#Third-Party Tool Integration

[masroordreeshak]

Enhancing Moodle™ Functionality with Custom Plugin Development

As online learning continues to expand, educational institutions and businesses seek innovative ways to improve their learning management systems (LMS) for a more engaging user experience. Moodle™ stands out as a robust, open-source LMS that provides extensive capabilities. However, with custom plugin development, Moodle™ can be tailored even further to meet specific needs, improve user engagement, and enhance functionality. In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of custom plugins for Moodle™, including how they can support branded app development, course management, data analytics, and more.

1. Why Custom Plugin Development for Moodle™?

Custom plugin development transforms Moodle™ from a general-purpose platform into a tailored solution, meeting unique organizational requirements. From enabling offline access to offering a user-friendly interface, custom plugins allow organizations to add or modify features to align perfectly with their needs. This can be particularly valuable for institutions aiming for a branded experience, as custom branding apps can showcase their brand identity within the learning platform.

2. Enhancing Course Management and User Engagement

Course management is at the core of any LMS, and Moodle™ is no exception. With custom plugins, organizations can streamline the course setup process, add new course formats, and even offer personalized learning paths. Plugins designed for course management also help instructors and admins manage large courses effectively, ensuring a smoother learning experience for students.

An optimized course management process leads to higher engagement and retention. Features like real-time communication plugins allow students and instructors to interact instantly, creating a collaborative learning environment. Adding plugins that support multi-device compatibility ensures that users can access course content seamlessly, whether they’re on a desktop, tablet, or smartphone.

3. Branded App Development for Moodle™

For organizations looking to create a unique identity, branded app development for Moodle™ offers a powerful solution. Through branded apps, institutions can provide learners with an app that not only matches their brand's look and feel but also offers all necessary Moodle™ functionalities. With Moodle™ software app development, businesses can ensure their platform reflects their brand’s values and aesthetics, fostering a stronger connection with learners.

By incorporating plugins that allow customizable features, branded apps can be fine-tuned to prioritize certain functionalities, like quick access to course content or communication tools. Custom plugins also help optimize the app for performance and usability, resulting in a superior user experience.

4. Offline Access and Multi-Device Compatibility

One of the common challenges in e-learning is ensuring that users have access to content regardless of their internet connection or device. With custom plugins, Moodle™ can be equipped to support offline access, allowing users to download content for later use. This functionality is particularly beneficial for users in remote areas or for students who need flexibility in accessing learning materials.

Furthermore, multi-device compatibility is essential in today’s mobile-first world. Custom plugins can ensure Moodle™ functions seamlessly across different devices, from desktops to smartphones, enhancing accessibility for all users.

5. Improving User Experience with a User-Friendly Interface

A user-friendly interface is key to keeping learners engaged. Custom plugins can be developed to simplify navigation, making it easier for users to find what they need. Plugins focused on creating a user-friendly interface can transform Moodle™ by optimizing the layout, reducing clutter, and adding visual cues that improve usability.

6. Strengthening Security and Privacy

Security and privacy are critical considerations in any online learning platform. Custom plugins can be designed to enhance security and privacy features in Moodle™, ensuring that user data is protected. From additional login verification methods to restricted access for sensitive information, plugins can bolster the security framework of Moodle™, building trust with users.

7. Leveraging Data Analytics for Informed Decision-Making

Custom plugins that offer data analytics are invaluable for tracking learner progress, identifying patterns, and making data-driven decisions. With data analytics plugins, institutions can gain insights into course performance, learner engagement, and completion rates. These insights can then guide improvements in course content and teaching methods, optimizing the learning experience.

8. Integration with Third-Party Tools

Another advantage of custom plugin development for Moodle™ is the ability to integrate with other tools and software. From integrating with communication platforms to data storage and CRM systems, integration with tools via plugins helps streamline processes and create a cohesive learning ecosystem. These integrations allow Moodle™ to work in harmony with other platforms, enhancing overall functionality and user convenience.

9. Regular Updates for Continuous Improvement

Custom plugins allow organizations to keep their Moodle™ platform up-to-date with the latest features. Regular updates to plugins ensure that Moodle™ remains compatible with new technologies and user expectations. Moreover, with custom plugins, organizations can adapt and evolve their LMS to address emerging trends in e-learning, providing learners with a modern and relevant experience.

Conclusion

Custom plugin development enhances Moodle™ functionality by tailoring it to meet specific needs. From branded app development to data analytics and security enhancements, custom plugins transform Moodle™ into a more versatile and powerful LMS. By adopting custom plugin development, organizations can create a unique, engaging, and effective learning platform that aligns with their branding and goals. Embracing these customized solutions ensures a user-centered, accessible, and future-ready LMS experience.

[vague-humanoid]

At the California Institute of the Arts, it all started with a videoconference between the registrar’s office and a nonprofit.

One of the nonprofit’s representatives had enabled an AI note-taking tool from Read AI. At the end of the meeting, it emailed a summary to all attendees, said Allan Chen, the institute’s chief technology officer. They could have a copy of the notes, if they wanted — they just needed to create their own account.

Next thing Chen knew, Read AI’s bot had popped up inabout a dozen of his meetings over a one-week span. It was in one-on-one check-ins. Project meetings. “Everything.”

The spread “was very aggressive,” recalled Chen, who also serves as vice president for institute technology. And it “took us by surprise.”

