• 80 is the new 64.  (AnandTech)
  
  Ampere's Altra is an 80 core Arm server processor, based on the N1 core design, which is in turn based on the A76.  Like AMD's Epyc processors it supports eight channels of DDR4 RAM and 128 lanes of PCIe 4.0.  Unlike the Epyc it's all on a single chip - possible because it only has 32MB of cache compared to 256MB on the high-end Epyc parts.
  
  Performance is, best case, sort of on par with the Epyc.  That's if you're running integer-only code that isn't too cache-sensitive, and you're using GCC.  But given that the 64-core Epyc and Threadripper arethe world's fastest CPUs, even matching them on some tasks is no small achievement.
  
  It uses 210W, so unlikely to show up in your next mobile phone.
  
  
  
• Cypress is sampling USB4 controllers ahead of volume shipment in Q3.  (AnandTech)
  
  Exactly what parts of USB4 they support is another question, because USB4 is basically a merger of USB 3.2 and Thunderbolt 3, with the added option of USB at 40Gbps as well as PCIe.  But there will of course be USB 4 Gen 1, USB 4 Gen 2, USB 4 Gen 2x2, and so ad infinitum.
  
  
  
• How did software get so reliable without proof?  (Surfing Complexity)
  
  Correctness proofs are the Holy Grail of computer science, but like the Holy Grail they don't get used a whole lot.  Nevertheless, software systems of astonding complexity actually work.
  
  Partly because we learn what breaks them and refrain from doing that.
  
  In the case of Ethereum, this includes using it for any purpose at all.
  
  

• A protein may have been discovered in a rather unusual place: Inside a meteorite.  (Phys.org)
  
  We've found amino acids in comets and meteorites before, but never an entire protein, so this is a significant finding if it's borne out.
  
  Curious that this should be announced the day that SETI@Home is shutting down.
  
  
  
• Let's Encrypt is revoking 3 million SSL certificates today.  (ZDNet)
  
  We use Let's Encrypt extensively at my day job, but it doesn't sound like this will affect us; it only applies if you use both Let's Encrypt and CAA records in your DNS to control certificate authorisation.

Posted by: Jay at Thursday, March 05 2020 12:27 AM (mrlXS)

Posted by: Pixy Misa at Thursday, March 05 2020 10:38 AM (PiXy!)

Posted by: J Greely at Thursday, March 05 2020 12:44 PM (LGSd2)

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