Everything that you see on your screen consists of language. Someone, somewhere, has written down words intended for your computer to understand. These words, this language, is known as code.
Source: LXer – Open-Source vs. Closed-Source Software: What’s the Difference?
Monthly Archives: May 2022
Germany Slashes Summer Train Fares More Than 90 Percent To Curb Driving, Save Fuel
Germany’s parliament has set summer train fares at 9 euros per month in a bid to slash pollution and curb imports of Russian oil by spurring drivers to take public transit. From a report: The initiative takes effect on June 1, with 9 euros covering the cost of all buses, trams, subways, and regional trains, effectively cutting fares by more than 90 percent in some cities. Berlin commuters will save 98 euros on their monthly travel pass, while commuters in Hamburg will save more than 105 euros, Bloomberg reported. Deutsche Bahn is adding 50 additional trains to absorb the expected increase in users. The reduced fares come with an estimated price tag of 2.5 billions euros, the cost to the German government of reimbursing transit companies for lost revenue. Critics have said the plan is too expensive and warned that a surge in travelers could overwhelm mass transit and rail lines. Some, however, have suggested that the initiative should go further.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – Germany Slashes Summer Train Fares More Than 90 Percent To Curb Driving, Save Fuel
Safari has 1 billion users, but it still can’t touch Chrome
Enlarge / Safari on a Mac, displaying the Google Chrome website. (credit: Samuel Axon)
Apple’s Safari web browser has more than 1 billion users, according to an estimate by atlasVPN. Only one other browser has more than a billion users, and that’s Google’s Chrome. But at nearly 3.4 billion, Chrome still leaves Safari in the dust.
It’s important to note that these numbers include mobile users, not just desktop users. Likely, Safari’s status as the default browser for both the iPhone and iPad plays a much bigger role than its usage on the Mac.
Still, it’s impressive given that Safari is the only major web browser not available on Android, which is the world’s most popular mobile operating system, or Windows, the most popular desktop OS.
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Source: Ars Technica – Safari has 1 billion users, but it still can’t touch Chrome
Intel Struts New Sapphire Rapids HBM, Rialto Bridge, And Falcon Shores Supercomputing Firepower
When we start talking about processor performance, it’s important to understand that various applications have a variety of needs. It goes beyond simple “latency vs. throughput” considerations. There are many factors that go into actually executing a program that all have an effect on how it performs.
While we tend to think “serial code
Source: Hot Hardware – Intel Struts New Sapphire Rapids HBM, Rialto Bridge, And Falcon Shores Supercomputing Firepower
Spotify's podcast hosting service went down because of a lapsed security certificate
Podcast listeners, no matter the app they use, were unable to access shows hosted on Spotify’s Megaphone platform Monday night and early Tuesday. Those include The Joe Rogan Experience and podcasts from The Ringer and Gimlet Media. Worst of all, it seems the problem was entirely avoidable — it was due to a lapsed security certificate.
“Megaphone experienced a platform outage due to an issue related to our SSL certificate,” Spotify spokesperson Erin Styles told The Verge. “During the outage, clients were unable to access the Megaphone CMS and podcast listeners were unable to download podcast episodes from Megaphone-hosted publishers.”
A valid SSL certificate is required to create a secure connection between a server and a browser or app. It seems Megaphone’s certificate expired at around 8PM ET on Monday and the service didn’t come back online until just before 6AM this morning. It took a few more hours before the problems were fully resolved.
Megaphone, which dynamically inserts ads into podcasts, is a key component of Spotify’s podcast ambitions. It bought the company for $235 million in 2020. Spotify bolstered the service when it bought Whooshkaa, which can turn radio shows into podcasts, last December. It also acquired two other ad tech companies, Chartable and Podsights, earlier this year.
Neglecting to renew the certificate is a bad look for Spotify, which as a technology company, ought to know better. While listeners might not have been able to download episodes of their favorite shows overnight, they should have access again now.
Spotify is not the only major tech company to have dealt with such a snafu, though. In 2020, Microsoft Teams was down for a few hours after someone seemingly forgot to renew the SSL certificate.
Source: Engadget – Spotify’s podcast hosting service went down because of a lapsed security certificate
DeWanda Wise's Jurassic World Dominion Character Will Soon Be Your New Favorite Hero
Oh, so you thought Ellie Sattler was cool? That Alan Grant was cool? That Owen Grady was cool? In two weeks, they’ll all be bowing to Kayla Watts.
Source: Gizmodo – DeWanda Wise’s Jurassic World Dominion Character Will Soon Be Your New Favorite Hero
Can Listening to Music Really Make Your Baby Smarter?
Music is great, and babies love when you sing to them. But does that mean your baby will grow up smarter or hit their milestones faster if you play Mozart for them as they’re growing up? Not really.