The scenariounderscores a growing challenge for colleges: Tech adoption and experimentation among students, faculty, and staff — especially as it pertains to AI — are outpacing institutions’ governance of these technologies and may even violate their data-privacy and security policies.

That has been the case with note-taking tools from companies including Read AI, Otter.ai, and Fireflies.ai.They can integrate with platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teamsto provide live transcriptions, meeting summaries, audio and video recordings, and other services.

Higher-ed interest in these products isn’t surprising.For those bogged down with virtual rendezvouses, a tool that can ingest long, winding conversations and spit outkey takeaways and action items is alluring. These services can also aid people with disabilities, including those who are deaf.

But the tools can quickly propagate unchecked across a university. They can auto-join any virtual meetings on a user’s calendar — even if that person is not in attendance. And that’s a concern, administrators say, if it means third-party productsthat an institution hasn’t reviewedmay be capturing and analyzing personal information, proprietary material, or confidential communications.

“What keeps me up at night is the ability for individual users to do things that are very powerful, but they don’t realize what they’re doing,” Chen said. “You may not realize you’re opening a can of worms.“

The Chronicle documented both individual and universitywide instances of this trend. At Tidewater Community College, in Virginia, Heather Brown, an instructional designer, unwittingly gave Otter.ai’s tool access to her calendar, and it joined a Faculty Senate meeting she didn’t end up attending. ���One of our [associate vice presidents] reached out to inform me,” she wrote in a message. “I was mortified!”

[uzairmansoor1]

what is Non-linear machine learning optimization

Non-linear machine learning optimization focuses on finding optimal parameters for models with complex, non-linear relationships between inputs and outputs. It uses techniques like gradient descent, genetic algorithms, and simulated annealing. These methods are vital for tasks like image recognition and natural language processing, ensuring improved model performance and accuracy.

[lucid-outsourcing-solutions]

Integrating ColdFusion Applications with Third-Party SaaS Tools

[migrationexpert]

Shopify Plus Customization: How Third-Party Tools Enhance Your Store

Discover how integrating third-party tools with Shopify Plus can bring added flexibility and features to your online store. This guide covers essential integrations that improve store functions, from enhanced customer experience to efficient backend operations.

Learn about top third-party options for customizing everything from marketing automation to inventory management, helping your Shopify Plus store grow with features that fit your specific business needs.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Amazon Alexa is a graduate of the Darth Vader MBA

Next Tuesday (Oct 31) at 10hPT, the Internet Archive is livestreaming my presentation on my recent book, The Internet Con.

If you own an Alexa, you might enjoy its integration with IFTTT, an easy scripting environment that lets you create your own little voice-controlled apps, like "start my Roomba" or "close the garage door." If so, tough shit, Amazon just nuked IFTTT for Alexa:

https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/25/23931463/ifttt-amazon-alexa-applets-ending-support-integration-automation

Amazon can do this because the Alexa's operating system sits behind a cryptographic lock, and any tool that bypasses that lock is a felony under Section 1201 of the DMCA, punishable by a 5-year prison sentence and a $500,000 fine. That means that it's literally a crime to provide a rival OS that lets users retain functionality that Amazon no longer supports.

This is the proverbial gun on the mantelpiece, a moral hazard and invitation to mischief that tempts Amazon executives to run a bait-and-switch con where they sell you a gadget with five features and then remotely kill-switch two of them. This is prime directive of the Darth Vader MBA: "I am altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further."

So many companies got their business-plan at the Darth Vader MBA. The ability to revoke features after the fact means that companies can fuck around, but never find out. Apple sold millions of tracks via iTunes with the promise of letting you stream them to any other device you owned. After a couple years of this, the company caught some heat from the record labels, so they just pushed an update that killed the feature:

https://memex.craphound.com/2004/10/30/apple-to-ipod-owners-eat-shit-and-die-updated/

That gun on the mantelpiece went off all the way back in 2004 and it turns out it was a starter-pistol. Pretty soon, everyone was getting in on the act. If you find an alert on your printer screen demanding that you install a "security update" there's a damned good chance that the "update" is designed to block you from using third-party ink cartridges in a printer that you (sorta) own:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/11/ink-stained-wretches-battle-soul-digital-freedom-taking-place-inside-your-printer

Selling your Tesla? Have fun being poor. The upgrades you spent thousands of dollars on go up in a puff of smoke the minute you trade the car into the dealer, annihilating the resale value of your car at the speed of light:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/10/23/how-to-fix-cars-by-breaking-felony-contempt-of-business-model/

Telsa has to detect the ownership transfer first. But once a product is sufficiently cloud-based, they can destroy your property from a distance without any warning or intervention on your part. That's what Adobe did last year, when it literally stole the colors from your Photoshop files, in history's SaaSiest heist caper:

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

And yet, when we hear about remote killswitches in the news, it's most often as part of a PR blitz for their virtues. Russia's invasion of Ukraine kicked off a new genre of these PR pieces, celebrating the fact that a John Deere dealership was able to remotely brick looted tractors that had been removed to Chechnya:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/05/08/about-those-kill-switched-ukrainian-tractors/

Today, Deere's PR minions are pitching search-and-replace versions of this story about Israeli tractors that Hamas is said to have looted, which were also remotely bricked.

