Alvaro Lopez Ortega / 2026-05-30 Briefing

Created Sun, 31 May 2026 01:34:17 +0000 Modified Wed, 10 Jun 2026 13:54:29 +0000
5295 Words

Canonical will now manage Flutter desktop maintenance, with Google moving design libraries into standalone packages. NixOS 26.05 “Yarara” is out, featuring systemd-based Stage 1. Security researchers are investigating TLS wiretapping via acme.sh exploits, while the Opcode Collective is reverse-engineering Intel 8087 microcode. Additionally, Zig’s updated linker now supports LLVM-enabled builds.

💻 Software & Engineering

Zig ELF Linker Improvements

The updated Zig ELF linker now supports building the self-hosted compiler with LLVM and LLD enabled. It also introduces fast incremental compilation on x86_64 Linux, even when linking external libraries and C sources.

Data types à la carte (2008)

This document provides a list of Crossref citations for the 2008 article “Data types à la carte,” documenting the various publications that have referenced the work. The cited research primarily focuses on topics within functional programming, such as monads and type systems.

Custom Errors Are Non-Negotiable in My Rust Applications

The author advocates for using a custom AppError enum in Rust to centralize error management and prevent “type chaos” caused by diverse dependency errors. By leveraging map_err to wrap foreign error types, developers can establish a unified error contract and maintain a clean codebase without relying on third-party crates.

A New Design for Pretty Printer Implementations in Rust

The author examines the challenges of implementing academic pretty-printing algorithms in Rust, focusing on memory management difficulties caused by the lack of garbage collection. The post proposes a new design for Rust-based pretty printers by evaluating the trade-offs between Wadler-style document trees and Oppen-style streaming printers.

PSA: rsync’s in vibe-maintenance mode

Since version 3.4.1, rsync has integrated approximately three dozen “vibecoded” commits. Many recent issues with the software appear to be linked to these updates.

Voxel Space News

The 1992 game Comanche utilized a 2.5D “Voxel Space” engine to achieve advanced terrain textures and shading despite the era’s limited computing power. This technique employs ray casting to rasterize vertical lines from height and color maps, providing detailed landscapes while remaining restricted to simple geometries.

Canonical takes over Flutter desktop maintenance & roadmap

At Google I/O 2026, Google announced that Canonical will take over the maintenance and strategic stewardship of Flutter for desktop platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux. Additionally, Google is moving the Material and Cupertino design libraries out of the core Flutter SDK and into standalone packages to minimize the impact of breaking changes.

NixOS 26.05 released

NixOS 26.05 “Yarara” has been released, providing security updates and bugfixes until December 31, 2026. Major updates in this release include the transition of Stage 1 to be based on systemd by default, the introduction of GNOME 50, and the deprecation of x86_64-darwin support.

Nix on Sailfish X (Sailfish OS for Sony Xperia)

The article details a method for installing Nix and Nixpkgs on Sailfish OS to expand the available software package set for aarch64 devices. To optimize performance and prevent disk exhaustion, the author recommends using a separate LVM volume formatted with the F2FS file system.

Marknote 1.6.0

Marknote 1.6.0 has been released, introducing sub-folder support, a global note search via the command bar, and emoji completions. The update also adds note counts per notebook, an optional background blur effect for the editor, and various bug fixes.

Cheese Paper: a text editor specifically designed for writing

Cheese Paper is an offline text editor designed for fiction writers to manage stories, characters, and world-building notes. The software utilizes portable Markdown and TOML formats to ensure compatibility across devices and offers features such as integrated note-taking and single-file project exports.

Design Engineering Magazine

Interfaces is a monthly design engineering magazine focused on the craft of creating high-quality, intuitive user interfaces. Subscribers gain access to interactive demos, source code, a curated resource library, and a private Discord community.

wolfSSL releases a new product; wolfCOSE a zero alloc C embbedded COSE stack

wolfSSL has released wolfCOSE, a lightweight C library designed to implement CBOR and COSE standards in embedded environments. The library utilizes wolfSSL as its cryptographic backend and supports 40 algorithms, including post-quantum ML-DSA, while maintaining a minimal footprint and zero dynamic allocation.

