July 28th, 2021
I’ve released a new version 1.5.2 of the VHDL compiler I’m working on. This is the second bug fix release on the 1.5 branch containing the following changes back-ported from the development branch:
- Link libexecinfo on FreeBSD.
- Implement textio READ procedure for BIT and TIME.
- Fixed a crash when a long running procedure suspends in a loop.
- Fix static linking with LLVM 12.0.
- Fix crash when assigning to a signal declared in a package.
- Fix incorrect recording of dependencies which caused a failure to load generated DLLs on Windows.
- Fix file locking error when a library is located on NFS.
- Optimise loading large library index from disk.
- Fix a crash when using ‘VALUE with enumeration subtypes.
- Fix a crash when a signal with more than 256 elements is declared in a package.
nvc-1.5.2.tar.gz
nvc-1.5.2.tar.gz.sig
This release is signed with GPG key fingerprint 0784 505A DB5D 7D86 D2BD E6DA BCDB 295F 7431 9F1A
. Download both the .sig
and .tar.gz
files and verify with:
gpg --keyserver pgp.mit.edu --recv-keys BCDB295F74319F1A
gpg --verify nvc-1.5.2.tar.gz
There is now a public git mirror at https://git.nickg.me.uk/nvc.git if you prefer not to use GitHub.
July 25th, 2021
Throughout June and July the Shanghai local government has been trying a new tactic to convince people to take the coronavirus vaccine: bribes. At many vaccination centres you can be entered into a draw to win a phone or receive some other free gift. It’s clearly working as apparently 70% of adults have now been vaccinated. I’ve collected a few examples below that I either saw myself or were shared around on WeChat.
![](https://www.doof.me.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/mmexport1627218858464-e1627219485421-382x450.jpg)
I passed this one on the way to work. The text says “get the coronavirus vaccination here and receive five litres of cooking oil”.
![](https://www.doof.me.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/mmexport1627218884351-e1627219409484-450x404.jpg)
This district is clearly lacking imagination: the sign says “take the vaccine and receive 300 RMB cash after the second injection”.
![](https://www.doof.me.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/mmexport1627218920680-e1627219994971-450x239.jpg)
A sign at Shanghai International Tourism Resort. It says “take the vaccine inside the resort and receive a free entrance ticket”.
![](https://www.doof.me.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/mmexport1627218888997-1-e1627219826318-342x450.jpg)
This one says if you take the vaccine here, you’ll be entered into a prize draw. The top prize is an iPhone 12 and the second one is a Macbook, although the seventh prize is just some eggs.
![](https://www.doof.me.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/mmexport1627218897085-e1627220060830-356x450.jpg)
This lady won a phone at another location after getting her vaccination. There’s a maximum of one per day but if you don’t win anything you still get five litres of cooking oil.
July 17th, 2021
In the interests of team building or something I made a clay cup at some pottery workshop. The results were surprisingly good and said cup is quite usable for drinking water.
![](https://www.doof.me.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/pottery1_scale-437x450.jpg)
The raw materials shaped with my own hands into something resembling a cup.
![](https://www.doof.me.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/pottery2_scale-439x450.jpg)
The painting process. Note the expert colour mixing going on.
![](https://www.doof.me.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/pottery3_scale-370x450.jpg)
The finished article. Note that it has shrunk quite a lot in the baking process.