, potentially leaving other passengers at a disadvantage.
Cancer signs could be spotted years before symptoms, says new research institute:
Scientists at the Early Cancer Institute (ECI) at Cambridge University are working on early detection methods for cancer before it develops into tumors. The ECI has recently received £11m in funding from an anonymous donor and aims to tackle tumors before they produce symptoms using recent discoveries about precancerous conditions that can lie dormant for long periods. One such example is the cytosponge, which detects oesophageal cancer at an early stage by collecting precancerous cells from the gullet. Another approach focuses on blood samples to identify genetic changes in a person's blood more than a decade before they display symptoms of leukaemia, providing a window for doctors to intervene and give treatments that can reduce the odds of developing cancer. The institute will also focus on finding ways to reduce cancer risks and ensure treatments can be widely administered.
The Wi-Fi only works when it's raining:
The article is about a true story of the author's experience with an unusual issue with their Wi-Fi connection at home. The connection only worked when it was raining, and not when it stopped. After investigating and diagnosing the problem, they discovered that a tree in the neighbor's yard interfered with the Wi-Fi signal due to its height. To fix the issue, they upgraded their hardware with new 802.11n devices which used techniques like beamforming for better range and signal quality.
Bypassing Denuvo in Hogwarts Legacy:
The article details an individual's experience reverse engineering and bypassing the Denuvo DRM in Hogwarts Legacy. The process took five months, with some parts intentionally vague to avoid legal trouble. The game collects hardware/software features into a fingerprint and generates a Steam Ticket for proof of ownership. A Denuvo Token is generated if the user owns the game, allowing it to run. The individual used Qiling reverse engineering framework to discover all features the game uses for deriving the fingerprint. They also had to patch/spoof various features to verify their findings. With the token generated on one machine, they managed to launch the game on another. Denuvo is shown not to cause significant performance overheads in this specific case of Hogwarts Legacy. The author acknowledges that reverse engineering and bypassing DRMs are challenging tasks and doesn't take a side regarding the pros or cons of using such protections.
Surge of new US-led oil and gas activity threatens to wreck Paris climate goals:
The world's fossil-fuel producers are set to nearly quadruple the amount of extracted oil and gas from newly approved projects by the end of this decade, with the US leading the way in a surge of activity that threatens to blow apart agreed climate goals. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has previously stated there can be no new oil and gas infrastructure if the planet is to avoid careering past 1.5C of global heating above pre-industrial times, but since its declaration in 2021, countries and major fossil fuel companies have forged ahead with a glut of new oil and gas activity. The US has produced more crude oil than any country ever in history over the past six years, leading the way in new oil and gas projects in 2022 and 2023.
Why Copilot will only sort of run locally on AI PCs for now:
Microsoft's definition of an AI PC is taking shape with Windows' latest version having a dedicated Copilot key and an NPU capable of at least 40 trillion operations per second, allowing users to run Microsoft Copilot locally. Running large language models (LLM) locally offers lower latency, improved response times, and more privacy. Intel, a strong supporter of the AI PC category, has made Redmond's requirements for its AI model on Windows official during its AI Summit in Taipei. While local LLM processing will have benefits, some aspects of Copilot functionality will still need to be connected to the cloud due to limited resources and large models used by Copilot.
How the team behind Zelda made physics feel like magic:
The developers behind Tears of the Kingdom explained during a GDC 2024 talk how they were able to create a phenomenal game that seemed magical due to their development strategy and design philosophy. They focused on two major principles: „a vast and seamless Hyrule“ and „multiplicative gameplay.“ Multiplicative gameplay refers to a system in which players can combine actions and objects to create their own ways to play, ensuring fun and creativity. This approach led to emergent gameplay and unexpected interactions between players and the world of Hyrule.
Smart devices are turning out to be a poor investment:
Tech giants like Amazon and Google are facing criticism for their control over smart devices, leading to degradation in user experience. Users feel cheated by the features that have been removed or hindered due to software updates. In response, some consumers are seeking local control and professional solutions to navigate the smart home industry more effectively.
Modern Git Commands and Features You Should Be Using | Martin Heinz:
This article discusses various modern Git commands introduced since 2019, such as switch, restore, sparse-checkout, worktree, and bisect. These commands can enhance workflows by simplifying and streamlining processes like switching branches, restoring files to their last committed state, working with subtrees, managing multiple branches simultaneously, and identifying the commit that introduced a bug using binary search. The article encourages developers to explore these modern Git features for more efficient and effective version control.
Stop Believing in Free Shipping:
Ann Miceli, an Etsy seller who creates handmade feather earrings and hair extensions, has seen her revenue drop by 40% after the platform began implementing a new search algorithm that prioritized sellers offering free shipping. Although Etsy encouraged Miceli to raise her prices to compensate for and disguise shipping costs, she found competitors were absorbing these costs instead. This article discusses how online shopping platforms like Amazon have warped consumer expectations, making free shipping a requirement rather than an occasional incentive, and the potential impact this may have on small businesses and retailers.
