Daily Tech News 1 May 2021

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It was, of course, a descendent of these eccentric poets who invented this curious tale of impending doom which enabled the people of Golgafrincham to rid themselves of an entire useless third of their population. The other two-thirds, of course, stayed at home and lived full, rich, and happy lives until they were all suddenly wiped out by a virulent disease contracted from a dirty telephone.

— The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Radio Series, Episode Six, by Douglas Adams

After Basecamp recently clamped down on the woke bullshit compromising their business they are now seeing exactly the desired result: An entire useless third of their employees have boarded the Ark. (Gizmodo)

If I ever see a Basecamp resume crossing my desk - at least, one from this mass exodus - I will laugh myself sick before binning it.

And then pull it out of the bin, laugh some more, tear it up, and bin it again.

A couple of years before Yoko Kanno made a huge splash with the soundtrack for Cowboy Bebop, she wrote the score for another very popular series, The Vision of Escaflowne. The music is very different, but just as exceptional in its own way. The series itself is also quite good, though I don't know how well it has stood the test of time.

Tech News

Intel's future Sapphire Rapids server CPUs could have as many as 80 cores. (Tom's Hardware)

This will be Intel's first chiplet-based CPU. AMD started this trend in 2017, largely because they simply didn't have the budget to design and manufacture huge server chips with a then-unknown market acceptance.

Instead, AMD's engineers added three high-speed interconnects to the standard desktop CPU, so that four eight-core parts could be linked together as a single 32-core part.

It worked, and AMD now has server market share they haven't seen in 15 years, leaving Intel playing technical - if not sales - catchup.

It's not clear when Sapphire Rapids will actually ship; the only official word so far is that Intel will be using these parts in a supercomputer for Argonne National Lab starting this year.
Taiwan has banned recruitment for semiconductor industry jobs located in West Taiwan. (Tom's Hardware)

The Chinese government is scrambling to build up its semiconductor industry, after being banned from purchasing both latest-generation chips and latest-generation manufacturing equipment by the Trump Administration.

Despite the changeover in Washington DC those bans are still in effect. China is five years behind Taiwan, and while that might not sound like much, five years ago Taiwan's semiconductor industry was a mess. Back in 2016 TSMC was still mostly producing 28nm parts, because the 20nm process was a disaster and 16nm was still ramping up.

This year they plan to start production of 3nm.

So five years behind actually means ten times worse.
The unannounced Zen 3+ core for Ryzen 6000 may have been cancelled. (WCCFTech)

Or not.

It looks like there won't be a new desktop lineup from AMD this year, with Zen 4 expected to arrive in Q1 of 2022. With manufacturing constrained and demand consistently outstripping supply across AMD's entire product range, it makes sense for them to focus on major new generations rather than trying to fill in gaps in the schedule to keep marketing happy.

Intel will ship Alder Lake late this year, and that will introduce support for DDR5 and PCIe 5.0 - double the memory bandwidth and double the I/O bandwidth - but that doesn't look like a great part for desktop systems, since it's limited to 8 full-size cores where AMD already goes to 16.

For laptops, possibly yes, since it also has up to 8 low-power cores, similar to the recent Arm based MacBook. That could help deliver all-day battery life in a lightweight notebook.
Do not buy the PNY CS2130 SSD. (Serve the Home)

Instead of office chair, shipment contained live bobcat. Would not buy again.
Pornhub received 500,000 DMCA takedown notices lat year - and issued nearly ten times that number. (TorrentFreak)

They all deserve each other, frankly.

Yoko Kanno Music Still Picture of the Day

The soundtrack for Vision of Escaflowne tends towards the classical rather than the bold jazz of Cowboy Bebop, but Kanno showed off her range here as well. This track - Medicine Eater - only plays briefly as incidental music in two episodes, but it's one of my favourites.

This one, though, titled Dance of Curse, is the one anyone who's seen the series will recognise.

Disclaimer: Unless they got dropped on their head since then, anyway.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 03:02 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Awesome stuff Pixie. Thanks for doing the Tech News.

