scaling Archives

Winsage

April 26, 2025

Windows 11 KB5055627 update released with 30 new changes, fixes

Microsoft has released the KB5055627 preview cumulative update for Windows 11 24H2, which introduces new features and bug fixes. This update is part of optional non-security preview updates and does not include security updates. Users can install it via Settings under Windows Update or download it directly from the Microsoft Update Catalog. The update elevates Windows 11 24H2 systems to build 26100.3915 and includes features such as Recall (preview), Click to Do (preview), improved Windows Search, Narrator enhancements, Phone Link, interactive Widgets, curated views in File Explorer, updated Settings for app recommendations, and Windows Studio Effects. It also addresses bugs related to blue screen errors, DHCP Client connectivity issues, Windows Hello functionality, and provides estimated offline times for updates. Notable issues include potential installation blocks for Citrix components and download issues for Roblox players on Windows Arm devices, with workarounds available.

AppWizard

April 24, 2025

Discord replaces CEO Citron with Activision vet Sakhnini

Jason Citron, the CEO and co-founder of Discord, is stepping down from his leadership role, with Humam Sakhnini, the former chief strategy officer at Activision Blizzard’s Call of Duty, taking over. Citron will remain involved as a board member and advisor. This leadership change is part of Discord's strategic plans to eventually go public. Sakhnini expressed enthusiasm about joining Discord and emphasized the platform's importance in the gaming community.

AppWizard

April 22, 2025

PC gamers seem happy to pay $50 for Oblivion Remastered: it’s already the global top-selling game on Steam, and it came out literally 40 minutes ago

Bethesda unveiled The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, which quickly became a top seller on Steam, surpassing Counter-Strike 2. The remastered version is available on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, with Game Pass Ultimate subscribers able to download it for free. The game features enhancements such as an improved user interface, enemy scaling, 4K resolution, and 60fps gameplay. Positive reviews have emerged, with players expressing excitement and satisfaction.

AppWizard

April 18, 2025

I just spent $6 on this Steam app that compresses PC games — and it’s already saved me 100GB

The acquisition of the Steam application CompressorX allows gamers to compress game files, maximizing existing storage without needing hardware upgrades. Modern games like The Last of Us Part II Remastered (150GB), Monster Hunter Wilds (75GB), and Cyberpunk 2077 with its Phantom Liberty expansion (100GB) contribute to high storage demands. External SSDs and hard drives provide additional space, but CompressorX offers a quick solution for optimizing current storage. While it has some quirks, such as a confusing automation feature and variable compression times, it helps gamers maintain their game libraries without deleting titles.

Tech Optimizer

April 13, 2025

Springtail: $2.5 Million (Pre-Seed) Raised To Scale PostgreSQL Performance

Springtail has secured a million pre-seed funding round led by Gradient, Google's early-stage AI fund, with contributions from Octave and various angel investors. The company offers a cloud-based distributed database solution that integrates with Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL, addressing scalability challenges by offloading and scaling read execution without requiring extensive application changes or data migrations. Springtail's architecture allows for horizontal scaling of read-heavy workloads through on-demand read replicas that share a common storage layer, enabling independent scaling of compute resources. The co-founders, Craig Soules and Garth Goodson, have backgrounds in distributed systems and previous experience in successful software enterprises. Springtail claims to potentially save developers up to 58% on PostgreSQL read replication costs compared to Amazon RDS.

