#Big Data Storage

[neilsblog]

Object-Based Storage: Future of Unstructured Data Management

In today’s digital-first world, organizations encounter vast and ever-growing volumes of unstructured data. From tweets, social media videos, and web pages to documents, emails, and data from IoT and edge devices — the diversity and scale of data formats pose a significant challenge. This unstructured data doesn’t reside in traditional databases, making it harder to store, manage, and retrieve…

[fuzzyghost]

[velvtcherie]

might be an unpopular opinion but lads developers should make the game more compatible with pc because the amount of storage needed increases with every update and it's honestly getting ridiculous at this point

[arolesbianism]

GUYS.

New dupe real! Also new pod????? Olivia is that you girlie speak to me

[i3utterflyeffect]

i think that's all the important stuff backed up? i'm sure i have much more stuff to dig up and save but i've got the stuff i was most concerned about saved!

[mkcecollege]

As this synergy grows, the future of engineering is set to be more collaborative, efficient, and innovative. Cloud computing truly bridges the gap between technical creativity and practical execution. To Know More: https://mkce.ac.in/blog/the-intersection-of-cloud-computing-and-engineering-transforming-data-management/

[reasonsforhope]

Saw a lot of people in the notes going (very validly!) "great but why tf are they starting with AI" and wanted to offer some speculation (that I think is very likely) on the context there.

tl;dr the stuff below the cut: it is hard for new technologies to break into established industries. If they want sodium ion batteries to take off, they need proof-of-concept at a huge scale.

AI, for a lot of cultural and technological reasons, is going to be more amenable to taking on a legit but commercially untested new technology, and doing so in really large amounts, faster than probably any other sector.

EV and telecommunications in particular will want to see a proven track record of large-scale successes before they buy on and upend their whole supply chains over it.

Starting with AI will likely get them proof of concept faster than almost any other industry. Even if it is annoying.

Okay, long version: It is hard for new technologies to break into established industries. That was my biggest concern about sodium ion batteries once I saw that the science checked out. How do you convince people to switch over at scale to something so untested in the real world? How do you convince people that it's worth spending the massive amount of money and effort to change their whole supply chains?

You need a test case. You need an industry you can get a major foothold in as quickly as possible, and preferably one where the industry leaders are a massive deal.

AI is a still-establishing industry, full of tech-bro echo-chambers, that is currently extremely bullish (aka hyped up in general and specifically for investment purposes), and very open to the tech philosophy of "Move fast, break things."

Those are all among the reasons why AI is doing a lot of harm in certain sectors, like the arts and politics. But it also means that AI companies are going to be willing to take more, faster risks on the hottest new technology.

And AI remains a field with pretty few actual businesses, most of which are backed at least in part by the world's biggest tech companies (Google, Microsoft, Meta, etc.). Therefore, it's likely also going to be way faster to get the global leaders in tech and business to sign on than in almost any other sector.

And the sooner they get that proof of concept, the sooner they can approach car companies, electronics companies, telecommunication companies, other vehicle manufacturers, solar and wind producers, and government contracts.

So, basically, I think starting with AI is mildly annoying but pretty shrewd. Probably. And god knows the sooner this catches on, the less forced displacement, conflict, violence, child labor, environmental devastation, and poisoning of entire communities there will be. So I'm all for them doing what they probably need to do.

Disclaimer: I do not work in any of these fields. I just read the news a lot, try to follow tech/environmental stuff very well, do a lot of analysis/source checking, and worked on contracts and schedules in/at a very heavily international supply-chain-linked industry/company.

So if you're an expert with thoughts on this, I definitely want to hear them! I might be wrong. But in general, I'm pretty confident in my analysis.

Green energy is in its heyday. 

Renewable energy sources now account for 22% of the nation’s electricity, and solar has skyrocketed eight times over in the last decade. This spring in California, wind, water, and solar power energy sources exceeded expectations, accounting for an average of 61.5 percent of the state's electricity demand across 52 days. 

