#Article Rewriting Software

[manuscript0123]

How To Access Article Rewriting Software?

Manuscript platform offers its users to access the article rewriting software. The software offers to modify the articles to create a new article. The software ensures to avoid the duplicate content. The main advantages of article rewriting software are time-saving and the ability to generate a large volume of content for various platforms without having to create each piece manually.

For more information about Manu Script , visit https://manuscripts.ai/

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Women pulling Lever on a Drilling Machine, 1978 Lee, Howl & Company Ltd., Tipton, Staffordshire, England photograph by Nick Hedges image credit: Nick Hedges Photography

* * * *

Tim Boudreau 

About the whole DOGE-will-rewrite Social Security's COBOL code in some new language thing, since this is a subject I have a whole lot of expertise in, a few anecdotes and thoughts.

Some time in the early 2000s I was doing some work with the real-time Java team at Sun, and there was a huge defense contractor with a peculiar query: Could we document how much memory an instance of every object type in the JDK uses? And could we guarantee that that number would never change, and definitely never grow, in any future Java version?

I remember discussing this with a few colleagues in a pub after work, and talking it through, and we all arrived at the conclusion that the only appropriate answer to this question as "Hell no." and that it was actually kind of idiotic.

Say you've written the code, in Java 5 or whatever, that launches nuclear missiles. You've tested it thoroughly, it's been reviewed six ways to Sunday because you do that with code like this (or you really, really, really should). It launches missiles and it works.

A new version of Java comes out. Do you upgrade? No, of course you don't upgrade. It works. Upgrading buys you nothing but risk. Why on earth would you? Because you could blow up the world 10 milliseconds sooner after someone pushes the button?

It launches fucking missiles. Of COURSE you don't do that.

There is zero reason to ever do that, and to anyone managing such a project who's a grownup, that's obvious. You don't fuck with things that work just to be one of the cool kids. Especially not when the thing that works is life-or-death (well, in this case, just death).

Another case: In the mid 2000s I trained some developers at Boeing. They had all this Fortran materials analysis code from the 70s - really fussy stuff, so you could do calculations like, if you have a sheet of composite material that is 2mm of this grade of aluminum bonded to that variety of fiberglass with this type of resin, and you drill a 1/2" hole in it, what is the effect on the strength of that airplane wing part when this amount of torque is applied at this angle. Really fussy, hard-to-do but when-it's-right-it's-right-forever stuff.

They were taking a very sane, smart approach to it: Leave the Fortran code as-is - it works, don't fuck with it - just build a nice, friendly graphical UI in Java on top of it that *calls* the code as-is.

We are used to broken software. The public has been trained to expect low quality as a fact of life - and the industry is rife with "agile" methodologies *designed* to churn out crappy software, because crappy guarantees a permanent ongoing revenue stream. It's an article of faith that everything is buggy (and if it isn't, we've got a process or two to sell you that will make it that way).

It's ironic. Every other form of engineering involves moving parts and things that wear and decay and break. Software has no moving parts. Done well, it should need *vastly* less maintenance than your car or the bridges it drives on. Software can actually be *finished* - it is heresy to say it, but given a well-defined problem, it is possible to actually *solve* it and move on, and not need to babysit or revisit it. In fact, most of our modern technological world is possible because of such solved problems. But we're trained to ignore that.

Yeah, COBOL is really long-in-the-tooth, and few people on earth want to code in it. But they have a working system with decades invested in addressing bugs and corner-cases.

Rewriting stuff - especially things that are life-and-death - in a fit of pique, or because of an emotional reaction to the technology used, or because you want to use the toys all the cool kids use - is idiotic. It's immaturity on display to the world.

Doing it with AI that's going to read COBOL code and churn something out in another language - so now you have code no human has read, written and understands - is simply insane. And the best software translators plus AI out there, is going to get things wrong - grievously wrong. And the odds of anyone figuring out what or where before it leads to disaster are low, never mind tracing that back to the original code and figuring out what that was supposed to do.

They probably should find their way off COBOL simply because people who know it and want to endure using it are hard to find and expensive. But you do that gradually, walling off parts of the system that work already and calling them from your language-du-jour, not building any new parts of the system in COBOL, and when you do need to make a change in one of those walled off sections, you migrate just that part.

We're basically talking about something like replacing the engine of a plane while it's flying. Now, do you do that a part-at-a-time with the ability to put back any piece where the new version fails? Or does it sound like a fine idea to vaporize the existing engine and beam in an object which a next-word-prediction software *says* is a contraption that does all the things the old engine did, and hope you don't crash?

The people involved in this have ZERO technical judgement.

[ameliasoulturner]

Kickstart Your Earnings with Content Writing: A Beginner’s Friendly Roadmap

If you��ve ever wondered how ordinary people turn their words into cash, content writing might be your sweet spot. You don’t need a fancy degree or decades of experience to get started. With some guidance, dedication, and a dash of creativity, you can start earning from content writing sooner than you think. This guide walks you through each step in a friendly, down‑to‑earth way so you’ll feel confident launching your freelance writing journey.

Why Content Writing Is a Great Starting Point Content writing covers everything from blog posts and web pages to social media captions and product descriptions. Businesses of all sizes need fresh, engaging words to connect with their audience, rank higher in search engines, and boost sales. As companies continue to invest in digital marketing, demand for quality content writers stays strong. Plus, you can work from anywhere, set your own hours, and choose projects that spark your interest.

Understanding the Basics of Earning from Content Writing At its core, earning from content writing means providing value through written words. Clients pay for:

Research that saves them time

SEO‑friendly copy that boosts visibility

Clear, engaging storytelling that connects with readers

Consistent output that maintains an active online presence

Your job is to become the go‑to person who delivers those benefits reliably.

Step 1: Identify Your Niche and Strengths While generalists can find work, specializing helps you stand out. Consider topics you enjoy or know well—travel, personal finance, health and wellness, tech, lifestyle, parenting, gaming, or education. Having a niche makes it easier to showcase your expertise and justify higher rates. If you’re a fitness buff who loves writing, focus on blogs and articles in that sphere. If you have a background in software, aim for tech how‑to guides.

Step 2: Build a Portfolio That Shows Your Skills Clients want proof you can write well. Even if you haven’t been paid yet, you can create sample pieces:

Start a personal blog or Medium page and publish 3 to 5 high‑quality articles in your niche.

Guest post on small blogs that accept submissions.

Rewrite or summarize existing news stories in your voice (clearly marked as samples).

Draft mock project pieces for imaginary clients—product descriptions, newsletters, or landing pages.

Organize these in a simple online portfolio. You can use free tools like Google Sites, Wix, or WordPress. Make sure each sample highlights your SEO skills by including relevant keywords naturally in titles and subheadings.

Step 3: Optimize Your Online Profiles for Visibility Next, set up profiles on freelance platforms and job boards. Popular destinations include Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer, ProBlogger, Contena, and LinkedIn. When crafting your profile:

Write an engaging headline that includes “content writer” or “freelance writer.”

Summarize your background, niche focus, and any standout achievements.

List your portfolio samples or link directly to your site.

Add relevant skills: SEO, WordPress, SEMrush, Mailchimp, social media management, etc.

Request testimonials from friends or colleagues who can vouch for your work ethic or writing ability.

A well‑optimized profile boosts your chances of appearing in client searches and winning invitations.

Step 4: Find Your First Paid Gigs Landing that first paid project often takes persistence. Strategies that work:

Pitch directly to small businesses or local startups. Send personalized emails offering a free trial article or website audit.

Apply to relevant listings daily on freelance boards. Tailor each proposal to the client’s needs—mention specifics from their job post.

