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Apple Intelligence beta 📱, tech job recession 📉, Safe C++👨‍💻

The recently released public betas of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 include Apple Intelligence features. 

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TLDR 2024-09-20

LLMs, coding assistants, and the death of the junior developer (Sponsor)

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📱

Big Tech & Startups

Apple Intelligence is now available in public betas (1 minute read)

The recently released public betas of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 include Apple Intelligence features. Users looking to access the betas will need to register on Apple's beta software program site. Only iPhone 15 Pro phones and iPads and Macs with M1 chips or newer will be able to use Apple Intelligence. Apple plans to release final versions of the operating systems in October.
OpenAI to Decide Which Backers to Let Into $6.5 Billion Funding (1 minute read)

OpenAI's latest fundraising round is nearing completion. Prospective investors will find out on Friday whether they'll be part of the deal. The $6.5 billion funding round is oversubscribed, with an excess of demand in the billions of dollars. It is set to value OpenAI at $150 billion. Thrive Capital is rumored to be leading the round with a check for $1.25 billion.
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Science & Futuristic Technology

Patents for software and genetic code could be revived by two bills in Congress (3 minute read)

The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to consider a pair of bills that would effectively nullify the Supreme Court's rulings against patents on broad software processes and human genes. Software and Internet advocates have taken notice and are taking steps to defend open source software against patent trolls. Regulators say the bills are necessary for a number of emerging sectors to prevent the stifling of innovation. Detractors say that the bills will be a huge gift to patent trolls, tech firms that aggressively license patents, and patent lawyers, but will be a loss for everyone else.
Real-time Linux is officially part of the kernel after decades of debate (2 minute read)

Real-time Linux, which enables high-end audio production and many other applications, has been available via out-of-tree patches since 2005. It has now been merged into the official Linux kernel, making it easier for developers to maintain real-time systems. Developers will no longer have to tend to out-of-tree patches when developing mission-critical systems. The update will likely have no impact on most desktop Linux users.
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Programming, Design & Data Science

The empire of C++ strikes back with Safe C++ blueprint (5 minute read)

The Safe C++ Extensions proposal, recently published by the C++ community, aims to address the challenge of ensuring that C++ code is free of memory safety bugs. Private and public sector organizations have been pushing programmers to write new applications and rewrite old ones in memory safe languages over the past two years. The majority of serious vulnerabilities in large codebases come from memory safety flaws. The Safe C++ project adds new technology for ensuring memory safety, preventing users from writing unsafe code. It allows existing code to work as always and ensures stakeholders have control for incrementally opting into safety.
Paying down tech debt: further learnings (9 minute read)

Reducing tech debt can help developers get into 'the flow' - making small changes can lead to making more substantial changes. It is also a great way to learn a new codebase. Large-scale rewrites need heavyweight support, and a lot of commitment is required. They require everyone in the company to understand what needs to be done.
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Miscellaneous

Tech Jobs Have Dried Up — and Aren't Coming Back Soon (11 minute read)

Once fought over by companies, tech talent is now competing for scarce positions. The reversal of fortunes signals a reset in an industry adjusting its labor needs. Job postings are down and industry layoffs have continued this year. Companies are shifting their strategies to focus on revenue-generating products and services, pulling back on entry-level hires, cutting recruiting teams, and shutting down projects and jobs that aren't huge moneymakers.
Forbes Marketplace: The Parasite SEO Company Trying to Devour Its Host (25 minute read)

Forbes ranks highly for many topics it has no authority on. Its dominance on Google is due to a completely separate company called Forbes Marketplace, which runs several sections of the Forbes website. Forbes Marketplace is the single largest and most successful parasite SEO program of all time, and it's just getting started. It likely has plans to go after every affiliate category unless Google stops it.

Quick Links

Affordable. Online. It's your time. Find your degree today. (Sponsor)

Ready to reach your goals? SNHU is a private, nonprofit, accredited university that offers some of the lowest online tuition rates in the nation. Explore 200+ online degree programs.
Sidekick (GitHub Repo)

Sidekick creates production-ready servers in minutes, making hosting side projects as straightforward and affordable as possible.
From myth to measurement: Rethinking US News & World Report College Rankings (11 minute read)

The US News & World Report college rankings system is rife with flaws, manipulations, and unintended consequences.
Vapour (GitHub Repo)

Vapour is a typed superset of R in very early alpha.
Google employees' attempts to hide messages from investigators might backfire (4 minute read)

Google employees liberally labeled emails as 'privileged and confidential' and spoke off-the-record over chat messages even after being told to preserve communications for investigators.
The Mr. Beast Memo is a Guide to the Gen Z Workforce (15 minute read)

This post looks at the good and bad of MrBeast's leaked memo with a specific focus on the attention economy and what it says about Gen Z workstyle.
Seeing Like A Network (25 minute read)

Our information networks have become much more dense, causing a phase change that is at the root of a lot of societal problems.

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