Posted by: johnd01 at May 01, 2021 02:16 AM (uVQvU)

2 Wow, Pixy...this is a definite must watch for me. You are a bottomless treasure pit for good anime and I can't wait to go on this epic adventure, although I wonder if the story can match my satisfaction that song- Dance of Curse- has given me.

Posted by: Lazzari Scooter at May 01, 2021 02:39 AM (YvEh8)

3 1 Awesome stuff Pixie. Thanks for doing the Tech News.

Posted by: johnd01 at May 01, 2021 02:16 AM (uVQvU)

Indeed. My brain has been rebooting, trying to understand all the latest tech jargon. I used to hand build my own desktops, but that was many generations ago. A 486??? Them 386s were slow as shit in a freezer.

And anime? I saw a couples of episodes of Speed Racer. Never got it. At least now, I see some musical complexities.

Posted by: GnuBreed at May 01, 2021 02:41 AM (F0YaR)

4 I'm in IT but not server side. I do enjoy reading Pixy's tech threads. I usually learn something.

Posted by: Puddleglum at May 01, 2021 02:45 AM (UUrfE)

5
Moore's "Law", when will it officially end. You can make a transistor smaller than an atom. That's a hard limit. Some say we're already there, and historians will put the end around 2020.

Consensus estimate is about 2025.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Rapscallion of a Poperin Pear at May 01, 2021 03:09 AM (Mzdiz)

6 https://tinyurl.com/3kbrk5vk

Link goes to a Coindesk (a crypto website) video. "Financial censorship is a thing. Bitcoin fixes that.

Posted by: Fool Otto at May 01, 2021 03:17 AM (DB16e)

7 I've heard of Escaflowne, but never watched it and this is my first time seeing the artwork from it. Kanno definitely deserves all the praise for her music. Her work on Ghost in the Shell is my favorite. One of the few times that I've considered the soundtrack superior to the content of a series or film.

Posted by: soulpile at May 01, 2021 03:19 AM (hiX0r)

8 Thanks for the content!
This site, its bloggers and commentators, help me stay hopeful for America!

Posted by: Thankful for you Dude at May 01, 2021 03:19 AM (4ssBG)

9 hiya

Posted by: JT at May 01, 2021 03:28 AM (arJlL)

10 JT do you ever get any rest?

Posted by: Skip at May 01, 2021 03:39 AM (Cxk7w)

11 escaflowne el la dipulos

Posted by: m at May 01, 2021 03:42 AM (RYc1G)

12 full lyrics:

https://tinyurl.com/457wj4c6

Posted by: m at May 01, 2021 03:45 AM (RYc1G)

13 I always wondered what the words were, but never actually looked them up.

Now I wonder what language it is.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at May 01, 2021 03:48 AM (MqQvv)

14 I remember the Vision of Escaflowne. All hail the Luck Twins. And no the movie never happened. Nyah.

Posted by: Anna Puma at May 01, 2021 03:54 AM (BIjAL)

15 Looks like it's a transliteration of the Japanese, maybe with some invention thrown in; I don't know:

The Vision of Escaflowne (Japanese: ...; Hepburn: Tenku no Esukafurone, lit. Escaflowne of the Heavens)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Vision_of_Escaflowne

Posted by: m at May 01, 2021 03:54 AM (RYc1G)

16 Pixy Misa-dono

AnimEigo in the US has launched a Kickstarter to remaster and release MADOX-01: Metal Skin Panic. After 45 minutes live they reached their goal of $50,000 and of course almost all the top tier rewards have been snagged save at the $2,500 range.

https://tinyurl.com/29ta3bju

Posted by: Anna Puma at May 01, 2021 03:57 AM (BIjAL)

17 Escaflowne of the Heavens makes a bit of sense since Hitomi comes from Earth, when can be seen in the heavens of Escaflowne. Its like she is from Mars.

Posted by: Anna Puma at May 01, 2021 03:59 AM (BIjAL)

18 Oooo, Escaflowne, that's one I haven't seen in forever, thanks!

Posted by: acethepug at May 01, 2021 04:01 AM (qPKAe)

19 14 I remember the Vision of Escaflowne. All hail the Luck Twins. And no the movie never happened. Nyah.

