Good Morning! Today we’ll see developments in neural implants, lessons from the rise and fall of Yarn package manager, and an emerging movement advocating for local-first software. We'll learn about Neuralink's (Elon’s Company) newly approved human trials, reflect on how Bun may repeat Yarn's mistakes, and explore how the Local-First Software Movement aims to provide an alternative to cloud dependence. Follow our YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter!

— Forrest Knight & Meghanadh Vasireddy

Neuralink Approved for Human Trials

Elon Musk's brain-implant startup, Neuralink, has received approval from an independent review board to begin recruiting patients for its first human trial. The company aims to test its experimental brain-computer interface (BCI) device on people with paralysis due to cervical spinal cord injury or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The trial is expected to take about six years to complete.

Neuralink's BCI technology is designed to collect and analyze brain signals, potentially allowing people with paralysis to control a computer cursor or keyboard using their thoughts alone. The company received FDA approval for human clinical trials in May 2023. The first hospital site has been secured, and participant recruitment is now underway.

Despite facing scrutiny over animal testing and safety concerns, Neuralink has managed to secure $280 million in a fundraising round led by Founders Fund. The company's ambitious goals, including the development of an all-encompassing brain computer to help humans keep up with artificial intelligence, have attracted skepticism and raised ethical concerns among neuroscientists and other experts.

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Bun Hype: Lessons Unlearned from Yarn

(Opinion Piece From “The Jared Wilcurt“)

Bun, a new JavaScript runtime that promises faster performance and modern features. However, some developers are drawing parallels between Bun and Yarn, another open-source project that aimed to improve upon existing systems but ended up dividing the ecosystem.

Both Yarn and Bun targeted existing open-source systems, aiming to create their own competing technologies instead of contributing to the existing projects. They both marketed themselves as faster alternatives and sought to split the ecosystem. Unfortunately, neither offered good backward compatibility support, and both announced their readiness for production without actually supporting Windows.

Yarn's marketing was successful, and many developers bought into the hype. However, it eventually became tribal, with users divided over its merits and shortcomings.

While Bun offers speed benefits and can be a valuable tool in certain scenarios, some developers worry that it might repeat Yarn's mistakes. They argue that Bun is trying to build too many things around it, which could lead to distractions and a lack of focus on its core features.

Others hope that Bun's innovations will eventually contribute to improving Node.js, even if it doesn't become the ultimate solution for all JavaScript developers.

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The Local-First Software Movement

The cloud has become an essential part of our digital lives, but it comes with a cost: dependence on corporations and potential privacy risks. The Local-First Software Movement aims to change that by offering an alternative to the cloud, prioritizing data storage and processing on local devices.

The idea behind the Local-First Software Movement is to maintain the benefits of the cloud, such as accessibility from multiple devices and collaboration across rooms and continents, but without relying on a centralized cloud infrastructure. This approach allows users to regain control over their data and reduce the risks associated with storing sensitive information on someone else's computer.

The movement is driven by developers and researchers who are tired of the limitations and compromises of cloud computing. They argue that the current state of software is offensive, as it often relies on slow-loading, resource-intensive cloud services, despite the increasing power of personal devices.

By focusing on local-first software, users can enjoy the advantages of the cloud while minimizing the drawbacks. This approach could lead to a more secure, efficient, and user-friendly digital experience, as well as a shift in the way we conceive of technology.

The Local-First Software Movement is still in its early stages, but it has the potential to reshape the digital landscape and offer a new level of freedom and control for users.

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Govt Issues 'High Severity' Warning to Apple Users

The Indian government has issued a high-severity warning to Apple users, cautioning them about multiple vulnerabilities that could allow attackers to take control of their devices. The vulnerabilities have been discovered in the WebKit browser engine, which is used by Safari and other browsers on Apple products, including iPhones and Apple Watches.

These vulnerabilities exist due to issues with certificate validation in the Security component, the Kernel, and the WebKit component within Apple products. By exploiting these flaws through a carefully crafted request, an attacker could potentially execute arbitrary code, elevate their privileges, or bypass security restrictions on the targeted device.

The list of affected devices includes:

• Apple iOS versions prior to 16.7

• iPadOS versions prior to 16.7

• Apple macOS Monterey versions prior to 12.7

• Apple macOS Ventura versions prior to 12.7

Apple users are urged to update their devices immediately to safeguard their personal data. The necessary updates are available on the official website, cert-in.org.in. By addressing these software flaws, users can protect their Apple Watches, TVs, iPhones, and MacBooks from potential attacks.

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Fun Fact

The first computer mouse was invented by Douglas Engelbart, an American inventor, in 1964. The first prototype was a one-button mouse made of wood and had wheels. Engelbart was exploring the interactions between humans and computers and was working on inventing and perfecting various devices for inputting, manipulating, and displaying data. The mouse was just a tiny piece of a much larger project aimed at augmenting human intellect. The mouse was later refined and became a standard computer accessory. The patent for the mouse was filed in 1967 and issued in 1970. The first public demonstration of a mouse controlling a computer system was in 1968. Today, computer mice have buttons to allow operations such as selecting a menu item on a display. The mouse has come a long way since its wooden prototype and has become an essential tool for computer users worldwide.

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