1. The demoscene as a UNESCO heritage in Sweden
Total comment counts : 17
Summary
The article discusses the recognition of the demoscene as a national UNESCO heritage in Sweden, following an application submitted by the author and Ziphoid. This initiative is part of a broader effort to establish the demoscene as a global UNESCO heritage under the Art of Coding initiative, which highlights the demoscene’s significance as one of the oldest creative digital subcultures. The author notes the demoscene’s enduring values and traditions amidst technological changes and emphasizes its competitive nature focused on maximizing hardware. However, not all participants engage in production; some contribute by organizing events or preserving software. The writer reflects on the contrasting experiences within the international demoscene versus local communities, where personal interactions and creative freedom are vital. The diversity within the scene is notable, encompassing a wide range of backgrounds and motivations. Ultimately, the author argues for the demoscene’s intangible heritage status, recognizing both its consistency and openness.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The author, a long-time member of the demoscene since the early 90s, expresses excitement about recent announcements regarding the scene. They advocate for increased academic research focusing on the intersections of art, technology, and anthropology within the demoscene. The author believes that studying the scene’s uniqueness, its connections to adjacent sub-scenes, and core elements of demoscene art would provide valuable insights. They note that while sceners have previously written about it, external observations from academics could better illuminate the scene for outsiders, who often struggle to understand its nuances. Additionally, the author highlights the scene’s success in archiving information about groups and productions, which will benefit future researchers.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author expresses excitement about the recognition of the demoscene in Sweden as an important aspect of digital culture and heritage. As the creator of Glicol, a digital arts project in Oslo, the author draws parallels to Norway’s support for creative technology and reflects on the challenges in accessing public arts funding for newer digital art forms. The validation from Sweden serves as an inspiration for improving support for digital arts in Norway.
2. How each pillar of the First Amendment is under attack
Total comment counts : 70
Summary
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Top 1 Comment Summary
The article argues that a recent compilation prompts “free-speech absolutists” to rethink their support for the current administration. It suggests that the traditional interpretation of the First Amendment, shaped by key legal cases in the early to mid-20th century, is now being challenged. The author expresses skepticism about the endurance of these expansions in the face of current legal scrutiny.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article reflects on the author’s experience in the United States, highlighting a prevailing admiration for the Founding Fathers and the principles of checks and balances within the American Constitution. The author notes a surprising lack of action among the general populace, particularly in the context of legal challenges, as exemplified by the minimal involvement of top law firms in a lawsuit against the government.
3. In the 1980s we downloaded games from the radio
Total comment counts : 40
Summary
The article reflects on the nostalgic experience of downloading video games from radio broadcasts in the 1980s by recording audio onto cassette tapes. The author recalls that this practice was a reality, contrary to claims made in comments on a Facebook post denying its existence. Set against the backdrop of early 1980s UK, when home computers were emerging amidst economic challenges, the piece discusses the role of the BBC’s Computer Literacy Project. This initiative included both television programs and a lesser-known radio series called “The Chip Shop,” which aimed to educate the public about computers.
Home computers of the time used cassette players for data storage, resulting in a unique method where audio screeches would load games onto computers. The article highlights an issue faced by the BBC: different computer brands required different audio formats. To address this, the Dutch broadcaster NOS developed a system called BASICODE, allowing software to run on various devices. The BBC expanded upon this with BASICODE 2, enabling the broadcasting of programs that enthusiasts could record and use on their computers. This innovative idea spawned “The Chip Shop Takeaway,” a late-night broadcast of BASICODE programs for home computer users to enjoy. The article captures the blend of nostalgia and technological evolution of that era.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The author reminisces about their childhood experiences with the TRS-80, where they played cassette-based games and often typed out programs from BASIC listings in computer magazines. Despite the long time it took and the risk of introducing errors, they were eager to code every app, including things like tax preparation software, at a young age.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author reflects on a past experience, suggesting that a certain trend or phenomenon was not widely recognized at the time, akin to the idea of having NFTs tattooed on one’s body in the 2020s. They initially believe this trend is obscure, but upon researching, they discover that NFT tattoos might actually be more common than they thought.
