1. Commission opens non-compliance investigations against Alphabet, Apple and Meta
Total comment counts : 25
Summary
error
Top 1 Comment Summary
The author believes that Apple’s new fee structure and terms for alternative app stores may not comply with Article 6(4) of the DMA. While some users worry that other companies will create their own stores to bypass Apple’s privacy rules, the author argues that the ability to sideload community-made apps outweighs any potential privacy losses. However, the author criticizes Apple’s implementation, as the fees and agreements required for app distribution could prevent community-maintained apps from being distributed, while allowing wealthy bad actors to exploit users. The author hopes that the EC will prioritize user agency in deciding what runs on their phones and challenge Apple’s proposed changes.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article questions why there is not much discussion about the Meta “pay or consent” investigation. It suggests that allowing users to pay for a tracking-free, ad-free service may meet the requirements. It wonders if the concern is that the $10/month price is too high and if this model would be acceptable at a more reasonable price point.
2. Why choose async/await over threads?
Total comment counts : 47
Summary
This article discusses the use of async/await in the Rust programming language compared to the use of threads. It explains that while threads can handle concurrent tasks, async/await allows for simpler and more compositional code. The article uses the example of a web server to demonstrate the benefits of async/await in handling multiple tasks simultaneously. It concludes that while the use of async/await introduces some complexity, it offers greater composability and flexibility in writing I/O-bound functions.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the challenges and issues with implementing multi-threaded async/await in Rust. While async/await with one thread is well-understood and simple in JavaScript, using threads in Rust can become complicated, especially in compute-bound scenarios. One problem highlighted is futex congestion collapse, where multiple threads accessing the same locks can lead to a significant drop in performance. Another issue is the starvation of unfair mutexes, where one thread repeatedly wins access to a resource while others are locked out. The article also mentions that if the application is not I/O bound, the complexity increases further.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the debate between using async/await and threads in programming. The author’s main point is that the issue is not about complexity, but rather about how it divides the ecosystem and creates friction when choosing the wrong approach for a project. The article emphasizes that it is possible to mix and match async/await and threads, but it is often inefficient and hacky. In the Rust programming language, the ecosystem requires the use of async/await for anything involving IO. The author suggests that, in most cases, developers should ignore non-async libraries. The article concludes by suggesting that if Rust had used more composable abstractions than async/await, many of the complaints would not exist.
3. Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia will be completed in 2026
Total comment counts : 34
Summary
The Sagrada Familia in Barcelona will be completed in 2026, over 140 years after construction began. The organization managing the site announced that the construction of the last tower will mark the completion of the basilica. The tower of Jesus Christ will be finished in 2026 and will stand at 172.5 meters tall. The Sagrada Familia will become the world’s tallest church. Construction started in 1882 under architect Antoni Gaudí but was interrupted by the Spanish Civil War. Designs are now based on surviving and reconstructed materials. The building was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984 and was consecrated for religious worship in 2010. The construction of the church was carried out illegally for 137 years until a building permit was issued in 2019.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article highlights the experience of visiting a place with sunlight streaming in through the windows. It mentions seeing a quote that suggests collaborating with the artist Gaudí is not possible, and suggests that a short walk around the church confirms this idea.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author laments the state of modern architecture, particularly in comparison to historic European cities. They argue that post-World War II buildings are unattractive and lack beauty. The author bemoans the fact that despite advancements in technology and affordability, modern architecture fails to create anything aesthetically pleasing, often resorting to imitations of old styles.
4. Supervision: Reusable Computer Vision
Total comment counts : 7
Summary
This article is about a computer vision tool called Supervision. The tool provides reusable computer vision tools for tasks such as loading datasets, drawing detections on images or videos, and counting detections in a given area. It can be used with any classification, detection, or segmentation model and supports popular libraries like Ultralytics, Transformers, or MMDetection. The article also mentions the availability of customizable annotators and utilities for dataset manipulation. The tool requires a Roboflow API KEY for running inference. The article encourages users to provide feedback and showcases projects built using Supervision.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The author of the article has been trying to extract the x/y coordinates of people from a real-time video stream using YOLO and other solutions. However, they have found that these methods are not as reliable or performant as they expected. They mention that they can achieve decent real-time results on a high-powered machine, but they need to consider the limitations of lower-powered devices such as a Raspberry Pi or an old notebook.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article talks about the usefulness of pre-assembled programs for tasks like drawing detections on an image or video and counting detections in a given zone. The author suggests that such programs are not very compelling, as they are often only used for demoing or diagnostics, and the specific nature of the tasks makes them less suitable for building a product. The author mentions that while there is potential for reusable parts in computer vision, existing options like OpenCV can sometimes feel like a C++ library wrapped in Python. The author also highlights the need for a 3D geometry toolkit that can provide high-level, readable abstractions for tasks like lens distortion, but notes that at some point, specialized code may be required for performance reasons.
