Daily Tech News 4 May 2026

Top Story

Utah has decided to make it a crime to use VPNs to bypass age verification checks. (Tom's Hardware)

Since anyone can set up a VPN of their own in minutes using open source software and any of a thousand cloud service providers, and tear it down right after leaving no trace of its existence, this is stereotypical malicious idiocy.

So of course the UK and France are pushing similar legislations as fast as they can.

Tech News

Microsoft now recommends 32GB of RAM as a practical minimum for running games. (Tom's Hardware)

That's 2GB for the game and 30GB for Windows.
Anthropic is looking to buy new inference chips from British startup Fractile that don't use DRAM. (Tom's Hardware)

These are specialised devices that store their data in on-chip static RAM rather than in a large pool of DRAM. But they can't perform tasks that require a large memory pool.
Why TUIs are back. (Alcides Fonseca)

TUI here stands for terminal user interface - what everyone had before GUIs.

Also what NetHack used (and still uses).
The text mode lie: Why modern TUIs are a nightmare for accessibility. (Xogium)

The keyword here is modern. The same developers who crapped up the web have turned their attention to the text console with predictable results.
Micron's CEO says that the memory situation is going to improve. (WCCFTech)

For him, not for you. You're still screwed.
Leaked documents reveal that the EU wants to force a merger of Bluesky and Twitter. (Gript)

That would be hilarious.

Musical Interlude

Disclaimer: Beep.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 04:30 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 G'Day everyone

Posted by: Skip at May 04, 2026 04:31 AM (Ia/+0)

2 w00t

Posted by: m at May 04, 2026 04:31 AM (RtN13)

3 BOING!

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at May 04, 2026 04:31 AM (5UTWB)

4 Leaked documents reveal that the EU wants to force a merger of Bluesky and Twitter. (Gript)

Electric Light Orchestra - Mr. Blue Sky
ELO + Bluesky

haha ELO is almost Elon

Posted by: m at May 04, 2026 04:37 AM (RtN13)

5 Mornin'

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at May 04, 2026 04:43 AM (sAmhv)

6 The 550 5.7.9 Delivery Status Notification (Failure) response email that I received yesterday referencing an email that I had just sent from one of my accounts: that email that I had just sent did indeed fail, was not received by my Intended Recipient. So it was True!

Posted by: m at May 04, 2026 04:43 AM (RtN13)

7 Ace, wake up and eat your heart out!

https://tinyurl.com/hf66szuj

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at May 04, 2026 04:47 AM (5UTWB)

8 There's one man on earth who can bring Spirit Airlines back from the brink.

Try not to laugh:

https://tinyurl.com/yvza9wak

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at May 04, 2026 04:51 AM (5UTWB)

9 7 Ace, wake up and eat your heart out!

https://tinyurl.com/hf66szuj
Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at May 04, 2026 04:47 AM (5UTWB)

Quoth the raven

Posted by: m at May 04, 2026 04:51 AM (RtN13)

10 ELO! I have quite a few of there CDs in my vast collection. Still listen to them quite a bit. Great band and Jeff Lynne seems like an alright dude.

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at May 04, 2026 04:54 AM (sAmhv)

11 You all know the name Soros.

But do you know who the Goodlanders are? You need to.

https://tinyurl.com/2fusjdrs

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at May 04, 2026 05:03 AM (5UTWB)

12 Good morning Horde. Thx Pixy.
Always liked ELO, but the best thing Jeff Lynne ever did was help bring together the Traveling Wilburys

Posted by: Smell the Glove at May 04, 2026 05:05 AM (gu0hJ)

13 Long commute today
Have a great day horde

Posted by: Skip at May 04, 2026 05:06 AM (Ia/+0)

14
a merger of Bluesky and Twitter.

Right. How about a merger of North and South Korea?

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at May 04, 2026 05:06 AM (n7rxJ)

15 Um... so you wanna star in a ton of Hollywood blockbuster movies?

https://tinyurl.com/7awmhsxk

https://tinyurl.com/22hpvh3f

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at May 04, 2026 05:09 AM (5UTWB)

16
TUIs are back? And to think, we all laughed at that hokey MS-DOSSY computer on the Nostromo.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at May 04, 2026 05:09 AM (n7rxJ)

17 14 a merger of Bluesky and Twitter.

Right. How about a merger of North and South Korea?
Posted by: Blonde Morticia at May 04, 2026 05:06 AM (n7rxJ)

Fine people on both sides ...?

