#Latest Developments in Computer Science

[fdrpjournals]

The Indian Journal of Computer Science and Technology (INDJCST) is a peer-reviewed academic journal that delivers cutting-edge research and advancements in computer science to scientists, engineers, and technology professionals.

It highlights the latest findings across four key domains: computing (including theory, scientific, cloud, and high-performance computing), systems (such as database, real-time, and operating systems), intelligence (covering robotics, bioinformatics, and artificial intelligence), and applications (encompassing security, networking, software engineering, and more).

[bigleapblog]

Your Guide to B.Tech in Computer Science & Engineering Colleges

In today's technology-driven world, pursuing a B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) has become a popular choice among students aspiring for a bright future. The demand for skilled professionals in areas like Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Science, and Cloud Computing has made computer science engineering colleges crucial in shaping tomorrow's innovators. Saraswati College of Engineering (SCOE), a leader in engineering education, provides students with a perfect platform to build a successful career in this evolving field.

Whether you're passionate about coding, software development, or the latest advancements in AI, pursuing a B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering at SCOE can open doors to endless opportunities.

Why Choose B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering?

Choosing a B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering isn't just about learning to code; it's about mastering problem-solving, logical thinking, and the ability to work with cutting-edge technologies. The course offers a robust foundation that combines theoretical knowledge with practical skills, enabling students to excel in the tech industry.

At SCOE, the computer science engineering courses are designed to meet industry standards and keep up with the rapidly evolving tech landscape. With its AICTE Approved, NAAC Accredited With Grade-"A+" credentials, the college provides quality education in a nurturing environment. SCOE's curriculum goes beyond textbooks, focusing on hands-on learning through projects, labs, workshops, and internships. This approach ensures that students graduate not only with a degree but with the skills needed to thrive in their careers.

The Role of Computer Science Engineering Colleges in Career Development

The role of computer science engineering colleges like SCOE is not limited to classroom teaching. These institutions play a crucial role in shaping students' futures by providing the necessary infrastructure, faculty expertise, and placement opportunities. SCOE, established in 2004, is recognized as one of the top engineering colleges in Navi Mumbai. It boasts a strong placement record, with companies like Goldman Sachs, Cisco, and Microsoft offering lucrative job opportunities to its graduates.

The computer science engineering courses at SCOE are structured to provide a blend of technical and soft skills. From the basics of computer programming to advanced topics like Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, students at SCOE are trained to be industry-ready. The faculty at SCOE comprises experienced professionals who not only impart theoretical knowledge but also mentor students for real-world challenges.

Highlights of the B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering Program at SCOE

Comprehensive Curriculum: The B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering program at SCOE covers all major areas, including programming languages, algorithms, data structures, computer networks, operating systems, AI, and Machine Learning. This ensures that students receive a well-rounded education, preparing them for various roles in the tech industry.

Industry-Relevant Learning: SCOE’s focus is on creating professionals who can immediately contribute to the tech industry. The college regularly collaborates with industry leaders to update its curriculum, ensuring students learn the latest technologies and trends in computer science engineering.

State-of-the-Art Infrastructure: SCOE is equipped with modern laboratories, computer centers, and research facilities, providing students with the tools they need to gain practical experience. The institution’s infrastructure fosters innovation, helping students work on cutting-edge projects and ideas during their B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering.

Practical Exposure: One of the key benefits of studying at SCOE is the emphasis on practical learning. Students participate in hands-on projects, internships, and industry visits, giving them real-world exposure to how technology is applied in various sectors.

Placement Support: SCOE has a dedicated placement cell that works tirelessly to ensure students secure internships and job offers from top companies. The B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering program boasts a strong placement record, with top tech companies visiting the campus every year. The highest on-campus placement offer for the academic year 2022-23 was an impressive 22 LPA from Goldman Sachs, reflecting the college’s commitment to student success.

Personal Growth: Beyond academics, SCOE encourages students to participate in extracurricular activities, coding competitions, and tech fests. These activities enhance their learning experience, promote teamwork, and help students build a well-rounded personality that is essential in today’s competitive job market.

What Makes SCOE Stand Out?

With so many computer science engineering colleges to choose from, why should you consider SCOE for your B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering? Here are a few factors that make SCOE a top choice for students:

Experienced Faculty: SCOE prides itself on having a team of highly qualified and experienced faculty members. The faculty’s approach to teaching is both theoretical and practical, ensuring students are equipped to tackle real-world challenges.

Strong Industry Connections: The college maintains strong relationships with leading tech companies, ensuring that students have access to internship opportunities and campus recruitment drives. This gives SCOE graduates a competitive edge in the job market.

Holistic Development: SCOE believes in the holistic development of students. In addition to academic learning, the college offers opportunities for personal growth through various student clubs, sports activities, and cultural events.

Supportive Learning Environment: SCOE provides a nurturing environment where students can focus on their academic and personal growth. The campus is equipped with modern facilities, including spacious classrooms, labs, a library, and a recreation center.

Career Opportunities After B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering from SCOE

Graduates with a B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering from SCOE are well-prepared to take on various roles in the tech industry. Some of the most common career paths for CSE graduates include:

Software Engineer: Developing software applications, web development, and mobile app development are some of the key responsibilities of software engineers. This role requires strong programming skills and a deep understanding of software design.

Data Scientist: With the rise of big data, data scientists are in high demand. CSE graduates with knowledge of data science can work on data analysis, machine learning models, and predictive analytics.

AI Engineer: Artificial Intelligence is revolutionizing various industries, and AI engineers are at the forefront of this change. SCOE’s curriculum includes AI and Machine Learning, preparing students for roles in this cutting-edge field.

System Administrator: Maintaining and managing computer systems and networks is a crucial role in any organization. CSE graduates can work as system administrators, ensuring the smooth functioning of IT infrastructure.

Cybersecurity Specialist: With the growing threat of cyberattacks, cybersecurity specialists are essential in protecting an organization’s digital assets. CSE graduates can pursue careers in cybersecurity, safeguarding sensitive information from hackers.

Conclusion: Why B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering at SCOE is the Right Choice

Choosing the right college is crucial for a successful career in B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering. Saraswati College of Engineering (SCOE) stands out as one of the best computer science engineering colleges in Navi Mumbai. With its industry-aligned curriculum, state-of-the-art infrastructure, and excellent placement record, SCOE offers students the perfect environment to build a successful career in computer science.

Whether you're interested in AI, data science, software development, or any other field in computer science, SCOE provides the knowledge, skills, and opportunities you need to succeed. With a strong focus on hands-on learning and personal growth, SCOE ensures that students graduate not only as engineers but as professionals ready to take on the challenges of the tech world.

If you're ready to embark on an exciting journey in the world of technology, consider pursuing your B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering at SCOE—a college where your future takes shape.

[techtoio]

Exploring the Latest Trends in Software Development

Introduction The software is something like an industry whose development is ever-evolving with new technologies and changing market needs as the drivers. To this end, developers must keep abreast with current trends in their fields of operation to remain competitive and relevant. Read to continue .....

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Unpersoned

Support me this summer on the Clarion Write-A-Thon and help raise money for the Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers' Workshop!

My latest Locus Magazine column is "Unpersoned." It's about the implications of putting critical infrastructure into the private, unaccountable hands of tech giants:

https://locusmag.com/2024/07/cory-doctorow-unpersoned/

The column opens with the story of romance writer K Renee, as reported by Madeline Ashby for Wired:

https://www.wired.com/story/what-happens-when-a-romance-author-gets-locked-out-of-google-docs/

Renee is a prolific writer who used Google Docs to compose her books, and share them among early readers for feedback and revisions. Last March, Renee's Google account was locked, and she was no longer able to access ten manuscripts for her unfinished books, totaling over 220,000 words. Google's famously opaque customer service – a mix of indifferently monitored forums, AI chatbots, and buck-passing subcontractors – would not explain to her what rule she had violated, merely that her work had been deemed "inappropriate."

Renee discovered that she wasn't being singled out. Many of her peers had also seen their accounts frozen and their documents locked, and none of them were able to get an explanation out of Google. Renee and her similarly situated victims of Google lockouts were reduced to developing folk-theories of what they had done to be expelled from Google's walled garden; Renee came to believe that she had tripped an anti-spam system by inviting her community of early readers to access the books she was working on.

There's a normal way that these stories resolve themselves: a reporter like Ashby, writing for a widely read publication like Wired, contacts the company and triggers a review by one of the vanishingly small number of people with the authority to undo the determinations of the Kafka-as-a-service systems that underpin the big platforms. The system's victim gets their data back and the company mouths a few empty phrases about how they take something-or-other "very seriously" and so forth.

