Technology Tales

Haiku

This open source operating system focuses on personal computing through a unified approach where a single development team creates all components from the kernel to desktop applications. Built with a custom kernel designed for responsiveness and featuring full threading for efficient multi-processor performance, it offers a database-like file system with indexed metadata support and a rich object-oriented API. The project represents a realisation of concepts from the Be Operating System, aiming to provide simple and efficient personal computing through seamless integration of various open source projects into a cohesive whole. Development occurs through a global community of volunteer contributors supported by a non-profit organisation, with the system remaining freely available whilst maintaining consistency that benefits both everyday users and developers.

Close the Tools pane in Acrobat Reader DC

Adobe Acrobat Reader includes a preference setting that allows users to control the visibility of the All tools pane, ensuring its state—whether collapsed or expanded—remains consistent across sessions. By adjusting the 'Remember last state of All tools pane when opening documents' option in the Documents preferences, the application retains the user's preferred layout.

Jukka Svahn

This collection of plugins for the Textpattern content management system provides a range of functionalities including Bit.ly link shortening, password management, comment handling, spam prevention, feed customisation and administrative tools such as IP-based access control and caching management. Several plugins were updated in 2013 with version increments, reflecting ongoing development and maintenance efforts. The plugins are designed to enhance user interaction, streamline content creation and improve site administration, with features like revision control, advanced sitemap generation and simplified interface elements. The collection is maintained by Jukka Svahn, with copyright held from 2007 to 2026.

Optimizing the use of the Google Font API

Google engineers recommend several practices for optimising font loading performance through their Font API, including combining multiple font requests into a single query using the pipe character, placing font links in the base HTML rather than using import directives in external CSS files, positioning font requests early in the page after the opening head tag, and requesting only fonts that are actually used. Performance analysis of 28 popular sites using the Font API revealed that on fast connections around 100 megabits per second, fonts added only 37 milliseconds to page load time on average, whilst medium speed connections at 3 megabits per second saw a barely significant increase of 34 milliseconds. However, slower connections at 384 kilobits per second experienced a noticeable impact of approximately 1 second, with the delay correlating directly to the compressed size of the font files. The findings suggest that high-bandwidth users can enjoy web fonts with minimal performance impact since font requests load in parallel with other page elements, whilst slower connections bear the cost of additional data transfer, though the team is working on further compression methods to improve this situation.

Web Accessibility Evaluation Tools List

The landscape of accessibility tools is diverse, encompassing solutions for web, mobile and document evaluation, as well as integration into development workflows. Many tools adhere to WCAG standards, offering real-time analysis, automated checks and remediation guidance. Some focus on specific areas such as colour contrast, screen reader compatibility, or video content, while others provide comprehensive scanning and monitoring for websites and applications. A range of options exists, from free extensions and plugins to subscription-based platforms with advanced features like AI-driven recommendations and cross-platform support. These tools aim to simplify compliance with global standards, including Section 508 and EN 301 549 and cater to both developers and organisations seeking to enhance inclusivity in digital products.

How to Make a Favicon Small and Cacheable

Creating a small, cacheable favicon is a minor but impactful step in enhancing website performance. A favicon, typically a 16x16 or 32x32 pixel image stored at the root of a website, is requested by browsers and displayed in tabs and bookmarks. To optimise it, keep the file under 1 KB, use vector graphics where possible and ensure it is named favicon.ico. Hosting it on a CDN and configuring server settings to include cache-control headers or expires directives can reduce repeated requests, improving load times. Implementation varies slightly across platforms, such as WordPress, Joomla, or Drupal, but generally involves uploading the file to the root directory or specifying its location in the website’s HTML. While not a high-priority task, these steps contribute to cumulative performance gains, ensuring the favicon is efficiently served and minimally disruptive to user experience.

How to troubleshoot the error code "SEC_ERROR_UNKNOWN_ISSUER" on secure websites

Firefox displays security warnings when it cannot validate a secure site's certificate, most commonly showing error codes like SEC_ERROR_UNKNOWN_ISSUER, MOZILLA_PKIX_ERROR_MITM_DETECTED or ERROR_SELF_SIGNED_CERT. When errors appear across multiple secure sites, the cause is typically antivirus software scanning encrypted connections, corporate network monitoring tools or malware intercepting secure connections, and disabling HTTPS scanning in security software like Avast, Bitdefender, ESET or Kaspersky usually resolves the issue.

If the error occurs on just one site, it likely indicates server misconfiguration, a missing intermediate certificate or a self-signed certificate that the site administrator needs to address. Recent Firefox versions prevent bypassing certain certificate errors for security reasons, particularly on sites using HTTP Strict Transport Security or major sites like banks and email providers where compromised connections pose serious risks. When bypassing is permitted, users can click Advanced and then Accept the Risk and Continue, though permanent exceptions are discouraged except for internal network sites where installing a valid certificate from a trusted authority remains the safest approach.

TED is a global non-profit organisation dedicated to sharing ideas through short, impactful presentations that explore a wide range of subjects including science, education, business, culture and politics. Originating in 1984 as a conference uniting thinkers from technology, entertainment and design, it has since expanded its reach through online platforms, making talks freely available to millions worldwide. The format typically features concise, focused speeches delivered by diverse speakers such as scientists, activists and leaders, often recorded and shared through the TED website and other digital channels. Additional initiatives like TEDx events, TED Fellows and TED-Ed further extend its mission of making knowledge and inspiration accessible, aiming to foster the exchange of ideas that address global challenges and encourage innovation.

ProFont is a monospaced font designed to enhance readability in programming by distinguishing characters such as I, l, 1 and O, 0, even at small sizes. Originally developed for classic macOS with bitmapped shapes, it has since been adapted for Windows and Linux, though some versions use TrueType outlines instead of bitmaps, which may affect clarity. Multiple iterations exist, including bold variants and language-specific adaptations, with the MIT licence permitting unrestricted use and modification. Users are advised to consider compatibility with modern operating systems, as older versions may not function reliably, while newer Linux OTB formats address specific rendering issues. The font lacks italic or bold styles in its core versions, though alternative builds provide these options, and it is recommended to disable antialiasing for optimal display on supported platforms.

Formed in 1963 through the merger of two organisations, the IEEE is a global, non-profit association with members across more than 160 countries, uniting engineers, scientists and industry professionals to advance technology. It operates through technical societies, regional groups, student branches and standards committees, focusing on areas such as computer science, communications, power engineering and artificial intelligence. The organisation is renowned for developing widely adopted technical standards, including those for Ethernet and Wi-Fi and for publishing extensive peer-reviewed research accessible via its digital library. It also hosts numerous conferences annually, offers professional development resources and fosters collaboration between academia, industry and standards bodies to drive innovation and support technological progress for societal benefit.