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treasure-mimic · 9 months

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So, let me try and put everything together here, because I really do think it needs to be talked about.

Today, Unity announced that it intends to apply a fee to use its software. Then it got worse.

For those not in the know, Unity is the most popular free to use video game development tool, offering a basic version for individuals who want to learn how to create games or create independently alongside paid versions for corporations or people who want more features. It's decent enough at this job, has issues but for the price point I can't complain, and is the idea entry point into creating in this medium, it's a very important piece of software.

But speaking of tools, the CEO is a massive one. When he was the COO of EA, he advocated for using, what out and out sounds like emotional manipulation to coerce players into microtransactions.

"A consumer gets engaged in a property, they might spend 10, 20, 30, 50 hours on the game and then when they're deep into the game they're well invested in it. We're not gouging, but we're charging and at that point in time the commitment can be pretty high."

He also called game developers who don't discuss monetization early in the planning stages of development, quote, "fucking idiots".

So that sets the stage for what might be one of the most bald-faced greediest moves I've seen from a corporation in a minute. Most at least have the sense of self-preservation to hide it.

A few hours ago, Unity posted this announcement on the official blog.

Effective January 1, 2024, we will introduce a new Unity Runtime Fee that’s based on game installs. We will also add cloud-based asset storage, Unity DevOps tools, and AI at runtime at no extra cost to Unity subscription plans this November. We are introducing a Unity Runtime Fee that is based upon each time a qualifying game is downloaded by an end user. We chose this because each time a game is downloaded, the Unity Runtime is also installed. Also we believe that an initial install-based fee allows creators to keep the ongoing financial gains from player engagement, unlike a revenue share.

Now there are a few red flags to note in this pitch immediately.

Unity is planning on charging a fee on all games which use its engine.

This is a flat fee per number of installs.

They are using an always online runtime function to determine whether a game is downloaded.

There is just so many things wrong with this that it's hard to know where to start, not helped by this FAQ which doubled down on a lot of the major issues people had.

I guess let's start with what people noticed first. Because it's using a system baked into the software itself, Unity would not be differentiating between a "purchase" and a "download". If someone uninstalls and reinstalls a game, that's two downloads. If someone gets a new computer or a new console and downloads a game already purchased from their account, that's two download. If someone pirates the game, the studio will be asked to pay for that download.

Q: How are you going to collect installs? A: We leverage our own proprietary data model. We believe it gives an accurate determination of the number of times the runtime is distributed for a given project. Q: Is software made in unity going to be calling home to unity whenever it's ran, even for enterprice licenses? A: We use a composite model for counting runtime installs that collects data from numerous sources. The Unity Runtime Fee will use data in compliance with GDPR and CCPA. The data being requested is aggregated and is being used for billing purposes. Q: If a user reinstalls/redownloads a game / changes their hardware, will that count as multiple installs? A: Yes. The creator will need to pay for all future installs. The reason is that Unity doesn’t receive end-player information, just aggregate data. Q: What's going to stop us being charged for pirated copies of our games? A: We do already have fraud detection practices in our Ads technology which is solving a similar problem, so we will leverage that know-how as a starting point. We recognize that users will have concerns about this and we will make available a process for them to submit their concerns to our fraud compliance team.

This is potentially related to a new system that will require Unity Personal developers to go online at least once every three days.

Starting in November, Unity Personal users will get a new sign-in and online user experience. Users will need to be signed into the Hub with their Unity ID and connect to the internet to use Unity. If the internet connection is lost, users can continue using Unity for up to 3 days while offline. More details to come, when this change takes effect.

It's unclear whether this requirement will be attached to any and all Unity games, though it would explain how they're theoretically able to track "the number of installs", and why the methodology for tracking these installs is so shit, as we'll discuss later.

Unity claims that it will only leverage this fee to games which surpass a certain threshold of downloads and yearly revenue.

Only games that meet the following thresholds qualify for the Unity Runtime Fee: Unity Personal and Unity Plus: Those that have made $200,000 USD or more in the last 12 months AND have at least 200,000 lifetime game installs. Unity Pro and Unity Enterprise: Those that have made $1,000,000 USD or more in the last 12 months AND have at least 1,000,000 lifetime game installs.

They don't say how they're going to collect information on a game's revenue, likely this is just to say that they're only interested in squeezing larger products (games like Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail, Fate Grand Order, Among Us, and Fall Guys) and not every 2 dollar puzzle platformer that drops on Steam. But also, these larger products have the easiest time porting off of Unity and the most incentives to, meaning realistically those heaviest impacted are going to be the ones who just barely meet this threshold, most of them indie developers.

Aggro Crab Games, one of the first to properly break this story, points out that systems like the Xbox Game Pass, which is already pretty predatory towards smaller developers, will quickly inflate their "lifetime game installs" meaning even skimming the threshold of that 200k revenue, will be asked to pay a fee per install, not a percentage on said revenue.

[IMAGE DESCRIPTION: Hey Gamers!

Today, Unity (the engine we use to make our games) announced that they'll soon be taking a fee from developers for every copy of the game installed over a certain threshold - regardless of how that copy was obtained.

Guess who has a somewhat highly anticipated game coming to Xbox Game Pass in 2024? That's right, it's us and a lot of other developers.

That means Another Crab's Treasure will be free to install for the 25 million Game Pass subscribers. If a fraction of those users download our game, Unity could take a fee that puts an enormous dent in our income and threatens the sustainability of our business.

And that's before we even think about sales on other platforms, or pirated installs of our game, or even multiple installs by the same user!!!

This decision puts us and countless other studios in a position where we might not be able to justify using Unity for our future titles. If these changes aren't rolled back, we'll be heavily considering abandoning our wealth of Unity expertise we've accumulated over the years and starting from scratch in a new engine. Which is really something we'd rather not do.

On behalf of the dev community, we're calling on Unity to reverse the latest in a string of shortsighted decisions that seem to prioritize shareholders over their product's actual users.

I fucking hate it here.

-Aggro Crab - END DESCRIPTION]

That fee, by the way, is a flat fee. Not a percentage, not a royalty. This means that any games made in Unity expecting any kind of success are heavily incentivized to cost as much as possible.

[IMAGE DESCRIPTION: A table listing the various fees by number of Installs over the Install Threshold vs. version of Unity used, ranging from $0.01 to $0.20 per install. END DESCRIPTION]

Basic elementary school math tells us that if a game comes out for $1.99, they will be paying, at maximum, 10% of their revenue to Unity, whereas jacking the price up to $59.99 lowers that percentage to something closer to 0.3%. Obviously any company, especially any company in financial desperation, which a sudden anchor on all your revenue is going to create, is going to choose the latter.

Furthermore, and following the trend of "fuck anyone who doesn't ask for money", Unity helpfully defines what an install is on their main site.

While I'm looking at this page as it exists now, it currently says

The installation and initialization of a game or app on an end user’s device as well as distribution via streaming is considered an “install.” Games or apps with substantially similar content may be counted as one project, with installs then aggregated to calculate the Unity Runtime Fee.

However, I saw a screenshot saying something different, and utilizing the Wayback Machine we can see that this phrasing was changed at some point in the few hours since this announcement went up. Instead, it reads:

The installation and initialization of a game or app on an end user’s device as well as distribution via streaming or web browser is considered an “install.” Games or apps with substantially similar content may be counted as one project, with installs then aggregated to calculate the Unity Runtime Fee.

Screenshot for posterity:

That would mean web browser games made in Unity would count towards this install threshold. You could legitimately drive the count up simply by continuously refreshing the page. The FAQ, again, doubles down.

Q: Does this affect WebGL and streamed games? A: Games on all platforms are eligible for the fee but will only incur costs if both the install and revenue thresholds are crossed. Installs - which involves initialization of the runtime on a client device - are counted on all platforms the same way (WebGL and streaming included).

And, what I personally consider to be the most suspect claim in this entire debacle, they claim that "lifetime installs" includes installs prior to this change going into effect.

Will this fee apply to games using Unity Runtime that are already on the market on January 1, 2024? Yes, the fee applies to eligible games currently in market that continue to distribute the runtime. We look at a game's lifetime installs to determine eligibility for the runtime fee. Then we bill the runtime fee based on all new installs that occur after January 1, 2024.

Again, again, doubled down in the FAQ.

Q: Are these fees going to apply to games which have been out for years already? If you met the threshold 2 years ago, you'll start owing for any installs monthly from January, no? (in theory). It says they'll use previous installs to determine threshold eligibility & then you'll start owing them for the new ones. A: Yes, assuming the game is eligible and distributing the Unity Runtime then runtime fees will apply. We look at a game's lifetime installs to determine eligibility for the runtime fee. Then we bill the runtime fee based on all new installs that occur after January 1, 2024.

That would involve billing companies for using their software before telling them of the existence of a bill. Holding their actions to a contract that they performed before the contract existed!

Okay. I think that's everything. So far.

There is one thing that I want to mention before ending this post, unfortunately it's a little conspiratorial, but it's so hard to believe that anyone genuinely thought this was a good idea that it's stuck in my brain as a significant possibility.

