Original title: I fell down a rabbit hole and found the world's tiniest Git patch
The author investigated Git's bundle-uri
feature, designed to speed up clones by using a pre-calculated bundle file. Initially, the author tested the feature with a large repository, expecting faster clone times from a CDN. However, the initial tests were slower than a standard clone. The author discovered that Git only copies local branch references from the bundle, causing unnecessary object downloads. After modifying the code to include all references, the clone time improved significantly. The author's patch, which is very small, is under review. The feature's primary benefit is for forges like GitHub and GitLab, reducing server load. It can also be helpful for internal Git servers and automated setups. The author suggests that Git clients may automatically use bundle URLs advertised by servers in the future. The author's testing revealed that using a local bundle file can significantly speed up clones, but the process still takes longer than expected. The author's patch aims to optimize the bundle-uri
feature, potentially saving bandwidth and improving clone times.
Original title: Welcome to Docs! The open source document editor where your notes can become knowledge through live collaboration
Docs is a collaborative text editor developed by the French and German governments, designed to address challenges in knowledge building and sharing. It offers features like simple collaborative editing, offline functionality, clean formatting options, productivity tools (markdown support, block types, slash commands, keyboard shortcuts), AI actions (generate, sum up, correct, translate), real-time collaboration, granular access control, professional document exports, and built-in wiki functionality. The project is built on Django Rest Framework, Next.js, BlockNote.js, HocusPocus, and Yjs, and is intended as an alternative to platforms like Notion, Outline, or Confluence. Users can test Docs via a provided login, and the project is open-source under the MIT License. The project's directory structure includes directories for binaries, translations, Docker configurations, documentation, environment-specific configurations, commit message guidelines, experimental code, and the main source code. The project is looking for public partners and welcomes contributions and translations.
Original title: The Amiga 600: The Worst Amiga, But Also the Best?
The Amiga 600, released in 1992, was a cost-reduced version of the Amiga line, but it was poorly timed and ultimately unsuccessful. It was essentially a repackaged 1985 Amiga 1000, lacking the processing power and graphics capabilities of contemporary PCs. The machine's $500 price tag didn't include essential components like a monitor and hard drive, pushing the total cost close to $1,000, making it less competitive than PCs. The Amiga 600's dated technology, including its Motorola 68000 CPU and graphics, couldn't compete with the advancements in PC technology, particularly VGA graphics and the emergence of 3D games. Commodore's failure to understand its market and its inability to produce the more advanced Amiga 1200 in sufficient quantities further contributed to the 600's failure. Despite its shortcomings, the Amiga 600 is now appreciated by retro enthusiasts for its compact size and compatibility with modern peripherals. However, the machine's surface-mount capacitors are prone to failure, requiring replacement for reliable operation. The Amiga 600's design choices, such as the lack of a full keyboard and limited expansion options, presented challenges for users. The article suggests that a faster CPU or the AGA chipset could have improved the Amiga 600's competitiveness. The author, a computer security professional, reflects on the Amiga 600's legacy as a symbol of Commodore's missteps, while acknowledging its appeal in the retro computing community.
Original title: Tcl Tutorial
The tutorial provides a comprehensive guide to the Tcl scripting language, covering a wide range of topics. It begins with the basics, including running Tcl, text output, variable assignment, and evaluation and substitutions using different grouping methods. The tutorial then delves into mathematical operations, numeric and textual comparisons, and looping constructs like while and for loops. It also explores the creation of new commands using 'proc', variable scope, and data structures such as lists and arrays. Furthermore, the tutorial covers string manipulation, regular expressions, and associative arrays. It also includes file access, subprocess invocation, and information retrieval about commands and variables. The tutorial also touches on modularization, command construction, substitution, and debugging techniques. Finally, it covers command-line arguments, channel I/O, time and date functions, and child interpreters.
Original title: Remembering Pivotal Tracker
The article discusses the legacy of Pivotal Tracker, a project management tool known for prioritizing developer productivity and streamlined workflows. It highlights the tool's focus on simplicity, avoiding features that hinder productivity, and automating processes. Project trackers, as opposed to bug trackers or general project management tools, are designed to be intuitive for developers and PMs, offering shared views and minimal customization. Cycles are automatically planned and updated, reducing the need for manual sprint planning, and lanes preserve story priority. The tool emphasizes seamless collaboration with instant updates and in-context story editing, while discouraging Gantt charts and arbitrary deadlines. The article mentions a community initiative with multiple teams working on projects to carry forward Tracker's legacy.
