1. Goodbye integers, hello UUIDv7
Total comment counts : 46
Summary
The article discusses the adoption of UUIDv7 as the primary key choice for Buildkite, a company specializing in CI/CD tools. UUIDs (Universally Unique Identifiers) are unique identifiers that can be generated independently. They have gained popularity as database keys, especially in distributed environments. However, the random nature of standard non-time-ordered UUIDs can lead to poor database index performance. To address this issue, Buildkite previously standardized the use of sequential integer IDs as primary keys but encountered performance issues. The article explores the advantages and disadvantages of different identifier types and introduces UUIDv7, a time-ordered UUID that solves the index locality problem. Buildkite observed a significant reduction in WAL rate and write IO when switching to UUIDv7. The article also explains the compatibility and practical use of UUIDv7. Buildkite has decided to use UUIDv7 as the primary key for all new tables, eliminating the need for coordination and simplifying application logic. The article concludes with future considerations, including the potential use of UUIDv8 for incorporating shard numbers into identifiers.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article suggests that while using ordered keys can be useful for internal distributed systems, they should not be used as public identifiers due to potential security and business implications. Leaking time information from systems can pose risks such as knowing when session tokens or accounts are created.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the topic of random IDs and their impact on performance in distributed storage systems. Contrary to the belief that random IDs are bad for performance, it argues that they are actually better because they prevent hotspots on a single node. The article provides references to further explore this topic.
2. Nomnoml
Total comment counts : 23
Summary
The article describes a tool for drawing UML diagrams using a simple syntax. The tool allows users to edit the code and see the diagram change in real-time. It also supports features like panning, zooming, and text styling. The diagrams can be saved locally using the browser’s localStorage. The tool was created by Daniel Kallin and is hosted on GitHub.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The provided link leads to a GitHub repository for a tool called “nomnoml.” Unfortunately, without any specific information from the article or a direct link to it, I am unable to provide a summary.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the author’s positive experience with Nomnoml, a tool they have been using to visualize hierarchical tag structures in a browser-based PKM (Personal Knowledge Management) project. They find that Nomnoml creates clean layouts. An example layout can be found at the provided link.
3. What every software developer must know about Unicode in 2023
Total comment counts : 81
Summary
The article discusses the importance of understanding Unicode and UTF-8 encoding in programming. It explains how Unicode is a standard that assigns unique numbers to different characters and how UTF-8 is an encoding that stores code points in memory. The article emphasizes the concept of extended grapheme clusters, which are sequences of code points that should be treated as a single character. It also highlights the need for normalization to handle variations in character representations. The author encourages using proper Unicode libraries and staying updated with Unicode standards to ensure accurate handling of text. The article concludes with a discussion on the limitations and challenges of Unicode but acknowledges its significance in modern programming.
Top 1 Comment Summary
I’m sorry, but as a text-based AI, I am unable to access or summarize content from specific links. However, if you can provide the text of the article, I would be more than happy to assist you in summarizing it.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author disagrees with the idea that “extended grapheme clusters” are the only correct way to interpret characters in Unicode. They argue that there are different definitions of “characters” depending on the specific use case. Extended grapheme clusters may not accurately represent factors such as display size or deletions in a monospace font. The author suggests that codepoint iteration should be used for string iteration because it aligns with the fundamental level of Unicode and allows for different algorithms depending on specific needs. They reference another article that explains why extended grapheme clusters may not be the right approach.
