π Open-Source Mandate, Musk's Robotaxi Pledge, CrowdStrike Bug
Good morning. Itβs Wednesday, July 24. Today we are covering:
Switzerland now requires all government software to be open source
Elon Musk claims Tesla will have 1 million robotaxis on roads next year, but warns he's missed the mark before
CrowdStrike blames a test software bug for that giant global mess it made
Google has big new ideas about the Play Store
Alphabet to invest another $5B into Waymo
Letβs dive in
Switzerland now requires all government software to be open source
By Steven Vaughan-Nichols via ZDNETΒ
Switzerland has implemented the "Federal Law on the Use of Electronic Means for the Fulfillment of Government Tasks" (EMBAG), mandating all public sector software to be open-source, enhancing transparency, security, and efficiency.
The law encourages the release of software under open-source licenses unless restricted by third-party rights or security concerns, supporting a "public money, public code" philosophy.
EMBAG also includes provisions for Open Government Data (OGD), pushing a significant shift towards greater openness in government operations and software, aiming to reduce IT costs and foster innovation.
π: Switzerland is one of the world's leading #opensource countries; now, if only the United States could follow its lead! -Β Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols (@sjvn)
By Lora Kolodny via CNBC
Elon Musk confidently predicts that Tesla will deploy over 1 million robotaxis by next year, with ambitions for fully driverless vehicles, despite previous delays in his projections.
Tesla's new technology promises advanced autonomous driving, featuring vehicles potentially without steering wheels or pedals within two years, leveraging in-house developed chips manufactured with Samsung.
Despite Musk's optimism and the hardware preparedness of Tesla cars for full self-driving capabilities, regulatory approvals remain uncertain, and past forecasts have not always aligned with outcomes.
π: "I feel very confident predicting autonomous robotaxis for Tesla next yearβ β Elon Musk in 2019 - Rani Molla (@ranimolla)
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CrowdStrike blames a test software bug for that giant global mess it made
By Simon Sharwood via The Register
CrowdStrike identified a bug in its 'Content Validator' software as the cause for the global disruption that led to the crash of 8.5 million Windows computers.
The problem originated from two "InterProcessCommunication (IPC) Template Instances" introduced on July 19, which contained problematic content that was not caught due to the bug in the validator.
Following the incident, CrowdStrike has committed to more rigorous testing and validation of their updates, including staggered releases and more detailed release notes to prevent future disruptions.
π: The initial Post Incident Review is out from CrowdStrike. Itβs good and really honest. Thereβs some wordsmithing (eg channel updates arenβt code - in reality their parameters control code). -Β Kevin Beaumont (@GossiTheDog)
Google has big new ideas about the Play Store
By Chris Welch via The Verge
Google Play introduces new Collections feature, which organizes content from installed apps into categories like shop, watch, and listen, making it easier for users to resume activities.
Enhanced gaming capabilities for Play Pass subscribers now allow playing multiple games simultaneously on PC, part of ongoing improvements including 4K support.
A revamped Play Points reward program now includes more valuable prizes like Pixel devices and Razer gaming products, aiming to enhance user engagement with the platform.
Alphabet to invest another $5B into Waymo
By Rebecca Bellan via TechCrunchΒ
Alphabet commits an additional $5 billion to its self-driving subsidiary Waymo, as announced by CFO Ruth Porat during the company's earnings call, to continue developing leading autonomous driving technology.
Waymo is currently providing over 50,000 paid rides weekly, with fully driverless services in cities like San Francisco, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Austin, and is exploring expansion to new areas including airport rides.
The investment aims to enhance operational performance and efficiency in Alphabet's "other bets" segment, which includes various innovative projects beyond its core search and advertising operations.
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