So, I recently saw some quiet discussion about a paper where researchers reverse-engineered and disclosed some attacks against PhotoDNA, the very-super-duper-secret algorithm used by tech megacorps to scan for illegal images.

They didn't make any code public, and so... I did: https://github.com/ArcaneNibble/open-alleged-photodna

A _complete_ reverse-engineering and commented Python reimplementation of the algorithm from publicly-leaked binaries.

This means that studying the algorithm and any potential flaws is now much more accessible.

This took only about two days (once I knew that there even _was_ a leaked binary to compare against), which just goes to again show that security through obscurity never works.

🔁 encouraged

This is the funniest Steam Deck accessory I’ve ever seen!

Don’t get me wrong. I understand why this keyboard/stand exists. It has a practical function.

But imagine sitting down at Starbucks. The room is full of normal laptops. Clean lines. Thin aluminum. Civilized.

You unzip a case that looks like it contains military hardware. Out comes a handheld gaming console.

Then a keyboard.

Then a clamp.

You assemble it in stages like you’re preparing to launch a small satellite.

Click. Lock. Adjust angle. Tighten mount.

The joysticks loom over your Word document like twin anti-aircraft turrets. The ABXY buttons shimmer with the promise of violence.

You begin typing your gentle coming-of-age novel.

Every paragraph is written beneath a D-pad.

Someone glances over, expecting Elden Ring. Instead they see you carefully crafting a metaphor about autumn leaves.

You nod solemnly and continue Chapter 3.

When the barista calls your name, you detach the entire contraption in reverse order like a NASA rollback procedure.

You pack away the clamp. You holster the console. You slide the keyboard into its sheath.

You leave behind only confusion.

No one knows if you were coding, gaming, or coordinating a drone strike.

You were writing poetry.

#Heliboard is gathering gesture typing data, so that we can implement a #FOSS alternative to the closed gesture typing library Heliboard currently relies on. The data we collect will be released under the CC BY-SA 4.0

I also made a video including details & instructions.

Boosts Please! The greater the diversity of people & languages in the data, the better we can test for correctness.

PT: https://makertube.net/w/cQECfDkuLGR9eUQquUEo4K

YT: https://youtu.be/CyjumVTWtJA

Text (instructions only):
https://github.com/Helium314/HeliBoard/wiki/Tutorial:-How-to-Contribute-Gesture-Data

do you have a favourite man page? thinking of writing a short blog post exploring man pages and what makes a good one and I'd love some more examples

my contribution: I think it's cool that `man curl` includes an example for every single option