Author: Leon

HipHop VM now faster HPHPc

Post author By Leon
Post date December 7, 2012

Facebook’s VM for PHP is now running code faster than the code compiled to C++.

Speeding up PHP-based development with HipHop VM

Here at Facebook, the HipHop team constantly strives to improve the efficiency of PHP execution and increase productivity for our PHP developers. In late 2011 we announced that we were pursuing a just-in-time (JIT) compilation approach called HipHop VM (HHVM) as a successor to the HipHop PHP-to-C++ compiler (HPHPc). The goals of the HHVM project are two-fold: build a production-ready virtual machine that delivers superior performance, and unify our production and development environments.

Below is an update on the state of HipHop VM, followed by a deep dive into some details on HHVM’s architecture and optimization strategies.

Tags PHP, Programming

Entertainment

BioShock 2 is free for PS Plus members

Post author By Leon
Post date December 7, 2012

Whee!

Free BioShock 2 for PS Plus members starting tomorrow

BioShock 2, a game whose appreciation is a bit of a slow burn, will be free for PlayStation Plus members following tomorrow’s PSN Tuesday update. If you’re interested in spending some money on BioShock 2, there’s always the well-conceived Minerva’s Den add-on.

Other highlights for Plus members tomorrow include Rockstar Game Collection 1 (Red Dead Redemption, Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City, L.A. Noire and Midnight Club: Los Angeles Complete Edition) for 10 percent off at $53.99. There’s also Puddle for half off at $3.50 on PS3 and $2.80 on Vita.

Entertainment

Watercolor caricatures by John Cox

Post author By Leon
Post date December 7, 2012

John Cox does excellent political/philosophical illustrations.

4 OUT OF 5 CARICATURES AGREE… (John Cox Art)

Do you enjoy this website and know that special someone who could use a good laugh? Let me invite you to share the gift of humor by commissioning a caricature for the Christmas Season.

For $75 (plus postage cost), you’ll receive a 9″ x11″ watercolor caricature based on photographs you can simply e-mail. Within three days of making a Paypal payment, I’ll send you a finished caricature that’ll be a hilarious Christmas story for years to come. Just contact me at my e-mail address, john555cox@hotmail.com, and we can get started!

(JUST A REMINDER: Ordering a caricature in the next few days will allow for any possible postal delays.)

Tags christmas

Entertainment

Celebrate Xmas the Victorian way

Post author By Leon
Post date December 7, 2012

Grabbing a flaming piece of fruit sounds like good fun. Also, Lord of Misrule sounds like a better job title than Founder or Chief Technologist. Maybe it’s time for new business cards.

Celebrating the Christmas of the Past

English Heritage has some tips for celebrating Christmas in the Tudor and Victorian styles, if you want to be more traditional than everyone around you. For example, a Tudor-style Christmas would start with putting one person in charge of Christmas and all its parties.

Tags christmas