1. QUIC is not quick enough over fast internet
Total comment counts : 33
Summary
This article discusses the benefits and implementation of the QUIC protocol, which is a multiplexed transport-layer protocol over UDP with enforced encryption. It is expected to improve web application performance by overcoming some of the limitations of TCP. Both TCP and QUIC can use ECN to avoid congestion loss and retransmission overhead. However, it took two decades for TCP to reach widespread support for ECN. The article also mentions the institutions and organizations involved in the standardization and development of QUIC.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses several problems related to syscall interfaces, including slow APIs, high overhead, and the need for a replacement for BSD sockets and POSIX APIs. It also mentions the small default size of UDP buffers and the possibility of optimizing the UDP stack. The article concludes by stating that implementing GSO (Generic Segmentation Offload) can improve performance, but there may be a need for increased buffer sizes in the future.
Top 2 Comment Summary
This article discusses how the UDP stack, which is used in QUIC protocol, has received less optimization compared to the TCP stack. It mentions that some issues in UDP arise because there are certain tasks it could perform, such as UDP generic receive offload, but no one has been motivated to implement them. The article suggests that research papers like this can lead to improvements in the UDP stack by identifying both obvious and subtle optimizations.
2. Creating a Git Commit: The Hard Way
Total comment counts : 13
Summary
The article explains the difference between high-level Git commands (Porcelain commands) and low-level Git commands (Plumbing commands). It covers the basics of Git, including the states of a file and the sections of a Git project. It also explores the different types of Git objects, such as blob, tree, and commit objects, and how they are stored using SHA-1 hashes. The article demonstrates how to create a Git commit using low-level commands, including creating blob and tree objects, and finally creating the commit object itself. It also provides examples of checking the content and log of the newly created commit. Overall, the article provides a detailed explanation of Git’s low-level operations for creating commits.
Top 1 Comment Summary
This article explains the three states of files in Git: Modified, Staged, and Committed. It states that when a file is staged, it means that the current version of the modified file is prepared to be included in the next commit. However, the article acknowledges that if a file is changed, added (using “git add”), and then changed again, both statements about the file being staged are false.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article recommends participating in the “Build your own git” challenge on CodeCrafters to gain a comprehensive understanding of git internals. The challenge can be found at https://app.codecrafters.io/courses/git/overview.
3. Sleep duration, chronotype, health and lifestyle factors affect cognition [pdf]
Total comment counts : 13
Summary
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Top 1 Comment Summary
The author of the article expresses frustration towards the assumptions made about their abstinence from alcohol. They mention that they only have a drink a few times a year and do not actively try to abstain. They further state that they find the taste unpleasant and do not feel drawn to it. The author questions why some people find it difficult to comprehend that alcohol is not appealing to everyone.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The study found that there was no significant correlation between sleep quality (specifically, sleeplessness/insomnia) and cognitive performance, which contradicts previous research. However, it did find that normal sleep duration (7-9 hours) was positively associated with cognitive scores, while extended sleep duration had a negative impact on scores. Additionally, individuals who identified as intermediate or evening types had superior cognitive function.
4. The Fennel Programming Language
Total comment counts : 11
Summary
Fennel is a programming language that combines the simplicity, speed, and compatibility of Lua with the flexibility of a lisp syntax and macro system. It can be run wherever Lua is run and doesn’t require any additional installations. Fennel’s repository is on Sourcehut, and there are discussions on the mailing list and various chat platforms. The community regularly holds events and surveys, and bug reports can be tracked on Sourcehut or Github. Fennel is released under the MIT/X11 license, and there are resources available such as a wiki, codebases written in Fennel, and a cookbook with examples.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The author praises the Lua programming language but also acknowledges its limitations for large projects. They express their admiration for Fennel, a language that addresses some of Lua’s shortcomings, such as pattern matching and a powerful macro system. They highlight the ease of transitioning from Lua to Fennel due to its similar syntax and compatibility with Lua modules. The author concludes by stating their preference for Fennel and its flexibility over Lua.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article is a list of links to various discussions and showcases related to Fennel, a Lisp-like programming language implemented in Lua. The links include discussions about the practicality and features of Fennel, as well as examples of its use in projects like Raymarching and Neovim configuration. The discussions span from 2018 to 2023 and have varying numbers of comments.