Python farming as a flexible and efficient form of agricultural food security - Scientific Reports:
Python farming has been established in Asia but receives little attention from mainstream agricultural scientists. The study measured growth rates in two species of large pythons (Malayopython reticulatus and Python bivittatus) in Thailand and Vietnam, and found that they grew rapidly over a 12-month period with females growing faster than males. Pythons exhibit efficient food conversion ratios and rapid growth rates under various dietary scenarios. The ability of fasting pythons to regulate metabolic processes enhances their potential as a sustainable and resilient alternative for global food security amid volatile environments.
Programming beyond paradigms - Micah Cantor:
The article discusses how modern programming languages are moving away from single paradigms and becoming more multi-paradigm in nature. This shift is driven by the increasing feature set and capacity of languages, allowing them to include functional, imperative, and object-oriented features simultaneously. Post-paradigm languages like Rust, Nim, and Gleam prioritize incorporating the best individual features regardless of paradigm, giving programmers more power and creativity in their coding choices.
LLaMA Now Goes Faster on CPUs:
The performance of LLaMA, a local language model project, has been improved by optimizing kernels for various weights and hardware devices such as CPUs and GPUs. These improvements have allowed for faster token generation speeds and better prompt evaluation times on different computer systems like ARM, Intel, and AMD-based machines. The optimizations were achieved by focusing on the matrix multiplication operation (matmul) in LLaMA's model, which is a critical aspect of its performance. These improvements have been made possible through collaborations between Mozilla, open-source projects, and developers like Justine.
Killing The Messenger: My Final Days Working at a Disaster:
The article recounts the author's experience working for The Messenger, a start-up that eventually folded. They detail the company's failure to raise more capital and their lack of financial security for employees, eventually leading to mass layoffs without additional pay or severance. The author highlights the challenges they faced as a film critic and senior entertainment writer, including the management's focus on quick hits over in-depth reporting. They also describe the company's extravagant office space and their final moments at work before being shut out of communication channels with the company.
The article discusses the development of Climate Pulse, an interactive web application for daily global surface air temperature and sea surface temperature charts and maps maintained by the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). The graphics are based on data from the ERA5 climate reanalysis produced by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), with information about the data available in FAQs. Users can download CSV files of line chart data and access ERA5 gridded data and anomalies through the C3S Climate Data Store, while citations are provided for academic references and attribution to Copernicus products is required.
The hearts of the Super Nintendo:
The article discusses the internal clock mechanisms within the Super Nintendo gaming console. It explains that every computer has at least one „heart“ which beats the cadence for all other chips, and in a SNES motherboard, there are two CLK generators. These generators create different frequencies to set the pace of various components like audio processing units and picture processing units. The article also mentions how enhancement chips use these clocks to function and how modern cartridges sometimes use separate clock lines for specific functions.
First-in-human implantation of bionic device to halt Crohn’s disease | The Florey:
In a world-first, clinicians at Austin Health have implanted an electrical nerve stimulation device into a patient with Crohn's disease to prevent inflammation from recurring after surgery. Developed by the Bionics Institute in collaboration with researchers from The Florey and The University of Melbourne, this breakthrough therapy could potentially put Crohn's sufferers into long-term remission. By stimulating anti-inflammatory nerves and addressing inflammation early, recurrent inflammation and associated scar tissue development can be prevented, meaning patients may avoid the cycle of surgery and recovery. This device is being trialed as a treatment for Crohn's disease and could eventually work as a set-and-forget treatment powered by a small battery under the skin, allowing patients to continue their lives without the fear of further surgery.
The Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) is an algorithm used in modern computing for various applications such as communications, image and audio processing, data compression, and machine learning. DFT takes a time-domain waveform, like an audio track, and turns it into frequency-domain data - a series of sine wave intensities that describe the underlying signal. This representation allows various tricks to be performed, such as isolating specific instruments in music or removing unwanted AC hum. The Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) is related to DFT but is mainly used for fast and space-efficient compression algorithms where aesthetics of frequency-domain representation do not matter much.
I'm too old - AI will happen without me:
The author, a 52-year-old technologist, reflects on their journey through various programming languages and technology trends throughout the years. They discuss feeling too old for AI and how it may change everything in coding, but they also express excitement about its potential. The author concludes by saying that perhaps this feeling is new to them and that it might not be a bad thing after all.
Ask HN: What does FB gain in making LLAMA free?:
The article discusses Meta's decision to make LLAMA, its language modeling AI, freely available in an attempt to prevent rival companies from building unique products that could compete for user attention. This move has potential benefits such as attracting more ML talent, promoting free research and innovation, and maintaining power by potentially keeping future models proprietary. Some argue that this is similar to Microsoft's „Embrace, Extend, Extinguish“ strategy in the software industry.