Source: LifeHacker – Can Listening to Music Really Make Your Baby Smarter?
Actively Exploited Microsoft Office Security Flaw Has No Patch But Here's A Workaround
Malware and virus threats are practically commonplace, even a daily occurrence for some users these days. Unfortunately for many users in the Microsoft ecosystem, leveraging popular Office applications is a common security attack vector for many of the ne’er-do-wells of the Internet.
In that regard, Microsoft’s Security Response Center
Source: Hot Hardware – Actively Exploited Microsoft Office Security Flaw Has No Patch But Here’s A Workaround
Should You Install Windows 10 LTSC?
Windows is the de facto PC operating system for the majority of people, but that doesn’t mean it’s perfect. Windows 10 (and Windows 11) is pre-loaded with tons of Microsoft apps like Edge and Windows Media Player that you may not want, and certain data-tracking settings turned on by default. It’s also notorious for…
Source: LifeHacker – Should You Install Windows 10 LTSC?
Report: Samsung will soon stop making traditional LCD panels
Enlarge / The regional headquarters of technology company Samsung in Mountain View, California (credit: Getty Images/Smith Collection)
Samsung will stop producing LCD panels as soon as next month, according to industry insiders cited by The Korea Times.
In 1991, a business unit called Samsung Display was formed to produce the panels used in products made by its parent company, Samsung Electronics. Afterward, it was a leading supplier of LCD panels not just for Samsung Electronics but for other companies in the industry as well.
But fierce competition from other suppliers like China’s BOE heavily impacted Samsung Display’s business. Once the world’s leading LCD panel manufacturer, Samsung Display’s market share has dropped to just 2 percent.
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Source: Ars Technica – Report: Samsung will soon stop making traditional LCD panels
Farmer Says Dealer Wouldn't Repair His Tractor Until He Filed FTC Complaint
A farmer in Missouri said he had to go to complain to the Federal Trade Commission in order to get his tractor repaired by the only John Deere dealership in his area, showing how without the right to repair farmers are bound by the whims of the corporations who have a monopoly on repair. From a report:Jared Wilson had a problem with the AC in his John Deere tractor. It wasn’t running and he needed to finish planting his corn and soybeans. The tractor would run, but finishing the plant would be a miserable experience in the heat of the Missouri spring. According to an affidavit Wilson filed to the FTC, he called the local John Deere dealership and asked for an appointment. The manager told him he didn’t want his business. In the FTC complaint, Wilson is asking the commission to open a consumer protection investigation. Wilson and the manager talked on April 14, according to an affidavit about the incident filed with the FTC on April 16. Wilson told Motherboard he didn’t know the AC had gone out until temperatures started creeping up in April. “When it hits 70 degrees it’s almost unbearable inside the cab because it’s all just glass and you’ve got a super hot motor sitting in front of you,” he said.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – Farmer Says Dealer Wouldn’t Repair His Tractor Until He Filed FTC Complaint
Ubuntu Core 22 Released for Public Beta Testing with PiBoot Support
Ubuntu Core 22 aims to be a minimal and containerized version of the Ubuntu 22.04 LTS series but designed for IoT. Learn more here.
The post Ubuntu Core 22 Released for Public Beta Testing with PiBoot Support appeared first on Linux Today.
Source: Linux Today – Ubuntu Core 22 Released for Public Beta Testing with PiBoot Support
In a First, Surgeons Transplant Human Liver Preserved Outside the Body for 3 Days
A human liver deemed not viable for transplant has been repaired by an innovative perfusion machine and subsequently transplanted into a patient who continues to do well a year after the groundbreaking surgery.
Source: Gizmodo – In a First, Surgeons Transplant Human Liver Preserved Outside the Body for 3 Days
You Can Get a Free Replacement for Your Cloud Cam
Let’s start with some bad news: Amazon is discontinuing Cloud Cam support this year. The company launched the proprietary security camera system in 2017, but after only five years on the market, is closing down shop for good. The good news is you won’t be left without a security camera option, since Amazon is offering…
Source: LifeHacker – You Can Get a Free Replacement for Your Cloud Cam
Netflix's Password-Sharing Test in Peru is Confusing Subscribers
It’s been a bumpy ride for Netflix recently, and the announcement that it will be charging for password sharing hasn’t gone as smoothly as it might have hoped, a new report claims. TechCrunch: Subscribers in Peru who were opted in to new password-sharing restrictions have reported confusion over Netflix’s loose definition of “household” and noted the lack of clarity around the differing charges imposed on consumers. Global tech news site Rest of World informally surveyed more than a dozen Netflix users in Peru, after Netflix’s March announcement that it would be asking customers in the country — as well as in Chile and Costa Rica — to pay extra when sharing their account passwords outside their homes. Central and South America represent Netflix’s lowest revenue per user, which helps to explain the markets’ selection.