Original title: The Day Microsoft Went Public
Microsoft's initial public offering (IPO) on March 13, 1986, valued the company at $777 million, with shares priced at $21.00. The IPO raised $61 million and propelled Bill Gates to near billionaire status. Microsoft delayed going public for 11 years to maintain control, but eventually had to due to the number of shareholders. The company's profitability stemmed from its dominance in operating systems like MS-DOS and Windows, and software like Excel and Word, which were on nearly every computer. Microsoft's licensing strategies, including royalties and flat fees, contributed to its financial success. The success of Windows 3.0 solidified its monopoly in operating systems and office suites. The IPO's legacy includes inspiring tech entrepreneurs and contributing to the dotcom bubble. Microsoft's minimal use of venture capital is highlighted as a key factor in its success. The article also notes that Amazon and Google eventually surpassed Microsoft in market capitalization.
Original title: Teach, Don't Tell
The article emphasizes that effective technical documentation should function as a teaching tool, guiding users from novice to expert. It critiques common documentation pitfalls like relying solely on source code, tests, or literate programming outputs, arguing these are insufficient for initial learning. The author advocates for a structured approach, dividing documentation into four key components: "First Contact" to introduce the project, the "Black Triangle" for a quick start, the "Hairball" for in-depth learning, and "The Reference" for expert users. The "Hairball" should be organized with tables of contents and a focus on anticipating user needs. The author strongly discourages the use of wikis for documentation, citing their lack of a coherent voice and potential for disorganization. The reference section should include API documentation, a changelog, and implementation details, with a preference for hand-written API docs over auto-generated ones. The author stresses the importance of putting oneself in the user's shoes and teaching, not just telling, to create effective documentation.
Original title: PicoLisp Documentation
The PicoLisp documentation serves as a comprehensive guide for users of the PicoLisp programming language, ranging from beginners to advanced users. It provides a structured approach to learning PicoLisp, encouraging hands-on practice and community sharing. The documentation includes tutorials, examples, and reference materials covering various aspects of the language, such as web development, database interaction, and embedded programming. It also offers resources for efficient editing, including Vim and Emacs-style editors, and tools for Android app development. The documentation further explores important aspects of the PicoLisp system, including interfacing with other software, metaprogramming, and background processing. Additionally, it features articles and essays on topics like recursion, syntax, and the comparison of PicoLisp with other programming languages. The documentation also provides information on PicoLisp versions, online resources, and repositories for various projects and libraries. Users can also find information on setting up a PicoLisp wiki and accessing the source code.
Original title: 25 years ago, the dotcom bubble reached its peak
The dotcom bubble, peaking on March 10, 2000, saw the NASDAQ double in value within a year, fueled by investor frenzy and the promise of the internet. Companies like Amazon and Google emerged, but many, including Pets.com, failed due to unsustainable business models and lack of profitability. The bubble's burst, triggered by factors like a recession in Japan and the end of Y2K spending, led to a market crash and the failure of numerous dotcoms. Established tech companies also suffered, with sales drying up and some becoming acquisition targets. The market didn't recover to its peak until 2015, with Google's IPO seen as a turning point. The author, a computer security professional, reflects on the era's impact on the tech industry and its lasting consequences.
Original title: That time I recreated Photoshop in C++ and Windows API!
The author reflects on a past project where they recreated Photoshop using C++ and the Windows API. The project, named Fedit, was developed in 2006 after completing a C++/Windows API course. The goal was to create an image editor similar to Photoshop, incorporating features like free-floating windows, a color picker, layer management, history, and image filters. Fedit adhered to five rules: no installers, archives, registry keys, additional runtimes, and a single executable file. The user interface was designed to mimic Photoshop's workflow, with the tool settings pane being particularly challenging. Despite the effort, the author did not promote Fedit but later secured a C++ job based on the project's impression. The source code for Fedit and the earlier project Fiew is available on GitHub, and the thesis documentation is also accessible.
