January 2011 Summaries

A newly redesigned Pull Request discussion view has been introduced to improve the user experience by opening up the layout, making it easier to follow discussions, especially in lengthy pull requests. This update can be observed in any pull request, such as those on projects like rack/rack and rails, with the aim of enhancing user engagement and enjoyment. The changes were announced by Kyle Neath.

Scott Chacon from GitHub announced a casual event in Cambridge, MA on February 10th, inviting people to join him for a drinkup at John Harvards Brew House. The event promises free beer starting at 7:00 PM, with the offer of extra beer for attendees wearing GitHub t-shirts. The gathering is positioned as a relaxed opportunity for community members to connect and enjoy complimentary drinks.

GitHub has revamped its Wiki system with a new front-end interface to make contributing more accessible to users, regardless of their proficiency with Git and coding. The update introduces a completely new editor supporting popular markup languages like Markdown and Textile, along with a rewritten inline help system and JSON-based language definitions. Users can now edit footers and sidebars through a web interface, enjoy full-page previews, and have web-based revert capabilities to undo unwanted changes. Additionally, new permission settings allow repository owners to restrict editing access to collaborators only. The redesign aims to facilitate the addition of future features, with more improvements expected.

A GitHub meetup in Boston led to a fascinating conversation between the host and Andrew Leifer, a Harvard biophysics graduate student, about Leifer's innovative research project, CoLBeRT, which uses laser technology for mind control on C. elegans worms. This system, which involves real-time video analysis and laser targeting of specific neurons, allows researchers to manipulate the worm's movements and behaviors such as paralysis, egg-laying, and speed modulation. Remarkably, the project, which has gained attention in prestigious publications like Nature Methods, Science News, and Scientific American, is open source and accessible on GitHub under the name MindControl, showcasing the potential for significant advances in neurobiology despite the vast complexity difference between human and worm brains.

Nico Hagenburger has introduced a creative HTML/CSS feature that enables the classic "Fork me on GitHub" banner to be displayed with an interactive twist on websites. When users hover over the banner in Safari, it rotates to reveal alternative text on the opposite side, adding an engaging element to the familiar design. This innovative approach invites users to explore and experience the dynamic effect firsthand.

During the first week of January, a series of outages affected GitHub's infrastructure, primarily involving a critical fileserver, fs7, and the primary load balancer. The issues began on Monday with the failover of a xen machine hosting the load balancer, exposing internal routing and DNS resolution challenges due to an expanding network. On Tuesday, fs7 failed again, exacerbated by high load and an outdated kernel, leading to service interruptions for some customers. By Wednesday, the load on fs7 remained high due to a surge in git-http traffic, which was not managed under existing policies, causing memory overloads. With insights from Librato, GitHub identified the problem as unmanaged git-http processes and subsequently contained them within Librato's management. By Thursday, the implementation of these measures ensured a smoother operation, preventing further outages and allowing GitHub to refocus on improvements rather than crisis management. Thanks were extended to key individuals who contributed to resolving the issues, highlighting the importance of comprehensive metrics in diagnosing complex infrastructure problems.

Petros, who has been assisting users through GitHub Support, is now working full-time at GitHub, enhancing the support team alongside another member. Operating from his home office in Thessaloniki, Greece, Petros engages in various activities such as blogging, tweeting, and coding in Ruby and C#, contributing significantly to the community. Users contacting GitHub Support may encounter him and are encouraged to introduce themselves. This update was shared by Chris Wanstrath.