Explore niche‑specific boards like BloggingPro or JournalismJobs for targeted opportunities.

Network on LinkedIn by sharing helpful writing tips, engaging with posts in your niche, and connecting with marketing professionals.

Early on, you might accept lower‑priced gigs to build credibility, but avoid underpricing yourself. Aim for a rate you can increase once you’ve racked up 5 to 10 positive reviews.

Step 5: Master SEO and Content Strategy SEO savvy writers command better fees. Search Engine Optimization involves understanding how keywords, user intent, and readability affect rankings. To shine:

Use free keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest to identify target phrases.

Incorporate primary keywords in titles, opening paragraphs, subheadings, and naturally throughout the text.

Keep sentences concise, break up text with subheadings, and add bullet lists or numbered steps for scannability.

Learn basic on‑page SEO: meta descriptions, internal linking, image alt text, and proper URL structure.

Businesses pay for measurable results. If your copy ranks higher and drives traffic, you become more valuable.

Step 6: Set Competitive Rates and Payment Terms Knowing how much to charge can feel tricky. Common approaches include:

Per‑word rate: New freelance writers often start at five to ten cents per word, moving up to twenty cents or more with experience.

Per‑hour rate: Beginners might charge twenty to thirty dollars per hour, progressing to fifty and beyond as skills sharpen.

Per‑project fee: Flat rates for complete blog posts or web pages, factoring in research, revisions, and strategy.

Always agree on payment milestones. A 50/50 split works—half up front, half on completion. Use contracts to outline deliverables, deadlines, and revision policies. This keeps both sides on the same page.

Step 7: Deliver Quality and Build Long‑Term Relationships Repeat clients are freelancing gold. To keep clients coming back:

Meet deadlines without reminders.

Communicate clearly—let them know if you hit a roadblock and propose solutions.

Offer a revision round to refine the piece to their liking.

Suggest topic ideas for future posts based on emerging trends in their industry.

When clients see you consistently add value, they’ll hire you again and refer you to others.

Step 8: Leverage Tools and Continuous Learning Stay competitive by embracing helpful platforms:

Grammarly or ProWritingAid to polish grammar and tone.

Yoast or Rank Math (for WordPress) to fine‑tune on‑page SEO.

Trello or Asana for managing multiple projects smoothly.

Google Analytics basics to understand content performance.

Invest time in online courses or webinars on SEO, storytelling, and copywriting. The more you learn, the more you can charge.

Step 9: Scale Your Earnings Over Time Once you’ve established a steady stream of projects, scaling becomes the name of the game. Options include:

Raising your rates for new clients while maintaining current engagements.

Packaging content services—offer blog writing plus email newsletters or social media management as a bundle.

Outsourcing parts of the work, like research or editing, to junior writers, allowing you to focus on strategy and client relations.

Creating digital products, such as eBooks or courses on content writing, to earn passive income.

Diversifying revenue streams helps insulate your income from slow periods.

Putting It All Together Earning from content writing is an achievable goal, even if you’re starting from scratch. By identifying your niche, building an impressive portfolio, mastering SEO, and delivering top‑notch work, you’ll attract clients eager to pay for your expertise. Remember that patience and persistence pay off. Treat every project as a chance to improve your craft and delight a client. Before you know it, you’ll have a thriving freelance writing business that fits your lifestyle and fuels your creative passions.

[academicfever]

part 1

Part 2: Research 101

###Some tips for gathering and organizing key information:

create an optimal learning environment

know which learning objective you’re working towards

study in blocks of 45 minutes, taking short breaks in between.

Get in flow state in the morning_ takes about 45 mins. so start by something u like doing and focus on that for 45 mins to reach Flow state

limit distractions while you’re studying

Not everyone learns in the same way and not everyone is distracted by the same things. Ask yourself the following questions to find out which method of concentration works best for you: for how long can you concentrate at a time? At which time of day are you at your best.

##Learning Obj:

The objective that you set yourself when reading a text influences how you prepare for reading, your reading speed, and whether (and how) you take notes. Before you start reading, it is important to ask yourself the following questions:

In how much detail do I want to understand this text?

How much prior knowledge do I have on this topic?

How much do I want to remember of this text after I’ve read it?

Do I need to criticize this text?

Is it important to draw links between this text and the lectures or other sources?

How you answer these questions will determine how you can best approach the text.

##How to read academic text:

At the end of each chapter, it is a good idea to rewrite or retype all of the concepts and their definitions, so that you have one overarching list of concepts. If you only need to extract essential information from a text for an exam or your own research, you certainly don’t need to read all of the sections. The introduction and the conclusion are often good starting points for quickly discovering: 1) the central concepts and theories; 2) how they are operationalized (that is, how they are used in the research; see also Part 2); and 3) which research results this led to. It is often useful to scan the methods section to find out exactly what the researchers did with the above-mentioned concepts and theories. This section is often very technical, however, and laden with jargon that applies specifically to the researcher’s field. If you only need to understand the essence of the text, you’ll rarely need this level of detail.

Here is an example of systematic reading...

##organizing info:

If you are reading texts in order to write an article, it is essential to keep track of the sources you’ve found and what kind of information you have got (or can get) from them. You should start doing this as you scan the search results. When you study your sources thoroughly and critically, it is important to make a personal record of which information is relevant for further research. Use reference management software such as Mendeley.

###Studying thoroughly and critically:

By organizing, collecting and assessing theories, you will broaden your understanding of your research field – and this will ultimately allow you to sharpen the focus of your own research, too. The process of considering multiple theories provides a rapid insight into which issues have yet to be resolved in academia, and where there is still room for a new study or piece of research. This process of considering and discussing existing theories, accompanied by your own critical reflection on these and your own argument about where the theoretical gaps in scholarship lie, is also known as the theoretical framework.

[hyba]

I tried AI for the first time...

Hm.

I tried AI today for the first time, and gave it a prompt to outline an article, and then to draft the article. I've never generated any writing with AI before, other than a few bits of AI art back when it was a sparkly new thing, and even then it felt... odd. I've had very definite thoughts about it, and since someone wanted me to use it for a job-related task, I decided to try it out and see what everyone was so addicted to.

First thoughts:

It's surprisingly good at understanding complex prompts. I actually didn't expect it to pick up on a few things I put in the prompt, but it managed to touch upon every single point. I thought I might confuse it, but apparently not.

It provides a clear and concise draft, which I also didn't expect. It reads smoothly, and there's a logic to the way the information is presented.

I'm not really liking the final results, though, because they still feel a bit bare, and that's probably a good thing because at least it means that it could still benefit from the human touch.

It's painfully reminiscent of every single article I come across online these days, making me wonder just how many bloggers, magazines, and websites are using AI to generate their content.

Not only does it feel a bit bare-bones, it's also very surface-level in the content provided. I wonder if that's just the limitations of my prompt in the works, of if it's a legitimate concern with content generated by AI. Both would explain the dismal quality of some of the traffic-sucking AI-generated content out there in the web: people not knowing how to prompt the AI software well enough, and people just taking whatever it spouts out and copy-pasting it without any additional effort added.

The single most worrying thing for me, though, is that it used 3 sources. One of them was a book on Amazon; I still don't know if the AI had access to that whole book or if it just grabbed something from the summary. Another one was legit, as far as I could tell, and the author was an expert in his field. Unfortunately, his expertise wasn't in the subject area I was looking for. And the last one was interesting, because the author wasn't an expert, but the article anyway was more of an opinion piece. I don't know how I feel about this selection of sources; I don't think any teacher would have passed me if I wrote a paper using only these three sources in high school, let alone college.

