How compilers turn simple loops into closed-form math: a surprising optimization
TL;DR A code example summing integers up to a value triggered markedly different optimizations in GCC and clang. GCC kept…
Popular Mario and Yoshi Games May Foster Childlike Wonder, Lower Burnout
TL;DR A mixed-methods study of Super Mario Bros. and Yoshi players found that these games are associated with increased feelings…
How AMD Broke Into CPUs 50 Years Ago With an Intel 8080 Clone
TL;DR Fifty years ago AMD entered the microprocessor market by producing the Am9080, a reverse-engineered clone of Intel's 8080. The…
My 2026 Open Social Web Predictions — Forecasts for Bluesky, Fediverse, Threads
TL;DR A set of quantified predictions for the open social web in 2026, grouped by likelihood: mild (very likely), medium…
SPICE at 40: The open-source simulator that shaped modern IC design
TL;DR SPICE, originally developed at UC Berkeley, was celebrated as a four-decade open-source success with an IEEE Milestone designation and…
Find Message Board Conversations Using Google ‘inurl’ Search Tricks
TL;DR A Hacker News commenter outlined simple Google search patterns to surface web forum threads by targeting URL fragments used…
Study: Electric vehicles no more likely to injure pedestrians than petrol cars
TL;DR Researchers at the University of Leeds analyzed UK road safety data from 2014–2023 and found pedestrian casualty rates for…
UNIX V4 tape recovered — early C-based UNIX kernel booted and runs again
TL;DR A 1970s nine-track tape containing UNIX V4 — the first edition where much of the kernel was in C…
Practical steps to keep older Windows and macOS systems usable into 2026
TL;DR The article outlines hands-on steps to refresh aging Windows and macOS installations so they remain usable into 2026 without…