But in this case, Google broke the script. When Ashby contacted Google about Renee's situation, Google spokesperson Jenny Thomson insisted that the policies for Google accounts were "clear": "we may review and take action on any content that violates our policies." If Renee believed that she'd been wrongly flagged, she could "request an appeal."

But Renee didn't even know what policy she was meant to have broken, and the "appeals" went nowhere.

This is an underappreciated aspect of "software as a service" and "the cloud." As companies from Microsoft to Adobe to Google withdraw the option to use software that runs on your own computer to create files that live on that computer, control over our own lives is quietly slipping away. Sure, it's great to have all your legal documents scanned, encrypted and hosted on GDrive, where they can't be burned up in a house-fire. But if a Google subcontractor decides you've broken some unwritten rule, you can lose access to those docs forever, without appeal or recourse.

That's what happened to "Mark," a San Francisco tech workers whose toddler developed a UTI during the early covid lockdowns. The pediatrician's office told Mark to take a picture of his son's infected penis and transmit it to the practice using a secure medical app. However, Mark's phone was also set up to synch all his pictures to Google Photos (this is a default setting), and when the picture of Mark's son's penis hit Google's cloud, it was automatically scanned and flagged as Child Sex Abuse Material (CSAM, better known as "child porn"):

https://pluralistic.net/2022/08/22/allopathic-risk/#snitches-get-stitches

Without contacting Mark, Google sent a copy of all of his data – searches, emails, photos, cloud files, location history and more – to the SFPD, and then terminated his account. Mark lost his phone number (he was a Google Fi customer), his email archives, all the household and professional files he kept on GDrive, his stored passwords, his two-factor authentication via Google Authenticator, and every photo he'd ever taken of his young son.

The SFPD concluded that Mark hadn't done anything wrong, but it was too late. Google had permanently deleted all of Mark's data. The SFPD had to mail a physical letter to Mark telling him he wasn't in trouble, because he had no email and no phone.

Mark's not the only person this happened to. Writing about Mark for the New York Times, Kashmir Hill described other parents, like a Houston father identified as "Cassio," who also lost their accounts and found themselves blocked from fundamental participation in modern life:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/21/technology/google-surveillance-toddler-photo.html

Note that in none of these cases did the problem arise from the fact that Google services are advertising-supported, and because these people weren't paying for the product, they were the product. Buying a $800 Pixel phone or paying more than $100/year for a Google Drive account means that you're definitely paying for the product, and you're still the product.

What do we do about this? One answer would be to force the platforms to provide service to users who, in their judgment, might be engaged in fraud, or trafficking in CSAM, or arranging terrorist attacks. This is not my preferred solution, for reasons that I hope are obvious!

We can try to improve the decision-making processes at these giant platforms so that they catch fewer dolphins in their tuna-nets. The "first wave" of content moderation appeals focused on the establishment of oversight and review boards that wronged users could appeal their cases to. The idea was to establish these "paradigm cases" that would clarify the tricky aspects of content moderation decisions, like whether uploading a Nazi atrocity video in order to criticize it violated a rule against showing gore, Nazi paraphernalia, etc.

This hasn't worked very well. A proposal for "second wave" moderation oversight based on arms-length semi-employees at the platforms who gather and report statistics on moderation calls and complaints hasn't gelled either:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/03/12/move-slow-and-fix-things/#second-wave

Both the EU and California have privacy rules that allow users to demand their data back from platforms, but neither has proven very useful (yet) in situations where users have their accounts terminated because they are accused of committing gross violations of platform policy. You can see why this would be: if someone is accused of trafficking in child porn or running a pig-butchering scam, it would be perverse to shut down their account but give them all the data they need to go one committing these crimes elsewhere.

But even where you can invoke the EU's GDPR or California's CCPA to get your data, the platforms deliver that data in the most useless, complex blobs imaginable. For example, I recently used the CCPA to force Mailchimp to give me all the data they held on me. Mailchimp – a division of the monopolist and serial fraudster Intuit – is a favored platform for spammers, and I have been added to thousands of Mailchimp lists that bombard me with unsolicited press pitches and come-ons for scam products.

Mailchimp has spent a decade ignoring calls to allow users to see what mailing lists they've been added to, as a prelude to mass unsubscribing from those lists (for Mailchimp, the fact that spammers can pay it to send spam that users can't easily opt out of is a feature, not a bug). I thought that the CCPA might finally let me see the lists I'm on, but instead, Mailchimp sent me more than 5900 files, scattered through which were the internal serial numbers of the lists my name had been added to – but without the names of those lists any contact information for their owners. I can see that I'm on more than 1,000 mailing lists, but I can't do anything about it.

Mailchimp shows how a rule requiring platforms to furnish data-dumps can be easily subverted, and its conduct goes a long way to explaining why a decade of EU policy requiring these dumps has failed to make a dent in the market power of the Big Tech platforms.

The EU has a new solution to this problem. With its 2024 Digital Markets Act, the EU is requiring platforms to furnish APIs – programmatic ways for rivals to connect to their services. With the DMA, we might finally get something parallel to the cellular industry's "number portability" for other kinds of platforms.

If you've ever changed cellular platforms, you know how smooth this can be. When you get sick of your carrier, you set up an account with a new one and get a one-time code. Then you call your old carrier, endure their pathetic begging not to switch, give them that number and within a short time (sometimes only minutes), your phone is now on the new carrier's network, with your old phone-number intact.

This is a much better answer than forcing platforms to provide service to users whom they judge to be criminals or otherwise undesirable, but the platforms hate it. They say they hate it because it makes them complicit in crimes ("if we have to let an accused fraudster transfer their address book to a rival service, we abet the fraud"), but it's obvious that their objection is really about being forced to reduce the pain of switching to a rival.

There's a superficial reasonableness to the platforms' position, but only until you think about Mark, or K Renee, or the other people who've been "unpersonned" by the platforms with no explanation or appeal.

The platforms have rigged things so that you must have an account with them in order to function, but they also want to have the unilateral right to kick people off their systems. The combination of these demands represents more power than any company should have, and Big Tech has repeatedly demonstrated its unfitness to wield this kind of power.

This week, I lost an argument with my accountants about this. They provide me with my tax forms as links to a Microsoft Cloud file, and I need to have a Microsoft login in order to retrieve these files. This policy – and a prohibition on sending customer files as email attachments – came from their IT team, and it was in response to a requirement imposed by their insurer.

The problem here isn't merely that I must now enter into a contractual arrangement with Microsoft in order to do my taxes. It isn't just that Microsoft's terms of service are ghastly. It's not even that they could change those terms at any time, for example, to ingest my sensitive tax documents in order to train a large language model.

It's that Microsoft – like Google, Apple, Facebook and the other giants – routinely disconnects users for reasons it refuses to explain, and offers no meaningful appeal. Microsoft tells its business customers, "force your clients to get a Microsoft account in order to maintain communications security" but also reserves the right to unilaterally ban those clients from having a Microsoft account.

There are examples of this all over. Google recently flipped a switch so that you can't complete a Google Form without being logged into a Google account. Now, my ability to purse all kinds of matters both consequential and trivial turn on Google's good graces, which can change suddenly and arbitrarily. If I was like Mark, permanently banned from Google, I wouldn't have been able to complete Google Forms this week telling a conference organizer what sized t-shirt I wear, but also telling a friend that I could attend their wedding.

Now, perhaps some people really should be locked out of digital life. Maybe people who traffick in CSAM should be locked out of the cloud. But the entity that should make that determination is a court, not a Big Tech content moderator. It's fine for a platform to decide it doesn't want your business – but it shouldn't be up to the platform to decide that no one should be able to provide you with service.

This is especially salient in light of the chaos caused by Crowdstrike's catastrophic software update last week. Crowdstrike demonstrated what happens to users when a cloud provider accidentally terminates their account, but while we're thinking about reducing the likelihood of such accidents, we should really be thinking about what happens when you get Crowdstruck on purpose.

The wholesale chaos that Windows users and their clients, employees, users and stakeholders underwent last week could have been pieced out retail. It could have come as a court order (either by a US court or a foreign court) to disconnect a user and/or brick their computer. It could have come as an insider attack, undertaken by a vengeful employee, or one who was on the take from criminals or a foreign government. The ability to give anyone in the world a Blue Screen of Death could be a feature and not a bug.