But green energy has a lithium problem. Lithium batteries control more than 90% of the global grid battery storage market. 

That’s not just cell phones, laptops, electric toothbrushes, and tools. Scooters, e-bikes, hybrids, and electric vehicles all rely on rechargeable lithium batteries to get going. 

Fortunately, this past week, Natron Energy launched its first-ever commercial-scale production of sodium-ion batteries in the U.S. 

“Sodium-ion batteries offer a unique alternative to lithium-ion, with higher power, faster recharge, longer lifecycle and a completely safe and stable chemistry,” said Colin Wessells — Natron Founder and Co-CEO — at the kick-off event in Michigan. 

The new sodium-ion batteries charge and discharge at rates 10 times faster than lithium-ion, with an estimated lifespan of 50,000 cycles.

Wessells said that using sodium as a primary mineral alternative eliminates industry-wide issues of worker negligence, geopolitical disruption, and the “questionable environmental impacts” inextricably linked to lithium mining. 

“The electrification of our economy is dependent on the development and production of new, innovative energy storage solutions,” Wessells said. 

Why are sodium batteries a better alternative to lithium?

The birth and death cycle of lithium is shadowed in environmental destruction. The process of extracting lithium pollutes the water, air, and soil, and when it’s eventually discarded, the flammable batteries are prone to bursting into flames and burning out in landfills. 

There’s also a human cost. Lithium-ion materials like cobalt and nickel are not only harder to source and procure, but their supply chains are also overwhelmingly attributed to hazardous working conditions and child labor law violations. 

Sodium, on the other hand, is estimated to be 1,000 times more abundant in the earth’s crust than lithium. 

“Unlike lithium, sodium can be produced from an abundant material: salt,” engineer Casey Crownhart wrote ​​in the MIT Technology Review. “Because the raw ingredients are cheap and widely available, there’s potential for sodium-ion batteries to be significantly less expensive than their lithium-ion counterparts if more companies start making more of them.”

What will these batteries be used for?

Right now, Natron has its focus set on AI models and data storage centers, which consume hefty amounts of energy. In 2023, the MIT Technology Review reported that one AI model can emit more than 626,00 pounds of carbon dioxide equivalent. 

“We expect our battery solutions will be used to power the explosive growth in data centers used for Artificial Intelligence,” said Wendell Brooks, co-CEO of Natron. 

“With the start of commercial-scale production here in Michigan, we are well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for efficient, safe, and reliable battery energy storage.”

The fast-charging energy alternative also has limitless potential on a consumer level, and Natron is eying telecommunications and EV fast-charging once it begins servicing AI data storage centers in June. 

On a larger scale, sodium-ion batteries could radically change the manufacturing and production sectors — from housing energy to lower electricity costs in warehouses, to charging backup stations and powering electric vehicles, trucks, forklifts, and so on. 

“I founded Natron because we saw climate change as the defining problem of our time,” Wessells said. “We believe batteries have a role to play.”

-via GoodGoodGood, May 3, 2024

--

Note: I wanted to make sure this was legit (scientifically and in general), and I'm happy to report that it really is! x, x, x, x

[smartcitysystem]

How Azure Cloud Improves Remote Work Solutions in Dubai

As Dubai continues its journey toward becoming a global leader in digital transformation, businesses are increasingly adopting innovative technologies to remain competitive. The rise of remote work has created a need for reliable, scalable, and secure solutions to support distributed teams. Azure Cloud, a robust cloud computing platform from Microsoft, is proving to be a game-changer for enabling remote work in Dubai.

In this article, we’ll explore how Azure Cloud is transforming remote work for businesses in Dubai by enhancing productivity, ensuring security, and offering scalability.

The Growing Need for Remote Work Solutions in Dubai

Dubai is a global hub for commerce, technology, and innovation. With a diverse workforce and a dynamic economy, companies in the region need flexible solutions to adapt to:

The increasing prevalence of remote and hybrid work models.

Cross-border collaboration among multinational teams.

