"Hack" the new programming language by Facebook

Facebook has recently released a new programming language called "Hack". It contains the best of the two worlds of static and dynamic languages.  Meaning software developers using “Hack” can have all the speed of a dynamic language and yet catch their mistakes before runtime like a traditional static language.

It is based on PHP, but unlike PHP it does not require as many servers or as much code for maintaining large websites like Facebook. Also it is very easy to manage the code and debug the errors in “Hack”. One of the best things about Hack is it can seamlessly integrate over existing PHP files.

Syntactically Hack is very much similar to PHP, and replicates much of the features and functions of PHP. But it also has a built-in static typing feature, which makes it mandatory for the programmer to define the data type for all variables before the program can be run or compiled. This helps to reduce extra work hour by reducing run time errors.

Over the past year, Facebook has migrated all of its PHP based code into Hack. Now they have made the language open-source, which means anybody can use it and help to improve it. At present Hack can only be run on Facebook’s HHVM (Hip Hop Virtual machine) virtual machine.

Facebook to launch its own constellation of drones to deliver free internet

After Google's ambitious high-altitude balloons project to deliver internet to the masses, Facebook has also joined the race for Airborne internet. As per Techcrunch Facebook is trying to buy drone maker Titan Aerospace, whose drones are capable of creating high-altitude wireless hot spots. These drones can circle in the stratosphere for years without the need for refueling and can deliver internet to the masses.

This $60 million acquisition by Facebook is going to be a part of the Mark Zuckerberg’s internet.org , whose main objective is to bring the net to those parts of the globe that are still offline. This acquisition will literally give wings to Zuck's dream of a fully connected world. 

This project of Facebook is going to be a direct competitor of Google's Project Loon, whose main objective is also to bring free internet to the parts of the globe that are offline.

Although Zuckerberg is describing this project as a purely philanthropic effort, we understand that Facebook is also aiming for long term business gains.It is no secret that Facebook is targeting "the next billion" as Carolyn Everson, vice president of global marketing solutions, deems customers in developing countries. It is hoping that with the free internet and affordable smartphones, the underdeveloped areas will eventually join the knowledge economy and achieves more buying power. Moreover having the first experience of internet via Facebook, the people from these areas will be loyal users of Facebook for years.

Moreover with constant pressure from newly empowered ISP's to set up internet roadblocks as net neutrality protections disappear, both Google and Facebook are trying new ways to deliver more affordable internet to the masses. Also these air based internet is supposed to be free of Government censorship and snooping, as the Snowden revelations have created a huge dent to the credibility of these internet giants.

Both Google and Facebook understands that sky based internet is much more efficient, in the logistical standpoint. While the fiber connectivity takes a hell lot of time for digging and trenching, it is much more easier to send a couple of drones in the air and bring a considerable area online in the shortest span of time. So both Larry and Mark is eyeing the air to gain as much user as possible and generate more ad revenue in the process.

image courtesy Titan Aerospace 

Facebook buying WhatsApp for 19 billion dollars - A story of "Rags toRiches"

  

       

Many people may have already heard it, that Facebook is buying out WhatsApp for 19 billion dollars. However most people dont know the humble beginnings of Jan Koum and Brian Acton, the founders of WhatsApp.

Brian Acton was rejected by both Facebook and Twitter, when he was looking for a job. As per these social networking giants he was not good enough to join their work force. That was in 2009. Now Facebook is going to pay him approximately 6 Billion for his co founded WhatsApp.

Jan Koum, the other co-founder whose worth has now become 6.8 billion dollars, used to live on free food stamps provided by the government when he moved to the US from his home country Ukraine.

Now after this deal the life has come to the full circle for both of them. The rejected job seeker has been invited to join Facebook as a member of the board of directors, while Koum signed the billion dollars deal at the same government welfare centre, where he once stood in line to collect food stamps.

The difference? Instead of standing in line like so many years ago, Koum drove to the centre in his Porsche.