It's not that companies are sadistic. When they mistreat us, it's nothing personal. They've just calculated that it would cost them more to run a good process than our business is worth to them. If they know we can't leave for a competitor, if they know we can't sue them, if they know that a tech rival can't give us a tool to get our data out of their silos, then the expected cost of mistreating us goes down. That makes it economically rational to seek out ever-more trivial sources of income that impose ever-more miserable conditions on us. When we can't leave without paying a very steep price, there's practically a fiduciary duty to find ways to upcharge, downgrade, scam, screw and enshittify us, right up to the point where we're so pissed that we quit.

Google could pay competent decision-makers to review every complaint about an account disconnection, but the cost of employing that large, skilled workforce vastly exceeds their expected lifetime revenue from a user like Mark. The fact that this results in the ruination of Mark's life isn't Google's problem – it's Mark's problem.

The cloud is many things, but most of all, it's a trap. When software is delivered as a service, when your data and the programs you use to read and write it live on computers that you don't control, your switching costs skyrocket. Think of Adobe, which no longer lets you buy programs at all, but instead insists that you run its software via the cloud. Adobe used the fact that you no longer own the tools you rely upon to cancel its Pantone color-matching license. One day, every Adobe customer in the world woke up to discover that the colors in their career-spanning file collections had all turned black, and would remain black until they paid an upcharge:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/10/28/fade-to-black/#trust-the-process

The cloud allows the companies whose products you rely on to alter the functioning and cost of those products unilaterally. Like mobile apps – which can't be reverse-engineered and modified without risking legal liability – cloud apps are built for enshittification. They are designed to shift power away from users to software companies. An app is just a web-page wrapped in enough IP to make it a felony to add an ad-blocker to it. A cloud app is some Javascript wrapped in enough terms of service clickthroughs to make it a felony to restore old features that the company now wants to upcharge you for.

Google's defenstration of K Renee, Mark and Cassio may have been accidental, but Google's capacity to defenstrate all of us, and the enormous cost we all bear if Google does so, has been carefully engineered into the system. Same goes for Apple, Microsoft, Adobe and anyone else who traps us in their silos. The lesson of the Crowdstrike catastrophe isn't merely that our IT systems are brittle and riddled with single points of failure: it's that these failure-points can be tripped deliberately, and that doing so could be in a company's best interests, no matter how devastating it would be to you or me.

If you'd like an e ssay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/07/22/degoogled/#kafka-as-a-service

Image: Cryteria (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HAL9000.svg

CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

[ayeforscotland]

Ad | Some Humble Bundle Goodies

One for the audio engineers - The Audio Arcade bundle gives you a whole bunch of royalty-free music and SFX as well as plugins to insert in all the major game engines. Ambient tracks, environmental sounds, explosions, you name it.

Money raised goes towards Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.

For those who dabble in Virtual Reality, the Upload VR Showcase with Devolver Digital has a bunch of Serious Sam VR games as well as the Talos Principle, a really solid puzzle game.

Money raised goes to Special Effect which helps people with disabilities enjoy games via accessible controllers. I've seen the stuff they do and it's honestly great.

Want to get into programming but don't know where to start? The Learn to Program bundle has a tonne of resources covering everything from HTML and CSS through to Python, C# and Ruby.

Money raised goes towards Code.org which seeks to expand participation in computing science by helping women and students of colour.

The Future Tech Innovators Toolkit is a software bundle with courses on Robotics, Electronics and programming with Raspberry Pi and Arduino.

Money raised goes towards Alzheimers Research UK.

The Home How-To Guides bundle offers a complete set of books for home improvements and projects. Want to know more about plumbing, home repair, bathrooms, wiring or carpentry? This bundle has you covered.

Money raised goes to It Gets Better, a charity that supports LGBT Youth.

Want to pick up the latest Elden Ring DLC? It's also available on the Humble Store with the key being redeemable on Steam.

[mistress-of-vos]

Hi Mistress :> Do you have any Jean-Paul headcanons you’d be willing so share? (Or JeanTim, if the mood strikes you 🫣)

Hi, there!!! ❤️💛

I have many many Jean-Paul, Tim and JeanTim headcanons, so I have decided to list a few of them here, focused on the ones related to how I think their relationship would be (most of the time):

Jean-Paul headcanons:

As I stated in my latest post, I picture Jean-Paul as kind of French. I like to go with the usual canon where he was born in Switzerland (inside the order) and Ludovic took him to Gotham. However (and inspired by Dan Watters), I picture Jean-Paul spending most of his childhood and teenage years in France, educated by priests and nuns. He can get a summer in Spain or Italy when I feel generous.

Still on this, I imagine JP having certain accent and speaking tone that fall as "french man who has spent too much time speaking english". He needs to focus in order to suppress it (and usually can't do so when he's around Tim).

He has been drinking wine since he was 16, and smoking since 18. Is he proud? No, but he's hardly going to quit when you consider he's a supersoldier.

I usually change his computer science degree for a programming or engineering one, but mostly to adapt him to modern times (plus, he gives me engineer vibes I'm sorry)

This isn't a headcanon as much as the way I adapt him, but I basically copy Slade Wilson's supersoldier nature, as Jean-Paul's origin is way too scifi for the Batman mythos.

JP's a geek AND nerd. Loves LOTR, Dungeons and Dragon, comics, videogames... He's also a bit of an anime fan, but won't say so out loud.

Despite everything, Jean-Paul is religious, and attends church quite frequently. That might not help much with his daily, terrible, catholic guilt.

He has a love-hate relationship with his long hair, and truth is that he only keeps it long because Tim said he liked it and well...

And finally going into JeanTim territory: JP has always liked petite black haired people. If you picked all his partners and crushes, 90% of them look like Tim. In JP's defense, he had already developed "a type" way before meeting Tim

JeanTim headcanons:

They roleplay as Batman and Robin/Catwoman quite often. Very often.

Dick loathes their relationship. Tim constantly needs to stop Dick and JP from punching each other and open old wounds.

Damian is the one who finds JeanTim logical. Two warriors dedicated to Gotham are dating? 'Wow, must have been a surprise, father!'

JeanTim both have horrible schedules due to being vigilantes, and if it weren't because of their two cats meowing in hunger, JeanTim wouldn't get up before 10am. Never.

Jean-Paul took (back) a job at WE if only to be able to see Tim during those hours.

Yes, they have slept together at the office.

And the batmobile.

And the common showers at the batcave.

It's easier to ask where they haven't done it yet.

Tim has a choking kink, whereas Jean-Paul, worrying as he is, prefers to stick with kisses and hickeys, constantly afraid he will hurt Tim.

It took them ages to get together. Partly because Jean-Paul died, came back, then Tim not-died and came back, and then Gotham was a mess for like - an eternity. It wasn't until Jean-Paul came back from Europe that they started flirting and eventually dating.

Luke was who suffered the most while JeanTim got together. He was two "failed attempts at getting those two together" away from burning something down. Preferably Jean-Paul.

Lonnie is their second most loyal hater. Jason is a close third, rivaling with Ra's al Ghul, who huffed at the news and argued that "One day, Timothy will stop playing with that golden retriever"

JeanTim shouldn't have kids, but they will, because the narrative hates them.

Jean-Paul asks Tim to marry him barely eight months in their dating. They marry before Dick or Bruce do, which is a constant thing Alfred brings up when speaking about commitment.

In retrospective, however, Jean-Paul and Tim both have been thinking about getting married even before dating, so... Yeah, that.

Have you seen how loyal big dogs will attack anyone who looks ugly at their owner? That's Jean-Paul with Tim. And it's so obvious that it didn't take long for Gotham criminals to pick up that Azrael and Red Robin were definetely together.

JeanTim as team at undercover are the worst. They always end up leaving and going to a room rather than gather information. But how could JP even resist to Tim in a bunny costume?

Tim's main nickname for JP is "Angel", and JP's main nickname for Tim is "Chaton" (kitten)

Tim Wayne-Drake headcanons:

Tim has been openly queer almost since becoming Robin. Don't ask him about his first four crushes, though. He won't answer.

While JP has a longer bed-partner list, Tim is the one with a heavier past regarding serious relationship. Jean had just one proper dating, but plenty of one night stands. Tim had few to none one night stands, yet many long, painful relationships.

In the same topic, Tim carries more traumas and insecurities born from complicated relationships. It takes JP a quite to convince Tim that he's not leaving.

Tim also drinks and smokes, but has to do so with moderation due to losing his spleen. He's trying to quit for real, but fails constantly.

