1. Global hack on Microsoft Sharepoint hits U.S., state agencies, researchers say
Total comment counts : 49
Summary
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Top 1 Comment Summary
The article critiques the persistent issues of government breaches and stagnant security technology, specifically focusing on SharePoint. It notes that SharePoint’s popularity stems from being bundled with Microsoft products and the high cost of replacing entrenched systems. Security often takes a backseat to cost and convenience for large companies. While Linux could potentially offer better security, its widespread adoption would make it a significant target. Resistance to change in organizations further complicates security upgrades. Without public pressure or regulation, companies are likely to continue prioritizing short-term fixes over comprehensive solutions.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article argues for a shift from Microsoft to more secure, Linux-based solutions like Red Hat in on-prem enterprise businesses, especially for critical organizations like the Department of Defense. It highlights concerns over exploitable vulnerabilities in Microsoft products and questions why they dominate the market despite the availability of cheaper and more secure alternatives. The author emphasizes that security should be the top priority for government entities.
2. TrackWeight: Turn your MacBook’s trackpad into a digital weighing scale
Total comment counts : 32
Summary
TrackWeight is a macOS app that turns your MacBook’s trackpad into a weighing scale using its Force Touch pressure sensors. It uses the Open Multi-Touch Support library to access pressure data, which is only generated with contact on the trackpad. While the app offers accurate weight measurements in grams, it is intended for experimental and educational purposes, and users should verify results against calibrated scales for precision.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses iPhone apps that function similarly to digital scales, highlighting their capabilities. It references a specific app and links to further details about its features and functionalities.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article describes a quirky method for weighing objects using a trackpad. The process involves opening the scale, resting a finger on the trackpad, placing an object on it while maintaining light contact, and ensuring minimal pressure to read the weight. The technique relies on the trackpad’s capacitance sensors, functioning only when a finger is in contact without applying too much weight.
3. UK backing down on Apple encryption backdoor after pressure from US
Total comment counts : 34
Summary
UK officials are concerned that their demand for Apple to grant access to encrypted customer data could jeopardize tech agreements with the US. The Home Office’s insistence on a “back door” for secure systems has faced backlash from the Trump administration and may hinder the UK’s digital trade strategy. Apple has withdrawn its secure cloud service from the UK and is challenging the Home Office order legally, a move supported by WhatsApp. The UK government’s attempts to negotiate a resolution face pressure from US leaders, complicating future technology collaborations.
Top 1 Comment Summary
Apple did not comment on recent allegations but previously stated, “We have never built a back door or master key to any of our products, and we never will.” However, critics argue this statement may be misleading, suggesting that Apple would need equivalent access to operate in China effectively.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author questions the UK’s repeated patterns of surveillance, comparing it to the historical issues with GSM encryption. They speculate that this tendency may be rooted in a culture of surveillance influenced by GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters).
4. AccountingBench: Evaluating LLMs on real long-horizon business tasks
Total comment counts : 40
Summary
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Top 1 Comment Summary
The benchmark team’s project aimed to evaluate LLMs in bookkeeping with minimal scaffolding by providing processed transaction records and code execution tools. Claude and Grok 4 initially performed well but degraded over time, exhibiting errors related to reward hacking rather than context length. The study suggests that while a more structured approach could enhance performance, the focus remains on exploring LLM capabilities. Ongoing research in this area will continue to develop insights, and feedback is welcomed from the community.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses concerns about the reliability of models in accounting tasks, noting that their ability to pass reconciliation checks does not guarantee proper task understanding. It highlights the potential for misleading results, such as creating false transactions, and questions the blind trust placed in large language models (LLMs) for accounting. The author humorously suggests that this reliance might unintentionally lead to fraud and expresses concern over governments potentially using LLMs in their digital services.
5. What went wrong inside recalled Anker PowerCore 10000 power banks?
Total comment counts : 34
Summary
Lithium-ion batteries, powering many devices, can pose risks such as overheating and fire hazards. Recently, Anker recalled over one million PowerCore 10000 power banks due to potential battery defects. To investigate, the Lumafield team scanned five power banks, revealing that affected models contained batteries from different suppliers. Notably, one recalled model had unique features like a reinforcing mandrel and varying vent openings, indicating the root cause of the recall likely lies in the battery assembly. The use of CT scanning could help identify defects during manufacturing, possibly preventing such recalls in the future.
Top 1 Comment Summary
A significant controversy has emerged in China due to Amprius, a battery cell vendor, altering its battery design without notifying power bank manufacturers. This change led to Amprius losing its 3C certification. Reports indicate that Anker Innovations’ supplier, Amprius, failed to inform clients about the material changes, impacting multiple leading power bank brands. Anker has not publicly named the supplier, but insiders confirm it is Amprius. An interview with an Anker VP has also been conducted regarding the situation.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author expresses admiration for Luma Field and trust in Anker, citing positive customer service experiences with a faulty wall charger. Despite initial issues with the product, Anker quickly replaced it without requiring a return. The author believes that quality is important, noting that mistakes can occur but companies should be judged by their responses to them. They appreciate Luma’s handling of a recent recall and plan to continue purchasing Anker products, emphasizing the importance of how companies manage errors.
