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Switzerland Pioneers Open Source Software and Digital Sovereignty Initiatives | IDOs News
European nations like Switzerland, Germany, and France are increasingly adopting Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) to enhance digital sovereignty, security, and innovation. Switzerland’s legislation just mandated government-developed software to be open source, while Germany and France have made similar moves to reduce reliance on foreign tech providers. The EU supports this shift through initiatives like the Free and Open Source Software Auditing (FOSSA) project, promoting digital autonomy across the continent, according to blog.bitfinex.com.
Switzerland’s Legislation and European Trends
In recent years, several European nations, including Switzerland, Germany, and France, have increasingly embraced Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) as a strategic move to enhance digital sovereignty, security, and innovation. Switzerland has implemented legislation mandating the release of government-developed software as open source, reflecting a commitment to transparency and reduced dependency on proprietary vendors. Germany’s Schleswig-Holstein region has followed a similar path by transitioning its state administration to Linux and LibreOffice, prioritizing control over data and reducing reliance on foreign technology providers. France, under President Emmanuel Macron’s leadership, has also shown strong support for open-source initiatives, integrating FOSS into public administration to foster a more competitive tech landscape within the EU.
The Role of Digital Sovereignty
This push towards open-source solutions is not just about cost savings or technical superiority; it is deeply rooted in the concept of digital sovereignty. By using FOSS, European countries aim to protect their citizens’ data from being controlled by external entities, ensuring that public administrations maintain full control over their IT infrastructure. The European Union has further reinforced this approach through initiatives like the Free and Open Source Software Auditing (FOSSA) project, which focuses on securing and promoting open-source software across the continent. Despite some challenges, such as potential cuts to funding for key FOSS projects, the EU remains a strong proponent of open-source as a means to achieve greater autonomy in the digital realm.
Global Adoption of Open Source Software
China has also recognized the strategic importance of FOSS, particularly in reducing dependency on foreign software. The Chinese government has replaced Windows with Kylin Linux across its public sector, a move driven by the desire to control its digital infrastructure more effectively. This shift reflects a broader global trend where governments prioritize open-source solutions to enhance security, reduce costs, and foster local innovation. By moving away from proprietary systems, these nations aim to create more resilient and adaptable IT environments that can better serve their long-term strategic interests.
The global push towards Open Source Software (OSS) by these nations highlights a growing recognition of the benefits that open-source software offers in terms of flexibility, security, and digital independence. As these efforts continue to gain momentum, they set a precedent for other countries to follow, potentially reshaping the global tech landscape by prioritizing open-source solutions over proprietary alternatives.
How Does Free and Open Source Software Safeguard Digital Sovereignty?
Digital sovereignty is becoming increasingly critical as nations and organizations seek to protect their digital infrastructure from external control and influence. In an interconnected world where technology is often dominated by a few large corporations, the reliance on proprietary software can expose countries to risks such as data breaches, surveillance, and loss of control over critical systems. Digital sovereignty ensures that a nation maintains control over its digital assets, data, and infrastructure, allowing it to protect its citizens’ privacy and secure its national interests. By reducing dependency on foreign software providers, nations can mitigate the risk of being subjected to external political or economic pressures that could compromise their digital infrastructure.
The transition to open-source software plays a crucial role in safeguarding digital sovereignty. Unlike proprietary software, which is often controlled by a single entity, open-source software is developed collaboratively by a global community of developers. This decentralization reduces the risk of vendor lock-in, where a government or organization becomes overly reliant on a single provider for their software needs. With open source, governments have the ability to inspect, modify, and distribute the software as needed, ensuring that they retain full control over their digital systems. This flexibility is essential for maintaining digital sovereignty, as it allows nations to adapt their software to meet specific security and privacy requirements.
