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2023-09-02

Wavacity – a FOSS port of Audacity to the web

  • Wavacity is a free, open-source online audio editor, similar to Audacity, that can be utilized directly in web browsers.
  • Despite similarities, Wavacity is neither affiliated with nor endorsed by Audacity.
  • The released Wavacity code comprises various functions and scripts essential for editor functioning and user interface.

Reactions

  • Wavacity, a web-based version of the audio editing software Audacity, is gaining praise for its high performance and compact file size, leveraging WebAssembly to operate within a browser.
  • The app's functionality raises discussions about the potential future of cross-platform virtual machines and elicits debates on the benefits and drawbacks of operating applications within a browser.
  • Conversations are considering the possibilities of applications such as Blender functioning as web-based applications and draw distinctions between web and native mobile apps.

Doug Lenat has died

  • The post pays homage to Doug Lenat, a renowned AI researcher known for his pioneering work on Cyc, a project designed to encode common sense knowledge for machines to understand.
  • Cyc, although not commercially profitable, is highlighted by Gary Marcus as a revolutionary experiment critical for developments towards artificial general intelligence.
  • Marcus focuses on the significance of understanding Cyc's objectives for budding AI researchers and promotes Lenat's last paper, co-authored with him, which discusses takeaways from Cyc and possibilities of merging symbolic AI methods with modern Large Language Models.

Reactions

  • Doug Lenat, a pioneer in artificial intelligence (AI) and founder of Cycorp (a company focused on general AI), has passed away but left a legacy of dedication to his vision.
  • The debate concerning the merging of neural and symbolic AI continues, with arguments about the relevancy of older mechanisms like the Cyc's approach and the preference for combined AI techniques.
  • The Leela Core AI engine is recognized for its speed and transparency in contrast to conventional neural networks, indicating the potential for testing and teaching neural net models using different approaches.

X/Twitter has updated its terms of service to let it use posts for AI training

  • Twitter has amended its Terms of Service, enabling the company to utilize user posts for AI training.
  • This adjustment may lead to privacy concerns and potentially a more personalized but limiting internet experience.
  • This update appears to contradict past commentary from Elon Musk who admonished third-party firms utilizing Twitter data for AI systems.

Reactions

  • Twitter revised its terms of service to permit the use of user data for training Artificial Intelligence (AI) models, causing concerns amongst users over data privacy and the quality of information available on Twitter for AI training.
  • The conversation, extending from Elon Musk's involvement in Twitter to wider subjects like capitalism and open-source alternatives, also emphasizes on the distinction between data and information and encourages users to be aware of the use of their data.
  • Following the announcement of Twitter allowing AI researchers access to its full archive, discussions about increased transparency in terms of service, legislation, and alternatives to current social platforms have emerged.

Who is hiring? (September 2023)

  • The post is soliciting job advertisements from companies, including information about the location and the availability of remote work or visa sponsorship.
  • It also provides resources and links that job seekers can use to find more information.
  • Readers are cautioned against complaining about job postings and can reference related threads for more context.

Reactions

  • The post includes a comprehensive list of job vacancies across multiple companies in different sectors, including roles like software engineers, data scientists, and technical managers.
  • The positions involve work related to AI, machine learning, software development, among others, and some companies are offering remote work, visa sponsorship, and competitive salary packages.
  • Startups that have recently raised funds are actively recruiting for roles like cloud engineers and privacy-focused engineers, signifying diverse opportunities in the software engineering field.

Farewell EC2-Classic, it’s been swell

  • On August 15, 2023, Amazon Web Services (AWS) completely discontinued EC2-Classic, the initial variant of their cloud computing service EC2, which had been operational for close to 17 years.
  • EC2-Classic simplistically managed the infrastructure, making it easier to design and build applications, and, over time, evolved with new features such as Elastic IPs, Auto Scaling, Load Balancing, and VPC, which led to the design of individually managed cloud segments.
  • The retirement of EC2-Classic denotes a significant step in the progression of cloud computing; however, AWS remains devoted to advancing and building adaptable systems for customer use.

Reactions

  • The article focuses on the retirement of Amazon Web Services (AWS) EC2-Classic and its transition to Virtual Private Cloud (VPC), with users voicing concerns over the increased complexity of the new platform.
  • The shut down of AWS OpsWorks is being discussed along with its potential impact on market dynamics, while users express criticism towards Google's revenue-oriented focus and declining search result quality.
  • The text highlights the fallout from Google Reader's closure on the blogging ecosystem and dissatisfaction with Google's approach to Google+, underlining the broader challenges of migrating from older to newer cloud offerings.