All of that being said, I understand now the addiction of it. How quickly it wrote a whole article for me, and not a bad one, either - with a little more tweaking and a little more depth and analysis here and there, and some new sources, the article could be very good. I suppose that's essentially a rewrite... So you get a backbone/skeleton, generated in a matter of seconds, and I think the ideal approach is then to fix it up and add a lot more content, since it doesn't look like it really goes in much depth? I wonder if this is what the workflow looks like for someone who uses AI for their copywriting. Or if they just copy paste and call it a job well done. (That can't possibly work though, right? Like, people can tell, I think?)

I know my standpoint on this, but outside right/wrong, I'm afraid this isn't going to go away anytime soon, with capabilities like this. Which means... Well, I'm a little worried and a little unsure what this means. Already I'm seeing job posts for jobs that never included the term AI before, now placing it as a requirement. I think we're definitely entering a time where it won't be about whether or not you like or support it; it'll be something imposed upon you by your employers, so that you can churn out more, and be more productive, and positively impact their bottom line.

So, those were my immediate thoughts after using AI to generate a whole article.

...And then I asked it to write a story.

Specifically, I asked it to write Apartment as a short story.

Check it out.

[meret118]

When logging on to HBO Max at the end of May, people noticed something strange.  Usually when someone logs into the site, HBO asks them to verify that they are human by solving a captcha — you know, the little "I am not a robot" checkbox or the "select all squares with stoplights" image grids that prove to the website that you are, in fact, a human. 

But this time, when users logged on they were asked to solve a complex series of puzzles instead. The bizarre tasks ranged from adding up the dots on images of dice to listening to short audio clips and selecting the clip that contained a repeating sound pattern. These odd new tasks, ostensibly to prove users were human, haven't been limited to HBO: Across platforms, users have been stumped by increasingly impossible puzzles like identifying objects — such as a horse made out of clouds — that do not exist. 

The reason behind these new hoops? Improved AI. Since tech companies have trained their bots on the older captchas, these programs are now so capable that they can easily beat typical challenges. As a result, we humans have to put more effort into proving our humanness just to get online. But head-scratching captchas are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how AI is rewriting the mechanics of the internet.

(Me: I was starting to wonder if I was turning into a robot!)

. . .

NewsGuard, a firm that tracks misinformation and rates the credibility of information websites, has found close to 350 online news outlets that are almost entirely generated by AI with little to no human oversight. Sites such as Biz Breaking News and Market News Reports churn out generic articles spanning a range of subjects, including politics, tech, economics, and travel. Many of these articles are rife with unverified claims, conspiracy theories, and hoaxes. When NewsGuard tested the AI model behind ChatGPT to gauge its tendency to spread false narratives, it failed 100 out of 100 times. 

AI frequently hallucinates answers to questions, and unless the AI models are fine-tuned and protected with guardrails, Gordon Crovitz, NewsGuard's co-CEO told me, "they will be the greatest source of persuasive misinformation at scale in the history of the internet." A report from Europol, the European Union's law-enforcement agency, expects a mind-blowing 90% of internet content to be AI-generated in a few years. 

. . .

While user-run sites like Reddit and social-media platforms are always fighting back against bad actors, people are also losing a crucial place they turn to to verify information: search engines. Microsoft and Google will soon bury traditional search-result links in favor of summaries stitched together by bots that are ill-equipped to distinguish fact from fiction. When we search a query on Google, we not only learn the answer, but also how it fits in the broader context of what's on the internet. We filter those results and then choose the sources we trust. A chatbot-powered search engine cuts off these experiences, strips context like website addresses, and can "parrot" a plagiarized answer, which NewsGuard's Crovitz told me sounds "authoritative, well-written," but is "entirely false." 

Synthetic content has also swamped e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Etsy. Two weeks before a technical textbook from Christopher Cowell, a curriculum engineer from Portland, Oregon, was set to be published, he discovered a newly listed book with the same title on Amazon. Cowell soon realized it was AI-generated and the publisher behind it likely picked up the title from Amazon's prerelease list and fed it into software like ChatGPT. Similarly, on Etsy, a platform known for its hand-crafted, artisanal catalog, AI-generated art, mugs, and books are now commonplace. 

In other words, it's going to quickly become very difficult to distinguish what's real from what's not online. While misinformation has long been a problem with the internet, AI is going to blow our old problems out of the water.

. . .

And soon hackers may not have to go through too much trouble to obtain your sensitive information. Right now, hackers often resort to a maze of indirect methods to spy on you, including hidden trackers inside websites and buying large datasets of compromised information off of the dark web. But security researchers have discovered that the AI bots in your apps and devices might steal sensitive information for the hackers. Since AI models from OpenAI and Google actively crawl the web, hackers can hide malicious codes — a set of instructions for the bot — inside websites and make the bots execute it with no human intervention.

More at the link.

[xpressluna]

I Hate Seeing Writers Not Making MoneySo Here Are 8 Ways to Make More as a Writer

Here’s the truth: great writing alone doesn’t guarantee great income.

I’ve seen too many talented writers underpaid, undervalued, or stuck in passion projects that don’t pay the bills. And it frustrates me — because writing is a skill that’s in demand everywhere. You just need to know how to position it, sell it, and scale it.

If you're ready to stop writing for exposure and start earning what you're worth, here are 8 practical, proven ways to make more money as a writer.

Freelance for High-Paying Clients (Not Content Mills)

You don’t need to accept \$20 blog posts when there are companies and entrepreneurs willing to pay \$300–\$1,000+ per article. The secret is targeting niches that need content to drive business, like:

SaaS and tech

Personal finance

Healthcare

B2B services

Pitch directly, build a niche portfolio, and learn how to charge by value, not word count.

✅ Pro Tip: Start by rewriting your services to focus on outcomes — like “I help SaaS brands attract customers with SEO content” vs. “I write blog posts.”

Offer Ghostwriting Services

Ghostwriting is one of the highest-paying forms of writing — and most clients don’t care about you getting credit; they care about results. You can ghostwrite:

LinkedIn thought leadership

Executive blogs

Nonfiction books

Email newsletters

It’s creative, lucrative, and repeatable.

✅ Rates: Ghostwritten LinkedIn posts can earn \$200–\$500/post. Books? Thousands.

Sell Digital Products

Turn your knowledge into scalable income with digital products like:

Ebooks

Notion templates

Writing guides

Pitching scripts

Once created, they can sell indefinitely with no ongoing labor. Perfect for writers with an audience or niche expertise.

✅ Tools: Use Gumroad, Payhip, or Podia to start selling fast.

Start a Paid Newsletter

If you love writing essays, storytelling, or niche commentary, why not monetize it with a paid newsletter? Services like Substack or Beehiiv let you build free + paid tiers.

You don’t need 10,000 subscribers — just 100 people paying \$5/month = \$6,000/year in recurring income.

✅ Best Niches: Personal finance, creator economy, niche analysis, industry trends.

Teach What You Know (Courses & Workshops)

Writers often forget — the way you write, think, and communicate is a teachable skill.

Package it into:

Online courses (e.g., “How to Write Better Cold Emails”)

Cohort-based workshops

Private coaching for new writers or business owners

✅ Platforms: Teachable, Circle, Maven, or even Zoom + Stripe to start.

Monetize with Affiliate Writing

If you write product-based content or reviews, affiliate marketing is a great passive income stream. You write once, and earn commissions every time someone buys through your link.

Best niches: Software, writing tools, education products, lifestyle gear.

✅ Pro Tip: Focus on high-ticket or recurring commissions (like SaaS tools).

