#Digital File Tracking Systems

[aidc-india]

File Tracking Software: Best Solutions for Smart Management 2025

Introduction to File Tracking Software in 2025

As we move deeper into the digital era, the need for smart file and document management is more important than ever. Businesses across all industries are looking for solutions that can track physical and digital files efficiently. That’s where File Tracking Software comes in. In 2025, this technology plays a major role in improving data visibility, operational efficiency, and compliance.

What Is File Tracking Software?

File Tracking Software is a digital system that helps organizations monitor, manage, and locate files—both physical and digital—throughout their lifecycle. It is especially useful for organizations that handle large volumes of documents, such as legal firms, hospitals, government agencies, and corporate offices. The software offers real-time status updates, location tracking, audit trails, and access control.

Why File Tracking Software Is Essential for Smart Management

In 2025, the business environment demands accuracy, speed, and accountability. Lost or misplaced files can lead to delayed decisions, legal risks, and reduced trust from clients. File Tracking Software helps eliminate these problems by ensuring every file is accounted for, tracked, and secured. This improves transparency and allows teams to access the right information at the right time.

Top Features of Modern File Tracking Solutions

Modern File Tracking Software comes with smart features designed to meet industry demands:

Real-time file location updates

Barcode or RFID tag integration

Role-based access control

Custom notifications and alerts

Detailed audit trails and reporting

Integration with existing document management systems

These features provide end-to-end file visibility and reduce the time spent searching for documents.

Benefits of Using File Tracking Software in 2025

Organizations using File Tracking Software gain several advantages:

Improved productivity: Less time is wasted searching for files

Better compliance: Maintains records for audits and regulations

Enhanced security: Only authorized personnel can access files

Reduced operational cost: Cuts down on manual file management

Data accuracy: Ensures all file movements are tracked accurately

In the long run, companies that adopt file tracking tools gain a significant edge over competitors still relying on manual methods.

Best File Tracking Software Solutions to Consider in 2025

While there are many software providers in the market, choosing the best one depends on your business size, file volume, and integration needs. Some top solutions in 2025 include:

RFID-based tracking systems for high-security environments

Cloud-enabled platforms for remote accessibility

Barcode-based systems for physical file archives

Custom-built enterprise file tracking systems tailored to your operations

Before making a selection, always check whether the software is scalable, easy to integrate, and supports regulatory compliance.

How File Tracking Enhances Workflow and Productivity

By implementing File Tracking Software, organizations streamline their document flow. For example, in a legal firm, every case file can be tagged and tracked. If someone checks out a file, the system records who accessed it and when. This ensures full accountability and eliminates the hassle of searching for lost documents. The result is faster service delivery and improved employee focus.

File Tracking for Various Industries: Healthcare, Legal, Logistics & More

Each industry has its own file tracking needs:

Healthcare: Track patient records to ensure fast and accurate treatments

Legal: Manage case files securely and reduce file misplacement risks

Logistics: Handle shipping documents and receipts in real-time

Government: Ensure transparency and easy access to official records

Regardless of the industry, File Tracking Software simplifies how documents are handled.

Cloud-Based vs On-Premise File Tracking Software

In 2025, most organizations prefer cloud-based File Tracking Software due to its remote access, easy updates, and lower upfront costs. However, some institutions with strict security requirements opt for on-premise solutions. Your choice depends on your IT policies, file sensitivity, and budget. Cloud solutions work well for scalable operations, while on-premise systems offer tighter control.

Security and Compliance in File Tracking Systems

File security is a top priority in any organization. With File Tracking Software, businesses can assign role-based access, enforce file permissions, and monitor every action taken on a file. The system also generates audit logs that are useful for both internal reviews and external compliance checks. This ensures that all document handling follows legal and regulatory frameworks.

How to Choose the Right File Tracking Software for Your Business

Before investing in any file tracking system, consider these factors:

Scalability: Can the system grow with your business?

Integration: Will it work with your current document systems?

Ease of use: Is the interface user-friendly for your staff?

Support: Does the vendor offer reliable technical support?

Customization: Can the software be tailored to your workflows?

A well-planned selection will save time and costs in the long run.

AIDC Technologies India: Smart File Tracking Solutions for 2025

AIDC Technologies India is a leading provider of automated data capture and tracking solutions, including advanced File Tracking Software. The company specialises in implementing RFID, barcode, and cloud-enabled systems that improve file visibility and operational control. With over two decades of industry experience, AIDC customises file tracking tools for sectors like healthcare, government, education, and logistics.

Their solutions are secure, scalable, and compliant with global standards. AIDC's expert team also ensures smooth deployment and training support, helping organizations switch from manual to digital tracking effortlessly.

Book Now – AIDC Technologies India

Ready to transform your file management system? Choose smart, efficient, and reliable solutions from AIDC Technologies India. Whether you need an RFID-based tracker or a cloud-enabled file management system, AIDC has the tools and expertise to match your needs.

Book Now AIDC Technologies and take your document tracking to the next level in 2025.

Customer Success Stories: Real-World Impact of File Tracking Tools

Many organizations have already benefited from implementing file tracking systems. A government department in Delhi reduced file loss by 90% after switching to RFID tracking. A hospital chain in Mumbai reported a 40% increase in patient file handling speed. These real-world examples show how File Tracking Software delivers measurable improvements in daily operations.

Future Trends in File Tracking and Document Management

Looking ahead, file tracking will become more intelligent. AI-powered analytics will predict file usage patterns, while IoT sensors will enable real-time tracking across wider geographies. Integration with mobile apps will also give employees access to document location and history on the go. Businesses investing early in these innovations will stay ahead in terms of efficiency and compliance.

Conclusion: Streamline Operations with File Tracking Software in 2025

In conclusion, File Tracking Software is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. With increasing document volumes, data security concerns, and regulatory demands, having a smart file tracking solution is critical. From boosting productivity to ensuring legal compliance, these systems offer unmatched value.

[alwajeeztech]

Documents Library in ALZERP Cloud ERP Software

Key Features of the Documents Library

Automatic Document Uploads: Documents from various ERP modules, such as sales, purchase, vouchers, and employee transactions, are automatically added to the library.

Document Conversion: Image files are automatically converted to PDF format for universal compatibility.

Advanced Search: Easily find documents by date, number, type, or other criteria.

Multiple File Actions: Download single files or merge multiple PDFs for streamlined access.

Document Organization: Categorize documents into folders for better organization and retrieval.

Document Security: Ensure secure storage and access control for sensitive documents.

[newtechinfosoft23]

Why Should You Choose Document Management System?

Track, dispose of, and manage all legal records with a Document Management software one-stop solution.

Companies often need assistance with colossal problems like system downtime, security breaches, lost documents, and disorganised records. Finding the right documents can be frustrating and take up a lot of time and money. The fallouts of losing documents or failing to maintain accurate employment records are far-reaching, leading to potential violations of labour laws and regulations. The consequences, including substantial penalties and operational disruptions, can be a significant nuisance for any organization. Switch to Best Document Management Solution - a strategic and value-oriented approach that alleviates your burdens and fosters the productivity of your business. With Document Management Solution, a centralized records system, experience consolidating, scrutinizing, and maintaining all data in one place.

Inefficiencies could be costly, and it's more costly when it impacts your business. Newtech Infosoft’s Document Management Systems is a stress-free transformative solution that safeguards your business data, allows you to record and manage efficiently, and gets insights into your employee's data. Our comprehensive document management system undertakes all the managerial headaches and diminishes legal liability from employee records, employee details, vehicle management, insurance, expenses, company licences, and much more. Get your document repository to get valuable insights from your employees in a streamlined and efficient way.

Read More:- https://www.newtechinfosoft.com/document-management-system.php

[ms-demeanor]

You may have posted about this before, but im very curious about you saying "email was a mistake" because it's such a cemented part of online communication. Is it the technology?

Email became infrastructural in a way that it was never intended to be and wasn't designed for.

There is too much momentum toward email being the primary means of business communication that unless there is a massive technology shift we're unlikely to see wide adoption of an alternative and email takes up so much space in the IT space that it's hard to say what the alternative would be.

Much of what used to be email now happens in company chat apps, which I think is an improvement in many ways, but you chat with your coworkers in a way that you're unlikely to chat with a client or send a quote to a prospect.

A huge amount of effort goes into making email better, and making email systems talk to each other, and making email secure because it is so ubiquitous that you can't realistically ask people not to use it.

But it's fucking terrible and we're asking too much of a set of protocols that was supposed to send small, not-very-private, communications between academics.

Why can't you send big files via email? Because that's not what email is for.

Why is it a pain in the ass to send encrypted emails? Because that's not what email is for.

Why aren't your emails portable, and easy to move from one service to another? Because that's not what email is for.

Why are emails so easy to spoof? Because they were never meant to be used the way we use them so there was no reason to safeguard against that fifty years ago

It's like how social security cards were never meant to be used as one of your major super serious government IDs where all of your activity through all of your life is tracked, because if they knew they needed a system for that they probably would have built a better one in the first place.