Posted by: m at May 04, 2026 05:10 AM (RtN13)

18 G'mornin' everyone!

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at May 04, 2026 05:15 AM (VyBeY)

19
g'mornin', 'rons

Posted by: AltonJackson at May 04, 2026 05:15 AM (8iYDv)

20 Electric Light Orchestra - Mr. Blue Sky

Happy springtime!

Posted by: m at May 04, 2026 05:16 AM (RtN13)

21
With the collapse of Spirit Airlines, where will in-flight drama players find a location to perform?

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) Imprison! Imprison! Imprison! at May 04, 2026 05:18 AM (xG4kz)

22
Bluesky and Twitter were once merged. It was called, surprisingly enough, "Twitter".

Then when the woke and statist types, would be authoritarians all, could no longer ban the unclean thinkers within Elon Musk's Twitter, they bounced to their new utopia, Bluesky.

Whereupon they formed new circular firing squads and took pot shots at the impure ones among their hitherto unsullied ranks. More just desserts could not have been found.

And you Euroweenies calling for a rejoining of matter and anti-matter, you can fuck right off. What makes you think that you are in charge?

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) Imprison! Imprison! Imprison! at May 04, 2026 05:27 AM (xG4kz)

23 21 With the collapse of Spirit Airlines, where will in-flight drama players find a location to perform?
Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) Imprison! Imprison! Imprison! at May 04, 2026 05:18 AM (xG4kz)

They've been dispirited, you might say.

Posted by: m at May 04, 2026 05:31 AM (RtN13)

24
And you Euroweenies calling for a rejoining of matter and anti-matter, you can fuck right off. What makes you think that you are in charge?

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) Imprison! Imprison! Imprison! at May 04, 2026 05:27 AM (xG4kz)

_____________

We should respond in that tone of voice adults use toward children who propose something childish, "Isn't that nice? Well, you run along and let us grown-ups talk."

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at May 04, 2026 05:32 AM (HdYcL)

25
I guess that "... gonna take me up, spirit in the sky ..." is right out, yah?

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) Imprison! Imprison! Imprison! at May 04, 2026 05:33 AM (xG4kz)

26 All the people who flew Spirit Airlines either won't fly or will go to other airlines. Coming to a plane near you , in flight brawls

Posted by: Smell the Glove at May 04, 2026 05:33 AM (gu0hJ)

27
We should respond in that tone of voice adults use toward children who propose something childish, "Isn't that nice? Well, you run along and let us grown-ups talk."

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh

When howling and bloodthirsty mobs of Islamic rage boys storm and demolish the Euroweenies' offices in Brussels, will they protest, "But we haven't finished forcing our diktats upon the world!!"

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) Imprison! Imprison! Imprison! at May 04, 2026 05:36 AM (xG4kz)

28
I am taking my every-two-years trip in a flying machine next month. Truly, I cringe at how much more public behavior will have declined when I get to the airport.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at May 04, 2026 05:36 AM (HdYcL)

29
ELO --

I've got a fever ... and the only thing that will cure it is MOAR ANVIL!

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) Imprison! Imprison! Imprison! at May 04, 2026 05:39 AM (xG4kz)

30 G'morning Horde.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at May 04, 2026 05:40 AM (O7YUW)

31
A really enterprising airline would hire the "That fucker is not real!" babe and have her deliver her performance art on random flights throughout their system. Feed the zeitgeist, as it were.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) Imprison! Imprison! Imprison! at May 04, 2026 05:43 AM (xG4kz)

32 That's 2GB for the game and 30GB for Windows.

lol

Microsoft is never going to be able to get over what they've done to Windows.

They better hope this impending 'revamp' of Win11, to better satisfy customer complaints, goes well. I'm not too confident with the same people in charge of the same employees.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at May 04, 2026 05:45 AM (6ydKt)

33 Bluesky and Truth Social...now that would be fun.

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convicitions at May 04, 2026 05:45 AM (glnUu)

34 Happy Birthday to Frederic Edwin Church- man who started the Hudson River School- born 200 years ago today:

https://tinyurl.com/3cewr6ub

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at May 04, 2026 05:50 AM (2sfNr)

35 That's 2GB for the game and 30GB for Windows.

lol

Microsoft is never going to be able to get over what they've done to Windows.