Privacy is another key benefit of transitioning to open-source software in the pursuit of digital sovereignty. Proprietary software often operates as a “black box,” with users having little visibility into how their data is being processed or stored. This lack of transparency can lead to concerns about data privacy, especially when software is developed by foreign entities subject to different legal jurisdictions. Open-source software, on the other hand, is fully transparent, with its source code available for anyone to review. This transparency enables governments and organizations to ensure that their software does not contain hidden vulnerabilities or backdoors that could compromise the privacy of their citizens’ data.
Security is also significantly enhanced through the use of open-source software. The open nature of the code allows a global community of developers to continually audit, test, and improve the software, making it more resilient against cyber threats. In contrast, proprietary software often relies on a smaller, closed team for security updates, which can result in slower responses to vulnerabilities. Open-source projects benefit from a collective effort to identify and fix security issues, leading to more robust and secure systems. By adopting open-source software, nations can strengthen their digital defenses and ensure that their critical infrastructure remains secure from external threats, further reinforcing their digital sovereignty.
What is The Philosophy Behind FOSS?
The Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) movement has its roots in the early days of computing when sharing code was a common practice among programmers. However, as software became more commercialized in the 1970s and 1980s, companies began to restrict access to their source code, leading to the rise of proprietary software. In response, Richard Stallman, a programmer at MIT, founded the Free Software Foundation (FSF) in 1985. Stallman believed that software should be free for users to run, study, modify, and share. This philosophy was embodied in the creation of the GNU General Public License (GPL), which ensures that any software licensed under it remains free and open for everyone. The FSF and its supporters promoted the concept of “free software” as a matter of user rights, focusing on the ethical implications of software freedom.
While FOSS is often used interchangeably with Open Source Software (OSS), there are important differences between the two. The term “Open Source” was coined in 1998 as a way to make the concept of freely available source code more appealing to businesses and the broader public. Open Source emphasizes the practical benefits of allowing code to be inspected, modified, and distributed, such as improved security and faster development. However, it often downplays or ignores the ethical arguments that are central to the Free Software movement. The key difference lies in the philosophy: Free Software focuses on the user’s freedom and rights, while Open Source is more concerned with the practical advantages of collaborative software development.
The Free Software Foundation (FSF) plays a critical role in promoting and defending the principles of FOSS. The FSF not only develops and supports software that adheres to the principles of freedom but also engages in advocacy and legal efforts to protect the rights of software users. One of the FSF’s most significant contributions is the development of the GNU Project, a free operating system that, when combined with the Linux kernel, forms a fully free and open operating system. The FSF also provides legal resources and support to ensure that software licensed under the GPL remains free and is not co-opted by proprietary interests. Through its campaigns, the FSF works to raise awareness about the importance of software freedom and encourages users to choose FOSS over proprietary alternatives.
In addition to developing software, the FSF focuses on helping users maintain their digital freedom by educating the public about the risks of proprietary software and advocating for policies that support software freedom. The FSF’s initiatives, such as the “Defective by Design” campaign, highlight the dangers of Digital Rights Management (DRM) and other technologies that restrict user control over their devices and data. The organization also works to ensure that new technologies, such as cloud computing and artificial intelligence, do not undermine user freedom. By providing resources, legal support, and educational materials, the FSF empowers individuals and organizations to take control of their digital lives and protect their rights in an increasingly digital world. Through these efforts, the FSF continues to advance the ideals of the Free Software movement and promote a future where all software respects user freedom.
Image source: Shutterstock
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Advantages of Mobile Apps in Gambling: The Example of Pin Up App | IDOs News
By Terry Ashton, updated August 31, 2024
Online gambling is going mobile — over 50% of players are already playing casino games on their mobile devices, and their number is expected to grow further. But does a mobile app have actual advantages over browser-based play? We decided to do more profound research by accessing and trying gambling on a desktop browser, mobile browser, and the app. That allowed us to distinguish casino mobile applications’ key benefits and drawbacks. If you’re considering using one, just keep reading — we will share some helpful insights below.
