1. John Walker, founder of Autodesk, has died
Total comment counts : 58
Summary
This article is an obituary announcing the death of a man named John Walker. John was born in Maryland and had a wife named Roxie and a brother named Bill. He attended Case Western Reserve University, where he studied astronomy but later became interested in computers. He worked at the university’s computing center and eventually earned a degree in electrical engineering. In 1972, John met Roxie, and they got married the following year. They moved to California for John’s job and he later founded Marinchip Systems, which eventually led to Autodesk. John’s story can be found on his website Fourmilab. The article also includes tributes from people who knew John and expressed their admiration for him.
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The author recalls being introduced to the first CAD systems in high school and being given the opportunity to learn and work with AutoCAD. This experience led to a career in developing engineering and architectural add-ons for AutoCAD. The author expresses gratitude to John, the inventor of AutoCAD, for changing the direction of their life. They also mention still having the old IBM XT computer, Kurta tablet, and Roland plotter from their school days.
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The article discusses the influence and inspiration of the author of “The Hackers Diet” book and his various book reviews. The author also led a unique life as the founder of Autodesk, a fact that was not widely known. His voracious reading habit and unique approach to life serve as an inspiration for hackers.
2. FCC rules AI-generated voices in robocalls illegal
Total comment counts : 64
Summary
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The article discusses the legal principle known as Chevron Deference and its potential vulnerability. It mentions that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) relies on this principle to make rulings, but it is currently facing criticism. The article suggests that the Supreme Court may discard Chevron Deference in the future.
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The author of the article received a call from an unknown number, and when they answered, it was a recording of their spouse saying hello. As a result, they no longer answer phone calls with hello unless they recognize the caller.
3. VirtualBox KVM Public Release
Total comment counts : 40
Summary
Cyberus Technology has announced the release of their open-source KVM backend for VirtualBox. The KVM backend allows VirtualBox to run virtual machines using the Linux KVM hypervisor instead of its custom kernel module. This brings benefits such as improved security for Windows guest systems, support for modern hardware features, and the ability to use VirtualBox, QEMU, and Cloud Hypervisor in parallel. The release of the KVM backend provides faster virtual machines, better security, and broader hardware and guest support. The changes have been released under an open-source license on GitHub, and the company plans to release more features and updates throughout 2024. They also offer guidance and engineering services for those interested in using VirtualBox with KVM or custom virtualization solutions.
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Oracle is demanding money for the VirtualBox extension pack, which has led some organizations to ban VirtualBox in favor of cheaper alternatives like VMware Workstation or virt-manager. Users are advised to be cautious when using VirtualBox due to Oracle’s litigious nature.
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The author of the article expresses their preference for using libvirt over VirtualBox for running virtual machines due to its performance and ease of use. However, they find the available GUI options for libvirt, particularly virt-manager, to be buggy and lacking in features. As a result, they often end up using VirtualBox instead because of its user-friendly interface. However, the author is pleased to announce that they no longer have to make this trade-off, although the specific reason for this is not mentioned.
4. The appendix is not, in fact, useless
Total comment counts : 20
Summary
Heather Smith, an evolutionary anatomist, became fascinated with the appendix after undergoing an emergency appendectomy as a child. Despite the common belief that the appendix is useless and can cause pain, recent research suggests that it actually serves important functions. The appendix is located at McBurney’s point, about two-thirds of the way down between the bellybutton and the right pelvis. It has evolved independently multiple times throughout mammalian evolution, indicating that it must serve some beneficial role. The appendix supports the immune system by containing a high concentration of immune tissue, helping to fight against harmful substances in the gut. It also acts as a safe reservoir for beneficial gut bacteria during gastrointestinal distress, preventing them from being flushed out of the system. Understanding the functions of the appendix could lead to future advancements in preventing or treating appendicitis without emergency surgery.
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The author discusses the embryology of different body parts, such as the uvula and appendix. They explain that these structures are formed through a process of fusion and development. The uvula is where the fusion of the two sides of the face completes, while the appendix is where the three tiniae coli meet. Both the uvula and the appendix contain lymphoid tissue. The author, a pathologist, dismisses the idea that the appendix is a mysterious evolutionary organ and advises against investing in related medical concepts.