They better hope this impending 'revamp' of Win11, to better satisfy customer complaints, goes well. I'm not too confident with the same people in charge of the same employees.
Posted by: SpeakingOf

It is pretty amusing. The initiative to fix Windows is named K2, like after the mountain because it is difficult to climb and take complete commitment to make the summit. K2's nickname is the Widowaker because it is considered the deadliest 8000 meter class mountain to climb.

And just like that behold: Widowmaker 11. Killing off credibility because we can!

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convicitions at May 04, 2026 05:52 AM (glnUu)

36 22 Bluesky and Twitter were once merged. It was called, surprisingly enough, "Twitter".

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) Imprison! Imprison! Imprison! at May 04, 2026 05:27 AM (xG4kz)

Good point.

Posted by: m at May 04, 2026 05:53 AM (RtN13)

37
When howling and bloodthirsty mobs of Islamic rage boys storm and demolish the Euroweenies' offices in Brussels, will they protest, "But we haven't finished forcing our diktats upon the world!!"
Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) Imprison! Imprison! Imprison! at May 04, 2026 05:36 AM (xG4kz)

And their last words as the Musloids slit their throats will be to gurgle, "You stupid Americans!"

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at May 04, 2026 05:53 AM (HdYcL)

38 Brussels has drawn up plans that would effectively see the operations of US-owned social media platforms — including Elon Musk’s X — forcefully merged with those of their more EU-favoured counterparts, such as BlueSky and Mastodon.

The 275-page document published on April 29 discusses the feasibility of forcing both vertical and horizontal interoperability onto all major social media applications, naming X, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube as major targets.

According to the study, these platforms could be forced to platform content from their more moderation-focused rivals, as well as be legally obligated to make their recommender algorithms, news feeds, and user accounts interoperable with websites more favoured by Brussels, such as BlueSky.

The EUSSR is going to have to find out the hard way that U.S. companies are not going to be their political censors while also being their piggy banks to which they can add huge fines to the huge taxes they already collect.

At some point U.S. tech corps are going to determine the juice is not worth the squeeze and pull out completely.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at May 04, 2026 05:54 AM (6ydKt)

39 Leaked documents reveal that the EU wants to force a merger of Bluesky and Twitter.

And when I dream, I have a pony.

Posted by: NR Pax at May 04, 2026 05:55 AM (BpO1e)

40 Looks like a nice weather day ahead, which is welcome after a chilly weekend.

May your day be healthy and productive!

Posted by: Huck Follywood at May 04, 2026 05:55 AM (ytIvj)

41 Franz Stanislaus Spindler was born on May 4, 1763. He went on to become a music composer. He probably should have become a sausage maker.

https://youtu.be/k6r2gaI62MI

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convicitions at May 04, 2026 06:01 AM (glnUu)

42 Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.

Rejoinder: Boop.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at May 04, 2026 06:02 AM (xvhJH)

43 Birdbath status?

Posted by: Just Wondering at May 04, 2026 06:04 AM (2Ez/1)

44 Evening and morning, late toilers and early risers!

Okay. It's Monday; stipulated. But remember:

"Compared to being on the wrong side of the ground, even a bad Monday is pretty small kumquats, nicht wahr[/]?"

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 04, 2026 06:11 AM (wzUl9)

45 “ But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”

Isaiah 53:5

Posted by: Marcus T at May 04, 2026 06:12 AM (qTrmL)

46 Microsoft is never going to be able to get over what they've done to Windows.

I despise Microsoft. I've thought many times about switching over to Linux. But I play a lot of games on my laptop and always worried some wouldn't work anymore.

Posted by: Biergood at May 04, 2026 06:12 AM (PwgSL)

47 Are there VPNs that don't cost you money? Or if so, only a one-time charge?

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 04, 2026 06:14 AM (wzUl9)

48 I vaguely recall a guest post here several years ago reviewing popular VPN's, discussing security, cost, speed etc.

Posted by: Huck Follywood at May 04, 2026 06:17 AM (BIg7z)

49 The "cool" weather we've had the last two days is waning. High today is 79, 82 tomorrow with returning humidity, 86 on Wed., and then T-storms on Thurs. and Fri. I need to wash and wax the car today.

Anyway! I'm up, sipping my coffee, trying to convince myself that working out is a good idea. My first sentence above is pretty strong motivation.

