TL;DR summary of stories on the internet
The author introduces Hindley-Milner type inference, explaining the motivation behind using it in software development. They explore the tradeoff between expressiveness and legibility in programming languages, using examples to illustrate how HM systems work and their limitations. The author delves into the hierarchy of types, defining monotypes and polytypes, and the importance of type inference […]
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In the 1990s, the author started programming in a small town in Northern Australia using a LAN at his parent’s business. They navigated through different operating systems and networking protocols, eventually transitioning to Windows with a Windows NT server. The author’s father, a general practitioner, developed medical record software for the business using low-cost hardware […]
China has successfully brought back samples from the far side of the moon, marking a significant milestone for space exploration. The re-entry capsule containing the lunar material landed in Inner Mongolia after being released by the Chang’e-6 probe. This achievement by China has garnered praise from experts like Martin Barstow, highlighting the technological feat. The […]
The author introduces the concept of RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation), a method to include helpful information in LLM prompts for AI-based products. The author highlights that setting up a RAG pipeline adds complexity to AI systems but mentions that data warehouse providers now offer tools to simplify the process. A unique aspect is the use of […]
The author reflects on creating dotenv post-July 4th, with version 0.0.1 released on npm. Over the past 11 years, dotenv has become a widely used package, loved by millions of developers for its simplicity and security benefits. However, three main problems are highlighted: leaking .env files, juggling multiple environments, and inconsistency across platforms. The solution […]
The author dives into the world of flipdiscs, a display technology that uses electromagnetic pulses to flip discs between colors. Despite being around for over 80 years, the technology remains largely the same. The author chose flipdiscs for an interactive office art project due to their unique qualities such as no moving parts, high readability, […]
AMD’s Radeon Instinct MI300X is AMD’s latest addition to their compute-focused CDNA line, aiming to challenge NVIDIA in both hardware and software with its massive chiplet setup, Infinity Cache, and high bandwidth capabilities. Acknowledging NVIDIA’s dominance in the GPU compute market, AMD has worked on improving software compatibility with their ROCm platform. MI300X showcases impressive […]
The Indonesian government confirmed that its National Data Center was hit by ransomware, affecting over 210 institutions and disrupting services like immigration and student registration. The ransomware, a variant of LockBit 3.0 called Brain Cipher, led to demands for a ransom of $8 million. This incident highlights the vulnerabilities in Indonesia’s digital infrastructure and raises […]
The Great Red Spot on Jupiter is a mysterious vortex that has been observed for centuries. The debate surrounding its lifetime and formation continues, with historical observations leading researchers to question the origins of the spot. Recent numerical simulations suggest that the spot may have formed from a disturbance between two opposing jet streams on […]
Microsoft has made significant improvements in the repairability of its Surface devices, with the Surface Laptop 7 and Surface Pro 11 scoring an impressive 8/10 for repairability. The devices have incorporated features like magnetic bottom plates, QR codes for service manuals, and Wayfinder markers for component identification, making repairs easier and more accessible. The Surface […]