Nobody who sat down and developed email looked more than half a century into the future and went "so people are going to be using this system to create identities to access banking and medical records and grocery shopping and school records so we'd better make sure that it's robust enough to handle all of that" because instead they were thinking "Neat! I can send a digital message to someone on a different computer network than the one that I am literally in the same building as."

We think of email as, like, a piece of certified mail that is hand delivered in tamperproof packaging to only the intended recipient who signs for it with their thumbprint and a retina scan when it is, instead, basically a postcard.

It would be absurd to try to do the things people do with email with postcards, and it's *nearly* as absurd to try to do them via email.

[stellophiliac]

how to build a digital music collection and stuff

spotify sucks aaaass. so start downloading shit!!

file format glossary

.wav is highest quality and biggest

.mp3 is very small, but uses lossy compression which means it's lower quality

.flac is smaller than .wav, but uses lossless compression so it's high quality

.m4a is an audio file format that apple uses. that's all i really know

downloading the music

doubledouble.top is a life saver. you can download from a variety of services including but not limited to apple music, spotify, soundcloud, tidal, deezer, etc.

i'd recommend ripping your music from tidal or apple music since they're the best quality (i think apple music gives you lossless audio anyway. .m4a can be both lossy and lossless, but from the text on doubledouble i assume they're ripping HQ files off apple music)

i also love love love cobalt.tools for ripping audio/video from youtube (they support a lot of other platforms too!)

of course, many artists have their music on bandcamp — purchase or download directly from them if you can. bandcamp offers a variety of file formats for download

file conversion

if you're downloading from apple music with doubledouble, it spits out an .m4a file.

.m4a is ok for some people but if you prefer .flac, you may wanna convert it. ffmpeg is a CLI (terminal) tool to help with media conversion

if you're on linux or macOS, you can use parameter expansion to batch convert all files in a folder. put the files in one place first, then with your terminal, cd into the directory and run:

for i in *.m4a; do ffmpeg -i "$i" "${i%.*}.flac"; done

this converts from .m4a to .flac — change the file extensions if needed.

soulseek

another way to get music is through soulseek. soulseek is a peer-to-peer file sharing network which is mainly used for music. nicotine+ is a pretty intuitive (and open-source) client if you don't like the official one.

you can probably find a better tutorial on soulseek somewhere else. just wanted to make this option known

it's bad etiquette to download from people without sharing files of your own, so make sure you've got something shared. also try to avoid queuing up more than 1-2 albums from one person in a row

tagging & organizing your music

tagging: adding metadata to a music file (eg. song name, artist name, album) that music players can recognize and display

if you've ripped music from a streaming platform, chances are it's already tagged. i've gotten files with slightly incorrect tags from doubledouble though, so if you care about that then you might wanna look into it

i use musicbrainz picard for my tagging. they've got pretty extensive documentation, which will probably be more useful than me

basically, you can look up album data from an online database into the program, and then match each track with its file. the program will tag each file correctly for you (there's also options for renaming the file according to a certain structure if you're into that!)

there's also beets, which is a CLI tool for... a lot of music collection management stuff. i haven't really used it myself, but if you feel up to it then they've got extensive documentation too. for most people, though, it's not really a necessity

how you wanna organize your music is completely up to you. my preferred filestructure is:

artist > album > track # track

using a music player

the options for this are pretty expansive. commonly used players i see include VLC, foobar2000, clementine (or a fork of it called strawberry), and cmus (for the terminal)

you can also totally use iTunes or something. i don't know what audio players other systems come with

i personally use dopamine. it's a little bit slow, but it's got a nice UI and is themeable plus has last.fm support (!!!)

don't let the github page fool you, you don't have to build from source. you can find the releases here

click the "assets" dropdown on the most recent release, and download whichever one is compatible with your OS

syncing

if you're fine with your files just being on one device (perhaps your computer, but perhaps also an USB drive or an mp3 player), you don't have to do this

you can sync with something like google drive, but i hate google more than i hate spotify

you can get a free nextcloud account from one of their providers with 2GB of free storage. you can use webDAV to access your files from an app on your phone or other device (documents by readdle has webDAV support, which is what i use)

disroot and blahaj.land are a couple providers i know that offer other services as well as nextcloud (so you get more with your account), but accounts are manually approved. do give them a look though!!

if you're tech-savvy and have an unused machine lying around, look into self-hosting your own nextcloud, or better yet, your own media server. i've heard that navidrome is a pretty good audio server. i unfortunately don't have experience with self-hosting at the moment so i have like zero advice to give here. yunohost seems to be a really easy way to manage a server

afterword

i don't know if any of this is helpful, but i just wanted to consolidate my personal advice in one place. fuck big tech. own your media, they could take it away from you at any moment

[nutmegtales]

Fucking Clowns - Part 5 in n out

Dick was in, the moment he saw the call from Jason, he was in. Was this reckless? Sure, dangerous? Absolutely, illegal? Yeah, most things they did were. But honestly when Jason asked, when he practically begged, when he said please like that all raw and pleading. I mean really what was Dick gonna say, no? Fuck that, his baby bird needed him and he sure as shit was gonna show up.

Jason had thought Tim would be a hard sale what with the whole murder attempt and everything. He'd hesitated and worried to try and bring in anyone more than Dick, but big bird was right, they'd need all the help they could get on this. And so he'd reached out, all the bridges he couldn't repair for himself he would try to repair enough to pull this off. It had been hard to set aside all the grudges and frustration and hurt he felt towards the others, especially Tim, but after Jason had given all the facts the kid had actually taken the time to consider it. He'd done his own research, pulling up all the Arkham files, watching the footage, reading the reports, attempted to track the identity. He'd been thorough, and methodical, and then he'd surprised Jason by calling him back the next day and saying he was in.

As the plan unfolded the other bats and birds were gently brought in on the plan, excluding the Batman himself. For the most part the others were asked to play distraction to keep B and A from catching wind of what they were doing. They'd find out eventually, 'course they would, but they'd all mostly agreed Bruce did not need to be anywhere near this until the kid had been made safe, and determined to be safe for them.

Tim made his way into the systems at Arkham, following the clumsy digital steps of something he'd identified as an entity that goes by GIW. He made a note to follow up on what that might be and why they might have been clumsily trying to hack their way into Arkham. He used their presence to mask his own as he took control of the subsystem they'd need for this operation.

The lights cut out in Ward A, the generator kicking in a few seconds later but the left side wing stayed plunged in darkness as an electrical fault delayed it's return to full power.

Two figures made their way through the dark minimum security area uninterrupted. Their path plotted carefully to avoid the patients and employees on the way.

The lock takes barely a second, and there's only a moment of hesitation before the unresponsive body of the rooms resident is carefully scooped into strong arms and carried away.

It was hardly 5 minutes after the initial black out that Tim reset and checked all the Arkham systems ensuring no one else was misplaced, carefully erasing any trace he had ever been there. The only thing they left behind was a now empty bed in the cell of one Danny Smith.

---

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If you enjoyed this post please leave a comment, I really love getting them! If you're not sure what to say just comment a lil emoji, I'd love to get one of these guys ❤️🥹🔥☠️😯, or one you feel suits the post.

[glowettee]

✧ preparing for next semester series (12/12): final preparation checklist ✧

hello loves! for our final post, this is the ultimate checklist to ensure you're fully prepared for the semester ahead. (or if it already started)

master checklist:

supplies ready: □ all notebooks □ planning system □ technology setup □ study supplies □ organization tools

space prepared: □ study area setup □ digital organization □ clean workspace □ supply storage □ comfort items

schedules set: □ class schedule □ study blocks □ self-care time □ social time □ rest periods

systems organized: □ tracking method □ filing system □ backup plans □ routine established □ support network

mindset ready: □ goals set □ boundaries clear □ positive attitude □ support system □ confidence built

note:

take it slow

stay organized

ask for help

trust yourself

enjoy learning

pro tip: review this checklist weekly for the first month!

sending you prepared thoughts and semester success! thank you for following this series!

gentle hugs, mindy x

p.s. how ready do you feel now? 🌸

[kissingraine]

(might become a Starscream x reader, Shockwave x reader thang,,,,) eventual smut! 18+

Midnight City — TFP Soundwave x f!Reader

Draped in fog and soft neon, the Nemesis cruised slowly across the dark skies. Undetected and reeking of Decepticon malevolence as always yet undetected. The small lights that flickered below were as ignorant as ever, inferior lifeforms that were too busy eyeing their tiny glowing boxes to even look up. Soundwave knew without a doubt that they spent twenty four full hours of the week with their heads bent down. No mistaking it's become an issue among them.

Thin servos dancing over the keys as he watches the human settlement breathe, each streetlamp glistening faintly; a city that never sleeps. His sources tell him. Flickers of data, EM fields that pulse—not enough to disrupt the way his processor regulates but just enough to make the probes attached to his chassis writhe in distaste, primitive security networks buzzing with naive confidence. He's been relentlessly tracking down a signal that's made contact with the Earth's atmosphere a little over two nights ago.

It flashes every few irregular intervals, making it hard to pin down where the signal begins before fizzling out again. Like a dying star. Soundwave doesn't stop, can't stop. Not when this might be the only thing that can fix their current dilemma and he's been alone for so long. He's not sure how much time has passed. The ship's command left in his servos as their forces went on separate paths, vowed not to stray from the cause just had more creative 'ideas' on how to effectively mobilize their forces. He stayed on the Nemesis to keep things within control, to keep himself in control. Knows that his cassettes are also worrying about their situation but when they see him so composed, can feel that relief as it washes over him.

