Hasty Briefsbeta

Search

  • Generative AI is learning to spy for the US military

    19 hours ago
    • Generative AI is being tested by the US military for intelligence collection and interpretation.
    • The 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit used AI to analyze open-source intelligence faster than manual methods.
    • Vannevar Labs, a defense-tech company, received a $99 million contract to develop AI tools for military use.
    • AI tools translate, summarize, and analyze data, including sentiment analysis of foreign news sources.
    • The Pentagon plans to spend $100 million on generative AI pilots in the next two years.
    • Concerns include AI inaccuracies, the subjectivity of sentiment analysis, and susceptibility to misinformation.
    • Experts debate whether AI will be a supplementary tool or a trusted decision-making aid in military operations.

  • Datastar: Web Framework for the Future?

    18 hours ago
    • Datastar is a hypermedia framework simplifying real-time web applications with server-side logic and automatic UI updates via 'signals'.
    • It uses Server-Sent Events (SSE) for efficient real-time updates, contrasting with HTMX's polling approach.
    • Datastar combines HTMX and AlpineJS functionalities into a single library, reducing front-end complexity.
    • Signals in Datastar enable reactive programming, automatically updating the UI when data changes, similar to spreadsheet cell dependencies.
    • The framework is backend-agnostic, supporting Go, Node.js, PHP, etc., and emphasizes server-driven architecture.
    • SSE in Datastar allows for persistent connections where the server can push updates or HTML fragments to the client.
    • Datastar's approach requires rethinking traditional web development, focusing on server-side state management and HTML fragment generation.
    • The framework is ideal for developers seeking simplicity, efficiency, and minimal JavaScript dependency in web applications.
    • Datastar's documentation and examples highlight its potential as a modern alternative to HTMX and traditional JavaScript frameworks.

  • The PS3 Licked the Many Cookie

    18 hours ago
    • The PS3 failed developers due to its excessively heterogeneous architecture, which resisted composability.
    • Many-Core architecture trades off explicit programmer control for wide parallelism.
    • PS3's Cell processor had SPEs with 25 GFlops each, but even combined, they couldn't match the underpowered PS3 GPU (192 GFlops).
    • Xbox360's GPU had shared computational resources (240 GFlops), allowing better load balancing than PS3's separate vertex and pixel shading units.
    • Developers used SPEs for tasks like skinning and shader patching due to GPU limitations, requiring complex synchronization.
    • PS3's memory architecture was inflexible, with 256MB dedicated to graphics and limited CPU access.
    • SPEs had only 256KB local memory (effectively 128KB), making them restrictive compared to modern GPU compute.
    • Generic C++ code couldn't run on SPEs without significant modification, forcing handcrafted SPE-friendly code.
    • Naughty Dog showcased PS3's potential by tailoring their engine to its architecture.
    • Original PS3 design (4 Cell processors) could have been a more homogeneous Many-Core beast (~1 TFlop).
    • PS3's half-baked Many-Core implementation may have permanently damaged the concept's viability.

  • Leaked Data Reveals Massive Campaign to Remove Pro-Palestine Posts

    19 hours ago
    • Leaked data reveals Israel's massive campaign to remove pro-Palestine posts on Facebook and Instagram, with Meta complying with 94% of takedown requests since October 7, 2023.
    • Israel is the largest originator of takedown requests globally, targeting users from Arab and Muslim-majority nations to silence criticism of its policies.
    • Meta's automated systems removed over 90,000 posts in an average of 30 seconds per request, expanding censorship to an estimated 38.8 million additional posts.
    • Internal Meta leadership, including former Israeli officials, plays a key role in enforcing censorship policies, with pro-Palestine content disproportionately targeted.
    • Human Rights Watch found that 1,049 out of 1,050 removed or suppressed posts were peaceful pro-Palestine content, highlighting systemic bias in enforcement.
    • Meta's policies and AI moderation systems are influenced by Israeli government requests, shaping future content moderation decisions based on past takedowns.
    • Israel's censorship efforts focus overwhelmingly on users outside its borders, with only 1.3% of takedown requests targeting Israeli users.
    • Whistleblowers reveal Meta's failure to curb Israel's aggressive censorship tactics, instead facilitating the government's mass censorship campaign.
    • The article critiques the broader implications of corporate censorship, questioning legal protections for free speech and foreign influence on social media platforms.

  • Probiotics reduce negative mood over time: daily self-reports in detection

    19 hours ago
    • Probiotics reduce negative mood in healthy volunteers, particularly after two weeks of daily monitoring.
    • Standard psychological questionnaires did not reliably detect probiotic-induced changes in emotional state.
    • Daily mood measures provide a more sensitive method to assess emotional changes than standard questionnaires.
    • Individuals with higher baseline risk aversion showed the greatest improvement in negative mood with probiotics.
    • Probiotics may influence the ability to recognize emotions in oneself and others, as seen in improved facial expression recognition.
    • The study suggests that probiotics could be targeted to individuals at risk of mental health conditions for early intervention.

