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2023-07-05

Sao Paulo: A city with no outdoor advertisements (2013)

  • In 2006, the mayor of São Paulo passed a law that banned all outdoor advertisements in the city, including billboards, transit ads, and store signs. This resulted in the removal of 15,000 billboards and the shrinking of store signs to comply with the new law.
  • Despite concerns that the ban would lead to a loss of revenue and jobs, the city's economy did not suffer, and a survey conducted among residents found that 70% believed the ban had a positive impact. The removal of advertisements also revealed previously overlooked architectural beauty in the city.
  • São Paulo is not the only city to ban outdoor advertisements, as other places in the US and Europe have imposed similar restrictions. This move sparked interest because it challenged the traditional presence of advertisements in urban environments and highlighted the potential benefits of a more visually clean cityscape.

Industry Reactions

  • São Paulo has a law that bans outdoor advertisements and billboards, leading to the increase in street art and murals.
  • There is a conversation about the distinction between murals and graffiti and the differing opinions on street art in São Paulo.
  • Some appreciate the clean architecture and absence of advertising, while others believe it has destroyed small businesses and led to lifeless buildings.

Companies must stop using Google Analytics

  • The Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection (IMY) has audited four companies' use of Google Analytics for web statistics and has issued fines against two of them.
  • The audits were conducted based on complaints from the organization None of Your Business (NOYB) regarding the transfer of personal data to the US in violation of the law.
  • The audits found that the companies' technical security measures were not sufficient to ensure a level of protection equivalent to that within the EU/EEA, leading to fines and orders to stop using Google Analytics.

Industry Reactions

  • Dependence on specific tools like Google Analytics can lead to economic uselessness if those tools are banned or discontinued.
  • The importance of learning first principles in data analytics and not relying solely on specific tools.
  • The need for companies to diversify their analytics toolkit and consider alternatives to popular platforms like Google Analytics.

More than 75% of Steam games tested are playable or verified on the Steam Deck

  • mastodon.cloud is a part of a decentralized social network called Mastodon.
  • It allows users to create accounts, follow profiles or hashtags, favorite, share, and reply to posts.
  • Users can also interact from their accounts on different servers.

Industry Reactions

  • More than 75% of tested Steam games are playable or verified on the Steam Deck, making it compatible with a wide range of games.
  • Users are highly satisfied with the device's quality, comfort, and seamless gaming experience, especially for on-the-go gaming and switching between devices.
  • The Steam Deck has generated excitement and interest among tech-savvy individuals as a culmination of Valve's previous hardware attempts and a successful execution of a gaming handheld.

How to build a website without frameworks and tons of libraries

  • The Koding Kitty team uses a simple tech stack to build their website, which is fast, inexpensive, and minimally complex.
  • They considered options like WordPress, no-code tools, and frameworks, but ultimately chose a static website approach using Jinja templates.
  • The team uses a short Python script and Jinja templates to generate their final static pages. They also use Tailwind CSS for styling.

Industry Reactions

  • The article discusses a developer's approach to building websites without frameworks and libraries, using straight HTML and regular expressions.
  • Other users suggest using server-side includes and different frameworks for easier implementation.
  • Readers express interest in building their own websites without frameworks and ask for advice and resources.

Sourcegraph is no longer open source

  • The new version of Sourcegraph (3.27.0) includes several new features and improvements, such as LSIF upload authentication, a redesigned repository page, and improved code navigation for different programming languages.
  • There are also bug fixes and updates to dependencies, as well as the option to customize password reset link expiration.
  • Sourcegraph version 3.21.x includes various improvements and bug fixes, including a new GraphQL API query field, campaign enhancements, and improved performance and stability.

Industry Reactions

  • Sourcegraph, a code search and navigation tool, has decided to separate its code search and Cody (code AI) products into two separate repositories, with the code search variant becoming closed source.
  • Critics argue that the company did not effectively communicate the licensing change and that the open-source code search build was difficult to use and frequently broken.
  • This decision has sparked discussions about the sustainability and funding challenges faced by open-source projects, and the balance between free use and the need for revenue to support development.

Learning needs to be effortful to be effective

  • Learning requires effort and active engagement in order to be effective.
  • Simply consuming digital content without actively engaging with it does not result in long-term knowledge retention.
  • Balancing exploration of new topics with the commitment to actively engage with and apply the content is crucial for effective learning in the digital age.

Industry Reactions

  • Effortful learning is essential for effective acquisition and retention of knowledge.
  • Different learning techniques and strategies are discussed, such as spaced repetition, reflection, and active engagement.
  • Engagement in active learning practices, critical evaluation, and meaningful content are crucial for deep understanding and comprehension.

Turning my hobby into a business made me hate it

  • Many people who turn their hobbies into a business end up hating it because the focus on making money takes away from the enjoyment and creativity of the activity.
  • Online "gurus" claim that anyone can make big money by selling courses or products online, but the reality is that only a small percentage of people actually experience financial success.
  • The author's advice is to do what you love for the love of it, rather than always trying to make money from it, and not to let others shame you for not pursuing financial gain.

Industry Reactions

  • Turning a hobby into a business can lead to hating the hobby if the focus is solely on catering to the market instead of personal interest.
  • Finding a balance between personal interest and market demand is crucial when monetizing a hobby.
  • Prioritizing and compartmentalizing different activities, as well as subsidizing the hobby business with a stable source of income, can help maintain a healthy balance between work and hobbies.

Dutch rules will soon prevent schoolchildren from having a phone in classroom

  • Dutch schools will soon be implementing rules to prevent students from bringing mobile phones into classrooms.
  • Schools will have until October 1st to figure out their own restrictions, but if they fail, national rules may be introduced.
  • Smartphones may still be allowed if they are needed for class or if there is a medical requirement, such as a student with diabetes needing to measure sugar levels.

Industry Reactions

  • Dutch schools will soon prohibit students from having phones in classrooms, based on research showing negative effects on adolescents.
  • The ban is sparking debate on whether children should learn to handle smartphones or be protected from their dangers.
  • Schools will have the freedom to implement the ban in different ways, raising discussions about the role of smartphones in education.

A curated list of uBlock origin filters

  • This website is a repository of uBlock content filters that you can customize and sync across your web browsers.
  • The website provides pre-made filter templates for popular platforms like Amazon, GitHub, Google Search, Hacker News, and more, allowing users to easily filter out specific content.
  • Users can also add their own custom blocking rules and remove tracking URL parameters from links.

Industry Reactions

  • "letsblock.it" is a project that curates a list of uBlock origin filters for custom content blocking
  • The goal is to improve the signal/noise ratio and avoid distractions on the internet
  • Users can sign up to create customized rule lists and receive automatic updates when rules are improved and updated by the community

ZFS 2.2.0 (RC): Block Cloning merged

  • ZFS 2.2.0 (RC) has introduced a new feature called Block Cloning, which allows users to clone a file (or a subset of its blocks) into another file without copying the data itself.
  • Block Cloning is different from deduplication, as it requires manually using a dedicated system call to clone the file, whereas deduplication is automatic.
  • Block Cloning operates exclusively on metadata and does not require reading or writing data, making it extremely fast and efficient.

Industry Reactions

  • ZFS 2.2.0 (RC) introduces block cloning, a feature that allows files to be copied without actually duplicating the data, saving both time and space.
  • Block cloning is not limited to the same dataset and can be used to clone blocks between different datasets
  • Some applications, like file recovery from snapshots or fast copying of files, can benefit greatly from block cloning.