Digital tools are growing important in maintaining productivity and connectivity.

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of remote work globally, and Dubai was no exception. Businesses across various sectors quickly realized that traditional IT infrastructure was insufficient to meet the demands of remote work, leading to a surge in cloud adoption.

Azure Cloud stands out as a preferred choice for businesses in Dubai, thanks to its advanced capabilities and alignment with the region’s technological ambitions.

Key Azure Cloud Features That Support Remote Work

Azure Cloud offers a range of features specifically designed to support remote work environments. These include:

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI): Azure Virtual Desktop allows employees to access their work desktops and applications from anywhere securely.

Collaboration Tools: Seamless integration with Microsoft 365 enables efficient teamwork through apps like Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive.

Scalable Storage: Azure provides secure, cloud-based storage solutions, ensuring employees can access and share files easily.

Identity and Access Management: Azure Active Directory ensures secure and role-based access to company resources.

Real-Time Analytics: Azure-powered insights help organizations monitor employee productivity and optimize workflows.

These features combine to create a robust ecosystem for managing remote teams effectively.

Benefits of Azure Cloud for Remote Work in Dubai

Enhanced Collaboration

One of the biggest challenges of remote work is maintaining seamless communication and collaboration. Azure Cloud integrates with Microsoft 365, enabling teams to:

Conduct virtual meetings via Microsoft Teams.

Share and co-edit documents in real-time using OneDrive.

Manage projects efficiently through SharePoint and Planner.

For Dubai’s multinational workforce, these tools are essential for bridging cultural and geographic gaps.

Improved Security

Data security is a top priority for businesses operating in Dubai, particularly those handling sensitive information. Azure Cloud offers:

End-to-End Encryption: Protects data during transmission and storage.

Advanced Threat Detection: AI-driven tools identify and mitigate potential cybersecurity threats.

Compliance with Global Standards: Azure complies with ISO, GDPR, and local data protection regulations in the UAE.

These security features provide peace of mind for organizations transitioning to remote work.

Cost-Efficiency

Azure’s pay-as-you-go model allows businesses to scale resources based on demand, reducing unnecessary expenses. This flexibility is especially beneficial for startups and SMEs in Dubai, which may have fluctuating workloads.

Seamless Scalability

As businesses grow, so do their technological needs. Azure Cloud ensures scalability without significant infrastructure investment, making it easier for Dubai companies to onboard new remote employees or expand operations.

Business Continuity

Azure’s disaster recovery and backup solutions ensure that businesses remain operational even during unexpected disruptions. This is crucial for remote teams that rely on uninterrupted access to tools and data.

Azure Cloud Solutions Tailored for Remote Work in Dubai

Azure Virtual Desktop

Azure Virtual Desktop allows employees to access their work environment securely from any device. It supports popular business applications and provides a consistent user experience, even in remote settings.

Example: A Dubai-based marketing agency uses Azure Virtual Desktop to enable its designers and content creators to collaborate on campaigns from different locations, ensuring continuity and quality.

Microsoft Teams on Azure

Microsoft Teams, hosted on Azure, is a central hub for communication and collaboration. It facilitates:

Video conferencing.

File sharing and real-time document editing.

Task management and workflow integration.

Example: A multinational logistics company in Dubai leverages Teams to coordinate operations across its global network.

Azure AI and Machine Learning

Azure’s AI-driven tools help businesses optimize remote work by providing:

Predictive analytics for workload management.

Chatbots for employee support.

Insights into team productivity and engagement.

Example: A healthcare provider in Dubai uses Azure AI to streamline administrative tasks, allowing remote employees to focus on patient care.

Success Stories: Dubai Businesses Embracing Azure Cloud

Financial Services Firm

A leading financial institution in Dubai adopted Azure Cloud to support its remote workforce. By implementing Azure Virtual Desktop and advanced security features, the firm improved employee productivity while ensuring compliance with regulatory standards.

