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runningmike

836 karma · joined December 26, 2016

No security no privacy. 0complexity
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runningmike··on Ask HN: How do you approach a new codebase?
Assuming you have a c or cpp project: compile and build it first , run the tests if any.. and run cscope or equivalent on code you want to change first.
runningmike··on Learning Software Architecture
Nice read. “ Learning Software Architecture” means understanding that there is no single good answer. It is art and science.

Read tip: Simplify IT - The art and science towards simpler IT solution https://nocomplexity.com/documents/reports/SimplifyIT.pdf

runningmike··on OWASP Foundation's Strategic Plan [pdf]
The OWASP Board has released its new Strategic Plan to tackle software security.

I haven’t quite made up my mind about the certification programmes yet. There are already so many out there for security, and most seem to cover the same ground.

runningmike··on Quarkdown – Markdown with Superpowers
Nice! But in the Comparison should be MyST - https://mystmd.org/ This is the new markdown standard to be….
runningmike··on A Practical Introduction to Constraint Programming Using CP-SAT and Python
Nice blog but title should end with (2024).

I would recommend reading: "The CP-SAT Primer: Using and Understanding Google OR-Tools’ CP-SAT Solver" - https://d-krupke.github.io/cpsat-primer/

When starting with CP-SAT. The google docs are not great unfortunately.

runningmike··on ChatGPT, Is This Real?
Full title: ChatGPT, is this real? The influence of generative AI on writing style in top-tier cybersecurity papers

"we find a sharp rise in the frequency of LLM-favored marker words such as underscoring and enhancing."

runningmike··on Security Concerns in Generative AI Coding Assistants
Original title: Security Concerns in Generative AI Coding Assistants: Insights from Online Discussions on GitHub Copilot

"the sentiment expressed across all concern areas is generally skewed toward the negative end of the polarity scale."

runningmike··on Google has a secret reference desk
Nice article. But the warning can be stronger imho: Instead of: "Don’t assume your results are the same as anyone else’s."

"The results search you get from G*gle results are unique."

G*gle does not use the easy to use Lucene search syntax but has many 'magic' things, like:

Searching for high-quality Open Access content or solid technical answers on software challenges requires a rigorous scientific methodology, combined with creativity and extensive experience. Despite being a crucial competency, it is rarely taught in depth.

Even with the rise of LLMs, effectively navigating search results remains an unsolved problem.

runningmike··on How Complex is my Code?
To do a Simple Cyclomatic Complexity check, operating on the principle that secure systems are simple systems, you can use https://github.com/nocomplexity/codeaudit or try the wasm version on https://nocomplexity.com/codeauditapp/dashboardapp.html

Complexity directly impacts security. Simple systems are: Maintainable: Easier to change and manage. Reliable: Less prone to logic errors. Testable: Easier to validate and test.

runningmike··on Open source died in March. It just doesn't know it yet
100% click bait title indeed!

We are brainwashed by commercial vendors to advocate for complex, expensive cyber security solutions that are costly to implement and lack transparency.

Most (commercial) cyber security solutions are not future-proof and not maintainable in the long term. Most cyber security improvements programs end with more paperwork and more new fancy software tools, without increased security resilience.

runningmike··on I Quit. The Clankers Won
Love the one-armed code bandit on the home page of this blog! Nice UX experience! See: https://dbushell.com/
runningmike··on Unlocking Python's Cores:Energy Implications of Removing the GIL
Title shortened - Original title:

Unlocking Python’s Cores: Hardware Usage and Energy Implications of Removing the GIL

I am curious about the NumPy workload choice made, due to more limited impact on CPython performance.

runningmike··on Odido Security Breach – 6M Customers (Full Timeline and Analysis)
Odido’s Biggest Failures misses the key points, in my opinion: 1) a lack of "security by design" and 2) insufficient security monitoring.

By centralising and outsourcing all data to what appears to be a Salesforce Cloud solution, this was a disaster waiting to happen. If even minimal security monitoring had been active, someone should have noticed something. It is also possible that the security management department was competent, but senior management failed to understand or act upon the advice provided.

runningmike··on Security Risks of AI Agents Hiring Humans: An Empirical Marketplace Study
Study based on the website https://rentahuman.ai/ Minority Report next level?
runningmike··on Simplify IT: The art and science towards simpler IT solutions(2025)[pdf]
Problem Solving Methods (PSMs) are key for solving complex problems.
runningmike··on What came first: the CNAME or the A record?
The end of this blog is …. “ To learn more about our mission to help build a better Internet,”

Reminds me of https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37962674 or see https://tech.tiq.cc/2016/01/why-you-shouldnt-use-cloudflare/

runningmike··on The recurring dream of replacing developers
“ AI: The Latest Chapter in a Long Story” More the current chapter. Curious about the next one!
runningmike··on The Tulip Creative Computer
It was a great innovative company in the Netherlands. They designed and manufactured everything themselves. Hardware boards and software. See https://www.homecomputermuseum.nl/collectie/tulip/?srsltid=A...
runningmike··on Simple Is a Scam
There are a lot of similarities between IT companies that promise simple IT solutions with criminals and fraudsters that offer ‘Get-rich-quick’ schemes.
runningmike··on LLM Learning Resources
Understanding how LLMs work is challenging. But learning the core concepts is should be fun. Good news is that great open tutorials are created that give you a kickstart when working with LLMs.
runningmike··on Lotusbail npm package found to be harvesting WhatsApp messages and contacts
Popularity is never a metric for security or quality….Always verify.
runningmike··on The FOSS community acts like a cult and it's not helping the cause
There is no such a thing as 'FOSS community' and FOSS people.

This blogs says a lot about the author...

But flagging this is submission is overkill imho.

runningmike··on Show HN: Merview – OSS Mermaid and Markdown Editor and Viewer
Great to see another FOSS alternative for the defacto marmaid format!

I added this nice tool directly to my collection of great architecture tools. (https://nocomplexity.com/documents/arplaybook/software-archi...)

runningmike··on GIJN's Top Investigative Tools of 2025
The guide on how to quickly identify AI-generated material is great. Link in the article.
runningmike··on How did IRC ping timeouts end up in a lawsuit?
See also https://techrights.org/i/2025/12/case-judgment-summary.html
runningmike··on Put SSH keys in .git to make repos USB-portable
The bad thing is: these kind of blogs are used for LLM trainings. Never trust AI for security advice without thinking and understanding what you do.
runningmike··on Put SSH keys in .git to make repos USB-portable
Is this a joke? It is called “private key” with a reason…
runningmike··on Python Data Science Handbook
https://learningds.org/intro.html Cc-by-nc-nd
runningmike··on Launch-Day Diffusion: Tracking Hacker News Impact on GitHub Stars for AI Tools
Repository on: https://github.com/obadaKraishan/Launch-Day-Diffusion

Statement made in the paper:"GitHub stars are a useful metric" imho not so true...and a dangerous claim!

runningmike··on PyOpenSci Python Package Guide
Python packaging made simple. Recommendations & guidance curated by the pyOpenSci community. Well maintained and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license.
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