5. Linux’s Bedtime Routine
Total comment counts : 4
Summary
This article explores the process of hibernation in Linux, specifically focusing on how the system moves from an awake state to a hibernating state and how it restores all state upon waking up. The investigation is divided into several parts, with the first part discussing the synchronization of all filesystems to disk. The article provides code snippets and references to specific system files that control hibernation. It also mentions the autosleep system, which is primarily used in mobile systems to suspend or hibernate the entire system when it is not actively working on anything. The article further explains that most hibernate-specific functions are only enabled if the CONFIG_HIBERNATION option is set. It discusses various factors that determine whether hibernation is possible, such as the kernel command line options, Linux Security Modules, and the use of secret memory and CXL memory. The article also touches on compression in hibernation and the supported algorithms.
Top 1 Comment Summary
This article explores issues related to Linux power management and the hibernation process. The author shares their findings while debugging a Linux AMDGPU graphics card crash. They discovered that hibernation can be done through both the “/sys/power/disk” interface and the userland snapshot/hibernate/suspend interface. Additionally, the article discusses a specific crash bug where the system calls pm_restrict_gfp_mask() before dpm_prepare(), causing issues with GPU driver backup. The author wonders if this was an intentional decision or an unforeseen interaction. The article also mentions that Nvidia faces similar challenges with VRAM backup.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author of the article suspends their Linux box every night but has noticed that after around 30-50 times, the machine freezes randomly when using it. They are curious if other users have experienced the same issue and if it is related to Linux or specific hardware.
6. Htmx, Raku and Pico CSS
Total comment counts : 20
Summary
This article discusses the author’s personal journey with open-source web development. They aim to reduce the cognitive load in their projects by using HTML for layout and CSS for style, similar to the early days of the web. The author mentions HTMX as a tool that eliminates the need for JavaScript to create dynamic web content. For CSS, they highlight Pico CSS as a promising option that allows for semantic HTML and minimizes extraneous tags. The author provides code examples and mentions their use of Pico CSS in rebuilding HTMX examples. They also mention plans to explore Web Components in the future and acknowledge the potential compatibility of Bootstrap, Tailwind, and SASS with HTMX and Raku. The article concludes with an invitation for readers to engage with the author on various platforms.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The author has been using htmx for their internal management application and is impressed with its efficiency and effectiveness. They are able to easily add features and update existing ones without writing a lot of client-side JavaScript. The application is fast and responsive, and they don’t have to develop it twice like with a single-page application (SPA) and API approach.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article points out the misconception that JavaScript came after CSS in the early days of the web. It highlights that JavaScript actually predated CSS and suggests that the statement may be intended as humor.
7. ATProto for distributed system engineers
Total comment counts : 9
Summary
The article discusses the AT Protocol (AT Proto) as a technology developed for open social networking. It explores AT Proto from the perspective of distributed backend engineering. The traditional “one big SQL database” architecture faces performance limits as the application grows. To address this, the article suggests switching to a NoSQL cluster and using precomputed views called view servers. However, keeping the view servers synced with the NoSQL cluster becomes challenging. To solve this, an event log (e.g., Kafka) is introduced to record and broadcast changes. This stream processing architecture sacrifices strong consistency for scalability. The goal of AT Proto is to interconnect applications by sharing state, including user accounts and content. The article describes how the system can be decentralized, with each internal service having public APIs and allowing others to create their own instances of these services. A shared data model called the “user data repository” is established, and JSON documents organized into collections are stored within the data repositories. URLs and cryptographic signing are used to ensure authenticity. Overall, AT Proto aims to create a high-scale decentralized backend for applications.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the ATProto, ActivityStreams/Pub, and Solid specifications in the context of the re-decentralized web community. ATProto is described as a comprehensive specification that complements and builds upon ActivityPub by addressing server/database aspects. The article also explores the similarities between a Personal Data Server and a Personal Data Store, as well as references to further readings discussing the differences between ATProto and ActivityPub.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author is asking if anyone has tried using ATProto, and mentions that ActivityPub is easy to get started with, especially if you don’t worry about JSON-LD. They are curious about how ATProto compares to ActivityPub.