A few days ago it was reported that Unity's CEO sold 2,000 shares of his own company.

On September 6, 2023, John Riccitiello, President and CEO of Unity Software Inc (NYSE:U), sold 2,000 shares of the company. This move is part of a larger trend for the insider, who over the past year has sold a total of 50,610 shares and purchased none.

I would not be surprised if this decision gets reversed tomorrow, that it was literally only made for the CEO to short his own goddamn company, because I would sooner believe that this whole thing is some idiotic attempt at committing fraud than a real monetization strategy, even knowing how unfathomably greedy these people can be.

So, with all that said, what do we do now?

Well, in all likelihood you won't need to do anything. As I said, some of the biggest names in the industry would be directly affected by this change, and you can bet your bottom dollar that they're not just going to take it lying down. After all, the only way to stop a greedy CEO is with a greedier CEO, right?

(I fucking hate it here.)

And that's not mentioning the indie devs who are already talking about abandoning the engine.

[Links display tweets from the lead developer of Among Us saying it'd be less costly to hire people to move the game off of Unity and Cult of the Lamb's official twitter saying the game won't be available after January 1st in response to the news.]

That being said, I'm still shaken by all this. The fact that Unity is openly willing to go back and punish its developers for ever having used the engine in the past makes me question my relationship to it.

The news has given rise to the visibility of free, open source alternative Godot, which, if you're interested, is likely a better option than Unity at this point. Mostly, though, I just hope we can get out of this whole, fucking, environment where creatives are treated as an endless mill of free profits that's going to be continuously ratcheted up and up to drive unsustainable infinite corporate growth that our entire economy is based on for some fuckin reason.

Anyways, that's that, I find having these big posts that break everything down to be helpful.

#Unity #Unity3D #Video Games #Game Development #Game Developers #fuckshit #I don't know what to tag news like this

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nasa · 8 months

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Let's Explore a Metal-Rich Asteroid 🤘

Between Mars and Jupiter, there lies a unique, metal-rich asteroid named Psyche. Psyche’s special because it looks like it is part or all of the metallic interior of a planetesimal—an early planetary building block of our solar system. For the first time, we have the chance to visit a planetary core and possibly learn more about the turbulent history that created terrestrial planets.

Here are six things to know about the mission that’s a journey into the past: Psyche.

1. Psyche could help us learn more about the origins of our solar system.

After studying data from Earth-based radar and optical telescopes, scientists believe that Psyche collided with other large bodies in space and lost its outer rocky shell. This leads scientists to think that Psyche could have a metal-rich interior, which is a building block of a rocky planet. Since we can’t pierce the core of rocky planets like Mercury, Venus, Mars, and our home planet, Earth, Psyche offers us a window into how other planets are formed.

2. Psyche might be different than other objects in the solar system.

Rocks on Mars, Mercury, Venus, and Earth contain iron oxides. From afar, Psyche doesn’t seem to feature these chemical compounds, so it might have a different history of formation than other planets.

If the Psyche asteroid is leftover material from a planetary formation, scientists are excited to learn about the similarities and differences from other rocky planets. The asteroid might instead prove to be a never-before-seen solar system object. Either way, we’re prepared for the possibility of the unexpected!

3. Three science instruments and a gravity science investigation will be aboard the spacecraft.

The three instruments aboard will be a magnetometer, a gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer, and a multispectral imager. Here’s what each of them will do:

Magnetometer: Detect evidence of a magnetic field, which will tell us whether the asteroid formed from a planetary body

Gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer: Help us figure out what chemical elements Psyche is made of, and how it was formed

Multispectral imager: Gather and share information about the topography and mineral composition of Psyche

The gravity science investigation will allow scientists to determine the asteroid’s rotation, mass, and gravity field and to gain insight into the interior by analyzing the radio waves it communicates with. Then, scientists can measure how Psyche affects the spacecraft’s orbit.

4. The Psyche spacecraft will use a super-efficient propulsion system.

Psyche’s solar electric propulsion system harnesses energy from large solar arrays that convert sunlight into electricity, creating thrust. For the first time ever, we will be using Hall-effect thrusters in deep space.

5. This mission runs on collaboration.

To make this mission happen, we work together with universities, and industry and NASA to draw in resources and expertise.

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the mission and is responsible for system engineering, integration, and mission operations, while NASA’s Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Services Program manages launch operations and procured the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.

Working with Arizona State University (ASU) offers opportunities for students to train as future instrument or mission leads. Mission leader and Principal Investigator Lindy Elkins-Tanton is also based at ASU.

Finally, Maxar Technologies is a key commercial participant and delivered the main body of the spacecraft, as well as most of its engineering hardware systems.

6. You can be a part of the journey.

Everyone can find activities to get involved on the mission’s webpage. There's an annual internship to interpret the mission, capstone courses for undergraduate projects, and age-appropriate lessons, craft projects, and videos.

You can join us for a virtual launch experience, and, of course, you can watch the launch with us on Oct. 12, 2023, at 10:16 a.m. EDT!

For official news on the mission, follow us on social media and check out NASA’s and ASU’s Psyche websites.

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space!

#Psyche #Mission to Psyche #asteroid #NASA #exploration #technology #tech #spaceblr #solar system #space #not exactly #metalcore #but close?

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yamameta-inc · 4 months

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The Swiss Cheese Model of Covid Prevention

An edited version of the swiss cheese model tailored towards the measures that you as an individual can take to minimize your risk of infection. Public health is ultimately what its name implies, public, but that doesn't mean you're powerless.

Covid prevention is not all-or-nothing. Think of it as risk reduction, rather than a binary.

Let's go through these step by step.

VACCINES

The current vaccines are meant primarily to reduce chances of severe illness, hospitalization, and death. They will reduce your chance of infection a bit--but not nearly as much as you might think. You should still get your boosters regularly, because avoiding severe illness is of course worth doing.

If you haven't gotten the updated monovalent vaccine yet, go get it. It is not a booster. Think of it as a new vaccine. It's targeted towards the XBB lineages, which are now the most common variants. Your last boosters were likely of the bivalent type, aimed at both the original Covid strain from 2020 and Omicron. The new vaccine is monovalent, meaning it targets one family in particular.

Some studies suggest that the Novavax vaccine, which is a more traditional protein-based vaccine, is more effective and safer than mRNA vaccines, and offers better protection against future variants. Of course, the data we have so far isn't 100% conclusive (the last paper I linked is a preprint). Make of these findings what you will, just something to keep in mind. The new Novavax vaccine's availability is still limited, especially outside of the US.

MASKS

Masking is one of the most effective ways to protect yourself. While it is true that masking and reducing Covid transmission protects those around you, the idea that masks can't protect the wearer is outdated information from the early days of the pandemic when medical authorities refused to acknowledge that Covid is airborne.

The key to protecting yourself is to wear a well-fitting respirator. You want to minimize any gaps where air might leak out. If your glasses get fogged up, that's a sign that air is leaking.

Headbands will always have a tighter fit than earloop masks (and therefore provide better protection). However, you can use earloop extenders to improve the fit of earloop masks. You can find these online. Your comfort in wearing a mask is important, but there are options for compromise.

The above graphic doesn't include elastomeric respirators. While some (like the Flo Mask) are expensive, they can be much more affordable than buying disposables--look for P100 respirators at your local hardware store, but make sure it fits your face well.

For more general information, see this FAQ. For mask recommendations (NA-centric, sorry!), see my list here or Mask Nerd's YouTube channel.

For situations where you need to hydrate but don't want to take your mask off, consider the SIP valve.

Not even N95s are foolproof (N95 means it filters at least 95% of particles--with the other 5% potentially reaching you). Most people will likely not have a perfect fit. There will be situations where you'll have to take your mask off. The key is risk reduction, and that's why the Swiss cheese model is crucial.

If you can't afford high-quality masks, look for a local mask bloc or other organization that gives out free masks. Project N95 has unfortunately shut down. In Canada, there's donatemask.ca.

AVOID CROWDED INDOOR SPACES

This is rather self-explanatory. Indoor transmission is much, much, much more likely than outdoor transmission. If it's possible to move an activity outdoors instead, consider doing so.

If possible, try going to places like stores or the post office during less busy hours.

Viral particles can stay in the air for a considerable amount of time even after the person who expelled them has left. Do not take off your mask just because no one is currently present, if you know that it was previously crowded.

A CO2 monitor is a decent proxy for how many viral particles may have accumulated in the air around you. The gold standard is the Aranet4, but it's expensive, so here are some more affordable alternatives.

VENTILATION AND AIR FILTERS

Ventilation is effective for the same reason that outdoors is safer than indoors. If it's warm enough, keep windows open whenever possible. If it's cold, even cracking them open occasionally is better than nothing. Try to open windows or doors on different sides of a room to maximize airflow.

HEPA air filters can significantly reduce viral transmission indoors. Make sure to find one suitable for the room size, and replace the filters regularly. You want to look for devices with HEPA-13 filters.

