An update to C# versions and C# tooling

Starting with Visual Studio 2019 Preview 4 and RC, we’ll be adjusting how C# versions are treated in .NET tooling. Read more below <cut>.
Summary of changes
Firstly, we’re adding two new Language Version (LangVersion) values: LatestMajor and Preview. Here’s how they stack up with the currently supported list of values:
Announcing the Open Sourcing of Windows Calculator
Today, we’re excited to announce that we are open sourcing Windows Calculator on GitHub under the MIT License. This includes the source code, build system, unit tests, and product roadmap. Our goal is to build an even better user experience in partnership with the community. We are encouraging your fresh perspectives and increased participation to help define the future of Calculator.
Frontend Weekly Digest (18 – 24 Feb 2019)
A Practical Implementation of the Switching Generator Using Verilog HDL
Abstract
Linear feedback shift registers are an excellent tool for implementing a pseudo random bit generator in hardware; they inhibit a simple and efficient electronic structure. Further, they are capable of producing output sequences with large periods and good statistical properties. However, standard LFSRs are not cryptographically secure, since the output sequence can be uniquely predicted given a small number of key stream bits using Berlekamp-Massey algorithm. Several methods have been proposed to destroy the linearity inherent in LFSR design. These methods include nonlinear combination generators, nonlinear filter generators, and clock controlled generators. Nevertheless, they remain vulnerable to many attacks such as side channel attacks and algebraic attacks. In 2015, a new clocked controlled generator, called the switching generator, was proposed. This new generator has been proven to be resistant to algebraic attacks and side channel attacks, while preserving efficiency and security requirements. In this project, we present a design of the switching generator using Verilog HDL.
The Future of PostgreSQL: How a 64-bit Transaction Counter Solves Scaling Issues

For many years, the PostgreSQL community was skeptical about using this database management system (DBMS) for high-transaction environments. While PostgreSQL worked well for lab tests, mid-tier web applications, and smaller backend systems, it was believed that for heavy transactional loads, you’d need an expensive DBMS designed specifically for such purposes. As a result, PostgreSQL wasn’t particularly developed in that direction, leaving a range of issues unanswered.
However, the reality has turned out differently. More and more of our clients are encountering problems that stem from this mindset. For example, in the global PostgreSQL community, it’s considered that 64 cores is the maximum size of a server where PostgreSQL can run effectively. But we’re now seeing that this is becoming a minimum typical configuration. One particular bottleneck that has emerged is the transaction counter, and this is a far more interesting issue. So, let’s dive into what the problem is, how we solved it, and what the international community thinks about it.
«Where, where have you gone», or searching for missing stations on public transport routes in OpenStreetMap

OpenStreetMap (OSM) is a global project formed around a geographic information database which is being filled by all comers — both enthusiasts and interested companies. Anybody can contribute, but the openness has its downside: incorrect edits often get into the database. Hence plenty of validators of OSM data have been written which allow to maintain the data quality at an acceptable level.
Since 2016 there exists an open source subway preprocessor that validates (generates error reports) rapid transit routes in OSM for completeness and logical/topological errors, and converts them into formats that are suitable for routing and rendering, e.g. GTFS. Besides OSM data it takes a list of public transport (PT) networks which contains the checking information about the number of lines, stations etc. per a PT network. The preprocessor has successfully proven itself in the preparation of PT data for applications such as Maps.me and Organic Maps.
In this article, I would like to share an approach to detecting one of the types of errors that occur quite often in OSM data and automatic detection of which is somewhat challenging. It's an accidental loss of a station from a route. The source code of the validator and the described algorithm are open source. But first, let's define the concepts used to represent PT data in OpenStreetMap.
XML parsing into plain Map in Golang

While in 2024 using XML looks a bit outdated, it still happens. And sometimes it happens we are to deal with XML having "free-structure", i.e. it couldn't be parsed into tree of user-defined structs. For JSON there still is a way to parse it with a single call into map[string]any
and work with it using careful type assertions. Regretfully, there is no similar feature for XML (in Golang). Here I'll draft suitable function and demonstrate it - both for others and for myself if I ever need this again (recreating it from scratch may be somewhat painful).
Character Creation Assistance, a hobby ML project

For one of my projects I was exploring Reddit to understand how players create characters in video games, what is important to them in this process, and what their preferences are. It turns out that communities sharing their creations or seeking help with specific character designs remain active even for games released years ago. This realization sparked the idea for a hobby project that could assist these players in creating the characters they envision.
Migrating from freezed.dart… or not?