When 'ruthless' Boeing cut costs, the damage spread:
Boeing's decline over the past 25 years can be traced back to a philosophy that prioritized shareholders above all else, according to industry analyst Richard Aboulafia. In an effort to cut costs and boost stock prices, the company chose to confront its workforce and suppliers rather than partner with them. This strategy left workers angry and alienated and contributed to the decline of safety standards at Boeing, culminating in a near catastrophe aboard an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX in January. The company has now admitted that some key strategies were flawed but must address a series of challenges, including restoring its culture and retaining experienced employees, to recover and regain its former glory.
Biden's economic policies have quietly made peoples' lives better — and no one seems to care:
The article highlights how President Joe Biden's economic policies, such as the American Rescue Plan, have made real changes for many Americans by providing clean water, internet access, and other resources to smaller communities. These improvements are not as visible or well-known as broader initiatives like student-debt relief, leading to a disconnect between the positive impact of Bidenomics and public perception. The author argues that the administration's focus on targeted spending through legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act may not resonate with the majority of Americans who are feeling the effects of inflation and economic strain.
This article argues that cloud computing services like Amazon Web Services (AWS) are not as cost-effective as they appear, with companies being screwed elsewhere in their operations. The author presents a hypothetical example of creating a top 1000 website and demonstrates how bandwidth requirements can be met by a single server, negating the need for edge technologies like Docker and serverless computing. They also compare cloud services' pricing models to those of Hetzner, which they argue offer more cost-effective solutions with similar or better performance levels in certain cases. The author concludes that unless there is a specific use case requiring the complexity of the cloud, running on a single server can be simpler and cheaper for most applications.
Why are kids being forced to eat lunch in silence?:
The article discusses the author's concerns about silent lunch policies in schools that force children to eat their meals in silence for 15 minutes, which negatively impacts their mental and emotional well-being as well as their social development. The author argues that this policy is part of a larger issue where schools prioritize academic achievement over students' overall wellness and fostering connections among children. Silent lunches are an outgrowth of a competitive culture in education that does not value the importance of social connection and emotional health for students. The author proposes that school lunch programs should be encouraged to follow guidelines that promote social interaction, such as allowing at least 20 minutes of sit-down time during lunch.
The xz sshd backdoor rabbithole goes quite a bit deeper:
The summary of the article is that a sophisticated backdoor was discovered in the XZ library used by many Linux distributions for decompressing files. The backdoor allowed an attacker to gain unauthorized access to systems running the affected software, potentially leading to data breaches or other security incidents. The discovery of this backdoor highlights the importance of regularly updating and patching software, as well as maintaining a high level of vigilance when it comes to open-source projects and their dependencies.
Thread by @bl4sty on Thread Reader App:
The article discusses the discovery and exploration of a deeper backdoor in the SSHD system, known as „xz sshd rabbithole.“ The author was able to trigger more advanced functionality of the backdoor and suggests that there is still more to explore. This backdoor requires sending a properly crafted command to the RSA_public_decrypt hook, which installs another for the `mm_answer_keyallowed` SSH function. The article also mentions a „magic buffer“ containing backdoor commands with ed448 signatures salted with the host key's SHA256 digest.
The author currently uses a monkey-patched paramiko library to achieve this and is able to trigger command 0x03, which allows for a basic RCE through system(). The article suggests that there might be more code that needs to be understood, potentially leading to full authentication bypass and interactive sessions. The designer of the backdoor seems to have had extensive knowledge of OpenSSH internals.
'If this one guy got hit by a bus, the world's software would fall apart.':
The article highlights the vulnerability of our modern computing infrastructure, built on thousands of projects maintained by one person or a small unpaid team. It brings attention to two critical software packages - TZ Database and SQLite - both of which are maintained by only a few people. This raises concerns about the potential impact if these key individuals lose interest in their projects, become malicious, or encounter unexpected issues like health problems. The article emphasizes the need for better support from large corporations that rely on these critical software packages to ensure their stability and functionality.
What Makes Housing So Expensive?:
The largest expense for most individuals is purchasing a home, with median sale prices peaking at $500,000 during the post-pandemic housing boom. Most new homebuyers spend around 30% of their income on mortgage payments, while renters in lower-income brackets allocate up to 60% of their earnings towards rent. In dense urban areas, high land prices driven by regulatory restrictions become the dominant factor affecting housing costs. The largest cost of constructing a new home comes from building the physical structure itself, with hard costs making up approximately 56% of total construction expenses and soft costs comprising about 25%. Land costs account for around 18% of overall housing costs. In dense urban areas, land prices are often driven by regulatory and zoning restrictions that limit how much housing can be built in a given area.