  • Container CPU requests and limits explained with GOMAXPROCS tuning

    19 hours ago
    • Kubernetes and Linux kernel manage CPU for containers using cgroups.
    • Three QoS classes in Kubernetes: Guaranteed, Burstable, and Best-Effort.
    • Guaranteed pods have equal CPU and memory requests and limits.
    • Burstable pods have lower requests than limits.
    • Best-Effort pods have no requests or limits.
    • QoS classes affect OOM scores, influencing process termination during memory pressure.
    • CPU requests translate to cpu.shares (v1) or cpu.weight (v2).
    • CPU limits become cpu.cfs_quota_us (v1) or cpu.max (v2).
    • Linux kernel creates cgroups under /sys/fs/cgroup.
    • Kubernetes CPU Manager has two policies: none (default) and static.
    • Static policy gives exclusive CPU core access to Guaranteed pods with full CPU requests.
    • CFS (Completely Fair Scheduler) handles CPU sharing under the none policy.
    • CPU requests influence scheduling and runtime behavior during CPU pressure.
    • CPU limits cap CPU time, causing throttling when exceeded.
    • Debate on whether to use CPU limits due to potential performance impact.
    • CPU weight determines fair CPU time allocation during contention.
    • CPU max enforces absolute CPU time limits, unlike weight.
    • Go runtime's GOMAXPROCS defaults to node's CPU count, not container limits.
    • Setting GOMAXPROCS to match container CPU limits can improve performance.
    • uber-go/automaxprocs library adjusts GOMAXPROCS based on cgroup CPU limits.
    • cAdvisor provides CPU usage and throttling metrics from /sys/fs/cgroup.
    • CPU pressure metrics show task stalls due to CPU contention.

  • Raspberry Pi cluster spotted inside $6k audio processor

    19 hours ago
    • Pi clusters are used in professional audio processing units like the Orban Optimod 5000-series.
    • The Orban Optimod 5000-series includes a 3-node Raspberry Pi cluster and costs between $6,000-15,000.
    • Each Pi in the cluster has a specific role: remote control/web UI, audio processing, and optional audio watermarking.
    • Using Raspberry Pi CM4/CM5 modules simplifies design and ensures long-term vendor support.
    • Many high-end media devices at NAB 2025 had Pis integrated for Linux and remote control functionality.

  • Agency vs. Control vs. Reliability in Agent Design

    20 hours ago
    • High-agency tasks require agents to act competently, reliably, and consistently, especially in high-value use cases like customer support.
    • Customer support is challenging due to knowledge gaps, impatient users, and time constraints, contrasting with ideal environments where agents have complete knowledge and forgiving conditions.
    • LLMs like Anthropic's 'computer use' and OpenAI's DeepResearch show advancements in high-agency tasks, but real-world applications like Fin face reliability issues.
    • Customers expect high reliability and control from agents, especially for sensitive tasks like subscription management, refunds, and context gathering.
    • Measuring agent performance involves simulating tasks with predefined outcomes, user prompts, and stopping conditions to assess reliability and consistency.
    • The 'pass^k' metric is stricter than 'pass@k', requiring consistent success over multiple repetitions, which is crucial for customer support reliability.
    • Agency and reliability are inversely related; high-agency agents often perform inconsistently, especially in complex tasks.
    • The 'Give Fin a Task' (GFAT) agent balances agency and control by using step-based instructions, improving reliability for simple and moderate tasks.
    • GFAT's composability allows breaking complex tasks into simpler, more reliable steps, enhancing overall performance and customer satisfaction.
    • Early benchmarks show GFAT significantly improves reliability, especially for simple and moderate tasks, by constraining agency and emphasizing structured execution.

  • WebRTC for the Curious

    20 hours ago
    • WebRTC For The Curious is an open-source book created by WebRTC implementers.
    • Focuses on protocols and APIs, not specific software, and summarizes RFCs.
    • Vendor-agnostic approach with minimal code, not a tutorial.
    • Target audience includes new and current WebRTC developers, and established developers needing debugging help.
    • Book structure allows starting anywhere with self-contained chapters.
    • Each chapter answers a single question with three levels of information.
    • No prior knowledge required; resources provided for further study.
    • Available on GitHub and WebRTCforTheCurious.com as ePub and PDF.
    • Licensed under CC0 with no attribution required.
    • Privacy commitment: no analytics or tracking, vendor-agnostic.
    • Contributions welcome via GitHub for issues, suggestions, and development.

