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2023-07-27

Google is already pushing WEI into Chromium

  • Google is proposing a new feature called Web Environment Integrity (WEI) for the Chromium web browser.
  • WEI aims to address the issue of websites being expensive to create and maintain, while users want to access them for free. It would allow websites to control access and functionality based on certain conditions.
  • The proposal has received criticism for potentially undermining the openness and privacy of the web, and for further consolidating Google's power in the industry.

Industry Reactions

  • Google's implementation of the Web Environment Integrity (WEI) feature in Chrome has sparked controversy over concerns about control, competition, and access restrictions.
  • Mozilla has called for Google's removal from the W3C and users are encouraged to promote alternative browsers like Firefox.
  • The debate also involves discussions about non-tech-savvy users, Safari's similar feature, and concerns about privacy and abuse.

Superconductor news: What's claimed, and how strong the evidence seems to be

Industry Reactions

  • Researchers have discovered a potential room-temperature superconductor, called LK-99, with behaviors consistent with superconductivity.
  • Skeptics question the validity of the results and criticize the authors' methods and publication process.
  • Replication of the experiment is crucial to verify the results, and there is urgency to validate room-temperature superconductors due to their significant commercial uses.

Unpacking Google's Web Environment Integrity specification

  • Google has proposed a new specification called Web Environment Integrity, which aims to provide websites with an API to determine if the browser and platform being used are trusted by an authoritative third party.
  • Vivaldi browser believes that this specification is a major threat to the open web and could be compared to DRM for websites.
  • There are concerns about the potential for bias and exclusion, as the attesters who determine browser trustworthiness are likely to be companies like Google, Microsoft, and Apple, leaving smaller vendors and Linux users at a disadvantage.

Industry Reactions

  • Google's Web Environment Integrity (WEI) specification is generating concerns among users, particularly regarding its impact on security and user freedom.
  • The potential implementation of WEI raises concerns about privacy, control, and restrictions in the web environment, as it could lead to a more restricted web experience and potentially give big tech companies monopolistic control.
  • The effectiveness of WEI in preventing bots and its potential to limit user customization and control over their devices are points of debate.

Sinead O'Connor has died

  • Sinéad O'Connor, a beloved Irish singer, has passed away at the age of 56.
  • She was known for her powerful voice and iconic song "Nothing Compares 2 U" written by Prince.
  • O'Connor was also known for her activism, controversial actions, and struggles with mental health.

Industry Reactions

  • Sinead O'Connor has passed away, leaving behind a legacy as a courageous and talented artist.
  • She was known for her powerful vocals and her willingness to address controversial topics, such as her protest against the Catholic Church on SNL.
  • Her music, including her iconic rendition of "Nothing Compares 2 U," continues to resonate with audiences.

Google vs. the Open Web

  • Google's proposed "Web Environment Integrity" system allows websites to choose which devices and browsers can access their services, potentially excluding certain devices and marginalized groups.
  • The proposal appears to be motivated by Google's desire to reduce costs for its ad network by excluding bots and implementing attestations that can detect the use of ad blockers.
  • Critics argue that this proposal could lead to a less inclusive and open web, resembling an appliance rather than a generative system that empowers users.

Industry Reactions

  • Google's proposed Web Environment Integrity (WEI) is causing concern among developers and tech enthusiasts due to its potential impact on ad blockers and user experiences.
  • Critics argue that WEI could lead to a less open web and give Google more control over user experiences, potentially leading to a vendor lock-in.
  • There are doubts about the effectiveness of WEI in preventing bots and concerns about Google's control over the internet and their potential motives.

Google engineers want to make ad-blocking (near) impossible

  • Google has proposed a new API called "Web Environment Integrity Explainer" to enhance trust and security on websites.
  • Critics argue that this proposal may compromise user privacy and control user behavior on the web by potentially introducing DRM and making ad-blocking difficult.
  • There are concerns about potential monopolistic control by big tech companies and the impact on browser modifications and extensions.

