Today’s highlights include the Louvre jewel heist exposing security flaws, the controversy over Salesforce’s proposed AI use for ICE, and AI’s evolving role in research, gaming, and scalable adoption, alongside technical advances like YKK’s eco-friendly zipper and the retraction of GPT-5’s false breakthroughs.
▶️ Internet Infrastructure
RFCs: The Foundation of Internet Standards Since 1969
RFCs are official documents that standardize internet protocols and systems, originating in 1969, with RFC 1 establishing foundational network communication rules, now maintained by the IETF.
- RFCs (Requests for Comments) are official documents defining internet standards, protocols, and system interactions, created by engineers and scientists since 1969.
- The first RFC, “Host Software,” was published on April 7, 1969, by Steve Crocker, marking the start of formal internet documentation.
- RFCs are numbered sequentially, maintained by the IETF, and include foundational protocols like TCP/IP, HTTP, and DNS, serving as the internet’s blueprints.
Louvre Jewel Heist: Thieves Use Basket Lift in Rapid Daylight Theft
Thieves used a basket lift to steal eight Napoleonic jewels from the Louvre in a four-minute daylight heist, exposing security gaps amid staffing and crowding challenges.
- Thieves used a basket lift to access the Louvre’s facade, forced a window, smashed display cases, and stole priceless Napoleonic jewels in approximately four minutes.
- The theft involved eight objects, including Empress Eugénie’s diadem and her large corsage-bow brooch, with the crown of Napoleon III’s wife later found broken outside the museum.
- The incident occurred during public hours, highlighting security vulnerabilities despite recent upgrades and ongoing security concerns amid overcrowding and staffing issues.
Xeus-Octave Brings GNU Octave to JupyterLite with WebAssembly Support
Isabel Paredes announced Xeus-Octave, enabling GNU Octave in JupyterLite via WebAssembly, overcoming cross-compilation challenges with Fortran common symbols and integrating BLAS/LAPACK.
- Announced the addition of Xeus-Octave kernel to JupyterLite, enabling GNU Octave code execution directly in browsers
- Cross-compiled GNU Octave to WebAssembly using LLVM Flang and Emscripten, addressing challenges with Fortran common symbols and BLAS/LAPACK integration
- Required modifications included disabling GUI features and consolidating Fortran signatures; OpenBLAS and Netlib LAPACK supported during build
Xubuntu.org Downloads Serve Malware Amid Site Compromise
xubuntu.org’s download links are compromised, serving malware ZIP files instead of legitimate torrents; community advises verifying checksums and avoiding the site.
- xubuntu.org download links serve a ZIP file containing a suspicious executable with a tos.txt starting with “Copyright (c) 2026 Xubuntu.org” (year 2025), indicating potential compromise.
- The executable appears as a GUI downloader for Xubuntu, with no torrent inside, raising security concerns.
- VirusTotal analysis confirms the ZIP file is malware; verified checksums for official images remain unchanged.
- The torrent link now points to a ZIP file instead of a “.torrent” file, suggesting site compromise.
- Community members advise verifying checksums via alternative sources and warn against trusting the compromised site.
SBC.Compare: Your Guide to Comparing Single Board Computers and Benchmarks
sbc.compare offers a platform to compare SBCs like Raspberry Pi, with detailed benchmarks and specifications, aiding users in selecting suitable hardware based on performance data.
- Provides a comparison tool for single board computers (SBCs) including benchmarks, specifications, and performance data
- Supports comparison of popular SBCs such as Raspberry Pi 5 vs Raspberry Pi 4, Orange Pi 5B, and Radxa X4
- Allows users to search by name, manufacturer, or specifications, and compare up to three boards simultaneously
Steven Qiu Champions LiDAR Over Vision-Only Systems for Safer Self-Driving Cars
Steven Qiu advocates for multi-sensor systems with LiDAR for self-driving cars, criticizing Elon Musk’s vision-only approach as unsafe and insufficient for SAE Levels 3-4 automation.
- Steven Qiu, founder and chief scientist of RoboSense, states multi-sensor systems, including LiDAR, are safer than vision-only systems for self-driving vehicles.
- Qiu argues vision-only systems cannot handle corner cases, preventing vehicles from achieving SAE Levels 3 or 4 automation.
- RoboSense held the world’s largest passenger car LiDAR market share in 2024, according to Yole Group.
▶️ Open Source
Dosbian 3.0 Launches with DOS Boot and Updated Dosbox for Raspberry Pi 2025
Dosbian 3.0, released on September 1, 2025, for Raspberry Pi 3/4/400/5/500, updates Dosbox to 0.82 with MMX support, ensures optimal performance on Pi 5/500, and boots directly into DOS environment for retro software and gaming.
- Dosbian 3.0 for Raspberry Pi was released on 09/01/2025, supporting Pi 3/4/400/5/500 models.
- Incorporates latest distro updates for Raspberry Pi 5/500 and updates Dosbox Staging to version 0.82 with MMX support.
- Boots directly into DOS via Dosbox with no configuration needed, enabling running DOS, Windows 3.1/95/98, retro games, and creating virtual floppy/HDD images.
Decompilation of Duke Nukem Zero Hour for N64 with Ubuntu build instructions
Repository provides a decompilation of Duke Nukem Zero Hour for N64, with build instructions for Ubuntu and Docker, requiring specific dependencies and ROM placement for compilation.
- Repository hosts a decompilation of Duke Nukem Zero Hour for N64, available at GitHub
- Requires Ubuntu 20.04 dependencies: make, git, build-essential, binutils-mips-linux-gnu, cpp-mips-linux-gnu, python3, python3-pip
- Build process involves placing the game ROM as baserom.us.z64, running
make setup, thenmake --jobs; supports French version with VERSION=fr
James Propp’s Visual Approach to Ford Spheres and Number Theory
James Propp explores visualizing Ford spheres and fractals to enhance understanding of number theory, emphasizing collaborative illustration, historical context, and the importance of accessible mathematical imagery.
- James Propp advocates for low-tech mathematics and visual illustration to complement computational methods, emphasizing self-verification and conceptual understanding.
- He discusses the 2016 ICERM workshop “Illustrating Mathematics,” which fostered a community producing mathematical visuals, including webinars since 2023.
- Propp’s recent work involves visualizing Ford spheres and their fractal arrangements, inspired by Lester Ford’s 1938 description, highlighting their number-theoretic significance and dense rational set properties.
PixelMelt Improves Kindle DRM Removal with Full-Page OCR Using Tesseract 5
The author enhanced PixelMelt’s Kindle web deobfuscator by OCRing full pages with Tesseract 5, improving accuracy and layout, addressing previous character misinterpretation and site limitations.
- PixelMelt published a method to download Amazon Kindle books without DRM by reverse-engineering web obfuscation, involving JSON files, SVG reconstruction, and OCR.
- The original approach was limited to amazon.com and produced OCR errors due to centered glyphs, causing misinterpretation of characters like full stops and commas.
- The author improved the method by OCRing entire pages instead of individual characters, using Tesseract 5 with layout preservation, achieving more accurate text extraction and better visual layout.
Fine-Tuning Resurges with New Tools and Cost-Effective Approaches in AI
Fine-tuning is returning as a strategic tool for AI control and differentiation, supported by new frameworks like LoRA and Tinker, enabling modular, cost-effective, and precise model customization.
- Fine-tuning is experiencing a resurgence due to new tools, approaches, and increased demand for model control, with platforms like Thinking Machines Lab’s Tinker facilitating research.
- LoRA (Low-Rank Adaptation), introduced by Microsoft Research in 2021, reduces fine-tuning costs by freezing original weights and training small low-rank matrices, becoming the default method by 2024.
- Modern fine-tuning pipelines are modular, serverless, and support multiple adapters during inference, with platforms like Together.ai and Tinker offering low-level training control and orchestration.
▶️ Management and Leadership
Four Elite Universities Reject Trump’s Higher Ed Compact Amid Opposition
Four universities rejected Trump’s “higher ed compact,” which seeks federal control over university policies; the administration pressures remaining institutions amid opposition from states and academic groups.
- Four of nine elite universities—University of Pennsylvania, Brown, USC, and MIT—refused to sign Trump’s “higher ed compact” by October 20 deadline
- The compact demands universities increase conservative engagement, cede control over admissions and hiring, adopt biological definitions of sex and gender, and limit protests
- The American Council on Education and state officials, including California Governor Gavin Newsom, oppose the compact, citing threats to academic freedom and potential loss of funding
Andrej Karpathy on Sleep, Study Strategies, and Exam Success
Andrej Karpathy emphasizes effective study habits, proper sleep, early preparation, strategic exam techniques, and prioritizing real-world experience over grades for success.
- Andrej Karpathy advises against all-nighters; optimal sleep is around 7.5 hours, minimum 4 hours, to enhance memory consolidation.
- Study strategies include attending tutorials, creating organized study schedules, reviewing previous tests, and collaborating near exam deadlines.
- For exam day, intense study 30-45 minutes before, using pencils, marking answers clearly, and never leaving early are recommended; during tests, prioritize easy questions and communicate with markers.
