#multiple months to do because they just take that long to get the data needed to be useful

[freetoflythecrimsonsky]

It’s amazing how many people don’t understand that you don’t need a condition diagnosed to have a disability. Like as a concept, not in a legal sense. They just seem to think you’re either perfectly healthy or a doctor gave you a condition name on your medical files, no in between. To them, the idea that you may have symptoms for years without a diagnosis even when you have a doctor who is working with you and the time and resources to pursue testing is impossible. Having symptoms and an inability to be diagnosed due to lack of resources is also not possible apparently

[rawan-soso]

As the adults struggle to find food and keep a roof over everyone’s heads, the children of northern Gaza also have their own struggles. Their mental health is in a horrible state.

I hesitated to talk about this. I don’t want people to think we have so many donations that we can afford to buy my sister toys. It’s not that we can afford it. It’s just that sometimes we have to skip a meal to buy something for her because the boredom is making her even more depressed. She has severe trauma, she has seen bombs dismember people, she has escaped multiple massacres with us. But now the other kids in the building keep breaking her toys while playing and we can't buy a new one immediately, because there are more urgent things. The cheapest thing in northern Gaza right now is makeup, because no one needs it, so I bought some. I apply it on myself and Soso to make her happy, but I don’t always have the energy or time to play with her. I’m exhausted, sick and malnourished, and I still have to do chores and spend hours at the market looking for the most affordable food, clothes, and hopefully medicine.

We have many expenses that we don’t talk about because people won’t see them as vital. Phone chargers (only used ones that die fast, because new ones are insanely expensive). A fee for the neighbors who have the internet router. Phone bills and data. Toys for the children. School books and private tutors for students.

You’re right, it wouldn’t be vital if the war had only lasted for a week. But it’s been more than a year. Our children’s mental health is destroyed, especially children as young as Soso who is only 4 years old and whose brain is developing in a genocide. Students can’t just stop studying for all this time. My other sister missed her entire last year of high school, but she wants to take university entrance exams. Dropping out of university because of the war has killed everything in me. I can’t let her experience the same kind of loss, so I pay for her books, for paper and printing, for private tutoring classes.

I had to buy three phone chargers in a month. The first one was $70. Days later, it was $100. Two days ago, a neighbor fried the second charger, and the new one was $200. I cried that day, because it wasn't even my fault. The prices of everything keep going up and I feel like I’m going insane. Even our landlord tried to increase the rent. It’s okay if I sacrifice meals. I’m used to hunger. But I have three younger siblings and I can’t watch them lose even more than they already have. I want them to study and play. I want them to eat and stay warm.

Please help me. When all of this is over, I’ll get my degree, find a good job, and I’ll never ask for anything again. But as long as the war keeps going, I need your help. I promise your donations don’t go to waste. Food and rent will always be the priority. Soso and my grandmother are the first beneficiaries. We always think carefully before buying anything. I hope we can reach the final goal soon, and that it will cover all expenses until the war ends, because I’m so tired of relying on strangers. I hate asking for money. I’m eternally grateful to anyone who helps, but the guilt won’t fade, because I wanted to be an independent girl and help my family myself. I'm exhausted and depressed.

My campaign is vetted! ✅️Vetted by @gazavetters, my number verified on the list is ( #347 )✅️

Forgive me, you shared before and it helped a lot so I ask you to please share again @kerosene-saint @andnowanowl @omegasmileyface @4c-aperture @bahrmp3 @dhmiss55-blog @woodesnake @original-character-chaos @revalentinee @rapogirl13 @gorillawithautism @xerxestexastoast @kyoukainokanata @rabiesrabiesdog @rainyrebloggin @ok1237 @isummonedadragon @pro-pin-prinny @boxheadpaint @rukafais @butcklinkle @earlysunsetting @ceeberoni @strangeauthor @the–pony-box @blurrycow @nabulsi @90-ghost

[why-animals-do-the-thing]

I just wanted to drop a note to thank everyone who has supported the Patreon over the years, or signs up for things like my (free) Substack. It really means a lot.

I update both of those platforms infrequently. I’ve tried to build better habits about that over the years and continually run into the same problem: I don’t want to post anything about what I’m working on unless I’m 110% sure my opinions is informed as possible and I am not sharing anything erroneous. There is so much misinformation out there regarding animals in general and zoos and exotic animal politics especially that I absolutely do not want to add to it.

What that means in practice is that topics often take months to years to research, and big projects need multiple years to end up with something I’m comfortable publishing. (That accreditation reporting writeup was an idea I chewed over for easily two years prior to starting work; then it took spent six months to researching write it up). I have one project in the wings where I can’t even start a major part until Feb 2024, because data collection has to happen after the implementation of a new set of federal regulations. These things are great for creating quality work, but less good for providing people who are supporting your work with something tangible on a reasonably frequent basis.

Also, at this point? Most of my current big projects are so complex - and such novel things to study about the zoo industry - that I’m taking the extra time to really cross every t and dot every i with the research, and then get them peer-reviewed through credible academic journals. I think there’s four or five different projects that will be papers I’m working on simultaneously (and sporadically) right now. And as many of you know, this is a hobby, not a paying profession.

So. Thank you for sticking around through the long silences and the intermittent publications. I have so much I want to talk about, but it has to wait until I can do it right. I have so many cool things planned (like, multiple interactive websites) for once everything is finished and published. Whether or not you’re on the Patreon or just awaiting infrequent Substack updates, I really appreciate all of it.

[dramatic-dolphin]

Oh man, I am waaay on the other side of the "pronounce names correctly" debate. Not because I don't think you should, in general, attempt to pronounce names correctly, I do. But I'm trying to get people to stop trying to pronounce my name correctly.

I happen to have a name that's (for foreigners) Hungarian on Hard Mode. I'm talking umlauts, digraphs with y, just all the good phonemes that don't exist in most other languages. I've spent a lot of time abroad with people from various parts of the world, and I can tell you from hard empirical data: nobody can say it. And I'm cool with it! I just tell them the English equivalent and it's fine.

Mostly. Some people, especially those who are trying to be culturally sensitive, have a Really Hard Time™️ accepting that a) they are not getting it right b) continue to not get it right despite asking me to demonstrate over and over. And I appreciated it at first! How thoughtful, this attempt to engage with my culture. Cue several months of unsuccessful attempts, at the end of which they were (mostly jokingly) accusing me of faking it. Almost verbatim: "if we recorded you saying your own name and played it back to you, you would say it's incorrect".

