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2024-12-09

Itch.io Taken Down by Funko

Reactions

  • Itch.io's domain was disabled due to a false fraud and phishing report by BrandShield concerning a fan page for a Funko Pop game.- The incident underscores issues with automated trademark enforcement and the lack of human oversight, as well as the slow response from the registrar, iwantmyname.- The situation has sparked user support for itch.io and criticism of the parties involved in the takedown.

Compromising OpenWrt Supply Chain

  • A security engineer identified vulnerabilities in OpenWrt's firmware upgrade process, including command injection and SHA-256 hash collision issues.- The vulnerabilities allowed potential attackers to inject commands and create hash collisions, leading to the installation of malicious firmware.- The OpenWrt team promptly addressed and fixed these vulnerabilities, emphasizing the need for strong security in software supply chains.

Reactions

  • A vulnerability in OpenWrt's supply chain enabled targeted code execution without validation, posing a risk of backdoored builds.- The incident underscores the importance of reproducibility and transparency in software builds, similar to practices in Gentoo's ebuild repository.- OpenWrt's swift response highlights the efficiency of open-source projects in addressing security issues compared to closed-source alternatives.

Pat Gelsinger was wrong for Intel

  • Pat Gelsinger, despite his technical expertise and managerial skills, was deemed unsuitable as Intel's CEO due to his inability to address the company's cultural and strategic challenges.
  • His leadership decisions, such as maintaining dividends and aggressive advertising, were criticized for reflecting a peacetime approach rather than the necessary wartime leadership.
  • Gelsinger's management of Intel's Foundry Services and the termination of the Tofino project, a promising programmable switch silicon, were seen as significant missteps, leaving Intel's cultural issues unresolved.

Reactions

  • Pat Gelsinger, CEO of Intel, faced challenges including 10nm production delays and competition from TSMC, leading to significant stock drops despite strategic investments in manufacturing facilities.
  • Critics suggest that Intel's board, composed mainly of non-technical members, may be a core issue, questioning whether Gelsinger's technical expertise or an outsider is needed to resolve Intel's problems.
  • The ongoing debate centers on whether Gelsinger's strategies were appropriate or if the board's composition and decisions are hindering Intel's progress.

JSON5 – JSON for Humans

  • JSON5, an extension of JSON, is designed for easier manual editing, making it ideal for configuration files but not suitable for machine communication.
  • Since its launch in 2012, JSON5 has gained significant popularity, with over 65 million downloads weekly, and is utilized by major projects like Chromium and Next.js.
  • JSON5 is a superset of JSON, incorporating ECMAScript 5.1 features, allowing for flexible syntax, and is compatible with ES5, with a JavaScript library available for parsing and serialization.

Reactions

  • JSON5 is an extension of JSON designed to be more human-friendly by allowing features such as comments and trailing commas.
  • There is a debate on whether JSON should remain simple or evolve with additional features, as seen with JSON5, which is not an official update but an alternative format.
  • Some suggest using other formats like TOML or HJSON for more human-readable configurations, highlighting the ongoing discussion about JSON's evolution.

UK bans daytime TV ads for cereals, muffins and burgers

  • The UK government is implementing a ban on daytime TV advertisements for sugary and "less healthy" foods, such as cereals, muffins, and burgers, to address child obesity.
  • Starting next October, these ads will only be allowed to air after 9:00 pm, with the goal of preventing 20,000 cases of childhood obesity each year.
  • Health Secretary Wes Streeting highlighted the importance of stopping the targeting of children with junk food advertisements.

Reactions

  • The UK has implemented a ban on daytime TV advertisements for junk food, including cereals, muffins, and burgers, as a measure to combat childhood obesity.
  • Critics argue that the ban is insufficient, as children are more influenced by online ads on platforms like YouTube and TikTok, which are not included in the ban.
  • The debate persists on whether the government should enforce existing laws and regulate online ads targeting children or if parents should take more responsibility in protecting children from harmful advertising.

Hetzner has decided to cancel our account and terminate all servers.

Reactions

  • Hetzner's account cancellation and server termination have prompted discussions on the necessity of backups and disaster recovery plans.
  • Users shared experiences of Hetzner's strict Terms of Service (ToS) enforcement, including immediate server shutdowns for violations, raising concerns about cloud provider reliability.
  • The debate emphasized the risks of depending on a single provider and the importance of using multiple providers for backups to ensure data security.

Willow, Our Quantum Chip

  • Google has introduced Willow, a quantum chip that marks a significant advancement in quantum error correction and computation speed.- Willow demonstrated its capability by performing a computation in under five minutes, a task that would take a supercomputer 10 septillion years, indicating its potential to tackle complex problems beyond classical computers.- This development is pivotal for the future of commercially viable quantum computers, with implications for revolutionizing industries such as medicine, energy, and artificial intelligence (AI).

Reactions

  • Google's announcement of the quantum chip, Willow, featuring over 100 qubits with stability, marks a significant milestone in quantum computing.- This development could influence AI and data security, as quantum computing poses challenges to traditional encryption methods.- Despite the achievement, practical applications like Shor's algorithm require a much higher number of qubits, leading to mixed reactions regarding the chip's immediate impact.

OpenAI: Sora

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  • OpenAI's Sora video generation tool is receiving mixed reviews due to challenges in creating precise content, as current AI technology struggles with detailed prompts and motion accuracy.
  • The tool is not yet available in the EU, and its release has faced server issues, affecting user experience.
  • While some users appreciate the novelty and potential of AI-generated content, there are concerns about the quality and pricing structure, with some noting it lags behind competitors.