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Apple has locked my Apple ID, and I have no recourse. A plea for help from hey.paris
1640 by parisidau 1d ago | | |

Article: 9 min

A loyal customer of 30 years has been locked out of their Apple ID due to an issue with a recent $500 Apple Gift Card redemption attempt at a major retailer. The account was flagged as 'closed in accordance with the Apple Media Services Terms and Conditions', resulting in the loss of access to iCloud, devices, software, and media worth over $30,000.

30-year loyal customer
Permanent account lockout

Quality:
The article is a plea for help, not an investigative piece.

Discussion (1009): 4 hr 9 min

The comment thread discusses issues related to account bans on Apple platforms following the redemption or purchase of gift cards, with concerns over lack of transparency in reasons for bans and implications for users' digital lives. There is a consensus that gift cards can be used for money laundering, leading to account restrictions by companies like Apple. The community debates the effectiveness of regulations against money laundering and the role of large corporations in enforcing these laws.

Apple's support is lacking in providing clear reasons for account bans.

Counterarguments:

Regulations against money laundering are vague, incentivizing companies to block accounts as a precautionary measure.

Consumer Issues Tech Support Disputes, Customer Service Failures

VPN location claims don't match real traffic exits from ipinfo.io
458 by mmaia 1d ago | | |

Article: 23 min

A large-scale analysis by IPinfo revealed that 17 out of 20 popular Virtual Private Network (VPN) providers do not route traffic through the countries they claim to support. The study found discrepancies between claimed locations and actual exit IPs across 137 possible exit countries, with some providers claiming over 100 countries but only supporting a fraction of them.

This report could lead to increased scrutiny of privacy practices by the tech industry, potentially prompting providers to improve transparency and accuracy in their location claims. It may also influence consumer behavior, with users seeking more reliable and trustworthy services.

17 out of 20 popular VPNs were found to exit traffic from different countries than they claim.
Some providers claim support for over 100 countries, but only a fraction of these are supported in reality.
IPinfo's ProbeNet was used to measure the actual exit IPs and compare them with provider claims.

Quality:
The article presents factual information and analysis without advocating for a specific viewpoint.

Discussion (295): 1 hr 14 min

The comment thread discusses various aspects related to IP geolocation, virtual locations in VPNs, and the accuracy of services like IPinfo. Opinions vary on the use of virtual locations by providers, with some highlighting transparency issues while others emphasize the importance of accurate location data for various applications.

IPinfo's approach to IP geolocation differs from the industry's trust-based model.
The use of virtual locations by some providers can lead to misidentification of traffic exit points.

Counterarguments:

The accuracy of IP geolocation is crucial for services that rely on it, such as streaming platforms and security measures.

Internet Privacy & Security, Technology News

I tried Gleam for Advent of Code from blog.tymscar.com
336 by tymscar 1d ago | | |

Article: 19 min

The author discusses their experience using Gleam for Advent of Code and shares insights on why they found it a suitable language for the event. They highlight features like clean syntax, helpful compiler, good error messages, strong functional programming nudges, and an excellent editor experience.

Gleam's adoption could encourage more functional programming practices and improve the coding experience for Advent of Code participants.

Gleam's clean syntax and helpful compiler
Ease of use for functional programming
Strong list toolbox functionality

Discussion (199): 45 min

The discussion revolves around the potential impact of LLMs on programming language development and adoption. Participants express opinions on the suitability of languages like Gleam for AI integration, the role of simplicity in language design, and the challenges posed by complex language structures to LLMs. The conversation also touches on the evolving landscape of programming languages and the importance of features such as generics and strong typing.

Gleam is a promising alternative for UI development with its functional programming capabilities.
LLMs can be beneficial in code generation but may struggle with languages that require extensive training data or have complex structures.

Counterarguments:

The lack of generics in Gleam might limit its functional programming capabilities compared to other languages like Haskell or Scala.
Elixir and Erlang share similarities with Gleam, suggesting that they also offer comparable features for concurrent programming.

Programming ,

Linux Sandboxes and Fil-C from fil-c.org
333 by pizlonator 1d ago | | |

Article: 14 min

This article discusses combining memory safety and sandboxing in a C/C++ implementation called Fil-C, specifically focusing on porting OpenSSH's seccomp-based Linux sandbox code to Fil-C.

