Project Gutenberg and Microsoft are collaborating to develop a large collection of free, open audiobooks using advanced neural text-to-speech technology.
The motive behind this project is to democratize access to superior-quality audiobooks and promote literature accessibility.
However, there might be issues such as errors, offensive language, or inappropriate content in some audiobooks, which do not mirror the views of the collaborating entities. The users can report these problems via a specified link.
The Hacker News discussion revolves around AI-generated audio in audiobooks, with users lamenting the lack of emotional expression and debating the impact of AI on various industries and society.
Users discuss the affordability and accessibility of these audiobooks and question the quality of AI-generated audio, its potential market dominance, pronunciation issues, and audio clip structuring. They also mention alternative platforms for free or human-read audiobooks.
The topic also ventures into AI's usage in rewriting texts for language learners and making obscure books more reachable. Views range from skepticism to an acknowledgment of AI's potential to widen the audience, albeit with a preference for accurate labeling of AI-generated content.
The author, possessing nearly three decades of software development experience, holds the view that no technology to date matches the development experience offered by Visual Basic in the 1990s.
They express concern over Microsoft's decision to abandon Visual Basic and the apparent lack of a suitable successor.
The article discusses the decline in popularity of Visual Basic (VB) and VB.NET due to reasons such as Microsoft's focus on .NET and the rise of web technologies.
It delves into the limitations and challenges in programming in VB.NET, the hurdles in transitioning from VB6 to VB.NET, and the demand for a more expressive language and advanced functionality.
The conversation also covers topics such as the dwindling popularity of Microsoft Access, the quest for its alternatives, the pros and cons of using Excel, and a comparative analysis between older technologies like VB and modern tools like React and Power Apps.
The article questions the perceived necessity of microservices for scalability, stating that successful companies have managed with simpler systems.
It points out the challenges that microservices bring, including code duplication and decreased developer productivity.
The piece suggests starting with a monolithic architecture, or a mixture of a monolith and branch services, hinting at an industry shift away from microservices towards more practical solutions.
The article debates the merits and demerits of utilizing microservices in software development, discussing additional engineering overhead and the complexities of managing large databases.
It underscores the complications involved in debugging and maintaining distributed microservices, and concerns about the trend being potentially driven by inexperienced engineers for resume padding.
The forum showcases varying views on employing microservices versus monolithic systems, emphasizing that decisions should be based on an organization's specific needs, recognizing the trade-offs and challenges of both architectural styles.
The given regular expressions contain features like concatenation, alternation, and kleene star, but lack advanced features like anchors, zero-width assertions, back references.
For additional information on these expressions, the summary recommends exploring a specific website.
The article delves into multiple tech topics such as string class hierarchies, Haskell's tagged union types, and the role of linear algebra in practical applications.
It explores the challenges and complexities linked to the use of regular expressions, including the configuration of an Internet Protocol (IP) filter via RegEx.
It touches on logical tasks implementation using Low-Level Managers (LLMs) and discusses the concept of attaining Artificial General Intelligence (AGI).
The text discusses a 3D viewer which uses WebGL for interface rendering. This viewer supports navigation through mouse or arrow keys.
It operates at 22 frames per second (fps), implying smooth performance and real-time user interaction.
The source code for this 3D viewer has been made available by Kevin Kwok on Github, a platform where developers upload and share their software projects.
The article introduces a WebGL-based real-time 3D Gaussian splatting technique, covering challenges related to control scheme, rendering sharp edges, and ellipsoid projection.
Gaussian splatting is a rendering technique using colored shapes, optimized for specific viewing distances. It's beneficial for procedural or generated content, but limited for dynamic scenes.
The discourse involves the potential benefits of incorporating spherical harmonics, commonly used in systems like smoke, fire, clouds, and flowing water, into this rendering technique.
LaurieWired's tweet from Sep 10, 2023, provides the starting alphanumeric characters for the SHA256 hash of a certain sentence.
SHA256 refers to a specific type of cryptographic hash function. It is commonly used to verify data integrity through producing a unique, fixed-size 256-bit (32-byte) hash.
The provided alphanumeric characters would be the initial segment of this unique hash, generated from a specific sentence.
The text highlights the discovery of a sentence with a unique SHA256 hash, prompting discussions on collision probability and ways to find similar collisions.
It expounds on the difficulty of finding collisions in SHA256 hashes and explains the linkage between hash size and collision difficulty, alongside techniques to expand the search space.
There are discussions on the self-referential property of hash functions, its implications, and its connection to Bitcoin mining. Also mentioned are the potential risks of brute forcing hashes on SSL, signing, and Bitcoin.
Mastodon.energy is a server tailored to professionals and academia, focused on discussions about energy transition initiatives including policy, infrastructure, technology, journalism, and science.
