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06 November 2020

The Hacker’s Tribute Vol. 57: Awkward Robots are Still Awkward

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Greetings, My Socially Superior Beings!

It feels great to be human, when you know that robots are struggling in basic conversation. It’s almost entertaining, until you realise their potential in other matters. For now, relish in some of the most awkwardly chaotic discussions since the invention of televised debates.

Oh, there’s more. Of course, there’s more. Discover future-proof Linux solutions, or fully integrated Raspberry Pi! GitHub is getting suspiciously generous, whilst Google Cloud Functions offer new possibilities.

Remember, there’s nothing more powerful than a motivated robot. Except us, here at The Hacker’s Tribute.

Let’s get rolling!

Sincerely,

Dan 'The Man' Kowalski

Dan ‘the Man’ Kowalski

Editor-in-Chief, The Hacker’s Tribute

Awkward Robots

Proof that the machines have not won. That’s unless you’re referring to a future ruling class of socially inept overlords. AI-powered chatbots provide a wealth of user experience improvements. But put these guys into a social setting, and the results are comically less effective. BlenderBot, an open-source bot, began a week-long date with UK-designed, Kuki. The conversations are far from passing a Turing Test, making for cringeworthy discussions. Blenderbot – although unsanctioned – uses Facebook’s conversational AI and bears a striking resemblance to a more-attractive Mark Zuckerberg. Very ambitious indeed.

Love that Long-term Linux

There’s nothing better than a fresh new update. Lies, silly lies. There is something better. With Linux 5.10, your world is about to get a whole lot better. Expect support lasting well into the decade, to 2026. This version brings with it the standard issue bug fixes, and the now-worrying Y2K-38 problem. Yes, that is a thing. But it will be dealt with. Just ask Linux.

Raspberry S-Pi-eason

They’ve done it. It’s ‘in the computer’. Well, inside the keyboard. But if that isn’t revolutionary – then consider yourself excommunicated. Raspberry Pi 400 has knocked our socks off! It’s an eye candy hardware design, featuring a keyboard and mouse bearing the likeness of the Raspberry Pi decals. Functional and soulful – it’s all we could ever dream of our next keyboard.

Get-Hyped for GitHub

The core services of GitHub are now yours for the taking. Those with a Team account, meanwhile, can enjoy half-price on their subscription. Revel in 500MB of GitHub packages, up to 2,000 minutes of Actions. Teams plan holders can also enjoy 2GB package storage, 3,000 Action minutes, plus GitHub support. It’s all in the name of retaining the crown of chief code repository of the world. So, as a token of that, have some ‘free-ness’. Not freedom – that’s never free.

Cue for Cloud Functions

Google Cloud Functions. Wake up – this is interesting. Creating a function is one thing but being able to test it locally and deploy it to Google Cloud is a stratospherically differing challenge. Understand the workings of the serverless environment and get a glimpse into the registering process. Learn the differences between billing by time, and by execution time. Above all – know when ‘not’ to use Cloud Functions. It’s time for some turbulent tech!

Knowledge is free and shared. We’re always on the lookout for new insights into the world of Web and Mobile App Development.

We’ll be in touch with more news, as it happens!

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Author

Hackers of the world dream to be him. And that’s an understatement. With methods decades ahead of cyberspace, he’s proceeded only by his own reputation. ‘The Man’ infamous for single-handedly causing the ’08 global financial meltdown, he dropped off-grid searching for purpose. He twice-dominated each of the Himalayan peaks, negotiated the rift valleys of Africa, and swam the Amazonian Basin end-to-end. It was in Siberia where we caught up to him – convincing him to work for the ‘good guys’. The veteran’s veteran of coding, now confidently within our ranks, is finally a force for good. Just don’t test him.