The majority of those surveyed by Rest of World in Peru said that they have still not received uniform messaging around the new charges, even though it’s been over two months after the policy was first announced. Some subscribers experienced the price increase and then canceled their Netflix accounts as a result. But others who ignored the message about the new policy were able to share their accounts across households without an extra charge, they claimed.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – Netflix’s Password-Sharing Test in Peru is Confusing Subscribers
Evercade's latest retro handheld includes a dedicated mode for vertical shoot 'em ups
Retro console maker Evercade has just announced its latest device, a new handheld called the EXP. If you’re not familiar with Evercade, its products are a bit different from your standard retro fare. Instead of purchasing a device like the SNES Classic Edition that comes with a limited library of preloaded games or one like the Analogue Pocket that can play games from their original cartridges, Evercade sells cartridges that come with a selection of games. The company says this approach has a few benefits, one of which is that it enables license holders to be paid more fairly. It also means games load instantly.
Blaze Entertainment
The EXP builds on the company’s original handheld with a new, more mature design. Gone are the red “go faster” stripes of its predecessor. Additionally, the EXP features a new 4.3-inch IPS panel with a denser 800 by 480 resolution. It also comes with a 1.5GHz processor and 4GB of built-in memory, putting it on par with the company’s VS console. New to the EXP is a “Tate” mode that makes the handheld a better fit for playing games that were designed around vertical scrolling like classic shmups. The EXP features two buttons on its left-hand side to aid with playing games this way. Evercade has also added WiFi and USB-C connectivity to the device and redesigned the mini-HDMI port to make it more stable.
In the US, the EXP will cost $150. Evercade will begin accepting pre-orders for the console starting in September, with general availability to follow later this winter. Retail units will ship with the IREM Arcade 1 collection, which comes with six games from the Japanese publisher, including Moon Patrol and 10 Yard Fight. Evercade has promised to share more details about the device, including information on bonus content, in September.
Source: Engadget – Evercade’s latest retro handheld includes a dedicated mode for vertical shoot ’em ups
Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 4 Could Have Flagship-level Camera Specs
Samsung is due to have a big mobile event in just a few months. Nothing has been announced yet, but with the rumor mill churning away and the fact that the company has historically used the summer months to trot out its next-generation flippy phones, we’re expecting some new Galaxy foldables on the horizon.
Source: Gizmodo – Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 4 Could Have Flagship-level Camera Specs
1.1 quintillion operations per second: US has world’s fastest supercomputer
Enlarge / Systems engineer Matt Ezell, the system lead for the Frontier supercomputer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. (credit: Oak Ridge National Laboratory)
The US has retaken the top spot in the world supercomputer rankings with the exascale Frontier system at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Tennessee.
The Frontier system’s score of 1.102 exaflop/s makes it “the most powerful supercomputer to ever exist” and “the first true exascale machine,” the Top 500 project said Monday in the announcement of its latest rankings. Exaflop/s (or exaflops) is short for 1 quintillion floating-point operations per second.
Frontier was more than twice as fast as a Japanese system that placed second in the rankings, which are based on the LINPACK benchmark that measures the “performance of a dedicated system for solving a dense system of linear equations.”
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Source: Ars Technica – 1.1 quintillion operations per second: US has world’s fastest supercomputer
We Don’t Need More Screens in Cars
Japanese weather satellite accidentally watched Betelgeuse go dim
Enlarge / These images, taken with the SPHERE instrument on ESO’s Very Large Telescope, show the surface of the red supergiant star Betelgeuse during its unprecedented dimming. The image on the far left, taken in January 2019, shows the star at its normal brightness. The remaining images, from December 2019, January 2020, and March 2020 were all taken when the star’s brightness had noticeably dropped. (credit: ESO/M. Montargès et al.)
Over the last couple of years, Ars has dedicated a fair number of electrons to our local red supergiant, Betelgeuse. The massive star went through an odd uneven dimming, leaving the astronomy community scrambling for explanations and observation time. While a degree of consensus slowly emerged, the lack of some key details left a lot unexplained.
It turns out that some of the answers were accidentally captured by an Earth-facing Japanese weather satellite that had Betelgeuse in-frame across the entire process of its dimming.
In the archives
In the new paper describing the results, Daisuke Taniguchi, Kazuya Yamazaki, and Shinsuke Uno say the astronomy community has settled on two options for explaining why a giant star like Betelgeuse might get dimmer. One is that internal processes could lower the star’s effective temperature and thus its light output. The other option is that dust ends up between the star and Earth, absorbing some of the star’s light. But both of those explanations are short on details; we don’t really know what’s happening inside the star or how enough dust could end up between Betelgeuse and Earth.
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Source: Ars Technica – Japanese weather satellite accidentally watched Betelgeuse go dim