  • Rust CUDA Project

    20 hours ago
    • The Rust CUDA Project aims to make Rust a top-tier language for GPU computing using the CUDA Toolkit.
    • Provides tools for compiling Rust to PTX code and libraries for integrating with CUDA.
    • CUDA is the dominant toolkit for GPU computing, despite being NVIDIA-exclusive.
    • Previous Rust GPU solutions like LLVM PTX backend had limitations, prompting the need for specialized tools.
    • Project benefits include performance optimizations, Rust's safety features, and high-level CUDA library wrappers.
    • Key crates include rustc_codegen_nvvm (PTX generation), cuda_std (GPU utilities), cust (CPU-side CUDA features), and more.
    • Related projects: glassful, inspirv-rust, rust-gpu (SPIR-V compiler).
    • Setup involves environment variables for OptiX and Docker for distribution.
    • Licensed under Apache 2.0 or MIT.

  • WordPress launches new free AI website builder

    21 hours ago
    • AI website builder creates fully designed WordPress websites instantly from user input.
    • Ideal for entrepreneurs, freelancers, bloggers, and developers who need quick, professional sites.
    • Process involves describing the site idea, logging into WordPress.com, and letting AI build the site.
    • Users can make manual edits or use chat prompts for updates.
    • 30 free prompts are provided; unlimited prompts require a hosting plan.
    • Currently only available for new WordPress.com sites, with future support for existing sites planned.
    • Tips for best results include being specific in initial prompts and utilizing free prompts effectively.
    • AI tools are optional, catering to different user preferences and skill levels.
    • Future updates may include AI assistance for revising existing sites and content.

  • Mosaic (YC W25) is building a general purpose agent for video editing

    18 hours ago
    • Mosaic is an agentic video editing paradigm that allows users to create and run their own multimodal video editing agents in a node-based canvas.
    • The role involves accelerating the development of the core agentic video editing paradigm, building scalable pipelines for video processing and inference, creating evaluations, and making high-level design decisions.
    • Mosaic's initial prototype won the $25,000 grand prize in the Google Gemini Kaggle competition and best demo in the Y Combinator W25 batch.
    • The team consists of ex-Tesla engineers and is looking for a Founding Engineer to help accelerate video editing from hours to seconds.

  • Erlang's not about lightweight processes and message passing

    19 hours ago
    • Erlang's key innovation is not just lightweight processes and message passing, but its generic components called 'behaviours'.
    • Behaviours in Erlang are like interfaces in other languages, providing a structured way to build reliable distributed systems.
    • Erlang was developed at Ericsson for telephone switches, handling internet-scale traffic before the internet was widespread.
    • After being banned at Ericsson in 1998, Erlang was open-sourced, leading to its broader adoption.
    • Joe Armstrong, one of Erlang's creators, emphasized the importance of behaviours in his PhD thesis.
    • Behaviours like gen_server, gen_event, gen_fsm, supervisor, application, and release provide a framework for building robust systems.
    • Supervisors in Erlang manage process health, restarting failed processes according to predefined strategies.
    • The 'let it crash' philosophy promotes reliability by allowing processes to fail fast and be restarted by supervisors.
    • Erlang's behaviours enable sequential code for business logic while handling concurrency and distribution transparently.
    • Simulation testing and formal verification are easier with the structured approach provided by behaviours.

  • Google layoffs impact hundreds in Pixel, Android division

    19 hours ago
    • Google laid off hundreds of employees in the Platforms & Devices division, which includes Android, Chrome, Pixel, and more.
    • The layoffs aim to make Google 'more nimble and operate more effectively,' with no immediate impact expected on end users.
    • The Platforms & Devices division, led by SVP Rick Osterloh, was formed in April 2024 after merging Platforms & Ecosystems and Devices & Services.
    • Google introduced a voluntary exit program earlier in 2024 to address criticism of previous layoffs and improve 'speed and efficiency.'
    • The division covers Android (Auto, TV, Wear OS, XR), Chrome, ChromeOS, Google Photos, Google One, Pixel, Fitbit, and Nest.

  • DOE withdraws, postpones multiple appliance energy efficiency rules

    20 hours ago
    • The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) withdrew four appliance efficiency standards and postponed three others, continuing efforts to dismantle efficiency programs.
    • Withdrawn standards include those for electric motors, ceiling fans, dehumidifiers, and external power supplies.
    • DOE postponed rules for central air conditioners, heat pumps, walk-in coolers/freezers, and gas instantaneous water heaters.
    • The Trump administration favors deregulation, while the Biden administration had strengthened efficiency standards to save costs and reduce emissions.
    • The withdrawn electric motor rule was projected to save businesses $56 billion and cut CO2 emissions by 156 million metric tons over 30 years.
    • DOE’s actions face opposition from efficiency advocates but are supported by industry groups seeking regulatory relief.
    • Congress is considering resolutions to overturn DOE efficiency rules for commercial refrigeration equipment.
    • Biden-era efficiency standards were estimated to save consumers $1 trillion and reduce emissions by 2.5 billion metric tons over 30 years.