I remember the movie that never happened as pretty and an incomprehensible mess.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at May 01, 2021 04:06 AM (MqQvv)

20 JT do you ever get any rest?
Posted by: Skip

Sure !

Posted by: JT at May 01, 2021 04:07 AM (arJlL)

21 Anime aficionados, around the same time the Vision of Escaflowne, another classic 90s anime, Fushigi Yuugi, also made its debut. As they are somewhat similar, I like to hear which one would recommend more for me?

Posted by: Lazzari Scooter at May 01, 2021 04:09 AM (YvEh8)

22 JT you sleep while I'm at work don't you?

Posted by: Skip at May 01, 2021 04:09 AM (Cxk7w)

23 Kinda like Legend Crystania after being spoiled by the thirteen episode OVA series called Record of Lodoss War. You are going "what is this **#$@! drivel!!! The character designs hurt my eyes."

Crystania only makes a bit of sense after watching the TV series which more closely followed the actual RPG game session story line. But the character designs are still terrible.

Posted by: Anna Puma at May 01, 2021 04:10 AM (BIjAL)

24 Both are Isekai in which the main character ~~are tossed into another world. But Fushigi Yuugi is set in a version of China's Twelve Kingdoms.~~

Posted by: Anna Puma at May 01, 2021 04:13 AM (BIjAL)

25 21 Anime aficionados, around the same time the Vision of Escaflowne, another classic 90s anime, Fushigi Yuugi, also made its debut. As they are somewhat similar, I like to hear which one would recommend more for me?

I think Escaflowne has likely held up better. I enjoyed both at the time, but Fushigi Yuugi was twice as long (52 vs. 26 episodes) and needed to be edited down a bit. (Anyone who's seen it, just say "Miaka! Tamahome!" to them and they'll agree that at least four episodes could have been cut.)

Posted by: Pixy Misa at May 01, 2021 04:13 AM (MqQvv)

26 Well thank you Pixy-Misa and Minx 0.7 alpha for that save.

Posted by: Anna Puma at May 01, 2021 04:13 AM (BIjAL)

27 23 Kinda like Legend Crystania after being spoiled by the thirteen episode OVA series called Record of Lodoss War.

Lodoss War was another one that had a remarkable soundtrack. Big budget treatment for what was literally someone's D&D campaign.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at May 01, 2021 04:15 AM (MqQvv)

28 26 Well thank you Pixy-Misa and Minx 0.7 alpha for that save.
Posted by: Anna Puma at May 01, 2021 04:13 AM (BIjAL)

Minx 0.7 alpha stopped me from posting an overly long URL earlier in the thread. Maybe we CAN have nice things!

Posted by: m at May 01, 2021 04:16 AM (RYc1G)

29 Oh speaking of Record of Lodoss War, IIRC this English version of "Adesso e Fortuna" is found on the second Japanese OST CD.

https://youtu.be/5g3foyY37lY

Posted by: Anna Puma at May 01, 2021 04:17 AM (BIjAL)

30 JT you sleep while I'm at work don't you?
Posted by: Skip

Why NO !

I rarely make it to an ONT; I'm usually abed between 8 and 9 PM.
I get 5, 6 hours of sleep.

I usually take a nap during the day, just to be sociable.

Posted by: JT at May 01, 2021 04:20 AM (arJlL)

31 Ya know Anna, I have NO idea what you're talking about

Posted by: JT at May 01, 2021 04:21 AM (arJlL)

32 *pauses*

Kami-sama, imagine if the Japanese had made an anime of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Posted by: Anna Puma at May 01, 2021 04:22 AM (BIjAL)

33 Buen dia queridas

Chris Christie is a quintessential Republican.