(I get it though, the pop sci explanation that I've never bothered to fact check is that as you grow up, you're more attuned to characteristic frequencies of your mother tongue, so when another language comes along with different frequencies, you are quite literally incapable of distinguishing them. So their attempts may sound the same to them, but it sure doesn't to me. I tell them I have this with "bet" and "bat", and that sometimes puts an end to it.)

So yeah, attempt to pronounce everyone's name correctly. Unless they have asked you multiple times not to.

YES YES YES. sometimes you don't want to hear your name butchered over and over and again. like it can be funny when the entertainment is the hungarian gyöngyi and the czech přemysl trying to pronounce each other's name (actual thing that happened at an event my mom was at, everyone thought it was hilarious), but like. at some point it gets TIRING.

god do i hate those people who are like "well at the introduction i wouldn't stop trying until i could pronounce their name correctly!!" newsflash you were not pronouncing it correctly unless you also did a deepdive into the phonology of the language right there. what actually happened was that scene went on for so long and got so awkward they said "haha yeah that's correct!" to stop you from trying again. PLEASE stop. it is very awkward.

the pop sci explanation is sorrrrt of right, you're not really ever incapable of distinguishing phonemes, or phonologists would be out of a job! but your brain does become attuned to the subtleties that are important in your language and discards other phoneme differences that aren't used in your language because who even needs that. it's possible to learn to speak a language like a native and understand all the subtle differences so deeply that they come as instinct. it just takes a LOT of work.

(but- learning your native language took even more work. you're at an 8yr old's level of umderstanding in the language you're learning? well, how long do you think it took the 8yr old?)

also, relatedly, if someone - usually someone who's chinese in my experience - tells you their name, and then adds "but you can call me [english name/name in another language]!" it tends to be because they LIKE being called that name and possibly even prefer it to you butchering their name. they understand that you will butcher their name, because the language - which may or may not be chinese - is notoriously hard for outsiders.

[writing-with-olive]

Doing activism when you can't leave your home

A lot of times when we think of activism, we think of marches and irl community events and stuff like that. But what can you do if you can't leave your home and don't have a ton of extra cash on hand? (Note that these are ideas to get you thinking, not an exhaustive list. Feel free to send me an ask if you want more in-depth info)

Important: it's really hard to keep up activism if you're burnt out or physically exhausted. If you're stuck at home because you are recently injured or are actively sick, or anything else that requires you to take care of yourself first, do that. Same for chronic illness; mind your flare-ups and play the long game. There will always be more activism for you to do when you've got the resources for it.

Outreach Options

Call your representatives. This can be at any level: city, state, federal, etc. A lot of decisions can be influenced if a lot of people call on a major thing, saying "hey you gotta pass this" or "absolutely do not vote for it." Similarly, if there's a more niche bill happening, fewer voices can also have an outsized impact. If you wanna combine your efforts with the efforts of other people, consider getting on the newsletter of organizations like Indivisible, who can help you stay up-to-date and provide resources for staying involved.

Build call scripts. For a lot of people, calling can be really scary, either because they don't know what to say, or because talking on the phone just isn't their thing. If you're in the latter, group, you can still help people in the former. If there's a bill or issue that a representative is going to be voting on in the future that you want to make your voice heard about, you can use a template like this one and post it so that other people can use it.

Send emails to your city council. City councils generally have a public comment date each month with the option to submit a written comment if you can't be there in person. If there is an issue you want to see addressed in your city, reach out that way.

Write an op-ed. If you have a local paper that has options available for this, consider writing a piece as it relates to whatever cause you're championing. Guidelines can differ by paper, but it can be a good way to get an idea out.

Use social media to talk about an issue. Generally this works better if you have something to add or are staying with a particular topic, rather than simply waving around all the issues under the sun, because the latter can cause your posts to get lost in the noise. For example, while I talk about an abundance of problems on my blog, my focus is activism education and helping people see ways that they can get engaged personally, and posts like that tend to get the most traction.

Research Options

Get involved in citizen science. You can check out sites like Zooniverse to find ways that you can help. In a lot of disciplines, multiple (the number varies by discipline) random people processing data can be about as accurate as one trained person, because the duplicity helps to balance out the errors one person will make. Lots of projects in climate science, archival work, linguistics, cosmology, and a bunch of others need help analyzing the large amounts of data they've collected, so you can be a part of the work that's trying to address world problems.

Keep an eye on local or organizational goings-on. This one pairs with outreach, as it's really only helpful insofar as you're able to do something with the information you gather, but lots of news isn't going to really focus on a city-level committee or something unless they take particularly flashy action. If there's local politics that live-stream their meetings, you can tune in. Lots of patterns are slow to arise and take multiple meetings to notice, but once you've got your bearings you can talk to other people about taking action in response. For example, I once noticed a previous mayor was more likely to shut down conversation during meetings if she was talking to an individual than she was if she was talking to a business rep. That small detail was a large contributing factor to the way my locality was getting gentrified, and once I noticed it, I was able to draw attention to it.

Help teach others. This isn't so much research on your end, but rather helping others get the skills for it. There may be other platforms that are useful for this, but the one I've got experience with is Upchieve, which is volunteer text-based tutoring for low income students who otherwise wouldn't have access to out-of-class help. It's a "whenever you feel like it" model, and will pair you with students who are on at the same time you are and need help in something you're prepared to help them with.

IRL Local Organizing Options

Host organizing meetings. Obviously this is going to depend a lot on your situation, but if you want to be a part of meetings but can't leave your home, you might still be able to invite people over, and make some of the work happen where you're at.

Help out with prep work for events. Maybe you can't help with the public facing side of an event, but if a whole bunch of envelopes need to be stuffed beforehand, or baking needs to happen for a sale, or supplies need to be sorted into boxes, or other similar assembly needs to happen, you can ask another member of your organization to drop the components off at your place, and let them know when it's set to get picked up again.

Do some of the logistics work. It's not sexy, but activism groups live or die based on how well they can keep track of their resources, who's doing what, and what upcoming plans are. If you can manage a spreadsheet or keep internal communications going, that can be vital. Maybe you can't be in person, but if you are providing operations information to the people who can, you'll still be invaluable.

[aureumdev]

Welcome to The Aureum

Hi! I'm a newer software dev, but with a long history with programming (thanks to this accursed site in 2014 and my desire to join robotics) I also happen to love writing and art, and have a lot of OCs. I always struggled with keeping them organized and finding a software that works for me.

Enter, The Aureum!

What is The Aureum?