Winsage

April 11, 2025

Windows Weekly 927: Up to Stuff

Leo, Richard, and Paul discussed Microsoft's recent innovations, including the Windows 11 Feature Tracker, insights from Microsoft Build, advancements in consumer AI, and updates from the gaming sector, particularly Xbox. A new free newsletter offers three time-saving tips every Friday, and subscribers receive complimentary copies of Paul Thurrott's Windows 11 and Windows 10 Field Guides. The Windows 11 Feature Tracker aims to be a comprehensive resource and may evolve into a web app or wiki. The Windows Insider Program's Beta build for 23H2 introduces changes to file new tabs and new windows, while a nostalgic taskbar icon scaling feature is returning in the Dev and Beta (24H2) versions. Intel has discontinued its Unison app and service. The Build session catalog emphasizes AI developments, with sessions covering Windows Copilot Runtime and productivity enhancements. Microsoft unveiled new Copilot features at a consumer AI event, including web actions and memory personalization, and integrated Copilot Search into Bing. Concerns about AI's impact on human intelligence were discussed, particularly in relation to a Twitter debate on Microsoft's AI demo of Quake II. Microsoft announced an Xbox Games Showcase for June, with updates to the Edge Game Assist feature and GTA V available on Game Pass starting April 15. The Nintendo Switch 2 will support ray tracing and DLSS, though its release is delayed due to tariff challenges. Apple Music for Windows now supports Dolby Atmos, and notable software includes Notion, Typora/iA Writer, and Proton Pass. This week's RunAs Radio episode focuses on Application Risk in Security Copilot. The Heart Cut #02 from the East London Liquor Company is recommended for a unique tasting experience.

Tech Optimizer

April 10, 2025

How Heroku migrated hundreds of thousands of self-managed PostgreSQL databases to Amazon Aurora

Heroku has migrated its multi-tenant PostgreSQL database fleet from a self-managed environment on Amazon EC2 to the Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL-Compatible Edition, improving operational efficiency and customer satisfaction without impacting customers. This transition involved moving over 200,000 databases, utilizing a dual control plane approach and specialized transfer systems for efficient data migration. The new architecture allows Heroku to leverage AWS Cloud services more effectively, alleviating the operational burdens on engineering teams and enabling a focus on customer value. The migration also positions Heroku to introduce advanced features such as AI-enabled database administration and enhanced security measures.

Tech Optimizer

April 10, 2025

PostgreSQL vs. MySQL in 2025: Choosing the Best Database for Your Backend

In 2025, PostgreSQL has a usage rate of 45.55%, while MySQL has a usage rate of 41.09%. PostgreSQL is preferred for applications requiring complex queries and robust data management, while MySQL is favored for speed and efficiency in read-heavy environments. PostgreSQL was named DBMS of the Year 2023 for the fourth time since 2017, with its latest version released in September 2023 featuring performance and replication enhancements. Developer surveys show PostgreSQL adoption has increased from 33% in 2018 to nearly 50%. MySQL is recognized for its rapid performance and ease of implementation, particularly in e-commerce and content management systems. Performance tests indicate PostgreSQL is approximately 1.6 times faster than MySQL in complex query scenarios. PostgreSQL offers built-in row-level security and encryption, while MySQL provides a user-friendly interface and solid security measures. PostgreSQL excels in managing large datasets and complex operations, whereas MySQL uses a distributed systems approach for workload management.

Tech Optimizer

April 9, 2025

Springtail announces $2.5M pre-seed funding to scale Postgres

Developers facing Postgres scalability limitations can either migrate to a different database or create a custom backend, both of which can be time-consuming. Springtail is a solution that enhances Postgres performance by offloading and scaling read execution while keeping the existing Postgres instance as the primary data store. It allows for horizontal scaling of read-heavy workloads without extensive application changes or data migrations. Springtail's architecture distributes queries across multiple nodes to improve query throughput. The initial offering includes scalable, on-demand read replicas for Postgres on AWS, which share a storage layer and can independently scale compute resources, allowing users to activate or deactivate replicas as needed. This approach can lead to savings of up to 58% on Postgres read replication compared to Amazon RDS. Springtail was founded in 2023 and is based in the San Francisco Bay Area, supported by Gradient.

Winsage

April 8, 2025

Back to basics: Microsoft tests overhauled Start menu in Windows 11 beta builds

Microsoft has introduced a feature called "taskbar icon scaling" in a recent beta build of Windows 11, allowing users to reduce the size of taskbar icons to fit more pinned or open applications. This feature is currently being tested in the Windows Insider Beta channel and is expected to be available in the public version of Windows 11 soon. Additionally, changes to the Start menu may be revealed in an upcoming preview build, although there is no guarantee they will be activated.