4. Installing air filters in classrooms has surprisingly large educational benefits (2020)
Total comment counts : 27
Summary
The article discusses a surprising finding from Michael Gilraine’s study, “Air Filters, Pollution, and Student Achievement,” which explores the positive impact of air filters installed in schools after the Aliso Canyon gas leak in 2015. Although the gas leak raised public health concerns, air testing indicated that schools near the leak did not exhibit abnormally high pollution levels. The installation of $700 air filters in classrooms led to significant increases in student test scores—0.20 standard deviations in math and 0.18 in English—suggesting that reducing indoor air pollution can substantially enhance academic performance. These results are comparable to the benefits observed from reducing class sizes, providing a cost-effective intervention, especially for low-income students. The article advocates for further experimentation with air filters in schools to validate and understand the extent of their impact on education.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the installation of air filters in classrooms, emphasizing support for this initiative while expressing skepticism about the dramatic results from a recent study. The research examined student achievement in schools affected by the largest gas leak in U.S. history, comparing schools with air filters to those without. The author argues that the study’s methodology—analyzing test scores over various years and assuming air filters were the sole variable—overlooks significant yearly variations and other influential factors, like teaching differences and school policies. While the author acknowledges the benefits of air filtration, they caution against expecting substantial improvements in test scores, likening the claims to past exaggerated health benefits of fish oil supplements that were eventually disproven in larger studies.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article reflects on the author’s experience in a classroom filled with metal tables coated in a heavy layer of oil paint, which emitted a strong smell of paint thinner. The author ponders how their intelligence or learning experience might have been different without such an unpleasant environment.
5. Gemini 2.5 Pro vs. Claude 3.7 Sonnet: Coding Comparison
Total comment counts : 56
Summary
The article discusses the recent release of Google’s Gemini 2.5 Pro on March 26, 2023, which claims to be the top coding model, surpassing the previously favored Claude 3.7 Sonnet. Gemini 2.5 Pro offers a significantly larger context window of 1 million tokens compared to Claude’s 200k and is noted for its higher accuracy in coding tasks. Users are encouraged to switch to Gemini due to its improved performance, especially in coding, math, and science.
The author provides a side-by-side comparison of the two models through coding prompts, including the creation of a simple flight simulator and a 3D Rubik’s Cube visualizer. The results demonstrate that Gemini 2.5 Pro successfully produces functioning code that meets the requirements accurately, while Claude 3.7 Sonnet has some issues, such as incorrect visuals and functionality. Overall, Gemini 2.5 Pro is positioned as the superior choice for coding tasks, while Claude 3.7 is still recognized as a capable model but less effective for the tasks reviewed.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article proposes a coding challenge to create a GTK 4 version of the software Solvespace, which currently has a GTK3 version written in a single C++ file. The author suggests that there may be a cash prize for the contest and emphasizes the need to establish rules. Participants can either port the existing GTK3 code or write a new implementation from scratch. The author invites individuals interested in showcasing their skills, including AI developers, to document their process, possibly through a YouTube video. The success of the challenge will ultimately depend on whether the author accepts the pull request. The tone suggests skepticism about the likelihood of success.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article compares two AI models, Gemini and ChatGPT. It highlights that Gemini is better at indicating when to stop the conversation, either because it can’t find a solution or disagrees with the user’s proposed solution. The author praises Gemini’s impressive context length, noting that ChatGPT loses track of the conversation when its context is full, starting anew instead. However, the article recognizes that while ChatGPT has superior tooling, Gemini is perceived as a fundamentally better model.
6. Win98-quickinstall: A framework and installer to quickly install Windows 98
Total comment counts : 22
Summary
The article discusses a project aimed at simplifying the installation of Windows 98 on various hardware, from older 486 systems to modern computers. It provides a framework and installer that allows users to create optimized ISO images for quick installations. Unlike similar tools like nLite, this framework uses a different method, emphasizing customizability over ease of use, which may require more effort from the user.
The installer runs on a Linux base and includes tools for hard disk partitioning and formatting. It supports multiple installation methods, such as booting from a CD/DVD-ROM or using bootable floppy disk images. Users can create bootable USB images as well.
While the framework allows for international versions of Windows 98, support for Windows 95 is not available due to limitations in the installer. The article also provides guidance on building an ISO, including required tools and scripts. Overall, this project is positioned as a way for enthusiasts to work with legacy systems and software, while emphasizing that it has no endorsement from Microsoft.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article reflects on the author’s experiences with experimenting on their file system using various software from CDs that often included cracks and patches, some of which contained viruses or trojans. The author mentions using Norton Ghost, a tool that allowed them to create backups of their system, which made restoring their Windows installation easy after corruptions. Kaspersky is noted as the best antivirus at the time for fixing corrupted software, while Norton antivirus was criticized for being ineffective. The author concludes by stating that current technology makes these processes easier.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author discusses their experience with an “Ultimate Windows 98 PC” that they have taken to vintage computer events. While the machine typically functions well during these events, they have encountered issues when storing it for long periods, often requiring a reinstall to get it working again. Although this particular time they did not face such problems, the author expresses ongoing concern about reliability, especially when preparing for events.
