sourcecode
Latest
Tesla will open its security code to other car manufacturers
Tesla might just get into the habit of releasing source code for its in-car tech. Elon Musk has signaled his intention to post the source code for Tesla's car security software, letting any automaker roll it into their own machines. It would be "extremely important" to ensure the safety of future self-driving cars, he argued, and that's not without merit. You really don't want intruders crashing your car or otherwise causing havoc, especially when you're not at the wheel.
Snapchat update leaked some of its iOS app's source code
Snap's user losses aren't the only things the company has had to worry about as of late. A spokesperson has confirmed to Motherboard that a May update for the Snapchat iOS app exposed a "small amount" of its source code, and that someone posted that code to GitHub. The company used a Digital Millennium Copyright Act takedown request to have the material removed and said the leak "did not compromise our application."
US bill forces tech companies to disclose foreign software checks
Technology companies could soon be forced to reveal if they have allowed agencies in countries such as China and Russia to closely examine their software. The legislation -- part of the Pentagon's spending bill -- was drafted in response to a Reuters investigation last year which found that in order to sell to the Russian market, some software makers had allowed a Russian defense agency to hunt for vulnerabilities in software also used by some US government agencies.
Tesla releases source code for some of its in-car tech
Tesla doesn't have many fans in the open source crowd. It based its car platforms on open platforms like Linux and BusyBox, but it has gone years without sharing the source code their license (the GPL) requires. The company is finally setting things right, though -- more or less, that is. It has posted the source code for both the material that builds the Autopilot system image as well as the kernels for the Autopilot boards and the NVIDIA Tegra-based infotainment system used in the Model S and Model X. While they don't represent the absolute latest code, Tesla is promising to keep pace with newer releases.
Google's Pixel 2 portrait photo code is now open source (update: not quite)
Of all the AI-related features inside the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, the portrait mode is arguably the most impressive -- Google manages to produce dramatic-looking depth-of-field effects without relying on dual cameras or other exotic hardware. And now, it's sharing some of those secrets with the rest of the world. The company has opened up the source code for DeepLab-v3+, an AI-based image segmentation technology similar to that which helps Pixel 2 phones separate the foreground and background. It uses a neural network to detect the outlines of foreground objects, helping to classify the objects you care about in a scene while ignoring those you don't.
Apple's original graphical OS will be available for free in 2018
If you've ever wanted to try Apple's graphical interface on the Lisa, the computer that preceded the Mac, you've been relegated to either using an emulator or (if you're lucky) tracking down one of the rare, expensive machines. Thankfully, it's about to get much easier. The Computer History Museum's Al Kossow has revealed that the source code for the Lisa's operating system and programs will be published for free sometime in 2018. And this isn't some unofficial effort -- Apple is reviewing the code itself.
New York City ordered to share code for DNA evidence software
Many attempts to open up access to software in the justice system have fallen flat. Advocates in New York, however, have just scored a significant victory. A federal judge has publicly unsealed the source code for DNA analysis software previously used in New York City's crime lab, Forensic Statistical Tool, after ProPublica motioned for its disclosure. There are concerns that the software may have sent innocent people to prison by incorrectly determining that a suspect's DNA was likely to be part of a mix of genetic material (such as the handle of a gun). Public access to the code could theoretically catch flaws in the methodology and clear someone's name.
Apple releases kernel source code tuned for mobile chips
Ever since the first version of OS X, Apple has regularly released the kernel source code for Macs. In theory, you could learn from it or even build your own projects from it. For iOS, though? Not so simple. Even if you had source code, it wouldn't matter much unless it was optimized for the ARM-based chips that you see in most phones and mobile tablets. However, Apple is shaking things up a bit. The company has quietly posted ARM-friendly source code for the XNU kernels used in iOS and macOS. That's particularly relevant if you're interested in iOS, since you now have code that would theoretically run on an iPhone or iPad. However, it's not quite the breakthrough move it seems at first blush.