Dusklight – GC Twilight Princess Decompiled

Dusklight, a decompiled version of the GameCube title Twilight Princess, is now available for PC and mobile platforms. The release features enhanced graphics and quality-of-life improvements but requires players to provide their own dump of the original game.

500 years of Joseon court omens as an observability dashboard

The Joseon dynasty (1392–1897) meticulously recorded natural phenomena, such as eclipses and droughts, as signs regarding the Mandate of Heaven. Using entries from the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, this collection presents these historical omens as a form of operational telemetry.

Vibe Coding Is Not Engineering

The article argues that “vibe coding” with LLMs is not a substitute for engineering because it lacks the discipline needed to create reliable and coherent systems. While AI can rapidly generate functional code, it fails to address critical architectural decisions such as defining constraints, failure modes, and system invariants.

Adding Linux support back for the BASIC (free) version of Vivado

Linux support is being re-introduced for the free version of Vivado. This update aims to restore functionality for users operating on Linux-based platforms.

Openrsync: An implementation of rsync, by the OpenBSD team

Openrsync is a BSD-licensed implementation of the rsync protocol that has been merged into the OpenBSD base system. While compatible with modern rsync versions, it supports only a subset of command-line arguments and is primarily intended for use on OpenBSD and other UNIX systems.

Pandoc Templates

This collection of Pandoc templates provides tools to convert Markdown files into various formats, including PDF, LaTeX, HTML, and ePub. These resources support a wide range of applications, such as academic publishing, resume creation, and website generation.

Rsync 3.4.3 has hundreds of Claude commits

Rsync version 3.4.3 has been released, featuring hundreds of commits from Claude. This update incorporates a large number of recent developer contributions to the software.

Macsurf, “modern” web browser for macOS 9

MacSurf is an experimental web browser designed to bring modern web technologies, such as CSS3 and ES5 JavaScript, to Classic Mac OS 9 on PowerPC hardware. While it supports native TLS connections, the project is currently in an early alpha stage and may struggle to render heavy, modern websites.

OpenRCT2 v0.5.1 “Swamp Castle” released Last version to support Windows 7

OpenRCT2 has released version 0.5.1, titled “Swamp Castle,” which introduces new plugin hooks, entertainer statistics, and improved Android app icons. The update includes numerous bug fixes for roller coasters and scenery, but it marks the final official release to support Windows 7 and 8.

I built an Android OS in the browser

MobileGym is a browser-based simulation platform designed for highly parallel and verifiable Reinforcement Learning training of mobile GUI agents. By utilizing a structured JSON environment to replicate 28 apps, it overcomes the scalability and determinism limitations inherent in real-device pipelines. Experiments demonstrate that agents fine-tuned on this platform achieve significant performance gains that transfer effectively to real-world devices.

TempleOS WASM

TempleOS WASM is a web-based implementation of the TempleOS operating system utilizing WebAssembly. The platform features a 64-bit architecture and allows users to initialize and boot the system directly within a browser.

🤖 Artificial Intelligence

Why “Dark Output” (invisible AI economic value) is a massive measurement problem (SemiAnalysis)

“Dark Output” refers to the AI-generated economic value that remains invisible to national statistics, creating one of the most significant economic measurement challenges in history. While the costs of AI are easily tracked, its productivity gains are difficult for GDP to capture, risking a disconnect between actual economic growth and official data.

How Schneider Electric is using AI in call centers and manufacturing to complement employees’ wor…

Schneider Electric is integrating artificial intelligence into its manufacturing and call center operations to enhance worker productivity rather than replace employees. The company focuses on using AI to automate repetitive and tedious tasks, allowing its workforce to focus on more impactful work.

Meta’s upcoming AI wearable devices

Meta plans to release new AI glasses next month and is developing an AI-powered pendant, with testing or release expected in the coming years. Additionally, the company intends to launch a “Wearables for Work” unit and subscription service focused on enterprise customers.

Starbucks Abandons Borked AI Inventory Tool That Couldn’t Count

Starbucks has discontinued its NomadGo AI-powered inventory tool after nine months due to frequent miscounting and mislabeling errors. The company is reverting to manual counting for beverage components and milk to ensure greater accuracy and consistency in its inventory process.