Top 2 Comment Summary
This article from 2007 discusses how the appendix, often considered useless, actually serves as a safe house for beneficial bacteria in the human gut. The gut is home to various microbes that aid in digestion, and the appendix provides nourishment and protection to these bacteria. The immune system cells present in the appendix are believed to protect the good bacteria instead of causing harm.
5. Concrete.css
Total comment counts : 35
Summary
The article describes a classless CSS stylesheet called Concrete. It is designed to be lightweight and simple, and can be used as a starting point for building a website. The stylesheet also supports a dark theme if the user’s operating system uses one. It is recommended to use Concrete with normalize.css. The article provides instructions on how to include Concrete in an HTML document and mentions that it does not redefine headings, unlike normalize.css. Different elements of a webpage such as paragraphs, links, bolded text, underlined text, emphasized text, and small text are mentioned as examples of how Concrete can be applied. The , , , and elements are suggested for structuring a page, with specific characteristics and examples given for each element. The article also mentions the inclusion of buttons and images in a webpage using Concrete. Finally, the author mentions that Concrete is created by Louis Merlin.
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The article advises against using pure white text on a black background because it can strain the eyes and make long text difficult to read. It also mentions that the buttons on the website are not properly adjusted for keyboard navigation. Additionally, the article recommends using the Tufte CSS stylesheet for a minimalist design.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses a minimalist web design and expresses a desire for popular web browsers to adopt it. The author suggests that setting up websites with no-CSS would be a sensible alternative and mentions the Gemini protocol as a possible solution. However, the author acknowledges that it would be challenging to change the current design standards implemented on websites.
6. Thinking Forth: A Language and Philosophy for Solving Problems (2004) [pdf]
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Summary
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The article recommends several resources for learning Forth. These include JonesForth, which is a text that provides an x86 Forth implementation with extensive comments; SmithForth, which is a slim implementation of Forth written directly in x86-64 opcodes; and Mecrisp, a fast Forth implementation for various platforms. The article also mentions the ##forth channel on libera.chat as a helpful community to engage with.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article suggests that while Forth may not be powerful enough to write serious applications, it can be used to create your own language or lexicons to model the problem and elegantly describe the solution. The author believes that this approach separates those who truly understand computing from those who rely on libraries to solve specific problems. The author, as an HP calculator lover, understands the stack and Reverse Polish Notation (RPN) but lacks the knowledge to write trigonometric or statistical functions without pre-existing implementations.
7. SQLite-Web: Web-based SQLite database browser written in Python
Total comment counts : 19
Summary
This article discusses a web-based SQLite database browser that is written in Python. The developers of this browser value user feedback and take it seriously. They provide documentation with information about available qualifiers.
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The article discusses two websites that allow users to view the contents of their SQLite databases directly in their web browsers. The first website is called sqliteviewer.app, which works entirely client-side using Webassembly. Users can upload their Firefox places.sqlite file and select the moz_places table to load its contents. However, there is a caution about trusting the website with your browsing history since it is not open source. The second website, inloop.github.io/sqlite-viewer, is open source but uses a JavaScript reimplementation of SQLite instead of true SQLite in Webassembly.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses an open-source software called DB Browser for SQLite (DB4S) that is a great browser for working with SQLite databases. It allows users to inspect and modify data, supports full query capabilities, and even offers integrated plotting functions. The software can be found on their GitHub page at https://github.com/sqlitebrowser/sqlitebrowser.
8. Simple Precision Time Protocol at Meta
Total comment counts : 5
Summary
The article discusses the development of Simple Precision Time Protocol (SPTP), which is a simplified version of Precision Time Protocol (PTP) used in data center deployments. The author explains that while PTP offers flexibility and compatibility with various equipment, it also comes with complexity and excessive network communication. SPTP, on the other hand, reduces the number of exchanges between server and client, resulting in more efficient network communication. The article describes the exchange process in SPTP and explains how the client can calculate path delay and clock offset after every exchange. Overall, SPTP aims to address the limitations and tradeoffs of PTP in data center environments.
