comparison

Winsage
June 16, 2025
The latest beta builds of Windows 11 have a glitch that swaps the startup sound with that of Windows Vista. This issue was reported by tester XenoPanther, who found that the .WAV file for the startup sound had been replaced. Brandon LeBlanc from the Windows Insider Program confirmed the bug, humorously suggesting it was a response to user nostalgia for Vista, but clarified it was not intentional. The cause of the sound swap is unclear, with speculation about it being a playful act by an employee. Microsoft is working to fix the glitch.
AppWizard
June 14, 2025
Stellar Blade has gained attention for its performance at 8K resolution with DLSS Quality settings, although players have reported significant specular aliasing issues, particularly on metallic surfaces in environments like the Hall of Records. This aliasing affects both PC and PS5 versions of the game, indicating a widespread graphical concern. The comparison between 4K with DLAA and 8K with DLSS Quality shows that 8K provides a more stable and refined image, enhancing clarity and detail in characters and environments. Enabling HDR can worsen specular aliasing, and players may need to increase internal resolution to alleviate these effects. High-end GPUs, such as the NVIDIA RTX 5090, allow Stellar Blade to run over 100 FPS at 8K with maximum settings and DLSS Quality.
Winsage
June 13, 2025
Apple announced a visual redesign called Liquid Glass, set to debut with macOS 26 Tahoe. This design features transparency effects in context and dropdown menus, system controls, and the Control Center, where elements exhibit a glass-like quality. The dock allows icons to have varying translucency, with options for classic, dark, clear, or tinted versions. However, some inconsistencies exist in the beta version, such as tinted icons lacking transparency. The glass effects are present in many of Apple's apps, with navigation panes on a glass-like surface and floating menu buttons that are translucent. In comparison, Windows Vista's Aero Glass was noted for its impactful use of transparency in title bars and window borders, creating a sense of depth and enhancing user experience. Although Apple's Liquid Glass is meticulously designed, it may come across as too subtle compared to the more pronounced Aero Glass effects. The impressions of macOS 26 Tahoe are based on the initial developer beta, and improvements are expected before its public release later this fall.
AppWizard
June 11, 2025
Grounded 2 was announced at the Xbox Games Showcase, with an early access release set for July 29. Marcus Morgan from Obsidian discussed the challenges of launching a sequel in early access, noting the difficulties of meeting expectations after the success of the first game, which evolved significantly over four years. Grounded initially faced criticism for limited content but eventually became a flagship title for Obsidian with a "very positive" rating on Steam. Grounded 2 is available for wishlisting on Steam.
Tech Optimizer
June 9, 2025
The PostgreSQL community has developed tools like AQO and sr_plan extensions to enhance migration paths from Oracle, making PostgreSQL more appealing for transitions. PostgreSQL has been noted to outperform Oracle in certain scenarios, particularly in automatic re-optimization. Migrations from Oracle to PostgreSQL are generally smooth, aided by session variable extensions. However, migrating from SQL Server to PostgreSQL presents challenges, including significant query slowdowns. For example, a query that executed in 20 milliseconds on SQL Server took weeks on PostgreSQL due to an inefficient query plan. A specific JOIN operation involving GROUP BY on small tables showed a drastic difference in execution time: PostgreSQL took 4000 seconds while SQL Server completed it in 300 seconds. SQL Server employs a Hash Join and parallelizes execution across eight threads, enhancing performance. PostgreSQL's excessive time on hash calculations and tuple comparisons during this operation was noted, as well as its limitations in parallel processing due to temporary tables not being visible to parallel workers. Adjusting PostgreSQL settings for parallel workers improved performance, allowing it to match SQL Server's execution time. PostgreSQL's selectivity estimation for JOINs with multiple conditions often leads to underestimations, while SQL Server excels in this area by collecting extensive statistics. PostgreSQL's current extended statistics capabilities are limited, but the community is working on improvements. SQL Server's advanced parameterization and caching further enhance its optimization capabilities compared to PostgreSQL.
AppWizard
June 7, 2025
In Funcom's survival MMO, Dune: Awakening, players face the threat of sandworms, known as Shai-Hulud, which can lead to a complete loss of inventory if swallowed. Encounters with these creatures transform desert traversal into a high-stakes experience, requiring players to be vigilant. Escaping a sandworm is more about being quicker than other players than about speed. The sandworm can also consume bystanders if it targets another player. Players have shared experiences of close calls, where unexpected encounters with sandworms can create chaotic scenarios. The game emphasizes tension and excitement as players navigate the desert while avoiding the ever-present threat of the sandworm.
Tech Optimizer
June 7, 2025
Amazon has launched Amazon Aurora DSQL, a PostgreSQL-compatible and serverless database solution designed for active-active high availability and multi-region strong consistency. It features a disaggregated architecture with independent components that scale based on workloads. Aurora DSQL offers 99.99% availability within a single region and 99.999% in multi-region deployments, with automatic recovery from failures. It supports microservices, event-driven architectures, and multi-tenant SaaS applications. All read and write operations maintain consistency across regional endpoints. The service includes a new billing unit called the Distributed Processing Unit (DPU) and supports essential relational features, although some PostgreSQL features are not supported. Aurora DSQL has expanded its availability to more regions and introduced new features, including PostgreSQL views and AWS Backup. A free tier is available, covering 100,000 DPUs and 1 GB-month of storage monthly.
AppWizard
June 7, 2025
Elon Musk announced the rollout of a new feature called “XChat” for select X Premium subscribers, set to reach all paying users within a week. XChat includes enhanced messaging features such as full encryption by default, vanishing messages, the ability to send file attachments, and audio/video calls without a phone number. The service is built using "Rust with (Bitcoin style) encryption.” Musk envisions integrating messaging with financial transactions, aiming to launch X Payments later this year, similar to WeChat's model in China. Despite challenges in attracting Western consumers to comprehensive platforms, Musk's experience in payments may help make XChat appealing. The updated XChat begins its rollout this week, subject to potential scaling issues.
AppWizard
May 29, 2025
Capcom may be preparing to re-release Lost Planet 2 on PC following a recent update that deleted players' saved games and disrupted online functionality. The company previously used Games For Windows Live for titles like Dead Rising 2 and Resident Evil 5, which have since transitioned to Steamworks. Lost Planet 2 is noted for its co-op multiplayer features, and fans are hopeful that a re-release could retain these elements. Additionally, Capcom announced significant buffs to the hammer weapon in Monster Hunter Wilds, which may require multiple patches to fully implement.
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