Retail Chain

A retail chain with operations across the UAE used Azure to enable remote collaboration between its store managers and head office. This resulted in faster decision-making and streamlined operations.

Education Sector

A private university in Dubai leveraged Azure to offer virtual classrooms and remote access to educational resources. The platform ensured uninterrupted learning for students during the pandemic.

Azure Cloud and Dubai’s Vision for the Future

Dubai’s government is committed to fostering a digitally advanced economy through initiatives like the Dubai Smart City project and Dubai Internet City. Azure Cloud aligns perfectly with these ambitions by:

Supporting businesses in adopting cutting-edge technologies.

Enabling sustainable and flexible work models.

Enhancing the global competitiveness of Dubai’s economy.

Remote work is no longer just a trend but a key component of modern workforce strategies. Azure Cloud ensures that Dubai businesses are equipped to thrive in this new era.

Tips for Implementing Azure Cloud for Remote Work

To make the most of Azure Cloud’s capabilities, Dubai businesses should:

Assess Requirements: Identify the specific needs of your remote workforce.

Engage Experts: Work with Azure-certified partners in Dubai for seamless deployment.

Train Employees: Provide training to ensure employees can fully utilize Azure’s tools.

Monitor Performance: Use Azure’s analytics features to track productivity and optimize workflows.

Conclusion

Azure Cloud is revolutionizing remote work solutions for businesses in Dubai by offering advanced tools for collaboration, security, scalability, and efficiency. Its ability to support diverse industries and align with Dubai’s vision for digital transformation makes it an indispensable asset for the modern workforce.

As remote work becomes the new normal, adopting Azure Cloud can empower Dubai businesses to stay ahead of the curve, ensuring success in a rapidly evolving global economy.

[neilsblog]

Unlocking the Power of Object-Based Storage for Modern Data-Driven Enterprises

In today’s fast-paced digital world, organizations are leveraging data-driven technologies such as cloud computing, big data analytics, and insight-driven functions to gain a competitive edge. These applications demand efficient data availability, seamless data retrieval, and secure access from any geographical location. Object Based Storage solutions have emerged as the cornerstone for…

[fuzzyghost]

[captain-ultimat-doggo]

Humans entering space and realizing we are so small. We are mice compared to these giant races with their advanced machinery and technologies and experiences beyond us- except that we're humans. And our engineers dive into the new tech and once we learn the principles we also soon realize how Inefficient everything is. Their "microchips" are the size of cars, their storage drives are basically buildings, and they somehow store less data than ours. So, human companies take advantage, and tech starts rolling out. Massive and there's a lot of wasted space so that it can be managed with larger hands/pincers/claws/tentacles, but also so much more efficient than anything the galaxy has seen before.

Human technicians start hopping ships and upkeeping the general maintenance, the stuff that most aliens put off or don't notice because they never access the crevices of their ships. As human companies become more popular and lead the tech world in everything from warp cores to game stations ("it's so compact! How are the graphics so good?" Says a 60' tall grimbleback, holding a new VR headset that has all of its components included because it's so BIG by our tech standards), soon many things have accessibility ports for humans to be able to use as well. This means that these shiprats hoping ship to ship cause such a huge improvement in everything running smoothly, and there's a huge downtick in pests on ships because those "pests" are not only big enough and aggressive enough to bite a pitbull or a person in half, they're invasive to so many planets and humans hate nothing more than dog killing planet overrunning monsters.

All the while, from the Aliens perspective, humans are an elusive race that don't fraternize much with them. You almost never see a human as most places aren't exactly safe for the little things to run around in. They do export so much stuff though, and the custodial staff at the Central Galactic Outpost insists that there's more humans around than any other race if you just know where to look.

And sure it's somewhat known that some of the little daredevils hop ships and help out in exchange for room and board, usually without permission, but that can't be that common, can it?