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The article discusses the limitations of the Precision Time Protocol (PTP) and proposes a solution called SPTP. The author points out that PTP unicast mode can be exploited for DDoS attacks due to its traffic amplification capabilities. While SPTP addresses this issue, it still has a 2:1 amplification problem. The author suggests that the NTP interleaved mode would be a better alternative. Additionally, they argue that the PTP offset calculation in SPTP assumes a constant delay, which is problematic when the delay distribution is not symmetric. The author proposes encapsulating NTP messages in PTP packets to take advantage of existing PTP support in hardware. They mention an IETF draft that specifies this approach and highlight experimental support for NTP-over-PTP in the latest chrony release.
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The article states that Facebook is contributing a lot to engineering efforts, similar to Yahoo and AOL in the past. However, the commercial services offered by Facebook are not well-liked. The author mentions a project idea involving listing out big companies with GitHub projects, such as Comcast, Walmart, Verizon, and Target. The article also provides a link to McDonald’s GitHub page.
9. Bard is now Gemini, and we’re rolling out a mobile app and Gemini Advanced
Total comment counts : 190
Summary
Google has announced that its AI collaboration tool Bard is being rebranded as Gemini. Alongside the name change, the company is launching a mobile app and introducing Gemini Advanced with Ultra 1.0, its largest and most capable AI model. Gemini Advanced offers improved chatbot capabilities, with the Ultra 1.0 model enabling it to handle complex tasks such as coding and logical reasoning. Gemini Advanced will be available in over 150 countries and territories in English initially, with language support expanding in the future. Google also plans to integrate Gemini into its other products, such as Gmail and Docs. Additionally, a new mobile experience for Gemini is being launched on Android, with an iOS version launching in the coming weeks. This new app allows users to interact with Gemini through typing, voice commands, or images. Gemini is designed to be a conversational and multimodal AI assistant.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The author expresses surprise about the change from the name “Bard” to “Gemini”. They believe “Bard” was a smart choice due to its association with speaking and its uniqueness. In contrast, they find “Gemini” less relevant and point out that there are other companies with the same name. However, they acknowledge the advantage of having a name that starts with the letter “G” like “Google”. The author also mentions that the domain bard.com redirects to another company, while gemini.com leads to a company with the same name. They express curiosity about the decision-making process behind the name change.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author of the article spent 20 minutes experimenting with Bard Advanced (Gemini Ultra) and found it to be impressive in terms of quality. The results were found to be comparable to GPT-4 and in some cases even better. The article highlights the pros of Bard Advanced, which include better translation capabilities and the ability to incorporate search results into its answers. However, there are also cons mentioned, such as being slightly worse at coding, experiencing more annoying censorship particularly in medical topics, being weaker in logical reasoning (resulting in contradictions), and having a tendency to hallucinate when describing images.
10. How we got fine-tuning Mistral-7B to not suck
Total comment counts : 12
Summary
The article announces the release of Helix v0.5, which includes improvements to the text fine-tuning feature. The initial version of Helix used the Mistral-7B-Instruct language model but had limitations in answering basic questions. The team implemented a suite of prompts to extract context from documents and improved the model’s understanding of document IDs. A system prompt was added to prevent the model from referring to background knowledge. The article concludes by mentioning ongoing work on an automated evaluation framework.
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The article discusses how to address the issue of users asking broad and vague questions to test the functionality of a document. The goal is to ensure that these queries generate accurate responses. For instance, instead of using specific noun phrases like “junior doctors,” it is advised to use less specific descriptions like “doctors” in the questions. The article provides a source [1] where this problem is addressed further.
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The article discusses the limitations of using RAG and highlights its potential. The author suggests that people underestimate what RAG can do and that it is often discussed in the wrong context. The author also mentions experimenting with a modification to RAG that allows for a direct input of vector representations of documents, eliminating the need for multiple conversions.