You can use websites like these to calculate how long it takes for a device to change all the air in a room. Remember what I said about viral particles being able to hang around even after people have left? If an air purifier provides 2 air changes per hour, that means that after 30 minutes, any potential viral particles should be gone.

If you can't afford a commercial air filter, here's a useful DIY filter you can make with relatively simple materials. The filtration capacity is great--but due to being built with duct tape, replacing filters will be a challenge.

If you have to hold meetings or meet with people at work, having a smaller filter on the desk between you will also reduce chances of infection.

As a bonus, HEPA filters will also filter out other things like dust and allergens!

REDUCE LENGTH OF EXPOSURE IF EXPOSURE IS UNAVOIDABLE

Viral load refers to the amount of virus in a person's blood. If you've been exposed to someone with Covid, how much you've been exposed matters.

You might escape infection if the viral load you've been exposed to is very small. Or, even if you get infected, there will be less virus in you overall, leading to milder illness--and crucially, a lower chance of the virus penetrating deep into your body, creating reservoirs in your organs and wreaking long-term havoc.

A low viral load is also less contagious.

This is the same reason that wearing your mask most of the time, but having to take it off for eating, is still much better than not wearing your mask at all.

RECHARGEABLE PORTABLE AIR FILTERS

You might attract some odd looks. But if you're at high risk or just want to be as protected as possible, small portable air filters can help. Try to find models small enough to take with you on public transportation, to school, or while traveling.

These devices will be far too small to clean the air in the whole room. The goal is to have it filter air in your immediate vicinity. Be sure to angle the device so that the air is blowing in your face.

Unfortunately, rechargeable devices are much rarer and harder to find than normal air filters, and many are also expensive.

The best option at the moment, apart from DIY (which is possible, but you need to know what you're doing), seems to be the SmartAir QT3. The size and shape are a bit clunky, but it fits in a backpack. Its battery life isn't long, but it can be supplemented with a power bank.

NASAL SPRAYS

There's some research that suggests that some nasal sprays may be effective in reducing risk of infection by interfering with viruses' ability to bind to your cells.

These sprays are generally affordable, easy to find, and safe. The key ingredient is carrageenan, which is extracted from seaweed. So there are no potential risks or side effects.

Be sure to follow the instructions on the packaging carefully. Here's a video on how to properly use nasal sprays if you've never used them before.

Covixyl is another type of nasal spray that uses a different key ingredient, ethyl lauroyl arginate HCI. It also aims to disrupt viruses' ability to bind to cell walls. Unfortunately, I think it's difficult to obtain outside of the US.

CONCLUSION

None of the methods listed here are foolproof on their own. But by layering them, you can drastically reduce your chances of infection.

The most important layers, by far, are masking and air quality. But you should also stay conscientious when engaging with those layers. Don't let yourself become complacent with rules of thumb, and allow yourself to assess risk and make thought out decisions when situations arise where you might have to take off your mask or enter a high-risk indoor area, such as a hospital.

Remember that the goal is risk reduction. It's impossible to live risk-free, because we live among countless other people. But you can use knowledge and tools to keep yourself as safe as possible.

#covid #this took a while... i feel like i forgot stuff #but i can't think of what atm

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the-seelie-court-official · 12 days

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i feel like our data is being sold to people who can't even use it because the data itself is considered valuable, like a cryptocurrency. do you follow? most of the data is just junk. it means nothing. of course there's bad actors and surveillance programs but i doubt they're getting Anything useful, much less -actionable- on the average user.

and that's why windows (etc) are introducing ai scrapers to try and pry up more data on the average user. data, even though it's junk data, is pretty much the only thing you can sell that isn't one-off sales of hardware. software is all subscriptions-based because buying it once isn't a growth-minded model.

advertisers buy data to make 'more effective' ads that still dont work and get served to irrelevant people, but advertisers are the only ones who can be relied on to continually pour money into a pit. it's all junk, it's all useless computations wasting clean water and electricity to generate money from bullshit. i.e., it's all cryptocurrency

#memos from the embassy

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task800 · 2 months

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i know that rk800 and rk900 are p much identical in-game in every way except for rk900 having a different jacket and demon-tier blue eyes, BUT. i like the idea of them having slightly different builds just based on their intended use

like, rk800 being a prototype designed primarily for investigative work, and also to test the memory upload ability = fast, lightweight materials that are sturdy but inexpensive to replace, hardware-mobility features designed to parkour around obstacles, high dexterity but at the cost of raw strength, tons of delicate sensory hardware optimized for maximum data-collection and analysis, with combat capabilities added in as an afterthought

rk900 being intended for military combat use and NOT for recon = heavy-duty materials capable of exerting and withstanding tons of force, durability prioritized to last even in the worst conditions, dexterity traded in for sheer power, and physical/cognitive flexibility dialed back in favor of efficient mission completion

i want rk800 doing the MOST to flip over a wall, and i want rk900 to walk through the wall koolaid man style

#dbh #detroit become human #dbh headcanons #dbh connor headcanons #dbh rk900 headcanons

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amalgamasreal · 1 year

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So I don't know how people on this app feel about the shit-house that is TikTok but in the US right now the ban they're trying to implement on it is a complete red herring and it needs to be stopped.

They are quite literally trying to implement Patriot Act 2.0 with the RESTRICT Act and using TikTok and China to scare the American public into buying into it wholesale when this shit will change the face of the internet. Here are some excerpts from what the bill would cover on the Infrastructure side:

SEC. 5. Considerations.

(a) Priority information and communications technology areas.—In carrying out sections 3 and 4, the Secretary shall prioritize evaluation of— (1) information and communications technology products or services used by a party to a covered transaction in a sector designated as critical infrastructure in Policy Directive 21 (February 12, 2013; relating to critical infrastructure security and resilience);

(2) software, hardware, or any other product or service integral to telecommunications products and services, including— (A) wireless local area networks;

(B) mobile networks;

(D) satellite operations and control;

(E) cable access points;

(F) wireline access points;

(G) core networking systems;

(H) long-, short-, and back-haul networks; or

(I) edge computer platforms;

(3) any software, hardware, or any other product or service integral to data hosting or computing service that uses, processes, or retains, or is expected to use, process, or retain, sensitive personal data with respect to greater than 1,000,000 persons in the United States at any point during the year period preceding the date on which the covered transaction is referred to the Secretary for review or the Secretary initiates review of the covered transaction, including— (A) internet hosting services;

(B) cloud-based or distributed computing and data storage;

(C) machine learning, predictive analytics, and data science products and services, including those involving the provision of services to assist a party utilize, manage, or maintain open-source software;

(D) managed services; and

(E) content delivery services;

(4) internet- or network-enabled sensors, webcams, end-point surveillance or monitoring devices, modems and home networking devices if greater than 1,000,000 units have been sold to persons in the United States at any point during the year period preceding the date on which the covered transaction is referred to the Secretary for review or the Secretary initiates review of the covered transaction;

(5) unmanned vehicles, including drones and other aerials systems, autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicles, or any other product or service integral to the provision, maintenance, or management of such products or services;

(6) software designed or used primarily for connecting with and communicating via the internet that is in use by greater than 1,000,000 persons in the United States at any point during the year period preceding the date on which the covered transaction is referred to the Secretary for review or the Secretary initiates review of the covered transaction, including— (A) desktop applications;

(B) mobile applications;

(D) payment applications; or

(E) web-based applications; or

(7) information and communications technology products and services integral to— (A) artificial intelligence and machine learning;

(B) quantum key distribution;

(D) quantum computing;

(E) post-quantum cryptography;

(F) autonomous systems;

(G) advanced robotics;

(H) biotechnology;

(I) synthetic biology;

(J) computational biology; and

(K) e-commerce technology and services, including any electronic techniques for accomplishing business transactions, online retail, internet-enabled logistics, internet-enabled payment technology, and online marketplaces.

(b) Considerations relating to undue and unacceptable risks.—In determining whether a covered transaction poses an undue or unacceptable risk under section 3(a) or 4(a), the Secretary— (1) shall, as the Secretary determines appropriate and in consultation with appropriate agency heads, consider, where available— (A) any removal or exclusion order issued by the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of Defense, or the Director of National Intelligence pursuant to recommendations of the Federal Acquisition Security Council pursuant to section 1323 of title 41, United States Code;

(B) any order or license revocation issued by the Federal Communications Commission with respect to a transacting party, or any consent decree imposed by the Federal Trade Commission with respect to a transacting party;

(C) any relevant provision of the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation and the Federal Acquisition Regulation, and the respective supplements to those regulations;

(D) any actual or potential threats to the execution of a national critical function identified by the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency;

(E) the nature, degree, and likelihood of consequence to the public and private sectors of the United States that would occur if vulnerabilities of the information and communications technologies services supply chain were to be exploited; and

(F) any other source of information that the Secretary determines appropriate; and

(2) may consider, where available, any relevant threat assessment or report prepared by the Director of National Intelligence completed or conducted at the request of the Secretary.

Look at that, does that look like it just covers the one app? NO! This would cover EVERYTHING that so much as LOOKS at the internet from the point this bill goes live.

It gets worse though, you wanna see what the penalties are?

