[05/31/2000]
Holiday
I'm going on holiday for four days. Since the cabin I'm going to barely has a 50 year old phone, I won't be able to post news during that time. I'm taking up the PB 1400 and I'll try to think of something interesting, but I cannot promise anything. Regular updates should start again on Monday evening. Thank you for your patience, Bensch

[05/31/2000]
xlr8yourmac
xlr8yourmac notes that the latest batch of Apple ROM updates enabled speculative processing on some G4s again, along with many other bugfixes of course. More feedback is now requested. Speculative processing is a special routine in modern computer chips that allows a chip to "make educated guesses" on what a result of an operation (for example an if-else statement) might be. This can improve speed of some programs a lot.

[05/31/2000]
Heading optical
the register reports that scientists have found ways to handle light in a way so that it can be treated similar to electricity, namely they are working successfully on creating an optical transistor. The new technology promises to boost speeds of chips a lot, but of course nothing is even near mass production yet. Satisfying to know that it will be done though.