Tim, being openly queer and comfortable on his gender, crossdresses in a daily basis, and wears makeup, heels and nails everyday. Yes, that includes when he's using an Armani suit for a WE meeting.

As a rich kid, Tim learned to play the piano. Nowadays he only plays when alone, or when Jean-Paul is with him. It's an intimate, childish sentiment that fills him up when he plays, and he doesn't want to taint it with his current life.

Tim wears his mother perfume sometimes, and even sprays it on his pillow when feeling lonely.

His father's cologne, in the other hand, is sprayed on coats too big for Tim that he wears on winter.

Tim has a sweet tooth, but loves eating spicy foods even if that means burning his tongue (and yes, perhaps certain eco terrorist had something to do with that...)

When burning in fever due to the clench, Tim had a shameful thought that always came back to haunt him: "If I live, if I grow up, I want to marry a man like Jean-Paul"

Hope you had some fun reading, anon! 💚

[blueiscoool]

Three Students Just Deciphered the First Passages of a 2,000-Year-Old Scroll Burned in Vesuvius’ Eruption

A Roman scroll, partially preserved when it was buried in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79, has been virtually unwrapped and decoded using artificial intelligence.

The feat was achieved by three contestants in the Vesuvius Challenge, a competition launched in March 2023 in which people around the world raced to read the ancient Herculaneum papyri.

Papyrologists working with the Vesuvius Challenge believe the scroll contains “never-before-seen text from antiquity,” and the text in question is a piece of Epicurean philosophy on the subject of pleasure. The winning submission shows ancient Greek letters on a large patch of scroll, and the author seems to be discussing the question: are things that are scarce more pleasurable as a result?

The author, whose identity is unconfirmed, doesn’t think so: “As too in the case of food, we do not right away believe things that are scarce to be absolutely more pleasant than those which are abundant,” one passage from the scroll reads.

The three members of the winning team had previously individually made significant contributions to the competition. Luke Farritor, a computer science student at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and Youssef Nader, a machine learning Ph.D. student at Freie University in Berlin, had been two of the first contestants to detect a smaller number of letters, winning $40,000 and $10,000 respectively. Julian Schilliger, a robotics student at ETH Zürich, developed a tool that began to automatically segment the scrolls. They will share the $700,000 grand prize.

Nat Friedman, a tech investor and executive, and one of the challenge’s organizers, recently printed out the winning submission. “All this has been in this dreamlike digital world in my imagination before," Friedman says. "Seeing it on paper, rolling it up, it just made it so tangible.”

There’s a lot more to discover. The scroll partially decoded by the winning submission was one of 800 discovered in a southern Italian villa that was first uncovered in 1750. The combined efforts of the competitors and organizers so far have resulted in around 5% of one scroll being read.

The final scramble to read the scrolls

Since the Vesuvius Challenge launched nearly a year ago, participants had both cooperated and competed, sharing their latest techniques with each other and posting pictures of their progress. But as the race for the grand prize intensified, the Discord, a social media platform where the participants shared information, went dark, says Friedman.

Of the eighteen submissions for the grand prize, most of them were received on the last day of the contest, Dec. 31, and three were sent in the final ten minutes, according to Friedman. Friedman recalls he was at home with his family around Christmas, decorating for the holiday while compulsively refreshing his phone, when the winning submission came in. “I ran into my little office at home and popped it open,” he says. “I was like, ‘Wow, this is really magnificent.’”

In accordance with the criteria set in March 2023, the winning submission contains four passages of 140 characters each, with at least 85% of the characters in each of those passages recoverable by professional papyrologists. It also contains a further 11 columns of text.

It isn’t known who authored the ancient scroll, but experts have developed theories. “Is the author Epicurus' follower, the philosopher and poet Philodemus, the teacher of Vergil? It seems very likely,” writes Richard Janko, professor of classical studies at the University of Michigan. “Is he writing about the effect of music on the hearer, and comparing it to other pleasures like those of food and drink? Quite probably.” Robert Fowler, a professor of Greek at the University of Bristol, also believes the author to be Philodemus. “Like other Epicureans, he valued pleasure above all - but pleasure rightly understood, not mere indulgence,” Fowler writes of the philosopher.

In the final section of the scroll, the author appears to criticize his intellectual adversaries, who “have nothing to say about pleasure, either in general or in particular, when it is a question of definition.”

“I can't help but read it as a 2000 year old blog post, arguing with another poster,” says Friedman. “It's ancient Substack, and people are beefing with each other, and I think that's just amazing.”

What comes next

The Vesuvius Challenge has issued a new grand prize for 2024 that will allow the AI-enhanced decoding to move at a faster pace.

The competitors largely have been developing algorithms for automatic letter detection—using AI to see traces of ink on segments of virtually unrolled scrolls. Aside from letter detection, the other main challenge associated with reading the scrolls is segmentation—separating the layers and virtually unrolling the scrolls. So far, this process has been highly manual; the Vesuvius Challenge employed three full-time segmenters. In order to ensure that they’d have segmented enough of the scroll for someone to win the grand prize, Friedman bought the team new monitors and computers to boost their productivity. The challenge for 2024 is to automate the segmentation process.

Friedman admits that he has had other tempting offers of new quests to pursue. Over the last year, he says his inbox has been filled with Robinson Crusoe-esque proposals, from people alerting him to lost shipwrecks and ancient cities, undecoded languages, and strange glyphs on the sides of mountains.

But he can’t walk away. He wants to help read all of the 800 scrolls already discovered in the villa. And some archeologists believe there is a main library containing tens of thousands of scrolls, still waiting to be excavated.

To expedite the excavation, Friedman has obtained the mobile number of the Italian civil servant responsible for the villa, whom he has texted, twice. “My hope is that I won't have to go and dig it out myself,” says Friedman. “But if that's what it comes to, I will.”

By WILL HENSHALL.

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

New SpaceTime out Monday

SpaceTime 20241230 Series 27 Episode 157

NASA's Parker Solar Probe touches the Sun

NASA's Parker Solar Probe has made history flying closer to the Sun and travelling faster than any other spacecraft ever.

New lunar samples show the Moon was still volcanically active 2.8 billion years ago

New data from China’s Chang’e-6 sample return mission to the far side of the Moon suggests the landing site was still volcanically active approximately 2.8 billion years ago – far more recently than previously thought.

Unveiling the uncharted Milky Way

Astronomers have developed a new stellar chart providing a more complete map of our Milky Way Galaxy.

The Science Report

Drinking tea or coffee associated with a lower risk of head and neck cancer.

Study finds that 1 in 127 people are on the autism spectrum.

A major breakthrough in energy storage technology.

Skeptics guide to grounding socks

SpaceTime covers the latest news in astronomy & space sciences.

The show is available every Monday, Wednesday and Friday through Apple Podcasts (itunes), Stitcher, Google Podcast, Pocketcasts, SoundCloud, Bitez.com, YouTube, your favourite podcast download provider, and from www.spacetimewithstuartgary.com

SpaceTime is also broadcast through the National Science Foundation on Science Zone Radio and on both i-heart Radio and Tune-In Radio.

SpaceTime daily news blog: http://spacetimewithstuartgary.tumblr.com/

SpaceTime facebook: www.facebook.com/spacetimewithstuartgary

SpaceTime Instagram @spacetimewithstuartgary

SpaceTime twitter feed @stuartgary

SpaceTime YouTube: @SpaceTimewithStuartGary

SpaceTime -- A brief history

SpaceTime is Australia’s most popular and respected astronomy and space science news program – averaging over two million downloads every year. We’re also number five in the United States. ��The show reports on the latest stories and discoveries making news in astronomy, space flight, and science.  SpaceTime features weekly interviews with leading Australian scientists about their research.  The show began life in 1995 as ‘StarStuff’ on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s (ABC) NewsRadio network.  Award winning investigative reporter Stuart Gary created the program during more than fifteen years as NewsRadio’s evening anchor and Science Editor.  Gary’s always loved science. He studied astronomy at university and was invited to undertake a PHD in astrophysics, but instead focused on his career in journalism and radio broadcasting. Gary’s radio career stretches back some 34 years including 26 at the ABC. He worked as an announcer and music DJ in commercial radio, before becoming a journalist and eventually joining ABC News and Current Affairs. He was part of the team that set up ABC NewsRadio and became one of its first on air presenters. When asked to put his science background to use, Gary developed StarStuff which he wrote, produced and hosted, consistently achieving 9 per cent of the national Australian radio audience based on the ABC’s Nielsen ratings survey figures for the five major Australian metro markets: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth.  The StarStuff podcast was published on line by ABC Science -- achieving over 1.3 million downloads annually.  However, after some 20 years, the show finally wrapped up in December 2015 following ABC funding cuts, and a redirection of available finances to increase sports and horse racing coverage.  Rather than continue with the ABC, Gary resigned so that he could keep the show going independently.  StarStuff was rebranded as “SpaceTime”, with the first episode being broadcast in February 2016.  Over the years, SpaceTime has grown, more than doubling its former ABC audience numbers and expanding to include new segments such as the Science Report -- which provides a wrap of general science news, weekly skeptical science features, special reports looking at the latest computer and technology news, and Skywatch – which provides a monthly guide to the night skies. The show is published three times weekly (every Monday, Wednesday and Friday) and available from the United States National Science Foundation on Science Zone Radio, and through both i-heart Radio and Tune-In Radio.