7. How IMAP works under the hood
Total comment counts : 10
Summary
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Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the author’s experience writing a guide to IMAP while developing an email client, which can be challenging due to issues with data retrieval, particularly for threading on some servers like Gmail. The author outlines their method of maintaining an in-memory tree by pulling IDs and thread IDs. However, they did not finish the guide since they abandoned the project, highlighting that if IMAP were simpler, they might have completed it. The article also notes the lack of JMAP support on Gmail and mentions a broken gateway.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article appears to reference an external link related to email, specifically a website that explains concepts from first principles. However, it does not provide any detailed content about the website or its offerings.
8. Oracle attempt to hide cybersecurity incident from customers?
Total comment counts : 19
Summary
The article by Kevin Beaumont discusses a serious cybersecurity incident involving Oracle’s cloud services. On March 21, a threat actor named rose87168 claimed to have breached Oracle services and released sensitive data, including internal meetings and configuration files that confirm customer data was affected. Although Oracle initially denied any breach of Oracle Cloud, subsequent evidence suggests otherwise, leading to concerns about their transparency and responsibility in handling the situation. Beaumont criticizes Oracle for their lack of clear communication and urges them to openly address the incident and its implications for customers. The situation highlights the importance of trust in SaaS providers regarding cybersecurity responsibilities. The article also notes Oracle’s strategy of distinguishing between “Oracle Cloud” and “Oracle Classic” services in their statements.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article suggests that existing Oracle customers are not likely to care about recent developments concerning the company. It implies that customers did not select Oracle for its quality or reputation, but rather due to behind-the-scenes deals or compromises. It concludes that there is a general sense of acceptance among customers, who feel they have limited options and are not surprised by the situation.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the concerning ability of Oracle to remove items from Archive.org, which raises alarms about the preservation of digital content and the implications of corporate control over access to online information.
9. The element can now be customized with CSS
Total comment counts : 34
Summary
On March 24, 2025, a significant update for web developers and designers was announced regarding the <select> element in Chrome version 135. The new feature introduces a standardized, accessible, and customizable <select> element known as “base-select.” This advancement has been the result of extensive engineering and community collaboration, allowing for rich customization without affecting compatibility with older browsers.
Key highlights include:
- A new CSS property,
appearance: base-select, which enables a configurable and styleable<select>element. - Enhanced support for custom content within
<option>elements, such as images or SVGs, which were previously ignored by browsers. - Although risks are associated with implementing customizable select elements due to parsing changes, existing JavaScript interactions will remain unaffected.
- Chrome has initiated a Finch experiment for the new features, allowing for potential adjustments if needed.
The article also mentions that although Chrome is the first to implement base-select, other browsers have contributed to the specifications, indicating further developments in customizing web elements are forthcoming. The post concludes by directing readers to more resources and thanking contributors to the project.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The author expresses enthusiasm about a feature related to select elements in web development, noting that they can perform actions that are not possible with standard HTML, such as options dropdowns that extend beyond viewport boundaries. The author, identifying as an early 2000s web developer, suggests that the next steps should include implementing autocompletes and tag selectors.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the current adoption rate of a new styling feature for select elements, which is at 46% globally according to caniuse.com. It emphasizes the importance of progressive enhancement, advising developers not to include critical information or features in the new style that the plain select element cannot support. The author expresses optimism about the new styling, noting that it is a significant improvement over traditional custom select box replacements.
10. Fragments of a rare Merlin manuscript from c. 1300
Total comment counts : 10
Summary
A rare manuscript fragment from around 1300, containing medieval stories of Merlin and King Arthur, has been discovered and digitized at Cambridge University Library. Initially found in 2019, this fragment is part of the Suite Vulgate du Merlin, a French sequel to the Arthurian legend, with fewer than 40 surviving manuscripts known. The fragment is believed to have been written between 1275 and 1315 and was recycled as the cover for a 16th-century property record, making it challenging to access without damage.
The manuscript’s unique characteristics, including handwritten variations and decorated initials, provide clues to its origins. It contains two episodes from the Suite Vulgate, one featuring a Christian victory at the Battle of Cambénic and the other depicting Merlin disguised as a harpist at King Arthur’s court. This discovery was made possible through a collaborative project involving advanced digital imaging techniques to explore the manuscript without causing harm, further enriching historical scholarship on the Arthurian romances intended for a noble audience.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the practice of reusing old paper in bookbinding, which has historical significance, such as in the creation of early maps by Amerigo Vespucci. It also references John Le Carré’s “The Perfect Spy,” where this method is used to covertly share information. Additionally, it mentions Robert Graves’ fictional portrayal of Claudius, who opts to leave his autobiographical scrolls accessible, allowing history to determine their fate.
Top 2 Comment Summary
A 13th-century Arthurian manuscript was discovered inside a 16th-century book cover, a surprising find that highlights historical layers. Researchers have managed to virtually unfold the manuscript without causing any damage, showcasing a remarkable blend of technology and preservation that echoes the enchantment of the Merlin legend.