1. Getting back into C programming for CP/M
Total comment counts : 18
Summary
The author of this article discusses their interest in using and programming CP/M, a computer operating system from 40 years ago. They have purchased a CP/M machine and have developed new utilities for CP/M using a 1982 C compiler called “Aztec C”. The article explains the differences between developing in C for CP/M using the older compiler compared to modern C development. The author notes that the Aztec C compiler generates 8080 assembly instructions, which work on both the 8080 and Z80 CPUs. The article also highlights some limitations of the Aztec C compiler, such as the lack of const modifier and support for full function prototypes. Despite these limitations, the author appreciates the small size of the compiler and the ability to test their code on both modern compilers and CP/M.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article provides a link to a CP/M emulator on GitHub, as well as a collection of CP/M binaries, including the Aztec C compiler. The author mentions that they have added a file-manager in C as a demo. They also mention spending more time writing code in Z80 assembler or Turbo Pascal. The article concludes by mentioning a follow-up post for those interested in getting back into C programming for CP/M.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the Aztec C compiler, which was distributed on floppy disks and is considered small by modern standards. It was created by Mark Williams and served as the basis for the Coherent OS’s c Compiler. The author reflects on how development was easier in the 80s, compared to the present day, where it revolves around meetings and agile points. They also mention their dislike for ANSI C standards, which they find archaic even after all these years.
2. Ask for Advice, Not Permission (2015)
Total comment counts : 15
Summary
The article discusses an anti-pattern known as asking for permission instead of advice in a collaborative environment. The problem with seeking permission is that it shifts responsibility to someone else and can create resentment. Asking for advice, on the other hand, shows respect and allows the responsibility for the decision to remain with the person asking. Seeking advice also creates advocates for the decision and gives them a personal stake in the outcome. The article concludes by stating that if someone does not need to invest time or resources, their input is not necessary for the decision-making process.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the issue of team members setting up their colleagues for failure. It recounts a personal experience where a team member proposed a feature rewrite and sought feedback from senior members. Initially, they said the design was good, but later criticized every detail when the project was about to be deployed. The article emphasizes the importance of commitment to projects once the design process is completed and feedback has been given, instead of betraying the team and throwing others under the bus.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article points out that people tend to avoid giving critical feedback to adults because they often prefer to receive affirmation instead of honest opinions. To truly benefit from seeking advice, it is important to explicitly communicate the desire for a genuine, unbiased opinion rather than a sugarcoated response. The average person generally dislikes providing critical feedback to other adults.
3. FlightAware Leaks Customer Data (Name, Email Addresses and Passwords)
Total comment counts : 20
Summary
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Top 1 Comment Summary
The article points out that the title is misleading because the leaked information goes beyond just names, emails, and passwords. Depending on the information provided, the leaked data may also include full names, billing and shipping addresses, IP addresses, social media accounts, telephone numbers, year of birth, partial credit card numbers, details about aircraft ownership, industry, job title, pilot status, and account activity. The author mentions that they are fortunate because they didn’t use their account for anything significant and used disposable email and password.
Top 2 Comment Summary
FlightAware’s iOS app recently stopped supporting iOS 15, and instead of allowing the old app to continue functioning, they displayed a full-screen message telling iOS 15 users to purchase a new phone. This prevents users from accessing the app that was working just last week. Unlike other apps that still work on older devices, FlightAware’s approach to backwards compatibility is deemed absurd and unprofessional by the article’s author.
4. Build your own SQLite, Part 1: Listing tables
Total comment counts : 2
Summary
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Top 1 Comment Summary
The author suggests an interesting idea regarding using macro-defined SQL queries in native Rust. They propose that by doing so, it would be possible to generate direct bindings from the SQL to the internal database API at compile time, thus eliminating the need for parsing and building query plans for static queries. Overall, the author finds the project to be cool.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The user is interested in finding a blog that discusses query planning and optimization in detail in relation to writing a compiler that converts SQL into source code.