Fat, greasy, and self-satisfied.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at May 01, 2021 04:23 AM (EZebt)

34 I'm trying to educate you JT!!

Posted by: Anna Puma at May 01, 2021 04:25 AM (BIjAL)

35 This reminds me, I'll need to post the Tank Police opening.

Not the original Japanese one, but the English-language one, that sounds like they hired a Casio keyboard and a vocalist for an afternoon and yet somehow knocked it out of the park.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at May 01, 2021 04:29 AM (MqQvv)

36 Trek >>> Anime

Posted by: San Franpsycho at May 01, 2021 04:30 AM (EZebt)

37 Of course it truly helps Record of Lodoss War to have two top-notch artists tackling the character designs - Noboteru Yuki and Yutaka Izubuchi.

Jacket art for one of the laserdiscs - https://tinyurl.com/7d47ywja

Posted by: Anna Puma at May 01, 2021 04:30 AM (BIjAL)

38 Pixy-Misa!!

Why do you hate me?? Nyah!

Posted by: Anna Puma at May 01, 2021 04:31 AM (BIjAL)

39 I'll see if I can find that clip from the show as well.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at May 01, 2021 04:33 AM (MqQvv)

40 Star Trek gets the doujinshi treatment

https://fanlore.org/wiki/Star_Trekker

Posted by: Anna Puma at May 01, 2021 04:34 AM (BIjAL)

41 The great lighting scene? Or the bio-memory plastic?

I wuv both of them!

Posted by: Anna Puma at May 01, 2021 04:35 AM (BIjAL)

42 The dance scene.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at May 01, 2021 04:35 AM (MqQvv)

43 Buaku, "If I was going to surrender my weapons I wouldn't have brought them!"

Posted by: Anna Puma at May 01, 2021 04:36 AM (BIjAL)

44 While Pixy Misa is scouring the Internets, here is Joe Hisaishi stepping out from composing music for Miyazaki Hayao and Studio Ghibli in the science fiction OVA series Venus Wars.

Instrumental - https://youtu.be/aTlQ7ffD3rg

With vocals - https://youtu.be/Yl5CFzr4QFg

Posted by: Anna Puma at May 01, 2021 04:45 AM (BIjAL)

45
g'mornin', 'rons

Posted by: AltonJackson at May 01, 2021 04:46 AM (DUIap)

46 I watched the animes. When the last one ended, another one queued up. A sword-riding Playboy bunny. Weird shit.

Posted by: JAS, AoSHQ addict at May 01, 2021 04:46 AM (xopIz)

47 30 I'm usually abed between 8 and 9 PM.

Posted by: JT at May 01, 2021 04:20 AM (arJlL)

I'm a believer--but rarely succeed:

@ComfortablySmug
Going to bed by 10:30 is the greatest gift you can give yourself.

Posted by: m at May 01, 2021 04:49 AM (RYc1G)

48 I am not taking the jab.

Review of the Emerging Evidence Demonstrating the Efficacy of Ivermectin in the Prophylaxis and Treatment of COVID-19

https://tinyurl.com/k4mjetks

Posted by: JAS, AoSHQ addict at May 01, 2021 04:49 AM (xopIz)

49 Morning, 'rons and 'ettes.

Posted by: olddog in mo at May 01, 2021 04:49 AM (ju2Fy)

50 A sword-riding Playboy bunny. Weird shit.

Either you watched the original Daicon IV opening or FLCL or Cassette Girl.

Nyah

Posted by: Anna Puma at May 01, 2021 04:51 AM (BIjAL)

51 46 I watched the animes. When the last one ended, another one queued up. A sword-riding Playboy bunny. Weird shit.

That's gotta be the Daicon IV animation. Every single frame drawn by hand by a small group of amateurs.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at May 01, 2021 04:52 AM (MqQvv)

52 test

Posted by: Vic/i at May 01, 2021 04:53 AM (mpXpK)

53 I think the wind finally died down out there !

Posted by: JT at May 01, 2021 04:53 AM (arJlL)

54 one more

Posted by: Vic/ at May 01, 2021 04:54 AM (mpXpK)

55 Olddog how is the situation going?

Posted by: Skip at May 01, 2021 04:54 AM (Cxk7w)

56 50 A sword-riding Playboy bunny. Weird shit.

Either you watched the original Daicon IV opening or FLCL or Cassette Girl.