That signal, so similar to that relic's nature... but he can't be too sure just yet. Needs to keep probing, combing through the infantile network that the natives possessed.

Lazerbeak suggested to scout, but he turned it down. This organic settlement is a little too crowded for his liking. Can't risk them getting found. Not with their resources limited. He's been rationing their energon preserves too and he's this close to finding another hotspot of undisturbed fuel. Just enough to get them off of this miserable ball of dirt. The others can't be faring too well, can they? His objective was apparent, precise: locate the signal. Which he watched disappear into the city near the sewege systems.

Not exactly pleasant but he isn't Knockout enough to be picky about it. A red dot appears on his screen and his servos are quick to move, tendrils moving in to help. This is the first time Lazerbeak's seen him get remotely excited over something like a red spot on the multi-screens of his control panel. It's faint but emits a similar wavelength to the one Soundwave's filed away in his data banks.

It's in an area just near the organic's underground mode of transportation. Figures. It's more complicated to single out the signal's location especially if it was underground. Soundwave had discovered pretty recently that layers of concrete, reinforced metal buried beneath the earth didn't allow currents of data to run as easily.

And he'd rather not part with the ship to risk getting his processor overwhelmed with human thoughts and volatile emotions. So he does what he's best at. Infiltrate surface network and seeping into it like viscous liquid. It's fascinating how they make it so easy to extract information from them with their fragile digital infrastructure, trembling with aging code—an easy point of access. Doesn't even need to knock when the firewall practically crumbles at his technological prowess.

• Glancing at the clock, it's almost time for you to close the cafe. It had been a hectic day with Ma finally taking over the latter half of your shift so you could lay back and relax on bean bag chairs in the basement. Said basement was a small arcade area where a select few people in your block would come and relax, too. The space just big enough for a small crowd. It was mostly you and your friends who used it, though. One of their siblings, an electronically inclined person as you like to call them, had their computer setup placed in one of the cozy corners.

• It's... beeping, the screen flashing in red with warnings popping up in a dozen windows. That can't be good, can it...?

• Granted you have no clue how to code things and the like. Or just code in general. You've called your friend's sibling's name. Once, twice, but no response and the very undeniable fact that there might be a virus or worse... someone trying to hack into their device was enough to alarm you.

Interference... suddenly. Out of all the humans on this sad excuse for a mudball, there's one tenacious enough to not only interrupt Soundwave's search for data but crudely walk straight into his network with intent. Curious and reckless, his servos stop moving something that Lazerbeak doesn't fail to notice as he and his fellow cassette look at each other. And then he's back into it, he narrows the scan and slices through the city's digital haze to trace the point of origin. Protocol indicating he should move quietly and observe. It's difficult to keep track of, being so close to their manmade tunnels, slipping through his iron grasp and fading into an almost ambient noise.

• You don't know how you're doing this, you don't even know why and for all you know your friend's sibling could have their entire information compromised! But your fingers move as though possessed and you find yourself unable to stop. And now you wonder if it had anything to do with that incident from a week ago. But you definitely know that someone is actively trying to hack the computer, “You're mine now.” You murmur to yourself, responding in plain text and all the amount of taunt you could muster in you.

Before his tracer could lock on, having every bit the intent to scare this human off by revealing their location because that always worked—a spew of numbers and words strung together with an image attached. His tentacles twitch in anticipation, coiling around itself as his head tilts in instinct. And there you are, on his screen forming visuals on who the very human that's dared to intercept him. Bold move, human, he all but manages to swallow the growl building in his chassis. And that gesture... your middle finger's raised. Soundwave might not know what that means but he'll assume that you're insulting him considering the words that appear right after it.

“Come and get me. Coward.”

Next

[lonelydreams-world]

Raf's Notes as originally presented on The Hub's website.

TRANSMITTING FROM INSIDE AUTOBOT HEADQUARTERS

What if you could have secret access to the Autobots' base, getting the inside scoop on their latest missions and battles with the Decepticons? Well, that's Raf! He's got full access to all things Autobots, and he's taking notes.

We've gained access to his laptop, so now you can peek over his shoulder and see what's really happening behind the scenes. (Just don't tell him we gave you the secret password, or he might hack our system.) Check out Raf's Notes every week -- EXCLUSIVELY--here on HubWorld.com!

THE NOTES SO FAR

Gotta keep track of all of this ACTION! This is my stash of all my entries--super-encrypted so that Megatron and his boys (or Agent Fowler) can't get to the goods!

ENTRY # 1

This Is NOT a Diary!

OK, not sure where to start, since a LOT has happened, but I figure I better take notes, cuz ... well, let's just say, life's been pretty different lately. And I want to remember as much as possible, cuz if someone else said all this happened to him, no way would I believe it. I'm saving these notes as a triple-encrypted file in my laptop, so no one will ever see them. I'd do hex-encryption, but who has the time?

AUTOBOTS!!!

Where was I? OK. Autobots. My life hasn't been the same since I met them. They're these huge autonomous robotic life-forms who came to Earth to protect us from these other huge guys called Decepticons. Optimus Prime is the leader of the good guys, and Megatron is the really bad Bad Guy. (Except they used to be friends ... but that was a REALLY long time ago.)

They're all after this stuff called Energon, which is kinda like food and gas and blood and electricity all mixed into one. (Note to self : Eww.) They used to live on a planet called Cybertron, but they destroyed it by fighting for, like, forever. Optimus says he's trying to make sure that doesn't happen to Earth next. They've been here in secret for a while, but since me and these other kids Jack and Miko accidentally saw them and discovered their secret, they're protecting us ... in case the Cons come after us.

Bumblebee's my buddy. Mostly cuz I'm the only kid who understands him. Not sure why ... he makes perfect sense. He just doesn’t use words. Might be the same reason I could understand digital code, even when I was three years old. Anyway, most people talk too much. Best thing? Bee's an awesome muscle car, and he’s my friend.

Arcee is Jack's partner, and Bulkhead watches out for Miko. I guess I should point out that Jack and Miko go to my school, and normally we'd never even talk. But lately, nothing's normal, so the three of us hang out at the secret Autobot base a LOT. It's awesome, cuz they have the sickest computers and other way-cool tech.

My mom asked where I was going after school all the time, so I told her I joined the Computer Club. Which is kinda true.

ENTRY #2

The Bigger They Are....

Woah, what a week! Looks like Megatron, the main Decepticon, went down for good this week, out in space. Lucky for Earth! Most of us felt like cheering, but not Optimus. He never likes it when a spark gets extinguished, no matter whose. A spark is like a Bot's life spirit, more or less.

Game Over?

After that, we were all thinking Game Over. No more Megatron, no more trouble. So we got busy with our science fair projects. I have to say, it was pretty cool getting science help from the Bots. They have so much data to work with, and all that amazing hardware.

But it never stays quiet for long around here. Optimus and Bee went to go check out a blip on the Energon grid. It's how they keep track of all the Bots and Cons everywhere -- like a radar screen for the whole universe. They figured it was probably Cons, but had no idea who or what they were headed for. But soon as they saw Skyquake, it was like -- GO time.

Turns out these other Cons, Starscream and Soundwave, had come to Earth just to find and reanimate this massive guy. Bee said Skyquake made Optimus look small! Even worse, his whole mission was to destroy Optimus, under ancient orders from Megatron. They'd faced off on Cybertron before, but that was forever ago.

Bigger AND Badder!

Thing is, big as Skyquake was, he wasn't as swift as the Bots. Our guys had him down and pretty much out.. until good old Agent Fowler came along in a plane. Skyquake scanned the plane, and then it was ON again. But, then snap -- the GUY BECAME THE PLANE!!! (btw, scanning sounds awesome. Like instant cloning.) Wish I'd seen that!

Anyway, in the end, our guys nailed Skyquake, and his spark went out. Huge relief in some ways, but Optimus was sad again ... he always hopes he can bring the bad guys around to being good.

Meanwhile, Ratchet seriously messed with my volcano project for Science Fair. I will NOT let him help again. I had to stay late at school and try to repair the Energon damage in the auditorium. Which took more than a little explaining.

ENTRY #3

Scraplets Scare!

OMG. What an insane week! We had a Scraplet infestation at the base. Imagine raccoon-sized termites wired on too much coffee! Or zombie dogs on candy! Or ... well, I'll explain.

It all started when Bumblebee and Bulkhead were scouting for Energon in the Arctic. They found this big metal egg/pod thing and brought it back for examination. No one knew what it was. But by the time it thawed, it was too late!

Here's what happened: Once the pod thing was in the lab, Optimus and Arcee went back to the Arctic for more recon while Bee and Bulkhead thawed out. Turns out they get frostbite too, almost like us. Miko and Jack were playing a video game ... and since there's only two controllers, I was like, No, you go ahead. (Mr. Nice Guy. As usual.) So I was just hanging near the lab when I saw the first Scraplet.

