Saturday, March 2nd 2024

Jane Austen remains an unparalleled literary pillar despite her death and the absence of new publications since 1817. Cinematic and television adaptations of her novels, including lesser-known works such as Sanditon and Lady Susan, are on the rise. Her innovative narrative technique, the "free indirect style," provides an intimate perspective on characters while keeping them at a distance. Austen proves herself not only an expert in literary techniques but also a subtly astute critic of human vanities, thus offering a timeless and entertaining body of work. Jane Austen, an author who continues to captivate readers and viewers.

White House urges developers to dump C and C++

The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden is encouraging software developers to use secure memory-safe programming languages, while moving away from vulnerable languages like C and C++. The White House's National Cybersecurity Director's Office has released a report calling for the use of programming languages without memory security vulnerabilities to reduce the risks of cyberattacks. Memory-safe programming languages, such as Rust, are less prone to software bugs and vulnerabilities related to memory access. Around 70% of security vulnerabilities are caused by memory security issues, according to recent studies by Microsoft and Google. The responsibility for cybersecurity should be shifted from individuals and small businesses to large organizations, technology companies, and the U.S. government, which are better equipped to handle constantly evolving threats. The report recommends the use of memory-safe programming languages such as Rust, C#, Go, Java, Ruby, and Swift, while C and C++ are cited as vulnerable. The transition from C and C++ to safer languages like Rust is necessary in the face of current threats, and public and private organizations must collaborate to prioritize code security.

How English Took Over the World

In 1794, the Marquis de Condorcet, hiding from the Jacobins during the French Revolution, wrote "The Progress of the Human Mind," emphasizing social equality through linguistic fairness.
Condorcet advocated for the importance of vernacular languages and envisioned universal education for a "cosmopolitan democracy" based on a simplified universal language.
In 2001, an article in Bloomberg Businessweek highlighted English as the key language of power and happiness, having become the international language of business, finance, and technology.
English divides Europe, creating a rift between those who master the language and those who do not, despite efforts towards unity.
The article predicts a global impact of English, while underscoring the cultural, political, and economic debates and challenges associated with its omnipresence.
Compared to Latin, English asserts itself as the global lingua franca thanks to modern technologies and the global economy, but its future remains uncertain in a multilingual world.
English, a colonial legacy, reflects historical and geopolitical inequalities, influencing national and individual identities, education, and careers.

Analyse

Imagine Jane Austen coding in Rust, the White House recommending novels in the style of Austen, and the Marquis de Condorcet tweeting in English about cybersecurity. Yet, there is a logic to this juxtaposition. Austen revolutionized literature by revealing the thoughts of her characters with surgical precision. The White House encourages developers to use secure programming languages. Condorcet dreamed of a cosmopolitan democracy sharing a universal language, much like how English has become the universal language of computing.

Austen programmed human emotions, the White House programs security, and Condorcet programmed democracy. All three share a common pursuit of complexity and subtlety.

The White House urges developers to embrace more secure programming languages, while Condorcet dreamed of a universal language. Online security and cosmopolitan democracy both aim for equality and fraternity.

English is the language of the internet, just as it is the language of diplomacy. It serves as the conduit for global communication and, at the same time, as a vehicle for cultural imperialism.