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2024-07-21

Empathy for the user having sex with your software

  • Developing technology for intimate use, such as Buttplug applications, requires empathy and consideration of users' unique needs and contexts, including usability during arousal and hardware disconnections.
  • Sharing sex tech code on platforms like GitHub can help establish best practices, but developers should be cautious with explicit media and consider self-hosting sensitive materials.
  • The Buttplug project emphasizes safety, autonomy, and human rights, encouraging responsible behavior and education in its mission statement.

Reactions

  • The post discusses buttplug.io, a software library for controlling sex toys, highlighting its extensive device support and ethical considerations.
  • The founder, qdot, shares insights on the development challenges, including Bluetooth library management and the importance of user empathy in software design.
  • The conversation includes humorous and serious exchanges about the software's applications, testing methods, and potential uses in other domains like health.

Initial details about why CrowdStrike's CSAgent.sys crashed

  • CrowdStrike's CSAgent.sys crashed due to a faulting instruction involving an invalid memory address.
  • The issue was caused by an unmapped address from an array of pointers, leading to a crash when accessing memory.
  • The specific faulting instruction was "mov r9d, [r8]," where R8 held the invalid address.

Reactions

  • CrowdStrike's CSAgent.sys crash was caused by bad binary data and a poorly-written parser that failed to handle invalid data correctly.
  • The incident was worsened by poorly written kernel code, lack of internal testing, ignored update settings, simultaneous global rollout, and initial data corruption.
  • This highlights the need for robust error handling, staggered deployments, and thorough testing, including fuzz testing, to prevent similar failures.

What is the significance of the character "j" at the end of a Roman Numeral? (2013)

Reactions

  • The character "j" at the end of a Roman numeral was historically used to indicate the end of the number, ensuring clarity and preventing tampering.
  • This practice was essential in handwritten documents to avoid misinterpretation, such as distinguishing "xviij" (18) from "xviii" (17) or "xviiii" (19).
  • Similar typographical conventions influenced the evolution of the Dutch digraph "ij," highlighting the impact of these practices on language development.

Minuteman missile communications

  • The author plans to change hosting platforms, incurring more expenses, and seeks reader support through donations, offering exclusive content and early access to new YouTube videos for supporters.
  • The U.S. maintains 400 Minuteman III ICBMs managed by the Air Force's 90th, 91st, and 341st Missile Wings, with each cluster of ten Launch Facilities monitored by a single Missile Alert Facility.
  • Minuteman communications include external systems like LF, HF, UHF, and SHF antennas, and internal systems like the Hardened Intersite Cable System (HICS), with future upgrades planned under the Sentinel program.

Reactions

  • The post discusses the communication systems of Minuteman missiles, highlighting the transition from older technologies like DSL over HICS cables to modern fiber-optic cables for improved capacity and reliability.
  • The conversation includes insights into the challenges of EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse) and lightning protection for these communication systems, emphasizing the advantages of nonconductive fiber-optic cables.
  • The post also features anecdotes and recommendations for visiting historical missile sites, such as the Minuteman launch control facility in South Dakota and the Titan II missile silo in Arizona, providing a historical context for these technologies.

So you think you know box shadows?

  • The post explores creative and unconventional uses of box shadows in CSS, beyond typical UI enhancements.
  • The author experimented with box shadows for minimal art, animations, 3D effects, and even ray tracing, showcasing the versatility of this CSS feature.
  • The experiments highlight the performance capabilities of modern hardware, like the M1 laptop, in handling complex visual effects using box shadows.

Reactions

  • The discussion focuses on how transparency in graphics rendering impacts GPU batching and overdraw, which are critical for performance optimization.
  • Users share techniques like using signed distance fields (SDF) for more efficient rendering, noting varied performance across different devices and browsers.
  • Insights include practical experiences and links to related resources and historical articles for further reading.