The platform's recent discussions revolve around the preventative detention of climate activists in Bavaria, Germany, who may protest at the car industry exposition IAA in Munich.
The detention, which can last up to 60 days, has been criticized by members on the server who have drawn parallels with similar cases in other countries, viewing it as an attempt to criminalize climate activism.
The post discusses various topics including the incarceration of individuals in Germany due to participation in climate protests.
It also highlights the debates on the efficiency and acceptability of disruptive protests, and concerns about police prioritization and potential misuse of power.
Additional issues include discussions on employment practices, generational wealth, home ownership, and preventive detention and trial delays in the context of climate change activism.
The article discusses the rising power of giant technology companies, implying they have become more influential than nation states in setting the political agenda.
The author argues that competition enforcement by governments has been largely ineffective in checking the dominance of these tech giants.
It is suggested that ensuring data ownership rights could be the only effective means to counter the influence of Big Tech and experimenting with capitalism might be necessary.
The central discussion points in the article involve the significance of data ownership, concerns regarding privacy, and the influence of major tech corporations.
Concerns are raised about the lack of individual control over personal data, the monopolistic practices of companies, and the potential dangers of data accumulation and misuse.
Recommendations include development of legal frameworks, regulation of tech giants, and enhancement of transparency along with user control over data, acknowledging the need for better data collection and privacy mechanisms.
Researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara, have devised a technology that images still objects, including reading the English alphabet through walls, using WiFi signals.
The technique leverages the Geometrical Theory of Diffraction and the Keller cones for tracing object edges, ensuring high-quality imagery.
The team has rigorously tested this technology, expressing confidence in its potential to pioneer new avenues in Radio Frequency (RF) imaging.
This summary delves into discussions and potential technologies related to the 6G mobile network, Wi-Fi surveillance, load-bearing constructions, and object detection using Wi-Fi signals.
Privacy concerns and possible misuse of technologies emerge as significant themes throughout these discussions.
There is an emphasis on the futuristic potentials and challenges tied to these tech fields.
The new research presented at the American Heart Association's Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2023 links high blood pressure while lying down to an increased risk of heart-related conditions and premature death.
The study, which incorporated data from over 11,000 adults, found that individuals with high blood pressure, either when seated or lying down, faced the highest risks. However, even those who had high pressure only when lying were at comparable risk levels.
The type of blood pressure medication taken did not impact the level of risk. Therefore, researchers suggest blood pressure should be measured while lying flat on the back for a more accurate assessment of cardiovascular disease risk.
The discussions revolve around blood pressure management and monitoring, which include experiences with medications, lifestyle changes, and devices for blood pressure measurements.
Participants engage in debates about the frequency and accuracy of blood pressure readings and discuss the external factors that can impact these readings such as stress and physical activity.
The importance of professional medical consultations, the perception of misinformation in online discussions, and the caution needed in following non-medical advice are underscored. For instance, lying down when checking blood pressure is recommended for individuals with specific risk factors.
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has detected methane and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of the exoplanet K2-18 b, reinforcing the possibility that this planet may harbor a water ocean beneath its hydrogen-rich atmosphere.
These findings suggest that K2-18 b could potentially host life, aligning with the current theories proposing the planet as a Hycean exoplanet, a type considered favorable for extraterrestrial life.
In addition to methane and carbon dioxide, the telescope's observations hint at dimethyl sulfide, a molecule generally produced by life, further asserting the potential for life on K2-18 b.
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope detected methane and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of exoplanet K2-18b, indicating potential signs of life.
The distance to the exoplanet makes communication challenging, taking an estimated 124 years, highlighting the difficulties of interstellar travel and current propulsion system limitations.
The detection of dimethyl sulfide is mentioned as an additional potential sign of life on exoplanets, although some experts maintain a skeptical viewpoint.
The document summarizes the events on September 11, 2001, encompassing the last communication of Flight 11 with air traffic control, the plane crashes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and the structural collapse of the towers.
It also sheds light on President Bush's reaction alongside various media briefings and addresses throughout the day.
A new initiative "9/11 in Realtime," a multimedia experiment, is introduced to aid students in comprehending the events of that day.
The summaries encompass varied discussions and personal experiences linked to the 9/11 attacks, involving stories from individuals directly affected.
The topics range from the long-term impact on society and civil liberties, debates concerning complacency, speculation about the attacks, to the role of journalism and public reactions.
As consequences of the attacks, discussions also include the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq, racial tensions, violence, propaganda, and the transformation of the United States' political climate.
This post discusses the most recent release of uBlock, an open-source software.
The content provides installation instructions for varying browsers to accommodate the stable build of this new release.