Tony Gilroy, Andor creator doesn’t want his work to become training data

Andor creator Tony Gilroy has scrapped plans to publish the series’ scripts and concept art online to prevent them from being used as training data for artificial intelligence. His decision underscores growing concerns among artists about the unauthorized use of copyrighted work to develop AI models.

EY Canada published a cybersecurity report and most citations were hallucinated

GPTZero is investigating a trend called “vibe citing,” where professional reports incorporate AI-generated hallucinations and fake citations. Their recent investigation into an EY Canada cybersecurity report revealed numerous fake statistics, misattributions, and broken URLs within the document.

Driver, 87, dies after Tesla on Autopilot mode crashes into pond

An 87-year-old man died after his Tesla Model Y, operating in Autopilot mode, veered off the road and crashed into a pond in Tampa, Florida. While a 75-year-old passenger survived the incident, authorities are currently investigating the cause of the crash.

Tesla Self-Certifies Level 4 Autonomous Vehicles in Texas

Tesla has self-certified its FSD software as SAE Level 4 compliant for commercial Robotaxi operations in Texas, enabling driverless transportation within specific operational domains. While this allows Tesla to assume operational liability for these vehicles, its consumer-grade cars remain classified as Level 2, meaning drivers are still responsible for supervision.

Let’s talk about encrypted reasoning

An investigation into LLM APIs from providers like OpenAI and Anthropic has revealed that “thinking” or “reasoning” blocks are transmitted to clients as encrypted, signed data. This mechanism allows clients to maintain conversation state in stateless environments by resubmitting these opaque reasoning blocks in subsequent turns.

🛡️ Security & Privacy

Parallel Reconstruction of Lawful TLS Wiretapping

The article examines the mechanics of lawful TLS wiretapping by analyzing a 2023 incident involving unauthorized certificate issuance. It explores how a vulnerability in the acme.sh automation tool (CVE-2023-38198) may have been exploited to facilitate these operations.

We are constantly broadcasting emotional data

Using a personal encounter with an aggressive stranger as an illustration, the author explores how humans constantly emit and interpret observable emotional signals. The piece highlights the growing trend of corporations tracking and leveraging these collected emotional data points.

Monero One – Private Monero Wallet for iOS

Monero One is a free, open-source, and non-custodial Monero wallet available for iOS and Android. The app utilizes technologies like ring signatures and stealth addresses to ensure transaction privacy and features native iOS integration alongside customizable security “safe zones.”

An Excruciatingly Detailed Guide to SSH

This article provides a detailed guide on using SSH local and remote port forwarding techniques for network traversal and accessing restricted services. It explains the syntax and application of the -L and -R flags to map ports between local and remote machines.

⚙️ Hardware & Computing

Intel 8087 Microcode Register Exchange

Members of the Opcode Collective are using high-resolution microscopic imagery to reverse-engineer the microcode of the Intel 8087 floating-point chip. The research specifically examines the 14 micro-instructions used to implement the FXCH instruction and analyzes the chip’s internal architecture, including its microcode ROM, datapath, and registers.

768GB Intel Optane DIMMs to run 1T-parameter LLM with single GPU at 4tps

A Redditor has demonstrated the potential of large-capacity persistent memory by running a 1-trillion-parameter Kimi K2.5 LLM on a single GPU. Using 768GB of inexpensive, second-hand Intel Optane DIMMs, the Xeon-based workstation achieved an inference speed of approximately 4 tokens per second.

A disappearing Service Processor (2025)

Engineers investigating intermittent network connectivity loss in the Oxide rack’s Service Processor suspected task starvation or stack overflows within the Hubris operating system. By utilizing SWD debug headers, the team successfully reproduced the issue to facilitate further diagnostic analysis.

Jef Raskin, the Visionary Behind the Mac (2013)

Jef Raskin, the founder of Apple’s Macintosh project, discusses his vision for a simple, appliance-like graphical user interface. He also clarifies misconceptions regarding his musical background and critiques the increasing complexity of modern Mac software.

Acer’s launching a Linux handheld for streaming your PC games

Acer has announced the Nitro Blaze Link, a Linux-based handheld designed specifically for streaming PC games rather than local gameplay. Scheduled for release in Q4 2026, the device features a 7-inch display, 1GB of RAM, and 8GB of storage.