X.com refuses to open with Firefox strict tracking protection enabled

Reactions

  • X.com does not load with Firefox's strict tracking protection enabled, which blocks various tracking mechanisms and scripts.
  • Users speculate that essential parts of the site are blocked or that X.com detects the ad blocker and refuses to load.
  • Some users suggest using alternative browsers or tools like Nitter to access Twitter content without issues.

User returns after 100k-hours ban to continue conversation that got them banned

  • A user named Etherwind returned to the Something Awful forums after an 11-year, 100,000-hour ban to continue a tabletop game debate that led to his ban in 2013.
  • Etherwind was originally banned for jokingly wishing death upon an author, and his return was met with humor and awe from other forum users.
  • Despite the lengthy ban, Etherwind saw his return as a comedic opportunity and ultimately dropped the account after resuming the debate.

Reactions

  • A user returned after a 100,000-hour ban, reigniting discussions on forums like Habbo Hotel and Stack Overflow about ban experiences and moderator power.
  • The conversation included debates on democratic moderation, the biases of moderators, and the mental health impact of long-term bans.
  • The thread underscored the evolving nature of online communities and the significant, lasting effects of extended bans.

rr – record and replay debugger for C/C++

  • rr is a debugging tool for C/C++ on Linux, enhancing gdb by allowing deterministic replay and efficient reverse execution.
  • It supports recording and replaying various applications, handles multiple-process workloads, and integrates with gdb scripting and IDEs.
  • rr is notable for its low overhead, deployability on stock Linux kernels, and ability to make debugging intermittent bugs easier and faster.

Reactions

  • rr is a record and replay debugger for C/C++ that aids in reverse engineering and debugging complex codebases by allowing breakpoints, watchpoints, and reverse-continuation to trace variable changes and identify bugs.
  • It uses gdb (GNU Debugger) and supports various compiled languages like Rust, Go, and Julia on Linux, but has limitations with concurrency bugs and does not support GPUs.
  • rr's chaos mode can help expose some concurrency issues, and advanced tools like Pernosco, based on rr, offer a queryable database of program execution.

Intel vs. Samsung vs. TSMC

  • Intel, Samsung, and TSMC are intensifying competition in the foundry market as traditional planar scaling benefits diminish, focusing on 3D transistors, chiplets, and advanced packaging technologies.
  • Each company is leveraging standards like UCIe (Universal Chiplet Interconnect Express) and BoW (Bridge of Wires) for chiplet connectivity, with Intel using EMIB (Embedded Multi-die Interconnect Bridge) and Samsung and TSMC exploring 2.5D and 3D-IC (Integrated Circuit) approaches.
  • The foundries are advancing towards the angstrom scale in process nodes and innovating in areas like backside power delivery and glass substrates, aiming to deliver customized, high-performance solutions efficiently.

Reactions

  • The discussion highlights the critical role of chip manufacturing, with Intel, Samsung, and TSMC being key players in the industry.
  • The complexity and precision required in modern chip production, including advanced packaging and microfluidics, are emphasized as significant technological achievements.
  • The conversation touches on the potential consequences if a major player like TSMC were to exit the market, suggesting it could lead to monopolistic conditions and impact global semiconductor supply.

Joe Biden stands down as Democratic candidate

Reactions

  • Joe Biden has announced his decision to step down as the Democratic candidate for the upcoming election.
  • This decision has sparked a wide range of reactions, from praise for his presidency to concerns about his age and mental capacity.
  • The Democratic Party now faces the challenge of selecting a new candidate, with discussions about potential successors and the implications for the upcoming election.

Google Distributed Cloud air-gapped appliance

  • Google Distributed Cloud air-gapped appliance, launching on July 17, 2024, brings cloud and AI capabilities to tactical edge environments like disaster zones and remote research stations.
  • The appliance supports real-time local data processing for AI use cases such as object detection and medical imaging analysis, with full isolation from the public internet for security and compliance.
  • It offers Department of Defense Impact Level 5 accreditation, making it suitable for disaster response, industrial automation, transportation, logistics, and restricted federal and defense workloads.