Reddit turns off access to its main source code
Reddit has made its website source code available since 2008 in a bid to keep the community alive no matter what, but it's having a change of heart now that it's older and larger. The company has announced that it's turning off access to a monolithic source code for its site and mobile apps, and will instead offer "many" smaller code bases. This is partly because the team hasn't done a great job of keeping this centralized code up to date, Reddit says, but it's also due to competitive reasons. It's difficult to develop features like video uploading in open source code without telegraphing your plans to your competitors, according to Reddit.
Windows 10 source code leak is an embarrassment for Microsoft
Earlier this week, Beta Archive posted Windows 10 source code related to USB, storage and WiFi drivers on its free FTP site. Now, a spokesperson for Microsoft has confirmed to The Verge that this code, from the Shared Source Kit, is genuine.
Apollo 11's source code is now on GitHub
The source code for Apollo 11's guidance computer has been available for a while (Google hosted it several years ago, for instance), but would you know how to find it or search through it? As of this week, it's almost ridiculously easy. Former NASA intern Chris Garry has posted the entire Apollo Guidance Computer source code on GitHub, giving you a good peek at the software that took NASA to the Moon. As Reddit users point out, it's clear that the developers had a mighty sense of humor -- line 666 of the lunar landing turns up a "numero mysterioso," and there's even a reference to radio DJ Magnificent Montague's classic "burn, baby, burn."
You can now tinker with the code of 'Commander Keen's' lost episode
It's easy to indulge your Commander Keen nostalgia with most of the game series, but the "lost" Keen Dreams episode has proven elusive outside of less-than-official copies. As of now, though, you can do something about recreating those adventures through Tuberia -- Javier Chavez and team have fulfilled a crowdfunding promise by publishing legal source code for Keen Dreams' original DOS version. If you want, you can now port the game to newer platforms and otherwise tweak the code to your heart's content. Chavez and crew have yet to get their own ready-to-play edition going, but it's already up for consideration on Steam Greenlight. Consider giving it a thumbs-up if you want to resume your fight against the spud soldiers. [Image credit: Steve Hall, MobyGames]
Qualcomm briefly takes down Android code for CyanogenMod, Sony and itself
The Android community just got a big (if brief) scare. In the space of a few days, Qualcomm has both made and retracted a Digital Millennium Copyright Act request that took down 116 code repositories (many of them Android-focused) that were allegedly using the chip maker's confidential technology. As it turns out, quite a few of the targets were legitimate users running the company's open source software. And you'll definitely recognize some of the names -- the move shut down code bases maintained by the CyanogenMod custom ROM team, Sony and even Qualcomm itself. Suffice it to say that the removal would have created a lot of headaches if you wanted to modify Android for the many, many devices with Snapdragon processors.
Microsoft's immediate plans against NSA 'threat': court challenges, encryption and transparency
The NSA / PRISM / MUSCULAR scandal sparked by Edward Snowden's leaks stained many tech companies, and tonight Microsoft has laid out several plans it hopes will convince customers (particularly non-US businesses and foreign governments) they're safe using its products and services. In a blog post, general counsel and executive VP Brad Smith lays out a three pronged approach of "immediate and coordinated action" against the threat of government snooping. It's expanding the use of encryption to cover any content moving between it and its customers, any transmissions between its data centers, and data stored on its servers -- all of this is said to be in place by the end of 2014. In terms of court orders that may push it to reveal data, Microsoft is committing to notify "business and government" customers of any legal orders, and if it is prevented from doing so by a gag order, says it will challenge those in court. Finally, it's expanding the existing program giving governments access to its source code so they can make sure it doesn't contain any back doors. According to Reuters, this will put Microsoft on par with other Internet companies like Amazon Web Services, Yahoo and Google for how it treats data. Still, while that may help foreign diplomats feel better about logging into Outlook or Skype, there are probably a few individuals who will keep their tin foil hats on, Kinect cameras covered and cellphones off.