The Aureum is a work in progress web based app made with electron that I am working on so that I can organize my characters in a bit of a different way. A lot of elements and planned features take inspiration from the fandom community wiki, mixed with some of my other favorite world building websites that just ended up not being a good fit for me.

I made this blog so I can easily keep track of my development progress on this, and maybe make some cool new friends in the process.

What does it do?

Currently? Very little, other than make characters with information.

However, I'm currently working on a number of features, one of my most ideal features being project organization. This would allow me (and other users ofc) to sort their OCs and locations BY the project. Maybe you're a writer working on a few different series/stories at the same time, and you need some way to seperate them. Maybe your a game dev, visual novel creator, etc and you just want to have some way to store all of your story and character information in one place.

I also have some more fun and 'unique' features that are being worked on, like an automatic reference sheet generator, which prints out some of your characters information like name, age, height, weight, body type, and some of your preselected colors.

Another favorite feature I'm working on are the personality sliders! In the characters page there are sliders that you can edit to have a little more of a 'fun' view of how your characters act. Here are some screenshots of the layout from within Figma!

Currently, I'm setting up the data storage structure so that we can input all of this character information and still be able to create a project after to put the character in. But while I'm still working out the kinks, here's a list of the main planned features that will be implemented before i send it out to friends to alpha test!

Features

Multiple Projects/ Worlds

Entirely locally hosted, no internet connection required

Personality sliders

Character sheet generator

Timeline feature per project/world

Ability to link to sources and citations

Relationship linking between characters (Similar to fandom wiki setups)

The Aurei - The golden ones, your favorite OC's flagged so that you can access them faster, especially if you have favorites from multiple projects.

Random generation features, for things like art prompts and writing prompts.

Ideas for future releases

D20, d6, etc dice roller

Fake social media screenshot generator similar to twinote or photonote

Additional timeline just on a character by character basis

Ability to sort OCs by tag - by gender, species, location, etc.

Dark mode (maybe custom color palettes for later that users can upload/customize via css)

and more!

Okay but when will it be done?

Truthfully, who knows? I'm solo deving this software for fun, while working a full time job on top of my normal small game projects I make. It might be functional in a few months, or it might take a few years. Ultimately, I have no timeline for this project, and I want to be up front right out of the gate. Once i get a stablle build with the main character and project features implemented and organized, I'll send it off to friends to alpha test, and if all goes well for a few weeks, then I'll post the alpha build for others to use.

Why are you doing this?

the short answer is just because i want to. The longer answer is because, while I love using things like notion, obsidian, metos, worldanvil, etc. I find that there's always one or two things missing from each of them that I'd personally like to have. A lot of these softwares/websites are created with specific things in mind, like note taking, etc. But for me, I make games, i do art, i write stories, and I'm a DND Dungeon Master, so not all of those softwares will work for my every project.

I wanted to make something that would work for everyone, for all of their creative needs.

Also a mini note, to anyone who comes back and sees this or is curious, this project *will* be free on release to the public and likely hosted on itch.io. There are currently NO plans for an online sync or any only features, as that is not within my devstack or technical abilities at this time.

[dingoat]

What’s in the glovebox for Five and this month’s calendar page for Ahuska? 👀👀👀

[From the 'peek inside' prompt list which I love and anyone please send more!!] Ahahahaa oooh I love these!!!

Five... definitely owns multiple very expensive, classy landspeeders, and he is the sort of guy that probably has the gloveboxes arranged to best suit the purposes (and personas) he uses each speeder for. They would all have impeccably kept logbooks, for starters, both for services/repairs and for tracking Work Related Expenses for space tax. Other things you might find would be a comb (naturally) and cologne (just in case), snacks of some variety (for Thirteen), a spare data spike and some surveillance taggers, aaaand a little folder of permits that would allow him to park just exactly wherever he pleases without fuss (one day he's going to need that disability parking permit for real and he is going to have an apocalyptic internal crisis if he runs into someone being as self serving as he's been for the bulk of his life).

Ahuska's calendar page though! Oh gosh, poor girl is having an absolute heck of a time at the moment. She's currently 'stuck' on Ilum after a nasty werewolf related accident on Tython, where she's not welcome back until she gets some hardcore imperial conditioning undone - or at least under control. With no real idea of how long it will take her to resolve her issues, her calendar would have a lot of question marks and frustrated little scribbles, though the immediate days ahead would be full of: - Three-hour sessions of memory construction with Ulfran (my undercover-Jedi-turned-Sith-Lord-for-realsies) twice a day (no fun) - Shapeshifting/stabilising practice (varies from arduous and physically taxing to fun and peaceful and uplifting) - Planning for meals that she can take the time to prepare (nutrient bars suck and enjoying good food is one of the few things she can feel in control of at the moment, in particular to offer Thirteen because she feels she owes him SO much) - Meditate (she knows she should be doing it more than she is but she's so tired and emotionally distracted....!) There might have been a few other hopeful things jotted in a week or so ago; planned walks across the ice shelves, hunting under the full moon, time to relax with a holoflick or with some painting - but they'd all be harshly struck out now, because she's in a pretty low place and feels like she doesn't deserve anything nice at the moment. (From the 'a peek inside' prompt list which I love and anyone please send more!!)

[ariesgamesandminis]

A long overdue "New Site" update…it's a little long, but PLEASE READ IT, plus there is a double surprise buried in the post. Consider it a little bit of a treasure hunt to make you read!

First up…to those out in Nebraska with that tornado, my thoughts are with you all.

Sorry to everyone on the delay with an update, I've been VERY hard at work migrating everything I could over to the new site, and sadly…there were migration issues which I expected there would be, but not the amount, or the errors. I tend to be a bit overly anal with how I want things done, how I want them to work and be presented to the customer, and as such…I keep finding little things here & there I don't like and want changed. Either I can change it or I need whomever on the support team to change it, and due to that, sometimes it just takes a little bit longer. So while I wait…I search for bugs, and I squash them. I'm one of those…let's make it better than 100% kinda guys.

ANYWAYS…I wanted to let you all know, as I said previously, we are very close to launching, and there are a few things to be aware of!!!

When we launch, I will simply take down the blocked landing page you currently cannot get past, and I will not announce it because when I do…I'll be sending out account activation emails first. PLEASE WAIT FOR YOUR ACCOUNT ACTIVATION EMAIL!!! This will be an automated send, I just click a button and it will send out batches of emails for me. The problem here is that I have almost 10,000 customers currently (this fact blew me away, but some them I think are fake accounts and some have never purchased anything for whatever reason)…this process will take a while to happen!!! It might be a day, it might be two days, just please wait otherwise you will have issues logging in.