🌐 Business & Policy

PitchBook: Global robotics/physical AI VC hit $26B in 2025, up from $4.2B in 2019; $23B by May 20

Global venture capital investment in robotics and physical AI surged from $4.2 billion in 2019 to $26 billion in 2025. Investors are increasingly expanding beyond software into AI infrastructure and “physical AI,” focusing on autonomous machines capable of performing complex real-world tasks.

Antenna: US streaming bundles hit 33% of new subs, up from 10% in 2024; 28% of all subs

Major streaming services are increasingly utilizing bundled packages to combat rising subscriber cancellation rates. These bundles, which now account for 33% of new major subscriptions in the US, offer more affordable access to multiple platforms and have significantly reduced churn.

China’s tech boom sparks new tech tourism: robotaxi rides and EV factory tours

A new trend of “tech tourism” is emerging in China, where investors and engineers pay for curated tours of electric vehicle factories, AI startups, and robotics companies. These trips offer firsthand access to China’s rapid technological advancements and manufacturing capabilities in cities like Shanghai and Shenzhen.

Anthropic-backed Public First and OpenAI-backed Leading the Future clash over midterms

Two super PACs, Public First and Leading the Future, are engaged in a high-stakes rivalry to influence midterm elections and AI regulation. Backed by Anthropic and OpenAI respectively, the groups are spending millions of dollars in what is effectively a proxy war between the two AI giants.

Anthropic cuts unauthorized secondary market seller list from 8 to 4 amid investor pushback

Anthropic has halved its list of unauthorized secondary market platforms from eight to four following investor backlash and a rebuttal from one of the named firms. The company’s initial notice warned that any trades through these platforms would be considered void due to violations of its transfer restrictions.

OpenAI President Greg Brockman: Product lead and AI ambassador to Trump administration (WSJ)

OpenAI President Greg Brockman is taking on a more prominent role overseeing the company’s product strategy, including the development of a new integrated “super app.” With an equity stake valued at nearly $30 billion, Brockman has emerged as one of the world’s wealthiest individuals.

BlackBerry stock up over 160% in 3 months as QNX automotive software targets robot OS

BlackBerry’s stock has surged more than 160% over the past three months, driven by significant retail investor interest. The rally is also fueled by the QNX division’s efforts to position its automotive software as an operating system for robotics.

Shanghai AI firm MiniMax prepares for Chinese IPO as ARR hits $300M (Bloomberg)

Shanghai-based AI startup MiniMax Group Inc. has begun preparations for a domestic Chinese IPO to compete with local rivals such as DeepSeek. This move follows the company’s January listing in Hong Kong and aims to secure funding for costly model development and expansion.

Google’s keyword ads face criticism after Delhi High Court ruling in Hindware dispute

The Delhi High Court has ruled that Google’s keyword advertising practices infringe on Hindware’s trademark by allowing competitors to use the brand name as a searchable keyword. The decision has drawn support from prominent Indian entrepreneurs who argue that such practices allow rivals to divert traffic from established brands.

Samsung’s massive bonuses spark debate in Korea over AI boom profit-sharing (Bloomberg)

Samsung Electronics offered bonuses of up to $400,000 to its memory division employees in South Korea to prevent a strike that threatened global chip supply chains. These massive payouts have sparked a debate over how the profits from the artificial intelligence boom should be distributed between companies and the government.

Microsoft degrades functionality of perpetually-licensed offline products

On July 13, 2026, Microsoft Office 2019 and 2021 for Mac will enter a “reduced functionality mode” due to an expiring license-validation certificate. This change will prevent users from editing or saving files, effectively rendering the software view-only.

The timing of the impending crude crisis

While the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has triggered a massive global oil supply shock, crude prices have remained below 2022 highs due to structural adjustments, existing inventories, and expectations of a quick resolution. However, prices are expected to rise materially in the coming months as temporary buffers are depleted and the supply shortfall intensifies.

Thiel moves family to Milei’s libertarian Argentina

Peter Thiel has moved his family to Argentina. The country is currently under the leadership of libertarian President Javier Milei.