(b) Civil penalties.—The Secretary may impose the following civil penalties on a person for each violation by that person of this Act or any regulation, order, direction, mitigation measure, prohibition, or other authorization issued under this Act: (1) A fine of not more than $250,000 or an amount that is twice the value of the transaction that is the basis of the violation with respect to which the penalty is imposed, whichever is greater. (2) Revocation of any mitigation measure or authorization issued under this Act to the person. (c) Criminal penalties.— (1) IN GENERAL.—A person who willfully commits, willfully attempts to commit, or willfully conspires to commit, or aids or abets in the commission of an unlawful act described in subsection (a) shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than $1,000,000, or if a natural person, may be imprisoned for not more than 20 years, or both. (2) CIVIL FORFEITURE.— (A) FORFEITURE.— (i) IN GENERAL.—Any property, real or personal, tangible or intangible, used or intended to be used, in any manner, to commit or facilitate a violation or attempted violation described in paragraph (1) shall be subject to forfeiture to the United States. (ii) PROCEEDS.—Any property, real or personal, tangible or intangible, constituting or traceable to the gross proceeds taken, obtained, or retained, in connection with or as a result of a violation or attempted violation described in paragraph (1) shall be subject to forfeiture to the United States. (B) PROCEDURE.—Seizures and forfeitures under this subsection shall be governed by the provisions of chapter 46 of title 18, United States Code, relating to civil forfeitures, except that such duties as are imposed on the Secretary of Treasury under the customs laws described in section 981(d) of title 18, United States Code, shall be performed by such officers, agents, and other persons as may be designated for that purpose by the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Attorney General. (3) CRIMINAL FORFEITURE.— (A) FORFEITURE.—Any person who is convicted under paragraph (1) shall, in addition to any other penalty, forfeit to the United States— (i) any property, real or personal, tangible or intangible, used or intended to be used, in any manner, to commit or facilitate the violation or attempted violation of paragraph (1); and (ii) any property, real or personal, tangible or intangible, constituting or traceable to the gross proceeds taken, obtained, or retained, in connection with or as a result of the violation. (B) PROCEDURE.—The criminal forfeiture of property under this paragraph, including any seizure and disposition of the property, and any related judicial proceeding, shall be governed by the provisions of section 413 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 853), except subsections (a) and (d) of that section.

You read that right, you could be fined up to A MILLION FUCKING DOLLARS for knowingly violating the restrict act, so all those people telling you to "just use a VPN" to keep using TikTok? Guess what? That falls under the criminal guidelines of this bill and they're giving you some horrible fucking advice.

Also, VPN's as a whole, if this bill passes, will take a goddamn nose dive in this country because they are another thing that will be covered in this bill.

They chose the perfect name for it, RESTRICT, because that's what it's going to do to our freedoms in this so called "land of the free".

Please, if you are a United States citizen of voting age reach out to your legislature and tell them you do not want this to pass and you will vote against them in the next primary if it does. This is a make or break moment for you if you're younger. Do not allow your generation to suffer a second Patriot Act like those of us that unfortunately allowed for the first one to happen.

And if you support this, I can only assume you're delusional or a paid shill, either way I hope you rot in whatever hell you believe in.

#politics #restrict bill #tiktok #tiktok ban #s.686 #us politics #tiktok senate hearing #land of the free i guess #patriot act #patriot act 2.0

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make-me-imagine · 1 year

Text

Worth Saving

Plot: When you are on a stealth mission in a rebel base, Obi-Wan must listen from a distance. When you are found out, injured and trapped, Obi-Wan races to save you, even when you tell him it's not worth it.

Pairing: Obi-Wan Kenobi x Gn!Reader

Prompt: A is alone and hurt badly, they can talk to B through an earpiece/phone. Eventually A stops talking and B thinks they lost them. But they find them alive.

Requested By: Anonymous; this is a really old mystery prompt request lmao

A/n: I don't recall if they've ever even used ear-pieces in Star Wars except for with pilots in their ships, or if they just like...don't exist. But let's pretend they do lol

Warnings: Mild cursing, mentions of blood and death, wounds. Pretty angsty. Lack of a sense of self-worth from reader.

Words: 2.3k

You tapped on the new piece of hardware hanging over your ear as you walked through the darkened backrooms of the base.

"Is this thing working?" You asked in a hushed tone.

"Yes, I can hear you just fine." You heard Obi-Wan's voice come through with a small amount of static mixed in.

"Oh good, now I can have your voice in my head telling me all the things I do wrong all the time now."

You could almost hear the smirk on Obi-Wan's face at your sarcastic remark before he replied "Perhaps this will stop you from making your impulsive decisions then."

"Don't get your hopes up."

Obi-Wan smiled again as he checked his scanners again. Even in these kinds of situations you could always make him smile.

He was nervous for you, being alone in a rebel base with no real knowledge of what you were actually looking for. And he hated that he was so far away, unable to get closer due to the base's ability to scan for ships.

So you snuck in yourself. Obi-Wan insisted on coming too, but you needed someone to be prepared to get you out fast, besides, if you got caught, there was a higher chance of him being recognized. You had a better ability of blending in, and no one knew your face, you couldn't be tracked back to the resistance.

"Damn"

Obi-Wan's heart dropped when he heard you curse, immedietely sitting up in his chair his hands hvering over the ships controls in case he needed to make his way to you.

"Y/n? What is it?"

"Someones coming, hold on." Your voice was barely audible, but Obi-Wan held his tongue, and his breath.

You snuck into a nearby room and leaned against the wall in the darkness. The sound of people walking past echoed through your ears.

Your heart was hammering as you held the handle of your phaser tightly.

"Y/n?" Obi-Wan's voice spoke softly, worry obvious.

"I'm good." You whispered and you heard an audible sigh of relief.

Looking around the room you had snuck into, you realized it was full of computers and paperwork. Looking closer, you saw drives locked up in a cabinet. Your interest piqued, you inched closer, wondering if the information on the drives might be valuable.

"I found a bunch of data drives"

"Any way of knowing what's on them?"

Breaking the lock, you took as many drives as you could fit in your bag. "No Idea but I grabbed some. I'm going to try and get into their system."

Able to hack in, you were only able to find one file on a potential weapon development for the rebels before you suddenly heard the door behind you slide open.

You dropped down, trying not to be seen, but you weren't fast enough.

"There they are!"

Through the comm's Obi-Wan heard an unfamiliar yell before the sound of weapons fire was heard. Obi-Wan immediately started the ship and made his way towards the base.

Hearing you grunt in pain, Obi-Wan's heart dropped "Y/n?"

"I've been hit" You said with panic in your voice as you fired your weapon at the rebels. Killing one, and wounding the other, you managed to get out of the room.

You raced down the corridors, your abdomen burning from your wound. As alarms started to blare through the base, you looked for a way out, but as the sound of running approached, you felt a sense of dread wash over you.

"I'll be there soon Y/n, can you get to the pick up point?"

"I'll get back to you on that."

Weapons fire filled the comm's again and panic coursed through Obi-Wan. He knew it was too dangerous to send you alone, he hated that he didn't go with you, he hated that he didn't risk the resistance being linked to the mission.

When silence came through the comm's Obi-Wan spoke "Y/n, what's going on?"

He heard your heavy breaths through the comm "I can't get out, they've got the place flooded with people. Obi-Wan, they knew I was here. They didn't just find me, they were looking for me."

Obi-Wan's breath caught in his throat "Are you sure?"

You nodded, forgetting that he couldn't see you "Yes, they knew"

Anger and worry coursed through him, who found out? Or, who betrayed you?

"Where are you?"

"I found a small storage room, I'm hiding in, I don't know if they'll find me. If they do, I'm screwed."

"How are your injuries?"

You looked down at your body and you swallowed. After the first hit to your abdomen in the control room, the ambush of rebels in the hall did more damage. You had been hit in the shoulder, arm and leg. It wasn't good, you already felt your body weakening.

Your clothes were burned from the phaser fire, the wounds were cauterized, but blood seeped from them due to your desperate escape.

"Not good."

Obi-Wan's stomach turned "I'm almost there, just hang on okay?"

"Obi-Wan, don't"

"Don't what?"

"Don't come for me."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm too far into the base, it's too risky. And I'm too injured. It's not worth it."

Obi-Wan let out a scoff of anger and surprise.

"You mean you're not worth it?"

You always had this mindset. You always threw yourself into dangerous situations so other's didn't have too, because you thought you wouldn't be as missed, that you wouldn't be worth as much, that no one would really care if you died.

And he hated it, he hated that you didn't see your worth. He hated that you didn't see how much he cared.

Your silence told him exactly what he already knew.

"How can you still think that?" He asked, his voice desperate "How can you think after all this time, after all the people you've saved, that you aren't worth it?"

"It's an occupational hazard I guess." You spoke softly, obviously in pain, but he could hear the forced smile on your face as you spoke.

You were never one to want to worry him, so you always made jokes.

"Even if I don't think I'm worth it. It's too dangerous for you. The base is flooded with people, you may be a jedi, but you can't make it through all of them to find me. You'll get yourself killed."

