There's a new major version of everyone's favourite AI art generator, Stable Diffusion. Version 2.0 has a "a brand new text encoder" that "greatly improves the quality of the generated images", but is also "further filtered to remove adult content". Stability AI's founder Emad Mostaque said in their Discord server that they "can't have kids & nsfw in an open model", "so get rid of the kids or get rid of the nsfw" - they chose the kids. Stable Diffusion 2.0 can now generate images "with resolutions of 2048x2048–or even higher", has improved Depth-to-Image models and loads more stuff that I do not understand but assume will result in the generation of better quality images. Keep an eye out for when Diffusion Bee (a Stable Diffusion GUI for macOS) gets updated.
All the Tesla owners in North America that splashed out to buy the "Full Self Driving" option for their cars can now use it. Prior to today, if you wanted to use FSD you had to be invited by Tesla (and have paid for it) and achieve a high "safety score" that Tesla would use to determine if you can be trusted with FSD. Now everyone that paid can use the new beta version of FSD. This is apparently thanks to the merging Autopilot (i.e: highway driving) with FSD (city driving) into the one software stack. It's still a beta, so you've still got to be ready to take over at any moment and any accidents are fully your fault - so I don't really see the point, particularly in city driving where FSD can be totally unpredictable.
Foxconn's "iPhone City" in Zhengzhou has experienced a new batch of large protests. It appears that after a big recruitment drive for new workers to replace those who fled during the last big lockdown a few weeks ago, the new workers are pissed off about Foxconn changing the terms of their bonus payments. Workers rioting through the Foxconn compound were met with tear gas and "groups of law enforcement officers clad in hazmat suits kicking and hitting protesters with batons and metal rods". The videos posted on social media look pretty wild. In an attempt to placate the protestors, Foxconn sent out text messages to employees offering 8,000 yuan to quit and 2,000 yuan once they board buses to leave the factory. Apple is "working closely with Foxconn to ensure their employees' concerns are addressed".
It's common knowledge that the internet was created by the US military in the cold war to provide a way for them to communicate should there be a nuclear attack - except that's not true at all! Total bullshit. It was really designed as a project to link scientists across the US to a big expensive computer. That's it.Silicon Folklore profoundly debunks this myth, even going to the effort of making a chart to show who started peddling the nuclear war narrative first. That narrative stuck around, most likely, because it's sexier than the relatively boring "we wanted to share a computer" narrative, despite never being true.
Here's five interesting discussions over on The Sizzle's paid subscriber forum for you to enjoy over the weekend. If you are not a paid subscriber but want to get involved, visit https://thesizzle.com.au/payme to get onboard.
CRAY AND SP-2 COMPUTERS, publication date 2/8/1996 (NASA/Glenn Research Center/Internet Archive)
📻 Belter - Powderfinger
😎 The Sizzle is curated by Anthony "@decryption" Agius and emailed every weekday afternoon.
💬 Checked out the paid subscriber only forum? It's a tidy little place to discuss tech with like minded Aussies.
👋 Forums not your thing? The Sizzle has a Slack group you can procrastinate in and chat with other nerds bored at work.
💳 Paid subscriber looking to manage your billing info, change email address or cancel your subscription? Visit the customer portal.
📚 Browse The Sizzle Archive. A few issues are missing and it's not searchable, but it's better than nothing.
🫂 Friends of The Sizzle is a small group of businesses or organisations operated by Sizzle subscribers. Support your fellow Sizzler!
💔 Tired of my bullshit? Unsubscribe and I'll never speak to you again.
The Sizzle is created on Wathaurong land and acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia, recognising their continuing connection to land, water and community. I pay my respect to them and their cultures and to elders both past and present.