Maybe your ship is running better this cycle ever since you stopped at the last station, that just means that tuneup was better than you thought. And maybe for some reason that program you were working on last night is finished when you wake up, but you're so tired maybe you finished it before you passed out. Somehow that faulty light in the galley has fixed itself as well, which is odd, but maybe the Engineer finally got to it. You'd know if there was someone else on your ship.

Right?

... You leave a little bowl of berries out as a thank you, just in case. You're not sure what humans like but you've heard they have a sweet tooth.

[sbscglobal]

Welcome to the digital era, where data reigns as the new currency.

In modern information technology, the term “Big Data” has surged to the forefront, embodying the exponential growth and availability of data in today’s digital age. This influx of data encompasses vast volumes, generated at unprecedented speeds and with diverse varieties, presenting both challenges and opportunities across industries worldwide.

To unlock the true potential of big data, businesses need to address several critical areas like #BigDataCollection and #DataIntegration, #DataStorage and Management, #DataAnalysis and #DataAnalytics, #DataPrivacy and #DataSecurity, Innovation and Product Development, Operational Efficiency and Cost Optimization. Here at SBSC we recognize the transformative power of #bigdata and empower businesses to unlock its potential through a comprehensive suite of services: #DataStrategy and #Consultation: SBSC’s Tailored advisory services help businesses define their Big Data goals, develop a roadmap, and align data initiatives with strategic objectives.

#DataArchitecture and #DataIntegration: We Design and implementation of scalable, robust data architectures that support data ingestion, storage, and integration from diverse sources. #DataWarehousing and Management: SBSC provides Solutions for setting up data warehouses or data lakes, including management of structured and unstructured data, ensuring accessibility and security. Data Analytics and Business Intelligence: Advanced analytics capabilities leveraging machine learning, AI algorithms, and statistical models to derive actionable insights and support decision-making.

#DataVisualization and Reporting: Creation of intuitive dashboards and reports that visualize key insights and performance metrics, enabling stakeholders to interpret data effectively. #CloudServices and Infrastructure: Leveraging #cloudplatforms for scalability, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness in managing Big Data environments, including migration and optimization services Continuous Improvement and Adaptation: Establishment of feedback loops and metrics to measure the impact of Big Data initiatives, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and adaptation.

By offering a comprehensive suite of services in these areas, SBSC helps businesses to harness the power of Big Data to drive innovation, improve operational efficiency, enhance customer experiences, and achieve sustainable growth in today’s competitive landscape

Contact SBSC to know the right services you need for your Business

Email: info@sbsc.com Website:https://www.sbsc.com

[rajaniesh]

Unlock Data Governance: Revolutionary Table-Level Access in Modern Platforms

Dive into our latest blog on mastering data governance with Microsoft Fabric & Databricks. Discover key strategies for robust table-level access control and secure your enterprise's data. A must-read for IT pros! #DataGovernance #Security

[jcmarchi]

The Most Dangerous Data Blind Spots in Healthcare and How to Successfully Fix Them

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/the-most-dangerous-data-blind-spots-in-healthcare-and-how-to-successfully-fix-them/

The Most Dangerous Data Blind Spots in Healthcare and How to Successfully Fix Them

Data continues to be a significant sore spot for the healthcare industry, with increasing security breaches, cumbersome systems, and data redundancies undermining the quality of care delivered.

Adding to the pressure, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HSS) is set to introduce more stringent regulations around interoperability and handling of electronic health records (EHRs), with transparency a top priority.

However, it’s clear that technology has played a crucial role in streamlining and organizing information-sharing in the industry, which is a significant advantage when outstanding services heavily rely on speed and accuracy.

Healthcare organizations have been turning to emerging technologies to alleviate growing pressures, which could possibly save them $360 billion annually. In fact, 85% of companies are investing or planning to invest in AI to streamline operations and reduce delays in patient care. Technology is cited as a top strategic priority in healthcare for 56% of companies versus 34% in 2022, according to insights from Bain & Company and KLAS Research.

Yet there are a number of factors healthcare providers should be mindful of when looking to deploy advanced technology, especially considering that AI solutions are only as good as the information used to train them.

