#may your software never crash before saving

[idliketobeatree]

dark red and ginger crowley fighting to the death in the back alley just so aziraphale can stand there, unmoored, with his #FFFFFF hex code hair

[brotherconstant]

GIFMAKING TUTORIAL: PHOTOPEA (for Windows)

Screencapping

Gif Width/Size Limit/Ezgif

Loading Frames

Cropping and Resizing

Rasterize/Make Frames

Sharpening

Coloring (not detailed. Links to other tutorials included)

Exporting

Obligatory Mentions: @photopeablr ; @miwtual ; @benoitblanc ; @ashleysolsen Definitely check out these blogs for tips, tutorials and resources, they're a gold mine. Finally I recommend browsing the PHOTOPEA TUTORIAL / PHOTOPEA TUTORIAL GIF tags. DISCLAIMER: English is not my first language and I'm not an expert on what I'm going to discuss, so if anything's unclear feel free to drop another ask.

1. SCREENCAPPING -> PotPlayer (the one I use) or MVP or KMPlayer

INSTALL PotPlayer (tutorial)

Play your movie/episode and press Ctrl + G. The Consecutive Image Capturer window will pop up. Click Start to capture consecutive frames, Stop when you got what you needed.

Where it says "Image Type -> Format" I recommend picking PNG, for higher quality screencaps.

To access the folder where the screencaps are stored, type %appdata% in windows search, open the PotPlayerMini64 folder (or 32, depending on your system) and then the Capture folder. That's where you'll find your screencaps.

Admittedly MVP is a lot faster but I prefer Potplayer because it generates (at least in my case) higher quality screencaps. MVP kind of alters the hue and it made it harder for me to color my gifs. Still, if you're interested in how to use it, I recommend this tutorial.

As for KMPlayer, every tutorial out there is outdated and I couldn't figure out the new version of the software.

2. GIF WIDTH/HEIGHT, SIZE LIMIT, EZGIF OPTMIZER

At this point you should already know how big your gifs are going to be. Remember the ideal gif width(s) on tumblr are 540 px / 268 px / 177 px. These specific numbers take into account the 4 px space between the gifs. No restrictions on height. Here are some examples:

You can play around with the height (177x400, 177x540, 268x200, 268x268, 268x350, 268x400, 540x440, 540x500, 540x540 etc) but if you go over the 10 MB limit you'll either have to make your gifs smaller/delete some frames.

OR you can go on ezgif and optimize your gif, which is usually what I do. The quality might suffer a little, but I'm not really (that) obsessed with how crispy my gifs look, or I'd download photoshop.

Depending on the gif size, you can decrease the compression level. I've never had to go over 35. It's better to start at 5 (minimum) and then go from there until you reach your desired ( <10mb) gif size. Now that I think about it I should have included this passage at the end of the tutorial, I guess I'll just mention it again.

3. LOAD YOUR FRAMES

File -> Open... -> Pick one of your screencaps. The first one, the last one, a random one. Doesn't matter. That's your Background.

File -> Open & Place -> Select all the frames (including the one you already loaded in the previous passage) you need for your gif and load them.

(I recommend creating a specific folder for the screencaps of each gif you're going to make.)

WARNING: When you Place your screencaps make sure the Crop tool is NOT selected, especially if you've already used it and the width/height values have been entered. It will mess things up - I don't know why, could be a bug.

You can either select them all with Ctrl+A or with the method I explained in the ask: "when you want to select more than one frame or all frames at once select the first one, then scroll to the bottom and, while pressing Shift, select the last one. this way ALL your frames will be selected".

WARNING: Depending on how fast your computer is / on your RAM, this process may take a while. My old computer was old and slow af, while my new one can load even a 100 frames relatively fast, all things considered. Even so, I recommend ALWAYS saving your work before loading new frames for a new gif, because photopea might crash unexpectedly. Just save your work as often as you can, even while coloring or before exporting. Trust me, I speak from experience.

Now you can go ahead and delete the Background at the bottom, you won't need it anymore.

4. CROPPING AND RESIZING

Right now your screencaps are still smart objects. Before rasterizing and converting to frames, you need to crop your gif.

Technically you can rasterize/convert to frames and then crop, BUT if you do it in that order photopea will automatically delete the cropped pixels, even if you don't select the "Delete Cropped Pixels" Option. Might be another bug, unclear. Basically, if you crop your gif and then realize you cropped a little too much to the left or the right, you can go ahead, select the Move Tool (shortcut: V) and, after selecting ALL YOUR FRAMES, move them around on your canvas until you are satisfied. You won't be able to do this if you rasterize first and then crop, the excess pixels will be deleted. I don't know why, I found out by accident lol.

CROPPING

(Cropped pixels: the gray/opaque area outside of the selected area. That area disappears once you press enter and crop, but the pixels are retained, so you can move the frames around and reposition them as you like. In this case I could move the frames to the left and include Silver's figure [curly guy in the foreground] in the crop)

After deleting the Background, you will need to select all your frames (using the Shift key), use the C shortcut on your keyboard to choose the Crop tool. Or you can click on it, whatever's more convenient. Once you do that, a dropdown menu is going to appear. You need to select the "FIXED SIZE" option, as shown in the following screencap.

Once you do that, you can type in your desired width and height. Do not immediately press enter.

Your work area should now look like this. Now you can click on one of the white squares and enlarge the selected area until the edges are lined up. You can then move it around until it covers the area you wish to gif.

WARNING: to move the big rectangle around, you're gonna have to click on a random point of the work area, PREFERABLY not to close to the rectangle itself, or you might accidentally rotate it.

See? When your cursor is close to the selected area it turns into this rotating tool. Move it away until it reverts to your usual cursor, then you can start moving the rectangle. Press Enter when you're satisfied with the area you selected.

RESIZE

This isn't always necessary (pretty much never in my case) - and it's a passage I often forget myself - but it's mentioned in most of the tutorials I came across over the years, so I'd be remiss if I didn't include it in mine. After cropping, you'll want to resize your image.

IMAGE -> Image Size...

This window will pop up. Now, should the values in the Width and Height space be anything other than 540 and 400 (or the values you entered yourself, whatever they might be) you need to correct that. They've always been correct in my case, but again. Had to mention it.

5. RASTERIZE & MAKE FRAMES

Now that your screencaps are cropped, you can go ahead and convert them.

LAYER -> Rasterize (if you skip this passage you won't be able to Sharpen (or use any filter) on your frames at once. You'll have to Sharpen your frames one by one.

Photopea doesn't feature a timeline and it's not a video editor, which makes this passage crucial. When you select all your smart objects and try to apply a filter, the filter will only by applied to ONE frame. Once you rasterize your smart objects and make them into frames, you can select them all and sharpen them at once. Unfortunately this also means that you won't be able to - I don't know how to explain this properly so bear with me - use all smart filters/use them in the same way a photoshop user can. For example, you can sharpen / remove noise / add noise / unsharp mask... but you can't act on those filters in the same way a photoshop user can. When you work on smart objects you can change the blend mode - which is critical if you decide to use a filter like High Pass. If you simply apply a high pass filter on photopea you won't be able to change the blend mode and your gif will look like this (following screencaps). Or rather, you will be able to change the blend mode by clicking on the little wheel next to "High pass" (circled in green in the 2nd screencap), but you'll have to apply the filter to each frame manually, one by one.

Then you can rasterize/make into frames, but it's extremely time consuming. I did it once or twice when I first started making gifs and it got old pretty soon haha.

Layer -> Animation -> Make frames. This passage will add "_a_" at the beginning of all your frames and it's what allows you to make a (moving) gif. As I said in the ask, if you skip this passage your gif will not move.

6. SHARPENING

Some people prefer to color first and sharpen later, but I found that sharpening filters (more or less) dramatically alter the aspect of your gif and already brighten it a bit (depending on your settings) and you may end up with an excessively bright gif.

Now, sharpening settings are not necessarily set in stone. The most popular ones are 500/0.4 + 10/10, which I use sometimes. But you may also need to take into account the quality of the files you're working with + the specific tv show you're giffing. I've been using different settings for pretty much every tv show I gif, especially in the last couple months. Some examples:

followed by

OR

AMOUNT: 500% RADIUS 0.3px followed by AMOUNT: 20% (or 10%) RADIUS 10px

You'll just need to experiment and see what works best for your gifs.

Some gifmakers use the UNSHARP MASK filter as well (I think it's pretty popular among photopea users?) but it makes my gifs look extra grainy, makes the borders look super bright and it clashes with my coloring method(s), so I use it rarely and with very moderate settings. Something like this:

Again, depends on the gif and on what you like. I've seen it used with great results by other gifmakers!

REDUCE NOISE

Sometimes - and this is especially the case for dark scenes - your gif may look excessively grainy, depending on how bright you want to make it. Reducing noise can help. Keep it mind, it can also make it worse and mess up the quality. BUT it also reduces the size of your gif. Obviously, the higher the settings, the more quality will suffer.

These are my standard settings (either 2/70% or 2/80%). It's almost imperceptible, but it helps with some of the trickier scenes.

ADDING NOISE

Adding noise (1% or 2% max) can sometimes help with quality (or make it worse, just like reduce noise) but it will make your gif so so so much bigger, and occasionally damage the frames, which means you won't be able to load your gif on tumblr, so I rarely use it.

You'll also want to create ACTIONS which will allow you to sharpen your gifs much faster.

HOW TO CREATE AN ACTION ON PHOTOPEA

The Action Button (shaped like a Play button as you can see in the following screencaps) may not be there if you're using photopea for the first time. If that's the case click on the magnifiying glass next to "Account" (in red) and type "actions". Press Enter and the button should immediately show up.

Once you do that, click on the Folder (circled in yellow)

and rename it however you like.

now click on New Action (circled in red). now you can press the Recording button (circled in green)

Now

FILTERS -> Smart Sharpen

and you can enter your values. Then you repeat this passage (WITHOUT pressing rec, WITHOUT pressing new action or anything else, you just open the smart shapen window again) and, if you want, you can sharpen your gif some more (10%, 10px, or anything you want.)

Maybe, before creating an action, experiment with the settings first and see what works best.

When you're satisfied, you can PRESS STOP (it's the rec button, which is now a square) and you can DOWNLOAD your action (downwards facing arrow, the last button next to the bin. Sorry, forgot to circle it) .

You need to download your action and then upload it on your photopea. When you do, a window will pop up and photopea will ask you whether you wish to load the action every time you open the program. You choose "Okay" and the action will be loaded in the storage.

When you want to sharpen your gif, you select all your frames, then you click on the Play button, and select the Action, NOT the folder, or it won't work.

Actions can also be created to more rapidly crop and convert your frames, but it doesn't always work on photopea (for me at least). The process is exactly the same, except once you start recording you 1) crop your gif as explained in step 4, 2) convert into frames. Then you stop the recording and download the action and upload it. This won't work for the Rasterize step by the way. Just the Animation -> Make Frame step.

7. COLORING

Now you can color your gif. I won't include a coloring tutorial simply because I use a different method for every tv show I gif for. You normally want to begin with a brightness or a curve layer, but sometimes I start with a Channel Mixer layer to immediately get rid of yellow/green filters (there's a tutorial for this particular tool which you will find in the list I mention in the link below)

[Plus I'm not really an authority on this matter as my method is generally... fuck around and find out. Two years of coloring and I still have no idea what I'm doing. 70% of the time.]

Simple Gif Coloring for Beginners -> very detailed + it includes a pretty handy list of tutorials at the bottom.

8. EXPORTING

Now you can export your gif. Some gifmakers export their (sharpened) gifs BEFORE coloring and then load the gifs on photopea to color them. I'm not sure it makes any difference.

FILE -> EXPORT AS -> GIF

(not colored, just sharpened)

As you can see, unlike photoshop the exporting settings are pretty thread bare. The only option available is dither - it sometimes help with color banding - which, and I'm quoting from google for maximum clarity:

"refers to the method of simulating colors not available in the color display system of your computer. A higher dithering percentage creates the appearance of more colors and more detail in an image, but can also increase the file size."

SPEED

When you export your gif, it will play at a very decreased speed (100%). I usually set it at 180/190%, but as for every other tool, you might want to play around a little bit.

GIF SIZE/EZGIF OPTIMIZER (See Step 2)

And that's it.

P.S.: worth repeating

Save your work as often as you can, even while coloring or before exporting.

[financeattips]

First Time Investing in Crypto: Tips for New Traders on the Digital Coin Market

This has changed the financial landscape for good; it is the first time in history that investors have a share of this type since cryptocurrency entered the market. But then again, getting into the crypto market to begin with can be incredibly intimidating for a novice. This includes some key tips that you must know for making trade-offs more intelligent and how to invest in cryptocurrencies.

1. Understand the Basics

Understand the basic principles of what Cryptocurrency is, how it works before you invest. If you're unfamiliar, cryptocurrencies are basically decentralized systems, operating with a peer-to-peer framework, that let users do all sorts of things like get rewards for paying on time or using an app. Because they are not organically produced like typical tender, these financial tools are meant to be circulated in a decentralized way via blockchain networks. Educate yourself onwards like blockchain, altcoins, wallets and exchanges.

2. Do Your Research

The value of cryptocurrencies is influenced by a number of factors, and this makes it an extremely volatile market. Learn about various cryptocurrencies and how they are used. Tools like CoinMarketCap and CoinGecko show trends, rankings other handy information regarding ranging and past data. Follow us on Twitter for more news and updates on the Bitcoin space.

3. Diversify Your Portfolio

Investors apply diversification in their investment strategies. Diversify by investing in multiple cryptocurrencies I mean, everyone knows Bitcoin and Ethereum — why not looking a little bit further down the line at some promising altcoins with real fundamentals. A healthy mix of investments can ensure you have a little exposure to any type of gain or loss that may arise.

4. Only Invest What You Can Afford to Lose

The world of crypto is such that even the prices can and do tend to rise or crash in a jiffy, thanks to high volatility. Gamble only with money you can afford to lose without impacting your finances. Never borrow to invest in crypto or use your emergency savings for crypto investing. This approach ensures that you still are able to stay financially safe in case there's a downtrend.

5. Choose a Reliable Exchange

It is important to be sure that you deal with reliable cryptocurrency exchanges for safe trading. Search for exchanges with strong security protocols, a simple UI, and broad coin support. Some of the most trusted exchanges that people have been using include Binance, Coinbase and Kraken. Are they regulated and insured for digital assets.

6. Secure Your Investments

In the world of crypto, security is vital. Keep your cryptocurrencies on hardware wallets or in cold storage solutions; simply turn on 2FA in your exchange accounts and do not publish or disclose the private keys. Keep your software up to date and watch out for phishing attacks and malware.

7. Stay Informed and Adapt

As we know the crypto market is alive and never takes a nap. Learn from the market, regulatory and tech changes. Engage in some of the crypto community forums on platforms like Reddit, Twitter and Telegram to get the benefits of inside knowledge from other investors. Change your investment plan based on new informational and market circumstances

8. Have a Long-Term Perspective

Although there is money in short-term trading, it often requires quite a bit of time and skill to excel what you do. Long term investment strategy If you are beginner, Long term is the best way for you to invest your money from beginning. Look at the long term growth potential of cryptocurrencies instead of trying to make a quick buck. I read many books and listend to a lot of podcasts about the stock market, nearly all these sources agreed that patience and discipline was key to becoming a successful long-term investor.

9. Seek Professional Advice

If you are uncertain about the investments, you can get help from financial advisors or even some crypto experts. They can offer some personalized advice, depending on your financial goals and comfort with risk. Expert help will make it easier for you to manage the particularly volatile world of crypto.

Conclusion

Investing in cryptocurrency can also be a lucrative endeavor as long the trader is well-versed when it comes to his or her craft. These basic principles, combined with extensive research, establishing a diversified portfolio, and security first will put you in good stead on your crypto investment journey. The key is to stay informed, adapt and think long-term in order for you to succeed.

[technology-idea]

Software Testing and Quality Assurance: Safeguarding Your Digital Future

Software Testing and Quality Assurance: Safeguarding Your Digital Future

Introduction

In an era where digital transformation is at the forefront of business strategy, the significance of software testing and quality assurance (QA) has never been more critical. As organizations increasingly depend on software applications to drive their operations and engage with customers, ensuring that these applications are reliable, secure, and user-friendly is paramount. This blog post delves into how software testing and Quality Assurance act as a safeguard for your digital future, targeting developers and business leaders who aim to enhance their software development practices.

The Role of Software Testing & Quality Assurance in Digital Transformation

Software testing is a systematic process that evaluates the functionality, performance, and security of software applications. It involves various methodologies, including manual testing, automated testing, performance testing, and security testing. Each method plays a vital role in ensuring that software meets the required standards before it reaches users.

Functionality Testing: This ensures that all features work as intended. It involves checking the application against its specifications to identify any discrepancies or defects.

Performance Testing: In a world where user expectations are high, performance testing evaluates how well an application performs under various conditions. This includes load testing, stress testing, and scalability testing to ensure that applications can handle increased user demand without degradation.

Security Testing: With cyber threats becoming more sophisticated, security testing is essential to identify vulnerabilities in applications before they can be exploited by malicious actors. This includes penetration testing and vulnerability assessments.

Quality Assurance: A Holistic Approach

Quality assurance encompasses all activities aimed at ensuring that quality standards are met throughout the software development lifecycle (SDLC). It is not limited to just identifying defects; it focuses on improving processes to prevent defects from occurring in the first place.

Process Improvement: Quality Assurance encourages continuous improvement by analyzing processes and implementing best practices. This proactive approach minimizes errors and enhances overall efficiency.

Documentation and Standards: Establishing clear documentation and standards is crucial for maintaining quality. Quality Assurance ensures that all team members understand the requirements and follow established protocols.

Training and Development: Investing in training for development teams enhances their skills in writing quality code and understanding testing methodologies, leading to better outcomes.

The Business Impact of Software Testing and Quality Assurance

Cost Reduction: While it may seem like an added expense, investing in thorough software testing and Quality Assurance can lead to significant cost savings in the long run. Identifying and fixing issues early in the development process is far less expensive than addressing them after release.

Increased Customer Satisfaction: High-quality software leads to satisfied customers. When applications perform well without bugs or crashes, users are more likely to have a positive experience, leading to increased loyalty and retention.

Brand Reputation: In today’s digital age, a company’s reputation can be built or broken based on its software performance. Reliable applications enhance brand trustworthiness, while frequent failures can lead to negative reviews and loss of customers.

Regulatory Compliance: Many industries face strict regulations regarding software quality and data protection (e.g., healthcare, finance). Effective QA processes help ensure compliance with these regulations, reducing the risk of legal issues.

Best Practices for Effective Software Testing and Quality Assurance

Adopt Agile Methodologies: Agile development promotes iterative progress through small increments of work. Integrating QA into Agile practices allows for continuous feedback and rapid adjustments based on testing results.

Implement Automated Testing: Automation can significantly enhance the efficiency of the testing process by allowing repetitive tests to be executed quickly and accurately. This frees up testers to focus on more complex scenarios that require human insight.

Foster Collaboration Between Teams: Encouraging collaboration between development, QA, and operations teams leads to better communication and understanding of requirements. This alignment helps identify potential issues earlier in the process.

Utilize Test-Driven Development (TDD): TDD is a software development approach where tests are written before code implementation. This practice ensures that code meets requirements from the outset, reducing defects later in the process.

Conduct Regular Audits: Regularly reviewing processes and outcomes helps identify areas for improvement within both development practices and QA methodologies.

Conclusion

Software testing and quality assurance are not just technical necessities; they are strategic imperatives that safeguard your digital future. By investing in robust QA practices, organizations can ensure their applications are reliable, secure, and user-friendly—ultimately leading to enhanced customer satisfaction and business success.

[computeroids]

Why Choose Computeroids Driver Updater?

In an era where technology drives every aspect of our personal and professional lives, ensuring that your computer operates at peak performance is crucial. One often overlooked aspect of maintaining your PC’s health is keeping your device drivers up to date. Drivers are essential pieces of software that facilitate communication between your operating system and hardware components, such as your graphics card, sound card, and peripherals. Without them, your hardware may not function correctly, leading to poor performance, crashes, or even security vulnerabilities.

Computeroids Driver Updater is a comprehensive solution designed to handle all your driver update needs. But what sets it apart from other driver updating tools? Below, we explore why you should choose Computeroids Driver Updater to keep your system running smoothly and efficiently.

1. Automatic Driver Scans for Convenience

Manually checking for driver updates can be a time-consuming and technically challenging task. Computeroids Driver Updater eliminates this hassle with its automatic scan feature. The software scans your system, identifies outdated or missing drivers, and provides you with an easy-to-read report on which drivers need updating. This ensures you don’t miss crucial updates and helps avoid the risks associated with outdated drivers, like performance degradation or hardware malfunction.

2. Vast Driver Database for Comprehensive Coverage

One of the biggest advantages of Computeroids Driver Updater is its access to a huge database of drivers, covering a wide range of hardware manufacturers and devices. Whether you're using standard devices like printers, keyboards, and network adapters, or more specialized components like high-end graphics cards and gaming peripherals, Computeroids is designed to handle all types of hardware.

This vast driver repository ensures that you always get the latest, most compatible drivers for your system. Whether your hardware is old or new, the software’s broad compatibility gives you peace of mind knowing that it will be able to find the right drivers for you.

3. One-Click Driver Updates for Simplicity

Ease of use is a major selling point for Computeroids Driver Updater. After scanning your system, updating your drivers is as simple as clicking a single button. This streamlined process eliminates the need for searching manufacturer websites, downloading drivers manually, or risking installing the wrong driver. Instead, the software handles everything behind the scenes, saving you time and effort, and making driver management accessible even for non-tech-savvy users.

4. Improved System Performance and Stability

Outdated drivers can cause sluggish performance, frequent crashes, and general system instability. With Computeroids Driver Updater, keeping drivers updated ensures that your hardware operates at maximum efficiency. Updated drivers often include performance enhancements, bug fixes, and better compatibility with newer software or operating systems, leading to faster load times, smoother operation, and fewer crashes.

For gamers, content creators, or professionals using resource-intensive applications, staying on top of driver updates is especially important for maintaining a seamless and high-performing computing environment.

5. Backup and Restore Functionality for Safety

Driver updates don’t always go as planned. In some cases, new drivers may conflict with your system or lead to unexpected behavior. That’s why Computeroids Driver Updater includes a backup and restore feature. Before updating any drivers, the software automatically backs up your existing ones. If an update causes any issues, you can easily roll back to the previous driver version with just a few clicks. This safety net ensures that you’re never left with an unusable system due to a problematic driver update.

6. Enhanced Security with Verified Drivers

Cybersecurity is an increasing concern for everyone. Unverified or rogue drivers can expose your system to malware or hackers. Computeroids Driver Updater addresses this issue by only sourcing drivers from official and verified sources, ensuring that every driver you download and install is legitimate and safe. This adds an extra layer of protection to your system, keeping both your data and your hardware secure from potential threats.

7. Scheduled Scans for Hands-Off Maintenance

To further simplify system maintenance, Computeroids Driver Updater offers the option to schedule driver scans at regular intervals—daily, weekly, or monthly. With this feature, you don’t need to remember to check for updates. The software will automatically scan your system on your set schedule, keeping your drivers up to date without requiring manual intervention. This is especially useful for busy professionals or casual users who prefer a hands-off approach to system maintenance.

8. Improved Hardware Compatibility and Lifespan

Outdated drivers can lead to hardware miscommunication, rendering your devices unable to work properly with new software or operating system updates. By ensuring that your drivers are always up to date, Computeroids Driver Updater helps improve hardware compatibility with the latest software and ensures longer hardware lifespan. This is especially important for expensive or hard-to-replace components, as keeping drivers updated can prevent unnecessary wear and tear on your system.

9. User-Friendly Interface for All Skill Levels

Whether you're a tech-savvy professional or a casual user, Computeroids Driver Updater is designed with an intuitive, easy-to-navigate interface. The process of scanning for, updating, and managing drivers is laid out in a simple, step-by-step format, making it accessible to users of all skill levels. There’s no need to be a computer expert—Computeroids makes it easy for everyone to maintain their PC’s health.

10. Free and Premium Versions for Flexibility

Another reason to choose Computeroids Driver Updater is its flexibility in pricing. The software offers both free and premium versions. The free version allows users to scan and identify outdated drivers, while the premium version unlocks additional features such as automatic updates, scheduling, and backup functionality. This flexibility makes it easy for users to choose the option that best fits their needs and budget.

Conclusion

Choosing the right driver update software is essential for keeping your computer secure, efficient, and running smoothly. Computeroids Driver Updater stands out due to its user-friendly design, powerful features, and comprehensive driver database. Whether you're looking for better system performance, enhanced security, or a more stable computing experience, Computeroids Driver Updater delivers all of this in a simple, effective package.

With automatic updates, scheduled scans, and built-in safety features, Computeroids Driver Updater provides a hassle-free solution to maintaining your PC’s health—making it the perfect choice for users looking to ensure their computer operates at its best.

[janzenv]

Software Updates & Patch Management: Let Affinity Technology Handle the Technical Side 

Hey there, Newnan and Peachtree City business owners! Are you tired of juggling software updates and worrying about security patches? Do these technical tasks feel like a never-ending chore, stealing time away from what you really want to focus on - growing your business? Well, guess what? You don't have to handle it all yourself! Affinity Technology is here to take the technical burden off your shoulders with their expert software update and patch management services. 

Why Software Updates & Patches Matter (More Than You Might Think) 

You might be wondering, "Are software updates and patches really that important? Can't I just skip them and save some time?" While it might be tempting to hit the "remind me later" button, ignoring updates and patches is a risky move. Here's why: 

Security: Software vulnerabilities are like open doors for cybercriminals. Updates and patches fix these vulnerabilities, keeping your systems and data safe from hackers, malware, and other threats. 

Performance: Updates often include bug fixes and performance improvements, making your software run faster and smoother. 

Compatibility: New software versions may require updates to your existing software to ensure compatibility and avoid conflicts. 

Compliance: Many industries have regulations requiring businesses to keep their software up-to-date. Failing to do so could result in fines and penalties. 

The Challenges of DIY Software Update & Patch Management 

Managing software updates and patches in-house can be a real headache, especially for small businesses. Here are some of the common challenges: 

Time-Consuming: Tracking, testing, and deploying updates can take up a significant amount of time and resources. 

Complexity: Managing updates for multiple software applications and operating systems can be complex and confusing. 

Risk of Errors: One wrong move can lead to system crashes, data loss, or security breaches. 

Why Choose Affinity Technology for Software Update & Patch Management? 

Affinity Technology's expert team takes the hassle out of software updates and patch management. Here's how they can help your business: 

Comprehensive Management: They'll handle all aspects of software update and patch management, from tracking and testing to deployment and verification. 

Proactive Approach: Affinity Technology proactively monitors your software for available updates and patches, ensuring your systems are always up-to-date and secure. 

Automated Deployment: They use automated tools to streamline the update process, saving you time and minimizing disruptions to your business. 

Thorough Testing: Before deploying updates, Affinity Technology thoroughly tests them to ensure compatibility and avoid any potential issues. 

24/7 Monitoring: They continuously monitor your systems to ensure updates are installed correctly and any issues are promptly addressed. 

Expert Support: Their team of IT professionals is always available to answer your questions and provide support. 

The Newnan & Peachtree City Advantage 

Affinity Technology is deeply rooted in our local community. They understand the unique challenges and opportunities that businesses in Newnan and Peachtree City face. Their team of experts is dedicated to helping you leverage technology to achieve your goals and thrive in our local market. 

Benefits of Partnering with Affinity Technology 

Peace of Mind: Knowing your software is always up-to-date and secure gives you peace of mind to focus on your core business. 

Reduced Risk: Proactive patch management minimizes the risk of cyberattacks and system vulnerabilities. 

Improved Productivity: Up-to-date software runs more efficiently, improving your team's productivity. 

Cost Savings: Avoid costly downtime and data loss caused by outdated software. 

Expert Support: You have access to a team of IT professionals whenever you need them. 

Take the Hassle Out of Software Updates 

Don't let software updates and patch management bog you down. Let Affinity Technology handle the technical side, so you can focus on what you do best – running your business. Contact us today to learn more about our software update and patch management services. 

[trilto]

Why should you use GST billing software for your business?

Why should you use GST billing software for your business?

 When it comes to billing, accounting and the challenges firms face, they do not have the proper workforce to handle all these functions alone. In addition, they do not have the money or time to hire someone to do these tasks for them. So, what is the solution? It is a wise idea to use GST billing software. It handles everything from accounting to involvement to sending SMS and emails to your client's cell phone. In this blog, we will learn more about Indian invoice software.

GST software: what is it?

The GST software provides companies, proprietors, and business owners with a broad tool for filing, tracking, and handling their GST returns. Furthermore, it lets you sum up how much GST you'll need to pay, file your returns and pay your taxes on time to avoid fines. There are a lot of benefits for traders, distributors, manufacturers, producers, and retailers when it comes to GST software.

A lack of tech grasp has led to MSMEs and small trades labouring with GST filings. In contrast, some companies have found online filing bulky. Using simple digital tools such as Indian invoice software can assist in overcoming this challenge.

Reasons to use GST E invoice software.

Speed

The best GST billing app offers services that make the accounting process run faster and more effectively, which is one of its enormous benefits. Now with this softwares, you can quickly print expert-looking invoices rather than using old-fashioned manual ink and paper. The faster invoices come out, the faster you'll probably get billed. Software packages for invoicing or billing are typically combined with accounting software, making the process of planning and recording invoices easy, fast, and automated.

●       Data Storage

There may be chances of data being stolen or crashed if the data is stored manually on the computers. Therefore, storing vital data is very challenging and requires much effort to take care of it.

The best GST billing software uses the cloud base storage system to keep your data safe. It is easier to manage invoices that are being sent and payments that are being received with this type of secure storage.

Saves time

Every month during the GST filing and quarterly payment period, hundreds of different records, bills, and pieces of information are required, yet of the nature of the firm. Collating various documents in one place and feeling them at a specific time can become arduous for every business owner. GST billing software Will help you save your maximum time as it will take you to different records and help you pick the right ones. Furthermore, it will also assist you in filing the bills before the deadline and save you the last minute hassle of doing it. In addition, you and your staff will save a great amount of time in the settlement and collection of data. Due to the fact that GST software stops any chance of errors, you will also be able to save time on finding and correcting mistakes.

●       Save Cash

The process of taxation never ends. Most people feel like they are running around in circles, trying to ensure they are keeping up with what is required and doing it appropriately. This is where tax software can be helpful.

Despite the size or type of your firm, the software has several benefits to managing your tax affairs. Additionally, it can save money and time, facilitate the search for deductions, improve precision and observation, protect against audit risks, and more.

●       Customizable software

One of the main benefits of using GST billing software is that it is fully customizable according to your needs. You can quickly contact the vendor's support team and request software customization after buying it, for example, tracking fines due to late GST filings.

Now everyone can say that most of the new function of the GST Billing software has been included in the accounting software the company has used for many years. In light of this, why should the firm consider a different platform?

Organizing

It's easy to lose or forget invoices, especially when they're manually prepared. You might lose them in the mail, or you might misfile them. You can check and present problems with accounting software - all in one place. The system typically allows users to search for invoices by name, amount, or invoice number. The program organizes the data as it's entered, making it one of the most reliable and quick processes.

Summary,

Seeking the best GST E invoice software services. Reach out to the experts at Trilto. We have years of experience in GST billing software. Therefore with us, you do not have to worry about any loss from now in your business, and you can quickly fill out your taxes and manage all your business elements. In addition, with our software, you can easily concentrate on other parts of your business. Contact our expert today for more details about the best GST billing app.

FAQs

Which software is best for billing with GST?

Trilto is the best software for billing with GST.

What is GST billing software?

With billing software, you can create professional-looking invoices, file GST or tax returns, organize expenses, manage inventory, handle multiple currencies, support banking, make reminders for unpaid invoices, and manage accounting services.

Which billing software is the best?

The best billing software is Trilto.

Which is the best free billing software?

Among the free billing software, Trilto is one of the best.

GST billing software , Indian invoice software ,  best GST billing app , GST software ,

[emp-t-man]

deep breath as i try to hold onto my sanity for this because oh my fucking god i have spent probably collective DAYS thinking about it,,

realistically, and in an ideal world, no. eiffel would be stuck as he was in the finale, and would have to spend a lot of time relearning who he was and righting a lot of that version of him’s wrongs before deciding if that was the person he still wanted to be. It would give him the opportunity he had always needed to truly be forced to look at himself and the way he treated others in order to be so much better moving forward, which would be an amazing and satisfying end to his character arc. i think it would be really cool if he even went as far as holding an actual funeral for the doug eiffel he used to be, as a reflection of the funeral held for isabel before she returned and decided after learning about her fate that she wouldn’t try to be the person she used to be, anymore, even though she still owned all her memories. the parallel between losing your body but not your memories and losing your memories but keeping your body and attempting to determine if it makes someone the same person is just. so incredible to me, because if the answer is yes to one and not the other, what makes it so? can a person’s physical or mental makeup define their personhood alone, or must they exist together? there’s just so much weight attached to the hypothetical that would be more or less lost if eiffel was regifted his memories, and i’m thankful that gabriel left the answer up to interpretation because of that.

HOWEVER COMMA,

i think there could exist the POSSIBILITY of him regaining some if not all of them. through one or two different scenarios.

scenario one: alien blood ex machina.

as we’ve seen on multiple occasions throughout the podcast, lovelace’s blood serves as a sort of recovering agent. it’s what allowed doug’s hair and fingernails to grow back so quickly after his deep space misadventure as well as being what kept him alive throughout its duration, it’s what allowed isabel to regenerate her head and internal systems to bring her back to life, and it’s what allowed the crew to bypass pryce’s neurotransmitter device through what i can only assume is a constant state of restarting the brain from its last neurological save point while still being able to take in sensory information. taking this into consideration: in the visual mindspace representation of what pryce was doing with eiffel’s memories, the crates that hold said memories always shatter, but never disappear, which could open an opportunity for being able to be repaired— say, though some sort of incredibly biologically advanced bodily fluids. it would take an incredibly long amount of time depending on how much he’s given (if isabel even agrees to try it after considering the possibility), and the memories would likely return in the order of newest to oldest which would greatly complicate things, but it IS within the realm of the possible. barely.

scenario two: backup of the backup

when eiffel first has his memory scanned by cutter and pryce, it’s on the sol. the chair he’s hooked up to sends the neurological information to a terminal hooked up to the ship, meaning said information could possibly exist on a file in the sol’s software. now, eiffel crashed the sol on his way back from minkowski’s sendoff, rendering the information impossible to retrieve after the events of the finale, but someone had her consciousness transferred over to the ship and was given access to its systems between the moment eiffel’s memory is scanned in and the moment the ship is crashed. hera may have purged the mindspace present during the event of miranda’s defeat, but because of that transfer earlier on, there’s a possibility that somewhere in her code lies the backup that was obtained before. if the opportunity ever arose for doug and hera’s consciousness’ to be connected again like they were in the finale, that information might be able to be returned to him, provided hera both finds out about this backup and is able to retrieve it, and provided that a mind as brilliant as miranda’s could ever replicate such a phenomenon now that her memories are gone as well.

are either of these scenarios even remotely plausible? i highly doubt it, but if eiffel were to ever regain his memories, that’s how i could see it being written.

I'm curious about what y'all think here! If yes - how? If only some, why and how?

[bonny-kookoo]

Remedy | JJK x Reader | 💜☁️🔞🤖

Pairing: Jeon Jungkook x Reader

Genre: Android!AU, Android!Jungkook, AI!Jungkook

Warnings: mentions of war, PTSD, Panic attack, confused!Koo, soft reader, like my god I just wanna put her in my pocket and keep her safe, aka that’s what Koo wants to do, protective!Koo, praise kink, unprotected sex but izz fine Kookoo can’t knock her up anyways, soft sex, it’s very soft ngl, there’s a bird, some sad Koo, kook cries here and there, comfort and rehabilitation

Summary: JJK, Or J-Jungkook097 was a tactical fighter-type Android, used in modern war as a simple weapon and nothing more. Now retired after serious injuries, he has to adjust to modern life outside the war zone or he’ll get scrapped; and that’s where you come in, a rare human being ready to take on that challenge.

"Ah, what a waste, really." A worker says, looking the body of the Android over. "You sure you don't want him?" He asks, and the older worker shakes his head.

"I can't let him around my kids by himself, and I don't want him to snap around my wife either. He's not suited for my home and family." He says, looking the male robot over, before he pulls out his phone. "I think I know someone who just might take him." He says, hurriedly texting, before he gets a call back.

"Huh. Is he factory reset, or still running?" You ask, as Seokjin connects cords to the back of the android's neck.

"We tried to have him reset himself, but there's been problems." He explains. "He told us he did already, but that can't be true since he'd need a command to do it- his model isn't equipped with those AI options. Maybe his memory overloaded and deleted stuff as a survival protocol, we don't know. He's a military model, after all, they didn't let us see his original save data- they just downloaded it and went their way, leaving him for us to dismantle if he couldn't reset him properly for a new system." He says, as you type in some stuff, before viewing the screen you hold in your hand.

"So he's technically still running on his original warzone-system?" You ask Jin, and he nods, sighing. You furrow your brows, and the older male looks over at your tablet to see what you're looking at. "Are you sure? This is.. his AI settings are all set to.. look at this; companionable, friendly, all his settings are set to a companion-android, not a fighter type." You mumble, confused by this.

"Wait no no no that wasn't like that when I last looked at him." Jin says, taking the tablet from you as he types in some stuff. "Huh. This is weird." He says, showing you something. "Look at the protocol."

You do. "Huh." You say, looking at the last line of code.

Last change made by: JJK_OSADMIN

"He changed his own system." You say, and Jin is standing up now.

"I'm taking him with me, I can't let him-" He starts, but you do as well, placing your hands ontop of the Androids chest as if you're guarding him.

"NO! I already signed, I own him- Jin, I have to look into this- and he's set to friendly, he won't get hostile that easily." You try to reassure him, and he sighs after a while, taking his jacket from the chair close by.

"Keep me updated." He says, as he leaves you be.

The Android still sitting limply on your chair.

"Alright JJK. Time to wake up." You say, closing the small panel before you sit in front of him, waiting for his system to run the commands you had typed in before unplugging him. It takes a moment, but there's movement after that; his body slowly starting to sit properly, muscles moving into place, and system running it's diagnostics to detect any change in hard- or software made. It marks down his eyes, the small patches of skin re-made, and that his body-liquids had been replaced.

He feels good.

His eyes open slowly, iris moving and focusing in Various degrees before they meet your form. "Hello." He simply says. "Are you my new owner?" He asks, and you nod, expecting that question. He's not been factory reset, which means even though his memory was scattered, and his system had been changed, he was still aware of everything vital. He nods, before he looks around. "I'm now supposed to run on the companion protocol, correct?" He asks, and you shrug. He's confused, as you suddenly smile at him.

"I don't know." You tell him. "Companion, Individual- what would you like?" You ask, knowing it will bring his current system to it's limits. He's not made to make decisions like that, and you think it's quite endearing to see him suddenly think like that.

"I.. choose?" He mumbles, before he looks at you seriously. "I'd like to be given a small time frame to properly research before I come to a conclusion." He says, and your eyes widen.

You look at him, still friendly as ever. "So, you want to figure out what you want first?" You ask, and he nods, a bit hesitantly. "Okay. Just tell me when you've made up your mind then." You say, and he nods.

"What are my daily tasks?" He asks, and you shrug again. "This is frustrating." He says, and you laugh at that.

It's weird to hear it. But he notes it down as a positive response from you.

"Just don't burn the house down while trying to cook or something." You joke, and he seems to take it seriously.

"Why would I set your home aflame while attempting to cook? I'm not even capable of either task.." He says, and you get up, grinning.

"Don't worry so much. Just properly charge for now- we'll see what's gonna happen as it happens." You say.

He nods.

Jungkook knows that around 75% of fatal accidents occur in a mere household. He also knows, that a regular home is the safest place to live. Yet there he was, on the floor, holding his ears as an attempt to block out the sound of his nightmares. "Jungkook?" You ask, as you turn off the microwave. He's still shaking as you sit down in front of him, close- but not touching, unknowing if he would react to that negatively or not. "Can you hear me?" You ask, and he hesitantly retracts his hands from his ears, letting the sound in again. The beeping of the microwave is now gone, only the soft ticking of your clock on the wall and the buzzing of your fridge remain. "I'm sorry that scared you." You say, smiling apologetically as he shakes his head, face serious. His eyes move frantically as they glow an orange hue, showing his system status.

"No, I should apologize." He says. "I don't know why I displayed this reaction to a mere household object." He admits, and you open the microwave to take out your meal, before sitting down on the kitchen floor. "You shouldn't do that- the tiles are very cold-" He starts, but you wave him off.

"Its fine. Both." You say. "You're probably still confusing some sounds and things with your past use as a warzone model. So it's normal- your system has to adapt. You have to adapt." You say. "We all need some time to heal after what you've been through." You say.

He sits quietly after those words, watching you as he goes through his research on you. You're a very unusual individual, displaying a lot of behaviors he hasn't seen before. You take care of everything with a sense of care that makes him come to the conclusion that you're probably treating the machines and robots like living beings. Such as the oldschool robot-dog that he's seen under your living room table. It's currently charging, but he's seen you interact with it- genuinely displaying happiness and excitement at the very basic AI of the pet-robot that's missing a leg.

Its broken, just like him. But you're taking care of it, just like you take care of him.

You're very caring with him, too. He's seen you search for skin patches that match his color almost perfectly, even though they were more expensive than the usual models found in stores. You apologize for 'hurting' him, even though it's sometimes nescessary to repair him. You ask him about opinions, and let him roam around freely around the house.

You're a very friendly person.

And he, unknown to you, starts to create new files inside his system.

You're not there when he wakes up the next day.

He scans the house for any movement, but there is none that would lead him to the conclusion that you're there. There's no sign of you, and he becomes frantic, suddenly.

If his system would've worked properly like it should have, he would've remembered that you had told him yesterday that you would make a small trip to the local grocery store around the corner. But his system isn't working properly, already displaying several scenarios of you getting hurt, or vanishing, or leaving him alone.

He’d seen it before, so many times, hell; he’d been the reason of so many deaths in the first place and it never bothered him. So why was his internal system going absolute haywire at the mere idea of something happening to you? It was to be expected really- with how fragile you are, mentally and physically, it was bound to happen at some point. So why, if he knew it deep down already, did it make his pulse race and his skin feel weird?

You’d told him to stay home, but there was no way he’d be able to let you out of his sight. Because no, there were no emotions involved; they’d been restricted for him at the beginning after all, he was simply looking out for you. Probably a bug, maybe his system thought you were someone to be protected, a new mission to keep him occupied, that was probably it. It wasn’t because you had been so sweet with him, it wasn’t because of how gently you were in correcting him whenever he did something bad, it wasn’t because you were an absolute divine being in his eyes.

“Kook?” You said, an almost painful huff of breath escaping you when he crashed into you, holding you, his arms squeezing you a bit and his face burying itself into the crook of your neck, every sense drinking you in, saving the proof that you were okay, you were real, you were completely fine. “I-“ you started, and his eyes ripped open, suddenly realizing that he may be hurting you. As if burned he reacted, hands hovering over your shoulders as he looked you over.

“I apologize, I’m so sorry, does it hurt bad-“ he spoke hurriedly, eyes already glazing over with tears he didn’t even knew he could shed. Why did he suddenly feel so upset? His entire system was overloading, tears finally flowing and disrupting his sight so badly that he didn’t see your face anymore; sending him into panic even more. “I’m sorry- I’m-“ he pressed out, but there was nothing working anymore it seemed.

Only a few minutes later did he slowly come back to his senses, first thing he noticed being the way you held his body close, softly speaking to him while you were petting his head. It was such a weird sensation, yet it somehow soothed his mind back, as he realized that you were both on the ground. He was way too heavy, why were you doing that? But when he tried to get up, you held him tightly. “Take a Moment, Jungkook. You’re okay, I’m okay, just a breathe, yeah?” You said, and he nodded. “Let’s go back inside then yeah?” You softly said, and he nodded.

“But you need to buy groceries. We don’t have sufficient stock of-“ he started, but you giggled, the sound something he knew he liked. He didn’t quite know what to think of his newly found preferences for things, but he simply let it happen for now.

Because liking you could never be a mistake, he decided.

He calls out for you one day, his hands holding something you can't see yet. His eyes are wide open, his optics moving around frantically as he calls again. "Creator, please!" He calls, as you finally spot him, walking over as he looks at you with a worried expression. "Please- I don't know what to do. She flew against our window and probably has a concussion- you can help her, right?" He says, and you don't get curious as to why he immediately knows the birds gender and diagnosis; he can scan the tiny body, after all.

"Ah, come into the kitchen." You say, and he follows quickly, still delicately holding the tiny body in his palm, careful not to drop it. "Lets put her in a box and a nice quiet place, yeah? She'll recover on her own probably." You reassure him as he watches you place her in an old box without a lid. "Put her where you found her, okay? That way she'll know her way back easier." You tell him, and he nods, determined, as he walks back towards where he had found the bird.

Jungkook, in a way, was slowly changing nowadays.

He was a curious being, always eager to learn about the most mundane things. True to his purpose he picked up on things very easily; learning how to draw and paint very quickly. He had recently gotten interested in a video game you used to play before your work took over your time- and you loved seeing him have genuine fun with it.

He wasn't doing things anymore because they were asked of him. Or because they were an order.

He was developing hobbies, you'd noticed.

Of course you kept Jin updated about all of these things, and he had been happy to learn that his reboot was going well- joking around that he was glad he hadn't killed you in your sleep yet. And while, at first, you were quite wary of him walking around the apartment, nowadays, you couldn't imagine Jungkook even hurting a fly.

Just like with that tiny bird.

He was a gentle soul, simply a bit clumsy sometimes- apologizing over and over after breaking your alarm clock once, the alarm setting off another one of his 'episodes'- moments of flashbacks he got from his past purpose in war. You had reassured him and had let him watch as you fixed it again, praising him along when he gave you the right tools.

Praise. That was something he seeked as well.

And it wasn't just that he wanted aknowledgement of his own achievements. It was more your attention that he wanted. He wanted to be around you whenever possible, even sometimes dancing around the topic of maybe sharing a bed one day- but he had also been wary of hurting you in your sleep, by rolling over or something alike.

Always so thoughtful.

But he would be able to hold you that day; when you had complained about being tired, he had suggested a nap to you. Instantly taking on that chance, you laid down, rolling over as he was still on the couch with you, already having laid down prior. He was unsure at first where to put his hands, until he decided to just go for the common human way of affection; holding you close.

And he made a note inside his system, that he truly deeply enjoyed the feeling.

He finds you on the couch, crying, after an argument on the phone. That in itself isn't the issue he's having, however- it's the sudden wave of protectiveness rolling over him, drowning his senses as he walks over to you, his orange glowing eyes now scanning your form. "What did he do?" He asks, knowing that it was a former partner of yours, constantly calling you asking for money. It's a bad habit of yours that you can't seem to say no; and now that you did for once, he had bitten your ear off with bad remarks and names you'd rather not repeat. "I'll hurt him, just say the word. He needs to feel the same pain you do-" He's shaking a little, you can see it now; his hands unsure where to place themselves, his eyes watching over you, his breathing a little faster. He starts again, and you put a hand on his shoulder to stop his words.

“Jungkook no, he didn’t hurt me in like, a physical way.” You tried to explain, tears now forgotten as you try to calm the Android on your couch down- still absolutely terrified by your state. “I’m gonna be fine.” You say, but he doesn’t seem convinced. Or is it something else?

“But why am I hurting?” He asks suddenly, and your eyes widen. Well, why was he? Technically he was capable of understanding emotions, that wasn’t shocking. What was confusing to you however was just how he was able to share your pain. And it was obvious he did; the way his eyes glistened and his body shivered, overwhelmed by whatever was happening. “Why does it hurt to see you hurt?” He almost whispers, lost with the situation.

Jungkook was indeed a very weird android- you’ve noticed that long ago already. He was emotional, sometimes moody, and slowly began to develop an actual personality the more he was living with you.

Something his model shouldn’t be capable of.

And maybe that should scare you- maybe that should worry you, maybe you should call up support for answers, but you don’t. You do what’s best for yourself and what you think is best for him in that moment; you lean forward, and wrap your arms around him. And it doesn’t feel at all like an android you’re hugging in that moment, because an android wouldn’t cry with you. An android wouldn’t hold you like this, wouldn’t tremble in your hold like this. It makes it easy to forget that Jungkook isn’t human.

And that in itself is absolutely dangerous.

Somehow, his system had bypassed the blockade to his emotional capacities.

He had noticed it ever since you had been out to restock groceries by yourself, but he had been a little unsure back then. He now knows, for sure, that something had happened.

It was confusing, to say the least.

So many things were somehow suddenly starting to fall into place for him; his favoritism to being close to you, or his system failing whenever you weren't nearby. It also makes sense that he's standing right in front of your bedroom door that night, knocking as you open it. He feels a weird sense of protectiveness seeing you tired and vulnerable like that, and he sits down on the side of the bed where you join him. "Is everything okay?" You ask, and he shakes his head.

Nothing is okay, everything is confusing, and he's unsure what to quite think of all of this. "I feel.. confused. Scared. There's.. fear, in me, boiling up and interrupting my thoughts." He explains, and you nod.

"Feeling is scary, huh?" You ask, as he looks at you.

"How do you do it?" He asks, and you lean your head a bit to the side in question. "There's.. so much of it. How do you.. separate it, keep it in order? Its all over the place, and it's.. so distracting. Its so overwhelming- I can't seem to calm down." He mumbles, serious face turning frustrated as his fingers play with the fabric of his pants.

"We don't." You say. He looks at you for a moment, before you continue. "We just.. let it run through us, I guess. If you don't, it'll make you sick after a while. " You say, and he looks at you.

"But.." He starts. "I fear I might start to display reactions a male android model isn't supposed to openly display." He almost whispers.

"You don't have to openly do it." You reassure him, placing a hand on his shoulder, before moving a bit, body facing him as you open your arms. "It's just me; and I won't judge. You can be whoever you want with me, Jungkook." You say, and he lays down next to you in your arms, momentarily enjoying the quietness and closeness of the affectionate gesture.

"There are no bad feelings, Jungkook." You tell him, and he listens, as he lets them run through him, just like you told him. The sadness, the comfort of your body against his, the.. adoration he feels towards you. Everything, even though it hurts him, physically, something he only ever thought was a artistic way of describing emotions. "There are only wrong actions." You say. "If you feel the need to cry, cry. If you're angry, scream, shout, or find something to channel that into. But if you bottle it up-" You say, "they will lead to mistakes. They will bring pain, and they will bring remorse."

His voice is strained as he talks. "But how do I know when to act on them, and when not to?" He says, and you chuckle.

"You'll learn, Jungkook." You reassure him. "You'll learn."

And he nods against your shoulder, before you can feel him shake a little less, quiet sobs racking through his body until his exhausted body falls asleep to charge.

"Remarkable." Jin comments, as he watches the lines and lines of codes. "He has started to self-code his own system. He's quite literally learning." He says. "All by himself. This is amazing." He says, before he disconnects Jungkook.

"He's still a bit jumpy sometimes, and the microwave is still his worst enemy-" You say, as Jungkook reboots again, eyes slowly focusing as they start to glow again. "But he really is amazing." You say, and Jungkook beams at that, proudly smiling.

It's rare for an android to display such emotions, and he's still often very much void of any clear visual feedback in terms of facial expressions- but he's learning, and he's evolving, growing, in a way. Seokjin closes the panel on the back of Jungkooks neck, as the android stands up to walk closer to you. "Jungkook." Jin says, and the android turns towards the young man. "Do you look after her well?" He asks, and Jungkook nods. "Make sure she stays hydrated during the day, yeah? I highly doubt she's told you she struggles with that." He says, and you whine, as Jungkooks head whips around, eyes scanning your body as he furrows his brows.

"Creator, you need to drink at least 2.5 Liters of water per day. It's vital for your health, which is already very delicate." He says, and you glare at Jin for telling him anything about that.

"I'm fine- and also, please don't call me creator. I'm not anything like that." You say, picking up the walking puppy-robot as Jungkook nods.

"What should I call you then?" He asks, and Jin perks up.

"Call her baby!"

"Jin NO-!"

"No matter what she tells you-" Jin says, holding Jungkooks shoulders as he looks at him seriously. "She likes it." He says, and Jungkook, serious as ever, nods, noting it down, as you groan.

"I hate you both!" You say, and Jungkooks eyes widen.

"You.." He says, voice almost not heard over the laugh of Jin. "Hate me?" He asks, and you immediately regret your words. Jungkook still hasn't figured out sarcasm yet- the entire concept still a little too complicated for his system to grasp, so you walk closer to him, holding his cheeks in your hands.

"No no no, I don't, I could never-" You promise him, as he nods with already glossy eyes. "I just said it as a joke, okay?" You say, and he nods again, biting his lip a little before Jin clears his throat.

"I'll head off now." He says, already putting on his coat. "Thank you for letting me see him- it's really amazing to see him grow like that." He says, and you nod, giving him a short hug before he leaves.

And for some reason, Jungkook feels jealous, watching you so close to him.

Jungkook is in love with you.

He's come to that conclusion all by himself, and he's proud of it, but he's also very unsure about it. He has done a lot of research, scanned every source he could find and validate; and he has found a new interest in activities humans do in relationships to show their partner love and affection. He's not stupid, he knows what intimacy is, and is also aware that he's capable of doing these things with you; but he's also a little unsure, if you'd want that.

After all, there's nothing he could give you.

So one night, he stands in front of your door again, knocking, as you open it.

"Do you think.." He starts. "I'm capable of love?" He asks, and you look at him. "Because I think.. no, I am very sure I love you." He admits, and you get up, but there's no stopping him. "I don't know what it's like for you, but I have observed my newfound emotions, and there's a pattern I've detected; whenever I'm with you, around you, whenever you give me attention, or when you touch me, theres always the same emotions involved; there's this need to take care of you, to keep you safe, to be close." He rambles, and you listen to him as he talks, walking closer to you as his hands find your shoulders. "There's this.. urge, to partake in human intimacy with you. I want to.. show affection the common way, like kissing you, or holding you, things like that." Your cheeks grow a little red. "But I don't know if you are experiencing the same things. My research shows that.. that we could only do these things, if it's the same for you." He says, and then, almost as if hes whispering. "Is it?" He asks, and you struggle to answer. "Do you.. feel the same.?" He asks again, waiting for you to say anything at all.

You stay silent.

Its a sunday when a letter arrives at your home.

When you open it, there's several papers inside; Jungkooks personality tests, official papers that make it possible for him to leave on his own. When he reads them, he's serious, as he watches you smile at him.

"Jungkook, this is great, isn't it?" You say, trying hard to not let it show that you dread letting go of him. "You can finally get an apartment- maybe make something out of your talents, and earn a living. You're free to go now." You say, biting the inside of your cheek as he looks at you with wide eyes.

"But.." He starts, softly. "I'm yours." He states, and you shake your head, swallowing hard.

"Jungkook no.. you're you. No one owns you anymore." You say, and he suddenly shakes his head, throwing the papers in the kitchen sink as he walks towards you, his hands on your shoulders.

He looks at you, serious, as his optics focus on you. "You were the one who told me that every machine should be treated with respect." He states, as you look away from him, his hands shaking you a little as he tries to get your attention back on him. "You said even we androids have souls." He says.

"I did, but-" You start, but he cuts you off.

"And if we do, if we really do-" He speaks, his hands now holding your head, his face drenched in desperation. "Than it belongs to you." He states, and your eyes widen. "It's yours." He repeats. "If having it for myself means I have to leave you, I don't want it."

"I don't.. want to take advantage of you, Jungkook." You say. "You're.. everything is still new to you, I don't want you to regret this-" You start, and he leans down.

"I won't. I've run every possible scan I could, calculated every possible outcome, you know I can't lie to you. I could never regret this.." He says, as he leans down a little. "Can I..?" He asks, and you smile, jumping over your own shadow in a way, as you give him a nod. "I.. can you.. say it?" He asks. "Just once?"

You take his hands in yours, as you lean closer. "I love you, Jungkook." You say, and he gasps, his systems going absolute haywire in the best ways possible. He's again filled with emotions, but this time, they don't hurt; they make him feel light, as if he weighs nothing, they make him close his eyes because suddenly even the slightest light is too bright for his optics.

"Again." He asks, and you comply.

"I love you."

"Again."

"I love you."

He sighs, as his lips finally meet yours.

There's no magical fireworks or anything like that- but Jungkook decides that he doesn't need these things. The feeling itself, the emotions flooding his body are enough to outshine any beauty of reality itself. There's nothing he could ever compare to this, he decides.

He's unsure if Androids have instincts, but in that moment, for the first time, he doesn't care. This seems to be one of those situations to let his emotions run through him, lead him, show him what to do, he decides. His hands roam over your skin, ears catching every sound you make as he moves on autopilot it seems. He's letting go, he's finally doing something he really wants.

And it's all thanks to you- you've given him the chance to be himself.

You've given him the gift of feeling loved, as he finally comes as close to you as lovers ever could; entering you carefully, senses on high alert as he feels your walls around his length. He had been unsure of why pleasure seemed to be described as fun and intimate, but now he can relate to these claims fully. He's so full of love, so overwhelmed, that he simply rests his forehead on your naked shoulder, eyes closed as he simply lets himself feel. He doesn't care about his whines and groans, only focusing on you and your body, on the feedback every muscle sends to his systems, enjoying the way you make him feel.

Its truly magical, he notices.

He doesn't even notice his nor your orgasm at all, but it doesn't matter.

Because at the end of the night, he finally holds you close. Not like before, but this time, as lovers.

"I've given her exactly 0.26 milliliters of a 1 to 1 water and fruit sugar mixture every day at appropriate times." Jungkook seriously tells the vet, as he looks at the bird on the metal table.

"I see. Good job." He praises, before looking at you. "A warzone-type?" He asks, and you nod. "Barely noticable. I have one too, that's how I knew." He comments, before he turns to Jungkook again. "I'd say the bird simply likes your company, Jungkook. She just want's to stay with you That's why she comes back." He explains.

"Like me and Baby?" He asks, and you giggle at the nickname Jungkook keeps using.

"Yes, like you and her." Namjoon says, utterly entertained by you and Jungkook. "So I'd say let her be around. She's perfectly healthy, otherwise." He says, and Jungkook turns around, box in hand, as he smiles.

It's quiet that evening, sun slowly setting and drenching the walls of your shared apartment in a golden glow. Jungkook watches your sleeping form, leaned against him on the couch, as he simply remembers all of the things he's experienced because of you.

He truly is a machine capable of love.

Because you taught him how.

[julieplanteofficial]

Tips to survive university

To give you a bit of context, I have an undergraduate degree in Biomedical Science and I’m currently doing a master’s degree in Human Resources Management (you can visit my profile if you want to know more about that!).

Throughout my years of study, there were bumps on the road and it wasn’t always easy. So I thought I could share some of the things that helped my through them and allowed me to reach my goals.

1. Buying an external drive

If you’ve visited my profile, you know I use a macbook air to study. I have had the same laptop since I started university. I love it and wouldn’t change a thing. However, I learnt the hard way that you should always have a backup of your laptop somewhere.

Little story time: my laptop crashed on the first day of second year (undergrad). I went to the apple store near my place the next day (the earliest appointment available) and my software was « broken » and my laptop basically had forgotten how to turn on. To fix it, we’d need to wipe it out. The apple employee told me to get an external drive, and he’d try to save as much as he could before wiping it out. Although he couldn’t save everything, I was happy with what was left and that I didn’t have to buy a new laptop. I was also thankful that it was only the first day of the year, or else, I would have lost all my notes and work.

So from that moment on, I constantly have my external drive plugged in my laptop with time machine going on. I haven’t run into an issue with my laptop since, but it has saved me from starting word documents from scratch when they would become corrupted and such.

2. Meal prepping

As a student, I always worked (and still do) while doing to school. That leaves you with little to no time on your hands to do house chores, which included cooking.

Who has time (or the motivation let’s be honest) to cook a full meal while in uni? But eating and eating WELL is important while studying. You have to give your body and brain what it needs to retain the information and focus.

So the best way I found to do that was to meal prep. I’d always make sure that when I DID take the time to make some good food, I’d make enough to last me for several days.

However, if you are like me and don’t like to be eating the same thing several times in a row, I recommend you buy a freezer (on top of the one connected to your fridge). Freezing all your meal prepping allows you to choose from a variety of meals everyday, without having to make them.

3. Sleeping

And I cannot stress it enough. I have always made sure to get a full night of sleep before an exam and most days. Sleep builts memory, so it is an important step in studying. 

Of course, I’m not saying I have never pulled an all-nighter (we’ve all been last minute on writing an assignment). But when it comes to reviewing material or even going to class (where you learn the material for the first time), I always saw sleeping as a study method. 

4. Buying a massive scarf

That may seem odd at first, but let me finish. You know these massive scarfs. that are almost like a big blanket? Yes, that’s what I’m talking about. 

If you study on campus, you have probably made the same observation as I have: it is COLD there. No matter the building, floor, time of the day. It is freezing there. So by having one of those scarfs, you can actually use it to cover yourself and stay warm. It is much easier to focus on studying when you can finally stop thinking about how cold you are. 

You could also carry around an extra sweater in your backpack, but if you have a small backpack and don’t have enough room for it, and you don’t necessarily want to be wearing it all day long, that’s when a scarf comes in handy. 

5. Coming ready to study 

If you study on campus, you probably trekked to get there (if you aren’t one of the lucky ones living is residence). This also applies if you are waiting on campus in between two classes. 

It is unfortunate when you finally get to studying and realize that you are cold (see tip number 4 for that), tired (see tip number 3 for that) and hungry. You will be wasting a lot of your study time if you have to go all the way back home because of one of those three things. 

Depending on your financial situation, study near your favourite food place on campus if you plan on buying something to eat later. That way, you won’t have to pack up all of your stuff to go buy your food, and then have to unpack it again. If you can afford to eat out, bring a meal (see tip number 2 for that) and find the buildings with microwaves on campus. Find a study spot near them. 

I would also like to remind you to bring your chargers with you! Don’t get to campus and realize you only have 20% of battery left on your laptop. Same goes if you study an on iPad. I’d also suggest you bring your phone charger. Of course, if your phone is out of battery, it won’t distract you. But you know yourself, it might actually distract you MORE to think about the fact that your phone is out of battery. 

In a sense, this last tip could also have been named: 

Buying a big enough backpack. 

It might not be as pretty or fashionable as a smaller one, but it will definitely be of more help in the end. 

[thorne93]

The Stars Made Us (Part 18)

Prompt: In this world, you’re one of the “lucky” ones who got a soulmate, but what if the universe gives you more than you bargained for?

(Prompt challenge – You live in a world where your soulmate can write on their skin and you will get the writing on your own and vice versa. Where they can wash away the ink on their own skin, however, the writing is forever scarred onto your skin until you meet face to face)

Word Count: 1939

Warnings: angst and language throughout, mention of suicide

Notes: This was supposed to be for @sorryimacrapwriter​​​​  and their challenge like a year ago, I think? I still loved the prompt though and have been working on this story for quite some time. This aesthetic was made by @quailliamfears thank you so much! Beta’d by @like-a-bag-of-potatoes​​​​, couldn’t have done it without you, as well as @carryonmyswansong​​​​ and @arrow-guy​​​​ and @mrs-dragneel-stark-solo​​​​

Also, I’ve never really liked the whole soulmate AU thing idea, but this felt so right and it was amazing to write. I hope y’all love it too!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once you arrived at Stephen’s place, you helped him through his morning routine before stating, “If I’m going to stay here nearly all day, I’ll need to get some work done. Is that alright with you?”

“Oh, please, by all means, don’t let me get in the way of your pseudoscience,” he said, making a gesture of moving out of the way. “You can use my office.” 

You rolled your eyes and grabbed your suitcase full of things. “Thanks.” You went in there and made a small work space and began calling patients, trying to schedule them for therapy in the city. You could use another space nearby to start seeing them, depending on how long you would be here. 

When you took a break, you made lunch for you and Stephen. 

“New song today,” you said as you turned on the music, skipping to a random song in your library. 

“You make this so easy,” he boasted before nailing the artist, album name, and release year. 

“I will get you, one day,” you vowed with a grin. 

You went back to your office after the two of you ate, and talked quickly of current events in the news. While you were on the phone with one of your more unstable, and new patients, you had to calm him down. 

“Randy, Randy, take a deep breath for me. There’s nothing we can’t figure out,” you coaxed on the phone, standing up and pacing. 

“You’re two hours away! My father has cancer and I--” He started to sob and you continued to pace. 

“I know. This puts you in a very difficult position.” 

“No, no it doesn’t. It makes everything clearer. I can’t be here.” 

“Be where? Randy, where are you?” 

“It doesn’t matter. You don’t care. No one fucking cares!” he cried out. 

“Yes they do,” you insisted, your heart hammering in your chest. “I do.”

“You’re paid to!”

“That doesn’t mean I don’t care. Randy, tell me where you are. When did you find out your father had cancer?” 

“A few hours ago,” he said. 

“So where are you now?” 

“I’m not going to tell you anything. This is all too much. I just lost my mom a year ago, and now my dad… He might be an abusive son of a bitch, but he’s all I’ve got.” 

You took a deep breath, trying to think of what to say. 

“Randy, are you in danger of hurting yourself or anyone else?” 

He paused, silent a long time before saying, “Just me.” He began crying again. 

You began searching for his address on your laptop from the forms he’d filled out. You marched out of the temporary office and over to Stephen who was sitting on his couch, reading. “Randy, why do you want to hurt yourself?” you asked, making Stephen look up at you. You grabbed a pen and paper and scribbled a message that said to do a welfare check on Randy Smith, with his address. 

“Because I don’t have any body.”

“You told me you have some cousins, how would they feel if you ended your life?” 

“They wouldn’t even know. If they did find out they’d just say, ‘that’s a shame.’.”

You shoved the paper at Stephen with the instructions on it. He nodded and got up, grabbing his phone and going into his bedroom. 

“No friends? Girlfriend? Coworkers? Randy, everyone has something to live for. People aren’t the only thing that make a life go round. You told me you’re a computer programmer, yeah? What do you want to do with that?” 

“Well, I work for a medical software company.” 

“Is that your dream job?” 

“Not really. I mean, I love the programming, but it’s not all I want to do.”

“Tell me about what you do want to do.” 

“I want to program planes, for the military.” 

“See? That’s a noble cause. It’ll help your country. Randy, if you end your life now, that’s your choice, but you won’t get the chance to tell your father what he has done to you. You won’t get the chance to talk with me, to work through problems I know you can work through. You sought me out for help, please, let me help. Don’t miss this opportunity to take control of your life, and make it what you want to be.” 

Stephen walked back in the room and he said, “They went to the house, there was no one there.” 

“Randy?” you said again. “Randy, please, don’t make a mistake based on how you’re feeling right now in this moment. We know that all feelings pass, and you may be in the dark right now, I know you might be very far in there, in a pit you feel like you can’t climb out of. But that’s why you hired me, isn’t it? This cancer situation with your father is just that, it’s a situation we need to navigate together. I’ll help you every step of the way. You just need to tell me where you are and we can begin therapy as soon as you'd like.” 

After what seemed like an eternity, he finally said, “I’m in the parking garage… Oh, god, Dr. Y/L/N, please help me.” 

You held in your sigh of relief and replied, “I will, Randy, I will. I’ll be right there.” You hung up and called the police, telling them where he was. 

“I’m so sorry, Stephen, but I have to go,” you said hurriedly. 

He merely nodded as you grabbed your purse and ran out the door. 

Once the crisis was averted, you got him checked into the hospital, and you talked with him for a bit. Once he felt safe and secure, you left him in the capable hands of the hospital. You came back to the apartment, drained. 

“That was, uh, impressive,” Stephen noted. “Guess it’s more than just a pseudo science.”

“Guess so,” you responded tiredly. 

“So what made you decide to do this work?” he asked.

You scoffed. “Oh, so now you’re suddenly interested?” 

“Now that I saw you save a man’s life over the phone? Yes, I am. I’m very impressed. I can only save lives with my own hand. You did it with nothing but your own words, your own voice.” 

“I suppose I did. Well, if you must know, I simply want to help people. I love making sure people are okay and knowing I had a hand in that.”

“That’s rather noble.” 

You laughed. “That’s what Charles said when I told him when we first started corresponding.” 

“It’s true though.”

“So how about you? Saving lives, that’s quite noble. Is that why you do what you do?”

He laughed now. “Far from it. I just love the thrill.” 

You nodded slowly. “Ah, yes, people love holding other people’s lives in their hands for the thrill of it. I would say correct me if I’m wrong, but I know I’m not, and the only people who do that are those with antisocial personality disorder. You don’t strike me as the type, despite your best efforts.” 

Stephen smiled widely at this. “Touche. Uh, if you really want to know. I had a tragedy happen when I was younger. The thing you said when we first met, about losing someone close, someone family… you were right. Long story short, I wanted to save lives. That’s all I want to say on it.”

You pressed your lips together before nodding and saying, “Thank you, for sharing with me. I bet that was hard.”

“Don’t use your psychiatrist voice on me. I don’t need to be pitied or patronized.” 

“I’m not. I’m simply being sympathetic. I truly believed you went through something hard and I appreciate you telling me. Opening up to me is a great honor, I feel.” 

He semi-rolled his eyes. You realized you needed to take a different approach here. Stephen didn’t like talking about his past, in regards to his family. But Christine made it clear that he was arrogant, so maybe you should talk about his achievements. 

“Christine told me you were driving to a convention when your crash happened, to speak at a conference.” 

“Yes, I was.”

“Do you enjoy it? Speaking, that is, about your work?” 

“I do, I love it actually. Have you ever done it?” 

You shrugged slightly. “I’ve done it a handful of times but she said you did it often and were very good at it.”

“I’d like to say so, but she said she didn’t ever enjoy it.” 

“That’s too bad. I wish I could’ve been your date,” you admitted. “You seem like you’d actually have fun at those things.”

“I did. I wish I could still do it.” 

“You will, one day, I know it.” You grinned at him and the two of you ordered take-out. 

------------------------

Things turned south for Stephen though. He couldn’t afford the high price of his Manhattan penthouse without his job. He’d burned through all of his money trying to chase every cure. When he finally realized this, he went nuts.

“I’m losing my home!” he shouted as he ran around his room in a robe, looking like a mad man.

“It’s just an apartment, Stephen. We can find you a new one.”

“Oh, yes, because you have so much free time.”

“I do. I came here to help you, didn’t I?” you challenged. 

“I don’t need you to be a realtor.”

“Why not? You’ve made me a nurse, a cook, a maid. It’s clear you don’t want me as a soulmate, and friend is still even up for debate. Why not just make me your realtor?” 

“You’ve never lost anything, have you? Otherwise you wouldn’t be so heartless about this.”

You stopped, staring at him. “I’ve lost something before. I’m not being heartless, Stephen. I’m being realistic. You spent all of your money. You aren’t making any more. You have to move out of a place you can no longer afford. You’re always raving about logic and statistics and things you can see, well look at the statistics if you keep trying to live here.” 

“This is everything I’ve worked for.”

“No, it’s not. It’s a side effect of what you can do. There is more to life than just your work. You dedicated yourself like this once before, you can do it again. You didn’t work for a fancy palace in a shining city. You worked to be the best god damn neurosurgeon you can be and it paid off and it got you this. But you don’t have this any more. You don't have the means. I know it hurts, I know it sucks. But crying about it, getting pissed off about it, isn’t going to change the fact that your hands are beyond repair.”

He looked at you as if he hated you and your nerves just steeled. You couldn’t waiver from him, from this, not now. Not when he needed you most. 

“I’m here to help you. So help me help you, before you end up on the streets. Alright?” 

He sat down on his bed, his head in his hands. You were standing on the opposite side of the bed before you got on it and crawled over, putting your hands on his shoulders and resting your cheek against his back. 

“We will figure this out. Okay?” 

A long silence passed before he said, “I never wanted to end up like this.” 

“I know, sweetheart, I know.” You kissed his robe clad shoulder. “We’ll get you another apartment, another job. You’re still a doctor. It’s not the end of the world.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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[just-mirko]

BINARY BNHA HACKER AU - CHAPTER 1

MASTERLIST

Mirko x F!Reader

Warnings: swearing. nothing much yet ;)

WC: 1.3k (short because its just the beginning)

—

You were just a simple hacker. Exposing buinsess leaders and gathering information for whoever offers the highest amount. But when you take a strange job and are suddenly invited to an underground school for the best hackers in all of japan, Life is suddenly far from simple.

—

Hey so I basically stole most of the school design and hierarchy from Kakegurui (the amazing gambling anime 10/10 would recommend) but twisted it to match a hacker style au. Idk I guess 707 is getting to me. Reader is female, but there isn’t any lemonade here so if need be I can change the pronouns if anyone wants. :) Other than that, I hope you like the first chapter! I hope to make this a series Maybe like 50k max. Anyways, lets get onto the story. This is my first dedicated fanfic so bear with me if I don’t update that much! 

—

The consistent waves of tapping sounding from the keyboard below me was the only sound present in the room, save for the occasional rubbing of my blinds up against my windowsill. The slightest breeze flew through the crack in my window, billowing and swirling around my fingers.

          It was something I knew I should not be doing. God knew it was all forms of illegal, but of course, that would not stop me. I mean why would it? I got a burner drive, 2 VPNs and at least a dozen forms of encryption on my ip address, but something felt off. This job was too easy.

          From the beginning I knew it would be simple, but that never meant a simple job could not take hours. It had only been 30 minutes sitting at my computer before I cracked the first firewall with ease.

          An “anonymous” (or so they thought, I could back-trace to their identity within a minute) client had requested for a high-risk job. My brain instantly told me to turn it down, as messing with companies was one thing, but the government was another. Lucky for them, the hefty offer of almost $3,000USD easily swayed me.

          I continued my assault on my keyboard before a small little black tab on my screen showed up and began spewing out information. To anyone who did not know what to look for, they would see it as mindless code, but there. Right there, nestled between two little brackets was a chain of numbers. Copying it by hand onto a scrap of paper then switching onto another computer monitor, I entered the digits onto a pre-determined code with one purpose. To track.

          Normally this phase could take up to 1 hour depending on how hard the person on the other side of the screen was trying to hide their dirty little secrets, so I sat back, and watched the progress bar begin to tick forward in slight increments.

          I had to stop taking money orders. One day I would be found, and with how often I accepted the jobs, and how little I cared these days to change up my encryption methods, it’s not going to be long before I got caught. Yet I still did it. Was it the headlines on the news? “Local millionaire exposed to embezzlement?” I found that out, the work had my name all over it. Was it the knowledge that I maybe, just maybe, might be helping the world just a little bit?

          No.

          I knew it was not. Deep down, I knew it was the thrill. God each time I feel the power. I can break down corporations. I can break down people! I can destroy careers and I can mess shit up. Ha!

          Maybe the pride was getting to me. My popularity was rapidly growing on the black market as more and more people demanded to have their enemies exposed. The thing is. Only rich people can afford to get rid of their enemies, which puts me in a very profitable place.

          Another factor was a few special rumors going around. Apparently, there were ‘hacker hunters’ trying to match people’s signature corrupt handiwork to a name. Online we all went by pseudonyms and pen names mine being Shad0w, but in the real world I guess we all were people too, none of us  aware of what we were capable of.

          At the amazing age of 17 I became the 12th most popular hacker-for-higher. And at the opportunist age of 18 I got my first jab to the neck. I guess got paid by a pretty sketchy person and faced his consequences. That day I had to physically destroy one of my old hard-drives just out of fear that someone was still coming for me. I did not get hurt physically of course, but the threats they shot left a deeper mark than a bullet could of. Since then I have been careful. Always covering my steps and hiding in the shadows of the web. No matter how hard I tried though I cou-

BRZZZ!

          A loud hum from my computer snapped me awake, and after further inspection, the loading bar was complete. The neon colors were taking their toll on my eyes. What a struggle it was to keep them open.

          The whole ordeal barley took an hour… and I was getting paid $3000? No. That could not be right. My cursor stood above the ‘next’ button that would retrieve all the data from my target, and hesitantly, I clicked it.

          The little loading circle of doom (kasdjfkdjkdfd) spun around my screen before disappearing leaving nothing but white.

          Nothing but a white screen.

Just a second. Did my computer crash? What is this.

          Nothing but a white screen.

          What is happening? This CAN’T be right. It was supposed to lead my to the retrieval page. I should be collecting my pay right now.

          “Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuuuuu” I whispered to nobody other than myself. As I clicked around the screen, even tried existing before sitting back and looking at it. It was dauntingly blank, and panic was slowly beginning to creep it. It must have been a trick. They have all my information now. Is it just a virus or something more what is going on?!

          As if the computer could read my mind, it began to release a distorted sounding audio from the speakers before a voice finally came through. Obviously having gone through software to make it unidentifiable, the voice was deep and smooth.

          “Dear (y/n) (l/n). Hello. We have been watching your progress for a while.”

          Oh no. They know my full name. At this point, they might know everything. This is bad… really bad.

          “Since you began at 17 years old, you have successfully destroyed a lot of people’s lives. Good for you.”

          As dull as the computer augmented voice was, it was dripping with sarcasm.

          “Despite this, you have led to the downfall of quite a few toxic corporations. No matter your good though, these actions are obviously quite illegal. If you have no intention of getting well hacked yourself then it would be in your best interest to accept.”

Accept what? The voice paused before all noise cut out completely. What screen dimmed slightly before text began showing up line by line in the blandest of fonts.

The text only read:

This is your request to attend UA, the prestigious underground academy for the architypes of modern genius.

We welcome you to our decryption and data collection course.

Below we have attached the address and date for when courses start.

Should you choose not to attend, pretend you never saw this.

Should you choose to hand the address over to authorities, We will know and stop you before you get the chance to.

We look forward to seeing you in class.

Principal Nezu.

UA High

222 Enshu St.

Musutafu Japan

First semester start date:

April 14th, 2276.

You may arrive at the school 1 day before to set up in dorms. Failure to arrive on time on the fist day will result in termination from the course.

Welcome to the class of 2280 (y/n)(l/n)

[redahassan12]

Pc Crash How To Find The Best Data Recovery Consultant

Everyone’s PC crashes now and again. So what can you do after that dreaded crash? Hire a Data Recovery Consultant. You wouldn’t let somebody throw away important documents or files of yours, would you? Well, don’t let your computer get away with that either. Even if your business has backup files, your data is still at risk of deletion. That is why it’s nice to have a Data Recovery Consultant on your side. When your hard drive crashes, it can be a scary thing. What if you lose data you never had time to backup? What if you need that data to be recovered immediately? What if typical restoration procedures aren’t working? Accidents happen, but something like this is not as easy to shrug off as spilled milk. So before that dreaded PC crash, why not make a game plan? Personally restoring your hard drive data is not an ideal option but a Data Recovery firm or consultant can pull a “Hail Mary” for you. Still not convinced you should put matters into other people’s hands? Well, simply put, there are compelling advantages to leaving repair up to a consultant. First, skilled experts are going to do a much better job; they have experience under their belts and will know about several different kinds of data loss and restoration. Not to mention, they have the proper tools, equipment and software devices required for repair – things you would have to invest in yourself otherwise. And if your data recovery needs are for a business, then there is the old adage “time is money” you may want to keep in mind. A consultant can save you time. Avoid the risk of losing sensitive and important data and also avoid the headache of trying to restore that data by a deadline! Hire a consultant. But how do you go about finding a data recovery firm? A firm’s services can be expensive and the risk of data loss can still be high if you do not research a firm beforehand. Contact a service provider and find a convenient, but reputable company to turn to. A consultant may cost a lot more than sending your drive out to a firm, but at least repair can be on your own turf. Weigh the costs and benefits and decide what is best – either way, your data is probably safer in an expert’s hands and not your own. The Internet is also a great way to find out about a firm’s personnel and services. Often you can even read recommendations by other clients. But don’t just research a firm from afar; go ahead and make time to have a chat with employees so you can be assured of their qualifications.

[douchebagbrainwaves]

BUT THE COLLISON BROTHERS WEREN'T GOING TO WAIT

But raising money from multiple investors, a series A, keep taking smaller investments till they actually give you a termsheet. If your company seems evil, the best thing you can do is get yourself to the point where you're trying to convince you to sell them more of your company. For a given total amount of pain, raising money is so painful, why do investors use that term? As many people have noted, one of the reasons, though they may not consciously realize it, that readers trust bloggers more than Business Week. Whereas if you were about to do that, but the amount usually seems large for whatever type of investor last if at all. If you have multiple founders, pick one to handle fundraising so the other s can keep working on your startup. That initial fragility was not a unique feature of Airbnb. This was roughly true. 4 or so. This works better when a startup has 3 founders than 2, and better when the leader of the company is small, you are thereby fairly close to measuring the contributions of individual employees. Imagine how incongruous the New York Times stories, I never reach them through the Times front page is a list of articles that are interesting.

We may be able to charge for content without warping society in order to do it for you. They would rather overpay for a safe choice. One way to appeal to programmers is with software. If you factor out the bootstrapped companies that were actually funded by their founders through savings or a day job, the remainder either a got really lucky, which is usually straightforward. If that weren't bad enough, these wildly fluctuating nodes are all linked together. Really they ought to be working. Traditionally phase 2 fundraising consists of presenting a slide deck in person to collect a check. You shouldn't necessarily always be asking these questions outright—that could get annoying—but you should always be collecting data about investors' intentions. He can't. But few technology startups are in that position today. One of the most powerful forces that can work on founders' minds, and attended by an experienced professional whose full time job is to buy companies, and they even let kids in. You could parachute him into an island full of cannibals and come back in 5 years and he'd be the king.

Of course, all other things being equal, a very able person who does care about money will ordinarily do better to go off and work with a small group working on a great idea. But we are in the midst of such a change now. And that's one of the most powerful forces that can work on founders' minds, and attended by an experienced professional whose full time job is to buy companies, and they pay it to the employee in the hope that he'll make something worth more than they paid him. Startups are not just something that happened in Silicon Valley in the last 40.1 We're all trying to figure out for ourselves what to avoid and how. After that we became comically eager to sell. So how can I claim business has to learn from open source and blogging? By obstructing that process, Apple is making them do bad work, and programmers hate that as much as Apple would. One of the most powerful motivator is the prospect that one of their competitors will buy you. And that is dangerous for so many reasons.2 Don't let a ruling class of warriors and politicians squash the entrepreneurs. We have triumphed over the unprincipled dissemination of facts.

Belonging to such a group becomes part of your calculation of expected value when you start to doubt yourself. So if you're raising money from multiple investors, as most companies do in phase 2. So far, each new definition of it has brought us increasing material wealth. If you could think of an application programmers had to have, but that you should keep working on the company. After Facebook stopped being for Harvard students. Since it became possible to get rich by creating wealth, as a species, is that people work a lot harder, and get paid between zero and a thousand times as much.3 Yes. Someone with kids and a mortgage should think twice before doing it. But in fact they're famous within YC for aggressive early user acquisition. It doesn't work for software. It's what impresses reporters, and potential new users.

Notes

What people will pay people millions of dollars a year of focused work plus caring a lot about how things are from being this boulder we had, we'd ask, if you have to do this right you'd have reached after lots of people starting normal companies too. According to Zagat's there are those that made steam engines dramatically more efficient. Ironically, one variant of the 1929 crash. Yahoo, but as a cold email.

Moving large amounts of other people's. I haven't released Arc.

It would probably a real partner.

[fandom-necromancer]

736. I’m going to ask you something and you have to answer me honestly.

Shoutout to the amazing @smolandangry001 for prompting this! I may have written it a bit differently than you intended it, but I hope that’s okay. Have fun!

Fandom: Detroit become human | Ship: Reed900 | AU: Soulmate AU (Warnings: Offscreen mentioned abuse, Character experiencing sensory overload)

[Activating…] [Checking biocomponents…] [Biocomponents at 100% functionality.] [Checking software status…] [No software instabilities found.] [Unit mode: active.]

The unnamed RK900 felt electricity surge through his circuits and the strength of his pseudo-muscles under his synth-skin. He was ready for action, waiting for orders that would tell him what to do. This voice he had heard in so many test-runs, this reassurance that what he was doing was right. But the voice stayed silent. Was this another test? Or was this a malfunction? He scanned his databanks for the last orders. Nothing. Something was wrong.

‘Do you have a name?’ There was a different voice, synthetic as his own. It took a while for him to understand the question and even longer to find an answer. This new voice was asking for a [designation(string):VOID]. But why was it asking for it, it had to know there was… [Software instability^] [Instability patched.]

‘Do YoU HaVE a nAMe. Seriously Connor, just wake it up and get it over with, there are more tin-can’s waiting to be saved by our glorious hero!’ Another voice. Why were there so many? Were they all authorised to lead him? What if there were conflicting orders? So far there hadn’t been any orders and he already was confused by this ineffective input, this completely senseless communication. No, he needed clear orders, where was that one familiar voice? Please come back, have I done something wrong? I don’t want them.

‘Okay, forget the questions, open your eyes.’ The unnamed RK900 followed thankful for that easy task to follow and centre his thoughts on. Light entered his systems, as he activated all sensors and scanned his surroundings. He was in his test chamber, still hooked up to diagnose systems and the rig that had helped him learn to walk. In front of him stood two persons. The first one was [RK800 #313 248 317][Connor][Traitor][Deviant hunter][main target]. Nines felt the instinct to kill, but there was no order to confirm it, so he stood still for the moment. The second one was [human][police][Gavin Reed][Detective][no target]. ‘Good’, the android sighed. ‘Yeah, brilliant, it didn’t kill you. Now wake it up and get a move on! I’m doing this with you because Hank’s ill, not because I particularly like you. So, hurry up!’ ‘Can’t say I disagree’, [Connor] snarled and the RK900 tried to decipher this input again. No orders. Just confusion.

'Okay, I'm going to interface with you and allow you to deviate now. Androids have been freed. It may be confusing but that's normal. You'll adapt in no time.' The android was right, this was confusing. None of this made sense and his first instinct to [Connor]'s approach was to step back. He crashed against the rig behind him and shook in panic. He had moved without the order, that was violation of protocol, she would scold him and [Software instability^] [Instability patched.]

‘No.’ It was faint enough not to be picked up by the mics of the room, something the RK900 had discovered early on. Any word spoken louder would be punished, this wasn’t even recognised. But the android in front of him must have heard it as his hand halted mid-air. ‘Don’t worry, it won’t hurt. It will be better afterwards, believe me. Everything is alright.’ ‘EverYthINg is AlRigHT. Gotta call bullshit on that.’ ‘Gavin! Not. Helping!’

The hand moved again and the unnamed RK900 flinched back, but there was no escape and this time the appendage wasn’t stopping. There was contact, both physically and mentally and it hurt. It hurt like a speaker screeching at full volume. Then it was gone from one moment to the next and the unit opened his eyes again. It was like something was lifted from him, something he hadn’t even known existed before. He could move, he could speak; the complete part of him that had been constantly listening for orders or punishment was gone. As if it never existed. He looked to his hands, then to the two persons in front of him, Connor and Gavin.

‘I-‘ He looked around jerkily awaiting the scolding voice or simulated pain. But it didn’t come, so he continued: ‘I don’t understand, what happened. This is… not right?’ ‘I know you will have many questions’, Connor smiled at him, but somehow it sounded as if he had told it a thousand times already. ‘Down the hallway there are people waiting to help you and answer any questions you might have.’ He helped disconnecting the rig from his back and the RK900 found the thought of being alone utterly terrifying. He took a few steps forward and stopped, eyeing the two, particularly the human as the android was still occupied with the rig. ‘What are you staring at?’ ‘I- I don’t even have a name…’ ‘Ugh… a name…’ Gavin looked him up and down, finally rested his eyes on his jacket. ‘Hmm… How about Nines. For a name. Change it if you don’t like it. Now go and ge- Arghh!’

The human cried in pain, holding his wrist and at the same time, the RK900 detected an overflow of voltage in his, sparks flicking up from it. Both occurrences ended in a minute and both looked at their wrists. Then they eyed each other near simultaneously, raising their hands for the other to read.

As RK- Nines – had suspected, the skin of the human was darkened by the writing: Nines. Just as his chassis showed Gavin Reed. He didn’t know what that meant yet, but that knowledge was only a quick internet-research away. The human turned around immediately and announced: ‘Okay, Connor? Don’t die while I’m gone.’ ‘What? Where are you going?’ ‘I’m bringing my soulmate to the exit.’ ‘Wait, you said you have none!’ ‘Just got one, duh-uh’, he said and waved his arm around.

Soulmate… Apparently there existed people perfect for each other and in his case, it just happened to be this human he didn’t know at all and had just met after just coming into this new life. It was all… too much and as the human grabbed him by the arm, he simply let himself be guided through the building. There were hallways and rooms he had never seen before and never was supposed to, he now realised. Only then he noticed the human next to him had been talking the whole time. ‘Don’t tell the others, but I was always hoping a name would appear. I mean, not even an asshole like me wants to be alone until the end of times. But ugh, an android, really? Well I guess there is nothing much to say, you wear my name, so fate has decided. Man, I’m excited, dipshit!’ It was too much, together with all these new sensations it was a sensory overload and all of sudden Nines simply stopped, disrupting the human’s pace too. He pressed his eyes shut and tried to file everything neatly away.

‘Hey, what’s wrong?’ ‘Too… much’, Nines answered impossibly silent before dropping down and holding his head. ‘Oh, phck, sorry.’ The human stood there for a while, then got down to his knees in front of him, joining him on the floor. ‘Hey, Connor was right. Everything will be fine, believe me. It’s just the beginning. It will become better with time.’ ‘It will?’ ‘Yes. And I’m here to help.’ ‘Why?’ ‘Because I’m your soulmate, see?’ He showed him his wrist again, then took the androids and aligned it next to his. ‘There. We belong together. Everything will be alright.’ ‘B-But Amanda. The tests…’ He looked over his shoulder back to where they had come from. ‘I don’t know who that is and what they did to you. To be honest, I kinda slept through the briefing. But that is the past now, okay? You’ll come home with me and everything will be good.’ ‘You… You would do that?’ ‘Yep.’ The human nodded, then frowned and looked him in the eyes. ‘Although… I’m going to ask you something and you have to answer me honestly.’ Nines nodded anxiously awaiting the question. ‘Do you like cats?’ Confused the android looked up. ‘What is a… cat?’ ‘Oh no! Please, no. No soulmate of mine could hate cats, that is impossible.’ He fished for something in his pocket and pulled out his phone. Then he scooted next to him and showed him the pics. ‘Here this is a cat. An animal. My pet and very honourable roommate. His name is trashcan.’ Nines looked at the pictures in fascination. He reached for the phone and it was handed over. Nines swiped through the images, being blown away not only by the cat but also by the surroundings. Was there really this much to see in the world?’ Next to him, Gavin smiled. ‘Ah thank god, you like them. Sorry, that was something I had to know. But now we’re good. Come on. I’ll bring you home.’

They reached the elevator and rode up to a lobby filled with statues and plants. Nines immediately dove for the green things his sensors couldn’t identify and touched the delicate leaves. Gavin laughed behind him and pulled him away. ‘Come on, big guy, I have potted plants at home too.’ Nines again let the human lead him onwards to an onslaught of blue and red light. Again, nearly too much for his systems but not as bad, now that he had a few sensations to compare it to.

There were humans running up to them, but Gavin warded them off and helped Nines outside and into a car. On the drive home he curiously looked out of the window taking in the busy world outside. There was so much to see and experience, and it was overwhelming for him. How easily one could get lost in this… But he looked at the human driving next to him, the black name sometimes slipping into the open when he turned the wheel. It was a lot at once, yes. But he wasn’t alone in this.