Researchers have identified two dozen planets outside our solar system that may be better than the Earth at supporting life. The Washington State University study defines these as “superhabitable” planets which are typically older, larger, slightly warmer and possibly wetter than the Earth. Life could also more easily thrive on planets that circle more slowly … Read more
One outcome of the pandemic has seen homegrown startups creating innovative digital solutions and platforms for customers to adapt to the ‘new normal’. E-commerce has had a big push during the lockdown. Riding high on this wave, tech startup Detel launched an electric bike in August. Described as the ‘Detel Easy EV’, the bike’s unique … Read more
Eighty-two per cent of people believe robots can support their mental health better than humans, according to a study by Oracle and HR research and advisory firm Workplace Intelligence. The Covid-19 pandemic has made 2020 one of the most stressful years in living memory, negatively affecting the mental health of many people, both at home … Read more
The Linux filesystem structure is somewhat different from that of Windows. Linux doesn’t have a physical drive (such as the C: drive) at the base of the filesystem but uses a logical filesystem instead. At the very top of the filesystem structure is /, which is often referred to as the root of the filesystem, … Read more
So why do hackers use Linux over other operating systems? Mostly because Linux offers a far higher level of control via a few different methods. Linux Is Open Source Unlike Windows, Linux is open source, meaning that the source code of the operating system is available to you. As such, you can change and manipulate … Read more
A simple truism: memory issues exist. The very fact that we program in languages such as C (and C++) implicitly gives rise to literally infinite types of issues! At some point, one realizes (perhaps a bit pessimistically) that programming with care in a managed memory-safe language is ultimately the (only?) realistic way to avoid memory … Read more
China’s largest chipmaker, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC), is in discussions with the US Bureau of Industry and Security after being notified that it will be subject to export restrictions. Last week, reports emerged that the White House had imposed sanctions against Shanghai-based SMIC – requiring its US suppliers to obtain a license from the government – … Read more
Apple is taking legal action against Geep Canada, which it contracted to recycle its used devices. Apple alleges that Geep stole and resold more than 100,000 of these devices. Quantum Lifecycle Partners subsidiary Geep received more than 500,000 Apple devices (iPhones, iPads and Apple Watches) between January 2015 and December 2017 and was paid by … Read more
The Unix OS, and all its applications, utilities, and tools, were always built to be used from a command-line-interface (CLI), typically, the shell. From the 1980s onward, the need for a Graphical User Interface (GUI) became apparent. Robert Scheifler of MIT, considered the chief design architect behind the X Window System, built an exceedingly clean … Read more
To understand anyone (or anything), one must strive to first understand their (or its) underlying philosophy; to begin to understand Linux is to begin to understand the Unix philosophy. Here, we shall not attempt to delve into every minute detail; rather, an overall understanding of the essentials of the Unix philosophy is our goal. Also, … Read more