Benefits of Mobile Play at Pin Up Casino
The rise of online gambling happens for multiple reasons, including the following ones:
- Ultimate accessibility. You can access the app anywhere, even on the go. You don’t need to take additional actions — the casino opens with just one click.
- Lower Internet requirements, offline play. If you play for fun, you can do it even without an Internet connection. If you prefer to play real money, the requirements for an Internet connection will still be much lower because most data is already downloaded to your device.
- Push notifications. You can immediately learn about the new top promotions and the hottest games without checking your email.
- Special bonuses. Sometimes, special bonuses are granted to mobile players. Some casinos may add them occasionally to encourage players to play on apps.
- The same game selection. If a casino is modern and cooperates with top providers, all games will be compatible with mobile devices. For instance, if you play at Pin Up casino online, you can access the same collection of games. That goes not only for slots but also for live games, table games, etc.
- Higher security standards. The app is protected even better than the site. Data is encrypted, and the chance that anyone will access your account is close to zero.
Registration also goes smoothly. Once you sign up on the browser or app, you can access the platform with just one click by entering your Pin Up login and password.
Considering the Cons: Potential Drawbacks of Using a Pin-Up Mobile App
Nothing is perfect, and neither are casino apps. Gamblers should also consider the drawbacks, and the most common ones are as follows:
- Installing software is a must. You need to install the software on your phone. It’s safe if it’s the official casino site and a good product. However, clicking on the wrong link and downloading the wrong APK file may result in problems.
- Battery drain and storage space. It’s no secret that charging the phone all the time is annoying, and innovative slots with top graphics may drain your battery quickly. Also, though most apps don’t take much space (in the case of Pin Up, it’s just about 100 Mb), they still require more effort to manage it.
- Compatibility requirements. Any app will have technical requirements, and most aren’t compatible with old mobile devices and tablets. Also, you’ll need to install updates quite regularly.
- Smaller screen. This is a disadvantage for those who prefer playing on larger screens, particularly those who prefer live dealer games.
Do the pros outweigh the cons for you? If yes, the mobile app will boost your experience. If not, browser play may be a better option.
Final Thoughts: The App vs. Browser Play at Pin-Up Casino
Technology is shaping the industry. Nowadays, there’s no such significant difference between playing on a mobile app and a mobile or desktop browser. You get the same game selection, the same bonuses, and the same smooth experience. So, it’s a matter of taste. Choose what will work best for you and enjoy your play.
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NVIDIA Introduces Fast Inversion Technique for Real-Time Image Editing | IDOs News
NVIDIA has unveiled an innovative method called Regularized Newton-Raphson Inversion (RNRI) aimed at enhancing real-time image editing capabilities based on text prompts. This breakthrough, highlighted on the NVIDIA Technical Blog, promises to balance speed and accuracy, making it a significant advancement in the field of text-to-image diffusion models.
Understanding Text-to-Image Diffusion Models
Text-to-image diffusion models generate high-fidelity images from user-provided text prompts by mapping random samples from a high-dimensional space. These models undergo a series of denoising steps to create a representation of the corresponding image. The technology has applications beyond simple image generation, including personalized concept depiction and semantic data augmentation.
The Role of Inversion in Image Editing
Inversion involves finding a noise seed that, when processed through the denoising steps, reconstructs the original image. This process is crucial for tasks like making local changes to an image based on a text prompt while keeping other parts unchanged. Traditional inversion methods often struggle with balancing computational efficiency and accuracy.
Introducing Regularized Newton-Raphson Inversion (RNRI)
RNRI is a novel inversion technique that outperforms existing methods by offering rapid convergence, superior accuracy, reduced execution time, and improved memory efficiency. It achieves this by solving an implicit equation using the Newton-Raphson iterative method, enhanced with a regularization term to ensure the solutions are well-distributed and accurate.
Comparative Performance
Figure 2 on the NVIDIA Technical Blog compares the quality of reconstructed images using different inversion methods. RNRI shows significant improvements in PSNR (Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio) and run time over recent methods, tested on a single NVIDIA A100 GPU. The method excels in maintaining image fidelity while adhering closely to the text prompt.
