- A new package manager for XLS (the open-source hardware description language) is being prototyped, aimed at easing reuse and distribution of digital-logic IP blocks.  
- Discussion of future satellite architectures: maaku argues for mass-produced, software-configurable “standard” cubesats to slash launch costs, while muurkha counters that physical constraints (outgassing, torque, power) make full standardization unlikely—likening it to expecting “identical op-amps configured in software” to dominate analog design.  
- Shared YouTube link: “How The World's Strongest Material Is Made From Coffee Grounds (Flash Graphene)” – a process that converts waste biomass into graphene via rapid Joule heating.  
- Shapr3D, an iPad-native CAD tool built on the SolidWorks geometry kernel, was highlighted; it is free for educational use but prompted debate over long-term vendor lock-in and cloud dependency.