While I was able to import 100% of the customer accounts, I was NOT able to import about 90% of the addresses. This is due to multiple accounts having 5 or more addresses listed as ship-to listings due to moving around the country, being stationed overseas in the military, etc. For sanity reasons, I did not pick an address to import as most would likely be the wrong one…but that won't stop you from checking out. Just fill in your address when you check out, it's that simple.

Again…as we have posted before, we COULD NOT migrate your Wishlist (items you saved in a list you want to purchase later on), and we COULD NOT migrate your Waislist (items that were out of stock at the time and you would get an email when they were restocked).

The Wishlists were just S.O.L. for exporting data. Nothing I could do there.

The Waitlist for Back In Stock Notifications however…I was able to export, but there is no way to import that data, and as such, I have a file with over 700 entries on it, so I would HIHGLY suggest if you had something you were signed up for to be notified when it comes back in stock…EMAIL ME so I can send you the list. There's too many people on the list to email them all out, it would cause everyone's email servers to mark me as a spam bot and then you'd never see the store emails.

During this migration, we've received the 4 NEW releases from Iron Wind Metals which are the new Rifleman, Archer, Night Gyr, and Jade Phoenis A variant as well as a full restock on Iron Wind Metals miniatures, 2 restocks on Catalyst Game Labs including Clan Invasion Salvage Boxes, The Army Painter which included restocks on the brand new Fanatics line of paints, Gale Force Nine including the new Atlean Steppes bundle from Thunderhead Studio, some Pokemon items, and various other pieces.

We've also got 4 whole new lines showing up! 2 of which are ALREADY STOCKED RIGHT NOW (one has been requested over and over and I'm going against my better judgement in expanding this section of the store, so we shall see how that goes), another will hopefully be stocked in the next 2-4 weeks…and the other about 2 months from now!

The past shipping issues of the US Postal Service and UPS overquoting SEEM to be gone. I've tested this EXTENSIVELY and after roughly 10 years of dealing with that, and being stuck in the middle of those services blaming the shopping software and then the shopping software blaming those services…I just cannot be happier to move on from that problem. It was a MASSIVE pain in the butt, and I'm happy to have that behind me. However I will say this, I did do some tweaking to the shipping system on the new site which may, or may not need to be reverted. Only time will tell as more orders come in, but my testing says it's solid…but customers always find a way to make me pull what's left of my hair out as they submit an order I never thought possible! LOL

Local Pickup is now an option for ALL U.S. based customers…so if happen to be traveling from California and are passing through Kenosha WI…we can accommodate that, but as with the previous system, we will email you to arrange a time & date that works for all of us!

U.K. customers…sorry, but you guys still have to get past that dollar threshold to have shipping options show up. My best advice as always…DO GROUP PURCHASES!!!

Germany…yes, I know, you're still starving for stuff. I'm working on it, but it's not easy due to language barriers with companies out that way…but yes, I'M WORKING ON IT!!!

Lastly, and this is a recent development, we will be expanding our offerings of Digital STL files! We are going to do a little expansion there, just to see how it works out. This was literally a "just last week" thing, which I'm working on the interface now for and that pushed things back a day or two, so sorry on that. More on this in the coming weeks.

With all that said…we plan to open in the next couple days (best case scenario), and start those account activation emails rolling out. So keep an eye out on your emails!!!

[ask-the-nanahito-kids]

Helloo! This question is for each one of you: What’s your favorite childhood memory?

Kenshiro: Hmm, that's a tough one because I have cursed memory. I can remember every single day of my life, including my own birth. It's not overwhelming, my brain is built to handle it, but it means the bad stuff stays with me too. 

But it's okay, because I have many happy memories to balance it out. Feeling my parents' love as a baby is a memory I come back to often for comfort, though they still love me today of course. The day Mama became human is also an important one, because even though I didn't understand what was going on back then, I knew it had to do with him not being deathly sick anymore until Mayu was born.

I told you it was going to be hard to pick. I think the one that brought me the most excitement was the first time we went to the aquarium. I was six months old, and I was obsessed with fish. My favorite toy was a whale, and although I ended up losing it at the aquarium, Papa found it again at home and I was happy again. Now that I'm older, I'm pretty sure it was a spare, but as a baby I didn't notice or didn't care.

(more under the cut)

Mayu: I wasn't the happiest kid. I can barely remember anything from my childhood, which is for the best I suppose. My parents and Kenshiro had nothing to do with it, my mental health was just shit. 

I think my happiest memory was the day I became a curse at fifteen. I don't know if it counts as a childhood memory, but it was the first time I felt like myself. I finally allowed myself to take up the space I needed, and I saw how much my family really loved me. It just felt right, you know? It's not easy everyday, a sorcerer could decide to come after me at any moment, but I'm working on changing the way the sorcerer society treats curses with the help of my family and other curse friends. Kenshiro and Juri both work for Jujutsu Tech too, so we can tackle this issue from within.

Now that I think about it, the day Juri was born is also one of my happiest memories. She was two when I turned into a curse, and that was how we found out she wasn't curse sensitive. She can only see me when she wears glasses. In fact she only wears them when I'm around. I love her.

Juri: I think I had a pretty happy childhood! I mean, I was a happy kid. Having two siblings much older than me was fun, it was like I had four parents to take care of me. Kenshiro had been taking lessons in multiple combat sports, so he could teach me a lot. I love the memories of us wrestling in the garden, and when he swore he wasn't going easy on me. I help him with his physical training as a sorcerer now. I have no cursed energy and no desire to use cursed tools, so we practice hand to hand combat! In fact I'm stronger than him in that field.

I think my happiest memory was when I was eight years old and Mayu got accepted in Jujutsu Tech as an ambassador for curses. It was the moment I realized things could be changed for them, because I remember Mama, Papa and Kenshin having a few good scares when Mayu was out and wouldn't answer their phone or when they'd come home late. In case they'd run into a sorcerer, you know.

Anyway, it was also the moment I decided to join Jujutsu Tech as well. I wanted to be a lawyer at first. Now I'm a chief project officer, my team and I are in charge of processing the data around Project Coexistence for Jujutsu Tech. We still have a long way to go, but we're getting there!

Yuren: I've been taking dancing and singing lessons since I was a small kid because I was hyperactive and loved to express myself artistically. I can't deny that I love the attention too. So my favorite childhood memory is probably from the numerous times I was on stage for the annual galas. 