Autodafe: Tools for freeing your project from the clammy grip of autotools:
The article discusses the issue of wastefulness in using autoconf/autotools for building distros and projects, as many processes run in search of similar information. A suggested solution is to promote makefiles as source code in a project, allowing developers to write them instead of relying on autotools. Some users mention other tools such as CMake or Meson as alternatives that do a better job at feature detection.
The „De-Autoconfiscation HOWTO“ discusses the process of converting an autotools build recipe into a bare makefile, which can be read and modified by humans. This is achieved using tools such as makemake and ifdex to remove automake cruft from Makefiles. The project's current state is an unpolished alpha release with development underway towards version 1.0.
Engineers Pinpoint Cause of Voyager 1 Issue, Are Working on Solution:
NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft has been experiencing issues with unreadable science and engineering data since November due to a small portion of corrupted memory in one of its computers, called the flight data subsystem (FDS). The issue may be caused by either an energetic particle from space or chip wear after 46 years. Engineers are optimistic that they can find a solution to enable the FDS to operate normally again, allowing Voyager 1 to resume sending data to Earth.
The article discusses various issues with cybersecurity, highlighting that it is broken due to a lack of consequences for poor practice. It argues that companies face little negative impact if they mishandle data, leading to the repetition of such incidents. The author proposes strong data protection laws as the solution and shares their plans to lobby congress with like-minded people in the industry.
Microsoft blocks even more customization apps in Windows 11 version 24H2:
Recently, users have noticed that third-party apps for customizing the user interface no longer work in the upcoming Windows 11 version 24H2. Microsoft has blocked these applications from running and prevented users from upgrading to newer builds. StartAllBack and ExplorerPatcher are two popular tools affected by this change, with the latter being unable to run due to „security or performance issues.“ Although both apps can be used in Windows 11 version 23H2 without any problems, it is possible that Microsoft blocked them in later builds due to a higher number of crashes. This might indicate that Microsoft intends to remove old components from Windows 11 as it moves forward.
The wealthy are starting to have more babies than the poor again:
For most of human history, having more children was associated with higher male status. However, this changed during the 18th century when birth rates fell in countries experiencing the Industrial Revolution and improvements in living standards and life expectancy. In these wealthier nations, the educated and affluent led the trend towards smaller family sizes, making education a key status marker.
Fish fed to farmed salmon should be part of our diet, too, study suggests:
The public is being encouraged to eat more wild fish, such as mackerel, anchovies, and herring, as they contain essential nutrients including calcium, B12, and omega-3, which are often lost from our diets when we only eat farmed salmon. Scientists found that farmed salmon production leads to a loss of essential dietary nutrients. Eating more wild fish directly can benefit health while reducing aquaculture demand for finite marine resources. Researchers analyzed the flow of nutrients from edible species of wild fish used as feed, to the farmed salmon they were fed to and found a decrease in six out of nine nutrients in the salmon fillet but increased levels of selenium and zinc. Eating mackerel, sardines, and anchovies can help address global nutrient deficiencies and improve both diets and ocean sustainability.
Insurers Are Spying on Your Home From the Sky - WSJ:
Insurers are using aerial images to assess the risk of homes and potentially drop policies, leading some homeowners to be dropped without being able to view or challenge these images. This has raised concerns among consumer advocates about privacy and the accuracy of the information used for nonrenewal decisions.
Automakers Are Sharing Consumers’ Driving Behavior With Insurance Companies:
Kenn Dahl, the owner of a software company near Seattle, experienced a 21% increase in his car insurance premium in 2022 despite having no accidents on record. One insurance agent informed him that his LexisNexis report was the reason for the increased cost. Upon requesting his report, Dahl discovered it contained over 130 pages detailing each time he or his wife drove their Chevrolet Bolt in the previous six months. General Motors provided this driving data to LexisNexis, which then analyzed it and generated a risk score for insurers to use when creating personalized coverage. Eight insurance companies had requested Dahl's information from LexisNexis within the previous month.
The 37signals Guide to Internal Communication:
The article discusses general principles for clear communication in a company environment, especially within 37signals. It emphasizes the importance of real-time and asynchronous communication, long-form writing, considering scheduling, and creating shared practices. The article also provides specific examples from 37signals' internal communication process, such as automatic daily check-ins, weekly planning updates, and project summaries. The author encourages feedback and suggestions to improve the guide.
The author has been using git full-time for around a decade, relying on the command-line version primarily. They find that while git is effective at getting their job done, they often feel like they cannot control what it will do. The author suggests that git can be overkill for many workflows and proposes an alternative called Gitlite, which would remove the decentralized model in favor of server-side and on-demand work. They also propose simplifying the idea of cross-repo dependencies using tools like Gitmodules, among other features. The author briefly discusses competitors SVN and Sapling, but ultimately concludes that while improvements have been made, they still don't fully address their concerns.