License Your Writing

You can earn money by licensing your existing content to brands, newsletters, or websites. If you’ve written a high-performing article, offer a non-exclusive license to republish it for a fee.

Also consider:

Licensing quotes or content to marketers

Offering a “writing bundle” to creators or agencies

✅ This works well for evergreen, data-driven, or inspirational content.

Write for Yourself — Then Monetize It

Blogging, storytelling, or journaling can become income if you build a brand around it. Writers like Morgan Housel and Anne-Laure Le Cunff built huge audiences through consistent, personal writing — then monetized with books, speaking, courses, and sponsorships.

✅ Just start: Build your platform. Even 1,000 loyal readers can turn into six figures over time.

Final Thoughts

Writing is not a dead-end job. It's a high-leverage skill that can create freedom, income, and impact — if you treat it like a business.

If you’re a talented writer struggling to make money, it’s not a lack of skill. It’s usually a lack of strategy.

Pick one or two methods from this list. Go deep. Get paid.

And never again write “just for exposure.”

[erik-even-wordier]

About the whole DOGE-will-rewrite Social Security's COBOL code

Posted to Facebook by Tim Boudreau on March 30, 2025.

About the whole DOGE-will-rewrite Social Security's COBOL code in some new language thing, since this is a subject I have a whole lot of expertise in, a few anecdotes and thoughts.

Some time in the early 2000s I was doing some work with the real-time Java team at Sun, and there was a huge defense contractor with a peculiar query: Could we document how much memory an instance of every object type in the JDK uses? And could we guarantee that that number would never change, and definitely never grow, in any future Java version?

I remember discussing this with a few colleagues in a pub after work, and talking it through, and we all arrived at the conclusion that the only appropriate answer to this question as "Hell no." and that it was actually kind of idiotic.

Say you've written the code, in Java 5 or whatever, that launches nuclear missiles. You've tested it thoroughly, it's been reviewed six ways to Sunday because you do that with code like this (or you really, really, really should). It launches missiles and it works.

A new version of Java comes out. Do you upgrade? No, of course you don't upgrade. It works. Upgrading buys you nothing but risk. Why on earth would you? Because you could blow up the world 10 milliseconds sooner after someone pushes the button?

It launches fucking missiles. Of COURSE you don't do that.

There is zero reason to ever do that, and to anyone managing such a project who's a grownup, that's obvious. You don't fuck with things that work just to be one of the cool kids. Especially not when the thing that works is life-or-death (well, in this case, just death).

Another case: In the mid 2000s I trained some developers at Boeing. They had all this Fortran materials analysis code from the 70s - really fussy stuff, so you could do calculations like, if you have a sheet of composite material that is 2mm of this grade of aluminum bonded to that variety of fiberglass with this type of resin, and you drill a 1/2" hole in it, what is the effect on the strength of that airplane wing part when this amount of torque is applied at this angle. Really fussy, hard-to-do but when-it's-right-it's-right-forever stuff.

They were taking a very sane, smart approach to it: Leave the Fortran code as-is - it works, don't fuck with it - just build a nice, friendly graphical UI in Java on top of it that *calls* the code as-is.

We are used to broken software. The public has been trained to expect low quality as a fact of life - and the industry is rife with "agile" methodologies *designed* to churn out crappy software, because crappy guarantees a permanent ongoing revenue stream. It's an article of faith that everything is buggy (and if it isn't, we've got a process or two to sell you that will make it that way).

It's ironic. Every other form of engineering involves moving parts and things that wear and decay and break. Software has no moving parts. Done well, it should need *vastly* less maintenance than your car or the bridges it drives on. Software can actually be *finished* - it is heresy to say it, but given a well-defined problem, it is possible to actually *solve* it and move on, and not need to babysit or revisit it. In fact, most of our modern technological world is possible because of such solved problems. But we're trained to ignore that.

Yeah, COBOL is really long-in-the-tooth, and few people on earth want to code in it. But they have a working system with decades invested in addressing bugs and corner-cases.

Rewriting stuff - especially things that are life-and-death - in a fit of pique, or because of an emotional reaction to the technology used, or because you want to use the toys all the cool kids use - is idiotic. It's immaturity on display to the world.

Doing it with AI that's going to read COBOL code and churn something out in another language - so now you have code no human has read, written and understands - is simply insane. And the best software translators plus AI out there, is going to get things wrong - grievously wrong. And the odds of anyone figuring out what or where before it leads to disaster are low, never mind tracing that back to the original code and figuring out what that was supposed to do.

They probably should find their way off COBOL simply because people who know it and want to endure using it are hard to find and expensive. But you do that gradually, walling off parts of the system that work already and calling them from your language-du-jour, not building any new parts of the system in COBOL, and when you do need to make a change in one of those walled off sections, you migrate just that part.

We're basically talking about something like replacing the engine of a plane while it's flying. Now, do you do that a part-at-a-time with the ability to put back any piece where the new version fails? Or does it sound like a fine idea to vaporize the existing engine and beam in an object which a next-word-prediction software *says* is a contraption that does all the things the old engine did, and hope you don't crash?

The people involved in this have ZERO technical judgement.

[thekalpar]

This is a Grift and You Shouldn't Fall for It

I want to talk about an article I saw from thebookseller.com that came out Monday which talks about a new AI-powered publishing platform called Spines which wants to disrupt the publishing industry by providing a new platform. I encourage you to read the actual article here, but I want to address how they are, based on my own observation as an independent author, a grift and why you shouldn’t fall for it.

Let’s address the first concern which I and probably a few other people have when presented with Spines’s goal of publishing 8,000 books in 2025 alone. Doing a very quick, unscientific google search, we can find that of the biggest traditional publishers in the United States, only Penguin Random House and Harper Collins publish more than 8,000 books a year, and these are massive global corporations. The next two largest, Hachette Book Group and Simon & Schuster, publish only roughly 2,000 books a year and these are still some of the big boys on the block. So the goal of publishing 8,000 books a year is certainly ambitious for Spines. How is this going to be done?

There are two possibilities and one is that a lot of this is going to be books produced in part or entirely by plagiarism software (“AI”). I want to acknowledge that as a real possibility, but I want to go forward with the good-faith assumption that there will be a significant number of passionate people who have poured their heart and soul into writing a book and are going to be taken advantage of by these techbros. Even before plagiarism software became widely available, self-publishing on Amazon had exploded and we saw millions of books self-published in just an ebook form every year. So I imagine that these people, who are self-publishing on Amazon and other places, are probably the market for Spines.

Now how do I know this is a scam? I do not have a ton of experience is self-publishing because I’ve only published two books at time of writing, but I do have recent hands-on experience which makes me qualified. There isn’t a lot of info in the article on what services Spines is offering but we get an exact number on cost as well as types of services in the article. “Spines costs $1,200 to $5,000 to automate proofreading, cover design, metadata optimisation and limited translation services, starting with Spanish.” Now, this may, on the low end, be cheaper than hiring professionals to do this kind of work, but it’s still going to be a scam because you’re going to get a shoddy product.

Let’s start with proofreading, which is under the umbrella of editing but is one of several types of editing. As Reedsy explains, there are four distinct types of editing, all of which come with specific costs. First there is editorial assessment, which is when you have a very, very rough draft and need some direction on writing it. (I have not yet done editorial assessment because I have been fortunate enough to be plagued with the knowledge of what I’m writing.) This is very broad advice which an AI cannot provide but a human can. Second is developmental editing for a finished manuscript, which is where you have an editor go through, provide specific feedback on areas for improvement and suggestions, and point out any major issues. This is where you get into rewrites and polishing a manuscript to a finished product. Again, and AI cannot do this.

