1. Native visionOS platform support
Total comment counts : 21
Summary
Apple’s visionOS engineering team is contributing support for the Vision Pro to the Godot engine through a new PR. They aim to align with Godot’s standards and have structured their contributions into three incremental PRs, focusing on code reuse between iOS and visionOS platforms. The current PR introduces a new native visionOS platform, sharing most code with iOS, and includes detailed commit descriptions for easier review. Community feedback is welcomed, particularly regarding documentation and testing on both platforms. The team is looking forward to collaboration to enhance Godot with visionOS support.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article conveys that Apple remains committed to the Apple Vision and visionOS despite the lukewarm reception of the Apple Vision Pro. It suggests that advancements in display technology could lead to better AR glasses in the future. The potential integration of this OS with Godot is considered beneficial, although there’s concern about Apple’s reliability in maintaining support for developers. Overall, the author’s perspective is optimistic about the long-term prospects of Apple’s AR products.
Top 2 Comment Summary
Godot supports VR through OpenXR, which is the industry standard for VR/AR devices, compatible with platforms like SteamVR, Oculus, and Windows Mixed Reality. However, it does not yet include support for Apple’s visionOS or Vision Pro. The author urges Apple to adopt the industry standard for better scalability and openness.
2. Solidjs: Simple and performant reactivity for building user interfaces
Total comment counts : 29
Summary
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Top 1 Comment Summary
After using Solid for a year on a sizable web product, the author expresses a firm commitment to continue using it over React. They caution against introducing laziness to Solid’s reactive system, emphasizing that its immediacy enhances state change intuitiveness and simplifies debugging. The author has not encountered scenarios where delayed computations would be beneficial.
Top 2 Comment Summary
Some in the React community are excited about its shift towards server actions resembling PHP, but the author prefers to explore new frameworks. They appreciate React/Next setups for their explicitness, criticizing the “magic” of hooks. The author finds frameworks like Vue and Svelte, which combine CSS and JS in one file, unappealing. They inquire if SolidJS projects are fully JavaScript-based.
3. Open Source Projects Receive Funding to Reclaim the Public Internet
Total comment counts : 23
Summary
The NGI Zero Commons Fund has selected 42 innovative digital commons projects for funding in its largest call ever. These projects aim to reclaim the public nature of the internet and include diverse initiatives like the solar-powered MNT Reform Touch tablet, a new filesystem called bcachefs, and end-to-end encrypted form solutions via LiberaForms. Other funded projects focus on educational tools, podcast creation, decentralized video platforms, and advanced public transport routing. Collectively, they contribute to a more inclusive and privacy-oriented digital ecosystem. For more details, visit NLnet’s project overview page.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The EU and its member states are investing significantly to reduce dependence on US tech companies, supporting various projects with diverse scopes. However, the author argues that the core issue remains unaddressed: Apple and Microsoft dominate as integrated system vendors. The funding mainly fosters numerous small projects, which fails to tackle the crucial challenge of implementing a cohesive open-source system across entire organizations.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article highlights funding for initiatives like PeerTube for Institutions, aimed at improving management and moderation for organizations. The author encourages more institutions and NGOs to adopt PeerTube. However, they express concern about funding allocation for Wiktionary, noting that the Wikimedia Foundation spends a significant portion of its budget on analytics and machine learning services, potentially at the expense of Wiktionary’s support.
4. How a 20 year old bug in GTA San Andreas surfaced in Windows 11 24H2
Total comment counts : 25
Summary
A bug report on GitHub reveals that the Skimmer plane in GTA: San Andreas is unspawnable after upgrading to Windows 11 version 24H2. Users have confirmed this issue on both modded and unmodded versions of the game. Testing on a virtual machine showed that while the Skimmer spawns correctly in version 23H2, it vanishes in 24H2. Attempts to spawn it resulted in game freezes or major errors, suggesting a potential API bug in the update. The issue appears tied to abnormal calculations related to the plane’s rotor speed during rendering. Further investigation is ongoing.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The author expresses admiration for someone’s work, comparing it to the high standards set by Raymond Chen. They appreciate that the investigation was carried out thoroughly to uncover the reasons behind a specific issue.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article suggests that if a feature, like the iteration order of maps, is not specified in a programming language’s contract, it should be randomized. This randomness would prevent the development of fragile code that functions correctly under certain conditions but fails otherwise.
5. MinC Is Not Cygwin
Total comment counts : 27
Summary
MinC is a Unix emulator for Windows designed for vocational education, allowing children to learn Linux without virtualization hassles. It runs on all Windows versions except Win95 and Win98, using a tiny kernel to provide native OpenBSD 6.1 functionality. The installation process has been simplified with a new installation wizard. Key features are still in development, including services like Apache and SSH. Users can compile code with a provided toolchain and integrate MinC with MS Visual Studio Code. Donations are welcome to support the project, and users may need to adjust antivirus settings for proper functionality.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The software is compatible with all Windows versions except Windows 95 and 98, although it likely also doesn’t run on Windows 1.0 to 3.11. It’s puzzling that it functions on both Windows ME and NT 3.5, despite the nearly ten-year gap between them, since NT 3.5’s software support is a subset of that for Windows 95/98.