I was really shy at first, because I've lived a very sheltered childhood, being a half-curse and all, so I rarely got confronted with many people, let alone been the center of attention. I went to a small private school with few other kids, I wasn't allowed to go to sleepovers… You can imagine.

I'd put on little shows in the living room for Mama and Papa, that's why they eventually decided to sign me up for dancing and singing lessons. Once I got a hit of positive attention from an audience of strangers, I was hooked. 

I'm an actor as well as a singer and a dancer now, and I like to think — I can't say it in interviews — that I'm the most famous curse for ordinary people.

[nipstec-limited2]

Advanced Excel Tricks You Can't Miss in 2025

Introduction

Excel is here for productivity decades after decades, and the simple spreadsheet is just one of its many utilities. 2025 will be a defining year for the future generation because it will take advanced Excel features to be at the top of the firm chart for professionals who want to optimize workflow, classify data in quick time, and make an impactful report. Regardless of whether you are a master of Excel or aspire to make yourself one, this article promises to cover the tricks that make you an Excel professional: let's dive into it!

1. Dynamic Array Formulas

Dynamic arrays redefine working with formulas in Excel. Instead of the defined and unchanged arrays of the past, they will expand and contract as data changes.

Key Functions:

UNIQUE: It extracts unique values from a list.

SORT: This function sorted data in ascending or descending order.

FILTER: It filters a dataset by condition. Practical Example: For instance, you are managing the customer database. In this case, you can go ahead with the UNIQUE function to filter out names and then use the SORT feature to sort them in alphabetical order.

2. Learning the XLOOKUP Function

Suppose you have been struggling with VLOOKUP or HLOOKUP; it's time to meet XLOOKUP. This function is the completion of all such limitations.

Why Is It Better?

Is vertical and horizontal.

Can search bottom up.

it plays nice with errors.

Example :

You examined sales data and wanted to total up revenues from that product in all the different areas. You'd do that with XLOOKUP, which can get you that information, even when the product name isn't in that first column.

3. Automating Tasks with Macros

Macros can be time-savers if you need to do repetitive tasks. By recording an event, you can invoke a long list of actions in one click.

How to Work with Macros:

You need to enable the Developer tab within Excel.

Record a macro while doing anything you do repetitively.

Example of Real Life:

Automate the monthly report by creating a macro that formats your data, applies filters, and generates charts automatically.

4. Data Validation and Dropdown Lists

Data validation ensures that a person entering information will do so consistently and accurately. One of the best features is drop-down lists.

Steps for the creation of a dropdown list:

Go to the Data tab and go for "Data Validation.".

In the list, type in all your predefined values.

Practical use:

Within an employee database, for example, have a dropdown for job titles to ensure consistency of response (for example: "Manager," "Analyst," "Developer").

5. Power Query for Data Transformation

Power Query makes data cleaning and conversion tasks room-consuming, taking hours, into minutes with a few clicks.

Why it is powerful:

Brings in data from sources such as Excel files, databases, or the Web.

Merging and cleaning datasets in clicks.

Example :

Combining regional sales spreadsheets through their product sales into one common reporting dashboard; no need for copy-paste or formatting work.

6. Advanced Pivot Table Techniques

A pivot table is a classical feature of Excel; however, advancement has not been given to it by most.

Advanced Features:

Calculated Fields: Add additional calculations that did not change the source data.

Slicers: Use to implement interactive filters for dynamic reports.

Practical Example:

In this case, build a pivot table that captures the summary of sales in a month and eventually use slicers to filter it according to region or product category with ease.

7. Conditional Formatting for Visualization

Conditional formatting enables your data to come to life by highlighting trends, patterns, and outliers.

Advanced Tips:

Using custom formulas creates more complex rules.

Layered insight can be garnered from multiple conditions.

Example:

Green-sealed sales figures exceed targets, while those below the floor are colored in red, thus easily identifying the trend of performance.

8. Sparklines and Mini-Charts

Sparklines are miniature-size charts that embed within cells, well suited for showing trends and yet having very little skin-hanging way.

Types of Sparklines:

Line: Used to show the trend in time.

Column: Used for comparing values.

Win/Loss: Used to show positive and negative values.

Examples:

By putting sparklines into a summary table, you can easily follow monthly sales for different areas.

9. forecasting and Data Analysis Tools

Tools for Predictive Analysis in Excel and Activities Related to Forecasting would definitely help anyone in making a more careful decision in matters concerning data.

Forecasting Tools:

Predict future values using both the FORECAST and TREND functions. Create a forecast sheet to depict trends visually. For instance, analyze sales in the past to predict future demand and help in inventory planning.

10. Tips for Collaborative Work

Excel is much more than a single-user tool; it is great for collaboration as well.

Collaboration Tips:

Protect sheets and cells from accidental edits. Add comments and notes to clarify changes.

Use shared workbooks in cloud platforms such as OneDrive for real-time editing.

Conclusion

Excel in 2025 is all about power. Knowing the tricks of the new software is going to save hours of work and enhance productivity. From dynamic arrays to forecasting tools, these features empower you to handle complex tasks effortlessly. Take the time to do a little digging into these tools, and soon your Excel game will rule all others.

Start practicing today!

[passingdaysthings]

10.16.2024 - Finding Another Job

Today is Wednesday.

It's been about a month since I graduated with my M.S, and I have been thinking about a new job more. It's so weird though. I feel accomplished finishing a degree that I was in a field completely new to me, but then.. I feel like I don't know anything. I have a while master's degree, but I also feel like I don't have it. I just learned so much and so little at the same time, and I am not sure how I handle that. I have looked at a job postings, but I can't help feeling unqualified because I am do new to the field. They're also asking me to use like 20 different programs or languages which is kind of crazy. I try to be very logical and tell myself that these job postings are asking for more than what I actually need for the job. I can't imagine listing an entry level job, but asking for multiple languages and program knowledge. I try to tell myself that I will need to be trained again anyways because I would be new either way. It's so funny to think about how cautious and scared I am compared to how I use to be, but it's not surprising since I am not 18 anymore. I have to think much harder about my decision since this is literally going to be my career. I like my job now because it's super convenient, but it's not a career. It's something that is contracted, and it will end. It also has nothing to do with the new career I wanna work on. I just wanna do other research things and more on the data side. Things in my life have kind of worked out for me when I take my time, so I think I should continue to move forward with caution and stop doubting myself.