Hormuz crisis side effect: a sharp rise in container shipping rates

Container shipping rates are surging globally following the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has driven bunker fuel costs up by nearly 70%. Ocean carriers are passing these increased expenses to importers, leading to significant rate hikes across major trade lanes including Shanghai to Los Angeles and New York.

Nikon weaponizes lower prices to break ASML’s lithography monopoly

Nikon is attempting to challenge ASML’s dominance in the lithography market by offering more affordable argon fluoride (ArF) tools. By leveraging in-house manufacturing to reduce costs, the company aims to regain market share within the deep ultraviolet (DUV) segment, specifically targeting chipmakers in the U.S. and Asia.

Downdetector and Speedtest sold to Accenture for $1.2B

Accenture has agreed to acquire the Ookla-owned platforms Downdetector and Speedtest from Ziff Davis for $1.2 billion. Upon regulatory approval, Accenture plans to leverage the platforms’ network data to assist business and government clients in scaling AI technologies safely.

Airlines Can’t Charge You for What You Wear

The VoyageCoat is a multifunctional garment designed to help travelers avoid rising airline baggage fees by serving as wearable luggage. The waterproof coat features 16 hidden pockets capable of holding up to 14lbs of clothing and can be folded into a built-in duffel bag.

Missouri cut Dolly Parton’s book program because lawmakers don’t know its value

Missouri lawmakers have reduced the budget for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library from approximately $6 million to $2 million, potentially preventing new children from enrolling in the monthly book-gifting program. Critics argue that this significant funding cut undermines early literacy efforts and could lead to increased long-term educational costs for the state.

Proposed new US funding rules: We can cancel any grant at any time

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is initiating a formal rulemaking process to centralize federal grantmaking authority, shifting final decision-making from peer reviewers to political appointees. The proposed rules would allow agencies to cancel grants based on “national interest” and could impose new restrictions on international collaborations and specific research topics.

Congress moves to integrate US and Israeli militaries

The House version of the 2027 National Defense Authorization Act proposes a new initiative to deeply integrate the U.S. and Israeli military-industrial sectors. This provision seeks to expand cooperation in advanced technologies, such as AI and cyber defense, through joint research, co-production, and shared data integration.

US strike campaign against drug boats tops 200 deaths

The $4.7 billion U.S. military campaign against suspected drug-smuggling boats has killed nearly 200 people but has failed to significantly reduce cocaine availability in the United States. Researchers report that the operation has not impacted drug prices or purity, as traffickers are simply shifting to alternative smuggling methods.

Naphtha shortages in Japan

Naphtha shortages driven by the Iran war are impacting various Japanese manufacturing sectors, including food, chemicals, and medical supplies. Consequently, companies such as Calbee and Mizkan have implemented packaging changes or suspended certain product sales due to difficulties procuring essential materials like ink and solvents.

WH proposes rules giving political appointees final approval on research grants

The White House has proposed new regulations that would centralize control of federal research grants under the Office of Management and Budget, granting political appointees final authority over funding decisions. The proposal seeks to replace traditional, independent peer-review processes with oversight based on presidential priorities, prompting concerns among scientists that political influence could supersede scientific merit.

🌌 Science & Society

Am I a Bad Friend?

The author analyzed 20 years of digital chat history, totaling 1.2 million messages from platforms like Telegram and Instagram, to create a structured personal archive. This data-driven project sought to move beyond tracking life events to better understand social patterns, emotional bandwidth, and friendship dynamics.

Rocket exhibit at National Space Centre pulls off unintentional NASA SLS impression

A rocket exhibit at the National Space Centre has drawn attention for its unintentional resemblance to NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS). However, the display’s simulated launch failed to live up to expectations.

How to watch the Champions League final: Arsenal vs PSG live for free

The 2026 UEFA Champions League final between Arsenal and PSG will take place on May 30th at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest. Viewers can watch the match through paid streaming services like Paramount+ and TNT Sports, or via free, geo-restricted European broadcasters such as RTÉ Player.

Think the internet is toxic? These EU countries have it the worst

Recent Eurostat data reveals that 42.3% of EU internet users encountered hostile online content in 2025, with Ireland recording the highest prevalence and Latvia the lowest. Meanwhile, anti-racism watchdogs are warning of rising levels of hate speech across Europe.