It outlines a comprehensive list of rectifications and modifications incorporated in this update, making it a potential point of interest for tech enthusiasts.
MGM Resorts International has suffered a cybersecurity attack causing a disruption to their system, affecting various IT assets such as mobile apps, credit card machines, and reservation systems.
The specifics of the attack including the possibility of a ransom demand are yet to be clarified.
Neither the company's operations in Macau, China are impacted by this incident nor is it the first of such occurrences, as MGM Resorts underwent a similar data attack in 2019.
MGM Resorts is currently experiencing a system outage due to a cybersecurity attack which has impacted services such as their app, ATMs, and kiosks.
The details and consequences of the attack are still being investigated, however, it is speculated that it could be linked to the upcoming F1 races happening in Las Vegas.
The company is working with specialists and law enforcement to handle this issue, but the incident has already caused considerable disruption for both guests and staff, causing worries about compensation for those affected.
The author advocates for eliminating garbage collection from the Rust language, citing complications with familiarity, simplicity, and adaptability in its current memory management system.
They suggest prioritizing owning pointers and confining reference counting to a specific role, which would simplify the understanding of memory management for beginners while still providing options for dynamic memory management.
The author highlights Rust's potential in low-level programming and posits that it could be a suitable choice for high-performance web server software.
The discussion revolves around multiple aspects of Rust programming language, such as the elimination of garbage collection, balancing between single and multi-threaded runtimes, and advantages of Rust's asynchronous architecture.
The features including the use of generics and the "box syntax" are addressed, and the implication of Rust's nonexistent garbage collection on code writing is scrutinized.
There are comparative examinations of Rust with other languages and their type systems, along with mentions of the Redox operating system and languages having garbage collectors.
Elon Musk's X Corp. has sued to hinder California's content moderation law, AB 587, which mandates social media platforms to submit a service report detailing their content moderation practices to the state attorney.
X Corp. claims the law infringes on the First Amendment and imposes extensive financial penalties for non-compliance.
Concerns about the law's potential to negatively impact online users and restrict free speech have been raised by tech groups and policy experts.
There is an ongoing debate regarding the rights of companies, specifically social media platforms like Twitter, related to free speech and content moderation.
Key points discussed include whether companies should have similar rights as individuals under the US Constitution, the effects of government regulation on free speech, and the clarity of content moderation practices.
The debate also includes potential ramifications of censorship and legal challenges of applying state laws to social media platforms.
The discussion centers on the Harris Corner Detector, a fundamental algorithm in computer vision for recognizing distinct features.
While not the most advanced, the Harris Corner Detector is still utilized in specific applications, for instance, visual Simultaneous Localization And Mapping (SLAM).
Other algorithms including Scale-Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) and Machine Learning (ML) techniques that are progressing in the feature detection domain were also discussed.
yt-dlp, a fork of youtube-dl, introduces new capabilities while maintaining alignment with the original project, supporting age-gated content, livestream downloads, and subtitle extraction.
It offers multiple paths, portable configuration, and self-updating capabilities with detailed information about installation, dependencies, file management, and post-processing tasks.
The guide includes examples for diverse use cases with options for customisation, network settings, authentication and format selection, and mentions extraction and post-processing plugins with a note on potential risks.
The article explores the debate surrounding a fork of YouTube-dl, called yt-dlp, that allows users to download videos from various internet platforms amid the DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) controversy.
The conversation also puts a spotlight on the limitations of centralized video hosting platforms like YouTube and the advantages of decentralized platforms like PeerTube.
A significant part of the discussion is about the impact these downloading tools have on content creators’ revenue, with divergent opinions on viewers' rights versus potential losses due to piracy and ad-blocking software.
Nvidia's supremacy in machine learning (ML) may wane as the industry focus shifts from training to inference, implying a likely return to traditional CPU platforms like x86 and Arm.
Inference, i.e., the application phase of ML models, is underemphasised currently compared to training, but its importance is expected to grow.
The article sources its arguments from “Pete Warden's Blog” for context and provides a timeline for these predicted changes.
The article explores Nvidia's significant hold over the AI hardware market and the potential competition from companies such as AMD, Groq, and Mojo.
The discussion delves into factors such as software support, industry standards, and pricing, that might impact Nvidia's market dominance and profitability.
While Nvidia has a strong foothold now, the article concludes that there's an opportunity for other companies to challenge their position, especially with potential growth areas like AI chatbots and CPU usage in AI inference.
The article emphasizes the importance of API documentation and introduces the "four-document types" model to improve the OpenAPI specification.
It mentions an array of tools and frameworks for better documentation, and applies the same documentation principles to other domains.
It discusses the limitations of the DITA framework and suggests supplementing reference documentation with conceptual or task-based documents, touching on topics like containerization, sandboxing, and OpenAPI.