[bpod-bpod]

Virtual Pathologist

Image identification by machine learning models is a major application of artificial intelligence (AI). And, with ever-improving capabilities, the use of these models for medical diagnostics and research is becoming more commonplace. Doctors analysing X-rays and mammograms, for instance, are already being assisted by AI technology, and models trained to identify signs of disease in tissue sections are also being developed to help histopathologists. The models are trained with microscope images annotated by humans – the image, for example, shows a section of rat testis with signs of tubule atrophy (pale blue shapes) with other coloured shapes indicating normal tubules and structures. Once trained, the models are tasked with categorising unannotated datasets. The latest iteration of this technology was able to identify disease in testis, ovary, prostate and kidney samples with exceptional speed and high accuracy – in some cases finding signs of disease that even trained human pathologists had missed.

Written by Ruth Williams

Image from work by Colin Greeley and colleagues

Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences and the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA

Image originally published with a Creative Commons Attribution – NonCommercial – NoDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

Published in Scientific Reports, November 2024

You can also follow BPoD on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook

[dailycharacteroption]

Class Feature Friday: Hacker Specialization (Operative Specialization)

(art by gtasoul on DeviantArt)

If there’s anything unique to science fiction, it’s hacking. After all, traditional fantasy rarely has computers (and when they do, they’re usually the ancient, barely understood kind), leading to an entirely different avenue of heroic action as the characters crack open cybersecurity measures, often stylized with virtual avatars and the like.

Now, with their tech savvy, you probably expect the average hacker to be a mechanic or technomancer, and that’s fair, they certainly have the specialization. However, brilliant engineers and techno-mages are hardly the only archetypical hacker characters. Sometimes someone is only focused on computers and not engineering. Others might be agents with a variety of skills that just happens to include cybersecurity as a specialization.

After all, it’s one thing to remotely hack someone from across the cybercafe using the unsecured wifi, and an entirely different beast to sneak into a secure facility and crack open a server with no wireless connection.

And so we have the hacker specialization for operatives. Bank details, classified documents, incriminating messenger logs, the targeting software for the rocket turrets shelling the party… If its on a computer, it isn’t safe from them. What’s more, as operatives, they have the skills to get in close enough to do their hacking without being detected (hopefully). So let’s see what makes them special!

Naturally, these operatives are very familiar with computers and engineering, and they can use their computer skills as part of their trick attacks, sending distracting alerts to enemy headsets, causing malfunctions in nearby devices, or even simply projecting a distracting hologram from their own device. Obviously, however, they have to actually have a computer device on hand to do so. One of the rare occasions where an operative may be forced to use a different skill with their trick attacks.

As expert hackers, these operatives learn how to be especially cautious in their approach, reducing the chance of triggering countermeasures if they accidentally push to hard.

More skilled hackers can take control of devices they have hacked, potentially using their functions for their own benefit a few times before they return to normal or are deactivated.

While not as adept at hacking as other classes, hacker operatives can do a lot of fun things with it, particularly once they gain control of a system with their mid-level ability. Imagine activating the security systems to target the guards, or starting up machinery that proves distracting or hazardous, and so on. I recommend pairing your hacking skills with stealth or another sneaky skillset to make the most of it.

There are a lot of ways to play a hacker. They might be terminally online, or they might tap into vibes of the 80’s idea of a hacker as a cool trendy figure with fancy computer knowhow. Or they may be more professional about it. Certainly hacking has a long association with disrespecting authority, with all the character traits associated with that.

The hacker known only by the username LuckySTR!KE is a notorious thorn in the side of may corporations, earning them a bounty for their capture or death. However, the crafty worlanisi tends to stay a step ahead. However, the contents of their latest datamining has them nervous, and they’re willing to pay for bodyguards.

A passionate hacktivist and self-proclaimed protector of the ecosystems of the galaxy. Beshara has developed a knack for sneaking into corporate facilities and sabotaging their efforts to study and exploit wildlife. However, when one such outing ends up with several researchers being scarred and killed by the acidic saliva of flying kriegakos, she begins to wonder if she has become too extreme.

An expedition to alien ruins may not seem like it needs a computer expert, but when it is discovered the stone buildings are interlaced with intricate technomagical circuitry, one is called in. Unfortunately, the team doesn’t realize this hacker is a corporate spy feeding information back to a rival conglomerate and seeking to steal the most precious treasures in the name of their employer. Unfortunately, her acts of espionage and greed end up awakening the mummified guardians of the ruin.

[scifigeneration]

ChatGPT and the movie ‘Her’ are just the latest example of the ‘sci-fi feedback loop’

by Rizwan Virk, Faculty Associate and PhD Candidate in Human and Social Dimensions of Science and Technology at Arizona State University

In May 2024, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman sparked a firestorm by referencing the 2013 movie “Her” to highlight the novelty of the latest iteration of ChatGPT.

Within days, actor Scarlett Johansson, who played the voice of Samantha, the AI girlfriend of the protagonist in the movie “Her,” accused the company of improperly using her voice after she had spurned their offer to make her the voice of ChatGPT’s new virtual assistant. Johansson ended up suing OpenAI and has been invited to testify before Congress.

This tiff highlights a broader interchange between Hollywood and Silicon Valley that’s called the “sci-fi feedback loop.” The subject of my doctoral research, the sci-fi feedback loop explores how science fiction and technological innovation feed off each other. This dynamic is bidirectional and can sometimes play out over many decades, resulting in an ongoing loop.

Fiction sparks dreams of Moon travel

One of the most famous examples of this loop is Moon travel.

Jules Verne’s 1865 novel “From the Earth to the Moon” and the fiction of H.G. Wells inspired one of the first films to visualize such a journey, 1902’s “A Trip to the Moon.”

The fiction of Verne and Wells also influenced future rocket scientists such as Robert Goddard, Hermann Oberth and Oberth’s better-known protégé, Wernher von Braun. The innovations of these men – including the V-2 rocket built by von Braun during World War II – inspired works of science fiction, such as the 1950 film “Destination Moon,” which included a rocket that looked just like the V-2.

Films like “Destination Moon” would then go on to bolster public support for lavish government spending on the space program.

Creative symbiosis

The sci-fi feedback loop generally follows the same cycle.

First, the technological climate of a given era will shape that period’s science fiction. For example, the personal computing revolution of the 1970s and 1980s directly inspired the works of cyberpunk writers Neal Stephenson and William Gibson.

Then the sci-fi that emerges will go on to inspire real-world technological innovation. In his 1992 classic “Snow Crash,” Stephenson coined the term “metaverse” to describe a 3-D, video game-like world accessed through virtual reality goggles.

Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and innovators have been trying to build a version of this metaverse ever since. The virtual world of the video game Second Life, released in 2003, took a stab at this: Players lived in virtual homes, went to virtual dance clubs and virtual concerts with virtual girlfriends and boyfriends, and were even paid virtual dollars for showing up at virtual jobs.

This technology seeded yet more fiction; in my research, I discovered that sci-fi novelist Ernest Cline had spent a lot of time playing Second Life, and it inspired the metaverse of his bestselling novel “Ready Player One.”

The cycle continued: Employees of Oculus VR – now known as Meta Reality Labs – were given copies of “Ready Player One” to read as they developed the company’s virtual reality headsets. When Facebook changed its name to Meta in 2021, it did so in the hopes of being at the forefront of building the metaverse, though the company’s grand ambitions have tempered somewhat.

Another sci-fi franchise that has its fingerprints all over this loop is “Star Trek,” which first aired in 1966, right in the middle of the space race.

