Mechanical sympathy for QR codes: making NSW check-in better

QR codes are now critical infrastructure here in NSW, Australia. Let's learn how to make them better.

https://huonw.github.io/blog/2021/10/nsw-covid-qr/

@DevMisc
#qrcode #optimization #misc

The Problem with Macros

So we’re supposed to be writing a game, right? But in order to make progress, we have to fix a bug.

https://ianthehenry.com/posts/janet-game/the-problem-with-macros/

@DevMisc
#macros #metaprogramming #overview

GTFOBins

GTFOBins is a curated list of Unix binaries that can be used to bypass local security restrictions in misconfigured systems.

https://gtfobins.github.io/

@DevMisc
#security #extra

How apt renders its fancy progress bar?

It uses good ol' VT100 instructions.

https://mdk.fr/blog/how-apt-does-its-fancy-progress-bar.html

@DevMisc
#apt #learn #misc

Draw to search

Find images from movies based on what you draw

https://huggingface.co/spaces/osanseviero/draw_to_search

@DevMisc
#ai #ml #tools #misc

Using ASCII waveforms to test real-time audio code

I draw sound wave ASCII art in Q2Q’s source code. These ASCII art waveforms ensure that the real-time audio engine at the heart of Q2Q stays bug-free.

https://goq2q.net/blog/tech/using-ascii-waveforms-to-test-real-time-audio-code

@DevMisc
#audio #ascii #extra

Fast character case conversion

...or how to compress sparse arrays.

https://github.com/apankrat/notes/tree/master/fast-case-conversion

@DevMisc
#algorithm #optimization #misc

Every search bar looks like a URL bar to users

Computers would be so much better if they never had to deal with users, amirite?!!? I remember, years ago, working on a mobile web service which had a URl bar – so users could tap in bbc.co.u…

https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2021/10/every-search-bar-looks-like-a-url-bar-to-users/

@DevMisc
#uri #ui #ux #extra

What is CSS preprocessor?

Nowadays, we often craft our styles by using preprocessors syntax. They provides a CSS-like syntax with enhanced features to save our time when building the web.

https://makzan.net/mobile-web-design/what-is-css-preprocessor/

@DevMisc
#css #scss #webdev #learn

Dependency Confusion: How I hacked into Apple, Microsoft and dozens of other companies

Easiest bug bounty money I ever made. No knowledge of hacking was required.

https://medium.com/@alex.birsan/dependency-confusion-4a5d60fec610

@DevMisc
#security #npm #bugbounty

That day my noscript killed 10,000 phones in South America

The story about what happens if your automated tests go wrong.

https://new.pythonforengineers.com/blog/the-day-i/

@DevMisc
#bug #tests #misc

CSS Is Finally Getting If/Else Statements

When I started coding CSS in 2011 I could never have suspected how much the language would change. I still remember making a PHP noscript that generated a PNG to round corners.

https://kentondejong.medium.com/css-is-finally-getting-if-else-statements-3fabcec72a1f

@DevMisc
#web #design #css

Bypass Paywalls

Bypass Paywalls is a web browser extension to help bypass paywalls for selected sites.

https://github.com/iamadamdev/bypass-paywalls-chrome/blob/master/README.md

@DevMisc
#extra #privacy #misc

What is a legacy system, and why do companies keep using them?

It’s not easy to define a legacy system as there is no single definition in use. Technically, some computer systems, programming languages, software applications, specific processes or technologies can all fall into this category.

https://freeportmetrics.com/blog/what-is-a-legacy-system-and-why-do-companies-keep-using-them/

@DevMisc
#misc #learn

Rich

Rich is a Python library for rich text and beautiful formatting in the terminal.

https://github.com/willmcgugan/rich

@DevMisc
#ascii #python #misc

How to criticize code

Criticizing code is an important skill. It helps transmit norms, increase team knowledge, and improve solutions. But it isn’t something that comes naturally; I had to learn how to do it. Similar to learning how to edit other’s essays, you must learn how to critique team member’s programming.

https://letterstoanewdeveloper.com/2021/01/25/how-to-criticize-code/

@DevMisc
#misc #learn

How to win at CORS

CORS (Cross-Origin Resource Sharing) is hard. It's hard because it's part of how browsers fetch data, and that's a set of behaviours that started over 30 years ago that require adding features, improving defaults, and papering over past mistakes all without breaking too much of the web.

https://jakearchibald.com/2021/cors/

@DevMisc
#web #misc #learn

Android Dialer Secret Codes

Secret Codes is an Open Source application that allows you to browse through hidden codes of your Android phone.

https://github.com/SimonMarquis/Android-SecretCodes

@DevMisc
#misc #android #extra

The Lost Art of Structure Packing

This page is about a technique for reducing the memory footprint of programs in compiled languages with C-like structures - manually repacking these declarations for reduced size.

http://www.catb.org/esr/structure-packing/

@DevMisc
#c #struct #learn #misc

Pursue High-Quality Leisure

If I stop mindlessly surfing the internet, what am I going to do all day?

https://www.deprocrastination.co/blog/pursue-high-quality-leisure

@DevMisc
#offtopic #health

Obsidian.‎md

Obsidian is a powerful knowledge base on top of a local folder of plain text Markdown files.

https://obsidian.md/

@DevMisc
#editor #markdown #extra