Hidden Backdoor in XZ Utils Exposes Limits of Debian Package Security
Better Debian packaging practices and source code auditing tools alone could not have reasonably detected the XZ backdoor, as it was carefully hidden within build scripts and test data, requiring extensive manual review or upstream cooperation.
- The XZ Utils backdoor (CVE-2024-3094) was discovered in versions 5.6.0/5.6.1 in spring 2024, briefly affecting major Linux distributions including Debian and Fedora.
- The malicious code was embedded in build scripts (
m4/build-to-host.m4) and test files, with the backdoor concealed through normal packaging practices. - Auditing Debian source packages using tools like
debsnap,gpg,diffoscope, and git history review cannot reliably detect such sophisticated backdoors due to their concealment and the complexity of build processes.
Uber Drivers Can Now Earn by Training AI While Automation Expands
Uber’s new microtask program enables drivers to train AI, potentially replacing driving jobs; Waymo’s autonomous delivery pilot with DoorDash exemplifies automation’s expansion.
- Uber introduced a program allowing drivers to earn income by training AI models through microtasks like photo and audio uploads.
- Uber aims to diversify driver income and accelerate automation; the company already operates autonomous rides in Atlanta and Austin.
- Waymo partnered with DoorDash to test driverless grocery and meal deliveries in Phoenix, with no tipping required as no drivers are involved.
Hsinchu’s Tech Boom Boosts Fertility but Housing Costs Threaten Demographics
Hsinchu’s tech industry sustains higher fertility rates (~1.02 in 2023) due to high salaries and job security, but rising housing costs exacerbate inequality and threaten long-term demographic stability.
- Hsinchu’s fertility rate remained around 1.02 in 2023, above Taiwan’s national low of 0.87 in 2023 and 0.89 in 2024
- Tech salaries and economic stability in Hsinchu support young families, with TSMC employees accounting for at least 2% of Taiwan’s children born in 2023
- Housing prices in Hsinchu have nearly doubled over five years, pricing out lower-income residents and causing demographic shifts
Uber Launches Pilot Program for U.S. Drivers to Earn Through Online Tasks
Uber announced a pilot allowing U.S. drivers to perform online tasks such as AI data labeling, with pay based on task complexity, alongside new rider and driver safety features.
- Uber will enable U.S. drivers and couriers to earn money through the app when not actively transporting passengers or food.
- The pilot program includes tasks like uploading photos to train AI models, tested in India, with pay varying by task complexity.
- Additional features include rider rating preferences, delayed ride guarantees, and the expansion of women rider-driver pairing in select markets.
James Shore Urges Shift to Business Results with Product Bets Accountability
James Shore advocates replacing feature-date accountability with strategic “product bets” using estimated value, sponsorship, and present value models to align software development with business results.
- James Shore presented “The Accountability Problem” keynote at Agile Cambridge 2025 on October 2nd, emphasizing shifting accountability from features and dates to business results.
- Introduced “product bets” as high-level strategic investments with estimated value, sponsor, maximum wager, and use of present value calculations to demonstrate accountability.
- Uses spreadsheets to model product bets, calculating present value based on sales, upsell, retention, cost savings, and expenditures, with a focus on value rather than precise measurement.
Salesforce CEO Proposed Using AI to Expand ICE Deportation Efforts
Salesforce proposed using AI to help ICE hire 10,000 officers and expand deportation efforts, amid controversy over Benioff’s political stance and past government collaborations.
- Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff proposed to ICE using internal documents, including a five-page memo, spreadsheets, and slides, to assist in rapidly hiring 10,000 immigration officers and enhancing deportation operations with AI technology.
- Salesforce declined to comment publicly but did not dispute the authenticity of the documents; the company’s past collaborations with ICE occurred under Obama and Biden administrations.
- The revelation follows Benioff’s earlier support for sending National Guard troops into San Francisco and has sparked backlash within the city’s liberal community, with protests and calls for Salesforce to drop its ICE contracts.
Windows 11 October Update KB5066835 Breaks WinRE Input Functionality
Microsoft’s Windows 11 25H2 October update KB5066835 breaks WinRE input functionality, making recovery tools unusable; a fix is expected in the coming days.
- Windows 11 25H2 October update KB5066835 causes mouse and keyboard input failure in Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE).
- The issue renders WinRE completely unusable while input devices function normally within the main OS.
- Microsoft confirmed working on a fix, with more details to be provided in upcoming updates.
X Launches Handle Marketplace for Premium Users with Prices Up to Seven Figures
X introduces an ongoing Handle Marketplace for Premium Plus and Business users to buy inactive usernames, with prices from $2,500 to over seven figures, risking account reversion upon downgrade.
- X is launching a marketplace for inactive handles accessible to Premium Plus and Business subscribers via X Handle Marketplace.