"A sword-riding Playboy bunny."
"Do you have any idea how little that narrows it down?"
"With music by ELO."
"Oh, right, Daicon IV."

Posted by: Pixy Misa at May 01, 2021 04:54 AM (MqQvv)

57 I have seen one seller on eBay want $1,000 for the Daicon IV laserdisc. Oh bugger that.

Posted by: Anna Puma at May 01, 2021 04:56 AM (BIjAL)

58 Not good, Skip. Be surprised if he makes it thru the day, assuming he made it thru last nite.

Posted by: olddog in mo at May 01, 2021 04:58 AM (ju2Fy)

59 shit

Posted by: Vic/ at May 01, 2021 04:58 AM (mpXpK)

60 Supposed to be breezy all day, be nice if gusts stopped

Posted by: Skip at May 01, 2021 04:58 AM (Cxk7w)

61 So did anyone like A Wind Named Amnesia?

Posted by: Anna Puma at May 01, 2021 05:00 AM (BIjAL)

62 G'mornin' everyone !

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at May 01, 2021 05:01 AM (ErSvT)

63 Krak is Nood

Posted by: Skip at May 01, 2021 05:01 AM (Cxk7w)

64 krak is up

Posted by: m at May 01, 2021 05:01 AM (RYc1G)

65 nood !

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at May 01, 2021 05:02 AM (ErSvT)

66 Nood EMT

Posted by: JAS, AoSHQ addict at May 01, 2021 05:02 AM (xopIz)

67 simultaneous nooding

Posted by: m at May 01, 2021 05:02 AM (RYc1G)

68 Escaflowne - absolutely classic, man! I have that OST in my library. Several years ago I found that anime music and movie soundtracks were the best music for me to listen to while working because I get distracted by involved lyrics (that I can understand).

You need to feature Kajiura Yuki next ;-)

Posted by: Santos L. Halper at May 01, 2021 05:24 AM (6mWO8)

69 Thanks Pixy for the recommendation on my question and after watching the 1st episode of Escaflowne- I have no doubt its the right call. Although, I will still make time for Fushigi Yuugi, fillers and all, because I leave no ounce of anime on the figurative bone. I mean watched the endless eight saga on The Melancholy Haruhi Suzumiya without flinching once.

Also, Anna I saw "A Wind Named Amnesia" and enjoyed it enough mainly due to interesting concept, good visuals and decent plot. Really enjoyed the early interactions with guy and smart kid establishing the environment of the story.

The story progresses nicely with the individual vignettes along the journey of the barren landscape with mysterious girl but the subjective ending is not really ideal. Also, the recurring bad robot that chases them gets pretty ridiculous and should have been sacked after its 1st appearence

Posted by: Lazzari Scooter at May 01, 2021 05:49 AM (YvEh8)

70 So Gizmodo thinks what happened at Basecamp was bad. Talk about blinkered vision!

Google and Amazon are examples of companies where only SOME political and cultural beliefs are off-limits. Basecamp are saying keep everything away from the office. More power to them.

Posted by: John Lewis at May 01, 2021 06:33 AM (FK7YC)

71 Yoko Kanno also wrote the soundtrack for Ghost in the Shell (at least Season 1, not sure about the rest, too tired to look it up). This includes one of my favorite OST songs of all time, Run Rabbit Junk, which I didn't even know was in English until years after I fell in love with it due to the intentionally garbled words.

Posted by: pookysgirl, tired otaku at May 01, 2021 06:39 AM (XKZwp)

72 If you want to hear great anime music, look up the soundtrack to Noir by Yuki Kajiura. Really great stuff.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at May 01, 2021 06:44 AM (OU+8W)

73 Hah, a fellow GitS fan beat me to it! I told you I was tired!

Posted by: pookysgirl, exhausted otaku at May 01, 2021 06:49 AM (XKZwp)

74 I'm glad people are appreciating the classic anime music. I've got a more recent song lined up for tomorrow, then back to the eighties again.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at May 01, 2021 07:33 AM (MqQvv)

75 Oh, and Lazzari Scooter - I'll mention this tomorrow in case you miss it here - if you watch Fushigi Yuugi (and it was a decent series) for the love of all that is holy stop with the end of the TV series.