Enhances security in software development by combining memory safety and sandboxing, potentially leading to more secure systems.

Memory safety vs. sandboxing are orthogonal concepts.
Examples of memory safe but not sandboxed: pure Java program with file access vulnerabilities.
Examples of sandboxed but not memory safe: assembly program with revoked capabilities and potential memory safety bugs.
Best practice is to combine both for enhanced security.

Discussion (136): 50 min

The comment thread discusses various aspects related to Fil-C, a memory-safe language runtime for C/C++. Opinions are mixed regarding its potential benefits in making existing codebases more secure while acknowledging concerns about the security claims made by its author and the performance implications of using such technologies. The conversation also touches upon related topics like sandboxing, Rust's role in providing safety features, and the challenges associated with seccomp.

MicroVMs are gaining popularity.
Fil-C could benefit from porting and integration with existing systems.
Sandboxing in memory-safe languages like Rust is beneficial but faces challenges.

Counterarguments:

Seccomp has limitations and requires coordination with the entire process.
There's a need for portable, composable sandboxing solutions.

Software Development Security

I fed 24 years of my blog posts to a Markov model from susam.net
291 by zdw 1d ago | | |

Article: 12 min

Susam Pal shared a Mark V. Shaney Junior program, a minimal Markov text generator inspired by the 1980s version. The program was trained on his blog posts and pages, producing amusingly incoherent but entertaining gibberish.

Simplified approach to Markov chains
Exploratory programming for recreation
Generated text examples from various sources

Quality:
The article provides clear and concise information about the program, its purpose, and examples of generated text.

Discussion (113): 28 min

The comment thread discusses the nature of Long-Short Term Memory (LSTM) models, specifically focusing on their relationship to Markov chains. There is a debate about whether LSTMs can be considered as a type of Markov chain due to their context window limitations and fixed state transitions, or if they are better understood as an extension with more complex state dynamics.

LLMs do not fit the definition of a Markov chain due to their context window limitations
LLMs can be modeled as a Markov chain with flexible states

Counterarguments:

LLMs can be seen as a generalization of Markov chains with more complex state transitions
The concept of 'state' in LLMs is broader than in traditional Markov chains

Software Development Programming/Computer Science

Recovering Anthony Bourdain's Li.st's from sandyuraz.com
288 by thecsw 1d ago | | |

Article: 19 min

This post is a collection of various lists, notes, and personal preferences from Anthony Bourdain, covering topics such as TV series, films, music, hotels, food, and more.

Lists of things Bourdain no longer has time or patience for, nice views he enjoys, TV series he would watch if trapped on a desert island, an untitled film he envisions, objects of desire, guilty pleasures, and favorite New York sandwiches.
References to specific titles such as 'The Wire', 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy', 'Ashenden' by Somerset Maugham, 'Agents of Innocence' by David Ignatius, etc.

Quality:
The content is presented in a personal and anecdotal style, but remains factual.

Discussion (133): 37 min

The comment thread discusses the impact of Anthony Bourdain's work on travel and food culture, criticism regarding his persona and cultural appropriation, and debates about the economic effects of tourism on local communities. Opinions vary, with some praising his authenticity and others criticizing his influence on a perceived superficial tourist trend.

Bourdain played a significant role in popularizing travel and food culture.
Criticism of the cultural appropriation associated with Bourdain's style.

Counterarguments:

Some argue that his persona was an exaggerated version of himself for entertainment purposes.
Others criticize the economic impact of tourism on local communities, suggesting it leads to gentrification and displacement.

Entertainment Movies & TV, Food & Drink, Travel

Google removes Sci-Hub domains from U.S. search results due to dated court order from torrentfreak.com
282 by t-3 1d ago | | |

Article: 6 min

Google has removed 34 Sci-Hub domain names from U.S. search results due to a court order from 2017 that was cited in a recent legal notice.

(Sci-Hub's accessibility is restricted in the U.S., potentially affecting academic research access).

Sci-Hub was sued by the American Chemical Society in 2017.
A broad permanent injunction was issued against Sci-Hub and its operator.
Google has deindexed these domains from U.S. search results.
The removals are similar to Google's actions in other countries in response to ISP-blocking orders.