Steve Perlman, the inventor of Apple’s QuickTime media format and player, said he was inspired by an episode of “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” in which Lt. Commander Data, an android, sifts through multiple streams of audio and video files. And Rob Haitani, the designer of the Palm Pilot’s operating system, has said that the bridge on the Enterprise influenced its interface.

In my research, I also discovered that the show’s Holodeck – a room that could simulate any environment – influenced both the name and the development of Microsoft’s HoloLens augmented reality glasses.

From ALICE to ‘Her’

Which brings us back to OpenAI and “Her.”

In the movie, the protagonist, Theodore, played by Joaquin Phoenix, acquires an AI assistant, “Samantha,” voiced by Johansson. He begins to develop feelings for Samantha – so much so that he starts to consider her his girlfriend.

ChatGPT-4o, the latest version of the generative AI software, seems to be able to cultivate a similar relationship between user and machine. Not only can ChatGPT-4o speak to you and “understand” you, but it can also do so sympathetically, as a romantic partner would.

There’s little doubt that the depiction of AI in “Her” influenced OpenAI’s developers. In addition to Altman’s tweet, the company’s promotional videos for ChatGPT-4o feature a chatbot speaking with a job candidate before his interview, propping him up and encouraging him – as, well, an AI girlfriend would. The AI featured in the clips, Ars Technica observed, was “disarmingly lifelike,” and willing “to laugh at your jokes and your dumb hat.”

But you might be surprised to learn that a previous generation of chatbots inspired Spike Jonze, the director and screenwriter of “Her,” to write the screenplay in the first place. Nearly a decade before the film’s release, Jonze had interacted with a version of the ALICE chatbot, which was one of the first chatbots to have a defined personality – in ALICE’s case, that of a young woman.

The ALICE chatbot won the Loebner Prize three times, which was awarded annually until 2019 to the AI software that came closest to passing the Turing Test, long seen as a threshold for determining whether artificial intelligence has become indistinguishable from human intelligence.

The sci-fi feedback loop has no expiration date. AI’s ability to form relationships with humans is a theme that continues to be explored in fiction and real life.

A few years after “Her,” “Blade Runner 2049” featured a virtual girlfriend, Joi, with a holographic body. Well before the latest drama with OpenAI, companies had started developing and pitching virtual girlfriends, a process that will no doubt continue. As science fiction writer and social media critic Cory Doctorow wrote in 2017, “Science fiction does something better than predict the future: It influences it.”

[ljsmiths-thenightworld]

FORBIDDEN TALES

An Interview with novelist L.J. Smith, found using the Wayback Machine. Originally posted on nightworld.net (🛑 which is definitely no longer a fan site)

L.J. Smith is the author of nine bestselling novels for children and teenagers, including the two series The Vampire Diaries and The Secret Circle. The first volume of her latest series The Forbidden Game, is in bookstores now.

Q: Why did you decide to write novels for young adults?

A: I decided to write for kids when I was a kid. I knew the kind of books I liked to read and there just weren't enough of them. Nothing to do but write them myself. I'd been telling myself stories ever since I was four or five, and writing them down was just the next step. I suppose the real question is: Why am I still writing YA books, since I haven't been a young adult for...ahem!...well, quite a few years.

Could be arrested development. I must admit that I still read classic children's books, and get a lot of pleasure out of it. Books about fantasy, magic, and the supernatural just excite me, and I love to read them and write them. I'd like to write books for adults someday, but I hope I never grow up completely!

Q: How did you get your first book published?

A: I finished The Night of the Solstice the year I got out of college. I'd been working on the book since I got the idea for it in high school, but the writing went slowly because I was busy studying psychology. Besides, everybody told me that I could never make a living being a writer, so there was no hurry!

I took my book to a professional typist (I didn't even have a typewriter in those days, much less a computer) and she got very excited about it. She said it was the best manuscript she'd seen, and she had a friend who was a literary agent, and asked if I was I interested in being agented.

I was. Very. Of course, it still took some time to get the book sold -- for one thing, I had to cut it by a hundred pages! But eventually Macmillan bought it, and my fate was decided. I loved writing and I knew I had to keep doing it.

Q: What is your educational and professional background?

A: I got my BA in Experimental Psychology from the University of California at Santa Barbara (great school! great beaches!) I have two teaching credentials from San Francisco State University, one in elementary education and one in Special Ed. I've taught kindergarten and special education, and enjoyed both -- but now I'm writing full time. Every fall I get very nostalgic about teaching, but writing is more fun -- and it pays better.

Q: Who are some of your favorite writers?

A: This is a tough one. There are so many, but I really tend to like the classics. I adore Dickens' characters and his playful, whimsical prose. I love Jane Austen's gentle satire, and Mark Twain's dry wit. I read Steinbeck, Alice Walker and Toni Morrison when I want to cry. For sheer escapism I like fantasy or science fiction -- Tolkien and C.S. Lewis and H.G. Wells. Or detective stories, like Dorothy Sayers' Lord Peter Whimsey series. And -- please don't laugh -- when I'm sad, I cuddle up in front of the fire with L. Frank Baum's Oz books or Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House on the Prairie books. They always make me feel better.

Q: What advice would you give a teenager who wants to be an author?

A: WRITE! Write, write, write. And read, read, read. Those are the two most important things you can do.

Write all the time -- write in a journal, scribble down ideas on napkins at McDonald's, spend a boring class scrawling poetry in your notebook (Okay, maybe that last isn't the best advice, but I admit it worked for me.) Write anything and everything you like, and don't be critical of yourself. Just let it come out and worry about whether it's good later.

Write when you're feeling something; when you're mad, or in love, or in pain. The passion will come through. And write about what you know, write about your own school, your friends, your take on the world. Teens often think their own lives are boring -- they want to write about exotic places, weird people, things out of their experience. But it's best, especially at first, to write what you know. It may be hard to expose your most private self to other people, but that's what writing is about. And the ring of truth is unmistakable.

Reading is the other important thing. Read all you can and read a variety of books. You'll absorb all sorts of good things, grammar, vocabulary, plot structure -- even if you don't realize it. Try the classics, and keep trying them as you get older. Some things that you think are really boring and stupid right now will suddenly become interesting as you mature. A little light goes on in your head and you say, "Oh, so that's why everybody likes Chaucer, wow."

Q: Is there anything else you think will interest teenage writers?

A: I've babbled on long enough. But I think it's great that Writes of Passage is giving kids a forum for their work. This kind of encouragement is just what teenagers need. Good luck!

[itcareerblogs]

Top 10 In- Demand Tech Jobs in 2025

Technology is growing faster than ever, and so is the need for skilled professionals in the field. From artificial intelligence to cloud computing, businesses are looking for experts who can keep up with the latest advancements. These tech jobs not only pay well but also offer great career growth and exciting challenges.

In this blog, we’ll look at the top 10 tech jobs that are in high demand today. Whether you’re starting your career or thinking of learning new skills, these jobs can help you plan a bright future in the tech world.

1. AI and Machine Learning Specialists

Artificial Intelligence (AI)  and Machine Learning are changing the game by helping machines learn and improve on their own without needing step-by-step instructions. They’re being used in many areas, like chatbots, spotting fraud, and predicting trends.

Key Skills: Python, TensorFlow, PyTorch, data analysis, deep learning, and natural language processing (NLP).

Industries Hiring: Healthcare, finance, retail, and manufacturing.

Career Tip: Keep up with AI and machine learning by working on projects and getting an AI certification. Joining AI hackathons helps you learn and meet others in the field.

2. Data Scientists

Data scientists work with large sets of data to find patterns, trends, and useful insights that help businesses make smart decisions. They play a key role in everything from personalized marketing to predicting health outcomes.

Key Skills: Data visualization, statistical analysis, R, Python, SQL, and data mining.

Industries Hiring: E-commerce, telecommunications, and pharmaceuticals.

Career Tip: Work with real-world data and build a strong portfolio to showcase your skills. Earning certifications in data science tools can help you stand out.

3. Cloud Computing Engineers: These professionals create and manage cloud systems that allow businesses to store data and run apps without needing physical servers, making operations more efficient.

Key Skills: AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), DevOps, and containerization (Docker, Kubernetes).

Industries Hiring: IT services, startups, and enterprises undergoing digital transformation.

Career Tip: Get certified in cloud platforms like AWS (e.g., AWS Certified Solutions Architect).

4. Cybersecurity Experts

Cybersecurity professionals protect companies from data breaches, malware, and other online threats. As remote work grows, keeping digital information safe is more crucial than ever.

Key Skills: Ethical hacking, penetration testing, risk management, and cybersecurity tools.

