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2024-03-02

Apple to Support Progressive Web Apps in EU in iOS 17.4

  • Apple has decided to support Progressive Web Apps in the EU in iOS 17.4 following consumer feedback and the EU Digital Markets Act.
  • This change addresses security and privacy challenges with web apps and includes notarizing iOS apps, reducing fees, and enabling multiple browser engine support.
  • Companies like Spotify and Epic Games have expressed discontent with these modifications.

Reactions

  • Apple initially disabled support for Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) on Safari in the EU but reversed course due to legal threats regarding app store commission fees.
  • Suspicion exists that Apple favors native apps over PWAs for potential profit and control, raising questions about their commitment to PWA support.
  • The debate includes Apple's compliance with EU regulations, concerns about third-party browser engine support for PWAs on iOS, and the impact of their walled garden approach on developers and users, sparking discussions on transparency and choice in the app ecosystem.

Fugitive Wirecard COO Jan Marsalek Uncovered as Decade-Long GRU Spy

  • The COO of Wirecard, Jan Marsalek, was disclosed to have worked as a spy for the Russian GRU for ten years, as reported by Roman Dobrokhotov, Christo Grozev, and Michael Weiss on March 1, 2024.

Reactions

  • The discussion addresses the Wirecard scandal, implicating auditing firms such as EY and KPMG, along with suspicions of Jan Marsalek's connections to Russian intelligence.
  • Topics span from Russian politics, the Russian Orthodox Church, to the implications of figures like Alexei Navalny in the region, touching various interconnected issues like safety, energy policies, and geopolitical dynamics in Europe.
  • It highlights a broad range of concerns and topics, emphasizing complex interrelations between financial fraud, espionage, politics, and regional influences.

UK Firms Embrace 4-Day Workweek, Reporting Lasting Benefits

  • Many companies have adopted a four-day workweek, leading to happier employees, reduced turnover, and improved efficiency, along with lasting benefits in health and work-life balance.
  • Success varies based on company-specific requirements and the efficiency of the implementation plan, with some firms making the policy permanent while others assess its impact.
  • Challenges include balancing client expectations, maintaining adaptability during challenging situations, and ensuring flexibility in the workforce.

Reactions

  • Implementing a 4-day workweek in 61 UK firms resulted in increased employee retention, enhanced mental health, and potentially better work quality, but its impact on efficiency and productivity remains uncertain.
  • Challenges discussed include remote work issues, IT support, organizational problems, and worker motivation, while arguments for and against shorter workweeks for knowledge workers are debated.
  • The conversation touches on concerns about unions, remote work feasibility, and resistance to changing traditional workweek models, prompting a debate on balancing work hours, productivity, and well-being in today's evolving work landscape.
  • WhatsApp has obtained access to the NSO Group's Pegasus spyware code following a legal dispute, enabling them to delve into the spyware's complete functionality.
  • The court dismissed NSO's effort to solely provide details on the installation layer, granting WhatsApp broader access to explore the spyware's capabilities.
  • NSO is not required to reveal its customers or server structure, with the trial scheduled to commence in 2025.

Reactions

  • WhatsApp is in a legal battle with the maker of Pegasus spyware regarding sharing its secret code, raising concerns about national security and oversight in the FISA court system.
  • Discussions on grammar, US influence in global banking, cryptocurrencies circumventing government control, and the jurisdiction of the American legal system over foreign entities are also covered.
  • The conversation delves into the ethical dilemmas in cybersecurity and the controversial work of Project Zero in identifying vulnerabilities in various systems.

CSS-Tricks: The Rise, Fall, and Lost Opportunity

  • The author, who sold CSS-Tricks to DigitalOcean, saw the site's content and community dismantled after a hopeful beginning.
  • Despite attempting to reclaim ownership to revive the site, DigitalOcean declined the author's proposal.
  • A plan proposed by the author to relaunch the site was not followed through.

Reactions

  • DigitalOcean's acquisition of CSS-Tricks, a popular website for frontend developers, received mixed reactions from the community.
  • Some praised CSS-Tricks for its valuable resources, while others criticized DigitalOcean for removing essential content and lacking communication with the founder.
  • Concerns were raised about the effects of selling independent developer blogs to big companies, with worries about potential quality and content loss, along with criticisms of Tailwind CSS and concerns about the impact of web development shortcuts on the industry's long-term prospects.