It was kinda cute, for a bot. It was like ... well, like a dog, like I said. But a friendly dog. They only eat metal, see, not organic material -- so when it saw me, it was like: "Hmmm. Not tasty."

But then it followed me back to the main area and BAM! It attacked Bee like mad. I had to smash it with a pipe to make it stop. Bulkhead seriously freaked. Never seen him like that before. And then we knew it was an infestation. There were like HUNDREDS of them, all inside the walls, chewing up the pipes and cables! Which explained the Comm-Link and power failures. Optimus and Arcee were out there freezing, but Ratchet couldn’t activate the GroundBridge to bring them in.

Since us kids weren't Scraplet food, we went to fix the hole in the Energon pipeline -- just in time, too. It was scary, but way more scary for the Bots. For once, WE got to protect THEM! It was cool and all, but still ... I'd rather not do it again.

I'm not so much the Protector type. More the Defensive Crouch type. Still ... it's good to know I can work it if I have to.

ENTRY #4

Don't Judge a Bot by Its Cover

I learned something new about Decepticons this week. Something huge happened -- a Bot made contact with us! Wheeljack. He's an old friend of Bulkhead's ... this big soldier Bot guy who just roams the universe solo. Or that's who he was supposed to be.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

It started when we got a friendly Bot signal from deep space this week. Bulkhead was psyched to see it was Wheeljack, cuz they used to be best buds, back in this elite fighting unit called the Wreckers. (Sounds like a reality show, right?) When he showed up, we kinda had a party. They played this game called "lobbing" which is basically playing catch with the biggest things they can find. Miko jammed on her guitar (I think she may be getting better), and I showed Bee how to do the Robot. It was awesome.

But then Bulkhead started getting suspicious, cuz he said Wheeljack wasn't acting like himself. Turns out it wasn't Wheeljack at all! It was just a Decepticon pretending to be the real Wheeljack, who was imprisoned up on the Nemesis -- that's the Cons' ship.

That's right! We actually had a REAL LIVE CON inside the base!!! Gives me chills just thinking about it. Bet Miko gets worse chills -- when Bulkhead blew the Con's cover, he took her hostage. She was pretty cool under pressure, I gotta say.

Anyway, thanks to some quick thinking and awesome fighting, we got the real Wheeljack back. He actually busted out of the Nemesis himself! Way cool. So then we had another party. For reals. We all kinda thought Wheeljack would stay, and we'd have another Bot here on Earth ... but he took off soon as Ratchet fixed up his ship. Everyone was bummed that he left.

Bots aren't always what they seem. Maybe that's true about people too. That's why I like computers! Cuz you can always just reprogram. Simple. Elegant. No surprises.

ENTRY #5

One Laptop, Over Easy

Whole new thing this week. The Bots had to fight humans AND Cons!

Agent Fowler was taking this radioactive device called a Dingus across the country when Cons attacked him. That's what he thought, anyway. So he asked the Autobots to GroundBridge it out of danger, but it's too risky to transport radioactive devices that way. So Optimus and the other Autobots had to roll out and form a convoy to take it over land.

I stayed at the Base with Ratchet and watched everything on the grid via Comm-Link. The attackers were in fast attack cars and totally harassing the V-mode Bots. That's when we found out they weren't Cons at all -- they were humans working for a crew called MECH. Then, as if being chased by a bunch of heavily armed flesh and blood criminals wasn't enough, six Cons showed up out of the blue.

We had to protect the Dingus, so I got to hack into the rail system and divert a train. Highlight of my week -- GroundBridging Jack and Miko onto a moving train! Ratchet didn't think it was possible, but I got the train's coordinates online and zzzoom -- off they went! But then MECH hacked into the same system -- and they fried my laptop! Not sure how, but major bummer. Good thing my files were backed up.

I guess Miko and Jack were pretty freaked by how serious it got on that train. It almost derailed, and Optimus had to stop it with his bare hands. Kinda wish I'd been there. But mostly? Glad I wasn't. Not that I'd say that out loud.

Optimus was bummed, cuz the Bots blew their cover in front of MECH when they transformed to fight the Decepticons. And we're all pretty sure MECH will be back. But at least the Dingus didn't blow up or get stolen.

After all that, Ratchet sort of helped me fix my laptop ... even though he kept saying how lame it was. Well, now I've gotta figure out a better firewall. Still can't believe I got counter-hacked! Very embarrassing, actually. Hoping everyone forgets really soon.

:)

ENTRY #6

Breaking and Energon

This week, we got to break into a museum! But it was for a good reason.

It all started when the Autobots saw an Energon blip on the grid over in Greece. Bulkhead was trying to help Miko see how homework can be cool, so he took her with him to Greece. So there they were at these excavations, when they found a mosaic showing an ancient Cybertronian Energon Harvester. Pretty unexpected!

Miko took a snap and showed it to Optimus, who said the mosaic was a signpost for the real thing. So I did a quick image search online and found this ancient Greek statue on display in a regular museum. We knew the Decepticons were after it, so we had to snag it first ... which meant breaking into the museum. Like Optimus said: We were only breaking a law to save lives.

Here's why lives were at stake: Not only can a Harvester suck Energon out of the ground -- it can pull it right out of a living Autobot! That'd be like a vampire sucking all the blood out of you just by pointing at you. No way did Optimus want the Cons getting that thing.

So we planned this total heist, like in the movies -- only with a forklift and us kids. It would've worked, too, but then these Cons Breakdown and Knock Out showed up, and there was a massive Bot brawl in the parking lot.

During the fight, Jack and I came face-to-face with Soundwave in the museum! That is one scary guy. But he was so focused on the Harvester, he left us alone. Lucky!

The Autobots were bummed he'd snagged it, but they eventually got it back over in Greece. Took more fighting, and Bulkhead lost some Energon, but it worked out.

Oh, and Miko got caught by a museum guard, but for once Agent Fowler was pretty cool. He came in, flashed his badge, and then just sent her on her way. Like, Yo, there's Bulkhead. Go.

I guess we have friends in high places now.

ENTRY #7

Playing the Race Car

Wild week. Jack pretty much got everyone in trouble, but gotta say ... we were all kinda responsible. Mostly cuz we didn't really step up and help him resist temptation. Optimus wasn't happy with any of us.

According to Jack, it all started when this girl at school asked if she could have a ride on Arcee. Of course, Arcee was like no way, that's against the rules, and it's not happening. But then this dumb bully from school who drives a street racer talked some smack about Arcee -- I think he called her a moped?! -- and she was like, OK, that's it. (She takes that kind of thing personally.) So she and Jack smoked him right there. The bully guy wanted a rematch, but Arcee said nope -- we're not breaking the rules again.

So here's where I came in. Jack didn't want to look like a chicken in front of that girl (he likes her!), so he asked if Bee would help him win the race. That didn't seem like a good idea to me, but I'm all for taking down a bully. And besides, Bee was really into the racing part. So he and Jack showed up at the race. But then ... so did a Decepticon! It was one of the car Cons we saw at the museum ... Knock Out? Anyway, as soon as he saw Bee, the Con got violent. Bee said it was scary. And Jack couldn't understand what Bee was saying, so it was like total chaos.

It's weird: We all basically broke the rules and then, boom -- the worst-case scenario happened. What were we thinking? Optimus totally went out and tracked everyone down and saved the day ... but he wasn't happy about it. Then he gave us all a serious talking to. Sounds corny, but I think we all learned our lessons.

In the end, Arcee did let Jack give that cute girl a ride ... and now he won?t stop talking about the girl. Or about Arcee.

ENTRY #8

Bugging Out

Jack and Arcee had a wicked time out in the forest this week. They were looking for an Energon signature, but turns out the blip was this super-creepy Decepticon called Airachnid. (Like "arachnid," which means spider.) She has eight limbs, spits webbing, and likes to hunt. Creepy! I wasn't there, so all I have to go on is what Jack said, but sounds like it got super hairy out there.

He says he's never seen Arcee that afraid before, and it's cuz she has history with Airachnid from back on Cybertron. She wouldn't give him deets, but it must've been bad for a Bot that fierce to get that scared. And her Comm-Link wouldn't work, so she couldn't call the Base for backup.

Jack ended up running, since Airachnid was actually hunting him! She travels the universe looking for different species to add to her "collection." Kinda like a big game hunter. I think hunting's gross enough already, without humans being the prey. Too bad she didn't land her ship in the middle of one of those controlled hunts, where people "hunt" captive lions and tigers. Yeah, that's a fair fight.

Anyway, Jack was pretty swift. He tried setting traps, which didn't work, but then he actually went into her spaceship and started a fire in her ship?s leaking engine thrusters. That messed her up just enough to let Arcee get up on her. Then Airachnid just fled. Took off. Adios.

Arcee's been quiet since they got back. Big and tough as they are, I forget how vulnerable Autobots can be. Bumblebee says she's not talking to him either. Not sure what she's going through -- and I'm not asking -- but she and Optimus took a couple long drives this week.

OTOH, Jack's all puffed up now, cuz Arcee finally started calling him her "partner." Miko keeps reminding him he's just a kid, but seeing what he just went through, I'm OK with letting him feel whatever he wants. Not that he wants to know what I think.

