AnActOfCreation

Note that these are not all FOSS.

• Photo Editing:

  • GIMP
  • Krita
  • Paint.NET

• Video Editing:

  • DaVinci Resolve
  • CapCut
  • Shotcut

• Audio Editing:

  • Audacity
  • Cakewalk
  • GarageBand

• 3D Graphics:

  • Blender
  • Spline
  • Rumba

• Office Software:

  • LibreOffice
  • Microsoft 365 Free Apps
  • WPS Office

• Antivirus Software:

  • Windows Security
  • Avast Free Antivirus
  • Malwarebytes

• Productivity Tools:

  • Bitwarden
  • VSCodium
  • PDF-XChange Editor
  • 7-Zip
  • OBS Studio
  • LanguageTool

Reminder to switch browsers if you haven't already!

• Google Chrome is starting to phase out older, more capable ad blocking extensions in favor of the more limited Manifest V3 system.
• The Manifest V3 system has been criticized by groups like the Electronic Frontier Foundation for restricting the capabilities of web extensions.
• Google has made concessions to Manifest V3, but limitations on content filtering remain a source of skepticism and concern.

• Linus Torvalds, creator of Linux, does not believe in cryptocurrencies, calling them a vehicle for scams and a Ponzi scheme.
• Torvalds was once rumored to be Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto, but he clarified it was a joke and denied owning a Bitcoin fortune.
• Torvalds also dismissed the idea of technological singularity as a bedtime story for children, saying continuous exponential growth does not make sense.

• Google Cloud accidentally deleted UniSuper's account and backups, causing a major data loss and downtime for the company.
• UniSuper was able to recover data from backups with a different provider after the incident.
• The incident highlighted the importance of having safeguards in place for cloud service providers to prevent such catastrophic events from occurring.

Direct link to video: https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/1790799859899056132/pu/vid/avc1/1280x720/wisC0cfRP427swkT.mp4?tag=12

• Proton Mail assisted Spanish authorities in identifying and arresting a member of the Catalan independence organization Democratic Tsunami.
• The company's end-to-end encrypted email platform aims to protect user data, but recent events suggest potential vulnerabilities.
• Proton Mail was also required to provide user data to Swiss authorities for a separate case involving a French climate activist, emphasizing the importance of proper Operational Security measures.

Also obligatory video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH626CXyNtE

The first Neuralink implant in a human malfunctioned after several threads recording neural activity retracted from the brain, the Elon Musk-owned startup revealed Wednesday.

The threads retracted in the weeks following the surgery in late January that placed the Neuralink hardware in 29-year-old Noland Arbaugh’s brain, the company said in a blog post.

This reduced the number of effective electrodes and the ability of Arbaugh, a quadriplegic, to control a computer cursor with his brain.

“In response to this change, we modified the recording algorithm to be more sensitive to neural population signals, improved the techniques to translate these signals into cursor movements, and enhanced the user interface,” Neuralink said in the blog post.

The company said the adjustments resulted in a “rapid and sustained improvement” in bits-per-second, a measure of speed and accuracy of cursor control, surpassing Arbaugh’s initial performance.

While the problem doesn’t appear to pose a risk to Arbaugh’s safety, Neuralink reportedly floated the idea of removing his implant, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The company has also told the Food and Drug Administration that it believes it has a solution for the issue that occurred with Arbaugh’s implant, the Journal reported.

The implant was placed just more than 100 days ago. In the blog post, the company touted Arbaugh’s ability to play online computer games, browse the internet, livestream and use other applications “all by controlling a cursor with his mind.”

• Rabbit R1, AI gadget, runs on Android app, not requiring "very bespoke AOSP" firmware as claimed by Rabbit.
• Rabbit R1 launcher app can run on existing Android phones, not needing system-level permissions for core functionality.
• Rabbit R1 firmware analysis shows minimal modifications to standard AOSP, contradicting claims of custom hardware necessity by Rabbit.

• Rabbit R1 AI box is actually an Android app in a limited $200 box, running on AOSP without Google Play.
• Rabbit Inc. is unhappy about details of its tech stack being public, threatening action against unauthorized emulators.
• AOSP is a logical choice for mobile hardware as it provides essential functionalities without the need for Google Play.

• Deloitte confirms PIA's no-log claims, with servers running on RAM-only system for maximum privacy.
• Independent audit verifies PIA's infrastructure is not vulnerable to third-party exploitation, ensuring online activity remains private.
• PIA offers full transparency with open-source apps and regular third-party audits, proving its commitment to data protection.