Two abandoned Soviet space shuttles left in the Kazakh steppe (2017)

Two abandoned Soviet Buran space shuttles and a rocket lie derelict in hangars at Kazakhstan’s Baikonur Cosmodrome. Developed as a Cold War response to the U.S. space shuttle, the program was canceled in 1993 due to a lack of funding following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Shantell Sans

Artist Shantell Martin has released Shantell Sans, a variable font that ranges from highly readable to experimental styles. Inspired by her experience with dyslexia, the typeface is being shared under an open license to promote accessibility and empower users through playful typography.

Oscar-winning Star Wars editor Marcia Lucas dies aged 80

Marcia Lucas, the Oscar-winning editor of the original Star Wars trilogy, has passed away at age 80 from metastatic cancer. A trailblazing figure in cinema, she was renowned for bringing emotional depth and narrative clarity to iconic films such as A New Hope, American Graffiti, and several works by Martin Scorsese.

Werner Herzog in conversation with Paul Cronin (2014)

In an interview excerpt, filmmaker Werner Herzog recounts a minor shooting incident he experienced in the Hollywood Hills. He also discusses his appreciation for the creative energy and diverse lifestyles found within Los Angeles.

To have a moral stance on AI is to be an outcast, and it sucks

The author expresses a vehement opposition to AI, citing various harms such as environmental damage, worker exploitation, and the spread of misinformation. They describe the social isolation and difficulty of maintaining an ethical stance in a society increasingly driven by the technology’s convenience.

AI Job Grief: The Unnamed Psychological Crisis Hitting Tech Workers

Tech workers are experiencing a unique form of psychological distress, often termed “AI job grief,” as automation threatens to erode their professional identities. This phenomenon goes beyond standard economic anxiety, involving the “anticipatory mourning” of specialized expertise and personal autonomy.

Memory decline after menopause linked to loss of estrogen production in brain

A Northwestern Medicine study suggests that the loss of estrogen after menopause may increase Alzheimer’s risk in women by altering the brain’s extracellular matrix, the supportive network between cells. These findings offer a potential new therapeutic approach focused on restoring this cellular environment to protect memory and combat neurodegeneration.

As floods get worse, Britain tries a new solution: beavers

Britain is reintroducing beavers to act as natural flood engineers by creating wetlands that absorb heavy rainfall caused by climate change. This sustainable approach helps prevent downstream flooding and promotes biodiversity more cost-effectively than traditional infrastructure.

Helios – what plug-in solar could generate for any address in Britain

Following the legalization of plug-in solar panels in the UK, Helios provides estimates for potential electricity generation and financial savings for specific addresses. The tool utilizes UK government LIDAR data to account for local obstacles, such as buildings or hills, that may block sunlight.

Leo’s first encyclical attacks technological messianism

Pope Leo’s first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, focuses on challenging the unregulated development of artificial intelligence and warning against the replacement of humans with AI. The document also addresses various global issues, such as the need for fact-checked journalism and the obsolescence of the “just war” doctrine.

Inferno (Boards of Canada)

Scottish electronic duo Boards of Canada has released Inferno, marking their first studio album in thirteen years. Released on May 29, 2026, via Warp Records, the project features ambient and IDM-inspired music exploring themes of spirituality and the occult.

The Kaiser and a “Mediocre Man” Theory of History

The “mediocre man” theory of history proposes that historical progress is shaped by both structural forces and the significant decisions of ordinary, often incompetent, leaders. Using Kaiser Wilhelm II as a case study, the author argues that the personal failures of such individuals can profoundly alter the course of world history.

Iron-rich immune cells help homing pigeons navigate

A new study suggests that iron-rich immune cells in the livers of homing pigeons may function as a magnetic compass. Researchers discovered that magnetic particles within these macrophages could provide a new mechanism for how animals navigate using Earth’s magnetic field.

Key Chemistry Question Answered, No Quantum Computer Required

Researchers at the California Institute of Technology have successfully used classical computing methods to model the complex electron behavior of the enzyme nitrogenase. This achievement challenges the assumption that quantum computers are essential for understanding such intricate biochemical processes, though debate persists regarding their necessity for large-scale discoveries.