Skype is dead. What happened? - Ode to Skype, and complaining about Microsoft having no imagination to evolve it. It’d be helpful to read a detailed analysis of how and why.
What we love is good for us, sometimes
What we love is good for usDavid Lynch on smoking:
"But that said, he admitted smoking played a huge part in his life. “I don’t regret it. It was important to me. I wish what every addict wishes for: that what we love is good for us.”
He went on: “A big important part of my life was smoking. I loved the smell of tobacco, the taste of tobacco. I loved lighting cigarettes.
Why did Hemingway like Cézanne so much?
Hemingway saw in Cézanne a kindred spirit—a man who stripped nature down to its essentials and reassembled it into something honest and uncompromised. Here are a few reasons for his admiration:
Structural Purity: Cézanne’s work revolves around reducing forms to their geometric fundamentals. His method of breaking objects down into simple shapes and planes resonated with Hemingway’s own drive for clarity and precision in language. Hemingway’s lean, unadorned prose sought a similar kind of structural integrity—a means to get at the truth beneath the surface.
”¡A huevo!”
“A huevo” is a Mexican slang expression meaning “hell yeah” that conveys enthusiasm, confidence, or inevitability.
ServiceNow’s newest AI agents bring intelligent automation to telecommunications firms - SiliconANGLE - ServiceNow’s AI agents analyze network data to diagnose and resolve issues, predict disruptions, and provide real-time explanations for unusual usage patterns, improving customer service and reducing complaints. // ”For instance, some of the agents are designed to service, test and repair networks by analyzing network data to diagnose any problems that occur. This analysis takes place in seconds, and they’ll immediately be able to work out the best way to fix things and coordinate the repair operation by scheduling tasks for the engineers responsible. // In addition, there are AI agents specifically designed to analyze network incidents. They respond to network alerts as soon as they happen and quickly dig down to understand the root cause. Once they’ve identified the problem, they’ll generate a resolution playbook that predicts any possible network disruptions that might occur before they impact customers. // The company also talked about its billing resolution agents, which can autonomously identify any unusual usage patterns and provide real-time explanations of the associated charges, as well as recommendations for customers to switch to a more cost-effective plan. ServiceNow says this can help telcos to improve transparency and reduce unexpected charges for customers, and will help to reduce the volume of billing complaints and call center volume.”
How AI ‘Reasoning’ Models Will Change Companies and the Economy - Lots of good thinking here, not least of which is a very delightful writing style. There’s about five quips in there that are fun. // Also notice that the benefits are accruing the individual here, the enterprises have yet to figure it out.
AI’s productivity paradox: how it might unfold more slowly than we think - The case that productivity effects of AI in the macro economy will be slow. Micro-economy (individuals) still looks good.
State of Java Survey Confirms Majority of Enterprise Apps Are Built on Java Performance, Superior Java Support - ”Typically, when the topic of developing AI or ML functionality arises, people think of Python. Perhaps surprisingly, the survey found that Java was used more often than either Python or other languages. In fact, 50% of organizations use Java to code AI functionality.”
Agentic definition from Azeem Azhar and Nathan Warren - Good simple AI vs. agentic AI framing: “Some view AI as a tool – a system that passively performs functions, while others see it as an agent – a system that actively pursues objectives, makes independent decisions and may develop instrumental goals such as self-preservation."
What is green text?
“Greentext” refers to a style of writing popularized on 4chan and other imageboards. It’s characterized by using the > symbol at the start of each line, which turns the text green on 4chan’s interface. Originally, this syntax was meant for quoting previous posts, but it evolved into a distinctive storytelling format, often used for short, humorous, exaggerated, or absurd anecdotes.
Common Features of Greentext: Minimalist, fragmented style: Sentences are often short and lack proper grammar.