Large language models (LLMs) still feel a bit like magic to me. Of course, I understand the general machinery enough to know that they aren’t, but the gap between my outdated knowledge of the field and the state-of-the-art feels especially … Read more
2025-09-20 Few aspects of commercial telecommunications have quite the allure of the T-carrier. Well, to me, at least, but then I have very specific interests. T-carrier has this odd, enduring influence on discussion of internet connections. I remember that for … Read more
How a gem was cut and then lost Sometime in 1988, the keyboard of my Sinclair ZX Spectrum 48K was finally broken beyond repair, and I asked my parents for a 128K version of the same computer. Instead, they surprised … Read more
Rob Pike explains how Ken Thompson invented UTF-8 in one evening and how they together built the first system-wide implementation in less than a week. Subject: UTF-8 history From: “Rob ‘Commander’ Pike” Date: Wed, 30 Apr 2003 22:32:32 -0700 (Thu … Read more
Abstract From the very beginnings of our field in the late 18th century, psychiatrists have engaged, often extensively, in “metaphorical brain talk” – rephrasing descriptions of mental processes in unconfirmed brain metaphors (e.g., “diseased working of the brain convolutions”). In … Read more
Ars Technica mentioned that in macOS Tahoe the venerable old hard disk icons will be replaced with new, more generic, relatively less interesting equivalents. This process also apparently happens with Apple CEOs from time to time. If you are on … Read more
Terms of Use Privacy Policy Your US State Privacy Rights Children’s Online Privacy Policy Interest-Based Ads About Nielsen Measurement Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information Contact Us Disney Ad Sales Site Work for ESPN Copyright: ® ESPN Enterprises, … Read more
Sep 2, 2016 by brian d foy The history of the Schwartzian Transform is fascinating, full of intrigue, competing philosophies, and cross-language reluctant cooperation. The Schwartzian Transform is the name applied to a particular implementation of a cached-key sorting algorithm. … Read more
Photo of Karlheinz Stockhausen by Kathinka Pasveer via Wikimedia Commons You may hear the phrase “electronic music” and think of superstar dubstep DJs in funny helmets at beachside celebrity parties. Alternatively, you may think of the mercurial compositions of Karlheinz … Read more
Hi there, map-lovers! Available on this site is a complete history of cycling maps, including well over a hundred carefully-selected and restored extracts from the main providers of such maps. It has been created specifically and wholly for that purpose … Read more