My plans for the rest of 2024:

Oct: Start looking for a new job slowly or as I see, go see Latto, go to Virginia for volleyball, and go to Texas for Halloween and SVT

Nov: Continue job search, pick up on relearning my data science stuff and make a study plan, go to Jax for Thanksgiving (maybe)

Dec: JOBBBB SEARCHHH, continue learning, and maybe Disney?

I think it's so funny that it's already the end of 2024. I feel like this year just zoomed by me. That's probably because I actually did a lot of things this year between traveling and finishing my masters. I'm pretty sure I blacked out during all my quarters. I was just blacked out and did it. ACTUALLY, that is most like why I feel like I learned so much, but so little at the same time. I was just in and out of consciousness LOL.

On to old business,

I get so annoyed with myself with how much I go back and forth about Taylor and our relationship. I agree with the my from August because I still wanna date someone, and I have still been thinking about downloading a dating app and asking Taylor to help me set it up. BUT. I actually don't want to. I don't want Taylor to be involved in my new relationship at all because that's toxic. I am not gonna stoop that low no matter how much I think about it LOL. I have some pettiness in me, but I don't think I should be that way. I am also consciously and slowly trying to detach myself. I don't message him if he doesn't answer me, I don't usually call first unless I have a reason, I don't think about how much time has passed between our messages, and I don't really ask do to stuff unless I am free. It may not sound like a lot, but for me, it is because we talk all the time and spend time together everyday. I am trying to get use to the long periods of no talking. I think the biggest hard stop is sexting, but it's only been a month which isn't crazy because we'll stop for some time and do it again. I am just making sure I am not the one initiating. I am hope being unbothered by Taylor continues because it's been going well, and I just end up treating him like other guys in my life.

Overall, I feel content right now, and I am trying to be proud of myself even if no one else it. I am the one living my life, and the things I feel are things I will have to deal with. You got this, girly!

-P

[hetal124-blog]

Long or Short Form Content? Our answer to the Debate 

What’s the one thing that Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and YouTube have in common? Right now all of them are evolving their platforms to become video shorts or reel friendly. The reason? Their data shows they get more views and engagement with short form content. 

By 2020, videos under a minute got the most uploads Source: Wistia

A couple of months back, I put out a video stating that we’re switching to short form videos and everyone else should do it. However, this very hooky video did not capture the nuances of my opinion. 

Social media copies have gotten shorter. 

Most brands prefer to upload videos. 

Even video length has gotten shorter. The preferred video length is between 10-30 seconds. 

So, what does this mean for long form content? 

Is long form content dead? 

The short answer: Yes, short form content is here to stay. Also – yes, long form content is not going anywhere. 

So, what does this mean? 

Short form vs Long form content 

Do you prefer fast food burgers or gourmet burgers? 

There seems to be a debate among marketers about putting out shorter content to get more views, likes, shares and more. 

To me, this kind of debate is like asking: Do you prefer fast food burgers or gourmet burgers? 

Short form content: catches attention Long form content: informs 

While short form allows you to be catchy and grabs eyeballs, long form shines because it informs. 

That’s the advantage of long form. 

It gives the audience information on that specific topic

It answers a question on the audience’s mind 

It pushes the audience to make a decision 

Google still loves long form content 

When it comes to content creation, there is a ton of focus on social media. However, content creation happens on many platforms – not just social media. Content creation is also super important to get ranked on Google. 

The below data indicates that people have not forgotten SEO. 

In fact, most SEO experts will tell you that Google loves expertly written content that is written in-depth. And, one of the ways Google assesses an article’s depth level is its length. 

In addition to that, Google relies on keywords and search queries to show people the right results. To optimize your content, it needs to have the right and relevant keywords along with the correct keyword density for your content. 

One of the best ranking content pieces from Spacebar’s blog is The Ultimate Guide to Content Marketing. As long form content, here’s why it stands out: 

It’s optimized for multiple keyword clusters 

It deep dives into the topic of ‘content marketing’ 

It’s hyperlinked to multiple articles 

Do a Google search of any topic, and most likely the content pieces that rank are all long form. 

Google likes long-form content. 

Audiences still want long form content

Yes, short form content does better on social media. 

The average length of a video on YouTube is 11 minutes. There is a hunger for long form. 

An analysis by OkDork found that LinkedIn posts with a larger word count got more views. LinkedIn is a professional social platform, where experts quite often share their expertise, advice, knowledge, and experiences. And quite often these posts tend to be in the long form format. 

People are seeking knowledge and this can only be delivered by long form content. 

The story determines the length 

In all this debate about whether long form content is dead or not, let me present another point. 

Let the story or the information you are communicating determine the length. 

Focus on telling a good story rather than worrying about whether it will get views on Instagram. If you consistently share quality content, over time, you will find your viewership grow. Just don’t expect your content to go viral. 

Take that long form content and repurpose it across the internet on various platforms. That way, you get optimal use out of it. 

[sparterbiker]

Best International eSIM Plans for Seafers

Accessing reliable mobile coverage can be challenging when your lines of work take you to remote places- like the middle of the ocean. It can be difficult to stay connected at sea, especially when there isn’t cell tower (or land) in sight. What is a seafarer to do? We’ve put together this guide to the best eSIM cards for Seafarers for Seamen.

Staying connected while out at sea

Accessing reliable mobile coverage can be challenging when your lines of work take you to remote places- like the middle of the ocean. Connectivity is a struggle at Sea, especially when no cell tower (or land) is in sight. What is a seafarer to do? We’ve put together this guide to the best eSIM cards for Seafarers for Seamen.

Connecting at Sea isn’t like finding a mobile service on a camping trip. It’s is bit more complicated. You will be concerned about issues like:

What nation you are in: At sea, it’s not always obvious when you cross borders. Your Phone accruing roaming fees may be your only indication.

How much data you’ll need: Seafarers have different data needs from other travellers. You will need a plan that supports just rich-like activities like video call, and streaming.

How long you’ll be gone: Staying at sea for several months is fairly uncommon.  That can make re-upping plans or buying a new SIM card difficult. You’ll need a plan your data access ahead of time

Whether your ship has Wi-Fi: Some ships have Wi-fi.  If that the case for yours, your data will decrease. Try to find this ahead of time, and have a backup of plan if you need to rely on data.

The 3 best eSIM cards for Seafarers:

You have a few options when choosing an eSIM for a long trip out at sea. Here are three best eSIM cards for Seafarers and Seamen, plus some though on which solution is better:

International eSIM cards for Seafarers and Seamen

Global eSIM cards like Airhubapp have long been the traditional choice for people at sea. They used to only be actual SIM cards that you had to order in Advance, but they are now also offered digitally. They provide plans with unlimited data to fulfil demands at sea as well as plans with global coverage.