Lidl Product Recall [pdf]

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Reactions

  • The central theme of the Hacker News discussion revolves around compromised or expired QR codes on retail products, specifically, children's snack items and products, bringing IT and security teams into the picture.
  • It outlines a case where a product recall was initiated by Lidl GB for Paw Patrol branded items due to a compromised supplier URL, sparking debates on waste from such recalls and the issue of single-use plastics.
  • The post also navigates through topics like the presentation of law enforcement in kids' cartoons and their respective marketing strategy, demonstrating the diversity of the discussion.

Wikipedia search-by-vibes through millions of pages offline

  • The text introduces a browser-based search engine designed for Wikipedia that enables users to find relevant results offline, enhancing the search experience through sentence transformers, product quantization, and transformers.js.
  • Featuring faceted search, the engine allows users to search within specified subcategories. It holds a compact database capable of supporting millions of embeddings, with search results updating progressively.
  • The process outlined includes embedding all of Wikipedia, compressing these embeddings, and then utilizing ONNX (Open Neural Network Exchange) models and the Arrow format for efficient data storage.

Reactions

  • The post is about a web-based Wikipedia search engine that utilizes sentence embeddings to yield results, though users question the results' accuracy.
  • Suggestions for improvement are being made like employing only defining sentences and incorporating more datasets.
  • The developer recognizes these issues, showing interest in enhancing the database, with some users also sharing experiences with similar AI search services and suggesting possible collaborations.

A deep dive into Single Pair Ethernet

  • The author discusses the exploration of Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) and Power over Data Lines (PoDL) for high data rates, power delivery, and simplified wiring.
  • Sensor node creation and testing for wave behavior measurement is also a highlighted component of the project.
  • Several stages like waterproof housing and PCB design, firmware development using different sensors and libraries, and overcoming encountered challenges were part of the process.

Reactions

  • The article highlights the efficacy of Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) in different applications, like power and data transfer in autonomous vehicles and underwater sensor arrays.
  • Power over Data Line (PoDL) at 1 Gb efficiency is more prominent than 100 Mb, and it encompasses Forward Error Correction (FEC) in the 1 Gb protocol.
  • SPE presents advantages not only for home users and IoT applications but might also be adopted in consumer devices due to its capabilities in overcoming gigabit Ethernet distance limitations.

Police Seized Innocent Peoples Property, Kept It for Years. What Will SCOTUS Do?

  • The Supreme Court is preparing to review a case regarding civil asset forfeiture, a method that enables law enforcement to confiscate people's assets without proving their guilt.
  • This practice is under criticism for its disregard for due process and the financial stress it imposes on innocent property owners, who may struggle to reclaim their assets.
  • It is further contended that law enforcement agencies frequently exploit this practice for monetary gain, with the government denying accountability and disregarding due process, often affecting individuals disproportionately.

Reactions

  • The highlighted issue in the discussion is civil asset forfeiture in the United States, underscoring notable data scarcity and a demand for reform.
  • Participants explore broad debates from police corruption and internal power dynamics to potential solutions, with divergent views on the necessity of civil forfeiture and voting limitations.
  • The conversation also detours into legal, economic and societal themes; moreover, they express skepticism about the presented narratives in the article and potential solutions to the negative perception of civil asset forfeiture.

ARM wrestles assembly language guru's domains away, citing trademark issues

  • Maria Markstedter, a recognized expert in assembly language and security researcher, has been served a cease-and-desist order from Arm's lawyers for using their trademark in her domain name, arm-assembly.com.
  • Despite her contributions to Arm through her extensive writing, including a book about Arm's instruction set architecture (ISA), her websites were taken down after her hosting provider received a similar cease and desist letter.
  • Amid criticism for Arm's actions, Markstedter has proposed that Arm donate her book to universities and individuals who can't afford it, although there has been no response to this suggestion thus far.

Reactions

  • ARM, a leading provider of semiconductor technology, is pursuing legal measures against a reputed developer over trademark infringement linked to domain names.
  • This move by ARM has sparked a debate in the technology community, with some criticizing their approach, while others maintain they are safeguarding their intellectual property.
  • There is a broader discussion on the use of automated systems for trademark enforcement, with questions about possible adverse impacts causing further controversy.