News

Edit Distance Algorithm Is Optimal   Wednesday 17 June

The edit distance is a measure of how close two strings are and it is used in a lot of important applications including spell checkers and genome analysis. Currently the best known algorithm takes O(n^2) operations and this is often too slow. Now we have a proof that you can't do any better. 

Self-Paced Robotics MOOC   Wednesday 17 June

An intermediate level robotics MOOC in which students discover the underlying principles that allow autonomous robots to navigate through the world started this week on edX. It is self-paced with a deadline for completion of 31st January, 2016.

Navy Solicits Vulnerabilities   Wednesday 17 June

The US Navy is, or rather was last week, looking for contractors to supply it with zero-day vulnerabilities and similar - for what reasons?

JavaScript.com Launches   Tuesday 16 June

A first response to this headline might well be "why hasn't the JavaScript language had its own site before?" If fact, this isn't a language website. Instead it is a site with free resources for beginners and more advanced users.

Node.js Foundation Heals Rift   Tuesday 16 June

The Node.js Foundation, hosted by the Linux Foundation, has officially launched and is reuniting the Node.js and io.js communities. A major release of Node.js that will merge the two code bases is expected within a few weeks.  

Spark 1.4 Released   Tuesday 16 June

Spark 1.4 has been released with an R API targeted towards data scientists. 

JSON API 1.0   Monday 15 June

A new JSON API specification has been released with the aim of speeding up API development.

Projects Abandon SourceForge   Monday 15 June

SourceForge used to occupy the space in developers' hearts that is now mostly occupied by GitHub. It was somewhere you could host an open source project and allow users to download finished binaries. It now looks as if the download option is becoming its downfall.

Turing's Solitaire Letter To Be Auctioned   Sunday 14 June

A handwritten letter from Alan Turing explaining the algorithm for playing solitaire is among the lots at an auction of manuscripts at Bonhams London saleroom later this month and is expected to fetch £40,000 - 60,000 (around $60,000 - 90,000).

Raspberry Pi 2 Is Top Single Board Computer   Saturday 13 June

A recent survey by LinuxGismos reveals that most of us love the Raspberry Pi, especially if it's a 2. As with all good surveys, it raises as many questions as it attempts to answer. 

Why Should We Write Universal Apps When Microsoft Drops Them - Skype To Go Desktop Only   Friday 12 June

Just when you think things are settling down something happens to make you wonder - wat? Microsoft, after putting a lot of effort into persuading us that Universal Apps are the way of the future pulls the plug on Skype modern app to leave just the desktop version. This makes no sense at all.

Mozilla Increases Bug Bounty   Friday 12 June

The top payout in Mozilla's Bug  Bounty Program has risen to $10,000 or more. Mozilla has also widened the range of vulnerabilities it covers.

OpenCV 3.0 Released - Computer Vision For The Rest Of Us   Thursday 11 June

Open CV has become the workhorse of day-to-day computer vision. Yes things have moved on to the point were computer vision can be a very ordinary task for programmers who aren't AI experts. The release of Open CV 3.0 is therefore an important event. 

First Preview Of SQL Server 2016   Thursday 11 June

Microsoft has released a public beta of SQL Server 2016 with better data analysis and improved performance.

The Core

Exploring Edison - First Contact   Friday 12 June

There is no avoiding the fact that if you are going to work with the Edison and get something special out of it then you are going to have to go native.  In this installment of Exploring Edison, we get connected to Linux on both the Arduino and mini-breakout boards.

History

Ivan Sutherland - Father of Graphics   Tuesday 16 June

Computer graphics wasn't invented by one man, but Ivan Sutherland had a lot to do with it and his is the name you generally think of first in connection with its development.