Let’s take a look at the biggest data pain points in healthcare and technology’s role in alleviating them.

Enormous Amounts of Data

It’s no secret that healthcare organizations have to deal with a massive amount of data, and it’s only growing in size: By next year, healthcare data is expected to hit 10 trillion gigabytes.

The sheer volume of data that needs to be stored is a driving force behind cloud storage popularity, although this isn’t a problem-free answer, especially when it comes to security and interoperability. That’s why 69% of healthcare organizations prefer localized cloud storage (i.e., private clouds on-premises).

However, this can easily become challenging to manage for a number of reasons. In particular, this huge amount of data has to be stored for years in order to be HHS-compliant.

AI is helping providers tackle this challenge by automating processes that are otherwise resource-exhaustive in terms of manpower and time. There are a plethora of solutions on the market designed to ease data management, whether that’s in the form of tracking patient data via machine learning integrations with big data analytics or utilizing generative AI to speed up diagnostics.

For AI to do its job well, organizations must ensure they’re keeping their digital ecosystems as interoperable as possible to minimize disruptions in data exchanges that have devastating repercussions for their patients’ well-being.

Moreover, it’s crucial that these solutions are scalable according to an organization’s fluctuating needs in terms of performance and processing capabilities. Upgrading and replacing solutions because they fail to scale is a time-consuming and expensive process that few healthcare providers can afford. That’s because it means further training, realigning processes, and ensuring interoperability hasn’t been compromised with the introduction of a new technology.

Data Redundancies

With all that data to manage and track, it’s no surprise that things slip through the cracks, and in an industry where lives are on the line, data redundancies are a worst-case scenario that only serves to undermine the quality of patient care. Shockingly, 24% of patient records are duplicates, and this challenge is worsened when consolidating information across multiple electronic medical records (EMR).

AI has a big role to play in handling data redundancies, helping companies streamline operations and minimize data errors. Automation solutions are especially useful in this context, speeding up data entry processes in Health Information Management Systems (HIMS), lowering the risk of human error in creating and maintaining more accurate EHRs, and slashing risks of duplicated or incorrect information.

However, these solutions aren’t always flawless, and organizations need to prioritize fault tolerance when integrating them into their systems. It’s vital to have certain measures in place so that when a component fails, the software can continue functioning properly.

Key mechanisms of fault tolerance include guaranteed delivery of data and information in instances of system failure, data backup and recovery, load balancing across multiple workflows, and redundancy management.

This essentially ensures that the wheels keep turning until a system administrator is available to manually address the problem and prevent disruptions from bringing the entire system to a screeching halt. Fault tolerance is a great feature to look out for when selecting a solution, so it can help narrow down the product search for healthcare organizations.

Additionally, it’s crucial for organizations to make sure they’ve got the right framework in place for redundancy and error occurrences. That’s where data modeling comes in as it helps organizations map out requirements and data processes to maximize success.

A word of caution though: building the best data models entails analyzing all the optional information derived from pre-existing data. That’s because this enables the accurate identification of a patient and delivers timely and relevant information about them for swift, insight-driven intervention. An added bonus of data modeling is that it’s easier to pinpoint APIs and curate these for automatically filtering and addressing redundancies like data duplications.

Fragmented and Siloed Data

We know there are a lot of moving parts in data management, but compound this with the high-paced nature of healthcare and it’s easily a recipe for disaster. Data silos are among the most dangerous blind spots in this industry, and in life-or-death situations where practitioners aren’t able to access a complete picture of a patient’s record, the consequences are beyond catastrophic.

While AI and technology are helping organizations manage and process data, integrating a bunch of APIs and new software isn’t always smooth sailing, particularly if it requires outsourcing help whenever a new change or update is made. Interoperability and usability are at the crux of maximizing technology’s role in healthcare data handling and should be prioritized by organizations.

