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Tech News
The developer behind the MartyPC emulator commissioned a 5.6-gigapixel die photograph of an NEC V20 CPU (fabricated by second-source manufacturer Sharp) to extract its microcode. The goal is to replace MartyPC's existing V20 emulation core, which was essentially a modified 8088 core rather than a true cycle-accurate model, with one based on the chip's actual internal logic.
The Public Domain Review has spotlighted photographer John Margolies' extensive documentation of American vernacular roadside architecture, including motels, diners, and novelty buildings. The nonprofit outlet accompanied the feature with an appeal to readers for donations, noting it operates without ads or paywalls.
An essay examines the 'deadpan' style of photography, popularised by artists like Andreas Gursky, which mimics scientific or documentary imagery through flat lighting, even focus, and square framing. The piece argues that despite its appearance of neutrality, deadpan photographs like Gursky's '99 Cent' are carefully composed and manipulated works, not raw records of reality.
Kodak engineer Steven Sasson built the first digital camera in 1975, a bulky device that shot low-resolution black-and-white images and took over 20 seconds per photo. Despite pioneering the technology, Kodak ultimately collapsed because it clung to the film-based business model that had made it successful, rather than embracing its own invention.