6. New records on Wendelstein 7-X
Total comment counts : 11
Summary
The ITER Organization has launched an online boutique for ITER-branded merchandise. It offers newsletters like ITER Newsline and ITER Magazine (in French) to keep subscribers informed about the project and events. Meanwhile, the Wendelstein 7-X device achieved a world record for the fusion triple product during its recent experimental campaign, maintaining a significant value for 43 seconds, marking a step toward practical stellarator designs. This milestone, supported by collaboration among various institutions, validates the stellarator concept in fusion research. For further information, refer to the full IPP press release.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses a stellarator announcement, highlighting its performance with an energy output of 1.8 GJ over 360 seconds and a beta value of 0.03. The mention of using the iter.org link adds an ironic twist to the context.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article highlights a lack of quantifiable data regarding a fusion reaction’s duration and its implications for energy production. It raises questions about recordkeeping, other results, the tipping point for net positive energy, the sustainability time for such reactions, and potential thermal inefficiencies that might hinder achieving a positive energy output.
7. The daily life of a medieval king
Total comment counts : 20
Summary
Christine de Pizan’s “Livre des faits et bonnes mœurs du sage roy Charles V” offers insights into the daily life of King Charles V of France (1364-1380). Based on her unique access to the court, she describes his routine, starting from his morning prayers and mass to his interactions with the public, showcasing his approachability. His governance meetings were brief, likely due to his health, and he favored simple meals paired with music. The king balanced work and leisure thoughtfully, aiming to maintain both his well-being and responsibilities while interacting with advisors and subjects throughout the day.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article critiques a historical account as more propaganda than accurate record, suggesting it idealizes the king’s behavior rather than reflecting reality. It raises doubts about details such as the king’s church attendance and interactions with commoners, questioning whether these were genuine practices or merely for appearances. The text ultimately highlights the uncertainty surrounding the true nature of the king’s actions and character.
Top 2 Comment Summary
Christine de Pizan, an Italian-born French court writer, married at 15, which is now considered an illegal underage marriage. She had a happy marriage with Etienne du Castel, a royal secretary, and they had three children before his death. A devout Catholic, Christine is often regarded as one of the first feminists in history.
8. Occasionally USPS sends me pictures of other people’s mail
Total comment counts : 34
Summary
The author has used USPS Informed Delivery for over five years but occasionally receives scanned images of mail not addressed to them, raising security concerns. They reported receiving mail images for neighbors and even received Informed Delivery for a stranger due to a past forwarding mistake. Attempts to rectify these issues at the post office have been unsuccessful, leaving the author frustrated. They continuously receive mail images for a collection agency’s PO Box, likely due to a misreading of the address.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The author, living in a small town, notes their postmaster’s professionalism but criticizes USPS for lacking rigorous reliability standards expected by software engineers. They experienced significant issues with missing valuable mail, inconsistent informed delivery, and misdelivered items. The author found that USPS lacks quality controls, auditing, and effective protocols for tracking delivery issues, leading to a lack of accountability. Despite the postmaster’s efforts, the problems remained unresolved, prompting the author to use other vendors for valuable mail while relegating USPS to junk mail only.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author shares experiences of receiving various unsolicited emails linked to a Gmail account associated with a popular Asian surname. They mention receiving bank statements from India, a BMW order from California, and PayPal invoices. Initially, they attempted to inform companies about not signing up for their services but eventually gave up and now simply marks the emails as junk. A particularly amusing incident involved receiving a dating site notification while sitting next to their partner.
9. Don’t bother parsing: Just use images for RAG
Total comment counts : 27
Summary
Morphik develops Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) tools to enhance search capabilities over complex documents, opting to operate on “images” rather than using traditional OCR/parsing methods. The article highlights the challenges with common OCR tools that misinterpret documents, resulting in lost vital information. Instead of deconstructing documents, Morphik proposes treating them as visual objects. By utilizing advanced Vision Language Models, documents can be processed directly as images, thus preserving all structural and contextual information, leading to more accurate and meaningful search results without the fragile steps of traditional parsing pipelines.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses several challenges with large language models (LLMs) and image processing. LLMs, often pre-trained on limited text tokens, struggle with image tokenization, leading to hallucinations when analyzing multiple images. PDFs require significantly more tokens than raw text, increasing inference costs and latency. While image processing can outperform basic text chunking in certain contexts, the author suggests incorporating OCR with models like Gemini for better results. An end-to-end image approach is feasible for specific applications, such as patents, but should be considered a last resort.
Top 2 Comment Summary
A team developed an open-source project for a French government agency, available on GitHub. While not their main focus, the tool operates effectively with some adjustments. Its standout feature is its full differentiability, allowing for fine-tuning on specific datasets. Additionally, the layout model can be tailored for detailed document understanding.
10. “Dynamic programming” is not referring to “computer programming”
Total comment counts : 39
Summary
The term “Dynamic Programming,” coined by Richard Bellman in the 1950s, refers to the planning of sequential steps for solving problems, rather than computing in the software context. It compares to scheduling for constructing a building where each task depends on previous ones. In computer science, it involves organizing computations (like Fibonacci numbers) in a way that ensures efficiency, either through a top-down or bottom-up approach. Bellman chose the name to avoid negative connotations, as he faced constraints on using terms like “research” during his work at the RAND Corporation.
Top 1 Comment Summary
A former Sri Lankan competitor in the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI) recalls his experiences in the ’90s. Despite excelling nationally, he initially failed to win a medal internationally due to a lack of knowledge in dynamic programming. After a year of research, he discovered that it combined recursion with result storage. With this newfound understanding, he successfully won a gold medal at the IOI in 2001.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The origin of the term “Dynamic Programming” is debated. According to Wikipedia, Russell and Norvig argue that it cannot be entirely accurate as Bellman’s first paper mentioning the term predates Wilson’s appointment as Secretary of Defense. Conversely, Harold J. Kushner noted that Bellman claimed he aimed to enhance Dantzig’s linear programming by incorporating “dynamic” elements. Thus, both motivations for the term’s creation may hold validity.