There are three OVA sequels and they are so bad they retroactively destroy the TV series. Any time I wish something had got a sequel - Cowboy Bebop is a perfect example - I think back to those OVAs and I'm happy with what I have.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at May 01, 2021 07:40 AM (MqQvv)

76 Damn Pixy, this stuff is on fire. Anime music, chip bans, basecamp. I clicked on nearly every link. So much important stuff.

Posted by: Draki at May 01, 2021 07:47 AM (UW+yo)

77 If we're placing requests to hear great anime composer's music,

let's hear from Susumu Hirasawa.

Almost everything he did is excellent (Beserk, Paranoia Agent, etc), esp when he worked with the late, great Satoshi Kon.

A personal fave is - "The Girl in Byakkoya".

But, there's so much great stuff to be heard.

Posted by: naturalfake at May 01, 2021 07:49 AM (dWwl8)

78 Escaflowne couldn't be made today without cramming a JRPG leveling system and an inexplicable harem into it.

Posted by: James Schuler at May 01, 2021 07:58 AM (j7w9/)

79 I'd like to say you're wrong there, and I will, as soon as I think of a counter-example...

Posted by: Pixy Misa at May 01, 2021 08:12 AM (MqQvv)

80 Really enjoying the new Tech News column.

Posted by: Henry Lee at May 01, 2021 08:37 AM (ZaZvt)

81 Escaflown the TV series was quite good and I bought a copy from Bob. The movie? Not so much.

Posted by: Flashbazzbo, s.e. at May 01, 2021 09:00 AM (t+tUb)

82 Thanks to Pixy. Your postings are a great addition to the Ace lineup.
Thank, too, for the links to music by Yoko Kanno. I haven't watched much anime - "Cowboy Bebop" and the "Ghost in the Shell" movies, principally - but I've really enjoyed what I've heard of her music.
The "Dance of Curse" reminds me of the "O Fortuna" section from Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana". Good stuff!

Posted by: Nemo at May 01, 2021 09:41 AM (S6ArX)

83 Heh. The butthurt over Basecamp's action spilleth over in Gizmodo the comments section.

Schadenfreude indeed.

Posted by: Additional Blond Agent, STEM guy at May 01, 2021 09:41 AM (ZSK0i)

84 Thanks again for the tech stuff, pixy.

It's both hilarious and appalling that Basecamp felt it necessary to announce their business is business, not SJW. and are being taken to task for that stance by the usual suspects.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing at May 01, 2021 10:02 AM (2SdPm)

85 Escaflowne is one of my faves, a series I break out every few years on DVD and rewatch. It has that 1990s "sharp pointy noses" look, but honestly holds up pretty well.

Posted by: Bram Stoker's Chocula at May 01, 2021 12:40 PM (AutUY)

86 Was never a fan of the pointy-nose anime.

Posted by: AshevilleRobert at May 01, 2021 01:06 PM (HBlzO)

87 If I see a resume from an ex-Basecamp employee, I would speed up the process of interviewing them. Then I would ask for detail on the reason for their departure and challenge them to explain why my teams' time and companies' financial interests and all the investors, worldwide, should be held hostage to their political and social views.
If they can't, they are passed.
If they can, then I get to ask them exactly what those views are, since they themselves have stated that their intention is to drive that agenda at work.

That is when I clean and filet them like a trout.

Posted by: TSgt Ciz at May 01, 2021 02:59 PM (af5xa)

88 So does this means there will be some job openings at basecamp really soon? Potentially openings for conservative employees cancelled by 'woke' companies? A place for people just to focus on work without a bunch of superfluous $#@#$# ?

Posted by: Brian Pendell at May 01, 2021 07:15 PM (u1Aq4)

89 88 So does this means there will be some job openings at basecamp really soon?

Not necessarily, since they probably just doubled the total productivity of the company.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at May 01, 2021 10:36 PM (MqQvv)

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