Original title: Local-First & Ejectable
The article introduces the concept of "ejectable" apps, which combine the benefits of cloud-based applications with the data ownership of traditional desktop software. Ejectable apps allow users to switch between cloud and self-hosted versions, ensuring data accessibility and feature availability even if the original service shuts down. This is achieved by enabling users to save their workspace, download a server executable, and run the server locally. The process is designed to be reversible, allowing users to move back and forth between cloud and self-hosted versions. The goal is to provide the convenience of cloud apps while offering the longevity of traditional software. The article highlights the importance of local-first design and the potential of ejectable apps to ensure data accessibility and future-proof functionality. The author mentions their own project, Thymer, as an example of an ejectable app. The concept is presented as a solution to the problem of data lock-in and feature loss when cloud services cease to operate. The article emphasizes the importance of making apps local-first and ejectable to provide the best of both worlds. The author believes that this approach will ensure that the data and functionality of modern tools remain accessible and functional for the long term.
Original title: Founding Applied AI Engineer at Kastle
Kastle, an AI platform backed by $2.3M from Y Combinator and others, is hiring a Founding Applied AI Engineer. The role involves integrating advanced AI technologies into their platform, specifically focusing on fine-tuning large language models (LLMs) and designing AI workflows for highly regulated enterprises. Responsibilities include fine-tuning and deploying LLMs, designing prompts, training domain-specific AI models, and ensuring solutions meet regulatory standards like FDCPA, RESPA, and TILA. The engineer will also build data pipelines, optimize AI performance, and enhance borrower experience. The ideal candidate should have 3+ years of experience in applied AI or ML engineering, proficiency in Python, TensorFlow/PyTorch, and experience with LLMs. A strong product mindset and understanding of mortgage regulations are also required. The role offers the opportunity to work on cutting-edge AI technologies, collaborate with a top-tier team, and receive competitive compensation with early-stage equity.
Original title: Undefined Behavior in C and C++
The article discusses undefined behavior (UB) in C and C++, where erroneous operations lead to unpredictable program behavior, contrasting it with safe languages like Java. UB simplifies compiler tasks, enabling efficient code generation, especially in tight loops, but it can cause silent misbehavior and security vulnerabilities. The author presents a model for UB, categorizing functions into Type 1 (defined behavior for all inputs), Type 2 (defined for some, undefined for others), and Type 3 (undefined for all inputs). Type 2 functions, like integer division, have preconditions that, if violated, lead to UB. Compilers exploit UB by optimizing code based on defined behavior, potentially removing checks or generating unexpected results. The article provides examples, including a Google Native Client case where UB led to a security flaw, and a Linux kernel example where an optimizing compiler removed a null pointer check. The author suggests strategies for mitigating UB, including compiler warnings, static analyzers, dynamic checks, and careful documentation.
Original title: Programming Languages Classification
The author categorizes programming languages into four levels based on typing and memory management, with higher levels offering ease of use and lower levels providing better performance. They propose a language set built on Rust, including a level 2/3 hybrid (RustGC) and a level 4 language (RustScript), to address the tradeoffs between ease of use and performance. RustScript is designed for prototyping, RustGC for general use with async support, and Rust for maximum performance. The languages share syntax and allow seamless calls between levels, enabling the use of the Rust ecosystem across all levels. Examples are provided, including UI components in RustScript and an async example in RustGC. The author suggests that this approach simplifies codebase maintenance and allows developers to leverage the strengths of different language levels within a unified ecosystem.
Original title: Why have we not “won”?
The author, deeply involved in open culture and FOSS, questions the success of the Open* movements despite significant contributions to the digital world. While acknowledging achievements like Wikipedia, the author points out the limited market share of open-source browsers and operating systems compared to tech giants. The author reflects on the original intent of Free Software, which was "for hackers by hackers," and suggests that the movement has not evolved to meet the needs of a broader audience. The author criticizes the expectation that people should assimilate into the hacker culture to benefit from open-source solutions, arguing that this approach fails to address people's actual problems. The author references the quote "Nobody's Free Until Everybody's Free" to emphasize the need for a more inclusive approach. The author also revisits a past statement about the difficulty of "hosting your own" solutions for those without resources, advocating for a shift towards more political goals and values to make open-source more relevant to non-hackers.