Reactions

  • Google has introduced the Distributed Cloud air-gapped appliance, designed to operate without connectivity to Google Cloud or the public internet, primarily targeting military and other high-security applications.
  • This appliance is part of a broader trend among major cloud providers (AWS, Azure) to offer rugged, portable, and secure on-premises solutions for environments with stringent security and operational requirements.
  • The appliance's design includes features like AI capabilities, rugged portability, and compliance with military standards, aiming to meet the needs of disconnected and demanding edge environments.

Any sufficiently bad software update is indistinguishable from a cyberattack

Reactions

  • The discussion centers around the risks and implications of giving remote root access to third-party security software, comparing it to malware due to its potential for abuse and system control.
  • There is a debate on whether to rely solely on first-party security solutions (like Microsoft's) versus third-party ones, with some advocating for the use of Linux to avoid such risks.
  • The conversation highlights the importance of staged rollouts for software updates to minimize disruption and the potential dangers of kernel-level access by third-party software.

Deluge of Fake Mac App Store Reviews

  • Jeff Johnson reported a surge of fake reviews for top paid apps in the U.S. Mac App Store, affecting 8 out of the top 40 paid apps between June 11 and July 19, 2024.
  • The fake reviews, often 5-star with generic or nonsensical text, were likely intended to boost app ratings, with suspicions that a single developer might be behind them to obscure their own app's fake reviews.
  • Despite reports to Apple, the issue remains unaddressed, with developers of BetterSnapTool and Vinegar acknowledging and reporting the problem to Apple.

Reactions

  • The Mac App Store is experiencing a surge of fake reviews, with developers like BetterSnapTool's creator reporting the issue to Apple.
  • Apple is investigating and removing some fake reviews, but the source and motive behind them remain unclear, potentially involving competitors or review farms.
  • The prevalence of fake reviews on both Mac and iOS App Stores undermines their reliability for software discovery, prompting users to seek app recommendations from Google or Reddit instead.

Trench collapses have killed hundreds of workers in the US over the last decade

  • Over the past decade, trench collapses have resulted in over 250 worker fatalities in the U.S., many of which could have been prevented with adherence to basic safety regulations.
  • Despite OSHA's (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) regulations and fines, many companies continue to violate safety standards with minimal consequences, as criminal charges are rare and fines are often reduced or ignored.
  • An investigation by NPR, Texas Public Radio, and 1A underscores the urgent need for stricter enforcement and accountability to prevent future tragedies.

Reactions

  • Trench collapses have resulted in hundreds of preventable worker deaths in the US over the past decade, primarily due to non-compliance with safety regulations.
  • OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) regulations are essential but often not strictly enforced, leading to unsafe working conditions.
  • Both company policies and worker attitudes, such as ignoring safety gear due to peer pressure, contribute to the lack of a robust safety culture, which requires top-down enforcement and accountability.

Managing Classic Mac OS Resources in ResEdit

  • The Macintosh file system featured two forks: a data fork and a resource fork, with the latter storing structured data like icons, dialogs, and code chunks.
  • Apple’s ResEdit, a resource editor last updated in 1994, allowed users to customize system files, dialogs, and keyboard layouts, but posed security risks as malware often exploited resource forks.
  • With Mac OS X, resource forks transitioned to extended attributes, and app resources are now organized into bundles, with modern apps being locked down by signatures, preventing the extensive customizations once possible with ResEdit.

Reactions

  • The post discusses the nostalgia and technical details of using ResEdit, a resource editor for Classic Mac OS, which allowed users to modify software and system resources.
  • Users share their experiences with various debugging tools like MacsBug, TMON, and The Debugger, highlighting their importance in early software development and hacking.
  • The conversation reflects on how these tools influenced their careers and the broader impact of resource editing on software customization and development.