But the main use of this remote killswitch isn't confounding war-looters: it's preventing farmers from fixing their own tractors without paying rent to John Deere. An even bigger omission from this narrative is the fact that John Deere is objectively Very Bad At Security, which means that the world's fleet of critical agricultural equipment is one breach away from being rendered permanently inert:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/04/23/reputation-laundry/#deere-john

There are plenty of good and honorable people working at big companies, from Adobe to Apple to Deere to Tesla to Amazon. But those people have to convince their colleagues that they should do the right thing. Those debates weigh the expected gains from scammy, immoral behavior against the expected costs.

Without DMCA 1201, Amazon would have to worry that their decision to revoke IFTTT functionality would motivate customers to seek out alternative software for their Alexas. This is a big deal: once a customer learns how to de-Amazon their Alexa, Amazon might never recapture that customer. Such a switch wouldn't have to come from a scrappy startup or a hacker's DIY solution, either. Take away DMCA 1201 and Walmart could step up, offering an alternative Alexa software stack that let you switch your purchases away from Amazon.

Money talks, bullshit walks. In any boardroom argument about whether to shift value away from customers to the company, a credible argument about how the company will suffer a net loss as a result has a better chance of prevailing than an argument that's just about the ethics of such a course of action:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/28/microincentives-and-enshittification/

Inevitably, these killswitches are pitched as a paternalistic tool for protecting customers. An HP rep once told me that they push deceptive security updates to brick third-party ink cartridges so that printer owners aren't tricked into printing out cherished family photos with ink that fades over time. Apple insists that its ability to push iOS updates that revoke functionality is about keeping mobile users safe – not monopolizing repair:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/22/vin-locking/#thought-differently

John Deere's killswitches protect you from looters. Adobe's killswitches let them add valuable functionality to their products. Tesla? Well, Tesla at least is refreshingly honest: "We have a killswitch because fuck you, that's why."

These excuses ring hollow because they conspicuously omit the possibility that you could have the benefits without the harms. Like, your tractor could come with a killswitch that you could bypass, meaning you could brick it at a distance, and still fix it yourself. Same with your phone. Software updates that take away functionality you want can be mitigated with the ability to roll back those updates – and by giving users the ability to apply part of a patch, but not the whole patch.

Cloud computing and software as a service are a choice. "Local first" computing is possible, and desirable:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/08/03/there-is-no-cloud/#only-other-peoples-computers

The cheapest rhetorical trick of the tech sector is the "indivisibility gambit" – the idea that these prix-fixe menus could never be served a la carte. Wanna talk to your friends online? Sorry there's just no way to help you do that without spying on you:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/11/08/divisibility/#technognosticism

One important argument over smart-speakers was poisoned by this false dichotomy: the debate about accessibility and IoT gadgets. Every IoT privacy or revocation scandal would provoke blanket statements from technically savvy people like, "No one should ever use one of these." The replies would then swiftly follow: "That's an ableist statement: I rely on my automation because I have a disability and I would otherwise be reliant on a caregiver or have to go without."

But the excluded middle here is: "No one should use one of these because they are killswitched. This is especially bad when a smart speaker is an assistive technology, because those applications are too important to leave up to the whims of giant companies that might brick them or revoke their features due to their own commercial imperatives, callousness, or financial straits."

Like the problem with the "bionic eyes" that Second Sight bricked wasn't that they helped visually impaired people see – it was that they couldn't be operated without the company's ongoing support and consent:

https://spectrum.ieee.org/bionic-eye-obsolete

It's perfectly possible to imagine a bionic eye whose software can be maintained by third parties, whose parts and schematics are widely available. The challenge of making this assistive technology fail gracefully isn't technical – it's commercial.

We're meant to believe that no bionic eye company could survive unless they devise their assistive technology such that it fails catastrophically if the business goes under. But it turns out that a bionic eye company can't survive even if they are allowed to do this.

Even if you believe Milton Friedman's Big Lie that a company is legally obligated to "maximize shareholder value," not even Friedman says that you are legally obligated to maximize companies' shareholder value. The fact that a company can make more money by defrauding you by revoking or bricking the things you buy from them doesn't oblige you to stand up for their right to do this.

Indeed, all of this conduct is arguably illegal, under Section 5 of the FTC Act, which prohibits "unfair and deceptive business practices":

https://pluralistic.net/2023/01/10/the-courage-to-govern/#whos-in-charge

"No one should ever use a smart speaker" lacks nuance. "Anyone who uses a smart speaker should be insulated from unilateral revocations by the manufacturer, both through legal restrictions that bind the manufacturer, and legal rights that empower others to modify our devices to help us," is a much better formulation.

It's only in the land of the Darth Vader MBA that the deal is "take it or leave it." In a good world, we should be able to take the parts that work, and throw away the parts that don't.

(Image: Stock Catalog/https://www.quotecatalog.com, Sam Howzit; CC BY 2.0; modified)

If you'd like an essay-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/2023/10/26/hit-with-a-brick/#graceful-failure

[divulgetech]

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[open-hearth-rpg]

Journeys: Great RPG Mechanics #RPGMechanics: Week Five

In Playing at the World Jon Peterson mentions the impact of the board game Outdoor Survival (1972). It influenced early D&D– framing the act of crossing wild distances as an adventure unto itself, with perils beyond monsters. This theme appeared in several early board games– traveling out into a blank map, filling it in, and dealing with random events (Source of the Nile, Magic Realm, The Mystic Wood). The third booklet of original Dungeons & Dragons, “The Underworld & Wilderness Adventures,” specifically references Outdoor Survival and using it in play. 