Atlanta Magnet Man: Keeping Streets Safe, One Ride at a Time

  • Alex Benigno, known as the "Atlanta Magnet Man," cleans Atlanta's streets using a trailer equipped with magnets, collecting over 410 pounds of metal to prevent car tire damage.
  • His initiative, recognized on social media, showcases the importance of maintaining safe public spaces, as public services fall short in this aspect.
  • Organizations like PropelATL applaud Benigno's efforts, emphasizing the necessity for cities to invest in the upkeep of public infrastructure for safety.

Reactions

  • The 'Atlanta Magnet Man' illustrates the positive influence individuals can have by cleaning up road debris, encouraging community involvement.
  • Small acts of kindness, motivation challenges, and the significance of compassion, empathy, and collective action are highlighted in addressing social issues like littering.
  • The discussion also covers topics such as corruption in urban areas, tire safety, and the significance of sustainable transportation infrastructure.

Tech Job Guidelines: Location, Remote, Intern, Visa - Hiring Companies Only.

  • Guidelines for job postings on a specific platform include location details, remote options, and preferences for interns or visa candidates.
  • Only hiring companies are allowed to post job listings, with readers advised to email if interested.
  • Additional job search resources are provided for further assistance.

Reactions

  • Tech companies globally are recruiting for diverse roles like software engineers, product managers, AI engineers, and data scientists, requiring knowledge of various programming languages and technologies.
  • Positions are open both remotely and in specific locations across industries like fintech, healthcare, and manufacturing, emphasizing innovation, advanced tech, and future growth.
  • All Iron Ventures in Bilbao, Radartech in NYC, and Trustle in the US are some firms actively enlarging their teams, offering opportunities for proficient individuals.

Old vs. New Growth Wood: Quality and Longevity Compared

  • Old growth wood, harvested from trees aged 100 years or more, is more stable and durable due to tighter growth rings, more heartwood, and fewer knots.
  • In contrast, new growth wood from faster-growing trees is less durable, prone to warping and rotting, making old growth lumber superior in quality.
  • Historic windows made from old growth lumber can last over 100 years with proper care, highlighting the value of preserving and restoring them over replacing with new growth wood alternatives.

Reactions

  • The debate between old growth wood and new growth wood in construction covers sustainability, quality, and durability aspects.
  • Discussions highlight the impact of forestry practices on wood availability and the challenges and benefits of using old growth lumber.
  • The conversation also touches on the importance of proper construction practices and the preservation of old growth forests for sustainability.

Enhancing cURL Security with Advanced Fuzzing Techniques

  • Trail of Bits conducted a security assessment of cURL and libcurl, enhancing fuzzing techniques to boost code coverage for OSTIF. They pinpointed overlooked code areas, added new seed files, and broadened the range of fuzzed protocols.
  • Recommendations were given to augment HSTS and Alt-Svc handling coverage. Suggestions for creating dictionaries for supported protocols and implementing structure-aware fuzzing were proposed to improve bug detection efficiency.
  • Low coverage in critical security files was addressed based on coverage reports, with upcoming updates expected post a 2023 audit.

Reactions

  • Fuzzing techniques are being applied to cURL software to enhance testing efficacy and bug detection, emphasizing the significance of comprehensive testing for widely used programs.
  • The article underscores the importance of testing, formal verification, and automated testing in software development to guarantee code stability and reliability.
  • Recommendations are provided for enhancing safety practices while utilizing cURL, stressing that rigorous testing, including fuzzing, is vital for upholding the reliability of prevalent software such as cURL.

Uncovering Noether's Principle in ML: Connection to Conservation Laws

  • The text delves into Noether's principle application in physics and machine learning, emphasizing conservation laws and invariances in both fields.
  • Transformations of data clusters can preserve gradients and other values, akin to conservation laws found in physics.
  • Symmetry plays a crucial role in upholding stability and optimality in systems, as highlighted in the discussion.