Real-World Applications and Evaluation
RNRI has been evaluated on 100 MS-COCO images, showing superior performance in both CLIP-based scores (for text prompt compliance) and LPIPS scores (for structure preservation). Figure 3 demonstrates RNRI’s capability to edit images naturally while preserving their original structure, outperforming other state-of-the-art methods.
Conclusion
The introduction of RNRI marks a significant advancement in text-to-image diffusion models, enabling real-time image editing with unprecedented accuracy and efficiency. This method holds promise for a wide range of applications, from semantic data augmentation to generating rare-concept images.
For more detailed information, visit the NVIDIA Technical Blog.
Image source: Shutterstock
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AMD Radeon PRO GPUs and ROCm Software Expand LLM Inference Capabilities | IDOs News
AMD has announced advancements in its Radeon PRO GPUs and ROCm software, enabling small enterprises to leverage Large Language Models (LLMs) like Meta’s Llama 2 and 3, including the newly released Llama 3.1, according to AMD.com.
New Capabilities for Small Enterprises
With dedicated AI accelerators and substantial on-board memory, AMD’s Radeon PRO W7900 Dual Slot GPU offers market-leading performance per dollar, making it feasible for small firms to run custom AI tools locally. This includes applications such as chatbots, technical documentation retrieval, and personalized sales pitches. The specialized Code Llama models further enable programmers to generate and optimize code for new digital products.
The latest release of AMD’s open software stack, ROCm 6.1.3, supports running AI tools on multiple Radeon PRO GPUs. This enhancement allows small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to handle larger and more complex LLMs, supporting more users simultaneously.
Expanding Use Cases for LLMs
While AI techniques are already prevalent in data analysis, computer vision, and generative design, the potential use cases for AI extend far beyond these areas. Specialized LLMs like Meta’s Code Llama enable app developers and web designers to generate working code from simple text prompts or debug existing code bases. The parent model, Llama, offers extensive applications in customer service, information retrieval, and product personalization.
Small enterprises can utilize retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) to make AI models aware of their internal data, such as product documentation or customer records. This customization results in more accurate AI-generated outputs with less need for manual editing.
Local Hosting Benefits
Despite the availability of cloud-based AI services, local hosting of LLMs offers significant advantages:
- Data Security: Running AI models locally eliminates the need to upload sensitive data to the cloud, addressing major concerns about data sharing.
- Lower Latency: Local hosting reduces lag, providing instant feedback in applications like chatbots and real-time support.
- Control Over Tasks: Local deployment allows technical staff to troubleshoot and update AI tools without relying on remote service providers.
- Sandbox Environment: Local workstations can serve as sandbox environments for prototyping and testing new AI tools before full-scale deployment.
AMD’s AI Performance
For SMEs, hosting custom AI tools need not be complex or expensive. Applications like LM Studio facilitate running LLMs on standard Windows laptops and desktop systems. LM Studio is optimized to run on AMD GPUs via the HIP runtime API, leveraging the dedicated AI Accelerators in current AMD graphics cards to boost performance.
Professional GPUs like the 32GB Radeon PRO W7800 and 48GB Radeon PRO W7900 offer sufficient memory to run larger models, such as the 30-billion-parameter Llama-2-30B-Q8. ROCm 6.1.3 introduces support for multiple Radeon PRO GPUs, enabling enterprises to deploy systems with multiple GPUs to serve requests from numerous users simultaneously.
Performance tests with Llama 2 indicate that the Radeon PRO W7900 offers up to 38% higher performance-per-dollar compared to NVIDIA’s RTX 6000 Ada Generation, making it a cost-effective solution for SMEs.
With the evolving capabilities of AMD’s hardware and software, even small enterprises can now deploy and customize LLMs to enhance various business and coding tasks, avoiding the need to upload sensitive data to the cloud.
Image source: Shutterstock
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