Quality:
The article provides factual information and does not express a personal opinion.

Discussion (61): 10 min

The comment thread discusses various search engines, with a focus on censorship and accessibility of information. Opinions vary regarding the 'openness' of Russian search engines compared to Western ones, particularly Google. The debate also touches upon alternative search engines like Bing and the potential for decentralized anonymous global libraries.

Yandex is less censored than Google
Bing provides better search results for certain topics

Counterarguments:

Google is not the only search engine available
Yandex censors certain topics as well
Censorship in other countries is also discussed

Legal Internet Law, Court Orders

Why Twilio Segment moved from microservices back to a monolith from twilio.com
266 by birdculture 1d ago | | |

Article: 27 min

Twilio Segment moved from a microservices architecture back to a monolithic one due to issues with complexity, velocity, and operational overhead. The transition improved developer productivity, simplified testing and deployment processes, and made scaling the service easier.

The transition to a monolithic architecture can lead to improved developer productivity and operational efficiency, potentially setting a precedent for other companies considering similar changes.

Microservices initially helped isolate destinations but led to complexity issues.
Velocity and operational overhead increased as the number of services grew.
Transitioning to a monolithic architecture simplified codebase management and reduced operational costs.
Improved developer productivity with fewer repos, easier testing, and deployment processes.

Discussion (243): 1 hr 27 min

The discussion revolves around the effectiveness and appropriateness of microservices versus monolithic architectures in different contexts. Opinions vary on whether microservices introduce unnecessary complexity or are essential for specific use cases, with many acknowledging that architectural decisions should be based on the needs of the system rather than a dogmatic adherence to either approach.

Microservices are not universally beneficial and may introduce more complexity than they solve.
The term 'microservice' is often misused or misunderstood.

Counterarguments:

Microservices improve overall design when they can live on their own as microapps with their own UI.

Software Development Cloud Computing, DevOps

1300 Still Images from the Animated Films of Hayao Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli (2023) from ghibli.jp
220 by vinhnx 1d ago | | |

Article:

This article announces the availability of 1300 still images from Hayao Miyazaki's animated films produced by Studio Ghibli, with permission for free use within reason. It also includes information about a podcast and other related links.

Link to podcast

Discussion (89): 24 min

The comment thread discusses the beauty and impact of Studio Ghibli films, particularly those directed by Hayao Miyazaki. Opinions vary on the best film, with Nausicaa, The Wind Rises, and Spirited Away being mentioned frequently. There is a debate about AI-generated art versus human creation, questioning its value and memorability. The thread also touches on the cultural influence of Ghibli films and the legacy of Miyazaki's work.

Studio Ghibli films are visually stunning and emotionally resonant.
Hayao Miyazaki's work is highly regarded for its depth and unique perspective.

Counterarguments:

Criticism of the overuse and commodification of Ghibli style by AI
Questioning the impact and memorability of AI-generated art

Entertainment Animation, Film

An off-grid, flat-packable washing machine from positive.news
208 by ohjeez 1d ago | | |

Article: 6 min

Navjot Sawhney's The Washing Machine Project introduces an off-grid, flat-packable Divya washing machine aimed at reducing the burden of manual laundry tasks in deprived communities worldwide. The machine operates on a hand-crank system and saves up to 75% of time for its users while halving water consumption.

Navjot Sawhney's The Washing Machine Project (TWMP) addresses the issue of manual laundry tasks in remote and developing regions.
The Divya washing machine reduces time spent on laundry by up to 75% and water consumption by half.
TWMP has shipped almost 500 machines to 13 countries, impacting nearly 50,000 people.
Feedback from real users led to improvements in durability, physical strain, and usability of the machine.

Discussion (108): 25 min

The comment thread discusses a hand-crank washing machine designed for developing countries without access to electricity or modern appliances. Opinions are mixed, with some praising its simplicity and durability while others criticize it as overpriced and lacking advanced features. The conversation touches on themes of sustainability, accessibility, and the balance between simplicity and functionality in design.

The machine is overpriced and unnecessary for most people
It's a practical solution for those without access to electricity or modern appliances

Counterarguments:

The machine may not be suitable for large families or those requiring more advanced cleaning options.

Sustainability Renewable Energy, Social Impact