 Airhubapp isn’t only International eSIM card out there, but it’s one that many seafarers use and trust because of its simplicity cost, and data, package options.

A Global eSIM card like Airhubapp or another service is best for service if you:

Want to stay connected easily in 190+ countries

Want something quick and hassle-free

Are travelling to multiple regions around the world

Local SIM cards for Seafarers

SIM cards purchased in the area or nation you are presently referred to as local SIM cards. Ordinarily you’ll receive a local number and have access to data plans at regional prices. That can make them incredibly affordable while yet providing you with quick data, which makes them appealing.  

Local SIM cards are not always best options for Seafarers. When you dock, you need to search for them and make sure the re-seller doesn’t offer you at the higher price. Generally, they’re bit more limited unless you find that offers regional service.

Will remain within a single nation’s territorials’ water

Will spend a lot of time at port

Need a local number

eSIM for Seafarers and Seamen

An eSIM or, embedded SIM card is a best option for Seafarers and Seamen. It’s is much more convenient alternative to Physical SIM card, Unlike International and local SIM cards, they are no physical component associated with eSIM. Instead, you can get an eSIM bundle from our eSIM marketplace and pay for it. You can quickly connect to a mobile network after a simple installation.

 The eSIM is most flexible of the best for Seafarers and Seamen. Before your journey, you can install and keep numerous eSIMs and purchase a single country, Regional or Global data package. Need more data? To avoid service interruptions, it’s simple to top them up online. The only drawback is that eSIM is not supported all phones, you need to be connected to internet and install it. Check if your Phone is eSIM compatible.  

                      FAQ

Which eSIM card provides offer the best coverage for maritime use, especially in remote areas?

Answer- When it comes to international travel for seafarers and seamen, Airhubapp's eSIM card is a top choice. It offers the convenience of a digital SIM card, ensuring global connectivity without the need to switch physical cards. With competitive rates and wide-ranging coverage, Airhubapp's eSIM keeps maritime professionals reliably connected during their journeys.

Question 2- How do seafarers and sailors manage their communication needs with SIM cards while at sea?

Answer- Seafarers and sailors manage their communication at sea by using global roaming SIM cards like Airhubapp, providing them with reliable connectivity and cost-effective options during maritime journeys.

Question 3- Do specific SIM card provide discounted prices or package for maritime professionals?

Answer- Certainly, Airhubapp offers specialized rates and packages tailored to the unique communication needs of maritime professionals, ensuring cost-effective and reliable connectivity during their sea voyages.

[beazt]

hmm. something I’ve kinda noticed but never really brought into the processing part of my brain for any significant amount of time is this: (long post about education ahead)

as a tutor, and a first generation college student who generally interacts with a lot of other students… a Lot of students, maybe not the majority but Many, get really really hung up on things with preconceived notions that aren’t explained away

it’s impossible to explain this without some specific examples. the most frequent one I see is that of the “thesis statement” in written assignments. if you’re at all familiar with writing college-level essays, you probably know the thesis sentence is… not really a beast. it can have its challenges, and of course everyone is different. but if you know the topics addressed in your paper, you can create a sufficient thesis statement following some pretty simple formulas.

note that im using “sufficient” here because 1) for a lot of the students who this applies to, sufficient (or even just “completed”) is the end goal of the paper as a whole, not perfection; and 2) a sufficient thesis statement can be revised as needed, into a higher quality one

but… I have seen so many students hung up on thesis statements because of the name. Mainly first generation college students (my people!). I work with a lot of other tutors who are Not first gen graduates, and sometimes struggle to pick up on this: when the only time you’ve ever heard the word “thesis” is in reference to a large, many-month or years-long project, yeah, a “thesis” statement sounds incredibly daunting.

this mental block takes careful explanation and patience to overcome because the level of daunting it is triggers different responses, but common ones include fear, self-doubt, and a pre-emptive sense of defeat/failure— I have seen all of these multiple times and in different combinations.

and I watch as other tutors say things like “no no the thesis statement isn’t so bad! you just gotta believe me and work with me on this!” and it tugs at my heart a bit, because I know that a 5 minute conversation is usually enough to resolve the fear of thesis statements— and sometimes this “follow my lead” approach I see used leads to a mindset in the student of “I don’t understand what I just did, I still don’t know what a thesis statement really is, and I needed so much help to do it, I’ll never be able to do it on my own” (not always to this extreme but do you see where im going?)

and of course, many students struggle with it and never even interact with a tutor.

a simple solution would be in those lowest level college writing courses, having a segment on what thesis statements are, not just showing examples of them (and some instructors don’t even really do that) but also explaining why they’re called thesis statements. I had an amazing writing prof and she included this, but since everyone saw her as a harsh grader, people avoided her for the last few years before she retired.

I’m coming at this from a frame of reference dealing mainly with community colleges, but that’s where a lot of first gen students go, too. I feel that part is important to mention before I say the next controversial part:

this is often tied to the schism between arts and sciences, in my opinion. when people become fully dedicated to one and don’t strengthen the other, it leads to scientists without ethics or communication skills and scholars (in the sense of academics focused in humanities etc) who don’t value rigid, fundamental explanations of why things are the way they are.

MAJOR CAVEAT that this does not apply to Everyone in either field by any means, I wouldn’t even promise you that it applies to the majority. and this is not as much of a problem (though still present) in big universities because a lot of the faculty in them are involved in some form of research or data processing as part of their job description, which is inherently rather interdisciplinary

this is an unrevised rambling of this so give me some grace if I worded things a bit poorly. Honestly if I was given the time, energy, and resources, I would prepare a 3 hour training or workshop or Ted talk about the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to nearly any subject

[thelistingteammiami]

What Does the Housing Market Predict About Investment Property?

Living in a post-pandemic world and an economic recession does strange things to an already-struggling housing market. Investment property owners and entrepreneurs hoping to enter the market are looking toward 2023’s most recent data to determine how rentals will look moving into the rest of the year and onward.

As supply and demand shift across the nation and here in Florida, you’ll notice market trends may also change subtly this year. Take a look at these important considerations before buying or selling any new properties.