Anyway, I feel like we're all partners here.

ENTRY #9

Inside Megatron's Mind

I don't know what was a bigger deal this week -- Optimus Prime nearly losing his spark, which was huge, or Bumblebee going INSIDE Megatron's mind. Yes, INSIDE it! And we thought that guy's spark WAS out.

Here's how it started... Out on a recon mission with Ratchet, Optimus Prime caught Cybonic Plague, a deadly virus Megatron invented on Cybertron. It looked like he was a goner. But Jack figured that if Megatron invented it, he must have invented an antidote too. Luckily, the Nemesis's cloaking tech was down, so Ratchet was able to bridge Arcee and Bumblebee up to the enemy ship to search out the cure.

But they couldn't find it, so Ratchet said they'd have to enter Megatron's mind through a Cortical-Psychic patch -- using Decepticon medical tech. Arcee was like "Are you out of your fragging mind?!" but then 'Bee volunteered to enter Megatron's mind. I was proud... and terrified.

Us kids stayed at the Base, of course, but we got to see literally inside Megatron's twisted mind through a comm-link. That guy is wacked out. I translated for Jack and Miko while Bumbleee scouted -- and then Bee met Megatron in the guy's own unconscious -- and totally stood up to him -- IN HIS OWN BRAIN! He even outsmarted him by saying that if the plague virus destroyed Optimus, Megatron would never get to do it himself. Which Megatron -- whose fantasies are all about obliterating Optimus -- totally bought.

So Ratchet grabbed the antidote formula via comm-link, and our Autobot pals bridged back. Optimus is fine now, but Bee is acting a little strange. Spending time inside such a sick mind must leave some weird aftereffects. Hope he feels better soon!

ENTRY #10

Out of My Comfort Zone

Up on the Nemesis, Megatron snuck into Bee's brain using the same Cortical-Psychic patch that Bee used to get into his. Then he hijacked Bumblebee. What a nightmare. To think we actually had Megatron inside the Base! Good thing he was more into getting revenge against Starscream than infiltrating our systems and defenses. He did nearly nail Bulkhead with a metal basketball, but that didn’t seem so weird at the time somehow.

But I should have known what was up when Bee forgot to pick me up for school.

Funny. The base's defenses are all physical, and Megatron exploited the groundbridge using kind of a mindbridge. Well, never judge a 'Bot by its cover.

The scariest part of all was watching Bumblebee's mind struggling to control his own body. I knew he wouldn’t let Megatron hurt me. At least, that's what I hoped. So in a way, by forcing Bumblebee to stay focused on me, I was our best defense against Megatron. And it worked.

Wow. I stood up to Megatron. I’d do anything to save Bumblebee ... and that's pretty much what I did. Went waaaay out of my comfort zone to help my buddy. But hey. We're family. We were tight before, but we're even tighter now.

ENTRY #11

Zoned Out

This week, Miko got us kids into big trouble. As in, Terrorcon-sized.

It all started when the Autobots rolled out, and Miko made a break for the Groundbridge! Me and Jack tried to stop her, but we got pulled in too.

The Bots thought they'd found Megatron trying to raise more dead Decepticons (Miko calls 'em "zombie Cons"). But it was actually Starscream. He fired a missile and almost hit us. Yikes! Then Optimus shot off Starscream's arm.

Something went wonky when the Autobots 'bridged us back. We stayed put, but they couldn't see us. It's like we were ghosts. Creepy. Ratchet said we'd gotten sent to the wrong place, but I realized we really went into a different dimension. A shadow zone. Never figured I could think quicker than an Autobot. I was pretty proud of myself! And pretty terrified.

Worst part? Miko got her zombie Con: This massive Terrorcon called Skyquake was with us in the Shadowzone. Wow, I can run a LOT when I have to!

Starscream's arm was in the Shadowzone too. I figured out how to launch its missile. (More pride. More terror.) We actually knocked off Skyquake's arm ... but the ARM CHASED US TOO! It was like, game over. Thankfully, the Autobots 'bridged us out.

Miko actually told Optimus it was her fault! Jack was like, can you repeat that about a million times? But I was remembering how we three had to work together to escape. What if she HAD gone in by herself?

Scary thought. Weird to say I'm glad I was there, but ... I guess sometimes being in the worst place is the best place you can be.

ENTRY #12

Nervous Breakdown

You'd never expect Bulkhead to say no to a rescue mission. But this week, he told Optimus he wasn't gonna do it, no way no how. Not even for the "greater good."

I get it. The Autobots were rolling out to save a Decepticon. How weird is that? And the Con in question was Breakdown -- Bulkhead's archenemy.

I wasn't there, but I got the deets from Bumblebee and Miko. Bulkhead and Breakdown were having a smackdown, and Bulk got pretty messed up. (Note to self: Never ask Miko if Bulkhead was LOSING, 'specially when I'm in arm-punching range. Ouch.) Then those spooky techie guys from MECH showed up and captured Breakdown. Optimus knew it could be bad for humankind if MECH learned the secrets of Cybertronian biology.

Amazingly, Optimus was OK with Bulkhead flat-out refusing the mission. But not Miko! She acted super-angry about it, but I knew she must've really been massively disappointed. Either way, she talked him into going. How? She said, "No rescue, no REMATCH!" Yeah, they totally speak the same language.

I almost wish I'd seen Bulkhead and Breakdown team up. Except, 'Bee said Starscream and his troopers showed up, so I'm glad I didn't. Starscream creeps me out.

Anyway, pretty soon Bulkhead and Breakdown were back to fighting. But Optimus was proud that Bulkhead rescued his rival. Strange but true: Sometimes you can be totally selfish and still end up serving the "greater good."

Pretty sure Miko was just glad Bulkhead got his rematch -- and won it!

ENTRY #13

Mom Meets MECH

OMG HUGE NEWS! This week, Jack's mom found out about the Autobots! She even came to HQ with him and Arcee.

Me and Miko couldn't even believe it when we saw them riding into base. But by then Jack's mom had been through so much, meeting Autobots was practically no big deal.

I mean, no big deal compared to being KIDNAPPED by MECH and webbed-up high on a ledge by Airachnid, who I guess was working with those techie soldier guys. Silas, MECH's leader, didn't even care about hurting Jack or his mom. He just wanted to get ahold of Arcee. The Autobots would never harm anyone for their own gain. Does that make them more "human" than Silas?

Anyway, Jack's voice got kinda shaky when he told us how Airachnid and Silas made him race against time to save his mom -- alone, while MECH was trying to take Arcee apart. Scariest! Can't even think about it.

Good thing Jack's smart (don't tell him I said that) -- and tricky. He tipped off Agent Fowler, but Airachnid and MECH got away. I can only imagine how upset Arcee must be ... no way am I actually gonna ASK her.

Jack said Airachnid scanned Agent Fowler's helicopter and used it for her new vehicle mode. Now she can travel under the ground OR in the sky. Great. Just what we needed.

It's been tough to keep the Autobots a secret. But Jack really didn't have a choice. Family's more important than secrets, and his mom is all the family he's got. Well, except for me, Miko, and the Autobots.

ENTRY #14

Stuck With It

Sticky situations this week! The Autobots had a close encounter with a weird magnetic weapon -- and we all got stuck with Jack's mom.

Remember last week, when she found out about the Autobots? I kinda thought she'd just tour the base and leave. But she started hanging around, like, every day. Jack's pretty used to his mom worrying about him, but Miko's totally bugged about how things have changed.

It IS weird. Ms. Darby makes us feel kind of embarrassed or something, like we have to explain what we're up to. Everything's awkward, instead of fun. But I still felt bad when Miko said that Arcee's as bad as Jack's mom -- just cuz Arcee sent Miko back to base to keep her safe.

I mean, it WAS dangerous when Arcee and Bulkhead took on Airachnid and Breakdown over this "Polarity Gauntlet" thing. It makes metal stuff stick together -- metal stuff like, well, Arcee and Bulkhead. They got unstuck, but Airachnid and Breakdown got away with the gauntlet. Ratchet seems to think it could be a game-changer -- and not for our side. That makes me pretty nervous.

But what's that thing people say? Change is constant, right? I guess it doesn't have to be bad. But this thing with Jack's mom is still gonna take some getting used to.

ENTRY #15

A Hard Place

Seems like Jack and Miko always get to be in the middle of the action! But this week, I really didn't mind. I mean, would YOU want to be stuck in a massive cave-in with Starscream AND Megatron? Yeah, no way.

Jack actually came face-to-face with Megatron! Even trapped under tons of rocks, that guy is ultra-terrifying. Can't believe Megatron dared Jack to finish him off. Jack said he was really tempted to take a shot, but he knew Optimus wouldn't want him to destroy a helpless opponent. Not even the baddest Decepticon ever. Optimus was proud of Jack for that. Me too.

But wow, poor Miko. She and Bulkhead were in a bad sitch when Jack found them -- with Starscream. Miko was totally dealing, as usual ... until Bulk made Jack get her out of there. Jack said she got so worried about Bulkhead, she was CRYING. Still trying to picture that. Kind of sweet that she cares about the big guy so much. Not that I'd actually TELL her that. Hmm, hope she never sees this!

