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Ebook vs paper: which reading medium is better for the environment?

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Blame it on the digital age or on the Covid lockdown years, but the way we read has changed. We’re increasingly consuming books digitally, with several of us adopting ereaders instead of buying printed books. This change in behavior could be considered better for the planet – after all, no trees are getting destroyed to make said books.

That’s not the only reason to read ebooks. Did you know that about 26% of worldwide waste is paper and paperboard? Clearly we’re not all recycling as much as we should be. UK-based waste management company Business Waste has some interesting stats on how much paper we throw away, and it doesn’t even take into account all the paperbacks and text books we might be discarding. Sure, paper decomposes, but that takes 2-6 weeks and the ink could be poisoning our soil and groundwater. 

On the other hand, manufacturing an electronic device arguably has a bigger carbon footprint. According to a New York Times report from 2010, a single ereader needs about 33 pounds of minerals and 79 gallons of water to make, and it has a limited lifespan.

The Kobo Clara 2E ereader being held.

(Image credit: Future)

Sustaining digital reading

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Raspberry Pi 5 software environment optimization

Designing the Raspberry Pi 5 software

Learn more about optimizing the Raspberry Pi 5’s software environment from the team responsible for developing the latest mini PC in the range. The evolution and development of the Raspberry Pi 5 software environment is a fascinating journey that has seen a significant shift from a hardware-centric focus to a more software-oriented approach. This shift has been instrumental in the progression of the Raspberry Pi project, with the Raspberry Pi 5 being a testament to this new direction.

The Raspberry Pi 4 software environment served as the foundation for the Raspberry Pi 5, with numerous features being added and refined throughout the Pi 4’s lifecycle. This evolution has been marked by a significant transition of software from the Video Processing Unit (VPU) firmware to Linux, including the display driver stack. This shift has resulted in a mature Kernel Mode Setting (KMS) display driver for the Pi 5, and the Image Signal Processor (ISP) has been fully integrated into Linux.

Combining hardware and software

The Raspberry Pi 5 project has been a combined hardware and software effort, with a ratio of two software engineers for every hardware engineer. This ratio underscores the importance of software in the development process and the commitment to creating a robust and efficient software environment.

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Pi 5 software optimization

One of the most significant changes in the Raspberry Pi 5 is the migration of multimedia responsibilities from the VPU to the ARM. This shift has allowed for a more streamlined and efficient operation, with no remaining firmware run on the SD card. Instead, all necessary firmware now resides in the Spy flash, a move that has simplified the boot process and improved overall system performance.

New boot modes

The Raspberry Pi 5 also introduces new boot modes, further enhancing its versatility and adaptability. These new boot modes, coupled with the integration of a new power supply, have resulted in a sophisticated power supply system that can interrogate the power supply and adjust USB current limits as needed.

The development of the bootloader has been another critical aspect of the Raspberry Pi 5 software environment. This development has been instrumental in ensuring a smooth and efficient boot process, contributing to the overall performance and user experience of the Pi 5.

Operating system

The Raspberry Pi 5 is expected to launch with Bookworm Debian 12 Linux, a move that aims to align the release of the Pi 5 and Bookworm. This alignment is expected to provide a seamless and integrated user experience, further enhancing the appeal of the Raspberry Pi 5.

The performance of the Raspberry Pi 5 as a desktop computer is expected to be significantly improved over the Pi 4. With hardware that is two to three times faster and a display subsystem with a path to pixels that is twice as fast, the Pi 5 is expected to handle dual 4K p60 displays smoothly, even with heavy JavaScript websites running. This performance improvement is not just limited to the Pi 5, but is also expected to benefit the Pi 1.

New window manager

The Raspberry Pi 5 also introduces a new window manager called Wayfire. This window manager separates the window management part and the composition part, allowing for better use of hardware for acceleration tasks. This separation results in a more efficient and responsive user interface, contributing to the overall performance of the Pi 5 as a desktop computer.

The evolution and development of the Raspberry Pi 5 software environment have been marked by a significant shift from hardware to software focus. This shift, coupled with the introduction of new features and improvements, has resulted in a robust and efficient software environment that enhances the performance and user experience of the Raspberry Pi 5.

Image Credit :  RPiF

Filed Under: Technology News, Top News





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German military invests millions on an artificial intelligence “environment” for weapons testing that might completely alter battle.

The GhostPlay platform uses “third-wave” AI systems that make decisions that seem “human-like.”
Germany has put a lot of money into an artificial intelligence (AI) virtual training area that some people call a military “metaverse.” Officials say this will help them figure out how to fight in the future.

GhostPlay project head Gary Schaal, a professor at Helmut Schmidt University in Hamburg, said in a news statement, “We compete with the big ones in the industry.” “Our unique Selling point is that we can move quickly and show results quickly.”

To create the virtual battlefield GhostPlay, developer 21strategies brought together a group of defense experts and start-ups. This lets developers try out different weapons and systems in a risk-free environment.
Defense News said that the German Defense Ministry paid for the project as part of a 500 million euro ($540 million) spending plan called COVID-19. The plan was meant to help the country’s high-tech defense business get back on its feet.
On the GhostPlay website, the tool is called a “simulation environment with AI-based decision-making at machine speed.”

“Complex military battle scenarios can be simulated to find new, better ways to act,” the company wrote. “As a result, flexibility and superiority can be achieved on the strategic, tactical, and operational levels.”

The creators said that the models can create “unpredictable” situations that make testing and planning for the military more detailed and thorough.
One of the things that makes this program stand out is that it uses “third-wave” algorithms, which, according to 21strategies CEO Yvonne Hofstetter, make the virtual units make more “human-like” decisions.

She said that the second-wave algorithms just improve or speed up the decision-making process, but that the third-wave algorithms will help make new situations and decide on new moves.

Hofstetter says that the platform also tries to recreate environments “down to the last leaf.” It does this by putting together satellite pictures and local files about everything from houses to plants.
“There is enough information… it’s kind of scary, really,” Hofstetter said.

The most interesting thing the platform has done recently is look into how to improve swarm tactics, especially lingering weapons. The Office of Army Development has worked with the tool because it can make thorough simulations of the locations where the weapons would be used.

Hensoldt, a multinational company that helps fund the GhostPlay platform, said in a press release, “To best enable highly complex defense systems, we need to master artificial intelligence in its entirety. To do this, we develop a lot of AI skills in-house and add to them in a very targeted way.”