So we finally come to copy editing and proofreading. Now, I’m going to fold them together although they are technically distinct because copy editing includes proofreading as well as making sure capitalization is consistent, tenses remain consistent, you don’t repeat yourself too much, all the little things which help polish the rough edges off of your manuscript. Proofreading is checking for spelling and typos, as well as grammar issues and any formatting issues. AI can do this, as tools like Grammarly exist for this sort of thing for a couple years now. (I wouldn’t recommend using Grammarly, but that’s a separate rant for a separate day.) Plus, you know, spellcheck which has been around since the 1990s. Technically this is a task which AI can do, but it can still make mistakes such as with homophones (the train went threw the tunnel). And with so many free tools available if you’re going to have AI do this task, why pay someone else to do it? AI is not going to give you insightful, meaningful feedback on your manuscript, but it will do spellcheck for you and LibreOffice does that for free anyway. So paying to have AI proofread your manuscripts doesn’t make any financial sense.

Let’s move on to the next area they want to automate, cover design. Again, I have limited experience and I can say very definitively that you can get a good cover for about $750 USD from a professional artist who will produce what you want and will be able to keep things you like but change things you don’t with an incomplete project. Plagiarism software that creates images cannot do that. Unless they’re hiring artists to touch up and improve generated images (which I doubt), all Spines is offering is another service you can get for free or cheaper elsewhere online. I highly advise against generating your cover images, if only for the fact the computer cannot give you exactly what you want. You can feed prompts into it and maybe get something close enough, but if you have a specific image of what you want for your book cover you cannot get that from AI. There are a lot of ethical arguments against plagiarism software as well, but I won’t repeat those here just for brevity’s sake. Again, if you’re willing to use plagiarism software to make your book cover, which is what the guys at Spines are offering, then you can do that cheaper elsewhere.

The final one which I can speak with any authority on is metadata, which I’ve had to enter for my own books before and you can too. For those who don’t know, metadata is information attached to the book’s ISBN and publication info that provides info about the book. This can be basic info such as the intended audience, the genre, and the subject matter, but it can also be more granular like what type of fantasy novel you have (romantasy vs cozy). While it can be an annoying or frustrating task, such as when every word to describe my book flies out of my head when I have to actually describe it, it’s also fairly simple. And I’m going to be honest, I don’t expect the AI to do much more beyond algorithm scraping and suggesting metadata like “for you” and “trending”. (Sort of like those videos that spam every popular tag in the hope of getting traction.) So I seriously doubt that this will be a service worth any sum of money.

Finally I’m going to touch briefly on translation because I haven’t translated a book and I don’t know what goes into translating one either but I can make an educated guess that it’s going to be the equivalent of pasting your manuscript into Google Translate. If you’re willing to accept that level of quality, you can get it for free. If you want a good translation you’re going to have to shell out far more money to get an actual person to do it.

And all of this doesn’t even get to a very important part of publishing, ISBNs. If you’re self-publishing you absolutely want to buy your own ISBNs, and buy multiple because they cost less if you buy them in bulk and you will need separate ISBNs for both the print and digital editions of your books. I don’t know if Spines is offering ISBNs as part of their package, they certainly could, but for independent authors it’s best practice to use your own ISBNs because you can control those opposed to whatever platform you publish on.

So are the AI-powered services that Spines is going to provide be worth it? I highly doubt it. For the amount of money you’ll end up spending you’d be better off actually hiring humans to help you with your book and get it to a finished, polished state. I can’t see this company offering you anything that isn’t already available for free or nearly free elsewhere with the same lackluster quality. If you have something you’re writing, you’re passionate about it, and you want to publish it, I highly encourage you to get real human beings to help you improve it. Reedsy (which this is not an ad for) is the platform I have used to get in contact with editors and artists to help get my books out into the world. But I’m sure plenty of other independent authors can help you find all sorts of other people able and willing to help. Spines is merely charging you for the privilege of receiving substandard work spat out by a computer.

[blubberquark]

Language Models and AI Safety: Still Worrying

Previously, I have explained how modern "AI" research has painted itself into a corner, inventing the science fiction rogue AI scenario where a system is smarter than its guardrails, but can easily outwitted by humans.

Two recent examples have confirmed my hunch about AI safety of generative AI. In one well-circulated case, somebody generated a picture of an "ethnically ambiguous Homer Simpson", and in another, somebody created a picture of "baby, female, hispanic".

These incidents show that generative AI still filters prompts and outputs, instead of A) ensuring the correct behaviour during training/fine-tuning, B) manually generating, re-labelling, or pruning the training data, C) directly modifying the learned weights to affect outputs.

In general, it is not surprising that big corporations like Google and Microsoft and non-profits like OpenAI are prioritising racist language or racial composition of characters in generated images over abuse of LLMs or generative art for nefarious purposes, content farms, spam, captcha solving, or impersonation. Somebody with enough criminal energy to use ChatGPT to automatically impersonate your grandma based on your message history after he hacked the phones of tens of thousands of grandmas will be blamed for his acts. Somebody who unintentionally generates a racist picture based on an ambiguous prompt will blame the developers of the software if he's offended. Scammers could have enough money and incentives to run the models on their own machine anyway, where corporations have little recourse.

There is precedent for this. Word2vec, published in 2013, was called a "sexist algorithm" in attention-grabbing headlines, even though the bodies of such articles usually conceded that the word2vec embedding just reproduced patterns inherent in the training data: Obviously word2vec does not have any built-in gender biases, it just departs from the dictionary definitions of words like "doctor" and "nurse" and learns gendered connotations because in the training corpus doctors are more often men, and nurses are more often women. Now even that last explanation is oversimplified. The difference between "man" and "woman" is not quite the same as the difference between "male" and "female", or between "doctor" and "nurse". In the English language, "man" can mean "male person" or "human person", and "nurse" can mean "feeding a baby milk from your breast" or a kind of skilled health care worker who works under the direction and supervision of a licensed physician. Arguably, the word2vec algorithm picked up on properties of the word "nurse" that are part of the meaning of the word (at least one meaning, according tot he dictionary), not properties that are contingent on our sexist world.

I don't want to come down against "political correctness" here. I think it's good if ChatGPT doesn't tell a girl that girls can't be doctors. You have to understand that not accidentally saying something sexist or racist is a big deal, or at least Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and OpenAI all think so. OpenAI are responding to a huge incentive when they add snippets like "ethnically ambiguous" to DALL-E 3 prompts.

If this is so important, why are they re-writing prompts, then? Why are they not doing A, B, or C? Back in the days of word2vec, there was a simple but effective solution to automatically identify gendered components in the learned embedding, and zero out the difference. It's so simple you'll probably kick yourself reading it because you could have published that paper yourself without understanding how word2vec works.

I can only conclude from the behaviour of systems like DALL-E 3 that they are either using simple prompt re-writing (or a more sophisticated approach that behaves just as prompt rewriting would, and performs as badly) because prompt re-writing is the best thing they can come up with. Transformers are complex, and inscrutable. You can't just reach in there, isolate a concept like "human person", and rebalance the composition.

The bitter lesson tells us that big amorphous approaches to AI perform better and scale better than manually written expert systems, ontologies, or description logics. More unsupervised data beats less but carefully labelled data. Even when the developers of these systems have a big incentive not to reproduce a certain pattern from the data, they can't fix such a problem at the root. Their solution is instead to use a simple natural language processing system, a dumb system they can understand, and wrap it around the smart but inscrutable transformer-based language model and image generator.

What does that mean for "sleeper agent AI"? You can't really trust a model that somebody else has trained, but can you even trust a model you have trained, if you haven't carefully reviewed all the input data? Even OpenAI can't trust their own models.