Industry Reactions

  • Google engineers are proposing the Web Environment Integrity API to make ad-blocking and browser restrictions more difficult. This has raised concerns about monopolization and limited competition in browsers, operating systems, and search engines.
  • Mozilla Firefox is highlighted as an alternative browser that prioritizes user privacy and an open web.
  • Microsoft's alignment with Google's goals and financial reliance on advertising raise questions about whether they would oppose Google's proposed API.

Mold 2.0

  • Mold 2.0 is a new major release of a high-speed linker that has transitioned its license from AGPL to MIT.
  • The license change was made to expand the user base of the linker and follows the realization that a dual-licensing scheme did not meet their expectations.
  • In addition to the license change, several updates and bug fixes have been made in this release.

Industry Reactions

  • Mold 2.0 is a high-speed linker that can significantly improve project builds by reducing linking time.
  • Users have reported impressive results, with build times going down from minutes to seconds.
  • The license has been changed from AGPL to MIT to expand the user base and improve adoption.

Overture Maps Foundation releases open map dataset

  • The Overture Maps Foundation has released its first open map dataset, which includes four important layers of open map data: Places of Interest, Buildings, Transportation Network, and Administrative Boundaries.
  • The Places dataset, which includes data on over 59 million places worldwide, will be a foundational element for navigation, local search, and other location-based applications.
  • The Overture Maps Foundation is a collaborative effort by companies like Amazon Web Services, Meta, Microsoft, and TomTom to create a shared asset of map data that can support future applications. The goal is to build and maintain an up-to-date, comprehensive database of Points of Interest (POIs).

Industry Reactions

  • Overture Maps is a project that allows major players in the geospatial industry to leverage open data sets like OpenStreetMap alongside their proprietary data and processes.
  • The project has created a lot of conversation in the OpenStreetMap community.
  • Overture Maps is releasing open map datasets with a permissive license, but the underlying data and processes remain proprietary.

Stable Diffusion XL 1.0

  • Stability AI has released Stable Diffusion XL 1.0, an advanced text-to-image model that generates high-quality images with vibrant colors, better contrast, and improved lighting.
  • The model contains 3.5 billion parameters and can generate high-resolution images in seconds, making it customizable and capable of complex designs with basic natural language processing prompting.
  • Stable Diffusion XL 1.0 also supports inpainting, outpainting, and image-to-image prompts, allowing users to create detailed variations of images. However, there are ethical concerns related to the potential misuse of the model, which Stability AI is actively addressing.

Industry Reactions

  • Stable Diffusion XL 1.0 has been released, offering impressive out-of-the-box tools for fine-tuning and generating high-quality images.
  • The progress of Stable Diffusion XL has been driven by the anime porn community, but it can be used for various applications, such as creating consistent styles for icons or slides.
  • The model weights for Stable Diffusion XL 1.0 are available on Hugging Face, and there are web tools like Clipdrop and ComfyUI for generating images.

People over-emphasize the recycling aspect of "reduce, reuse, recycle"

  • Recycling has become over-emphasized and has masked the problem of over-production and other sustainable waste reduction strategies.
  • Many people mistakenly consider recycling as a solution to waste management, leading to confusion about what can actually be recycled and contributing to a growing waste production crisis.
  • Incorrect recycling practices lead to devastating downstream effects such as pollution of oceans and land masses with microplastics and increased greenhouse gas emissions.

Industry Reactions

  • The research highlights the misunderstanding of the order of effectiveness in the "reduce, reuse, recycle" slogan and the common placement of non-recyclable waste in recycling bins.
  • There is a lack of clear guidelines on recycling, leading to confusion among consumers and inconsistencies in recycling practices between regions.
  • The article emphasizes the need to focus on waste reduction and reuse, as recycling alone is not enough to solve the problem of excessive waste production.