Anyway, at least they all got out OK -- except Starscream and Megatron. Even Optimus drew the line at actually digging them out. Maybe they'll stay buried ... at least for a while.

ENTRY #16

Split Decision

A Decepticon, changing sides? No way, right? Especially not Starscream. That doesn't even make sense, but this week it almost happened. Sort of.

Us kids stayed behind when the Autobots rolled out to track a Decepticon signal. Good thing too, since Airachnid totally ambushed them with this weapon that freezes Bots in their tracks. Cool part was, Bumblebee got to be the hero. Airachnid stopped Optimus AND Bulkhead, but my buddy faked her out and saved the day. Sweet!

Anyway, about Starscream. The Autobots found him in one of Airachnid's webs, and he completely shocked them by asking to JOIN them! Sounds like a trick, right? And I guess it was. But you know Optimus. He wants to believe that anyone can change, even Starscream.

Pretty sure Arcee didn't give a scrap about redemption when she figured out Starscream's the one who snuffed Cliffjumper, her old partner. She nearly extinguished his spark! But Bumblebee stopped her. I couldn't see why getting rid of Starscream would be so bad, till 'Bee explained that acting out of revenge only makes us weaker. Cuz it's not right.

But I get why Arcee lost it. If anything ever happened to Bumblebee, I'd feel just as awful ... and just as mad. It reminds me again that Autobots are more like us than we think. Even they have to learn stuff the hard way sometimes.

@mk-wizard @escapistsatellite @vitamaeternum @mimitus @kitgirl91 @mokabeanzz @iggyfing @its-elioo Tada! Straight up from TF Wiki! @inexorableone @batstickblog @jazzimena @betaplatina-135

[moon-and-seraph]

Words into Potions: a month-long writing challenge!

We're excited to announce Moon + Seraph's newest event...

Words into Potions (or, WIP!)

Join us this March 1st - 31st for a month-long writing challenge, where any and all types of writing goals are welcome! Use our event to draft a whole novel, outline a new WIP, finish a short story, or accomplish anything writing-related!

We have lots of exciting freebies to help you along the journey!

Track your milestones on a free, downloadable map

Collect digital writing-themed badges

When you reach your goal, randomly pull 1 of 12 digital tarot-inspired cards

Plus, to celebrate our birthday and the event finale on March 31st, we encourage you to post an introduction of your WIP(s) and a wrap-up of all the progress you made. Tag us and we'll reblog your post!

Optionally, join our Discord server to get more out of the Words into Potions writing challenge!

(Learn more about the server here.)

Earn special Discord roles by doing writing sprints

Participate in a weekly writing marathon, where we collectively try to reach a larger goal

Weekly WIP question trades, where we talk about each other's stories and encourage each other to keep writing

Share links to any progress updates you post on Tumblr in our dedicated event promotion channel, and we'll reblog them here

For a sneak peek at our free rewards and more details, read on below!

If you're going to participate or just want to help spread the word, please give this post a reblog! It's very hard for posts to be seen on Tumblr right now, and we really, really want this to find as many writers as possible.

Take a peek at a small section of our milestone map!

As you journey to your writing goal in March, you can also journey through a forest and collect different ingredients from mythical characters, creatures, and locations! Our map milestones are percentage based, which means they'll work for any goal you choose. Whether it's words, pages, hours, or anything else!

This is a super high-res file, so you'll be able to set it as your desktop wallpaper, zoom-in on all the details, and even print it as a poster!

Find our milestone map here!

Find details for printing here!

Here's 3 of our 38 writing badges, designed just for this event!

When we get closer to March we'll release a full list of our badges for you to reference and download throughout the month, or if you're in our Discord server, we'll have an automated system for you to claim your badges!

We encourage you to share the badges you earn on Tumblr, along with your progress! Please @ us in your posts if you do, so we can reblog and encourage you!

Find our writing badges here!

Reach your goal, and randomly pull 1 of 12 digital, tarot-inspired cards!

These are digital, downloadable cards that you can share on Tumblr, set as a phone lock-screen, and even print! We'll have size options for different desktop/phone wallpapers, as well as some dark mode versions!

Find our Winner's Cards here!

Things to Know:

Words into Potions begins on March 1st 2024 and ends on March 31st 2024.

This event is geared toward original fiction writers, but all are welcome to participate.

Our Discord server is 18+ only, with no exceptions.

Our milestone map is free for personal use, but under no circumstances are you allowed to use it for commercial use (any situation in which you profit, financially or otherwise). You may not modify it in any way that obscures the Moon + Seraph watermark, and you may not claim that you created it.

Our writing badges are also free for personal use, but not commercial use, and you can't claim that you created them.

Our tarot-inspired card rewards are also free for personal use, but not for commercial use, and you can't claim that you created them.

Have questions? Send us an ask!

We're very excited about this writing challenge, so we're more than happy to answer any questions you have!

[dokidokitsuna]

O.R.C.A.’s Directory

(Finally coming back to this concept after several months ^^;)

O.R.C.A. in #re_rise doesn’t just run Alterna in the background and give you orders– it’s a system you interact with regularly as the player; a database that facilitates your adventure and keeps track of your accomplishments. It is accessed through terminals placed at key spots on each site, which you have to find, activate, and physically walk to if you want to use them.

Most of the contents of the Menu (except the Sunken Scrolls) are now consolidated into O.R.C.A., along with a few bonus features~

Alterna Archive: Basically the Alterna Logs– all the information about Alterna’s history, from creation to collapse (referencing my rewritten version of this backstory, of course). As you clear lab spaces with different weapons, earn Golden Eggs, activate terminals, collect Nostalgic Devices, etc., the files will be decrypted line by line. Basically, anything that contributes to your percent completion of the game will count towards this…so just enjoy Alterna the way you like, and you’ll eventually reveal the entire archive without too much extra effort. ^^ This story is O.R.C.A.’s gift to you; your reward for reawakening its home.

Lab Notebook: Notes written by the ‘mysterious researcher’ currently working in Alterna, earned in order from newest to oldest, so we can gradually learn what the Fuzzy Ooze is and why he made it, as well as his origin story and true identity (in his own words~). These replace ‘Log.exe’ from the actual game. Lab notes are found by reaching computers hidden within the lab spaces, kinda like the Power Egg packs. They are purposely placed in the more challenging spaces, and you must clear the space in order to take the note with you– if you wanna learn the main antagonist’s secrets, you gotta put in the work. ^^

Wellness File: Records of Neo Agent 3’s responses to the environment, once you obtain the biometric monitor in Cryogenic Hopetown (more on that later). This is essentially an account of how the player character is feeling at each point in the story– a new entry will be created after each encounter with a major character (Deep Cut, the King Salmonids, the Squid Sisters, etc.) or a particularly interesting Alterna landmark. ;)

Nostalgia Index: List of all the Nostalgic Devices you’ve collected, which Alterna citizens they belonged to, and what they used them for. The citizens’ names are redacted, but you do get to learn a bit about the different kinds of people who lived in Alterna, and connect with them through the items they left behind.

Skill Tree: Basically the same as the in-game version, minus the Hero Shot buffs– in #re_rise you don’t get the Hero Shot until you gain the Hero Gear in the last stretch of the game. Instead you borrow from weapons’ lockers placed around Alterna…meaning you can carry the weapon of your choice as you explore each site, offering you a wider variety of strategies to use on those balloon challenges, for instance. ^^ But I digress…

Camera Roll: One of the Nostalgic Devices you can find is a digital camera, and once you’ve obtained it, you can take pictures with it and upload them to the terminal (as well as your regular photo gallery, when you’re back on the surface). The Alterna Camera comes with its own special filters, and characters you aim it at will pose for you. ^^ This feature is basically just for funzies, but if you can snap a picture of that large figure lurking in the shadows, you’ll earn a special clothing item.

Messages: Occasionally you will receive mysterious messages, warning you with increasing severity to stay out of their laboratory (and bring back their golden eggs…sure sounds familiar). Are these warnings for their sake or for yours…?

Map: Even the site maps are only accessible through the terminals, they’re not available whenever. Maybe that would be a controversial choice…but I think it’d be okay in this instance, since (a) the Alterna islands are pretty small, and (b) I’ve invented a fun system that might help– the Sticker Beakons! ^^

Around Alterna, you can find Sticker Sheets with 3 Sticker Beakons each, to place and replace wherever you want on any island. They shine like actual beacons so you can use them to navigate while you wander around on foot, and once you reach a terminal you can jump to them like normal Squid Beakons. They come in different shapes and designs like the stickers from Hotlantis, and double as actual stickers you can place on your locker, once you’ve found them in Alterna. ^^

I feel like forcing the player to walk around is more forgivable when you give them something cute and customizable like this to play with. :D If you want to use all 18 Sticker Beakons on one island at a time because you’re super directionally-challenged, you can. If you want to use them to simply mark your favorite Alterna landmarks so you can jump to them easily, you can do that too. 

Maybe as a compromise, I might add a ‘Return to Nearest Terminal’ option in the Menu…but I think encouraging the player to get out there and actively explore can’t hurt. Part of my philosophy with this re-concept is to make Alterna an interesting place that the player would WANT to explore, and all these added collectibles are part of that.