[hansdominguez]

7 Reasons Why Professionals    Should Choose a No-Code Mobile App Builder

In today's fast-paced digital landscape, professionals across various industries are increasingly turning to no-code mobile app builders as their go-to solution for app development. These platforms empower users with limited or no programming experience to create robust mobile applications swiftly and efficiently. Discover the best no-code mobile app builder! Learn why professionals are choosing this innovative tool for seamless app development. This article explores the key reasons why professionals should consider adopting no-code app builders for their next mobile app project.

Accessibility and Ease of Use

No-code mobile app builders democratize app development by eliminating the need for extensive coding knowledge. They offer intuitive drag-and-drop interfaces and pre-built templates that allow professionals from diverse backgrounds to create fully functional apps with minimal learning curve.

Rapid Prototyping and Time Efficiency

Professionals often face tight deadlines and the need for quick iterations. No-code app builders enable rapid prototyping, allowing users to visualize and test app ideas swiftly. This agility in development accelerates time-to-market, giving professionals a competitive edge in their respective industries.

Cost-Effectiveness and Budget Control

Traditional app development can be prohibitively expensive, requiring hiring developers and investing in infrastructure. No-code platforms significantly reduce costs by eliminating the need for a dedicated development team. Professionals can allocate resources more efficiently, focusing on app functionality and user experience rather than backend complexities.

Flexibility and Customization Options

Despite being no-code, modern app builders offer extensive customization capabilities. Professionals can tailor apps to specific business needs, incorporating unique branding elements and functionalities. Advanced features such as API integrations and data analytics ensure that apps remain robust and scalable as business requirements evolve.

Empowerment of Non-Technical Teams

No-code app builders empower professionals across departments, not just IT specialists. Marketing teams can create promotional apps, sales teams can develop customer engagement tools, and HR departments can streamline internal processes—all without relying on technical resources. This democratization of app development fosters innovation and collaboration within organizations.

Seamless Integration with Existing Systems

Integrating new apps with existing IT infrastructure can be a daunting task. No-code platforms simplify this process through plug-and-play functionalities and seamless integrations with popular business software and cloud services. Professionals can leverage existing data and workflows, ensuring compatibility and continuity across platforms.

Scalability and Future-Proofing

As businesses grow, so do their app requirements. No-code app builders offer scalability without the overhead of rewriting code or rebuilding applications from scratch. Professionals can easily update and expand app functionalities as their user base expands or new business opportunities arise, future-proofing their digital investments.

Conclusion

The adoption of no-code mobile app builders represents a paradigm shift in how professionals approach app development. These platforms empower individuals and organizations to innovate rapidly, reduce costs, and maintain flexibility in an increasingly digital world. By leveraging the accessibility, speed, and cost-effectiveness of no-code solutions, professionals can drive business growth, enhance productivity, and stay ahead of the competition. Discover the best no-code Shopify mobile app builder for professionals! Explore 7 compelling reasons why you should choose this hassle-free solution to create powerful mobile apps. Start building today! Whether you're a startup entrepreneur, a small business owner, or a corporate executive, embracing no-code app development can unlock new opportunities and propel your digital initiatives to new heights.

[officialjoshwp]

WriteHuman Review: How to Humanizer AI articles using WriteHuman

Would you like to have a more human touch in your AI-generated texts? Don’t worry. In this WriteHuman review, I will delve into a cutting-edge tool that bridges the gap between artificial intelligence and real human communication. WriteHuman is your secret weapon for creating content that resonates, whether you are a student, a blogger, or a business professional.

The solution is WriteHuman, a revolutionary tool that bypasses AI detection and tracking so that any material developed can retain its originality and stand out as unique.

This article scrutinizes the features, benefits, and functionality of WriteHuman, discussing how it enables users to be creative while ensuring their privacy.

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What Is WriteHuman AI?

WriteHuman is not just another rewriter—it’s something amazing. Here’s why:

Smooth integration: It can be perfectly blended with prominent AI-generated content providers such as Anthropic and ChatGPT. Think of it as an intelligent partner who speaks like you.

Magic of rewriting: You’ve got an AI-made text that appears soulless? Just put it in the WriteHuman software by ensuring vital words are enclosed in braces to protect them and press “rewrite”. And voila! Your text turns out to be looking genuinely human.

What is The Essence of WriteHuman?

WriteHuman has become a true symbol of modernism from where it started as an innovative idea in regards to AI-generated articles. The core objective of the software is bridging the gap between human creativity and artificial intelligence capabilities thereby allowing users to transform AI-generated text into undetectable human language.

Through this product, writers can generate contents that outperform AI detection which will create high rankings on search engine optimization as well as visibility.

WriteHuman AI Features: Why Choose WriteHuman?

WriteHuman boasts many unique features that differentiate it from other products in the field of AI privacy:

Unmatched Rewriting Power

WriteHuman doesn’t just rewrite; it reassembles meaning in sentences thus posing a challenge to AI discriminator systems. So, your secret sauce remains top secret.

Total Bypass Guarantee (AI Humanizer)

Afraid that Turnitin or GPTZero might detect your machine-generated content? No need to worry! You can always use protective brackets as well as rewriting tactics provided by WriteHuman to stay out of sight.

User-Friendly Interface

In-built AI Detector

The WriteHuman AI software has an inbuilt AI detector that gives you a human score of your content output.

How to Humanize AI articles using WriteHuman?

I wanted this article to be practical. So, I created two AI-generated articles using ChatGPT 3.5 and Perplexity AI. Below are the results of the article before and after humanization.

You can find the actual ChatGPT and Perplexity AI output and their humanized version on this Google doc.

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What are the Benefits of Embracing WriteHuman AI?

Privacy protection is just one advantage among several others offered by WriteHuman:

Artistic Freedom: By bypassing AI detection, users can enjoy artistic freedom via WriteHuman thus enabling them to be more creative without limitations.

Effortless Copywriting: It helps change texts generated by machines into readable human-like writing making copywriting easy and efficient.

WriteHuman Pricing Plans

Here are the pricing plans for WriteHuman, an AI tool that helps to make your text more human-like so it doesn’t appear like it was generated by a machine:

WriteHuman Ultra:

Best for power users.

$72 per month.

Unlimited requests.

Each request can be up to 3000 words.

Access to the Enhanced Model

Priority customer support included.

WriteHuman Pro:

Ideal for most users.

$12 per month.

200 requests per month.

Each request can be up to 1200 words.

Access to the Enhanced Model

Priority customer support included

WriteHuman Basic Plan

Suitable for light users.

$9 per month.

Allows 80 requests per month.

Each request can be up to 600 words.

Provides access to the Enhanced Model (basic customer support).

Not prepared to commit? You can submit 3 free requests per month as a user, with each being up to 200 words.

Related: Kadence AI Review

Who Can Benefit from WriteHuman?

Let us break it down:

1. Bloggers

Authenticity Matters: You’ve managed to come up with a top-quality blog post through the use of automated writing services but it has no spirit at all in it Put into WriteHuman for removal of robotic tone plus maintaining SEO quality.

Engage Your Readers: Authentic content keeps readers coming back. Striking that balance is where WriteHuman comes in handy.

2. Businesses

Marketing Materials: Although they may sound cold, marketing materials written by AI are effective. WriteHuman adds warmth and authenticity to your brand messaging.

Reputation Protection: Do not fall into the trap of using generic AI language. Your company’s reputation will remain intact as long as you are using WriteHuman.

