TL;DR summary of stories on the internet
This article discusses the controversial idea of a “10x engineer,” someone considered 10 times more skilled or productive than their peers. While the concept is based on flimsy research and stereotypes, many believe it resonates with reality. However, the focus should be on building high-performing engineering teams rather than individual brilliance. A truly great engineering […]
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Charles Petzold’s online book delves into the world of logarithms, exploring their history, utility, and prevalence. The author provides demonstrations of logarithms’ application in trigonometry, unraveling their mystery for readers. The pages, still in progress, offer a mix of coherent paragraphs and notes to self. Written without professional editing, it is best viewed on a […]
In 2024, Africa experienced a surge in digital blackouts, with 21 shutdowns in 15 countries, the highest on record in the past decade. Governments, militias, and non-state actors were responsible, violating people’s rights. Shutdowns were often in response to conflicts, protests, and elections. The global trend saw 296 shutdowns in 54 countries, the worst since […]
Ruth Belville was a remarkable woman who sold time to subscribers, mainly chronometer makers, in London in the 1800s. This unique service became crucial with the introduction of railways, standardizing time with Railway Time and later Greenwich Mean Time. Despite technological advances like the telephone Speaking Clock, Ruth’s clients stayed loyal until her retirement in […]
This article by Tom Roger Skauen delves into the fascinating world of Commodore 64 masters, revealing the hidden story behind the creation of classic games. The discovery of Gary J. Sabin’s disks and tapes sheds light on the meticulous process of creating a master and the unique challenges faced by developers. The Novaload music mystery […]
The UKAEA and Eni are teaming up to construct the world’s largest facility for storing and recovering tritium fuel, a key element in nuclear fusion. Tritium, a radioactive form of hydrogen, is crucial for producing low-carbon, emissions-free energy through the fusion of hydrogen isotopes. The facility, set to be completed in 2028, will play a […]
OpenAI is pushing for the Trump administration to protect AI companies from state regulations by offering federal access to their models voluntarily. This move is seen as crucial to maintaining America’s technological edge against competition from China. The lack of federal legislation governing the AI sector has left many states to craft their own rules, […]
Ruby code often lacks annotations to specify variable types, making it difficult to determine the return type of a function like shout(obj). Static analysis tools, such as Sorbet, can help, but annotations may not always reflect runtime behavior accurately due to Ruby’s inheritance system. By implementing an interprocedural type analysis, detailed type information can be […]
Each year, a team of scientists and volunteers dedicates their lives to reintroducing northern bald ibis birds to the wild in Europe. These funny-looking, nearly extinct creatures are hand-raised by foster mothers and taught to follow a microlight aircraft, all part of a project led by Johannes Fritz. The project is not only quixotic, but […]
Amateur Telescope Making is about the pride of building your own telescope from scratch, unlocking the mysteries of the heavens with a tool you created. Mirror grinding techniques have remained similar since the 20’s and 30’s, allowing for quality control and personal accomplishment. The site provides detailed information on mirror making myths, telescope formulas, mirror […]