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Safepoints and Fil-C

Safepoints and Fil-C Safepointing is an underappreciated aspect of modern multithreaded VM/GC tech. It forms the foundation of Fil-C's accurate stack scanning, safe signal handling, and safe forking. It also forms the foundation of accurate GC, debugging, and profiling in modern lots of other virtual machines (JVMs in particular). Perhaps most crucially: Safepointing is the reason why multiple threads can race on the heap in Fil-C using non-atomic unordered instructions, under any widely used

Fil's Unbelievable Garbage Collector

Fil's Unbelievable Garbage Collector Fil-C uses a parallel concurrent on-the-fly grey-stack Dijkstra accurate non-moving garbage collector called FUGC (Fil's Unbelievable Garbage Collector). You can find the source code for the collector itself in fugc.c, though be warned, that code cannot possibly work without lots of support logic in the rest of the runtime and in the compiler. Let's break down FUGC's features: Parallel: marking and sweeping happen in multiple threads, in parallel. The more

Threads is testing long-form posts with support for formatted text [U: Launched]

Update, Sep 4: The feature is now live. Find the new details below. While Threads already allows up to 500 characters per post (which is more than enough for casual users used to the microblogging format), it is now testing support for long-form posts through “text attachments”. Here’s how it works. Meta has confirmed the test, but has no ETA for the feature As spotted by app researcher Radu Oncescu (via TechCrunch), Threads is testing a new “text attachment” feature on iOS, which could repla

Threads posts now support 'text attachments' up to 10,000 characters

That was fast. A week after a new feature for sharing long-form text was spotted in the Threads app, Meta is making the experiment official. Threads users will now be able to append text snippets of up to 10,000 characters to their posts in a feature Meta says is meant to support journalists and creators on the platform. As Engadget detailed last week, the feature is fairly basic for now. Selecting "text attachment" from the post composer opens up a simple text editor that has some formatting o

You can now attach 10,000 character blogs to your Threads posts

is a senior reporter covering technology, gaming, and more. He joined The Verge in 2019 after nearly two years at Techmeme. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Meta is adding a new feature to let you add a bunch of extra text to Threads posts — no screenshots of text blocks required. Starting today, Meta is rolling out a tool that lets you attach up to 10,000 characters of text to Threads posts, giving you a way to build upon the 500-characte

Threads challenges X by offering free support for up to 10K characters, plus prominent links

After recently being spotted testing a way to share longer text, Threads, Meta’s X competitor, is now officially rolling out the feature that allows users to attach up to 10,000 characters of text to their post. The addition has been designed with the needs of creators in mind, as it supports linking out to content outside of Threads, like newsletters, blogs, podcasts, and more. Before this update, Threads supported 500 characters — which is already far more than the 280 characters offered to X

Threads is testing long-form posts with support for formatted text

While Threads already allows up to 500 characters per post (which is more than enough for casual users used to the microblogging format), it is now testing support for long-form posts through “text attachments”. Here’s how it works. Meta has confirmed the test, but has no ETA for the feature As spotted by app researcher Radu Oncescu (via TechCrunch), Threads is testing a new “text attachment” feature on iOS, which could replace the common practice of stringing together multiple posts that blow

Meta is experimenting with long-form text on Threads

Meta seems to be working on ways for Threads users to share long-form writing within a single post. Several users have reported seeing a new "attach text" feature on the service, which allows them to embed large chunks of text within a single post. The feature, which hasn't been formally announced by Meta, is similar to the "articles" feature that's available on X to Premium+ subscribers. It enables Threads users to embed longer text excerpts within a single Threads post and offers some basic f

Threads tests a way to share long-form text on the platform

Threads is testing a new feature that makes it easy to share long-form text on the social network, Meta confirmed to TechCrunch on Thursday. The feature lets users attach a block of text to a post instead of creating a thread of several different posts when looking to share more in-depth thoughts and ideas. App researcher Radu Oncescu first spotted the new “text attachment” feature on iOS and shared a screenshot of it. According to the app’s description of the new feature, it’s designed to allo

Threads crosses 400M monthly active users as it gains on X

Following a recent series of welcome updates as Threads turned two, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced today that his X competitor crossed 400 million monthly active users (MAUs), a 50 million boost since April. Zuckerberg’s announcement today was short, but significant: The last time Meta detailed its monthly active user number was on April 30, during its Q1 2025 earnings call, up from 320 million in Q4 2024 in late January. If it keeps it stride, this means Meta could see north of 100M MAUs

Threads is up to 400 million monthly active users

Meta's X competitor, Threads, is continuing to add users at a brisk clip, with the social network now surpassing 400 million monthly active users. The news, reported by Fast Company , follows Threads reaching the 300 million mark in December 2024 and the 200 million mark in August 2024. FC also cited data from Similarweb that showed mobile performance for Threads drawing closer to the figures from X. In June, Threads posted 115.1 million daily active users on mobile and X had 132 million. Those

Threads now has more than 400 million monthly active users

Just two years since its launch as a competitor to Twitter (now X), Meta’s Threads has topped 400 million monthly active users (MAUs), Instagram head Adam Mosseri announced on Tuesday. “As of a few weeks ago we there are more than 400 million people active on Threads every month,” Mosseri wrote in a Threads post. “It’s been quite the ride over the last two years. This started as a zany idea to compete with Twitter, and has evolved into a meaningful platform that fosters the open exchange of per

FreeBSD Scheduling on Hybrid CPUs

Scheduling on Hybrid CPUs Contact: OlivierCertner Motivation For the amd64 architecture, Intel started shipping hybrid CPUs with the rather confidential Lakefield and then more massively with Alder Lake (Gen12). Apart from some models of Alder Lake, it is now impossible to buy an Intel chip that does not have at least P (Performance) and E (Efficiency) cores. ARM first released incarnations of its big.LITTLE arrangement as soon as 2011. DynamIQ is an evolution where big and LITTLE CPUs can b

I don't read your email threads

I Don't Read Your Email Threads 08 Aug, 2025 Email threads have got to be one of the worst possible forms of communication. You've been here before. A perfectly respectable morning is passing by. You're working through your items at a chipper pace maybe humming a song you heard on Spotify that morning. Then, the dreaded email thread comes through. Innocently, you click into the top email. The only text is "[Your Name] see below." I hate this and I bet you do too. Suddenly, you're transporte

Meta has ended its bonus program on Threads

It's still trying to lure new users, but it's done paying anyone to post. Meta is no longer paying creators to post on Threads. The company quietly ended the Threads bonus program, which offered some creators thousands of dollars a month in bonuses, earlier this year, Engadget has confirmed. The company hasn't officially commented on why it stopped the payments, but an Instagram support page that once listed details about the creator incentives no longer references Threads at all. In posts on

Threads adds improved content performance metrics for creators

Threads is introducing enhanced metrics to help users better understand how their posts are performing and where their content is getting discovered, the company announced on Tuesday. Users can now see more detailed information in the platform’s “Insights” dashboard. When they navigate to the “Interactions” section, they will see engagement by likes, replies, quotes, and reposts. The “Followers” section shows follower growth with geographic data, including top cities and countries, and demograp

Adam Mosseri to hand off day-to-day at Threads to Meta’s AI lead

After two years under Instagram head Adam Mosseri, Meta is officially handing off Threads to a new leader. Here’s what the change could mean for the app’s future. As first reported by Axios, Meta is naming longtime executive Connor Hayes, formerly head of generative AI product, as the new head of Threads starting in September. The move marks the first time someone outside Instagram will take the reins of the text-based social app, in yet another sign that Meta seems to be finally getting serio

Adam Mosseri steps back from Threads, app to be overseen by Meta’s AI lead

After two years under Instagram head Adam Mosseri, Meta is officially handing off Threads to a new leader. Here’s what the change could mean for the app’s future. As first reported by Axios, Meta is naming longtime executive Connor Hayes, formerly head of generative AI product, as the new head of Threads starting in September. The move marks the first time someone outside Instagram will take the reins of the text-based social app, in yet another sign that Meta seems to be finally getting serio

Meta appoints generative AI VP to run Threads

In Brief Meta appointed Connor Hayes, Meta’s VP of product for generative AI, to become the head of Threads, per Axios. Until now, Instagram head Adam Mosseri has been in charge of Threads. But the platform has grown into more than a side product of Instagram, necessitating additional leadership. Though Threads only launched in 2023, its mobile daily active user (DAU) numbers are fast approaching those of X, according to market intelligence provider Similarweb. Currently, Threads is averaging

Threads is testing Facebook account sign-ups

The option is mentioned in a support article but doesn't appear to be widely available yet. Threads is testing letting you sign up with a Facebook account rather than an Instagram account. The new option, spotted by Social Media Today, doesn't appear to be widely available yet, but is already mentioned in a Meta support article. Besides making it easier for people who don't have an Instagram account to quickly create an account on Meta's X and Bluesky competitor, this new Facebook sign up opti