I recently stumbled upon a package called dart_mappable
, and I feel compelled to share what I liked about it. If you're involved in Dart or Flutter development, this might be of particular interest to you.
These Tools helped me become x10 faster Web Developer

In this article, I'd like to share my top 5 tools that have helped me become more efficient and faster as a web developer. You may already use some of these tools, but others could be new. Read the article to the end to make sure you don't miss the most essential tool :).
From Junior QA to Product Owner: My Growth Story at EXANTE

Hi, I’m Nastya, the Product Owner of EXANTE’s desktop and web trading terminals. I began working at the company nearly five years ago as a Junior QA Engineer. Since then, I’ve advanced to QA Lead and ultimately to Product Owner. In this article, I’d like to share my growth journey within the company and the steps that helped me progress. I hope that my story will be helpful to those seeking to advance their careers but are unsure where to start.
A new platform for FPGA seminars based on Gowin Tang Nano 9K: adding sound, graphics and microarchitecture labs

Gowin has clear advantages over Xilinx in the educational FPGA board market: Gowin boards are several times less expensive, the synthesis speed is several times faster, and the EDA package is two orders of magnitude smaller: we are talking about 1G versus 100G disk space. Of course, Xilinx is still the king of high-end prototyping boards that cost $10K-100K, but for the students such boards are irrelevant; such boards are for ASIC design companies. A beginning EE student needs a board for less than $100, and Gowin not only fits the bill but also covers all the needs, specifically:
How to build and run calculator from Windows XP using GCC x64?

Hi Everyone!
In this article we a little bit will analyze of code of Windows XP and will compile the calculator application using GCC x64 in Windows 10 environment. We will look what kind of errors I faced during the build and the methods how to solve them. At the end we will launch the build of the calc.exe application.
Have a nice reading!
How to understand when proxies are lying

How to understand when proxies are lying: verification of physical locations of network proxies using an active geolocation algorithm
People all over the world use commercial proxies to hide their true location or identity. This can be done to solve various tasks, including accessing blocked information or ensuring privacy.
lsFusion: Open-Source Rapid Application Development Platform
lsFusion platform is designed for rapid development of business applications. It is distributed under the terms of a Lesser General Public License (LGPLv3). The source code of the platform is available on Github.
lsFusion is best suited for creating complex systems with large numbers of entities and forms, where users need to input and process large amounts of data. However, the platform can also be used to quickly create simple applications instead of spreadsheets when Excel’s functionality is not enough.
At the same time the use of the platform will not give a great advantage when developing applications aimed at interaction with a large number of “external” users or without the need for any complex calculations. You should also take into account that the web interface is a single page application using JavaScript. Therefore, the lsFusion platform is not well-suited for creating websites, for example.
Q1 2023 DDoS Attacks and BGP Incidents

Let's take a deeper look at the Q1 2023 DDoS attacks mitigation statistics and observations from Qrator Labs' perspective.
The Collatz conjecture is the greatest math trick of all time

On the Internet and in non-fiction literature you can often find various mathematical tricks. The Collatz conjecture leaves all such tricks behind. At first glance, it may seem like some kind of a trick with a catch. However, there is no catch. You think of a number and repeat one of two arithmetic operations for it several times. Surprisingly, the result of these actions will always be the same. Or, may be not always?
Q4 2022 DDoS Attacks and BGP Incidents

Now that 2022 has come to an end, we would like to share the DDoS attack mitigation and BGP incident statistics for the fourth quarter of the year, which overall saw unprecedented levels of DDoS attack activity across all business sectors.
In 2022, DDoS attacks increased by 73.09% compared to 2021.
Let's take a closer look at the Q4 2022 data.
Hubs
Authors' contribution
alizar 94604.8marks 24166.6ru_vds 22892.1alexzfort 14179.0XaocCPS 10986.2ptsecurity 10935.0pronskiy 10649.4m1rko 10382.0ph_piter 9936.5Andrey2008 9911.2