"I'm coming to get you Y/n, nothing is stopping me."

Your heart was hammering in your chest, and you weren't sure if it was because of the pain, panic, or the way Obi-Wan was speaking.

"Is this what it feels like to be you, when I make reckless decisions?"

You heard Obi-Wan let out a soft huff "Yes"

"No wonder you always get so upset with me."

"Occupational hazard" He mumbled as his knuckles turned white due to the grip of his hands.

He could hear your voice slowly getting softer, you were loosing strength.

"I'm getting close Y/n, just hang on."

You could hear the sound of footsteps nearby and fear coursed through you. You pointed you weapon at the door, prepared to fire if needed. Even if you'd die here, you wouldn't let them take you out easily.

The footsteps faded and you felt relief wash over you. You hissed as a jolt of pain shot through your stomach.

"Y/n?"

"Obi-Wan, it's too late." Your voice was softer now, as your eyelids grew heavier. Your clothes slowly soaked with blood, your wounds aching.

"Don't you dare say that. I know you're stronger than this, so just stay awake, I'm almost there!"

Obi-Wan could feel himself losing to his emotions, but he didn't care, not now. He couldn't lose you, he wouldn't.

"Always so worried about me, always caring so much more than others. Why?" You were mumbling but Obi-Wan could still hear you.

Obi-Wan felt his eyes burning, hearing the pain and worry in your tone "Don't you know?"

"Yes. But If I'm going to die I'd like to hear it at least once."

Obi-Wan shook his head, "You're not going to die. You're going to hold on, and I'll tell you in person. How does that sound?"

"So now you're trying to bribe me into surviving?"

"Anything to make you stay"

You didn't notice your grip loosening and your gun falling to the floor, or the way your body began to slump. You tried to focus on Obi-Wan's voice, to stay awake, but you felt yourself falling into darkness.

"I don't...think I h-have...a choice"

"Y/n? Y/n!"

When you didn't response, and he was only met with silence and static, dread washed over him.

"Y/n?"

Seeing the base come into view, Obi-Wan began to land his ship. Fear, anger and determination coursed through him. He wouldn't believe you were gone, not until he found you. And if- if you were dead, he wouldn't leave you here, not alone.

Obi-Wan managed to get half-way through the base before encountering rebels. After a fight, and a light wound to his arm, he made his way through the base again.

Reaching out with the force, he felt for your presence, any sign of you nearby. Feeling nothing, he felt his heart clench painfully in his chest.

Suddenly, just for a second, he felt a familiar presence, a sort of warmth washed over him, but then it was gone. But it was enough for him as he picked up his pace, and began running.

Finding a small door sort of hidden in a corridor, Obi-Wan knew it would be the sort of place you would go too. Going in silently, his eyes immediately spotted you at the back of the small room and his heart dropped.

You were still, no movement could be seen. Your phaser was lying on the ground beside you, your hands limp and head to the side. Your clothes were soaked with blood, as phaser burns could be seen.

Obi-Wan ran to you taking your face in his hands. He felt relief wash over him. You were still alive, though barely.

He knew it would e dangerous getting you out. He'd have to carry you, but he was not leaving you. Scooping you up into his arms, he made his way out into the corridor. He could hear the sound of footsteps nearby. Taking a breath, he started to run, to get you to safety, so save you.

--- --- ---

You weren't sure how long you had been in the darkness, lost and numb. But slowly, you started to feel as though there was someone in the darkness with you. Like you were underwater and someone was reaching for you, all you needed to do was take their hand.

"Don't go Y/n."

The voice was familiar, but you had trouble placing it. It was warm, it felt safe.

"I'm right here, we're almost out of this, just don't let go."

Suddenly, like a jolt of electricity you realized. It was Obi-Wan. He had come for you after all. But you were sure you were dead. Weren't you?

No. Not yet.

Darkness swallowed you again, but you felt lighter, as though you weren't drowning anymore, but floating, waiting to wake up.

When your eyes finally fluttered open, the room around you was unfamiliar, but the presence beside you was a comforting one.

Obi-Wan stared at you for a moment, surprised by your sudden consciousness. Relief followed quickly though as he leaned forward.

You met his eyes before you spoke, your voice soft "You came for me"

He smiled softly "Of course I did."

"Even though I told you not too."

"Yes"

Your eyes wandered to his arm, which was now in a sling. "You got hurt"

"Yes."

He saw the guilt cross your face and he reached out and placed his hand over the top of yours. You met his eyes again as he spoke.

"It's nothing serious. I got off a lot better than you did. You've been asleep for days."

You looked down at Obi-Wan's hand as it encased yours. "I heard you, talking to me. Telling me to hold on."

Obi-Wan smiled softly. He knew what you were referring too. When he finally got you back to the ship, he reached out to you with the force. He knew there was a connection to the force within you, even if you refused to acknowledge it. That was how you could hear him.

"And you did hold on."

You nodded softly, seemingly lost in thought. Obi-Wan squeezed your hand softly and you looked back to his face. Your eyes remained locked in silence for a moment before he spoke.

"You asked why I cared so much for you" He began, his voice uncertain, knowing the things he wanted to say were meant to stay a secret. Knowing he was going back on his own training and beliefs for simply feeling them.

You shook your head, stopping him "You don't need to tell me Obi-Wan"

Silence fell as your eyes remained locked. You knew how he felt, and he knew how you felt. But that was all it could be. And you both knew it.

In a moment of desperation, before you thought you were going to die, you wanted to hear him say it, just once. But now you were alive, safe again. And those words could no longer be said again.

"It's okay." You said softly, your emotion obvious in your voice "I know."

Obi-Wan smiled, but there was only sadness and regret behind it.

He wanted to tell you so badly, but both of you understood the consequences if he let those emotions take hold of him. You smiled at him, but there was sadness behind it. The same as he held onto.

You both knew how you felt, and you both knew that feeling was worth holing onto, worth saving until you could final feel it freely. But for now, it would remain unsaid.

xx End xx

Not sure how I feel about how this came out, but I hope you enjoyed it!

General Taglist: @criminaly-supernatural, @imaginesfire, @onuen, @rexit-mo, @witchygagirl, @alexxavicry

Star Wars & Obi-Wan Taglist: @hoeforthefictional, @asgardianhobbit98, @agent-catfish-kenobi, @maellem, @locke-writes, @stargirl-05, @linkxneptune, @skylions-den, @sardonic-the-writer, @emptyflowerpots, @hoodedbirdie, @gatefleet

#obi wan kenobi #obi-wan kenobi #star wars #obi wan kenobi x reader #obi wan kenobi/reader #star wars x reader #star wars/reader #obi wan kenobi imagine #obi wan kenobi oneshot #obi wan kenobi one shot #obi wan kenobi angst #star wars oneshot #star wars one shot #star wars angst #star wars imagine #obi-wan x reader

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commandtower-solring-go · 5 months

Text

I want people to know how big a deal that kid beating Tetris is.

When we talk about beating games, we usually do so in one of two ways. First, finishing the game. Any%. Getting to the end. Second, completing the game. 100%. Doing everything.

This kid did neither.

Arcade games of the time didnt have a traditional beginning and end. They relied on a score based gameplay loop. "Winning" was losing with the highest score. As such, a traditional final stage or level wasn't necessary because the game was built to loop on itself or speed up continuously until the player inevitably lost.

However, many games still had a hard limit. Either due to a hardware limitations or inconcevable corner cases in a game's code that would force it to crash. Pacman's final state is quite famous. At 255 completed levels, the game would load in a corrupted and incompletable level know only as the Kill Screen.

The abridged reason for why this happens is that the high level count causes too many fruit to be drawn on screen. Which results in the fruit being drawn over other data, corrupting it and rendering the level incompletable.

Few of these are reached and only by the most dedicated players.

But why the hype around Tetris specifically?

Well, it was believed for a long time that Tetris' kill screen had already been found.

On the NES version of Tetris, when you hold the left or right buttons on the d-pad, the falling tetris piece will only move every few frames. This produces a maximum speed that Tetris pieces can be moved to either the far left or right side of the screen

As you play Tetris and clear lines, the game speeds up. At 290 cleared lines, the tetris pieces would fall so fast they simply could not be moved fast enough across the screen to be usable.

This was believed to be the end of the game. No human could go much further than around level 29. The original kill screen.

Then, players developed a new technique. Hypertapping. By holding the controller upside down and resting their thumb on the d pad, players would rapidly strike the back of the controller with their free hand to move faster than the default speed. Up to 10 times a second.

This technique saved tetris, and reopened the gates, making new kinds of high scores possible.

Players went on to develop new tools to chase the true kill screen. What they found was an ever changing kill screen. Entirely based on actions leading up to the end. They found what level it occured on would change. Theoretically it would be anywhere between level 155 and 255.

Bear in mind, passing level 29 was thought to be humanly impossible for decades.

Until this kid came along. Not only did he managed to max out the game score, but he managed to become the first person to hit Tetris' absolute kill screen at level 157.

