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2024-11-25

RFC 35140: HTTP Do-Not-Stab (2023)

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  • RFC 35140 humorously critiques the deprecation of the "Do-Not-Stab" HTTP header, which was abandoned after a browser's default setting negatively impacted the fictional stabbing industry.
  • The introduction of a "General Assault Control" header, requiring explicit opt-out, satirizes user consent mechanisms and the shift of responsibility from institutions to individuals.
  • The satire addresses broader societal issues, including privacy, data tracking, and the difficulties of enforcing regulations against corporate interests.
  • Starlink Direct to Cell is a new service by SpaceX offering global text, voice, and data access for LTE phones, ensuring connectivity on land, lakes, and coastal waters.
  • The service will begin with text services in 2024, followed by voice, data, and IoT (Internet of Things) support in 2025, without needing hardware changes or special apps.
  • This development highlights SpaceX's expansion into telecommunications, providing seamless connectivity without additional equipment.

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  • Starlink's vertical integration and cost-effective launches position it as a leading force in the satellite internet industry, facing minimal competition.
  • While some view Starlink's dominance as monopolistic, others believe innovation and foreign military support might foster future competition.
  • The high cost of satellite launches is a major hurdle, but advancements in reusable rocket technology could alter the competitive landscape.

This website is hosted on Bluesky

  • The AT Protocol, used by Bluesky, supports hosting via Personal Data Servers (PDS), showcasing its flexibility beyond intended uses.- Content on Bluesky is organized into records and blobs, with blobs being larger data like media, which must be uploaded before being referenced in records.- The protocol's extensibility allows for creative applications, such as hosting websites, potentially leading to new use cases in the future.

Reactions

  • The website hosted on Bluesky has initiated discussions about its potential uses, including hosting RSS feeds and storing data like DOOM WADs, as well as concerns about content moderation and legal issues.
  • Comparisons are being made to past platforms like MySpace, highlighting the AT Protocol's public nature and its potential for decentralized data storage.
  • Users are divided, with some skeptical about Bluesky's moderation capabilities, while others view it as a promising new platform.

How I configure my Git identities

  • The post discusses configuring Git identities using includeIf for conditional configurations, allowing different settings based on directory paths or remote URLs.
  • The author shares a method to manage multiple Git identities and SSH keys by using different Host values in ~/.ssh/config and adjusting Git configurations with insteadOf.
  • The post highlights a new approach using hasconfig:remote.*.url:! for conditional Git configurations based on remote URLs, enhancing flexibility in managing Git identities.

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  • The includeIf directive in Git config allows automatic application of different settings based on the repository's URL, streamlining identity management.
  • This method enables users to set specific user details and SSH keys for work-related repositories, facilitating seamless switching between personal and work projects.
  • Maintaining security and privacy can be further enhanced by using separate machines or user accounts for work and personal projects.

SQLiteStudio: Create, edit, browse SQLite databases

  • SQLiteStudio has released version 3.4.6, addressing the "black SQL code line" issue from the previous version 3.4.5 and resolving two additional issues.
  • This software is open-source, cross-platform, and portable, available for free under the GPL license, and compatible with Windows, Linux, and MacOS X.
  • Notably, SQLiteStudio requires no installation, making it convenient for users to create, edit, and browse SQLite databases.

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  • SQLiteStudio is a user-friendly tool designed for creating, editing, and browsing SQLite databases, praised for its portability and powerful features.
  • It includes support for Entity-Relationship Diagrams (ERD), which aids in handling complex database tasks and offers visual feedback, benefiting both professionals and students.
  • While some users have encountered platform-specific issues, SQLiteStudio is generally regarded as a reliable and efficient SQLite management tool.

The two factions of C++

  • The C++ community is split between modern tech companies seeking advanced features and legacy users reliant on outdated systems, creating a tension in the language's evolution.- The C++ Evolution Working Group's focus on backward compatibility conflicts with the demand for modern features and safety, leading to dissatisfaction among some major tech players.- In response to these challenges, the US government and companies like Google are exploring or developing alternative languages, such as Rust, which prioritize safety and modern capabilities over backward compatibility.

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  • The C++ community is divided between maintaining legacy codebases and adopting modern, safer language features, with a focus on the challenges of refactoring without automated testing.
  • The article highlights Google's significant influence in the C++ standards committee and the difficulty of evolving the language without disrupting existing code.
  • Similar factional divides and complexities in language evolution are noted in other programming languages like Python and Rust.

Bluesky is on the verge of overtaking Threads in all the ways that matter

  • Bluesky, a decentralized platform initially associated with Jack Dorsey, is gaining traction and now has 3.5 million daily active users, closing in on Meta's Threads.
  • The platform experienced a 300% user increase since the November 5 election, as journalists and academics migrate from Elon Musk's X, seeking more open public discourse.
  • Bluesky's growth is challenged by issues such as outages and scams, but its appeal is strengthened by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's decision to limit political content on Threads.

