OCaml Hits Kernel API; FPGA Replicates 1980s PC
Summary
These diverse technical achievements demonstrate modern software controlling low-level hardware, new tracking methods emerging, and historical systems revitalized via emulation.
- OCaml Simplifies KMS API The
libdrm-ocamlproject provides bindings for direct, high-level interaction with the Linux Kernel Mode Setting API 1. - Favicon Tracking Identified The ‘Supercookie’ technique exploits favicon loading behavior to generate persistent browser identifiers, bypassing traditional cookies 2.
- 1980s PC on FPGA An IBM PC-XT, targeting the EGA version of Monkey Island 1, was successfully emulated using modern FPGA hardware 3.
- Vintage Computing in Browser A 1961-era relay computer has been fully implemented and runs using only JavaScript within a contemporary web browser interface 4.
- 1980s - Era of the IBM PC-XT successfully recreated on FPGA hardware 3.
- 1961 - Year of the original relay computer now running in the browser 4.
- 2021 - Year the Supercookie fingerprinting research was introduced 2.
Key Moments
-
The new OCaml bindings provide a path to high-level control over low-level graphics features like DRM.
— Article [1] -
Supercookie assigns unique identifiers based on favicon loading behavior observed across sessions.
— Article [2] -
The FPGA design successfully booted the EGA version of *Monkey Island 1* on the recreated IBM PC-XT architecture.
— Article [3] -
The 1961 relay computer runs entirely in JavaScript, demonstrating the power of modern browser execution environments.
— Article [4]
Different Perspectives
Supporting View
The OCaml approach offers a safer, more abstract way to manage complex kernel interactions compared to raw C APIs.
Sources:
[1]