Code and Trust: Vibrators to Pacemakers
← jackdoe CODE AND TRUST: vibrators to pacemakers I want to discuss two programs, one the program that controls a vibrator, and one that controls a pacemaker. First pseudocode for a program of a vibrator: def fib(n): if n = 1: return n return fib(n-1) + fib(n-2) def pulse(ms, freq): start_vibration(freq) sleep(ms) stop_vibration() frequency = […]
The Origin of the Research University
If you were alive in 1800 and someone asked you about the future of research, it wouldn’t occur to you to mention the university. Real scholarship happened in new, modern, enlightened institutions like the British Royal Society or the French Académie des sciences. Universities were a medieval relic. And nowhere was it more medieval, hidebound, […]
Building the Rust Compiler with GCC
If you know one thing about me, it is that I love working on the Rust compiler. Some people kayak, travel or play guitar – and I stare at assembly, trying to figure out what I broke. This summer, I am taking on quite a large task: bootstrapping the Rust compiler using `cg_gcc` What does […]
LLMs should not replace therapists
Abstract:Should a large language model (LLM) be used as a therapist? In this paper, we investigate the use of LLMs to *replace* mental health providers, a use case promoted in the tech startup and research space. We conduct a mapping review of therapy guides used by major medical institutions to identify crucial aspects of therapeutic […]
Why English doesn’t use accents
Portrait of Jean Miélot (after 1456), Jean le Tavernier Canterbury, AD 1105 The cold of the stone floor in the scriptorium creeps up through Godwin’s boots. He pays it no mind. Before him lies a copy of the Chronicle, just arrived from the old capital of Winchester. In it is written the history of the […]
Crypto 101 – Introductory course on cryptography
Start to finish. Comes with everything you need to understand complete systems such as SSL/TLS: block ciphers, stream ciphers, hash functions, message authentication codes, public key encryption, key agreement protocols, and signature algorithms. Learn by doing. Learn how to exploit common cryptographic flaws, armed with nothing but a little time and your favorite programming language. […]
I don’t think AGI is right around the corner
“Things take longer to happen than you think they will, and then they happen faster than you thought they could.” – Rudiger Dornbusch I’ve had a lot of discussions on my podcast where we haggle out timelines to AGI. Some guests think it’s 20 years away – others 2 years. Here’s where my thoughts stand […]
Backlog.md – CLI that auto-generates task files (took my Claude success to 95 %)
Markdown‑native Task Manager & Kanban visualizer for any Git repository npm i -g backlog.md or bun add -g backlog.md Backlog.md turns any folder with a Git repo into a self‑contained project boardpowered by plain Markdown files and a zero‑config CLI. 📝 Markdown-native tasks — manage every issue as a plain .md file 🔒 100 % […]
Show HN: I extracted the safety filters from Apple Intelligence models
Decrypted Generative Model safety files for Apple Intelligence containing filters decrypted_overrides/: Contains decrypted overrides for various models. com.apple.*/: Directory named using the Asset Specifier assosciated with the safety info Info.plist: Contains metadata for the override AssetData/: Contains the decrypted JSON files get_key_lldb.py: Script to get the encryption key (see usage info below) decrypt_overrides.py: Script to […]
Lessons from 863 episodes of This American Life
It took me a decade, but now I can finally say it: I’ve listened to every episode of This American Life. Or at least every episode they’ve aired so far, which right now means… all 863 of them. Anyone who knows me well enough will not be surprised to hear this, lol. the finish line […]