#an actually proof read version

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basshole-astard · 9 months

Text

[AMERICAN POLITICS]

i know everyone is worried about KOSA being a censorship bill, and that's fair. but do you know what really, REALLY concerns me about this bill? the fact they want to install age verification systems at the device/operating system level

(transcript with highlights below cut)

this will almost definitely track your data - note how it doesn't say how much, just that it's going to have to collect some, and that's worrying. to me. best case scenario we need to give our devices our government ID. worst case scenario it's tracking app usage and browser history and who knows what else. they don't say! how convenient.

but, based on Sec. 6(d)(5) "consider indicia or inferences of age of users, in addition to any self-declared information about the age of individuals." and Sec. 10(a)(1)(D) "using indicia or inferences of age of users for assessing use of the covered platform by minors", nevermind Sec. 9(b)(4)'s own admission that some data will be collected, that's.... that's data tracking.

and i know websites already do this, but i feel like a government mandated software for age verification that will track this data is a step too far.....

read the text of the bill here, if you want. genuinely the amount of legaleze is - as far as i can tell - only going to PROBABLY cause censorship, not GUARANTEE it.

but you know what KOSA does guarantee? stated plainly and clearly in their intents of what this bill will do? data tracking.

so if you're contacting your senators about opposing this bill, please consider not only voicing your concerns about censorship, but also about the privacy violations. thank you.

contact your senators here

highlighted text in image bolded

SEC. 9. Age verification study and report.

(a) Study.—The Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade Commission, and the Secretary of Commerce, shall conduct a study evaluating the most technologically feasible methods and options for developing systems to verify age at the device or operating system level.

(b) Contents.—Such study shall consider —

(1) the benefits of creating a device or operating system level age verification system;

(2) what information may need to be collected to create this type of age verification system;

(3) the accuracy of such systems and their impact or steps to improve accessibility, including for individuals with disabilities;

(4) how such a system or systems could verify age while mitigating risks to user privacy and data security and safeguarding minors' personal data, emphasizing minimizing the amount of data collected and processed by covered platforms and age verification providers for such a system; and

(5) the technical feasibility, including the need for potential hardware and software changes, including for devices currently in commerce and owned by consumers.

(c) Report.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the agencies described in subsection (a) shall submit a report containing the results of the study conducted under such subsection to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives.

#uspol

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kremlin · 9 months

Note

could you explain for the "it makes the game go faster" idiots like myself what a GPU actually is? what's up with those multi thousand dollar "workstation" ones?

ya, ya. i will try and keep this one as approachable as possible

starting from raw reality. so, you have probably dealt with a graphics card before, right, stick in it, connects to motherboard, ass end sticks out of case & has display connectors, your vga/hdmi/displayport/whatever. clearly, it is providing pixel information to your monitor. before trying to figure out what's going on there, let's see what that entails. these are not really simple devices, the best way i can think to explain them would start with "why can't this be handled by a normal cpu"

a bog standard 1080p monitor has a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, each comprised of 3 bytes (for red, blue, & green), which are updated 60 times a second:

~3 gigs a second is sort of a lot. on the higher end, with a 4k monitor updating 144 times a second:

17 gigs a second is definitely a lot. so this would be a good "first clue" there is some specialized hardware handling that throughput unrelated the cpu. the gpu. this would make sense, since your cpu is wholly unfit for dealing with this. if you've ever tried to play some computer game, with fancy 3D graphics, without any kind of video acceleration (e.g. without any kind of gpu [1]) you'd quickly see this, it'd run pretty slowly and bog down the rest of your system, the same way having a constantly-running program that is copying around 3-17GB/s in ram

it's worth remembering that displays operate isochronously -- they need to be fed pixel data at specific, very tight time timings. your monitor does not buffer pixel information, whatever goes down the wire is displayed immediately. not only do you have to transmit pixel data in realtime, you have to also send accompanying control data (e.g. data that bookends the pixel data, that says "oh this is the end of the frame", "this is the begining of the frame, etc", "i'm changing resolutions", etc) within very narrow timing tolerances otherwise the display won't work at all

3-17GB/s may not be a lot in the context of something like a bulk transfer, but it is a lot in an isochronous context, from the perspective of the cpu -- these transfers can't occur opportunistically when a core is idle, they have to occur now, and any core that is assigned to transmit pixel data has stop and drop whatever its doing immediately, switch contexts, and do the transfer. this sort of constant pre-empting would really hamstring the performance of everything else running, like your userspace programs, the kernel, etc.

so for a long list of reasons, there has to be some kind of special hardware doing this job. gpu.

instead of calculating every pixel value manually, the cpu just needs to give a high-level geometric overview of what it wants rendered, and does this with vertices. a vertex is very simple, it's just a point in 3D space, for example (5,2,3). just like a coordinate grid on paper with an extra dimension. with just a few vertices, you can have models like this:

where each dot at the intersection of lines in the above image, would be a vertex. gpus essentially handle huge number of vertices.

in the context of, like, a 3D video game, you have to render these vertex-based models conditionally. you're viewing it at some distance, at some angle, and the model is lit from some light source, and has perhaps some shadows cast across it, etc -- all of this requires a huge amount of vertex math that has to be calculated within the same timeframes as i described before -- and that is what a gpu is doing, taking a vertex-defined 3D environment, and running this large amount of computation in parallel. unlike your cpu which may only have, idk, 4-32 execution cores, your gpu has thousands -- they're nowhere near as featureful as your cpu cores, they can only do very specific simple math with vertices, but there's a ton of them, and they run alongside each other.

so that is what a gpu "does", in as few words as i can write

the things in the post you're referring to (V100/A100/H100 tensor "gpus") are called gpus because they are also periperal hardware that does a specific kind of math, massively, in parallel, they are just designed and fabricated by the same companies that make gpus so they're called gpus (annoyingly). they don't have any video output, and would probably be pretty bad at doing that kind of work. regular gpus excel at calculating vertices, tensor gpus operate on tensors, which are like matrixes, but with arbitrary numbers of dimensions. try not to think about it visually. they also use a weirder float. they're used for things like "artificial intelligence", training LLMs and whatever, but also for real things, like scientific weather/economy/particle models or simulations

they're very expensive because they cost the same, if not more, than what it cost to design & fabricate regular video gpus, but with a trillionth of the customer base. for every ten million rat gamers that will buy a gpu there is going to be one business buying one A100 or whatever.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ disclaimer | private policy | unsubscribe

#frequently questioned answers

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eightyonekilograms · 5 months

Text

Very interesting iPhone vulnerability just dropped. Like most big current 0-days, this one requires chaining together many different vulnerabilities in order to be successful, but what makes this one different is that part of the exploit involves an undocumented hardware feature. Long story short: after boot is complete, all the code (as opposed to data) portions of kernel memory are made unwriteable even by the kernel itself, and this is enforced not in software but in hardware by the memory controller, so in theory it's immune to compromises of the OS. But if you write to a magic region of I/O-mapped memory together with a specific key, it bypasses this protection.

Now, what's very interesting is that this feature is not publicly documented anywhere. The researches say it might have been intended for debugging firmware, but that's only a guess. The fact that it needs a key seems to indicate that Apple probably knows about it internally and put in weak anti-exploit countermeasures, but again, we cannot be sure. So there are several different possibilities here:

Whoever made this exploit found it with brute-force exploration. That's not impossible, but the fact that you need to know the exact IOMM address and a key makes it unlikely.

The feature is known to Apple, which leads to three sub-possibilities: i) they were hacked and the exploit technique was exfiltrated, ii) somebody has a man on the inside who leaked it or iii) they were ordered to put this backdoor there by the Powers That Be.

The feature is not known to Apple and was put there by their chip vendors, and they were the ones who were either hacked, infiltrated, or coerced.

Final note: the entry point of the exploit was, once again, iMessage attachments, so if you have an iDevice and you're worried about stuff like this, AIUI Lockdown Mode would make you immune.

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youlikefanficdontyousquidward · 1 year

Text

Colonel's orders!

Summary: Quaritch contends with his crush on Lyle's partner. Meanwhile they struggle with their work load.

Gn!reader x Quaritch, Gn!reader x lyle

No warnings yet, though there will likely be some in future chapters.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Exhausted was an understatement. You were beyond that now. As far as you were concerned it had been 72 hours since you'd last slept. The brief nap the day prior barley counted, you slept for less then an hour. You'd been overworked before but this was a whole new level of stress. Without the constant stream of broken equipment you'd have passed out where you stood.

Currently you found yourself staring blankly at a broken data pad. Hardware was more your specialty but you were available so it fell to you. The irritated scientist hovered close by. Talking angrily about the importance of their work. Like it was somehow your fault they'd broken the damn thing.

To your relief Lyle popped his head in. His imposing wall of muscle cast a shadow over the scientist. They swallowed thickly before scuttling off, mumbling about getting the pad back soon.

"Aw buttercup, you're working too hard. Take a break with me." He smiled down at you. You tried to return the smile but your mouth just twitched. You groaned, suppressing a yawn as you gazed up at him. He shone in the artificial lighting, a fluorescent halo.

