TL;DR summary of stories on the internet
The author discusses the importance of attention stability in the model’s predictions, emphasizing the need for a consistent ranking of words even after perturbations. Despite stable attention, achieving stable results can be challenging due to changes in text embeddings. Further restrictions must be imposed on the model’s predictions to ensure consistency in the face of […]
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Jonathon Keats, the master clockmaker Phil Abernethy, and the environmental philosopher provide a unique collaboration in the creation of a clock that tells time according to the growth of Nevada’s bristlecone pine trees. The clock, standing at 12 feet tall, captures the essence of nonhuman organisms’ temporal reality in a world dominated by human-centric timekeeping. […]
On January 12, 2023, the author delves into the world of prime numbers, expressing fascination with their simplicity yet endless complexity, showcasing their importance in various fields like cryptography. The author embarks on a challenge to generate primes for RSA Algorithm keys using Rust programming language, starting small with 16-bit primes and gradually moving to […]
Google engineer Steve Baker shared new insights on synonyms and search queries, revealing that synonyms impact 70 percent of user searches in over 100 languages supported by Google. Despite some skepticism, analysis showed that for every 50 queries improved by synonyms, only one bad synonym was found. This showcases Google’s advanced use of semantics and […]
piccolo is a Lua interpreter written in Rust focused on safe sandboxing using gc-arena for garbage collection. The unique “stackless” design allows for safe cancellation and pre-emptive concurrency in the interpreter. The history of piccolo reveals the challenges of creating high-performance VMs in Rust, especially with proper garbage collection. The author’s passion for Lua and […]
Author Francesco Bertolaccini explains the importance of Abstract Syntax Trees (ASTs) in compilers and how different programming languages handle memory management of AST nodes. He explores the use of shared pointers in managed languages like C# and Java, contrasting it with C++’s unique pointers. Bertolaccini also delves into AST design considerations, such as immutability and […]
The E2 Engine is a hardy, reliable machine with impressive resilience. A qualification E2 engine recently achieved a 4x life on total duration and starts, showing no signs of performance degradation after 28 starts and 1300 seconds of run time. Engine development is demanding, requiring thousands of decisions. The E2 engine runs on Jet-A and […]
The author reflects on their career as a mostly embedded developer, noting their love for Common Lisp in a field dominated by C and Rust. They share their experience working on an innovative project in Norway focused on improving evacuation systems in tunnels prone to fires. Their system, Evacsound, uses directional sound signals to guide […]
The author shares their journey of implementing passkeys in authentication systems, highlighting the complexities and common misconceptions developers face. Contrary to initial beliefs, integrating passkeys involves more than simply triggering API calls. Challenges include managing multiple passkeys per account, providing alternative authentication methods, ensuring user verification, and supporting cross-device registration. Passkey implementation also requires adapting […]
The splendid city of Merv was devastated by Genghis Khan in 1221, leaving behind a haunting legacy of destruction. The Mongol soldiers issued a decree to end the lives of hundreds of thousands of distraught souls, ravaging the once flourishing city with fire and slaughter. The surviving artisans were deliberately spared by Khan, recognizing their […]