GitHub 提供更輕量的 Commit Reference SHA-1 API

GitHub 提供了新的 API 讓 client 可以更省網路資源,同時 GitHub 本身也可以省下 query。雖然是 Preview 期間,但已經有專案開始用了:「Commit Reference SHA-1 Preview Period」。

本來是這樣抓:

curl "https://api.github.com/repos/Homebrew/homebrew/commits/master" \
  -H "Accept: application/vnd.github.chitauri-preview+sha"

現在則可以加上 If-None-Match

curl "https://api.github.com/repos/Homebrew/homebrew/commits/master" \
  -H "Accept: application/vnd.github.chitauri-preview+sha" \
  -H "If-None-Match: \"814412cfbd631109df337e16c807207e78c0d24e\""

當本地與遠端的 SHA-1 值一樣時會收到 304,而且不會吃 rate limit quota:

If the remote and your local branch point to the same SHA-1 then this call will return a 304 Unmodified status code (and not use your rate limit).

尤其是當 commit reference 指到的 commit 特別大包時,可以省下很多資源...

透過你用的 App 猜測你的性別、婚姻狀態與收入範圍

在「Quiz: Can we guess your age and income, based solely on the apps on your phone?」這篇給了一個測驗,透過回答 32 題 Yes/No 的答案來猜測你的性別、婚姻狀態與收入範圍,大約是 61% 到 82% 的準確率:(為什麼會是一個範圍?)

Based on those models, they then found that they could predict a user’s gender, age, marital status and income with between 61- and 82-percent accuracy.

會猜測四個答案,所以是 16 種組合:

There are 16 possible results, based on your gender (male/female), your age (over/under 32), your marital status (married/single) and your income (over/under $52,000).

做完後很不準 XDDD

我猜測用的方式與很久前 pest 講的「網路廣告商怎麼知道你是誰? 從 ClickStream 來判斷用戶資料」的方法類似,用已知的資料去 train 出一個模型,再丟進去判斷...

愈來愈多無人機捕捉方式被發展出來

愈來愈多捕捉無人機的方式被發展出來,像這個是透過網子與降落傘拉下來:「SkyWall gun stops drones dead, then gives a parachute landing」:

The most important feature of SkyWall is that it not only stops the flight of a drone but, once it captures a drone, it deploys a mini-parachute, bringing the drone back to earth with no damage, allowing authorities to keep it intact for subsequent investigation.

這個 GIF 展示了捕捉的方法與過程:

Amazon Fire 會把加密系統弄回來

FBIApple 的戰爭開打後,愈來愈多安全與隱私問題被重新拿出來檢驗,而 Amazon 也決定將 2015 年拔掉的加密功能搬回 Fire OS 裡:「Amazon Reverses Course, Encryption Returning for Fire Devices」:

Amazon.com Inc. will restore encryption as a security option on its tablets and other devices that use the Fire operating system, following a customer backlash driven by increased sensitivity about data protection as Apple Inc. grapples with the FBI over access to a terrorist’s iPhone.

預定是今年春天加回來:

Amazon reversed course late Friday night, saying in an e-mail that it would restore encryption as an option on Fire devices with a software update “this spring,“ without being more specific.

愈來愈多公司與產品都認定加密是「基本功能」,無論你有沒有接觸到敏感資料。

Slack 開始測試語音通話功能

Slack 開始測語音通話功能了:「Making voice calls in Slack」,目前是 beta:

Keep in mind: Calls (beta) is currently voice only and desktop only. Video, screen sharing, and mobile support will come in the future.

包括了 one-to-one (開放給所有的 plan),以及 group (開放給付費 plan)。

在 troubleshooting 的說明裡有提到技術問題,也可以看出一些東西:

If Slack is having trouble establishing a call connection, check the following settings, or ask your IT admin to do so:

  • Set your network to allow outbound UDP connections to port 22466.
  • Make sure your network is allowing incoming traffic from UDP 22466.

功能愈來愈齊了...

Email 發明人過世

Email 發明人 Ray Tomlinson 過世:「Inventor of email and savior of the @ sign, Ray Tomlinson, is dead at 74」。

第一封 Email 出自 1971 年 (45 年前),在「RIP: Largest Social Media Network Founder」這邊提到,把 Email 描述成全世界最大的 social media network 也不為過:

The world’s largest social media network is Email with;

  • 4.6 billion email accounts globally,
  • shared between 2.6 billion users,
  • that’s 1.7 accounts per user

Oculus 的創辦人根本就是在抱怨 Mac 太慢了 XDDD

Oculus 的創辦人 Palmer Luckey 說明為什麼在 Mac 上沒有 Rift 可以用:「Oculus Founder: Rift will come to Mac if Apple “ever releases a good computer”」。

回應其實頗委婉:

[,] according to Oculus co-founder Palmer Luckey, it "is up to Apple" to change that state of affairs. Specifically, "if they ever release a good computer, we will do it," he told Shacknews recently.

但實際上就是在抱怨 Mac 太慢了 XDDD

"It just boils down to the fact that Apple doesn’t prioritize high-end GPUs," he said. "You can buy a $6,000 Mac Pro with the top-of-the-line AMD FirePro D700, and it still doesn’t match our recommended specs."

看起來 VR 會再促進硬體進步...

微軟曾經規劃以 80 億美金購買 Slack

TC 丟出來的消息,宣稱微軟曾經規劃以 80 億美金購買 Slack:「Source: Microsoft mulled an $8 billion bid for Slack, will focus on Skype instead」。

不過這個計畫被微軟 CEO Satya Nadella 與前 CEO Bill Gates 給擋了下來,認為不如把這筆錢放到 Skype 的研發上:

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and CEO Satya Nadella were among those unconvinced by the idea, with Gates pushing instead to add more features into Skype to make it more competitive with Slack in the business market, our source says.

我也覺得微軟高層的角度比較合理 (以手上有的資料來規劃),雖然這幾年下來 Skype 愈改愈爛...

打破實體隔離限制傳遞資訊

GitHub 上的 fulldecent/system-bus-radio 這個專案可以打破實體隔離限制傳遞資訊:

Some computers are intentionally disconnected from the rest of the world. This includes having their internet, wireless, bluetooth, USB, external file storage and audio capabilities removed. This is called "air gapping". Even in such a situation, this program can transmit radio.

有些電腦因為種種因素而實體隔離 (像是因為安全因素,或是保密因素),於是就有人研究各種方法傳遞資訊。這隻程式利用 system bus 在 Macbook Air 上產生 AM radio 訊號:

And run it on an Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2015):

./main

Then use a Sony STR-K670P radio receiver with the included antenna and tune it to 1580 kHz on AM.

這方法好硬... 但也證明了可以藉由這種方法傳遞訊息。

Update:強者我同事 ccnTwitter 上找到一位日本人的 demo 影片: