Stephen Checkoway
@stevecheckoway.bsky.social
Associate Professor of Computer Science at Oberlin College. No kings, no nazis.
Reposted by Stephen Checkoway
I am so torn between wanting to share this with no context so that the reader can have the full experience of developing a relationship with each of the parties in the discussion to this PR, and with knowing that the full impact of what is happening here might evade many without more explanation
DWARF support for macOS and Linux by joelreymont · Pull Request #14369 · ocaml/ocaml
DWARF v5 Debugging Support for OCaml Native Compiler
This PR adds DWARF v5 debug information to the OCaml native compiler, allowing proper source-level debugging in GDB and LLDB.
What's Impleme...
github.com
November 27, 2025 at 7:01 PM
I am so torn between wanting to share this with no context so that the reader can have the full experience of developing a relationship with each of the parties in the discussion to this PR, and with knowing that the full impact of what is happening here might evade many without more explanation
Reposted by Stephen Checkoway
OK - pie discourse - best pie story:
In 2016, we were living in Andover, in the UK. My wife was assigned as an exchange officer at the Army Air Corps base at Middle Wallop (yes, really).*
The US Army has a tradition: senior leaders, in dress uniform, serve junior troops Thanksgiving dinner.
/1
In 2016, we were living in Andover, in the UK. My wife was assigned as an exchange officer at the Army Air Corps base at Middle Wallop (yes, really).*
The US Army has a tradition: senior leaders, in dress uniform, serve junior troops Thanksgiving dinner.
/1
November 26, 2025 at 5:02 AM
OK - pie discourse - best pie story:
In 2016, we were living in Andover, in the UK. My wife was assigned as an exchange officer at the Army Air Corps base at Middle Wallop (yes, really).*
The US Army has a tradition: senior leaders, in dress uniform, serve junior troops Thanksgiving dinner.
/1
In 2016, we were living in Andover, in the UK. My wife was assigned as an exchange officer at the Army Air Corps base at Middle Wallop (yes, really).*
The US Army has a tradition: senior leaders, in dress uniform, serve junior troops Thanksgiving dinner.
/1
Reposted by Stephen Checkoway
Handing back student work that’s been written by ChatGPT with a 0 followed by the comment “This essay will never stand in authentic wonder before the Beauty of God’s creation.”
Pope Leo XIV told students not to use artificial intelligence for homework, saying that AI ‘won’t stand in authentic wonder before the beauty of God’s creation.’
Even God Is Worried About ChatGPT
Pope Leo XIV told students not to use artificial intelligence for homework, saying that AI ‘won’t stand in authentic wonder before the beauty of God’s creation.’
www.vulture.com
November 26, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Handing back student work that’s been written by ChatGPT with a 0 followed by the comment “This essay will never stand in authentic wonder before the Beauty of God’s creation.”
Reposted by Stephen Checkoway
clarence thomas has no jurisprudential argument, he just hates women and thinks the constitution doesn’t protect a varia suit
November 25, 2025 at 5:20 PM
clarence thomas has no jurisprudential argument, he just hates women and thinks the constitution doesn’t protect a varia suit
Reposted by Stephen Checkoway
movie: we can't trace their payload, it's behind two layers of base64!
computer knowers: *groan*
reality:
computer knowers: *groan*
reality:
November 25, 2025 at 1:17 PM
movie: we can't trace their payload, it's behind two layers of base64!
computer knowers: *groan*
reality:
computer knowers: *groan*
reality:
I sure love debugging Makefiles.
$ cat Makefile
blarg:
$(file >$@,"Let's see some text!")
$ make
make: `blarg' is up to date.
$ cat blarg
cat: blarg: No such file or directory
$ cat Makefile
blarg:
$(file >$@,"Let's see some text!")
$ make
make: `blarg' is up to date.
$ cat blarg
cat: blarg: No such file or directory
November 24, 2025 at 6:13 PM
I sure love debugging Makefiles.
$ cat Makefile
blarg:
$(file >$@,"Let's see some text!")
$ make
make: `blarg' is up to date.
$ cat blarg
cat: blarg: No such file or directory
$ cat Makefile
blarg:
$(file >$@,"Let's see some text!")
$ make
make: `blarg' is up to date.
$ cat blarg
cat: blarg: No such file or directory
Reposted by Stephen Checkoway
Keys are hard. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/21/w...
Cryptographers Held an Election. They Can’t Decrypt the Results.
www.nytimes.com
November 22, 2025 at 2:07 AM
Keys are hard. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/21/w...
Reposted by Stephen Checkoway
i know we've all laughed about the worm and the affair but this is a profoundly dangerous person who should be expelled from the government.
Breaking News: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he personally instructed the CDC to abandon its position that vaccines do not cause autism. The move underscores his determination to challenge scientific orthodoxy — in this case, that vaccines save lives — and bend the health department to his will.
RFK Jr. Says He Instructed CDC to Change Vaccines and Autism Language on Website
In an interview, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. cited gaps in vaccine safety research. His critics say he is ignoring a larger point: Vaccines save lives.
nyti.ms
November 21, 2025 at 7:43 PM
i know we've all laughed about the worm and the affair but this is a profoundly dangerous person who should be expelled from the government.
The thing I've missed the most about IDA Pro when I use Ghidra is when you click on a register in Ghidra, it doesn't highlight all uses of that register.
TIL: maxkersten.nl/2024/02/28/g...
TIL: maxkersten.nl/2024/02/28/g...
Ghidra Tip 0x01: Cursor Text Highlighting – Max Kersten
maxkersten.nl
November 19, 2025 at 4:50 PM
The thing I've missed the most about IDA Pro when I use Ghidra is when you click on a register in Ghidra, it doesn't highlight all uses of that register.
TIL: maxkersten.nl/2024/02/28/g...
TIL: maxkersten.nl/2024/02/28/g...
Bsky seems to send telemetry with every with nearly every action you take.
November 18, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Bsky seems to send telemetry with every with nearly every action you take.
Reposted by Stephen Checkoway
The fact that no one in the room stood up for her says a lot about how we got here bsky.app/profile/pale...
"Quiet! Quiet, Piggy."
November 18, 2025 at 2:55 PM
The fact that no one in the room stood up for her says a lot about how we got here bsky.app/profile/pale...
Reposted by Stephen Checkoway
POV: you are a young woman celebrating a recent academic success
November 17, 2025 at 7:20 PM
POV: you are a young woman celebrating a recent academic success
Storage of items prohibited in the storage closet.
November 14, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Storage of items prohibited in the storage closet.
Reposted by Stephen Checkoway
I always get a kick out of the NYT Defense Squad trotting out harrumphing takes about how serious journalists don't report on mere speculation, blow things out of proportion, dig into their colleagues' email, etc etc
November 13, 2025 at 7:44 PM
I always get a kick out of the NYT Defense Squad trotting out harrumphing takes about how serious journalists don't report on mere speculation, blow things out of proportion, dig into their colleagues' email, etc etc
Reposted by Stephen Checkoway
I’m begging here: elections officials should be proactively asking for help from security researchers in calls like this.
Analysis should be done, and the system should be public before announcing adoption.
Doing it this way forces bad press that I don’t want to give. It’s bad for democracy.
Analysis should be done, and the system should be public before announcing adoption.
Doing it this way forces bad press that I don’t want to give. It’s bad for democracy.
November 13, 2025 at 4:55 PM
I’m begging here: elections officials should be proactively asking for help from security researchers in calls like this.
Analysis should be done, and the system should be public before announcing adoption.
Doing it this way forces bad press that I don’t want to give. It’s bad for democracy.
Analysis should be done, and the system should be public before announcing adoption.
Doing it this way forces bad press that I don’t want to give. It’s bad for democracy.
Reposted by Stephen Checkoway
“Security experts say that while nothing on the internet can be completely impenetrable from hacking, advances in cloud-based technology, as well as linking mobile voting to a paper backup system, could help alleviate some of the concerns”
This is incorrect, and no security expert was quoted.
This is incorrect, and no security expert was quoted.
November 13, 2025 at 4:55 PM
“Security experts say that while nothing on the internet can be completely impenetrable from hacking, advances in cloud-based technology, as well as linking mobile voting to a paper backup system, could help alleviate some of the concerns”
This is incorrect, and no security expert was quoted.
This is incorrect, and no security expert was quoted.
This is wild. I had no idea we've been teaching reading wrong.
I also have no idea how I was taught to read, but I do remember being proud I read a book in first grade. Then I spent the rest of elementary school reading books under my desk. Mostly Dragonlance.
I also have no idea how I was taught to read, but I do remember being proud I read a book in first grade. Then I spent the rest of elementary school reading books under my desk. Mostly Dragonlance.
how did i go so long not knowing we were literally teaching people to read wrong. i knew something wasn't right but jesus christ www.apmreports.org/episode/2019...
How a flawed idea is teaching millions of kids to be poor readers
For decades, schools have taught children the strategies of struggling readers, using a theory about reading that cognitive scientists have repeatedly debunked. And many teachers and parents don't kno...
www.apmreports.org
November 11, 2025 at 7:30 PM
This is wild. I had no idea we've been teaching reading wrong.
I also have no idea how I was taught to read, but I do remember being proud I read a book in first grade. Then I spent the rest of elementary school reading books under my desk. Mostly Dragonlance.
I also have no idea how I was taught to read, but I do remember being proud I read a book in first grade. Then I spent the rest of elementary school reading books under my desk. Mostly Dragonlance.
Reposted by Stephen Checkoway
Why is the "we must be united!" hectoring directed at people who are mad at the Cavers and not to the Cavers? Everyone who's mad was united, then the Cave Caucus walked across the aisle and betrayed what the public had been told was the Dem position.
The sooner we get past internal recriminations and back to fighting united, the better off we all are — the likelier our victory next November.
November 10, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Why is the "we must be united!" hectoring directed at people who are mad at the Cavers and not to the Cavers? Everyone who's mad was united, then the Cave Caucus walked across the aisle and betrayed what the public had been told was the Dem position.
Reposted by Stephen Checkoway
Don't call the cops on someone in a mental health crisis unless you want them dead.
Three former San Antonio police officers were acquitted on Monday of all charges related to the fatal shooting of a woman who appeared to be having a mental health crisis when they were dispatched to her apartment in 2023. nyti.ms/4qRnvvT
3 San Antonio Officers Acquitted in Fatal Shooting of Woman in 2023
Melissa Perez, 46, swung a hammer in their direction and appeared to be in distress in her home when the officers arrived, officials said.
nyti.ms
November 10, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Don't call the cops on someone in a mental health crisis unless you want them dead.
Reposted by Stephen Checkoway
HAPPY FOUR SEASONS TOTAL LANDSCAPING DAY TO ALL WHO CELEBRATE
November 7, 2025 at 6:44 PM
HAPPY FOUR SEASONS TOTAL LANDSCAPING DAY TO ALL WHO CELEBRATE
I was teaching Rust closures today. Specifically, the traits FnOnce, FnMut, and Fn. It was only when I was in front of the class that I realized how it sounded.
Me: Which trait does this closure implement?
Student: It's f'ing mut!
Me: No, it's f'ing once!
Me: Which trait does this closure implement?
Student: It's f'ing mut!
Me: No, it's f'ing once!
November 7, 2025 at 9:39 PM
I was teaching Rust closures today. Specifically, the traits FnOnce, FnMut, and Fn. It was only when I was in front of the class that I realized how it sounded.
Me: Which trait does this closure implement?
Student: It's f'ing mut!
Me: No, it's f'ing once!
Me: Which trait does this closure implement?
Student: It's f'ing mut!
Me: No, it's f'ing once!
Reposted by Stephen Checkoway
To my trans and nonbinary friends, I am so sorry that you have to deal with this hate. And I hope to see us reach the other side of it soon. And, we will reach the other side. This is horrifying, but it is ultimately the latest iteration of a time-worn tale. And their time always comes to an end.
November 7, 2025 at 1:15 AM
To my trans and nonbinary friends, I am so sorry that you have to deal with this hate. And I hope to see us reach the other side of it soon. And, we will reach the other side. This is horrifying, but it is ultimately the latest iteration of a time-worn tale. And their time always comes to an end.
Reposted by Stephen Checkoway
Dick Cheney shot his friend in the face the right way.
by Ezra Klein
by Ezra Klein
November 4, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Dick Cheney shot his friend in the face the right way.
by Ezra Klein
by Ezra Klein
Reposted by Stephen Checkoway
When you book a flight through major travel sites, a data broker owned by U.S. airlines will sell details about your flight—your name, credit card used, and where you’re flying to the government.
We found out how to opt-out of ARC selling your travel data. A guide:
www.404media.co/how-to-opt-o...
We found out how to opt-out of ARC selling your travel data. A guide:
www.404media.co/how-to-opt-o...
How to Opt-Out of Airlines Selling Your Travel Data to the Government
The Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC), owned by major U.S. airlines, collects billions of ticketing records and sells them to the government to be searched without a warrant. I managed to opt-out…
www.404media.co
November 4, 2025 at 2:48 PM
When you book a flight through major travel sites, a data broker owned by U.S. airlines will sell details about your flight—your name, credit card used, and where you’re flying to the government.
We found out how to opt-out of ARC selling your travel data. A guide:
www.404media.co/how-to-opt-o...
We found out how to opt-out of ARC selling your travel data. A guide:
www.404media.co/how-to-opt-o...