So, while dungeons have always captured the imagination, travelling through great spans has always been a close-run second. The popularity of hex-crawls and point-crawls, moving through unknown space, illustrates something basic. There’s no functional difference between different spaces and locations within a game. A dungeon, in terms of motion through it, mechanically operates like a forest or a city. The party moves through a space and arrives at an event. There’s some description possibly of the passage, but functionally it is the same. 

The difference lies in the trappings and mechanics: time, obstacles, physicality, travel resources, etc. There are some meta-considerations as well. I remember running a city-based campaign which had a set of maps I’d drawn of different neighborhoods and areas. I had a player complain that he wanted a traveling campaign, to see different things. I explained that the city was varied and interesting– going to other places and neighborhoods could be just as cool. We went back and forth as I tried to drill down on what he wanted. 

It eventually came out that he wanted a game where his character could loot, destroy, and shit on folks and then move on. Having a game in a city meant he’d have to deal with people and potentially suffer consequences. 

In any case, if time and distance function mechanically the same across different sizes and instances (dungeon, wilderness, city), how does a game differentiate? The most common tool has been random encounters– with chances varying based on the terrain. Different environments have different appearance rates. That’s an approach ubiquitous to early FRPGs. That might then be elaborated with guidelines for speed, exhaustion, weather, supply, and encumbrance. The level depends on how crunchy the game is. In fact these kinds of systems have been a hallmark of trad approaches. 

So it was interesting to see a more modern, story-driven game take a swing at travel and work to integrate it into play. The One Ring (with the original subtitle of Adventures over the Edge of the Wild) aims for this. TOR has some trappings of the trad game, like Encumbrance but handled simply. It has the need for a map and the calculation of possible distance and travel time. Resolution here goes through setting route, judging distance, multiplying by terrain, and comparing that to speed. That generally determines the number of fatigue tests being made. 

Those tests are made by the traveling companions, with each having a different role. We have the Guide (making decisions), Scout (setting up camp), Huntsman (finding food), Look-out Man (keeping watch). Journeys have a set procedure beyond fatigue tests with players carrying out their role and comparing it to a hazard target, with different events possible.   

Forbidden Lands takes a page from TOR, echoing this procedure. It falls somewhere between Mutant: Year Zero’s zone exploration and TOR’s role system. In practice it feels a little more mechanical and wearing than a Tolkien-esque journey. Forbidden Land’s travel can be brutal– that’s a feature of the base game system. The land is supposed to be harsh, newly opened after a post-apocalyptic calamity. In that sense it works, but in play it can seem absolutely punishing for players who don’t expect it. I definitely want to explore travel in play– with something more than just an Undertake a Perilous Journey move. In theory I love the idea of a deep journey procedure, but neither TOR or FL exactly hit what I want. The former feels like too much calculation and too many rolls potentially and the latter like a procedure for beating down the player’s resources. I love the idea of Journey mechanics, but I want something which falls in the middle of those– offers interesting play, adds to the story, and feels like the sweeping grandeur of crossing great distances.

[coldalbion]

“There is a lot of non-specificity in the tech itself, and brands are pretty risk averse to avoid controversy, or even the appearance of controversy,” Krzysztof Franaszek founder of the Adalytics ad quality and transparency platform told 404 Media. “This may have unintended consequences where they basically defund or demonetize certain journalism.”

How all of this works in practice is pretty complicated. It’s not the case that sites like Jezebel have no ads on them. Programmatic ads work with an auction system where advertisers “bid” for placement against certain types of content. Many brand safety tools “pre-bid,” so news content that is deemed risky by adtech systems are likely to sell ads to lower-quality advertisers for rates that are much lower than brand safe content.

Franaszek’s research has claimed that words like “abortion,” “pro-choice,” “pro-life,” “wade,” “gay,” “transgender,” “sexual,” regularly show up on brand safety keyword blocklists, which four different industry experts told 404 Media are extensive, ever growing, and rarely updated. Integral Ad Science, one of the third-party companies that helps brands with brand safety ad suitability, said what Franaszek found was ���not advertiser blocklists.” One expert who requested anonymity to talk about specifics, said that the names of towns where mass shootings occurred would sometimes be placed on advertiser blocklists then never removed. "

[feminist-space]

"Just weeks before the implosion of AllHere, an education technology company that had been showered with cash from venture capitalists and featured in glowing profiles by the business press, America’s second-largest school district was warned about problems with AllHere’s product.

As the eight-year-old startup rolled out Los Angeles Unified School District’s flashy new AI-driven chatbot — an animated sun named “Ed” that AllHere was hired to build for $6 million — a former company executive was sending emails to the district and others that Ed’s workings violated bedrock student data privacy principles.

Those emails were sent shortly before The 74 first reported last week that AllHere, with $12 million in investor capital, was in serious straits. A June 14 statement on the company’s website revealed a majority of its employees had been furloughed due to its “current financial position.” Company founder and CEO Joanna Smith-Griffin, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles district said, was no longer on the job.

Smith-Griffin and L.A. Superintendent Alberto Carvalho went on the road together this spring to unveil Ed at a series of high-profile ed tech conferences, with the schools chief dubbing it the nation’s first “personal assistant” for students and leaning hard into LAUSD’s place in the K-12 AI vanguard. He called Ed’s ability to know students “unprecedented in American public education” at the ASU+GSV conference in April.

Through an algorithm that analyzes troves of student information from multiple sources, the chatbot was designed to offer tailored responses to questions like “what grade does my child have in math?” The tool relies on vast amounts of students’ data, including their academic performance and special education accommodations, to function.

Meanwhile, Chris Whiteley, a former senior director of software engineering at AllHere who was laid off in April, had become a whistleblower. He told district officials, its independent inspector general’s office and state education officials that the tool processed student records in ways that likely ran afoul of L.A. Unified’s own data privacy rules and put sensitive information at risk of getting hacked. None of the agencies ever responded, Whiteley told The 74.

...

In order to provide individualized prompts on details like student attendance and demographics, the tool connects to several data sources, according to the contract, including Welligent, an online tool used to track students’ special education services. The document notes that Ed also interfaces with the Whole Child Integrated Data stored on Snowflake, a cloud storage company. Launched in 2019, the Whole Child platform serves as a central repository for LAUSD student data designed to streamline data analysis to help educators monitor students’ progress and personalize instruction.

Whiteley told officials the app included students’ personally identifiable information in all chatbot prompts, even in those where the data weren’t relevant. Prompts containing students’ personal information were also shared with other third-party companies unnecessarily, Whiteley alleges, and were processed on offshore servers. Seven out of eight Ed chatbot requests, he said, are sent to places like Japan, Sweden, the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Australia and Canada.

Taken together, he argued the company’s practices ran afoul of data minimization principles, a standard cybersecurity practice that maintains that apps should collect and process the least amount of personal information necessary to accomplish a specific task. Playing fast and loose with the data, he said, unnecessarily exposed students’ information to potential cyberattacks and data breaches and, in cases where the data were processed overseas, could subject it to foreign governments’ data access and surveillance rules.

Chatbot source code that Whiteley shared with The 74 outlines how prompts are processed on foreign servers by a Microsoft AI service that integrates with ChatGPT. The LAUSD chatbot is directed to serve as a “friendly, concise customer support agent” that replies “using simple language a third grader could understand.” When querying the simple prompt “Hello,” the chatbot provided the student’s grades, progress toward graduation and other personal information.

AllHere’s critical flaw, Whiteley said, is that senior executives “didn’t understand how to protect data.”

...

Earlier in the month, a second threat actor known as Satanic Cloud claimed it had access to tens of thousands of L.A. students’ sensitive information and had posted it for sale on Breach Forums for $1,000. In 2022, the district was victim to a massive ransomware attack that exposed reams of sensitive data, including thousands of students’ psychological evaluations, to the dark web.

With AllHere’s fate uncertain, Whiteley blasted the company’s leadership and protocols.

“Personally identifiable information should be considered acid in a company and you should only touch it if you have to because acid is dangerous,” he told The 74. “The errors that were made were so egregious around PII, you should not be in education if you don’t think PII is acid.”

Read the full article here:

https://www.the74million.org/article/whistleblower-l-a-schools-chatbot-misused-student-data-as-tech-co-crumbled/

[theamityelf]

Can you give more detail of mini non amnesiac sdr2 dynamic between Makoto and Nagito and how they differ from the amnesia one

Good question! Let me see...

So, in the amnesia version, Nagito is initially coming at it from the perspective of a school mentor meeting his mentee and they both happen to be in a killing game. His vibe there is very much, "So here's the laundry room. People often forget coins in the washing machines. Are you thinking of killing anyone yet? Oh, don't use that dryer; it always takes two runs for it to get things dry."

He does believe that this bad situation will create a good outcome, and he is excited to see what the Ultimates will make of it, but he's not pushing too hard for this to be a despair that creates the greatest hope, because initially this just reads as a pretty normal kidnapping. It's not like SDR2, where everyone has been taken to a secluded island, they're all strangers, memory-wise he's pretty fresh off the news that he's sick, and reality is heightened in a number of ways that make it easy for him to think this is the time to turn coal into diamonds. He knows his classmates, he's spent a year at Hope's Peak, and he's honestly more curious about what happened to allow a killing game to be going on at Hope's Peak than invested in putting his finger on the scale.

After all, the building they're in is definitely Hope's Peak. Maybe this is a test from the faculty. He doesn't know what they're testing exactly, but he can't imagine the lucksters are meant to hog the spotlight. They should act natural and do their best to learn how to be of use.

That changes in Chapter 2, when they see the note that says Hope's Peak closed down a year ago. At that point, memory loss is on the table, and also Hope's Peak as an institution is contextually under threat. Monokuma said right in the beginning that he was doing this for "despair", but now Nagito knows it's probably not Hope's Peak using despair as a tool to make the Ultimates greater; the Ultimates are the delegates of Hope's Peak, against this third party. They need to beat Monokuma and whoever's behind him.

Unfortunately, in order to do that, he still believes they need to use the despair of the killing game as a means of strengthening their hope, so from then on it's Nagito in SDR2 mode trying to be a stepping stone for the participants while Makoto's insistence that that's not right gradually causes Nagito to realize that the hope he's been looking for has been right there all along.

Throughout that whole version of the AU, Nagito continues to treat Makoto as his mentee; the last thing Hope's Peak told him was to look out for his kouhai, and he will. Whatever else he's doing, he will still be taking Makoto under his wing. Makoto's a nice guy; it feels good to help him, anyway.

In the non-amnesia version, he goes into it personally knowing everyone involved except Izuru. He's been Makoto's mentor at school; Makoto just doesn't remember. He knows Makoto's a nice guy who's good at making friends. And he knows this is a hope vs. despair battle, being televised to the world. There is no period of figuring things out or deciding how to approach things; right away he's trying to instigate constantly. To that end, he's pretty dismissive of Makoto, kind of steamrolling his questions and using every interaction as an attempt to convince or trick him into doing something for the killing game.

The relationship forms despite Nagito's disinterest. Everyone has to take care of their tiny senpai, and Makoto is serious about making sure Nagito is comfortable and getting enough food. It goes against Nagito's vibe of despairful self-neglect, but Nagito finds himself really enjoying the attention. He doesn't identify Makoto's hope as such very quickly, because he's too busy treating Makoto as an undeserved indulgence on his own part to consciously notice things like his integrity and his endurance. He honestly might not think to consider Makoto hopeful until Makoto is seconds from being executed. Just a kind of helpless, "Wait, that was hope! It was him all along!"

[masroordreeshak]

Enhancing Moodle™ Functionality with Custom Plugin Development

As online learning continues to expand, educational institutions and businesses seek innovative ways to improve their learning management systems (LMS) for a more engaging user experience. Moodle™ stands out as a robust, open-source LMS that provides extensive capabilities. However, with custom plugin development, Moodle™ can be tailored even further to meet specific needs, improve user engagement, and enhance functionality. In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of custom plugins for Moodle™, including how they can support branded app development, course management, data analytics, and more.

1. Why Custom Plugin Development for Moodle™?

Custom plugin development transforms Moodle™ from a general-purpose platform into a tailored solution, meeting unique organizational requirements. From enabling offline access to offering a user-friendly interface, custom plugins allow organizations to add or modify features to align perfectly with their needs. This can be particularly valuable for institutions aiming for a branded experience, as custom branding apps can showcase their brand identity within the learning platform.

2. Enhancing Course Management and User Engagement

Course management is at the core of any LMS, and Moodle™ is no exception. With custom plugins, organizations can streamline the course setup process, add new course formats, and even offer personalized learning paths. Plugins designed for course management also help instructors and admins manage large courses effectively, ensuring a smoother learning experience for students.

An optimized course management process leads to higher engagement and retention. Features like real-time communication plugins allow students and instructors to interact instantly, creating a collaborative learning environment. Adding plugins that support multi-device compatibility ensures that users can access course content seamlessly, whether they’re on a desktop, tablet, or smartphone.

3. Branded App Development for Moodle™

For organizations looking to create a unique identity, branded app development for Moodle™ offers a powerful solution. Through branded apps, institutions can provide learners with an app that not only matches their brand's look and feel but also offers all necessary Moodle™ functionalities. With Moodle™ software app development, businesses can ensure their platform reflects their brand’s values and aesthetics, fostering a stronger connection with learners.

By incorporating plugins that allow customizable features, branded apps can be fine-tuned to prioritize certain functionalities, like quick access to course content or communication tools. Custom plugins also help optimize the app for performance and usability, resulting in a superior user experience.

4. Offline Access and Multi-Device Compatibility

One of the common challenges in e-learning is ensuring that users have access to content regardless of their internet connection or device. With custom plugins, Moodle™ can be equipped to support offline access, allowing users to download content for later use. This functionality is particularly beneficial for users in remote areas or for students who need flexibility in accessing learning materials.

Furthermore, multi-device compatibility is essential in today’s mobile-first world. Custom plugins can ensure Moodle™ functions seamlessly across different devices, from desktops to smartphones, enhancing accessibility for all users.

5. Improving User Experience with a User-Friendly Interface

A user-friendly interface is key to keeping learners engaged. Custom plugins can be developed to simplify navigation, making it easier for users to find what they need. Plugins focused on creating a user-friendly interface can transform Moodle™ by optimizing the layout, reducing clutter, and adding visual cues that improve usability.

6. Strengthening Security and Privacy

Security and privacy are critical considerations in any online learning platform. Custom plugins can be designed to enhance security and privacy features in Moodle™, ensuring that user data is protected. From additional login verification methods to restricted access for sensitive information, plugins can bolster the security framework of Moodle™, building trust with users.

7. Leveraging Data Analytics for Informed Decision-Making

Custom plugins that offer data analytics are invaluable for tracking learner progress, identifying patterns, and making data-driven decisions. With data analytics plugins, institutions can gain insights into course performance, learner engagement, and completion rates. These insights can then guide improvements in course content and teaching methods, optimizing the learning experience.

8. Integration with Third-Party Tools

Another advantage of custom plugin development for Moodle™ is the ability to integrate with other tools and software. From integrating with communication platforms to data storage and CRM systems, integration with tools via plugins helps streamline processes and create a cohesive learning ecosystem. These integrations allow Moodle™ to work in harmony with other platforms, enhancing overall functionality and user convenience.

9. Regular Updates for Continuous Improvement

Custom plugins allow organizations to keep their Moodle™ platform up-to-date with the latest features. Regular updates to plugins ensure that Moodle™ remains compatible with new technologies and user expectations. Moreover, with custom plugins, organizations can adapt and evolve their LMS to address emerging trends in e-learning, providing learners with a modern and relevant experience.

Conclusion

Custom plugin development enhances Moodle™ functionality by tailoring it to meet specific needs. From branded app development to data analytics and security enhancements, custom plugins transform Moodle™ into a more versatile and powerful LMS. By adopting custom plugin development, organizations can create a unique, engaging, and effective learning platform that aligns with their branding and goals. Embracing these customized solutions ensures a user-centered, accessible, and future-ready LMS experience.

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[genericpuff]

(about the bell post) i dont know anything about lore olympus but is there something inherently bad in using free stock images? like, thats what stock images are for right? i know that its probably lazy or whatever but is that the only problem? /genuine

Part of the issue with using stock photos is licensing. Like fonts, they're in abundance online and easy to snag for "free", but as soon as you enter commercial work, it becomes a legal minefield. Stock photos typically belong to either individuals or corporations that rely on people buying the rights to those photos to use them; if they don't, they could very well be sued for copyright infringement.

In that respect, emojis fall into a similar grey area. Some emojis are public domain/open source meaning they're free to use for everyone. But many are not. It's why different social media platforms and different phone providers use different emoji's - it's not purely for branding (though that is a factor as Facebook emojis have become distinguishable from Android emojis) but also for ownership.

So, in the legal sense, I do not know if the bell emoji that Rachel used in LO is legally hers to use, or if it's even subject to such laws (it could be an open source image meaning it's free-for-all). I'm hoping for her sake she's not breaking any sort of copyright ownership laws, but I'm also not a lawyer and wouldn't know how to get that information even if I wanted to lmao

Aside from the legal, it's also just... sigh I'm gonna get into more opinionated territory here, but even if something is open source, even if you're legally free to use a stock photo or other tool to create your comic, there's also the ethics/integrity of it. Lore Olympus is not a Canvas comic. It is not an indie hobbyist project. It's a commercial product with multiple people working on it behind the scenes, book deals, merch deals, a TV deal, and an upcoming feature at this year's SDCC, with Rachel headlining alongside Cassandra Claire (Mortal Instruments) and Jeff Smith (BONE). Webtoons is trying very hard to market LO as a 'flagship' series and convince the public that it can stand alongside other literature juggernauts.

What I'm trying to say here is, if Rachel did legally use it, it doesn't make it any less cheap. There's a lot of discussion in the art field over the usage of external tools and assets in art creation, especially here in the west. 3D models, AI shaders, gradient maps - there are tons of things that exist now that stand to benefit artists, but can be abused or used poorly, being used as less of a tool to benefit an artist with pre-existing skills and more as a cheap shortcut to circumvent actual skill/effort.

The bell emoji isn't the heart of the issue I pointed out in that post. If it were an isolated thing, if LO were an otherwise impeccable comic with high-effort art and just one little picture of a bell, it wouldn't be that big of an issue.

But LO isn't that comic. The recipe of its art development week after week has become very cheap and low-effort, and the bell is really just the cherry on top.

And just to make it clear, I do stand by artists being able to use tools that make their lives easier. None of this is to say it's wrong to use stock images, or 3D models, or gradient maps, or whatever have you. Those tools exist to help and can be used in fun and experimental ways to bring new perspectives and life to your work. And I'm not going to scrutinize whatever shortcuts are being used in a comic that's being made for free by a hobbyist or someone who's still learning.

But like all tools, there are still ways to use them to the detriment of your own work, either due to a lack of understanding as to how that tool works, or lack of effort to blend it into your work. It can make it glaringly obvious that third-party assets are being used, and can often distract from what you've drawn (the complete opposite of what most people are trying to achieve).

When I think of art shortcuts and tools being used poorly, I think of Let's Play and its stock photo background characters.

I think of Time Gate: [AFTERBIRTH]'s stiff default 3D models that result in lifeless poses and restricted body types, which I am VERY eager to move on from LMAO

I think of LO's 3D backgrounds with only 1-2 colors thrown in and the characters floating in front of them. Or sometimes no characters at all even when people are speaking.

And of course, I think of the emoji bell, which could have easily just been drawn as a door or an actual doorbell, and not some random grey bell copied and pasted from a Google search.

All that's to say, too much reliance on poorly-implemented assets can take a great piece of work down to a mediocre one. Of course, the assets definitely aren't the only issue with LO, but they are definitely a piece of the problem. There might not be anything 'wrong' with using assets, but they can still be used poorly or result in cheap-looking work and that's primarily what I'm calling out here.

[noticiassincensura]

Zuckerberg is now taking on Google: Meta prepares its own AI-powered search engine

Mark Zuckerberg with the Google icon in a modified image

Meta is reportedly developing an AI-based search engine to be used with its ‘Meta AI’ chatbot.

October 29, 2024–08:41 AM

After decades of dominating the Internet, Google now faces multiple challenges, with little time to react. The launch of ChatGPT dealt a significant blow to Google, which had already been researching generative AI for years but didn’t yet have a commercial product. The rapid development of Gemini was its response, but now another formidable competitor has emerged, one that may make things even harder for Google.

We’re talking about Meta, the company that even changed its name to bet on the metaverse, but which, in recent months, has shifted its focus toward Artificial Intelligence. And far from being at a disadvantage, the company led by Mark Zuckerberg has managed to quickly get on par by integrating Meta AI into WhatsApp, Instagram, and the rest of its platform’s apps.

Now, according to The Information, Meta is preparing a game-changing move that could mean we no longer need to rely on Google: its own search engine. According to internal sources, the company has been using ‘crawlers’ — programs that index the Internet, much like those used by Google’s search engine to discover new pages for user searches.

Until now, Meta has been content to use Google’s search engine or Microsoft Bing when users asked Meta AI questions about news or recent events; however, with its own search engine, Meta would no longer rely on third parties, allowing it to deliver a more tailored experience with greater control over the results. In addition to web indexing, Meta will use direct access to Reuters, thanks to an agreement signed last week allowing its AI to use news published by the agency for its responses.