4. Nobel Prize in Medicine awarded to Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman
Total comment counts : 36
Summary
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for 2023 has been awarded jointly to Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman for their discoveries regarding nucleoside base modifications that enabled the development of effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19. Through their research, Karikó and Weissman were able to overcome obstacles in using mRNA as a therapy, such as instability and inflammatory reactions. Their work paved the way for the rapid development of mRNA vaccines, which have played a crucial role in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. These vaccines have been highly effective, with protective effects of around 95%, and have saved millions of lives globally. The Nobel laureates’ discoveries have significantly contributed to the transformative development of mRNA technology during one of the biggest health crises in recent history.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the struggles faced by scientist Dr. Kariko in securing funding and recognition for her groundbreaking research in academia. Despite her innovative ideas, she was unable to obtain grants and faced rejection from leading scientific journals. Her work finally gained attention when it was published in Immunity, but pharmaceutical companies and venture capitalists initially showed no interest. The article raises questions about whether other potential bio-science startups are being overlooked and whether organizations like YC have effective mechanisms to identify them.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article is an interview with Katalin Kariko, who has had an interesting life. The interviewer recommends that she writes a memoir. It is mentioned in an update that her memoir, titled “Breaking Through,” will be released on October 10th.
5. VeraCrypt: Free open-source disk encryption for Windows, Mac OS X, Linux
Total comment counts : 25
Summary
VeraCrypt is a free disk encryption software that provides enhanced security compared to its predecessor TrueCrypt. It uses stronger algorithms and more iterations to protect encrypted partitions and data. It also offers the ability to convert TrueCrypt containers to VeraCrypt format. The software has been regularly updated with new features and fixes, including support for different operating systems and platforms. The latest version, 1.26.7, has brought major upgrades and security enhancements, especially for Windows users.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The author discusses their experience with various encryption schemes and their preference for using Cryptomator. Cryptomator allows for transparent encryption across devices by creating a vault in the cloud, making it easily accessible from different devices. It integrates seamlessly into file browsing APIs and offers fast decryption without the need to download large chunks of data. Cryptomator is also open-source and free on desktop, with a one-time fee for mobile apps.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses a recent participation in a Capture the Flag (CTF) event that included a steganography challenge. The challenge involved finding a TrueCrypt/VeraCrypt volume embedded within an MP4 file. The MP4 file could be mounted just like a normal VeraCrypt volume. The full article can be found at the provided link.
6. Floorp – A customisable Firefox fork from Japan
Total comment counts : 17
Summary
Floorp is a new browser built on Firefox that offers excellent privacy and flexibility. It has a strong tracking blocker and fingerprinting protection to protect users from malicious tracking. The browser allows for unlimited layout customization, including moving the tab bar and hiding the title bar. Users can also switch between five different designs for the interface. Floorp is based on Firefox ESR and will be updated every 4 weeks with security updates provided before Firefox release. The browser does not collect personal information, track users, or sell user data. The source code for Floorp is publicly available, allowing anyone to view and build the browser. There is a built-in sidebar that can display a web panel and browser management tools, making browsing more convenient. Floorp offers extensive customization options, from basic themes to custom CSS. It only blocks harmful trackers while listening to the opinions of website owners and users. The goal is to create an internet that benefits both websites and users.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses Floorp, a fork of Firefox that is similar to Vivaldi in relation to Chrome. It is aimed at power users and offers native support for vertical tabs. The author mentions spending several minutes trying to create a new workspace but failed. However, they plan to give Floorp another try once it transitions from Beta to a stable release.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article mentions a team of four individuals, with one being a university student and the remaining three being high school students. The suggestion is made to encourage and support them in their involvement in open source projects, instead of criticizing them.
7. Mastodon for Apple II
Total comment counts : 5
Summary
The article discusses the release of a Mastodon client for the Apple II computer. It provides information about the features of the client, instructions for installation, and troubleshooting tips. The author also expresses excitement about the retro interface engineering and invites readers to contact them with questions or suggestions.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The writer expresses their interest in purchasing a SuperSerial card for their Apple II+ computer. However, they mention the difficulty of finding Apple II hardware in their area. They also realize that they would need to buy an 80-column card to run the SuperSerial card on their system.
Top 2 Comment Summary
I’m sorry, but I am unable to access external links or specific articles. If you can provide me with the main points or a brief description of the article, I would be happy to help summarize it for you.