[ballsandbabes]

Feelings bloom just like flowers

authors note: y/n = your name// not proof read// GIF not mine // Have fun <3

pairing: Jeremiah (LADS) x fem!reader

summary:

genre: romance, hurt/comfort, angst

word count: 6.2k

You weren’t one for flowers. You were a hunter, after all—sharp-eyed, sharp-minded, and sharper still with a blade. Your job was to track down threats, expose lies, and dismantle any illegal networks operating under the radar.

After your admission to the Hunters Association, the cadets were assigned departments. Your assigned department? Tactical information gathering and data processing. You loved your job, it was exciting and your tasks changed every day. Over the months, you also made friends. You loved chatting with M and Tara over lunch and catching up or going shopping.

That’s why you now found yourself walking into Wild Petals, the small flower shop tucked between a pastry café and an antique bookstore in the quiet streets of Linkon.

The suspect? Jeremiah. Shop owner, known associate of Xavier, and—according to your intel—allegedly forging identities behind a veil of petals and perfume.

You couldn't really have imagined it. Jeremiah, can you hear from. He was an old friend of Xavier's, also a Hunter, whom you had met through M. Lost in thought, you enter the flower shop. The bell above the door chimed as you stepped in.

The scent of freesia, lavender, and something faintly citrusy wrapped around you like a warm wind. For a place suspected of crime, it felt... peaceful. Like spring bottled up in a moment.

Then he appeared.

“Welcome to Wild Petals,” came a soft voice. Jeremiah. He looked nothing like a criminal. Loose brown hair, a flower tucked behind one ear, apron smudged with pollen. His eyes—bright, unreadable—met yours with curious warmth.

“Hey, looking for anything in particular?,” he asked, brushing his hands clean with a towel.

You had rehearsed a cover: a curious traveler looking to send flowers to a friend. But standing in front of him, words stuck in your throat. You weren’t prepared for him to smile like that.

“Uh... orchids?,” you managed, awkwardly.

“Symbol of strength and beauty,” he said with a knowing grin. “A good choice. Though I think you’re more of a protea kind of person.”

You blinked, “A what?”

He turned, gesturing for you to follow. “Come. I’ll show you.”

And so you did.

___ _ _ _

Over the next week, you came back. Again and again. Your excuses grew thinner and thinner. One day it was for “a birthday bouquet.” Another, “research.” The truth was harder to admit even to yourself: something about him made you forget why you were there.

You watched him arrange flowers like he was composing music. You watched him chat easily with elderly customers, tuck extra sprigs of lavender into bouquets for free. You saw the way he stopped to fix a broken stem, with the kind of care most people reserved for precious things.

And yet, your real purpose tugged at you. At night, you combed through his deliveries. Followed his transactions. And yes, eventually, found them—carefully hidden among the ledgers, digital records masked under floral inventory files. Forged documents, altered IDs. Clean work.

Too clean. Jeremiah was no fool.

You confronted him the next evening. It was raining, and the shop was empty except for you and him. He didn't flinch when you laid your badge on the counter. Just leaned against the table, arms crossed loosely.

“I figured,” he said, eyes flicking to your ID,“A Hunter. Xavier told me you’d come eventually.”

Your heart sank,“So you knew?”

“I suspected,” he said, smiling, “You asked about orchids three times in a row. No one does that.”

You let out a breath, half-laughing despite yourself, “So what now? Do I arrest you?”

“That depends,” he said quietly, “on whether you believe I’m doing real harm.”

You stared,“You’re forging identities.”

“For people trying to disappear,” he said, “Victims. Refugees. People who can’t go through official systems. Not everyone gets to be protected by the rules, little Hunter.”

There was something raw in his voice. A sadness you hadn’t seen in the Jeremiah who played with petals and puns.

“You know that’s not how the system works,” you replied, but even to yourself, your words felt dull. He stepped closer, “I know how you work. You’ve come here every day for a week and still haven’t reported me.”

You looked up at him, soaked in flowerlight and lamplight, cheeks red.

“Maybe I got... distracted,” you said, barely above a whisper. Jeremiah smiled again. Not like a criminal caught, not like a con man smug in his escape. Like a boy standing in spring, watching something fragile begin to bloom.

“I’d like you to stay,” he said,“Even if it’s just for tea. Or to yell at me again. You decide.”

Your chest tightened,“That depends,” you said. “Are you always this charming with hunters send to arrest you?”

He laughed, tucking a sprig of rosemary behind your ear, “Only with the ones who smell like trouble and look like poetry.”

You didn’t turn him in that night. Or the next.

Eventually, your report said “insufficient evidence.” Xavier never questioned it. Neither did the MC—your old friend—who only smiled when you started wearing more flowers in your hair.

Somewhere in the city of Linkon, a flower shop still hums with life. And somewhere between lilies and lies, you let yourself believe—

That maybe, just maybe, feelings bloom just like flowers.

Even for people like you. Even for people like him.

___ _ _ _

It was one of those rare, golden afternoons in Linkon—sunlight dripping between buildings like syrup, the air sweet with city bloom and the hum of life. You knew you were in trouble the moment Tara sent you the message:

COFFEE. NOW. No excuses. M’s coming too. We’re not taking no for an answer. xoxo

Minutes later, you found yourself at Drip Theory, a cozy café tucked behind the science museum, surrounded by mismatched couches, hanging plants, and two of the most observant people in your life.

Tara, all sleek eyeliner and caffeinated intensity, leaned over her cold brew like it was a crime scene. M, your longtime friend, looked way too innocent sipping her matcha. You knew this wasn’t just a catch-up. This was an interrogation.

And you were so outnumbered.

“So,” Tara said sweetly, stirring her drink with all the menace of a trained inquisitor, “how’s your little flower situation?”

You blinked,“Flower situation? What do you mean?”

“Oh please,” M chimed in, grinning,“She means Jeremiah. Xaviers friend.”

Tara wiggled her brows, “The mysterious, suspiciously handsome florist you just happened to see every day for a week?”

“I was doing my job,” you protested, but it came out too defensive, too fast. M gasped, mock-scandalized, “You like him!”

Tara clapped her hands,“I knew it! I called it! I told M after day three when you showed up smelling like peonies and pretending it was ‘evidence.’”

“I was collecting evidence!,” you insisted. M leaned forward, eyes twinkling,“And what kind of evidence are we talking? Physical? Emotional? Romantic tension so thick you could bottle it?”

You groaned, hiding your face in your hands,“Why did I agree to this "coffee date"?”

“Because you love us,” Tara said cheerfully,“Now spill. THE. TEA”

With a defeated sigh and a heart that couldn’t stop fluttering, you gave in.

“I didn’t mean to like him,” you said honestly. “I went there to investigate. He was calm, kind... weirdly intuitive. He saw through my cover so fast it was like he was the hunter.”

“And yet,” M said, “you didn’t arrest him.”

You hesitated,“Because he’s not a bad person. He’s helping people who have nowhere else to go. And I get it, okay? There’s a line between law and justice... and I think he’s trying to stand right on it.”

Tara softened, her teasing look melting into something gentler,“You trust him?”

“I want to,” you admitted, “But it’s complicated. There’s still that voice in my head that reminds me he forges documents under bouquets of daisies.”

M tilted her head, thoughtful,“You ever think... maybe people can be both? Good and messy?”

You nodded, “Yeah. That’s what scares me.”

You knew that M knew that better than anyone else. She herself was stuck somewhere between her childhood friend Zayne, Xavier and a dodgy guy called Sylus. And to make matters worse, Caleb, her half-brother, had reappeared.

For a beat, the three of you sat in comfortable silence, the sound of the espresso machine hissing like punctuation to your thoughts.

Then Tara broke it, “But okay, real talk—how good is he with flowers? Like, on a scale from ‘romantic Pinterest board’ to ‘straight-up poetry’?”

You snorted, “He's basically a walking sonnet. He remembered my favorite color after one visit and made a custom bouquet for no reason.”

M gasped again, “You’re in. He’s gone. He’s already naming plants after you in his head.”

“Oh my god,” you muttered, cheeks burning. Tara leaned in with a wicked grin, “So what’s the next step? A date? A ‘whoops, I dropped by after work’ visit?”

“I don’t know!” you laughed, “I feel like every time I talk to him, he sees right through me. It’s infuriating... and also kind of hot.”

“Ugh,” M said dreamily, “I want that.”

"You already have that..like three times at that. Leave some for us poor girls," Tara laughed. Then she raised her cup, “To dangerous men with green thumbs and girls who fall for them anyway.”

You clinked your drink against theirs, half-laughing, half-hoping. Maybe feelings really do bloom like flowers. And maybe, just maybe, you were finally ready to let them.

___ _ _ _

You hadn’t meant to stay long.

You told yourself it was just a quick stop by the flower shop. Maybe to return the little wildflower bookmark Jeremiah had tucked into your last bouquet (“Oops, must’ve slipped in there,” he’d said, entirely too pleased with himself). Maybe to ask a question about some new local bloom. Definitely not because you wanted to see his face again. But when you arrived, the shop was already closed. The sign on the door read “Gone out back — knock if you’re not afraid of bees.”