5. “Emergent” abilities in LLMs actually develop gradually and predictably – study
Total comment counts : 28
Summary
The article discusses the emergence of certain abilities in large language models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT. Previous studies have observed that these abilities can suddenly appear and have been described as “breakthrough” behavior or phase transitions. However, a new paper from Stanford University argues that these abilities are not unpredictable but rather a consequence of how researchers measure the performance of LLMs. The researchers propose that the choice of metric and the size of the model contribute to the perception of sudden emergence. They provide an example of addition problems, where the ability to add emerged at a certain threshold of parameters. By using a different metric that awards partial credit, they show that the emergence of the ability to add is gradual and predictable. Some scientists argue that while the new work challenges the notion of emergent abilities in LLMs, it may not fully dispel it.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article raises several issues with a study. Firstly, it questions the use of alternative methods (such as token edit distance) as proxies for skill, suggesting that they may not accurately measure one’s abilities. Secondly, even using the metrics employed in the study, the author notes that a few potentially emergent abilities were still found. Lastly, the article emphasizes the importance of using commonplace test accuracy measurements, as the results obtained were unpredictable and surprising. While the article acknowledges the value of the study, it advises caution in drawing far-reaching conclusions from it.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the challenges of predicting future developments in technology and artificial intelligence (AI). The author suggests that while there may be some unexpected developments that are difficult to predict, most advancements in AI are dependent on the improvement of lower-level capabilities. To accurately predict these emergent capabilities, it is necessary to identify the necessary building blocks and simulate their potential impact. The article also mentions the difficulty of analyzing the type and quality of data needed for model advancements. The author further speculates on whether model designers can successfully identify the necessary capabilities and datasets to achieve certain goals.
6. The Format Dialog in Windows NT
Total comment counts : 16
Summary
The article states that in order to continue using Twitter.com, users should switch to a supported browser. The Help Center provides a list of supported browsers, and the article also mentions terms of service, privacy policy, cookie policy, and imprint information. The article is copyrighted by X Corp. in 2024.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the involvement of a person in writing code for the format dialog in Windows NT4. It confirms that they did contribute to the code. However, it clarifies that Windows NT4 did not support FAT32 and was capable of up to 4GB for a FAT volume because it allowed 64K clusters. The limitation for FAT32 volumes larger than 32GB existed in the internal format functions, not the format dialog itself. On Windows 2000, attempting to format a drive larger than 32GB as FAT32 would result in a formatting failure as it was hard-coded to fail. The author questions why the person tends to exaggerate their involvement, giving an example of the Zip folder code that they claim to have written but was actually licensed from Info-Zip.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article is about Dave Plummer, a software engineer known for his contributions to the development of Windows and the Amiga. He has created various software products, including the Task Manager for Windows and Zip file support for Windows. Plummer has also been granted six patents in the field of software engineering.
7. Northern lights forecasted to be visible into upper United States tonight
Total comment counts : 8
Summary
This article is a prediction of the intensity and location of the aurora borealis tonight and tomorrow night over North America. It uses the OVATION model to determine the maximum forecast geomagnetic activity. The article provides maps showing the aurora and a viewline representing the southern-most locations from which the aurora can be seen on the northern horizon. The brightness and location of the aurora are depicted as a green oval, which turns red when the aurora is expected to be more intense. The article also mentions that the aurora can be observed from somewhere on Earth after sunset or before sunrise, as long as it is not during daylight hours. The OVATION model is credited as an empirical model of the aurora’s intensity, developed at Johns Hopkins University. The article concludes by providing contact information for more information on the model and aurora products.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The storm came early and was already subsiding in North America before nightfall.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article is asking about the best time to see the aurora in the Seattle area tonight. It suggests that any time after nightfall would be a good opportunity.
8. Gerbil Scheme – A Lisp for the 21st Century
Total comment counts : 8
Summary
This article introduces a LISP language for the modern era. It emphasizes the power of macros and discusses its concurrent and distributed capabilities.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article asks if any Lisp programming languages, other than Common Lisp (CL), support the interactive style of programming that CL is known for. The author emphasizes the importance of resumable exceptions in enabling this style of programming.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The user would like to see a comprehensive table listing all programming languages and their respective features.
9. Mutt on Windows Without WSL
Total comment counts : 13
Summary
The article discusses the author’s hobby of running UNIX tools natively on Windows. They prefer using MSYS2 over WSL due to its efficient resource usage. The author shares steps to successfully set up and use MSYS2, including configuring passwords from KeePassXC and using msmtp for email. They also mention the importance of having the MSYS2 home directory aligned with the Windows home directory for smooth operations. The article concludes with the author’s ~/.muttrc configuration and their ability to use mutt in the MSYS2 mingw64 terminal.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The writer prefers using MSYS2 over WSL because it uses less RAM. They suggest using WSL1 instead of WSL2 and keeping MSYS2 for cases when WSL1 is not enough.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article mentions the author wondering if they have tried using Justin Tuney’s Cosmopolitan to run Linux tools on Windows. The last releases of Cosmopolitan include a compilation of GNU tools that work on Windows, including bash. However, there are sometimes issues and the tools may not work consistently. The author personally faced difficulties with Cosmopolitan’s rsync tool randomly terminating and ended up using WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) instead.
10. Real-time map of every Starlink satellite in orbit
Total comment counts : 41
Summary
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Top 1 Comment Summary
The author is expressing confusion about why Starlink coverage is good in rural Manitoba, Canada, while there are complaints about the service being over-subscribed and over-saturated in the United States. The author’s assumption that there are fewer subscribers in Manitoba is challenged by a visualization that shows the satellites hitting the northern extent of their orbit and dwelling over the province, indicating that orbital mechanics are favoring Manitoba in terms of coverage.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the vastness of Starlink’s satellite constellation and the potential benefits of having a single company handle connectivity needs worldwide, eliminating the need for new contracts or concerns about moving locations.