- Handles are categorized into Priority (free, includes full names, multi-word phrases, alphanumeric) and Rare (paid, priced from $2,500 to over seven figures).
- Securing a new handle will freeze the old one; account downgrades revert to the original username, causing loss of the marketplace handle.
YKK’s AiryString Zipper Reduces Environmental Impact with Fabric-Free Design
YKK’s AiryString zipper removes fabric tape for a lighter, more flexible closure, reducing environmental impact and requiring specialized manufacturing, with early industry adoption indicating potential widespread use.
- YKK has developed the AiryString zipper, removing the traditional fabric tape for a lighter, sleeker, and more flexible design.
- The new zipper design eliminates the fabric tape, reducing material use, dyeing water, and environmental impact; it requires specialized manufacturing equipment.
- Early adopters include The North Face and Descente Japan; the zipper offers smoother operability, softer feel, and improved garment movement.
- The redesign involves new teeth, manufacturing processes, and dedicated sewing machinery to attach the closure, addressing previous production challenges.
- YKK’s AiryString is available in a 100% recycled-material version, aiming to lower CO₂ emissions and water consumption at scale across 71 countries.
- The innovation aligns with YKK’s “Cycle of Goodness” philosophy, emphasizing small parts making a big environmental and functional difference, with gradual industry adoption expected.
▶️ Technology
OpenAI retracts claims of GPT-5 solving Erdős problems; AI aids research via literature review
OpenAI’s false claims of GPT-5 solving unsolved Erdős problems were retracted after criticism; AI currently aids research through literature review, not independent problem-solving.
- OpenAI researchers claimed GPT-5 solved 10 previously unsolved Erdős problems and advanced 11 others, suggesting breakthroughs in mathematical problem-solving.
- The claims were retracted after criticism from mathematicians and AI leaders, including Demis Hassabis and Yann LeCun, citing misleading communication and hype.
- The actual utility of GPT-5 lies in literature review assistance, helping researchers locate relevant papers, with Terence Tao emphasizing AI’s role in accelerating basic research tasks rather than solving complex problems independently.
Advocating for CPU-Like Performance Metrics in SSDs for Better Drive Health and Load Analysis
Chris Siebenmann advocates for SSDs to provide CPU-like performance metrics, emphasizing the need for detailed internal operation data, especially for write performance and drive health analysis.
- SSDs lack CPU performance counter style metrics; current data is limited to vendor-specific SMART attributes like ‘block erase count’ and ‘NAND GB written’
- SATA SSDs expose some low-level info via SMART, but NVMe SSDs do not provide similar flexible metrics
- Understanding SSD internal behavior under load, such as erase stalls or operation counts, is hindered by limited metric exposure; current focus is on write metrics and potential for counters on various operations
AI Accelerates Game Development and Innovates Gameplay Experiences
AI can accelerate game development and enable innovative gameplay, like dynamic NPCs, potentially reducing the decade-long timeline for titles such as Grand Theft Auto 6.
- Jack Buser, Google Cloud’s global director for games, states AI is transforming the gaming industry by streamlining operations and accelerating project timelines.
- AI can significantly reduce development iteration times, enabling faster transition from game ideas to release, potentially shortening multi-year development cycles.
- AI’s impact on gameplay includes creating new experiences, such as advanced NPCs capable of natural language conversations, enhancing interactivity and immersion.
Andrej Karpathy Warns AI Agents Will Take a Decade to Achieve Functionality
Andrej Karpathy predicts it will take a decade to develop functional AI agents due to technical limitations, criticizing industry overhype and emphasizing human-AI collaboration over full autonomy.
- Andrej Karpathy states AI agents will take about a decade to become functional due to issues like limited intelligence, multimodality, and lack of continual learning
- He criticizes industry overhyping, aiming for future fully autonomous collaboration, which he opposes
- Current error rate per action in AI agents is approximately 20%, leading to only 32% accuracy over five steps
Huawei Unveils ACT Pathway for Scalable AI Adoption at Huawei Connect 2025
Huawei’s ACT pathway enables scalable AI adoption through scenario assessment, vertical data calibration, and AI agent deployment, supported by Huawei’s AI-oriented ICT infrastructure and open ecosystem.
- Huawei unveiled the ACT pathway for large-scale AI adoption at Huawei Connect 2025 in Shanghai, based on five key findings from customer projects.
- The ACT pathway involves assessing high-value scenarios, calibrating AI models with vertical data, and transforming operations with AI agents, emphasizing systematic governance.
- Huawei’s solutions include MegaWatt large model for power grid defect detection, achieving over 90% accuracy and fivefold efficiency improvement, and an AI medical record system reducing consultation time to one second.