HackerNews Summary (2023-05-15 10AM)

Source: GCC 13 Supports New C2x Features, Including nullptr, Enhanced Enumerations, and More

Summary
GCC 13.1 adds support for new C2x standard features, such as nullptr, enhanced enumerations, auto type inference, and more. C2x tries to make C more similar to C++ by adopting some of its features, such as improvements to nullptr, variadic functions, and constexpr. Other supported features with GCC 13.1 include compound literals, noreturn attribute, and adoption of the Unicode Identifier and Pattern Syntax.

Facts

💡 GCC 13.1 adds support for C2x, which improves the language to better coexist with C++.

📝 nullptr will have its own type, nullptr_t, which can be converted to any pointer type and always converts to false.

🔢 Enhanced enumerations will help define the underlying type and prevent portability issues with int-based enum declarations.

🤖 Users can declare variadic functions with a parameter list consisting only of an ellipsis.

🔮 The auto keyword can be used to leave a variable type unstated if the definition includes an initializer from which the type can be derived.

🧮 constexpr replaces macros used for initialization of object with static storage duration, allowing compile-time evaluation.

📜 Other GCC 13.1-supported features of C2x include compound literals, noreturn attribute, and Unicode Identifier and Pattern Syntax adoption.

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Source: Careers at EasyPost

Summary
EasyPost aims to improve the customer experience of shipping through flexible and modern technology while exploring the feasibility of same-day shipping and consolidating shipments to reduce waste.

Facts

🚚 Same-day shipping may become a reality for businesses using EasyPost.

📈 EasyPost’s technology aims to improve customer experience by offering flexible shipping solutions.

🌍 Consolidating shipments into one delivery per week could significantly reduce waste and benefit the environment.

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Source: IT WASN’T AI

Summary
This website aims to educate teachers on the limitations and flaws of AI detection software for student cheating. It advocates for human oversight and judgment, rather than relying solely on imperfect technology.

Fact

👨‍🏫 AI-based detection programs are behind the curve and students can easily stay ahead of them.

🤖 AI detection is unnecessary for many students who demonstrate their abilities through coursework.

👩‍🏫 These programs give teachers a false sense of security and can penalize students for arbitrary reasons.

🧐 Educators need to be informed about the limitations and flaws of AI detection programs.

🛑 AI can assist but should not be the final word on student cheating detection.

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Source: Blizzard developers say mandatory return-to-office policy has ‘cost us some amazing people’

Summary
Activision Blizzard’s mandatory return-to-office policy is seeing many employees quit, and this may adversely affect the development of games such as World of Warcraft and Diablo 4. Blizzard employees must start working three days per week in-office starting July 10, following the Activision workforce beginning on April 10. The policy has already led to lower productivity and low morale among employees, and some great talents have already been lost. The company executives, on the other hand, are still enjoying full-time remote status.

Fact

🎮Mandatory return-to-office policy is leading to a drop in productivity, low morale, and loss of great employees.

🎮The three-day-per-week in-office policy for Blizzard employees started on July 10, and for Activision employees began April 10.

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Source: Together’s $20M seed funding to build open-source AI and cloud platform — TOGETHER

Summary
AI platform Together has received $20 million in seed round funding led by Lux Capital, which will be invested into developing its open-source generative AI models and cloud platform. The platform, which aims to provide open and decentralised alternatives to closed models, will also gain a specialised cloud platform for scaling training and inference when customised with production tasks creates greater abilities for organisations to utilise AI.

Fact
💰 Together has received $20 million in seed round funding.
🤖 Together aims to provide open and decentralised alternatives to closed models.
🔬 Together has partnered with academic and corporate research labs to develop its AI platform.
🌐 Together has built a specialised cloud platform for large models that efficiently scales training and inference.
🚀 Together plans to open up access to this platform in the coming months, providing greater abilities for organisations to utilise AI.

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