[maxpctools]

Article Rewriter Tool | Article Rewriter

How to use an Article Rewriter Tool effectively To use a commodity rewriter effectively, you should:

Choose a reliable Article Rewriter Tool: There are abounding commodity rewriters in the market, but not all of them are reliable. Accept a commodity rewriter that has acceptable acceptability and has been activated by added users. Look for reviews and ratings from added users to ensure that the software is trustworthy.

Proofread the content: Afterwards, apply a Best Article Rewriter Tool, and consistently adapt the agreeable to ensure that it's grammatically actual and conveys the advised message. A commodity rewriter may not consistently aftermath absolute content, so it's important to double-check the output.

Use altered versions of the article: An Article Rewriter Tool can aftermath assorted versions of an article, so use this affection to your advantage. Accomplish several altered versions of the aforementioned commodity and accept the one that best apparel your needs.

Use the appropriate settings: Best Article Rewriter Tool acquiesce you to adapt the settings to bigger results. Use the appropriate settings to ensure that the agreeable is unique, readable, and grammatically correct.

Avoid plagiarism: While Article Rewriters can advise to aftermath altered content, it's important to ensure that the reworded agreeable is not plagiarized. Use appropriation checkers to verify that the agreeable is aboriginal and does not borrow on any absorb laws.

By afterward these tips, you can use a Article Rewriter Tool finer and aftermath high-quality, altered agreeable for your website or business. Bethink to use the apparatus responsibly and to consistently adapt the agreeable before publishing it.

Drawbacks of application of a Article Rewriter Tool

Quality of content: While commodity rewriters can aftermath assorted versions of a commodity quickly, the affection of the agreeable may suffer. The end aftereffect may be awkward sentences, grammatical errors, or the use of inappropriate words.

Plagiarism: Application of an Free Article Rewriter Tool afterward able precautions can advance to accidental plagiarism. It's important to ensure that the reworded agreeable is altered and does not borrow on any absorb laws.

Cost: Some commodity rewriters can be expensive, authoritative them unaffordable for baby businesses or bloggers. Overreliance: Overusing a Article Rewriter Tool can advance to an abridgment of adroitness and boldness in your content.

[academicfever]

Research 101: Last part

#Citing sources and the bibliography:

Citation has various functions: ■■ To acknowledge work by other researchers. ■■ To anchor your own text in the context of different disciplines. ■■ To substantiate your own claims; sources then function like arguments with verification.

Use Mendeley:

It has a number of advantages in comparison to other software packages: (1) it is free, (2) it is user-friendly, (3) you can create references by dragging a PDF file into the program (it automatically extracts the author, title, year, etc.), (4) you can create references by using a browser plug-in to click on a button on the page where you found an article, (5) you can share articles and reference lists with colleagues, and (6) it has a ‘web importer’ to add sources rapidly to your own list.

plagiarism – and occasionally even fraud – are sometimes detected, too. In such cases, appeals to ignorance (‘I didn’t know that it was plagiarism’) are rarely accepted as valid reasons for letting the perpetrator off the hook.

#Peer review

For an official peer review of a scholarly article, 3-4 experts are appointed by the journal to which the article has been submitted. These reviewers give anonymous feedback on the article. As a reviewer, based on your critical reading, you can make one of the following recommendations to the editor of the journal: ■■Publish as submitted. The article is good as it is and can be published (this hardly ever happens). ■■Publish after minor revisions. The article is good and worth publishing, but some aspects need to be improved before it can be printed. If the adjustments can be made easily (for example, a small amount of rewriting, formatting figures), these are considered minor revisions. ■■Publish after major revisions. The article is potentially worth publishing, but there are significant issues that need to be reconsidered. For example, setting up additional (control) experiments, using a new method to analyse the data, a thorough review of the theoretical framework (addition of important theories), and gathering new information (in an archive) to substantiate the argumentation. ■■Reject. The research is not interesting, it is not innovative, or it has been carried out/written up so badly that this cannot be redressed.

#Checklist for analysing a research article or paper 1 Relevance to the field (anchoring) a What is the goal of the research or paper? b To what extent has this goal been achieved? c What does the paper or research article add to knowledge in the field? d Are theories or data missing? To what extent is this a problem? 2 Methodology or approach a What approach has been used for the research? b Is this approach consistent with the aim of the research? c How objective or biased is this approach? d How well has the research been carried out? What are the methodological strengths and/or weaknesses? e Are the results valid and reliable? 3 Argumentation and use of evidence a Is there a clear description of the central problem, objective, or hypothesis? b What claims are made? c What evidence underlies the argument? d How valid and reliable is this evidence? e Is the argumentation clear and logical? f Are the conclusions justified? 4 Writing style and structure of the text a Is the style of the text suitable for the medium/audience? b Is the text structured clearly, so the reader can follow the writer’s line of argumentation? c Are the figures and tables displayed clearly?

#Presenting ur research:

A few things are always important, in any case, when it comes to guiding the audience through your story: ■■ Make a clear distinction between major and minor elements. What is the key theme of your story, and which details does your audience need in order to understand it? ■■ A clearly structured, coherent story. ■■ Good visual aids that represent the results visually. ■■ Good presentation skills.

TIPS ■■Find out everything about the audience that you’ll be presenting your story to, and look at how you can ensure that your presentation is relevant for them.

Ask yourself the following questions: •What kind of audience will you have (relationship with audience)? •What does the audience already know about your topic and how can you connect with this (knowledge of the audience)? •What tone or style should you adopt vis-à-vis the audience (style of address)? •What do you want the audience to take away from your presentation?

■■If you know there is going to be a round of questions, include some extra slides for after the conclusion. You can fill these extra slides with all kinds of detailed information that you didn’t have time for during the presentation. If you’re on top of your material, you’ll be able to anticipate which questions might come up. It comes over as very professional if you’re able to back up an answer to a question from the audience with an extra graph or table, for example.

■■Think about which slide will be shown on the screen as you’re answering questions at the end of your presentation. A slide with a question mark is not informative. It’s more useful for the audience if you end with a slide with the main message and possibly your contact details, so that people are able to contact you later. ■■Think beforehand about what you will do if you’re under time pressure. What could you say more succinctly or even omit altogether?

This has a number of implications for a PowerPoint presentation: ■■ Avoid distractions that take up cognitive space, such as irrelevant images, sounds, too much text/words on a slide, intense colours, distracting backgrounds, and different fonts. ■■ Small chunks of information are easier to understand and remember. This is the case for both the text on a slide and for illustrations, tables, and graphs. ■■ When you are talking to your audience, it is usually better to show a slide with a picture than a slide with a lot of text. What you should do: ■■ Ensure there is sufficient contrast between your text and the background. ■■ Ensure that all of the text is large enough (at least 20 pt). ■■ Use a sans-serif font; these are the easiest to read when enlarged. ■■ Make the text short and concise. Emphasize the most important concepts by putting them in bold or a different colour. ■■ Have the texts appear one by one on the slide, in sync with your story. This prevents the audience from ‘reading ahead’. ■■ Use arrows, circles, or other ways of showing which part of an illustration, table, or graph is important. You can also choose to fade out the rest of the image, or make a new table or graph showing only the relevant information.

A good presentation consists of a clear, substantive story, good visual aids, and effective presentation techniques.

Stand with both feet firmly on the ground.

Use your voice and hand gestures.

Make eye contact with all of your audience.

Add enough pauses/use punctuation.

Silences instead of fillers.

Think about your position relative to your audience and the screen.

Explaining figures and tables.

Keep your hands calm.

Creating a safe atmosphere

Do not take a position yourself. This limits the discussion, because it makes it trickier to give a dissenting opinion.

