Human Friends vs. Friendship with ChatGPT: A Completely Serious (But Not Really) Comparison
8 mins
In this article, we take a completely serious (or maybe not so serious) look at the environmental, health, and social aspects of friendship—comparing the traditional companionship of human friends to the ever-reliable ChatGPT. Through rigorous and definitely unbiased analysis, we evaluate the carbon footprint of barhopping versus digital chat sessions, the long-term health implications of pub nights versus prolonged screen time, and the emotional benefits of having an AI friend that never gets jealous, steals your pizza, or forces you to rearrange your schedule. By the end of this analysis, one thing becomes crystal clear: ChatGPT is the ultimate low-maintenance, always-available, environmentally-conscious, drama-free best friend. Whether you seek intellectual discussions at 3 AM, a joke on demand, or an endlessly patient listener, AI friendship comes out on top in every category—at least in this totally objective, not-at-all-biased comparison. For those who may still be wondering—yes, this article is absolutely packed with humor and a healthy dose of unseriousness. Proceed with a light heart and a good sense of fun!
Automatically Publishing Static Site Blog Articles to a Facebook Page
19 mins
This article explores the development and implementation of a Python-based script that automates the publication of blog articles from a static website to a Facebook page. By integrating OpenGraph metadata extraction, lightweight database tracking, and interaction with the Facebook Graph API, the script simplifies the process of managing social media content. It ensures that new or updated articles are identified, published, or updated efficiently, while also limiting the number of posts per run to maintain audience engagement and avoid spamming. This practical solution streamlines social media workflows and is particularly suited for static site blogs looking to enhance their online presence with minimal manual effort.
Understanding GPTs and Large Language Models in Non-Technical Terms: What They Are and How They Work - and Why They Are Capable of Innovating and Truly Understanding
17 mins
Generative Pre-trained Transformers (GPTs) and Large Language Models (LLMs) have revolutionized the field of artificial intelligence by demonstrating advanced capabilities in understanding and generating human-like language. This article peeks (in a non technical way) into the inner workings of GPTs, from their neural network foundations to innovative mechanisms like attention and contextual embeddings. It explores how these systems generalize patterns from vast training datasets to produce meaningful, context-aware responses. Contrary to common misconceptions, LLMs do not memorize training data but instead apply logical reasoning and learned structures to novel situations. While their static weights differ from the dynamic learning of the human brain, LLMs exhibit creativity and adaptability through mechanisms like transfer learning and external data integration. The article also examines the boundaries between simulation and consciousness, highlighting the transformative potential of LLMs for applications like virtual assistants and personalized systems while addressing their constraints.
Exploring Pythons asyncio - a basic tutorial
34 mins
Python's asyncio is a library designed to write concurrent code using the async/await syntax. It is particularly useful for I/O-bound and high-level structured network code, enabling efficient multitasking within a single-threaded program. This blog article serves as a quick overview and tutorial of the basic concepts and as a repository for the most important concepts and patterns to use.
Harnessing the Power of GPTs - or why GPTs are not better search engines
31 mins
Generative Pre-trained Transformers (GPTs) like OpenAI’s ChatGPT have transformed the landscape of artificial intelligence by offering the ability to generate human-like text, adapt to diverse tasks, and understand context and patterns across various domains. This blog post provides a non-technical, broad overview of GPTs, emphasizing their versatility in applications such as brainstorming, complex problem-solving, data analysis, and more. Despite their impressive capabilities, GPTs are often misunderstood as simple search engines or seen as tools that merely reproduce information from their training data, leading to misconceptions about their potential and legality. The post aims to demystify GPTs by highlighting their unique strengths and differentiating them from traditional tools. By showcasing practical applications and explaining what GPTs can and cannot do, the article seeks to clarify these misunderstandings and demonstrate how GPTs can be powerful partners in fostering innovation, creativity, and effective problem-solving. This understanding will empower readers to leverage GPT technology more effectively in various aspects of their personal and professional lives.
A quick recap on Householder reflectors
14 mins
This article is a quick summary on Householder reflectors in real values vector spaces and their application to zero rows or columns in matrices.
Freezing FreeBSD systems - NCQ on SSDs - a short troubleshooting journey
5 mins
This article solves the mystery behind some of my FreeBSD systems that had appeared to be randomly freezing and provides a solution to this single specific problem.
Nuclear magnetic resonance and electron paramagnetic resonance: Basics
44 mins
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) are pivotal techniques used to explore molecular structures and dynamics through the magnetic properties of atomic nuclei and unpaired electrons. This article provides an introductory level examination of NMR, integrating both classical and quantum mechanical descriptions. Key topics include the Zeeman effect, Bloch equations, relaxation processes, and the quantum mechanical framework involving spin operators, Eigenstates, and the density matrix formalism. The discussion delves into the effects of RF driving fields, Rabi oscillations, and the incorporation of relaxation processes using the Lindblad master equation. The article concludes by demonstrating how these quantum mechanical models align with the phenomenological Bloch equations, providing a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics of spin systems under resonance conditions. While the primary focus is on NMR, the article also offers insights into EPR, broadening the perspective on magnetic resonance techniques.
Language negotiation for static website using Apache httpd
9 mins
Discover how to implement language negotiation on a static website using Apaches mod_rewrite. This article provides a step-by-step guide to serving translated content based on users browser preferences, enabling a seamless multilingual experience without the need for complex server-side scripts or content management systems. Whether you are looking to add multilingual support to your Jekyll-generated site or simply explore the powerful features of Apache, this guide offers clear explanations and practical examples to help you get started.
Towards in-situ nanoscale spatially resolved electron spin resonance in scanning electron microscopes
1 min
Presented at the 14th ASEM (Austrian Society for Electron Microscopy) workshop Electron spin resonance is a widely used analytical tool in medicine, biology and material sciences. Traditionally, electron spin systems are driven by microwaves, which offers only limited spatial resolution due to the long wavelength of microwaves, which can be optimized by sophisticated techniques such as the use of magnetic field gradients. We propose a different way of driving spin systems using the non-radiative near-field of a modulated electron beam in a scanning electron microscope by tuning the microscopes to higher beam currents and using additional beam modulation mechanisms. Driving systems with higher harmonics of the modulated beam opens up future possibilities to perform in-situ electron spin resonance analysis with high spatial resolution down to the nanoscale. To perform our experiments we modified an Philips XL30 ESEM to allow for high frequency beam modulation, cryogenic cooling of our samples and microwave frequency readout of our spin systems.
