This came up in my feed today: QUIC Loss Detection and Congestion Control. I wish I had time to read it closely! It’s about how they re-implement the TCP bits and pieces (such as congestion control) atop UDP.
This is cool: A truly incredible fact about the number 37. I didn’t read it closely but 37 is my lucky number, so it held some interest. The conclusion is:
37, the median value for the second prime factor of an integer; thus the probability that the second prime factor of an integer chosen at random is smaller than 37 is approximately one half.
I will let you in on a little secret: I love doing math homework. Always have, always will. I love the process. I love reading the problems, thinking of solutions, and checking the questions off one by one. Even when it’s easy, it’s still fun.
Just for fun I’ve gone back to my old high school math textbooks. I’m skipping years 7 and 8 and starting with year 9. Then I will do 10, 11, and 12, at the highest level.
At the moment I’m working through Australian Signpost Mathematics New South Wales 9 (5.1-5.3) Student Book, which is the year 9 textbook. I’m only up to page 10, fractions and ratios. I should work on it more than I do. Let’s see what I can do about that. :)
Today there was a promotion/sale on at AliExpress, so I picked up some consumables and a few natty tools. I paid the promotion price AU$63.46 for stuff on sale at AU$142.82 which normally sells for AU$326.12.
This evening I read the iptables man page and Linux iptables Pocket Reference from cover-to-cover; my notes are here: Netfilter.
I think at this point I am ready to use iptables in anger for the first time in a long time, and the first time ever on a router.
However, before I take that on, I’m going to have a quick diversion into the following books, and then sleep, and I will do my iptables programming when I wake up tomorrow.
Things to read to learn about FPGA programming:
I’m learning more about FPGAs. Haven’t actually purchased one to play with yet though.
Here is a presentation of the work of Iain McGilchrist: The Divided Brain.
McGilchrist has written a number of books, including:
Today on IRC the BeagleV-Fire was brought to my attention. This computer system sports an FPGA and looks like just the thing to get as an entry-level system to learn about FPGA tech. These things seem to be hard to find at the moment but apparently they sell for around US$150 which is quite affordable for an entry-level system. And the manufacturer’s commitment to open hardware is encouraging. Click-through on the link to find a heap of developer resources.