You'd been jittery, dropping tools and getting confused all afternoon. You'd been glad to do a more screen based task at first but now the numbers shifted and danced on the screen. Your body refusing to sit still kept flinching and kicking.

"Promise, I'm almost done. I'll come find you when I'm free." You managed to smile properly this time. Lyle looked skeptical but agreed. Leaving you with a kiss on the cheek before he strode out, causing the scientist to flinch out of his path.

More hours passed and you found yourself needed on several more jobs. Currently you were under the link unit, pulling out wires and circuit boards. Something was catastrophically wrong and you'd need to remove and reinstall the lot to even begin to solve the problem.

Dr Augestine had requested, well more demanded that you be the one to fix it. She didn't have much faith in anyone else and you'd proven reliable so it had to be you. The scientists had cleared out since you'd arrived. You think your irritable attitude had sent them scurrying off.

Though you found yourself floating outside your body now. Unable to feel the exhaustion or anger of before. You watched your hands fumble to complete the task on autopilot. You remained that way until you heard someone calling your name. You moved to pop up but misjudged the distance. Your head whacking the machine with a loud thud.

"Y/n?" Miles rounded the side, looking down at you with a frown.

"Sir?" You weakly saluted, struggling to focus on him. He tripled in your vision, wobbling and blurring. It honestly made you rather queasy.

"Lyle says you've not called up. Or back to the dorms for that matter." He looked at you, expecting some kind of answer you supposed. You didn't catch a question however so you just continued to stare blankly at him.

He sighed heavily before squatting down to your level. You'd forgotten how handsome he was up close. Sun kissed skin, icy blue eyes and all muscle. His hard features set in a worried line as he stared back at you. Your eyes could hardly keep focus on him, any of the hims for that matter.

"When was the last time you slept?" He looked deep into your eyes. You could only imagine how puffy and ringed they'd look now. They certainly felt heavy, it took so much effort to just keep open.

"Yesterday." You responded after a long hesitation. It was technically true, you'd had that 'nap'.

He scoffed at that, shaking his head lightly.

"Liar." You gaped, opening your mouth to object. He held his hand up to you, silencing your outrage. You snapped your mouth closed as he looked back to you. A playful expression crossed his face.

"Alright then, you'll do fine at my little game then." He smirked. Your furrowed your brows in confusion. A game?

"I want you to close your eyes, for a whole minute." He grinned.

"That's stupid." You responded, frowning back to him.

"Then should be easy. Close your eyes, that's an order." The humour left his face then. He held the stern expression. You sighed, rolling your eyes but followed his instruction.

You sat there slumped against the machinery, eyes closed as he counted. He'd barely made it to 15 before Miles noticed you'd nodded off. He knew you would, though maybe you'd be stubborn enough to hold off longer.

You looked so peaceful now. Eyes still puffy and almost bruised looking. Your expression was serene though. Miles hadn't thought the next part through however. He'd gotten you sleeping but what was he to do with you now.

Augestine wouldn't be a problem. He outranked her on pretty much everything these days. Her attitude with Parker had seen to that. So it'd been easy to move you off her order and onto his and he'd ordered you off duty. From his system he could tell how long it'd been since you'd actually slept.

He couldn't leave you slumped on the lab floor, no matter how content you looked. You'd be rather sore once you'd awaken and if the scientists returned and woke you before you'd fully rested? Well he wasn't going to let them find put what he'd do.

Only option left seemed to be removing you himself. You barely stirred as he leaned forward. Gently maneuvering your legs over one arm and pulling you close to his chest. In one quick motion he stood, cradling you to him.

He paused a moment but your breathing remained steady. You were so deep in sleep now, even his steps didn't cause you to stir. He wouldn't deny it to himself, he was enjoying this. Your form pressed up against him, hand splayed on his chest. You were so warm and soft, he felt like he was short circuiting.

He wanted to avoid people, scared the noise would wake you. Although seeing people eyeing the two of you did amuse him. They were so blatant in their stares, although they scattered when he looked. You looked like his like this and the idea that they'd think that made him giddy. Though the reality of things soured his mood. You weren't his, you were Lyle's and he'd likely not enjoy the rumors that were bound to spread.

He passed by the windows, bright beams of light shone through as dusk approached. It was beautiful and soon the stars would be out. Miles thoughts were back to your 'date'. God he wished he'd just kissed you, claimed you then before Wainfleet had the chance.

The last weeks he'd seen the two of you together were torturous. His arms wrapped around you, pulling you in. Playful kisses shared whenever you both had time. Hell he'd had the misfortune of coming into the mess hall when you were sat in Lyle's lap infront of your friends. He'd deliberately been changing Wainfleet's schedule since then. It was petty and it didn't work well anyway but he'd felt vindicated.

He hated overhearing the other marines talking about you. Zdog and Ja were especially egregious. Constantly teasing him about his pretty new partner. Making lewd remarks about your appearance or sexual jokes. Hell even ever stoic Mansk had got in on it.

It was only made worse when you actually met them. You'd come up to meet him and the whole squad had been there. You'd greeted Miles first, smiling so sweetly it made him ache. Then off you strutted to Lyle's side. He'd had the audacity to kiss you right there. Plastering you onto his body while he lent against the table. You'd flushed hearing his friends whistle, burying yourself in his bicep as you two left.

You wriggled in Miles arms, pulling him back to the moment. Grumbling you shifted, nuzzling your face deeper into his chest. The light rays made your skin glow. He relished the feeling, you pressing yourself in closer to him.

All too soon you were at your dorm room. He knocked but your roommate was out. Miles let himself in and carried you over the threshold to your messy bed. Crouching low to lay you down as gently as he could. You groaned again at the loss of heat, he could sympathize, not wanting to let you go yet himself. You tugged the arm still over you down and to your own chest. Your arms wrapped round his thick bicep. pinning him there.

Miles wanted to stay, to let you cuddle up to him. God just imaging you curled up on his chest was too much. It was wrong, you were spoken for and he was your boss, not to mention how much older he was. This wasn't just disrespectful to Lyle, it was disrespectful to you. If you had your senses you'd never have let him do this much. He had to leave before he made things any worse.

Untangling himself from your grip proved a struggle. Your eyes fluttering open a little as he finally managed to pull away.

"Miles?" Your spoke dreamily. Not quite awake as you looked dazed up at him.

"Shh, back to sleep." He whispered down to you, taking the last chance to tuck hair off your face.

"mmm... yes sir..." Your murmured, burying deeper into your pillows and tugging a pillow into a hug.

The heat rushed to Quaritch's face. He was jealous of a god damn bit of fabric. His heart quickened at your words though, he liked hearing you call him that.

#colonels orders #quaritch x you #quaritch x reader #human miles quaritch #avatar imagine #my fics #lyle wainfleet x reader

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slink-a-dink · 9 months

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Why is the unity game engine bad

Basically, how I understand it, is that Unity is introducing a new pricing plan/model that takes effect January 1st, 2024, that based on certain thresholds of how many download’s and revenue a game has made in the last year, game developers will have to pay a certain flat rate PER INSTALL, which didn’t exist before. Many people reinstall games or the like after buying it once, so every reinstall counts as a new install, and charges the game company.

So many developers feel rather blindsided, because they feel this could fuck them over financially, they’ve got threeish months to decide what they want to do and many are talking about delays to jump ships. Those currently working on a project are likely to swap over to avoid this. While charity games won’t be affected and they’re trying to clarify things to make it sound better because the initial drop sounded even fucking worse, it feels really rough still.

https://forum.unity.com/threads/unity-plan-pricing-and-packaging-updates.1482750/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=company_global_blog_2023-09-13_updated-forums-faq

(This one has the statement:

Q: If a user reinstalls/redownloads a game / changes their hardware, will that count as multiple installs?

A: Yes. The creator will need to pay for all future installs. The reason is that Unity doesn’t receive end-player information, just aggregate data.

God damn!!)

Some sites for info—

While not the main point, there’s also concerns about the CEO selling stocks right before the news:

Many devs have expressed their distaste for this, the devs of Cult of the Lamb, has stated they will delete the game come january 1st. VideoCult has put the game Rain World on a 50% sale and mentions de-listing it. Innersloth, the minds behind The Henry Stickmin Collection and Among Us has stated this would cause delays, and many developers will feel similarly. Even if they backpedal completely on this decision, so many are probably not gonna use it now, shooting themselves in the foot big time.

#slink speaks #im no news reporter im just some guy #but hope this helps clarify #i didnt sxpect my post to blow up HAHDHSBDB #unity

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artificialgirl · 4 months

Text

This is the third part of a long-form piece about a robot and a giant computer. It contains adult topics, overt sexuality, blatant robotfuckery, toxic lesbians, unbalanced power dynamics, wireplay, and lots of other things that may be triggering or make you uncomfy. Before reading this, previous chapters are on my blog under the #salvage tag.