8. Python 3.12
Total comment counts : 32
Summary
The article announces the release of Python 3.12.0, the latest major version of the Python programming language. It mentions that the release includes various new features and optimizations. The article also mentions that more details about the changes can be found in the “What’s new in Python 3.12” section. The article concludes with legal statements and a privacy policy.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses a new syntax for declaring the types of keyword arguments (kwargs) in Python. The article provides an example code snippet that demonstrates the use of this new syntax. The author mentions that this new syntax can be helpful for understanding what data to send to libraries without having to read their source code. They also provide a link to the Python documentation for more information on this feature.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the usefulness of the itertools.batched function in Python for chunking iterables. It provides a link to the official documentation where readers can learn more about it.
9. The Curse of Dialup World
Total comment counts : 13
Summary
The article recounts the author’s experience working at a dial-up internet service provider during the late 90s. The demand for dial-up internet was growing rapidly, requiring the company to install more physical phone lines to meet the demand. However, the company over-projected its growth, leading to financial troubles. The author’s employer, a larger ISP, acquired the struggling company to gain customers and maintain its relationship with the telecommunications company. The author was tasked with handling customer service calls after many employees were laid off. The company faced various issues, including leaked user accounts and mysterious billing complaints. Despite a dysfunctional environment, the author gained perspective on excellence and the consequences of dysfunction. The story concludes with the author’s departure from the company and reflections on the experience.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The author shares a personal experience from running a small ISP in the late 1990s. One of the co-founders suggested using a cheap database called mSQL for the accounting system, which turned out to be a good decision as it ensured accurate billing. However, the author also mentions an incident where they lost all their data due to not verifying the backups. They note that mSQL still exists but is less commonly used compared to MySQL, postgres, or SQLite. The article contains a link to the Wikipedia page for mSQL.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article highlights various examples of inefficient and outdated practices still prevalent in small and medium-sized businesses. One business stores numerous word documents containing customer details, invoices, etc., in a single folder. To create a new invoice, they copy an old one and modify it, saving it with a new name using a changing system. Another business used to perform all accounting tasks manually, with an elderly woman manually operating a calculator for hundreds or thousands of transactions, which took several days. Lastly, a small business relied on a small black book filled with disorganized and undated notes, containing a mixture of cash and card transactions. Despite their chaotic operational methods, they somehow maintained a good reputation locally.
10. Eye comfort a priority for all-in-one desktop PC with color E Ink display
Total comment counts : 35
Summary
Bigme has launched the B251 all-in-one Windows PC on Kickstarter, featuring a 25.3-inch color E Ink display with 3,200 x 1,800 resolution. The display is designed to reduce eye strain and offers a refresh technology to minimize ghosting and lag. The PC is equipped with 12th Gen Intel i5 processor, 16 GB of RAM, and 1 TB of storage. It also includes various ports for connectivity and has a built-in voice control system and dual-channel speakers. The Kickstarter campaign offers a discounted price, with shipping estimated to start from December.
Top 1 Comment Summary
This article discusses E Ink’s Kaleido display, which utilizes colored subpixels to create color. However, reflective screens with subpixels result in dark images and low contrast compared to paper. For example, to display a red image, the screen turns the green and blue subpixels black, resulting in a large portion of the screen being black and only one third being red. Similarly, to display white, the subpixels cannot turn white, so they combine red, green, and blue to create a white appearance. This makes the colored Kaleido screen much darker compared to white paper. The article suggests that to achieve acceptable contrast in a color e-paper screen, a display technology that can change colors within the pixels is needed. Although E Ink has this technology, it is slow and offers only a limited range of colors.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article raises skepticism about the authenticity of a 25.3-inch Kaleido 3 E Ink screen, as the largest size mentioned on E Ink’s official website is 13.3-inch. Furthermore, the article highlights that such screens do not have a ~60 Hz refresh rate as shown in the mockup video.