  • Meta to Nvidia, tech CEOs are paying the president to get the outcomes they want

    19 hours ago
    • Meta faces a landmark antitrust lawsuit from the FTC over its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp, with potential business impacts.
    • Tech CEOs like Mark Zuckerberg and Jensen Huang engage in pay-to-play politics with Trump, influencing policy decisions.
    • Trump's inconsistent policies, including tariffs and AI export controls, create uncertainty and potential national security risks.
    • Nvidia's CEO paid $1 million to lobby Trump, resulting in a reversal on H20 chip export restrictions to China.
    • Open corruption in the Trump administration raises concerns about national security, especially regarding AI technology transfers to China.
    • Tech industry dynamics under Trump highlight the influence of corporate lobbying on government policy and regulatory decisions.

  • Vim is more useful in the age of LLMs

    a day ago
    • Vim remains useful in the age of LLMs despite initial assumptions that LLMs would reduce its utility.
    • LLMs assist with code generation, but Vim excels in tasks like navigating, yanking text, and debugging, which are still essential.
    • Vim's efficiency in a hybrid regime where understanding and editing code manually is necessary makes it more valuable.
    • LLMs make learning Vim easier by providing command history and generating complex commands on demand.
    • Examples include generating scripts for copying GitHub links and markdown blocks, enhancing productivity with minimal effort.
    • The future of coding may involve more bespoke software tailored to individual needs, increasing the value of customizable tools like Vim.

  • We Chose Tauri over Electron for Our Performance-Critical Desktop App

    a day ago
    • Tauri and Electron are compared for cross-platform app development, focusing on performance, bundle size, and trade-offs.
    • Electron uses Node.js for its main process and Chromium for rendering, leading to larger app sizes and higher memory usage.
    • Tauri leverages Rust for the backend and the system's native WebView for rendering, resulting in smaller app sizes and lower memory consumption.
    • A benchmark shows Tauri's app size at 8.6MiB vs. Electron's 244MiB, and memory usage at 172MB vs. 409MB for Electron.
    • Tauri's initial build time is slower due to Rust compilation, but subsequent builds are faster.
    • Hopp chose Tauri for its backend performance, sidecar support, and feature availability, aligning with their need for low-latency screen sharing.
    • The decision between Tauri and Electron depends on project requirements, team expertise, and specific use cases.

  • Bilinear interpolation on a quadrilateral using Barycentric coordinates

    20 hours ago
    • Computer graphics primarily use polygon meshes for 3D modeling, with triangles and quadrilaterals being the most common polygons.
    • Quadrilaterals are preferred by artists for modeling due to ease of grid generation, edge flow adjustment, and predictable subdivision results.
    • GPUs only support hardware-accelerated rasterization and interpolation for triangles, necessitating the conversion of other polygons into triangles.
    • Converting quadrilaterals into triangles can introduce C^1 discontinuities in interpolated vertex attributes like texture coordinates and normals.
    • A new method is proposed to preserve C^1 continuity over the common edge of two generated triangles from convex quadrilaterals using bilinear interpolation coefficients expressed in barycentric coordinates.
    • The method leverages algebraic solutions to minimize computational overhead and can be implemented using hardware-accelerated GPU pipelines.
    • Current approaches to address C^1 discontinuities include quadrilateral subdivision (dynamic or static) and mean value coordinates, each with performance trade-offs.
    • The proposed method is feasible on GPUs dating back to 2008 and can be implemented via Geometry Shader, Tessellation Shader, or Mesh Shader stages.
    • For parallelograms, the solution simplifies further, as bilinear interpolation coefficients can be directly derived from barycentric coordinates.
    • The method ensures smoother interpolation of vertex attributes like colors, texture coordinates, and normals, enhancing visual quality in 3D rendering.

  • "Not Just Measles": Whooping Cough Cases Are Soaring as Vaccine Rates Decline

    20 hours ago
    • Vaccine hesitancy in Texas has led to a measles outbreak and declining vaccination rates for other diseases like whooping cough.
    • National vaccination rates for major childhood vaccines have fallen significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic.
    • Public health funding and staffing cuts under the Trump administration have weakened disease prevention efforts.
    • Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vaccine skeptic, has exacerbated concerns as head of HHS.
    • Measles and whooping cough cases have surged, with deaths reported in multiple states.
    • Local communities with low vaccination rates are particularly vulnerable to outbreaks.
    • Mobile health clinics and vaccination programs have been paused due to funding cuts.
    • Experts warn that weakening public health infrastructure will lead to more preventable disease outbreaks.
firstprev4next
AboutLogin