Threads users still barely click links

Two years in, Threads is starting to look more and more like the most viable challenger to X. It passed 350 million monthly users earlier this year and Mark Zuckerberg has predicted it could be Meta's next billion-user app. But Threads still isn't sending much traffic to other websites, which could make the platform less appealing for creators, publishers and others whose businesses depend on non-Meta owned websites. According to Similarweb, a marketing intelligence firm, outbound referral traf

As X loses its CEO, daily usage is down and competition is growing

With the departure of X CEO Linda Yaccarino, which was announced Wednesday, the company that defined text-first social networking faces renewed competition. Year-over-year, the Elon Musk-owned social network has seen its daily active user base decline by roughly 10% as of the second quarter of 2025, according to new data provided by app intelligence firm Sensor Tower. While X’s user base is still 65% larger than Meta’s Threads and 10 times larger than its next-biggest rival, Bluesky, X’s lastin

Microsoft Teams now has threaded conversations

is a senior editor and author of Notepad , who has been covering all things Microsoft, PC, and tech for over 20 years. Microsoft has added threaded conversations to its Teams communications app this week. After promising to launch the highly-requested feature in mid-2025, Microsoft is now releasing a public preview of threaded conversations for Teams users to enable. The Microsoft Teams threads integration debuts in the channels section of the app, where it works a little differently to how Sl

Threads is nearing X’s daily app users, new data shows

Instagram Threads is close to catching up to top competitor X in terms of mobile app users, according to new data from market intelligence provider Similarweb. In June 2025, Threads’ mobile app for iOS and Android saw 115.1 million daily active users, representing 127.8% year-over-year growth; X reached 132 million daily actives, as its year-over-year growth declined by 15.2%. By comparison, decentralized social network Bluesky grew a sizable 372.5% year-over-year as of June, but its worldwide

Not everyone is thrilled with Threads’ DMs

Earlier this week, Instagram Threads launched what the company said was its most-requested feature to date: direct messages, also known as DMs. However, the company is now facing a bit of a user backlash over the addition, as users, primarily women, are arguing that there should be a way to opt out of DMs entirely, citing harassment concerns. Although DMs are a part of other social networks similar to Threads, including X, Bluesky, Mastodon, and others, some Threads users appreciated that they

Two years in, Apple is now officially on Threads

It took a minute, but Apple has at last activated its official Threads account. And thanks to its massive Instagram presence, it instantly picked up nearly 5 million followers. Today’s move comes well after several Apple-related accounts joined Instagram’s alternative to X right out of the gate. Apple Music, Apple News, Apple Books, Shazam, and Beats by Dre were among the first to show up shortly after Threads launched in mid-2023, but the main @apple account remained absent until now. Instant

Threads gets its own DMs as app distances itself from Instagram

Instagram Threads is rolling out users’ most-requested feature to date: the ability to message people directly, without having to switch to another app, like Instagram. The company said direct messages (DMs) will begin rolling out to users globally beginning on Tuesday, alongside a new visual element called highlighter. The latter will emphasize interesting perspectives and conversations, Meta says, starting with Trending Topics. At launch, Threads DMs offer a basic set of features. They’ll su

You Can Finally Use This Very Basic Threads Feature

Better late than never? Threads, Meta's answer to X (formerly Twitter) and Bluesky, was launched almost two years ago in July 2023, and saw immediate rapid signups after piggybacking off Instagram's user base. Despite being around for that long, it's just now giving us the ability to direct message other users. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg teased the new feature earlier this month as it was rolling out in beta. "We're starting to test DMs on Threads. If you get access to this -- slide through!" Zuc

Threads officially rolls out standalone DMs and debuts visual highlights

Meta just took another step in its belated but very welcome push to detach Threads from its Instagram roots. Starting today, the app is officially rolling out its own direct messaging system and a new visual highlights feature. Here’s how they work. Both updates mark the second anniversary of the app, which was officially launched on July 5th, 2024. And alongside the announcement, Threads also shared an interesting, but completely unsurprising fact, pointing to its increasingly independent futu

Two years later, Meta is making DMs on Threads official

Meta announced just a couple weeks ago that it would finally start testing a dedicated inbox for direct messages on Threads. Now, it's making the feature official and rolling out DMs to everyone. As with the earlier test, the update will add a messaging tab to the Threads app where users can access the inbox and exchange DMs with mutuals. Meta says that initially people will only be able to send messages to users who already follow them or mutual followers from Instagram, though it plans to rol