Until recently, no one wanted to directly challenge Google with their own search engine — even Apple abandoned such an idea despite wanting to separate from its major competitor. But new AI-powered tools have opened the door for other Internet giants to offer their own search engines. However, Meta’s search engine would only be available within Meta AI, the chatbot that lets users start conversations with AI through any of the apps on its platform.

Meta isn’t the only one going after Google. The creators of ChatGPT have already announced their search engine, SearchGPT, and Microsoft used Copilot to boost traffic to Bing. In other words, Google suddenly has a lot of competition in its original product, and the question now is how it will respond.

[vergess]

You are the mutual I know who uses linux, and I have a half-broken dinosaur of a laptop I want to see if linux would make usable again.

Its 8+ years old, cannot connect to the internet for a reason that may be software related or might not(its a mystery), and has other various issues.

My use of it would Primarily be as a on-the-go text & html editor and if I can get the internet running on it then also firefox as well. Maybe some offline emulation of some older games or a simple linux supported drawing program but that isnt essential.

The question is Thus: If I download a linux mint installer and copy to a flashdrive(presuming you can download the file without it starting to set up the OS instantly), is that all thats necessary to upload linux mint onto a laptop that has no internet capabilities?

Also which version of linux mint should I use? I see there are several. This laptop 3 years ago ran windows 10 ok enough to boot up chrome and use the internet, but now it takes like 15 mins to finish loading enough that you can open programs, as a metric.

Thanks and hope you have a nice day!

Yes, most linux distros will run on a machine that age, and with a surprising degree of vitality. Game emulation should work just fine, unless the computer was very low power even for 2015.

On a mech that old, I'd suggest just checking if the tiny wire for the wifi card has popped loose over time. They are snap-on wire heads that don't lock, so especially with laptops, disconnections like that happen.

Your wifi card should look a lot like this:

I've circled the two tiny ports, and drawn arrows to identify which cables. The whole wifi card will be about an inch across, and is the ONLY thing that uses those kind of wires, so it's very identifiable.

Linux mint is designed to install offline, and includes a wide variety of open source and generic drivers for just.... so much hardware. When you begin installation, it will ask you if you want to use, "third party, private and proprietary drivers." If you say yes, it will want an internet connection to download those drivers. If you say no, it will install entirely offline without issue.

As for which version: the only difference is the visuals. I, personally, like XFCE because it has very minimal visual noise. Everything is simple rectangles with sharp corners and clear boundaries. This lack of visual flair also means it uses the least resources to run the OS, leaving more hardware power available for actual tasks. However, it's a very intimidating desktop. If you liked Windows XP but haven't enjoyed much since, grab XFCE.

If you are a Mac/apple user, I actually recommend Kubuntu instead of Mint, because it has the most similar interface visually and will cause the least transition pains. Kubuntu has equally if not even more robust hardware support to Mint, as both of them are built on top of the Ubuntu framework.

For everyone else, I suggest starting with Mint Cinnamon. I have actually, with no reservations, had way better results teaching confused retirees to run Cinnamon than Windows or Mac. It's a very user friendly interface.

The start bar search, for example, literally just shows results for files/programs installed to your computer, none of this bs about integrated web searching.

As for installation tools:

You must burn the ISO file to the flashdrive as a bootable disk, rather than simply copying the file to it. I'm sure you know that; it's the same for installing windows. But! People often forget that detail and wonder why their computer keeps booting to windows instead of the installation media.

I personally use LiLiUSB because I'm stuck mentally in the year 2014 which is when it stopped updating. For a more sane approach, try Balena Etcher. Or whatever bootable drive software you like; it doesn't really matter. You just need to make the drive bootable before installation.

[wpwasimakram0]

20 Reasons Why Do you create website using WordPress CMS?

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Reasons to Use WordPress CMS:

User-Friendly Interface

Easy to learn and manage, even for non-technical users.

Customizability

Thousands of themes and plugins allow for extensive customization.

SEO-Friendly

Built-in SEO features and plugins like Yoast SEO make optimization easier.

Responsive Design

Most WordPress themes are mobile-friendly and responsive.

Cost-Effective

Offers free and paid themes and plugins, catering to different budgets.

Flexibility

Suitable for any type of website: blogs, portfolios, e-commerce, forums, etc.

E-Commerce Capabilities

Easily integrates with WooCommerce for building online stores.

Community Support

Large, active community of developers and users for troubleshooting.

Regular Updates

Frequent updates ensure security and feature enhancements.

Multilingual Support

Allows for easy creation of multilingual websites through plugins like WPML.

Content Management

Simplifies the process of creating, editing, and organizing content.

Security Features

Numerous plugins and best practices help enhance website security.

Scalability

Can handle both small blogs and large-scale websites with high traffic.

Third-Party Integrations

Compatible with various tools like CRMs, analytics, and marketing platforms.

Open Source

Free and open-source, giving developers full control over the codebase.

Time Efficiency

Ready-to-use themes and plugins reduce development time.

Multimedia Handling

Supports various media types, including images, videos, and audio files.

Custom Post Types

Ability to create and manage custom content types beyond posts and pages.

Easy Maintenance

Intuitive dashboard and automation tools make website maintenance simple.

Integration with Social Media

Easily integrates with social platforms to enhance engagement.