Google TV v4 close to release, hacked 'Android TV' ROM is running in the wild
News that the Google TV platform will get an update to Android Jelly Bean came at the I/O event back in May, but there's been little in the way of information since then. GTV Hacker team member CJ Heres points out a zip file containing the open sourced code for LG's Google TV devices, and even has a hacked ROM up and running on a Sony box. The code was updated in the last week or so and uses Linux 3.4.5, which is the same version that Jelly Bean is based on. Separately, he's posted an image (above) of proper Android 4.x on a Sony NSZ-GS7 Google TV box, complete with the operating system's NDK support that enables high-performance apps so it can run XBMC (barely -- it crashes on any attempt to play video). The software is pulled from a Chinese Android device and as he mentioned to us, hopefully the coming update will make this type of hack entirely unnecessary. Google confirmed the platform will get Chromecast-style features and "bring the latest experience of Android and Chrome to devices," but we don't know if that's due in this update. Reports months ago indicated the Google TV brand will fade into Android as the two projects grow back together, and GigaOm points out that Sony's new BRAVIA Smart Stick doesn't use the title, while developers have moved away from it (even the I/O presentation rocked the title "Android: As seen on TV!"). Google TV or Android TV, we should hear more shortly -- in the meantime check out an I/O demo of LG's TV running Android 4.2.2 after the break.
HTC posts kernel source code for One Google Play edition
Officially, the HTC One Google Play edition exists for tinkering with an unfettered Android experience. Owners need the code to do that, of course -- and HTC has quickly followed up by posting the kernel source code for its Sense-free phone. The release helps developers optimize their apps for the hardware, modify its vanilla Android 4.2 build and produce custom firmware. If you have one of those goals in mind, the kernel source is ready to download at HTC's developer portal.
Samsung posts kernel source code for Galaxy S4 Active on AT&T, Galaxy Note 8.0 with LTE
Samsung may have been busy this past week with the launches of the Galaxy S4 Active and Galaxy Note 8.0, but it hasn't forgotten its duties to Android programmers. It just posted the kernel source code for both the AT&T variant of the GS4 Active (the SGH-i537) as well as the LTE-equipped Note 8.0 in its American and Canadian forms (SGH-i467 and i467M). As with past releases, the source material gives developers a better understanding of the hardware; it also gives tinkerers an easier time when modifying the firmware or creating fully functional custom ROMs. Whichever camp you're in, the kernel code awaits at the links below.
Google Glass gets a one-stop shop for downloads, including a rooted image
Early Google Glass owners are dominated by developers and tinkerers, so it's only fair that they get easy access to the downloads they need. Appropriately, Google has quietly set up a page that centralizes both Glass images and kernel source code. The company has even saved owners from having to hack their eyewear the hard way -- one image comes pre-rooted for those willing to toss caution (and their warranties) to the wind. Most of us can't take advantage of these downloads for about a year or more, but those with early access can swing by the new code hub today.
Samsung releases kernel source for a trio of Galaxy S 4s
As Samsung prepares to release its new flagship to the masses, the company is already making moves to accommodate its open source following. Today, the Korean electronics maker served up the kernel source for three versions of the Galaxy S 4. On tap are two unlocked variants of Samsung's next big thing (GT-I9500 and GT-I9505) along with Virgin Mobile Canada's rendition of the handset. Seeing how you've already seen the device stripped down to its unmentionables, why not go the extra mile and take a whack at its software? That is if you know what you're doing.
HTC delivers source code for the One and Droid DNA
If you loved the One's hardware, but weren't quite sold on HTC's software notions, the company's looking to get the smartphone dabblers on board by releasing the source code for several iterations of its new flagship. The files, available now on HTC Dev, should kick open the door for modders and tinkerers to attempt to slough off the likes of BlinkFeed or throw (a little less) caution to the wind and install a stock Android experience. HTC also added the Droid DNA to the source code roster, so US-bound Verizon users also get to play. If you know what you're doing, or are at least willing to read up on it, you can find everything else at the link below.
