use git clone --depth=1 for a quicker configuration of the test envir…

…onment

fix: use install_path to reference the default cost model files

make the latest code compile on Linux with clang 18

fix: the progress UI didn't display the progress bars in some cases

minor refinements to installation instructions

Import the latest changes from the dev. repository:

- improve syncrhonization stability and performance on faster Internet connections
- refine the tracing supporting truncation of indices and state
- bump package version to 0.4.16

Import the latest changes from the development repository:

- fix: UI correctly ignores stdout and stderr from the launched HTTP API server
- mark ubuntu 24.04 and GCC 13.2 as tested versions instead of ubutnu 22.04 and GCC 11
- various minor refinements to compile on well on Win, Mac, and Linux

add an example sync-result screen

add publisher assets necessary for the unit test

fix a typo leading to a compilation error