Industries Hiring: Banking, IT, and government agencies.

Career Tip: Stay updated on new cybersecurity threats and trends. Certifications like CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker) or CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) can help you advance in your career.

5. Full-Stack Developers

Full-stack developers are skilled programmers who can work on both the front-end (what users see) and the back-end (server and database) of web applications.

Key Skills: JavaScript, React, Node.js, HTML/CSS, and APIs.

Industries Hiring: Tech startups, e-commerce, and digital media.

Career Tip: Create a strong GitHub profile with projects that highlight your full-stack skills. Learn popular frameworks like React Native to expand into mobile app development.

6. DevOps Engineers

DevOps engineers help make software faster and more reliable by connecting development and operations teams. They streamline the process for quicker deployments.

Key Skills: CI/CD pipelines, automation tools, scripting, and system administration.

Industries Hiring: SaaS companies, cloud service providers, and enterprise IT.

Career Tip: Earn key tools like Jenkins, Ansible, and Kubernetes, and develop scripting skills in languages like Bash or Python. Earning a DevOps certification is a plus and can enhance your expertise in the field.

7. Blockchain Developers

They build secure, transparent, and unchangeable systems. Blockchain is not just for cryptocurrencies; it’s also used in tracking supply chains, managing healthcare records, and even in voting systems.

Key Skills: Solidity, Ethereum, smart contracts, cryptography, and DApp development.

Industries Hiring: Fintech, logistics, and healthcare.

Career Tip: Create and share your own blockchain projects to show your skills. Joining blockchain communities can help you learn more and connect with others in the field.

8. Robotics Engineers

Robotics engineers design, build, and program robots to do tasks faster or safer than humans. Their work is especially important in industries like manufacturing and healthcare.

Key Skills: Programming (C++, Python), robotics process automation (RPA), and mechanical engineering.

Industries Hiring: Automotive, healthcare, and logistics.

Career Tip: Stay updated on new trends like self-driving cars and AI in robotics.

9. Internet of Things (IoT) Specialists

IoT specialists work on systems that connect devices to the internet, allowing them to communicate and be controlled easily. This is crucial for creating smart cities, homes, and industries.

Key Skills: Embedded systems, wireless communication protocols, data analytics, and IoT platforms.

Industries Hiring: Consumer electronics, automotive, and smart city projects.

Career Tip: Create IoT prototypes and learn to use platforms like AWS IoT or Microsoft Azure IoT. Stay updated on 5G technology and edge computing trends.

10. Product Managers

Product managers oversee the development of products, from idea to launch, making sure they are both technically possible and meet market demands. They connect technical teams with business stakeholders.

Key Skills: Agile methodologies, market research, UX design, and project management.

Industries Hiring: Software development, e-commerce, and SaaS companies.

Career Tip: Work on improving your communication and leadership skills. Getting certifications like PMP (Project Management Professional) or CSPO (Certified Scrum Product Owner) can help you advance.

Importance of Upskilling in the Tech Industry

Stay Up-to-Date: Technology changes fast, and learning new skills helps you keep up with the latest trends and tools.

Grow in Your Career: By learning new skills, you open doors to better job opportunities and promotions.

Earn a Higher Salary: The more skills you have, the more valuable you are to employers, which can lead to higher-paying jobs.

Feel More Confident: Learning new things makes you feel more prepared and ready to take on tougher tasks.

Adapt to Changes: Technology keeps evolving, and upskilling helps you stay flexible and ready for any new changes in the industry.

Top Companies Hiring for These Roles

Global Tech Giants: Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and IBM.

Startups: Fintech, health tech, and AI-based startups are often at the forefront of innovation.

Consulting Firms: Companies like Accenture, Deloitte, and PwC increasingly seek tech talent.

In conclusion,  the tech world is constantly changing, and staying updated is key to having a successful career. In 2025, jobs in fields like AI, cybersecurity, data science, and software development will be in high demand. By learning the right skills and keeping up with new trends, you can prepare yourself for these exciting roles. Whether you're just starting or looking to improve your skills, the tech industry offers many opportunities for growth and success.

[sreenidhiuniversityblogs]

Why Choose Computer Science Engineering at Sreenidhi University?

In the bustling tech hub of Hyderabad, where options abound for pursuing a Computer Science Engineering degree, Sreenidhi University stands out as a pillar of excellence. Here's why discerning students should consider Sreenidhi over other universities in the area.

1. Comprehensive Curriculum: Sreenidhi University offers a robust curriculum tailored to meet the evolving demands of the tech industry. From foundational courses to specialized electives, students receive a well-rounded education that prepares them for diverse career paths in computer engineering.

2. Cutting-Edge Facilities: Equipped with state-of-the-art labs and facilities, Sreenidhi University provides students with hands-on experience in the latest technologies. Whether it's artificial intelligence, machine learning, or cybersecurity, students have access to the tools they need to thrive in a competitive landscape.

3. Expert Faculty: At Sreenidhi, learning extends beyond the classroom with a faculty comprising industry experts and seasoned academicians. Their wealth of experience and insights enrich the learning experience, providing students with invaluable mentorship and guidance.

4. Industry Partnerships: Sreenidhi University has forged strong partnerships with leading tech companies, providing students with opportunities for internships, industry projects, and placements. These collaborations bridge the gap between academia and industry, giving students a head start in their careers.

5. Holistic Development: Beyond technical skills, Sreenidhi University emphasizes the importance of holistic development through extracurricular activities, workshops, and seminars, students enhance their communication, leadership, and teamwork abilities, making them well-rounded professionals.

6. Research Opportunities: With a focus on innovation and research, Sreenidhi University encourages students to explore their interests and pursue cutting-edge research projects. Whether it's developing new algorithms or building innovative software solutions, students are empowered to make meaningful contributions to the field.

7. Career Development Centre: Sreenidhi University houses a dedicated Career Development Centre, providing students with resources and support to plan and achieve their career goals. From internship placements to job fairs, the center offers tailored assistance to help students transition smoothly into the professional world.

8. State-of-the-Art Infrastructure: Sreenidhi University boasts modern infrastructure designed to foster creativity, collaboration, and learning. From smart classrooms to well-equipped libraries, students have access to resources that enhance their academic journey.

9. Supportive Community: Sreenidhi University fosters a supportive and inclusive community where students feel valued and encouraged to reach their full potential. Whether through peer support networks or counseling services, students receive the guidance they need to succeed.

10. Entrepreneurial Ecosystem: Sreenidhi University nurtures an entrepreneurial spirit among its students, providing resources and support for those interested in launching their ventures. From incubation programs to pitch competitions, aspiring entrepreneurs find the tools they need to turn their ideas into reality.

Sreenidhi University stands as an outstanding destination for pursuing a Bachelor's in Computer Science Engineering in Hyderabad. With its comprehensive curriculum, cutting-edge facilities, expert faculty, industry partnerships, holistic development approach, research opportunities, dedicated Career Development Centre, state-of-the-art infrastructure, supportive community, and entrepreneurial ecosystem, Sreenidhi University equips students with the skills and experiences needed to thrive in today's dynamic tech landscape.

Choose Sreenidhi University and unlock your potential for success in the world of computer engineering and beyond!

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What are the latest trends in the IT job market?

Introduction

The IT job market is changing quickly. This change is because of new technology, different employer needs, and more remote work.

For jobseekers, understanding these trends is crucial to positioning themselves as strong candidates in a highly competitive landscape.

This blog looks at the current IT job market. It offers insights into job trends and opportunities. You will also find practical strategies to improve your chances of getting your desired role.

Whether you’re in the midst of a job search or considering a career change, this guide will help you navigate the complexities of the job hunting process and secure employment in today’s market.

Section 1: Understanding the Current IT Job Market

Recent Trends in the IT Job Market

The IT sector is booming, with consistent demand for skilled professionals in various domains such as cybersecurity, cloud computing, and data science.

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the shift to remote work, further expanding the demand for IT roles that support this transformation.

Employers are increasingly looking for candidates with expertise in AI, machine learning, and DevOps as these technologies drive business innovation.

According to industry reports, job opportunities in IT will continue to grow, with the most substantial demand focused on software development, data analysis, and cloud architecture.

It’s essential for jobseekers to stay updated on these trends to remain competitive and tailor their skills to current market needs.

Recruitment efforts have also become more digitized, with many companies adopting virtual hiring processes and online job fairs.

This creates both challenges and opportunities for job seekers to showcase their talents and secure interviews through online platforms.