Top 2 Comment Summary
MinC is a minimal kernel that operates on Windows, allowing users to run OpenBSD version 6.1 at native speed. While it raises questions about its communication methods with other software—presumably running in user space—details on its architecture remain unclear. The article hints at potential technical ingenuity but lacks specifics about how the system functions or whether it utilizes tools similar to Cygwin.
6. CSS Hell
Total comment counts : 32
Summary
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Top 1 Comment Summary
The author struggled to understand why their CSS rule didn’t apply, realizing that the game required them to find a different rule instead of simply adding a new one. This confusion arose from a lack of clarity in the game’s instructions, particularly regarding CSS’s cascading nature, which allows later rules to overwrite earlier ones. The author noted the importance of receiving feedback if a rule is not accepted, rather than facing a silent failure with no guidance.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article emphasizes the importance of including screenshots when determining that a website is not mobile-friendly. It advocates for this practice to provide clear evidence of the issues, ensuring better communication and understanding of the problems faced.
7. The Gruen Transfer is consuming the internet
Total comment counts : 26
Summary
The Gruen Transfer refers to the confusing layouts in stores that lead consumers to lose track of their original shopping intentions, resulting in impulsive purchases. This concept has extended to the internet, particularly social media platforms like Facebook, where users often encounter a cluttered feed that distracts from their original purpose. This disorientation is common across various websites, complicating actions like account deletion or cancellation. The article suggests that over-complexity may have adverse effects on user experience and advocates for legislation that simplifies user actions, such as ensuring equal ease in subscribing and canceling services.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The author criticizes Amazon’s search functionality, noting that it frequently displays irrelevant results mixed with the items they are searching for. This has led to accidental purchases, such as a power strip instead of a surge protector and non-neoprene shorts. Additionally, when searching for shoes, they encounter prices for different sizes, which is frustrating. Consequently, the author opts to avoid Amazon and praises alternative sites like geizhals.at for their superior filtering options that help users find the right products.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the concept of the Gruen Transfer, noting its relevance in many contexts but questioning its applicability to Wikipedia. The author reflects on their experience with physical encyclopedias, which similarly encourage casual browsing. They highlight a humorous tweet about losing track of time while exploring Wikipedia, illustrating how users can become engrossed in random topics late at night.
8. Apple and Meta fined millions for breaching EU law
Total comment counts : 19
Summary
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Top 1 Comment Summary
Under the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), app developers distributing through Apple’s App Store can inform customers about alternative offers and payment options outside the App Store. Critics argue that it’s unfair for Apple to restrict apps like Netflix from directing users to sign up on their websites. While some believe Apple has the right to a share of in-app purchases, the restrictions on disclosing alternative payment methods are seen as problematic. Although there is a carveout for “reader apps,” its application remains inconsistent.
Top 2 Comment Summary
US officials and business leaders claim the EU is targeting American companies while favoring European and Chinese firms. However, this is inaccurate; the EU fines companies for violating the same laws that apply to all, regardless of origin. In contrast, the US has enforced measures like requiring the sale of TikTok without evidencing legal violations. Repeated assertions by US representatives shape public perception, creating a gap between media narratives and the actual situation.
9. Pixel is a unit of length and area
Total comment counts : 36
Summary
The article discusses the ambiguous use of “pixel” in digital imaging, where it serves as both a unit of linear length (e.g., dimensions of an image) and area (e.g., megapixels). This duality creates confusion in mathematical physics, comparable to the difference between meters and square meters. Proposed solutions include defining a pixel as a square of variable physical size and introducing the term “pixel-side.” The article highlights the fundamental tension between common usage and scientific precision, noting that the pixel’s non-metric nature complicates its role in calculations, akin to other units with dual definitions.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article references a 1995 document titled “A Pixel Is Not a Little Square,” highlighting its significance in understanding pixel representation in graphics. The text includes a link to access the PDF version of the document for further information.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the concept of using counting units to describe quantities, exemplified by a bin of apples which is defined by width and height rather than area. It notes that when discussing lengths, such as city blocks, people often use shorthand expressions without specifying the underlying details. To communicate effectively and avoid confusion, it is important to clarify context with additional words when necessary.
10. Why Does My eBPF Program Work on One Kernel but Fail on Another?
Total comment counts : 5
Summary
Inconsistent kernel versions complicate the portability of eBPF programs, as each version features unique kernel headers that can change struct definitions and memory layouts. This variability can prevent programs compiled on one version from running on another. To enhance portability, developers can utilize BPF CO-RE (Compile Once – Run Everywhere) by replacing BPF_PROBE_READ() with BPF_CORE_READ() to enable adaptable access to struct fields. This method relies on BPF CO-RE relocation information and BTF (BPF Type Format). However, successful execution requires that the target kernel is also compiled with BTF support.
Top 1 Comment Summary
Disregarding stable kernel data structures and APIs may simplify tasks for some developers but increases the maintenance burden for others, such as eBPF and driver developers. System modules should bear the burdens to support their users effectively. In contrast, some platforms, like iOS, frequently break user apps, imposing ongoing costs on thousands of developers, when a stable ABI could save significant resources for both developers and users.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article references research available at a specific URL that explores a certain topic. It suggests that there is a body of work or data on this subject, but does not provide further details about the research findings or focus.