5. Surgeons Cut a Giant Tumor Out of My Head. Is There a Better Way?
Total comment counts : 12
Summary
I apologize, but I am unable to summarize the article as the provided text does not contain any meaningful information or content.
Top 1 Comment Summary
I’m sorry, but I am unable to access external links. If you provide the text from the article, I would be happy to help you summarize it.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The person writing the article underwent a craniotomy in 1996, which took them a few months to fully recover from. They were happy when their neurosurgeon told them they never wanted to see them again. The procedure was done using a scalpel and a Black-and-Decker circular saw.
6. Flaw has Microsoft Authenticator overwriting MFA accounts, locking users out
Total comment counts : 37
Summary
The article discusses an issue with Microsoft Authenticator, a multi-factor authentication app, where it often overwrites accounts when a user adds a new account via QR scan. The problem arises because Microsoft Authenticator uses the same username for accounts, resulting in authentication issues and lockouts. This leads to wasted corporate helpdesk hours as the company issuing the authentication is mistakenly blamed. Other authenticator apps, like Google Authenticator, avoid this issue by adding the name of the issuer to the username. The problem has been reported since 2020 but seems to have been present since Microsoft Authenticator’s release in 2016. Workarounds include using a different authentication app or manually entering the code instead of scanning the QR code. The article highlights the severity of the issue, with IT specialists recommending against using Microsoft Authenticator due to the design flaw and the potential for users to lose access to their accounts.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article highlights the problem of usability and cybersecurity resulting from app development by engineers who lack knowledge of customers. It discusses the frustrating aspects of security measures such as mandatory password changes, complex password rules, unclear password requirements, and confusing error messages. It also mentions the vulnerability of these systems to data breaches and information disclosures, questioning how they continue to occur.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author expresses confusion and disbelief regarding the storage and functionality of Microsoft Authenticator. They question whether the app only organizes entries based on labels and does not generate an internal key. Additionally, the author criticizes Microsoft for suggesting that the problem lies with websites not correctly indicating the issuer in the label field. The author wonders if anyone at Microsoft actually uses their own Authenticator and points out that this would make the app nearly unusable for most applications, as it would prevent users from adding email accounts for multiple sites.
7. Yesterday’s Pixels, Today
Total comment counts : 12
Summary
The article discusses the concept of “thick pixels” in game design, specifically focusing on the aesthetics of low-resolution graphics. The author explains their personal love for thick pixels and how they have incorporated this style into their game, Restricted Airspace. They break down their approach into four elements: low rendering resolution, pixel-perfect lines, flat uniform shading, and limited color palette. They provide examples and code modifications to achieve the thick pixel effect. The article concludes by highlighting the importance of lines and points in rendering exact pixels on the screen and the significance of triangles in modern 3D graphics.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the difference between the aesthetic of old video game pixels and the modern emulated versions. It explains that the older pixels had limited resolution and color choices, resulting in a more muted and dithered appearance. The article provides images comparing LCD output, CRT emulation, and an actual CRT monitor from the era as examples of how the pixels were displayed at the time. The author acknowledges that they are fond of the old aesthetic but notes that the emulated versions do not capture the true essence of the original pixels.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the difference in appearance between pixels on old CRT screens and modern screens. It explains that on CRTs, pixels were not perfectly sharp due to the shadow mask and scanlines, creating a more organic and less pixelated look. The article provides examples showing the comparison between CRT pixels and “perfect” pixels on modern screens.
8. Games People Play with Cash Flow (2020)
Total comment counts : 24
Summary
The article discusses the limitations of first principles thinking using a specific example of a blog post titled “Startups Shouldn’t Raise Money.” The author initially agreed with the logical flow of the argument in the post, but felt uneasy about its framing and believed there was a more useful way to think about raising capital. The article explores the various truth values that arguments can have and how some arguments may be correct but not as powerful or useful as others. The author discusses their struggle to construct a counterargument and their desire to find a better framing for thinking about the subject. Ultimately, the article concludes that starting from a flawed set of axioms can lead to flawed conclusions and that recognizing a better way of thinking requires listening carefully and distilling wisdom from others.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The author discusses arguments made against public benefits and UBI by stating that some people believe that if basic needs are met, individuals will become lazy and unproductive. The author considers this opinion to be privileged and lacking in data and understanding. They argue that these arguments are based on personal biases and experiences, rather than objective analysis. The author implies that these beliefs are not justified and criticizes those who hold them from a position of financial and social advantage.