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Remote Work and IT

The surge in remote work opportunities has transformed the job market. Many IT companies now offer fully remote or hybrid roles, which appeal to professionals seeking greater flexibility.

While remote work has increased access to job opportunities, it has also intensified competition, as companies can now hire from a global talent pool.

Section 2: Choosing the Right Keywords for Your IT Resume

Keyword Optimization: Why It Matters

With more employers using Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to screen resumes, it’s essential for jobseekers to optimize their resumes with relevant keywords.

These systems scan resumes for specific words related to the job description and only advance the most relevant applications.

To increase the chances of your resume making it through the initial screening, jobseekers must identify and incorporate the right keywords into their resumes.

When searching for jobs in IT, it’s important to tailor your resume for specific job titles and responsibilities. Keywords like “software engineer,” “cloud computing,” “data security,” and “DevOps” can make a huge difference.

By strategically using keywords that reflect your skills, experience, and the job requirements, you enhance your resume’s visibility to hiring managers and recruitment software.

Step-by-Step Keyword Selection Process

Analyze Job Descriptions: Look at several job postings for roles you’re interested in and identify recurring terms.

Incorporate Specific Terms: Include technical terms related to your field (e.g., Python, Kubernetes, cloud infrastructure).

Use Action Verbs: Keywords like “developed,” “designed,” or “implemented” help demonstrate your experience in a tangible way.

Test Your Resume: Use online tools to see how well your resume aligns with specific job postings and make adjustments as necessary.

Section 3: Customizing Your Resume for Each Job Application

Why Customization is Key

One size does not fit all when it comes to resumes, especially in the IT industry. Jobseekers who customize their resumes for each job application are more likely to catch the attention of recruiters. Tailoring your resume allows you to emphasize the specific skills and experiences that align with the job description, making you a stronger candidate. Employers want to see that you’ve taken the time to understand their needs and that your expertise matches what they are looking for.

Key Areas to Customize:

Summary Section: Write a targeted summary that highlights your qualifications and goals in relation to the specific job you’re applying for.

Skills Section: Highlight the most relevant skills for the position, paying close attention to the technical requirements listed in the job posting.

Experience Section: Adjust your work experience descriptions to emphasize the accomplishments and projects that are most relevant to the job.

Education & Certifications: If certain qualifications or certifications are required, make sure they are easy to spot on your resume.

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Section 4: Reviewing and Testing Your Optimized Resume

Proofreading for Perfection

Before submitting your resume, it’s critical to review it for accuracy, clarity, and relevance. Spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, or outdated information can reflect poorly on your professionalism.

Additionally, make sure your resume is easy to read and visually organized, with clear headings and bullet points. If possible, ask a peer or mentor in the IT field to review your resume for content accuracy and feedback.

Testing Your Resume with ATS Tools

After making your resume keyword-optimized, test it using online tools that simulate ATS systems. This allows you to see how well your resume aligns with specific job descriptions and identify areas for improvement.

Many tools will give you a match score, showing you how likely your resume is to pass an ATS scan. From here, you can fine-tune your resume to increase its chances of making it to the recruiter’s desk.

Section 5: Trends Shaping the Future of IT Recruitment

Embracing Digital Recruitment

Recruiting has undergone a significant shift towards digital platforms, with job fairs, interviews, and onboarding now frequently taking place online.

This transition means that jobseekers must be comfortable navigating virtual job fairs, remote interviews, and online assessments.

As IT jobs increasingly allow remote work, companies are also using technology-driven recruitment tools like AI for screening candidates.

Jobseekers should also leverage platforms like LinkedIn to increase visibility in the recruitment space. Keeping your LinkedIn profile updated, networking with industry professionals, and engaging in online discussions can all boost your chances of being noticed by recruiters.

Furthermore, participating in virtual job fairs or IT recruitment events provides direct access to recruiters and HR professionals, enhancing your job hunt.

FAQs

1. How important are keywords in IT resumes?

Keywords are essential in IT resumes because they ensure your resume passes through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), which scans resumes for specific terms related to the job. Without the right keywords, your resume may not reach a human recruiter.

2. How often should I update my resume?

It’s a good idea to update your resume regularly, especially when you gain new skills or experience. Also, customize it for every job application to ensure it aligns with the job’s specific requirements.

3. What are the most in-demand IT jobs?

Some of the most in-demand IT jobs include software developers, cloud engineers, cybersecurity analysts, data scientists, and DevOps engineers.

4. How can I stand out in the current IT job market?

To stand out, jobseekers should focus on tailoring their resumes, building strong online profiles, networking, and keeping up-to-date with industry trends. Participation in online forums, attending webinars, and earning industry-relevant certifications can also enhance visibility.

Conclusion

The IT job market continues to offer exciting opportunities for jobseekers, driven by technological innovations and changing work patterns.

By staying informed about current trends, customizing your resume, using keywords effectively, and testing your optimized resume, you can improve your job search success.

Whether you are new to the IT field or an experienced professional, leveraging these strategies will help you navigate the competitive landscape and secure a job that aligns with your career goals.

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IEEE Project Center in Tirunelveli

AB Technologies: The Leading IEEE Project Center in Tirunelveli

Engineering students across Tamil Nadu often seek out the best resources for their final year projects, and AB Technologies has become the top choice for students in Tirunelveli. Known for its exceptional quality, innovation, and focus on practical learning, AB Technologies is recognized as the leading IEEE project center in Tirunelveli. Specializing in IEEE-certified projects, the center has carved a niche for itself by providing students with the tools, mentorship, and technical support they need to excel.

The Importance of IEEE Projects

IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) projects hold significant value for engineering students. These projects are based on international standards, representing the latest technological advancements and innovations across various fields of engineering. An IEEE-certified project not only strengthens a student’s academic performance but also boosts their resume, providing a strong competitive advantage in the job market. With industries increasingly focusing on cutting-edge technology and innovation, completing an IEEE-certified project from a reputable center like AB Technologies opens up greater career opportunities for students.

Diverse Project Offerings

AB Technologies offers a comprehensive range of project options across several branches of engineering, ensuring that every student can find a project that aligns with their interests and academic requirements. Some of the most popular project domains offered include:

Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE): AB Technologies provides a variety of IEEE-certified projects in areas like embedded systems, digital communication, IoT (Internet of Things), and VLSI design. Students have the opportunity to work with advanced technologies and tools, preparing them for real-world challenges.

Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE): From power systems and electrical machines to renewable energy solutions, AB Technologies offers projects that focus on sustainable and emerging technologies. These projects help students gain a deeper understanding of modern power systems and electrical circuits.

Computer Science and Information Technology: In a field where technological advancements are rapid, AB Technologies offers projects in trending areas like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, cybersecurity, web development, and data science. These projects are designed to provide students with hands-on experience in the technologies shaping the future of the industry.

Mechanical Engineering: Mechanical engineering students can explore projects involving robotics, automation, CAD/CAM, and industrial design, gaining practical exposure to cutting-edge mechanical systems and technologies.

Expert Guidance and Mentorship

What sets AB Technologies apart from other project centers is its dedication to providing personalized mentorship. Each student receives one-on-one guidance from experienced professionals and academic experts who ensure that the project is not only completed successfully but also understood in-depth by the student. This mentorship covers every phase of the project, from initial concept and design to development, testing, and final presentation.

Focus on Hands-On Learning

At AB Technologies, students aren’t just completing projects for the sake of academic requirements; they’re getting hands-on, practical experience. The center is equipped with state-of-the-art tools, software, and hardware, allowing students to work on real-world applications of their projects. This practical exposure is invaluable in helping students understand the complexities of modern engineering solutions and preparing them for the challenges they will face in their professional careers.

Building a Reputation of Trust and Excellence

Over the years, AB Technologies has earned a strong reputation for its quality and commitment to excellence. The center has become a trusted partner for engineering students and educational institutions in Tirunelveli, thanks to its consistent track record of delivering successful IEEE projects. Many students have benefited from the expert guidance and innovative project solutions provided by AB Technologies, allowing them to stand out in their academic and professional journeys.

Conclusion

For engineering students in Tirunelveli looking to undertake IEEE-certified projects, AB Technologies is the clear choice. With its wide range of project offerings, expert mentorship, and hands-on learning opportunities, the center ensures that students not only meet their academic goals but also acquire valuable skills that will set them apart in the job market. As the leading IEEE project center in Tirunelveli, AB Technologies continues to empower students to succeed in their engineering careers.

Best IEEE expert engineering project center, Nagercoil | Tirunelveli | Chennai (abtechnologies.in)

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