Issue #108 · 2025-11-26

Ilia's Corner

Featured story

Modder flips the bird at lawyers, does it again in Morrowind

A cheeky modder who first put Thomas the Tank Engine into Skyrim is back with another bold crossover, this time in Morrowind. They're challenging copyright law and corporate authority with increasingly outlandish modifications. For developers, this raises interesting questions about the boundaries of creative expression, intellectual property, and community engagement.

gamesradar.com · 3 min read

Top stories

Plex’s crackdown on free remote streaming access starts this week

Plex is ending its long-standing policy of free remote streaming, requiring a subscription for access. This shift reflects changing business models in media platforms and impacts how developers and users manage remote access to their media libraries. It’s a reminder of the evolving landscape of digital rights and monetization strategies.

reddit · 4 min read

Cutting-edge research shows language is not the same as intelligence

Developers and AI leaders are questioning the assumption that advanced language fluency equals true intelligence. This research highlights limitations in large language models, urging a rethink of AI development strategies. For tech professionals, this is a critical insight into the future of AI ethics, capabilities, and the need for deeper cognitive frameworks.

reddit · 6 min read

FLUX.2: Frontier Visual Intelligence

FLUX.2 offers unprecedented control and consistency in visual intelligence, bridging artistry and technical precision for real-world applications. Developers can leverage its advanced prompting techniques for high-quality image generation and editing. This is a game-changer for creative tech projects requiring reliable visual outputs.

hackernews · 5 min read

Show HN: We built an open source, zero webhooks payment processor

Flowglad provides an open-source alternative to costly billing infrastructure for developers, built with TypeScript and targeting Next.js applications. It competes with paid services like Stripe and Twilio, offering cost savings and flexibility. For developers, this means easier, more affordable way to handle payments without relying on third-party APIs.

hackernews · 4 min read

Tools spotlight

Meta Segment Anything Model 3

Meta’s SAM 3 advances computer vision with precise object detection, segmentation, and tracking across images and video. This foundation model empowers developers to build smarter visual applications with greater accuracy and speed. A must-see for anyone working on AI-driven image and video processing.

Computer Vision

Python · 3 stars

Bandwidth Saver

A WordPress plugin that rewrites image URLs for near-zero-cost delivery using Cloudflare's global CDN network. It enhances site performance and slashes bandwidth costs by optimizing image delivery. For developers, this is an easy win to improve user experience and reduce hosting overhead.

WordPress Optimization

PHP · 2 stars

Research corner

Brain has five 'eras' with adult mode not starting until early 30s

A groundbreaking neuroscience study reveals that human brain development unfolds in five distinct stages, with adult mode not kicking in until early 30s. This has implications for how tech professionals understand cognitive limits and design user experiences that account for delayed brain maturation.

Neuroscience · The Guardian · 4 min read

The fall of Labubus and the mush of modern internet trends

The article explores the fleeting nature of internet trends exemplified by the rise and fall of Labubus, noting that in an era of short-attention-span users, trends spread and vanish faster than ever. For developers, this insight into viral content cycles can inform better strategies for digital marketing and product launches.

Internet Trends · The Michigan Daily · 4 min read

Browse the full archive · iliareingold.com