I have not seen the mouse that I encountered in here on Saturday night, and the cats have not been acting like prey is around. Linda brought me a plug-in "rodent repeller"; it's supposed to broadcast something only mice and rats can hear and will flee from. I hope it works. Hantavirus is not something I have ever aspired to experience.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 04, 2026 06:20 AM (wzUl9)

50 I vaguely recall a guest post here several years ago reviewing popular VPN's, discussing security, cost, speed etc.
Posted by: Huck Follywood at May 04, 2026

***
The Brave browser I use offers a VPN with a seven-day free trial.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 04, 2026 06:20 AM (wzUl9)

51 The only VPN I can recommend against is Surf Shark.

Posted by: NR Pax at May 04, 2026 06:22 AM (BpO1e)

52 When God winks at you. The power of what others might call "coincidence" in your life. Crosswalk site:

https://tinyurl.com/kz28ywe6

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at May 04, 2026 06:22 AM (2sfNr)

53 And when I dream, I have a pony.
Posted by: NR Pax

I want a cheetah. Beautiful cats.
I wish i had time to play video games. I barely have time to dream.

Posted by: Dark L at May 04, 2026 06:25 AM (W5mpo)

54 ...Hantavirus is not something I have ever aspired to experience.
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 04, 2026 06:20 AM (wzUl9)

Come now, what doesn't kill you will only make you stronger ... or possibly leave you a shattered, bedridden husk.

Posted by: Button-Pushing-Monkey at May 04, 2026 06:27 AM (EcHpA)

55 Come now, what doesn't kill you will only make you stronger ... or possibly leave you a shattered, bedridden husk.
Posted by: Button-Pushing-Monkey at May 04, 2026

***
A Hulk! Well, aside from being green, that sounds like an exciting . . .

Oh, wait. You said "husk." Never mind.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 04, 2026 06:31 AM (wzUl9)

56 PCMag and Wired both recommend Proton's VPN, the same people who offer the solid email program. Wired does say that the free VPN Windscribe is an exception to the rule that you shouldn't trust free VPNs, though, and PCMag says "Proton has the best free VPN subscription we've seen."

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at May 04, 2026 06:35 AM (wzUl9)

57 See how that Fen is? Always pushing the Church art.

Posted by: Way, Way Downriver at May 04, 2026 06:37 AM (zdLoL)

58 Remember, whatever doesn't kill you still tried to kill you.

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at May 04, 2026 06:38 AM (2Ez/1)

59 JJ up

Posted by: Halfhand at May 04, 2026 06:38 AM (NdsRs)

60 @46/Biergood: "But I play a lot of games on my laptop and always worried some wouldn't work anymore."

That's anchoring a lot of people to Windows right now.

I want to experiment with a dual boot scenario where the Linux side uses Proton. Game compatibility is tracked at:
https://www.protondb.com/

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at May 04, 2026 06:39 AM (O7YUW)

61 Yup. That's a NOOD.

J.J. must have eaten his Wheaties today or something.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at May 04, 2026 06:42 AM (O7YUW)

62 Geez, we didn't even crack #60 before the Morning Report came roaring in.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at May 04, 2026 06:43 AM (O7YUW)

63 @46

>> I despise Microsoft.

To the extent I have to use Microsoft, I bury it in a VM so I don’t have to deal with it directly.

If I didn't have serious money invested in msft I’d love nothing more than to see it crash and burn to the ground.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at May 04, 2026 06:48 AM (XV/Pl)

64 So, the EU wants a monopoly? Interesting.
Probably easier to control one than two.

Posted by: GWB at May 04, 2026 07:23 AM (T6PKz)

65 Posted by: Biergood at May 04, 2026 06:12 AM (PwgSL)

That's what's always stopped me as well.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at May 04, 2026 08:27 AM (lFFaq)

66 The mountain K2 is horrorific. But there is another possibility. I have two Everest K2 typewriters. Maybe that is the basic they are aiming for

Posted by: Notsothoreau at May 04, 2026 08:46 AM (wOXCn)

67 Utah has decided to make it a crime to use VPNs to bypass age verification checks.

This isn't about child safety, it's about monitoring and control of citizens. Govts want to know everything about you, but want to keep you unaware of the dirty deeds they do in the dark...which is completely backward from what the Constitution is founded on: Govt in fear and obedience of it's citizens, not the other way around.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at May 04, 2026 09:04 AM (ynpvh)

68 58 Remember, whatever doesn't kill you still tried to kill you.
Posted by: Quarter Twenty at May 04, 2026 06:38 AM (2Ez/1)

Ha!

Posted by: m at May 04, 2026 12:13 PM (RtN13)

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