Top 2 Comment Summary
This article discusses the challenges of understanding why people stick to certain ways of thinking when it comes to problem-solving. The author shares their perspective from a startup point of view, expressing the difficulty of grasping the subtleties beyond rumors and memes. They argue that simply talking to users to figure out what to build can sometimes lead to confusion rather than clarity. Instead, they suggest that observing the product or business model in relation to reality can help update one’s thinking and improve iterations. The article also highlights the danger of relying solely on predetermined beliefs about the market’s potential without adapting to changing circumstances. The author concludes by emphasizing the importance of designing and testing from fundamental principles while enduring the challenges along the way in order to achieve true optimization.
9. Building an EEG with a Children’s Toy
Total comment counts : 5
Summary
The author of the article began investigating ways to interpret the learnings of multi-layer perceptron neural networks. They trained over 100 models and considered various use cases. They also had futile attempts at devising a lossless compression algorithm for the Neuralink Compression Challenge. They then decided to investigate how their interpretability engine could improve model inference efficiency and distinguish signal from noise on-head. Due to a lack of data, they turned a children’s toy, the Mattel Mindflex, into an EEG to collect experimental data. They altered between relaxed and attentive states to generate datasets. The data was collected, shuffled, and normalized before being split into training and testing datasets.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses low-end EEG kits and mentions a specific product called Nekomimi, which are cosplay cat ears connected to an EEG sensor. These ears can sense three states: “resting”, “active”, and “surprised”. The author saw some people wearing them at a convention, and when someone called out the name of one person, their ears popped up. The article suggests that while the Nekomimi was a good idea, it was too bulky with four AAA batteries and large ears, and someone should create a more compact version. The article provides links to purchase the NeuroSky MindWave Mobile Brainwave Starter kit and information about Nekomimi on Wikipedia.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author mentions that they had a project involving a hacked Mindflex, which was a robot arm, about 10 years ago. They reached out to NeuroSky and received free higher tier development kits. They found the signals from NeuroSky’s kits to be more useful. The author also mentions that it is interesting that people playing Mindflex commonly believed the game was fake, despite the game actually using an EEG sensor.
10. Police Cannot Seize Property Indefinitely After an Arrest, Federal Court Rules
Total comment counts : 19
Summary
A federal court has ruled that the Fourth Amendment’s protection against unreasonable searches and seizures includes the length of time law enforcement can retain private property after an arrest. In a unanimous ruling, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia stated that any continued possession of seized property must be reasonable. This ruling complicates the previous consensus among other circuit courts that allowed indefinite retention of seized items without violating the Fourth Amendment. The court clarified that while law enforcement can use seized items for legitimate purposes, prolonged seizures with no important function can violate the Fourth Amendment. This case has the potential to set national precedent and may be appealed to the Supreme Court. The plaintiffs in this case had their property seized by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) during a Black Lives Matter protest and had to wait over a year to get their property back. The court’s decision is seen as important in closing the gap in the Fourth Amendment and preventing police from confiscating property as punishment without clear rules on retention.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article criticizes a ruling that fails to define the maximum duration for which property can be held by the police, calling it well-intentioned but largely useless. It suggests that a hard time cap is necessary, comparing it to the idea of prison sentences without time limits. The article argues that vague laws benefit attorneys and judges, as well as enable police abuse, and calls for a comprehensive rewriting of laws for clarity and consistency, starting with the Constitution.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author ponders whether a recent ruling might compel courts to begin addressing the issue of unconstitutional civil forfeiture.