Location

The pandemic encouraged a trend of moving out of cities and into more rural and suburban areas, with people looking for ways to reduce their exposure and expenses. Even now, families are flocking to the country to pursue the slower lifestyle they became accustomed to during the shutdowns. Remote work is also still high, with 35% of workers whose job can be done from home doing so full-time — up from just 7% in the pre-pandemic world. The freedom to work from anywhere means more employees can leave the city. These trends have a significant impact on the real estate market. Investors will need to focus less on popular metropolitan areas and tourist destinations in favor of up-and-coming rural and suburban towns. 

Type of Property

Current market trends may also dictate the type of investment property you ultimately decide to prioritize. The economic downturn lowered most families’ discretionary income, meaning they’ll likely be traveling less. In fact, of the people not going on a vacation this year, 58% say it’s because they can’t afford to, which is up 10% over last year. Instead, families and singles are saving their money for necessary living expenses like rent. 

Landlords investing in long-term rental units may have an easier time making a profit this year and into the near future. Short-term rentals may struggle to secure consistent bookings, depending on the location and available property amenities. Airbnb-style offerings must rise well above the competition to stay afloat. Focus on finding ways to stand out and improve these properties.

Size of Residence

With the looming recession affecting everyone’s housing budgets, more people are ditching their single-bedroom residences to find roommates or live with family. Small apartments are looking less desirable since fewer people can afford them with their current income. Across the nation, rental occupancy rates are down as the demand reached its lowest level in 13 years at the end of 2022. Getting into investment properties is still possible for those willing to think outside the box. Apartments with multiple bedrooms and single-family homes are more likely to see a good return on investment. You’ll need to improve your amenities and offer competitive rates to draw in good renters. High-speed Wi-Fi is a must, and potential occupants will be looking for extras like smart doorbells and upgraded kitchens.

Housing Costs and Mortgage Rates

After 131 months of record-increasing median prices, housing costs are finally starting to adjust downward. However, home sale rates are also starting to fall despite the still competitive nature of the current market. The supply of homes is still low, and the economic downturn and continuing high mortgage rates are making purchasing and renting more expensive.

Experts across the board are uncertain how these factors will play into one another as the year progresses, with some more optimistic than others. Now more than ever, the market is location dependent. Local laws and regulations on rental units and household movement trends will determine the volatility and your chances of success in a given area.

In Florida, tourism is still booming despite trends in other areas of the country. It’s reaching record-high levels, with 137.6 million people visiting last year. The current numbers reflect a 12.9% increase since 2021 and 5% from the pre-pandemic levels in 2019. Plus, Florida cities currently claim half of the top 10 metropolitan areas seeing an influx of new residents. 

Forecast for Long-Term Rentals

With fewer people able to afford to buy homes, an ever-increasing number are turning to long-term rentals. In fact, in a recent survey, only 43.3% of current renters feel they’ll ever be able to own their own home. This year marks the first time the statistic has dropped below 50% since 2014. 

If you already own rental properties or have the capital to do so, you can likely turn a steady profit. The increased demand for these units means you can get a steady stream of applicants and find great renters for the right price. 

Changes to Short-Term Rental Market 

The short-term rental market is seeing significant changes that will affect the future of this investment type. Many entrepreneurs have seen what a lucrative chance these homes afford and eagerly jumped into the game.

However, the economic downturn and people still being leary of travel have created a demand issue that can’t keep up with the ever-increasing supply. Despite monetary and safety setbacks, the total short-term rental industry is at an all-time high for occupancy and revenue overall. Unfortunately, these resources are spread over far more businesses. The short-term rental industry is doing well, but many individual owners are suffering from the competition. 

As with long-term rentals, success will hinge on purchasing properties in the right areas for the right price and offering amenities and unique experiences to make you stand out from the rest of the pack.

New local and state laws are also impacting short-term rentals. Lawmakers nationwide have differing opinions on the benefits of allowing these short-term vacation homes. The high guest turnover rates and consistent influx of people make some nervous, feeling they're losing their city to tourists. However, others see the income these tourists bring as essential to the local and state economy. 

You’ll likely see several shifts in attitude over the coming years, so watch your intended locations carefully and get active in local politics to ensure your investment success. 

Is Investment Property Worth the Risk in 2023?

Most people who want to get into long or short-term rental properties watch the market for a time when mortgage rates and prices are low. This situation offers the best opportunity to turn a solid profit. 

However, waiting and watching can take forever — your “right” moment may never come. The real estate market is tricky to predict. For example, 2020 brought hurdles no one could have predicted. Some states, like Florida, were in a real estate boom, while metropolitan cities like New York and San Francisco suffered. As with stocks and other investments, time in the market tends to be a better strategy than timing the market.

[sterlingtechnolabs]

What are the pros and cons of Custom Software Development?

The word custom refers to the phenomenon of having something built specifically to tailor a particular set of needs. A custom software is one which is built specifically to deal with a certain set of problems or perform certain specific functions. Custom software developmentis extremely popular in the IT industry and is a phenomenon that can quickly get developers in it's chokehold. However just like literally any other phenomenon or process that has existed, the process of custom software development too has its own set of pros and cons. This blog aims to analyse that. 

What are the pros of custom software development? 

Let us analyse some of the pros or the advantages that a user can get with custom software development. 

1. Worth the investment

Getting a software custom developed to perform a certain set of functions can definitely be one of the most financially taxing process a person can undergo. However there are hardly any testimonies out there that warn people against custom software development because they feel it's not a good investment. In fact almost every person who has invested into getting a software custom developed claimed that it is one of the best investment you can do for your business. It ensures great returns and makes the money you invested in it, back in no time.

2. Enhanced security

A software created using a generic code is extremely easy to crack, which puts the firms using them at a higher risk of data theft. A software created using a custom code, offers enhanced security and even during the off occasion of a breach in the server, the person responsible can be caught and persecuted before much damage happens.

3. No overhead costs 

Buying a generic software off the rack requires entrepreneurs to pay heavy licensing fee and patent fee and sometimes the creators of the software may even levy an additional annual fee. All these factors tilt the scales into the favor of a custom software.

Cons of custom software development

Now that we have understand what custom software development is and it's benefits we move onto understanding what are some disadvantages to the same. 

1. Extremely time consuming 

Getting a software custom built is not for those who are short on patience or expect immediate results. It is an extremely time consuming process that takes upto months to get right. 

2. Heavy upfront investment 

Looking at the larger picture, getting a software custom built is definitely cheaper than buying and using an off the rack software but the only issue is that while the payment for the latter prolong over a long period of time, payment for the former needs to be made upfront which can be quite a burden on a client's pocket. These were few advantages and disadvantages of custom software development. For more information you can always check out multiple sites available online.