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  • Bluesky is attracting users with features such as custom labels, algorithm choice, and a chronological feed, offering a more user-controlled experience compared to Threads.
  • It is viewed as a potential alternative to X (formerly Twitter) due to its focus on user choice and reduced algorithmic interference.
  • Despite its growing popularity, concerns about Bluesky's sustainability and monetization persist, as it is still in its early development stages compared to more established platforms.

Pushing AMD's Infinity Fabric to Its Limit

  • AMD's Infinity Fabric, part of the Zen architecture, connects CPU cores and manages memory latency, with Zen 5 showing improved bandwidth handling due to faster DDR5 and better traffic management.
  • Zen 2 provides insights into Core Complex (CCX) and Core Complex Die (CCD) bottlenecks, though it's an older architecture.
  • While typical applications like games don't stress bandwidth, demanding workloads like RawTherapee can reveal latency management strengths and limitations, particularly in Zen 4 under heavy load.

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  • The discussion centers on AMD's Infinity Fabric and the constraints of memory bandwidth, with comparisons to Apple's Silicon capabilities.
  • Users debate the feasibility of claims like Apple's M1 Max achieving 400GB/s bandwidth, noting differences in core utilization between AMD's Zen 3 and Apple's architecture.
  • The conversation also highlights the significance of Non-Uniform Memory Access (NUMA) configuration and the complexities of optimizing software for emerging CPU architectures.

SQLite: Outlandish Recursive Query Examples

  • Common Table Expressions (CTEs) in SQL serve as temporary views for a single statement, with two types: ordinary and recursive, simplifying complex queries and handling hierarchical data, respectively.
  • CTEs are created using a WITH clause and can include multiple CTEs in a single statement, with recursive CTEs requiring specific rules like using UNION or UNION ALL operators.
  • Materialization hints, available in SQLite version 3.35.0 and later, guide the query planner on CTE implementation, with limitations such as the inability to use WITH in CREATE TRIGGER.

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  • SQLite's recursive Common Table Expressions (CTEs) function like loops, allowing queries to reference themselves, which is useful for complex tasks such as solving Sudoku puzzles or calculating transitive closures.
  • Mastery of the syntax, particularly "WITH" and "WITH RECURSIVE," is essential for effectively utilizing recursive CTEs, which operate by seeding a query and executing recursively until no new results are generated.
  • For those finding recursive CTEs challenging, resources like the O'Reilly SQL Pocket Guide and a solid understanding of relational algebra can be beneficial in simplifying complex SQL queries.

Hey, wait – is employee performance Gaussian distributed?

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  • The article challenges the assumption that employee performance follows a Gaussian (normal) distribution, suggesting that this view may lead to outdated performance management practices in corporations.
  • It critiques the practice of trimming the bottom 5% of employees, advocating for a focus on combined productivity rather than individual performance, and proposes that performance might follow a Pareto distribution, where a few employees contribute significantly more to output.
  • The discussion encompasses various perspectives on performance evaluation, hiring practices, and the role of management in influencing employee success.

A Day in the Life: The Global BGP Table

  • The article delves into the daily fluctuations of the global BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) table, focusing on short-term behaviors such as unusual path attributes and flapping paths.
  • Using a tool called bgpsee, the author analyzes BGP messages to uncover insights into path updates, cyclic behaviors, and extreme AS (Autonomous System) path lengths.
  • The exploration highlights the complexity and resilience of the BGP system, emphasizing the intricate dynamics of global internet routing despite raising more questions than answers.

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  • The article addresses the global Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) table, focusing on issues such as route flapping and the practice of route dampening to mitigate excessive BGP churn.
  • A user highlights the flapping of the EpicUp 140.99.244.0/23 prefix, suggesting it should be dampened, while another notes that route dampening is less common now due to past misconfigurations and enhanced router capabilities.
  • The discussion includes BGP quirks, historical insights from Internet Service Providers (ISPs), and resources for those interested in analyzing BGP data, with suggestions for potential projects.

Wildlife monitoring technologies used to intimidate and spy on women

  • Cambridge researchers discovered that wildlife monitoring technologies, such as camera traps and drones, are being misused in India to spy on women, impacting their mental health and safety.- These technologies, originally intended for conservation purposes, are reportedly used by local authorities to intimidate women, infringing on their rights.- The study emphasizes the need for careful consideration of the social impacts of deploying such technologies.

Reactions

  • Wildlife monitoring technologies, such as camera traps, are being misused in Indian forests to intimidate and spy on women, raising significant privacy and mental health concerns.- This misuse underscores broader global issues of surveillance and privacy, particularly in regions with existing women's rights challenges, and is not confined to India alone.- Addressing these issues requires complex solutions, including the implementation of stricter laws and cultural shifts to safeguard privacy and ensure safety for all individuals.