Reactions

  • The discussion delves into Noether's principle in machine learning, drawing parallels with conservation laws in physics and neural networks.
  • Key points include the relationship between symmetry and learning invariants, the role of time in determining conserved quantities, and applying information flow and conservation laws from physics to machine learning.
  • It explores the emergence of physical properties in neural networks, the significance of symmetries in machine learning models, and potential connections between Noether's theorem and neural networks.

Accidental Deletion Reveals Lessons on Database Flaws

  • The author mistakenly removed a game from MAME while attempting to add a proper dump of a Taiwanese version of Martial Masters, realizing the game wasn't a distinct revision and highlighting the need for thorough data verification.
  • This incident underscored the significance of double and triple-checking data in databases to detect unnoticed corrupted information.
  • The experience served as a valuable lesson on the development and imperfections of databases.

Reactions

  • The post explores techniques to circumvent copy checks on gaming consoles such as the PS1 and PS2 for playing pirated or custom games, like using blu-tack or disc swapping.
  • It addresses the safety of hit-swapping CDs, checksums in retro gaming ROM files, and challenges with inaccurate dumps in software preservation.
  • The discussion also includes difficulties with reverse engineering, video emulation, and updating ROMs for MAME and NES/SNES emulators to preserve and enhance gaming accuracy.

Introducing JSR: The JavaScript Registry

  • JSR is an open-source package registry tailored for modern JavaScript and TypeScript, providing API docs, .d.ts files, and transpiling for cross-runtime compatibility.
  • Compatible with Node, Deno, and Cloudflare Workers, JSR collaborates with any JavaScript package manager and enhances npm by offering strongly typed modules and editor support.
  • JSR does not substitute npm but functions as a complementary tool, ensuring developers have a seamless experience with robust typings and cross-runtime capabilities.

Reactions

  • The JavaScript Registry (JSR) introduces a new package registry focusing on features like generating API docs, .d.ts files, and cross-runtime compatibility through transpiling, aiming to complement npm rather than replace it.
  • Despite skepticism about fragmentation in the JavaScript (JS) ecosystem, JSR offers benefits like compatibility with TypeScript and JavaScript, central package repository creation, and management of scopes and domains, distinguishing it from npm, Deno, and Node.
  • Debates around JSR highlight divided opinions on its utility, with some emphasizing advantages for package authors and consumers while others question its compatibility and potential drawbacks.

FastUI: Python-Powered Fast Web UI Building

  • FastUI is an upcoming tool for constructing web app interfaces using declarative Python code, enabling developers to craft React-based web apps without JavaScript.
  • It stresses a clear separation between backend logic and front-end UI design, promoting the reuse of components and a RESTful architecture.
  • FastUI streamlines communication between backend and frontend by establishing a uniform schema, facilitating the flexibility to integrate various technologies seamlessly.

Reactions

  • FastUI enables backend developers to expand applications without needing frontend development, akin to GraphQL, facilitating rapid business value delivery.
  • Users debate its efficiency in comparison to tools like Streamlit, emphasizing TypeScript's role in web development and user-friendly UIs for non-technical individuals.
  • Discussions extend to the FastAPI team's strategies, benchmarking hurdles, and the significance of tools like Streamlit in presenting machine learning models.

Choosing Ethical FOSS Chat Tools Over Discord

  • Discord is criticized for excluding specific users, restricting control over chat logs and moderation, and conflicting with FOSS values, according to the author.
  • The article promotes FOSS alternatives such as SourceHut, Matrix, and Zulip, advocating for ethical software choices to sustain the FOSS ecosystem.
  • Accessibility issues with Discord are addressed, with some advancements highlighted for visually impaired users in recent years.

Reactions

  • The article explores Discord's role in open-source projects, comparing its limitations to platforms like GitHub in terms of openness and searchability.
  • It delves into the principles of free and open-source software (FOSS), advocating for better practices, governance, and broader non-developer engagement.
  • Users debate the impact of incorporating non-free software in FOSS projects and discuss the use of platforms such as Discord for community interaction, weighing pros and cons related to usability, sustainability, and inclusivity. Suggestions for alternative platforms and a preference for open-source tools are prevalent in the discourse.