Most platforms are developer-centric, involving high levels of coding with complex tools that are beyond most people’s skill sets. This limits the changes that can be made within a system and means that every time an organization wants to make an update, they have to outsource a trained developer.

That’s a significant headache for people operating in an industry that really can’t sacrifice more time and energy to needlessly complicated processes. Technology should facilitate instant action, not hinder it, which is why healthcare providers and organizations need to opt for solutions that can be rapidly and seamlessly integrated into their existing digital ecosystem.

What to Look for in a Solution

Opt for platforms that can be templatized so they can be imported and implemented easily without having to build and write complex code from scratch, like Enterprise Integration Platform as a Service (EiPaaS) solutions. Specifically, these services use drag-and-drop features that are user-friendly so that changes can be made without the need to code.

This means that because they’re so easy to use, they democratize access for continuous efficiency so team members from across departments can implement changes without fear of causing massive disruptions.

Another vital consideration is auditing, which helps providers ensure they’re maintaining accountability and consistently connecting the dots so data doesn’t go missing. Actions like tracking transactions, logging data transformations, documenting system interactions, monitoring security controls, measuring performance, and flagging failure points should be non-negotiable for tackling these data challenges.

In fact, audit trails serve to set organizations up for continuous success in data management. Not only do they strengthen the safety of a system to ensure better data handling, but they are also valuable for enhancing business logic so operations and process workflows are as airtight as possible.

Audit trails also empower teams to be as proactive and alert as possible and to keep abreast of data in terms of where it comes from, when it was logged, and where it is sent. This bolsters the bottom line of accountability in the entire processing stage to minimize the risk of errors in data handling as much as possible.

The best healthcare solutions are designed to cover all bases in data management, so no stone is left unturned. AI isn’t perfect, but keeping these risks and opportunities in mind will help providers make the most of it in the healthcare landscape.

[oh-dameron]

SecUnit armour should attach directly to anchor points on the construct. If you're building something designed to wear armour then including couplings for it just makes sense. A human should not physically be able to wear SecUnit armour not because it's too heavy (though it probably would be too heavy/cumbersome to move well in) but because it doesn't have straps and buckles or lock to itself like human armour does: it clips onto the underlying foundation (the SecUnit).

It's disposable plating meant to take hits and then be replaced, but it's also an extension of the construct's body.

I have a lot of Feelings about Murderbot and its armour, how terribly it misses its opaque faceplate and how naked and vulnerable it feels every time it goes into combat without it. How in System Collapse it feels weird about taking Three's armour, and whether that's an extension on how it feels about armour in general, taking Three's specifically, or its evolving feelings about being expected to charge into combat in the first place. It's a component Murderbot lost early on and has never been able to replace, an exoskeleton it's struggling to learn to live without even as the humans around it don't even register it as a loss.

I think it's pretty likely that given the choice, it would generally prefer to chill in the argument lounge in full armour with its faceplate opaqued. Without that option it's been forced out of its comfort zone and has connected with its humans in a way that Mensah correctly predicted it never would have otherwise, which. Yay. But now it's done all this hard work and uncomfortable growth I hope eventually it gets its comfortable shell back.

Not to wear all of the time, because ART's crew uniforms are very soft and don't have seams or logos that it doesn't like, and ART's argument lounge and Preservation Station are safe places where it can be around humans without needing it. But next time shit hits the fan I hope ART gets to do a dramatic reveal of the bleeding edge armour it contacted the PSUMNT AI that has a special interest in materials science to make. It upgraded its fabrication units to be able to build it. It hacked Company blueprints to get a design schematic to scoff at and then improve. It's got the stealth coating they lifted from the NE hostiles. It's got extra data storage and processors tucked in there big enough to carry an ART partition. It comes with a whole fleet of matching drones. It's Perihelion blue. You can't buy armour this good (who would ever spend this much to protect a construct?), but it would hypothetically cost more than a fully kitted-out brand-new top-of-the-line CombatUnit. ART paid for it out of its own accounts and will not be taking questions about PSUMNT mission budgets at this time.