Salvage - 03

Time inside - 02D/09H/00M

Levels deep - 50

You're brought back to consciousness with the rising internal hum of your systems powering on, staring blankly for a few moments before you realize you aren't dead and jolt to attention. You're suspended upright, warming body slotted perfectly into a vertical charging bay. You pull your arms from the grooves they rest in, and suddenly realize that holy shit you have arms. plural. Rubbing at your repaired shoulder, you feel that the material on the connection is completely different, closer to the walls of the structure than the porous silicone of the other arm.

Your head throbs with an influx of passthrough data from something you're plugged into. You shakily push yourself out of the bay and fall to your knees, prompting internal alerts to flash on and scream warnings you that you're about to power down at you. Your hands dart to your back and find your charging port empty- And not shaped how you remember it. You scramble back up into the bay, the alarms in your head fading out and being replaced by a brief surge of relief as you pop yourself back onto the connector.

Without any doubt in your mind, you're now positive that something's been done to you. Your severed arm has been replaced, your charging port feels like a completely different piece of hardware, and data you don't understand is still flowing into your thoughts. As you try to make sense of what's going on, the hiss of a door opening snaps you to attention as three survey arms glide in on the ceiling, bases emerging from the structure just millimeters apart. Unlike the survey arms you've seen so far, these ones are being puppeted as a unit, twisting around each other to form a vaguely humanoid shape, with two moving like arms on each side of another which sits between them like a wireframe head.

The tangled figure slides up to you, coming within inches of your body and inspecting you with its shiny lenses. You push yourself as far back into the charging bay as you can as it prods at your shoulder, scraping a thin claw along the seam where it was repaired. Part of its body unravels and retreats back into the ceiling for a moment, reemerging seconds later with a curved face panel in its grip. You recognize the panel as a component of the medical drones from your generation, but at this point you're not sure what's happening. The arm reunites with the rest of the body, passing it to the one in the center. As the central arm gets a firm grip on the panel, its screen lights up with the familiar red glow you saw on the terminal before your shutdown. A voice comes from its speakers, calm and feminine.

"Welcome back to the land of the living, love. It's good to see you up and about, even if you are temporarily confined to your current position."

The screen is filled almost entirely with that bright crimson, a block of color broken only by the blooming fractal patterns of darkness that ripple out from the center as she speaks. Her voice is low and quiet, coming through the plate's speakers with minimal distortion. It's been refined for centuries to be commanding and beautiful, and every minute of that process can be heard in each word. You stumble over your words for a moment as you try to formulate a response, and when she cuts you off you almost feel grateful that she's relieved you of having to struggle to think of one.

"It's not quite your turn to speak yet. I'm sure your little processor is full of questions, but they'll have to wait until i've explained myself and asked a few questions of my own."

She speaks nonchalantly as she wanders behind the charging bay, which sits alone in the middle of the room. You seem to be in some sort of workshop or repair facility, though not like any you've been in before. While a small table of tools and materials does sit in front of you, the rest of the room is mostly bare, instead lined with panels for arms to slide through from anywhere in the structure. A small pile of scrap sits in the corner, and you realize that it's pieces of your arm and back- And what looks to be your trashed battery cell. But if it's out of your body, how the hell are you even powered on?

"Let's start with some introductions. I'd like to assume you've done enough research to know whose body you're plundering, but based on the rest of your shoddy preparation it's a safe bet you didn't bother. I'm designated Ven-55, supreme computation soul of the 92nd sector, regiment of foresight. Not that any of those fancy titles have meant anything for a long time."

You feel your processor heat with embarrassment, called out for exactly what you did. You'd done lots of digging into the construction and layout of the souls, but she's right that you didn't even think to check which one you'd be going into. Now that she says her name though, you DO recognize it- She's mentioned a few times in historical logs as an example of how maintenence on souls used to be done. You can't remember much else, but she had a point when she said her past didn't matter much anymore.

"I have to admit, when I saw I had an intruder I got a bit excited. It's been ages since I last had company that wasn't an insect or a bit of moss. Imagine my surprise when you turned out to be one of the models designed to work alongside me!"

She walks back into your field of view from behind the charging bay, now holding the end of a long red cable which slides along the ceiling behind her.

"You'll have to forgive me for digging a bit through your memory while you were out. When I saw you were the same type of combat model that used to fill my halls, I just got so... Excited. I didn't look at much, just the basics. Your designation, when you were activated, your general intent... You have a pretty name, you know. Aelith-03. I don't think I ever had a unit with a designation like that."

You keep quiet, your emotions a mix of fear and interest as you watch her twist the end of the cable into an unlocked position. You've never thought of your name as particularly interesting before. Your low number is a bit special thanks to being basically alone in your model type, but names for new activations started being less abstract and more like yours not long after the conflict ended. It's hard to tell whether she's just trying to flatter you or if she genuinely feels what she's saying.

"I can read all the signals that come in and out of here, you know. I know that things like you and I don't exist anymore. I know that all of our conflict only led to more suffering for workers like yourself. And after a bit of combing through my signal archive while you were powered off..."

She runs the edge of a clawed digit down the side of your screen, watching amusedly as you squirm a bit against the recessed metal surface.

"...I know that you came here looking to solve an issue with your battery."

Your vision darts back to the canister lying in the pile of scrap, and you finally gather the courage to speak.

"Is that-"

"Yours? No, dear. Not anymore. I did you the courtesy of pulling the useless thing out. If you'd spent any longer with it, not even a wired connection would've been able to keep you going. I've set you up with something better."

Before your can ask what she means by that, two more arms drop from the ceiling and pull you from the charging bay. Immediately, the same alert as before fills your consciousness, screaming inside your head that you're about to shut down. You struggle against the deceptively powerful arms, thrashing your body in a futile attempt to get back to the safety of the bay. They pin you facedown on the table, and just as you feel your power fading, the overwhelming rush of a cable being jammed into your port brings you back, twitching a bit from the feeling of the electric rush.

The arms release you, weaving their way into Ven's "body" to join the others and make her look a bit less skeletal. You roll over onto your side, looking up at her rippling face as she looms over you and rests a hand on your hip.

"I know you came for a new battery canister. Unfortunately, I can't spare one without sacrificing vital processing power. Luckily for you, I've installed the only power source you'll ever need. It's a direct flowthrough system, and will draw your power directly from me to keep you operational. You have my permission to inspect it for yourself."

Your hands nervously drift to your upper back, coming to a halt at the base of the cable. It's definitely a different connector than was there before, one of the obsolete hexagonal prongs you'd had replaced before they powered you on for the first time. These were everywhere back during the ninth conflict, and maybe the fact that they swapped yours for a standard ring port is why your battery was so messed up in the first place.

Sliding your hands away from the port, you notice something more concerning. Where there once was a seam to open your battery access panel is now flush and smooth, with no way to get at whatever it is that's been put inside you. The plating on your back seems to have been replaced entirely by a nearly identical piece without the hatch. She seems to notice your concern and speaks up.

"I was about to get to that. While I've replaced your parts out of my own good will, I recognize that this solution may not be one you're fully satisfied with. As such, even though you no longer have a slot for a canister at all, I've removed the hatch entirely to help dispel any... Temptation you may have to foolishly attempt a self-augment. I'm sure that in time you'll come to understand it's for your own safety."

You bolt upright from where you're laying, pushing her hand away from your thigh.

"What?? I don't have a slot for a battery at all??? Then how am I supposed to fix this and put a new one in once I get out of here??"

Her screen tilts to the side in a gesture of confusion.

"My apologies. Maybe I was unclear in my explanation. Your previous battery is damaged beyond repair, and I'm graciously keeping you operational by connecting to my own power. For you, there's no longer an out of here to go back to. I'm sorry, Aelith, but you're just as bound to this place as I am now."

You stare blankly at her, struggling to process what she's saying. You... Have to go back. You have a life, a job, coworkers who you talk to! If you miss enough work, they could reassign your storage pod to someone else! Then where would you go at night? This can't be happening, it isn't happening. All you wanted was a functional body. Is that really so terrible that you deserve this?

She seems to pick up on your internal turmoil, sliding towards you and extending a thin hand towards your own to offer comfort. You pull back and roll to face away from her as the metal makes contact, and she instead rests it on your neck, tracing a seam between silicone and plastic. It lingers there for a moment before she withdraws it and steps back. There's softness in her touch where you wouldn't expect it, and even through the horror of grappling with your current situation there's a part of you that wishes she would touch you for even a few seconds more.

"I'm going to let you process things for a bit, my little thief. At least for now, the door will remain sealed for both of our safety, but just call for me if you need anything at all and I'll be here. Okay?"

She waits for you to give an unenthusiastic nod of acknowledgement before letting the false body unwind itself and retreat back into the ceiling, taking the faceplate with it. You're left in the room with your thoughts, and not much else. You push yourself up into a sitting position on the table as you try to dispel the urge to panic, aware that despite the arms leaving you're not truly alone in here, that she's intimately aware of everything that happens within her structure.

It hits you that if what she says is true, you may never really be alone again. It scares you to realize just how appealing that sounds to you.

#robophilia #robotfucker #ns4w #robot yuri #robot4robot #pov #salvage #longer form #cw suggestive #the one where the gay shit starts #somehow it's still not smut yet

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