You can make notes on a whiteboard or blackboard, so that everyone can follow the key points.

Make sure that you give the audience enough time to respond.

Respond positively to every contribution to the discussion, even if it doesn’t cut any ice.

Ensure that your body language is open and that you rest your arms at your sides.

#Points to bear in mind when designing a poster

TIPS 1 Think about what your aim is: do you want to pitch a new plan, or do you want to get your audience interested in your research? 2 Explain what you’ve done/are going to do: focus on the problem that you’ve solved/want to solve, or the question that you’ve answered. Make it clear why it is important to solve this problem or answer this question. 3 Explain what makes your approach unique. 4 Involve your audience in the conversation by concluding with an open question. For example: how do you research…? Or, after a pitch for a method to tackle burnout among staff: how is burnout dealt with in your organization?

[transcuratorsblog]

How to Audit and Revamp Outdated Technical Documentation

In the fast-moving world of technology and product development, outdated documentation can be more damaging than no documentation at all. Whether it's a software manual, a troubleshooting guide, or internal process SOPs, old and inaccurate content leads to user confusion, increased support queries, and diminished trust in your brand. That’s why auditing and revamping your technical documents should be a regular part of your content maintenance strategy.

Many businesses today rely on professional Technical Writing Services to ensure that their documentation stays relevant, accurate, and easy to use. A good content audit uncovers weak points, while a structured revamp ensures that your documentation matches your product and user expectations.

In this guide, we’ll take you through a practical, step-by-step approach to evaluating and modernizing your technical documents.

Why It’s Important to Audit Your Documentation

Over time, documentation becomes stale. Product features evolve, UI elements change, compliance requirements update, and customer needs shift. Outdated content:

Misleads users and causes product misuse

Increases support ticket volume

Harms credibility and trust

Fails to meet accessibility and legal standards

A proactive audit keeps your documentation aligned with business goals, customer needs, and product functionality.

Step 1: Create a Documentation Inventory

Begin by listing every piece of documentation your business owns—both internal and external. This may include:

User manuals

API documentation

Installation guides

Product specifications

SOPs and training materials

Knowledge base articles

Include details like the document’s purpose, target audience, last updated date, content owner, and format (PDF, HTML, Word, etc.). A centralized inventory helps you prioritize which documents need the most urgent attention.

Step 2: Review for Accuracy and Completeness

Now go document by document. Ask:

Is the content aligned with the latest product version?

Are all steps and workflows still valid?

Have any features, buttons, or interfaces changed?

Are there any known user complaints or confusion tied to this document?

Mark each document as “Accurate,” “Minor Update Needed,” or “Major Overhaul Required.” Prioritize customer-facing content that directly impacts user experience.

Step 3: Check for Consistency and Style

Beyond accuracy, consistency matters. Look for:

Uniform formatting across documents

Consistent use of product names, terminology, and branding

Correct tone, voice, and grammar

Consistent structure—such as how procedures are listed or images are captioned

If your company doesn't already have a documentation style guide, now is the time to create one. This ensures all updated documents follow the same structure and tone.

Step 4: Evaluate Visuals and Media

Visuals can make or break a document’s usability. During your audit:

Update outdated screenshots or UI references

Ensure diagrams still reflect current architecture or systems

Replace poor-quality or low-resolution images

Add visuals to text-heavy areas for better engagement

Also, verify that all visuals are accessible (with alt text and descriptions) for users with disabilities.

Step 5: Gather User Feedback and Support Data

Talk to your support teams and users. Find out:

Which documents are frequently referenced?

Where do users still face confusion?

Are users reporting outdated or missing steps?

Use analytics tools (such as page views, time-on-page, bounce rates) to understand which documents are underperforming and why.

Step 6: Revise and Modernize

Now it’s time to act on what you’ve found. When updating content:

Remove or archive obsolete documents

Rewrite for clarity, conciseness, and accuracy

Add visuals, links, and summaries where helpful

Use plain language and follow your updated style guide

Optimize content for SEO (keywords, metadata, internal linking)

Modernized documents should be easy to navigate, skimmable, and accessible across devices.

Step 7: Implement a Review Workflow

To prevent future content decay:

Set a review schedule (e.g., every 6 months)

Assign content ownership to relevant teams

Use version control systems to manage updates

Include documentation updates as part of product release cycles

This keeps your documentation ecosystem healthy and responsive.

Conclusion

Outdated documentation can erode user trust and create operational inefficiencies. But with a strategic audit and revamp process, you can turn outdated content into a streamlined, accurate, and user-friendly asset. Whether you're updating a few user guides or overhauling an entire knowledge base, the key is to prioritize clarity, relevance, and consistency.

At TransCurators, we help businesses audit, rewrite, and future-proof their documentation through expert Technical Writing Services. Our team ensures that your content evolves with your product—keeping your users informed, confident, and engaged.

[news-9-miami]

Cristina Junqueira didn't just quit her job, she left the comfort of Brazil’s second-largest private bank, Itaú, to rewrite the rules of finance. Now celebrated as Latin America's foremost female fintech leader, she’s the co-founder of Nubank, a digital banking powerhouse that has exploded to more than 90 million users across Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico. But back in 2013, none of this seemed certain. Leaving Itaú, Junqueira could hardly have predicted that within a decade, her name would be etched into fintech history, leading a neobank that rivals the very institution she walked away from. Born to Lead: From Brazil’s Coffee Belt to Global Fintech Stage Cristina Junqueira was born in Riberão Preto, once Brazil’s coffee capital, before her family moved to Rio de Janeiro. Even early on, she stood out—a high achiever in school and an ambitious student in São Paulo, where she studied industrial engineering at Universidade de São Paulo. By the time she took on her first consulting role at Boston Consulting Group, she was already juggling a Master's in economic and financial modeling. And then came a pivotal leap: enrolling at Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in 2007, where she earned her MBA. Returning to Brazil, she climbed quickly, first at Unibanco, then at Itaú following its landmark merger. But even at the top, Junqueira saw cracks in the system. Crashing Through the Glass Bank Vault At Itaú, Junqueira pushed for more consumer-first ideas: commission-free credit cards, better communication channels, and broader financial inclusion. But her ideas, she says, were routinely ignored. Frustrated, she took a massive personal and professional risk: she resigned. Then came a serendipitous meeting with David Vélez, then at Sequoia Capital. They shared one central frustration—the inertia and elitism that plagued Latin America’s banking scene. Add American software engineer Edward Wible to the mix, and a revolution was born. A Bold Name, A Transparent Mission They called it Nubank, a nod to transparency (in Portuguese, "nu" means “nude”). From day one, their goal was clear: break-through bureaucracy, eliminate hidden fees, and build a bank people could actually trust. By the close of 2023, Nubank had skyrocketed to a valuation of $23 billion, serving tens of millions across Latam and taking on incumbents like Itaú directly. Its pace? Relentless. Its reputation? Unshakable. And at the heart of it all, Junqueira—a leader, a builder, a symbol. Deals in the Delivery Room: Balancing Business and Babies If building a fintech empire wasn’t enough, Cristina Junqueira did it while pregnant and kept the deals flowing even from the maternity ward. At the time of Nubank’s launch, she was heavily pregnant with her first child. Hours after giving birth, she was back to work signing investor contracts from her hospital bed. Now a mother of two, she continues to lead Nubank Brazil with the same intensity and drive. “I want my daughters to grow up in a world where they can dream of being whoever they want to be—and you can’t dream of what you can’t see,” Junqueira told McKinsey & Co. Her journey from a small town in Brazil to the boardrooms of a $23 billion fintech juggernaut, makes that dream visible for millions. Read the full article