8. 2.7-meters Telescope mirror shot 7 times (1970)
Total comment counts : 16
Summary
The article is a circular from the Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams regarding an incident at the McDonald Observatory. A newly-hired employee fired shots into the front surface of the primary mirror, causing small damage. The mirror’s functionality was only slightly affected, and astronomical observations continued unaffected. The article also includes information about the precise positions of the Periodic Comet Curjumov-Gerasimenko.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses how scratches and cracks on the front element of a lens affect photo quality. It refers to a study from Lensrentals, which found that even a completely cracked front element has minimal impact on photo quality. The article provides a link for further reading.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses a telescope with bullet holes in its mirror, providing a link to a picture showing the damage.
9. A Pipeline Made of Airbags
Total comment counts : 12
Summary
The author discusses their experience with live system deployments using hot code loading and in-place upgrades. They describe a system where new code was automatically pushed onto each server’s disk, and an engineer would log onto one node to initiate the deployment process. The system allowed for quick and seamless live deployments without losing connections or interrupting operations. However, the author notes that such practices have been abandoned in favor of standardization and containerization, which often require scheduled downtime and interrupt security coverage. The author expresses disappointment with the current trend of statelessness and immutable infrastructure, arguing that the ability to work on finer granularities and handle errors and exceptions is lost. They believe that the concepts of supervision trees in Erlang/OTP and cluster schedulers like Kubernetes can complement each other for more effective system management.
Top 1 Comment Summary
This article discusses the concept of immutable infrastructure and its benefits. It addresses common complaints about infrastructure engineering and highlights the simplicity and effectiveness of immutable infrastructure. The article emphasizes the importance of focusing creative energy on serving customers rather than on infrastructure.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article expresses concern about the loss of knowledge and lessons from programming languages such as Erlang, SmallTalk, and Lisp machines.
10. Synthetic diamonds are now purer, more beautiful, and cheaper than mined
Total comment counts : 25
Summary
This article discusses synthetic diamonds and their advantages over mined diamonds. Synthetic diamonds are now purer, more beautiful, and cheaper. Diamonds are the hardest natural material and have high thermal conductivity and electrical resistivity. In the lab, diamonds can be made faster, purer, and cheaper, overcoming the limitations of natural diamonds. Scientists have been able to mass-produce jewelry-quality diamonds in the lab, which are cheaper and more beautiful than mined diamonds. The article also mentions the history of the discovery that diamond is made of carbon. Antoine-Laurent de Lavoisier conducted experiments in the 18th century that showed that diamonds could be reduced to coal in certain circumstances. However, it was not until 1796 that Smithson Tennant discovered that diamond is made of carbon.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses advancements in the diamond industry, both in the production of synthetic diamonds and the discovery of natural diamonds. It mentions the availability of diamond-making machines on Alibaba and the R&D operations of De Beers. The article also highlights the use of industrial X-ray systems to find diamonds in rocks before crushing and the automation of cutting and polishing processes. It concludes by stating that diamonds are now available for purchase by the kilogram.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the rise of cheap lab diamonds and moissanites in China and India over the past decade. It states that lab diamonds, which were previously difficult to find at a reasonable price, are now high quality and inexpensive, costing less than $200 per carat. Moissanites have also become cheaper, with retail prices of less than $5 per carat. The author predicts that within the next 10 years, diamonds will lose almost all of their value, similar to synthetic rubies, and this will lead to new industrial uses for these gemstones.