The wall retracts to reveal a secret armoury like in a spy movie, complete with theme music and coloured lighting, both because ART is Extra and because it knows that Murderbot has some mixed feelings about armour and having nice things. Giving it cheesy melodramatic presentation to nitpick and protest over will be comforting, even as they both unironically enjoy the homage to the episode of Timestream Defenders Orion with the chrono-displaced space knights.

This got away from me, but tl;dr: let the awkward turtle have its shell back!

[eikotheblue]

How do you *accidentally* make a programming language?

Oh, it's easy! You make a randomizer for a game, because you're doing any% development, you set up the seed file format such that each line of the file defines an event listener for a value change of an uberstate (which is an entry of the game's built-in serialization system for arbitrary data that should persiste when saved).

You do this because it's a fast hack that lets you trigger pickup grants on item finds, since each item find always will correspond with an uberstate change. This works great! You smile happily and move on.

There's a small but dedicated subgroup of users who like using your randomizer as a canvas! They make what are called "plandomizer seeds" ("plandos" for short), which are seed files that have been hand-written specifically to give anyone playing them a specific curated set of experiences, instead of something random. These have a long history in your community, in part because you threw them a few bones when developing your last randomizer, and they are eager to see what they can do in this brave new world.

A thing they pick up on quickly is that there are uberstates for lots more things than just item finds! They can make it so that you find double jump when you break a specific wall, or even when you go into an area for the first time and the big splash text plays. Everyone agrees that this is neat.

It is in large part for the plando authors' sake that you allow multiple line entries for the same uberstate that specify different actions - you have the actions run in order. This was a feature that was hacked into the last randomizer you built later, so you're glad to be supporting it at a lower level. They love it! It lets them put multiple items at individual locations. You smile and move on.

Over time, you add more action types besides just item grants! Printing out messages to your players is a great one for plando authors, and is again a feature you had last time. At some point you add a bunch for interacting with player health and energy, because it'd be easy. An action that teleports the player to a specific place. An action that equips a skill to the player's active skill bar. An action that removes a skill or ability.

Then, you get the brilliant idea that it'd be great if actions could modify uberstates directly. Uberstates control lots of things! What if breaking door 1 caused door 2 to break, so you didn't have to open both up at once? What if breaking door 2 caused door 1 to respawn, and vice versa, so you could only go through 1 at a time? Wouldn't that be wonderful? You test this change in some simple cases, and deploy it without expecting people to do too much with it.

Your plando authors quickly realize that when actions modify uberstates, the changes they make can trigger other actions, as long as there are lines in their files that listen for those. This excites them, and seems basically fine to you, though you do as an afterthought add an optional parameter to your uberstate modification action that can be used to suppress the uberstate change detector, since some cases don't actually want that behavior.

(At some point during all of this, the plando authors start hunting through the base game and cataloging unused uberstates, to be used as arbitrary variables for their nefarious purposes. You weren't expecting that! Rather than making them hunt down and use a bunch of random uberstates for data storage, you sigh and add a bunch of explicitly-unused ones for them to play with instead.)

Then, your most arcane plando magician posts a guide on how to use the existing systems to set up control flow. It leverages the fact that setting an uberstate to a value it already has does not trigger the event listener for that uberstate, so execution can branch based on whether or not a state has been set to a specific value or not!

Filled with a confused mixture of pride and fear, you decide that maybe you should provide some kind of native control flow structure that isn't that? And because you're doing a lot of this development underslept and a bit past your personal Balmer peak, the first idea that you have and implement is conditional stops, which are actions that halt processing of a multiple-action-chain if an uberstate is [less than, equal to, greater than] a given value.

The next day, you realize that your seed specification format now can, while executing an action chain, read from memory, write to memory, branch based on what it finds in memory, and loop. It can simulate a turing machine, using the uberstates as tape. You set out to create a format by which your seed generator could talk to your client mod, and have ended up with a turing complete programming language. You laugh, and laugh, and laugh.