You smirked and knocked. Jeremiah appeared a moment later, still in his apron, holding a pair of shears and a smile that made your heart trip over itself.

“Well, well,” he said,“If it isn’t my favorite suspicious customer.”

You rolled your eyes,“I came to return something.”

“And here I thought you missed me,” he said laughing. He was teasing, but something in his voice lingered a little longer than usual. You held out the bookmark,“This.”

He took it gently, “Ah, yes. Contraband literature. Definitely criminal.”

You laughed despite yourself.

“Walk with me?,” he asked suddenly,“I was heading to the park. Sometimes the flowers talk too much and I need silence.”

You hesitated. Then nodded. The park in the evening felt like stepping into a dream. Lamp posts cast golden pools of light across winding paths. The trees rustled softly in the breeze. In the distance, the water of the fountain sparkled under the moon. You walked beside Jeremiah in easy silence for a while, until he spoke,“What’s your favorite flower?”

You didn’t have to think, “Magnolia.”

He tilted his head,“That makes sense.”

You raised a brow,“Why?”

He gave you a sideways smile,“Magnolias are strong. Not delicate like people think. They bloom early, even in cold weather. They hold their beauty without needing attention. Resilient. Rare.”

You blinked, surprised by the softness in his tone,“You sound like you’ve been thinking about this.”

He shrugged, looking up at the stars peeking between the branches,“I think about you. And flowers. A lot, apparently.”

The words dropped between you like petals. You looked down, trying to steady your pulse,“Alright, flower boy, your turn. What’s your favorite?”

He smiled,“Ranunculus.”

You made a face,“That sounds like a sneeze.”

He laughed, “It means ‘radiant charm.’ They’re complicated. Too many petals. Messy. But beautiful.”

“Like you?,” you asked. He smirked. “Like me.” You both laughed, and something in the air shifted. As the path curved around a quiet grove, he slowed, walking closer now.

“Can I ask you something?,” he said.

“Only if I don’t have to arrest you after,” you joked. He gave you a playful side glance, “Well, no promises.”

You nudged him with your shoulder. Then he asked,“Are you going to the Annual Hunter’s Gala?”

You blinked, “How do you know about that?”

“Xavier talks a lot when he’s trimming the vines,” he said, “I pretend not to listen.”

You folded your arms, “Why? Thinking of crashing it with a fake ID?”

He grinned, “Tempting. But no. I was wondering if you had a date.”

Your heart stumbled.

“You... want to go with me?” you asked, eyes narrowing in faux suspicion. He shrugged, suddenly quieter, “I thought maybe. If you weren’t going with anyone. Or if you didn’t mind showing up with someone who technically runs an illegal side business. Kinda cant imagine anyone else seeing you all dolled up....”

You looked at him, bathed in the soft silver of streetlight and sincerity.

“I don’t mind,” you said quietly, “But it won’t be an easy night. There’ll be other hunters. People I work with.”

“I’m not afraid of hunters,” he said.

You smile, “Even the ones who carry knives?”

He leaned a little closer, “Especially those ones. They have the best stories.”

You felt your cheeks warm, and not from the night air.

“I’ll think about it,” you said, teasing.

“Good,” he replied,“I’ll bring magnolias. Just in case.”

___ _ _ _

You’d faced down monsters, uncovered hidden networks, chased criminals through back alleys and across rooftops — but none of that had prepared you for this:

A knock at your door. A date with Jeremiah. The Hunter’s Gala.

You took one last look in the mirror. The black dress fit like it had been sewn from moonlight and secrets—strapless, sleek around your torso, flaring into a 1950s skirt that whispered tales of classic and elegance. You’d kept your makeup simple, your hair softly styled up, and your heart somewhere between your throat and your ribs. Eyes and the little necklace sparkling.

The knock came again. You opened the door. And Jeremiah... stopped breathing.

He stood on your doorstep in a perfectly tailored black suit, no tie, just a dark open-collar shirt and a single magnolia tucked into his lapel. His usual casual charm was replaced with something wide-eyed and silent.

“Hi,” you said, unsure.

He just blinked.

“You okay?,” you giggled.

“I... yeah,” he breathed, eyes sweeping over you, “You look like a movie star. Like—if danger were beautiful. Or beauty was dangerous. I don't know what I’m saying.”

You laughed, touched his arm,“Then stop talking and offer me your arm.”

He grinned, “Yes, ma’am.”

___ _ _ _

The Gala was everything it promised: chandeliers dripping like crystal rain, golden light catching polished marble floors, a string quartet filling the room with music that sounded like falling in love in slow motion.

And your friends were already waiting.

Xavier stood near the bar with M, both looking effortlessly stylish—Xavier in light blue velvet, M in an creme colored gown that shimmered when she moved. Tara was on the balcony, dramatically draped in silver and deep in conversation with a flushed Andrew from tech, who looked like he had no idea how he got this lucky.

“Tara brought Andrew?” you whispered to M.

“No, she cornered Andrew,” M corrected, grinning as you joined them, “And then told him he had no choice.”

“I didn’t even know she liked him!,” you said fascinated.

“She’s stealthy when she wants something,” Xavier said with a wink. Joining the gossip quietly. Then he looked past you, at Jeremiah. “Well, well. Florist by day, secret agent by night.”

Jeremiah offered a slight bow,“Just here to admire dangerous people in formalwear.”

“Tread carefully,” M said, sipping champagne,“She’s still technically armed.”

You rolled your eyes,“And you all said you wouldn’t embarrass me.”

“Didn’t say anything about subtle sabotage,” Tara chimed in, appearing from nowhere, champagne glass in hand, eyeing Jeremiah with a look of surprise and approval,“He’s hot.”

“Tara,” you hissed.

“What? He is,” she winked.

Later, when the music shifted to something slower, something softer, Jeremiah held out his hand to you beneath the lights.

“Dance with me?,” Jeremiah asked softly. You hesitated, “I haven’t done this in a while.”

“I haven’t done this ever,” he said,“So we’ll be terrible together.”

You laughed—and took his hand. He pulled you gently to the dance floor, hand settling at your waist, the other holding yours like it was made of glass. You moved slowly, a bit awkward at first... but then you found a rhythm. And then you found him. He was warm, steady. His gaze never strayed from yours. When he smiled, it was soft, private—like this moment belonged only to the two of you.

“You really do look incredible,” he murmured.

“So do you,” you replied, “Even without the apron.”

He chuckled, “Don’t get used to it.”

The song swelled around you. You wanted to memorize everything—the golden glint in his eyes, the way his thumb brushed gently against your hand, the way he leaned in a little closer, like he was thinking about something but hadn’t yet dared to say it. You weren’t sure you were dancing anymore. Just existing together.

Later, as you returned to your friends, flushed and breathless, you caught whispers.

Tara: “Did you see that look he gave her?”

M: “They’re practically orbiting each other. It’s tragic and beautiful.”

Xavier: “I give it two weeks before she moves in with him and starts naming flower arrangements after types of knives.”

You took a sip of champagne, pretending not to hear them. Jeremiah leaned in beside you, voice low.

“They’re talking about us,” Jeremiah whispers in your ear.

“Let them,” you murmured.

He smiled at you then, gentle and full of something unspoken. Hope. Longing. Maybe even something dangerous, the kind that felt a lot like love before you were ready to say it out loud.

You clinked your glass lightly against his,“To moonlit dances and questionable alliances.”

“To magnolias,” he replied, and tucked an invisible one behind your ear.

___ _ _ _

The gala had long slipped into that golden, glowing phase where time slowed—champagne bubbles rose slower, music drifted smoother, and eyes lingered longer. You and Jeremiah had danced, laughed, and stolen moments between your friends' playful jabs and whispered gossip. But as the ballroom began to crowd with bodies and voices, he leaned in close, his voice brushing just behind your ear.

“There’s somewhere I want to show you. If you trust me,” Jeremiah told you. You turned your head, meeting his eyes. They held no mischief this time—just something warm. Steady. Curious. “I do.”

He led you through a quiet corridor that spilled out into the Gala gardens. The noise fell away behind you, replaced by the soft chirp of crickets and a night breeze that carried the sweet scent of lilies and damp earth. Moonlight silvered the hedges, and tiny lights lined the path.

Jeremiah didn’t speak, just squeezed your hand. Then you saw it.

Nestled behind an arch of wisteria and climbing ivy was a greenhouse—all curved glass and wrought-iron bones, tucked like a secret behind the estate. Lanterns glowed dimly at its edges, but the real light came from within.

“I’ve been here a few times,” he said quietly. “Xavier lets me visit when he’s in town. Says I take better care of the flowers than his groundskeepers.”

You smiled,“That sounds like him.”

Jeremiah pushed open the door. Inside, the air was warmer, heavy with moisture and green life. But what stole your breath were the flowers.

They were glowing. Soft, otherworldly blooms in every shape and shade filled the space—violet vines that shimmered with specks of silver, moon-pale roses that glowed with a faint bluish halo, star-shaped lilies with golden veins. Each plant seemed to pulse faintly, like it had a heartbeat of its own.

You walked slowly through the narrow path, completely entranced.

“It’s like a dream,” you whispered.

“Not many people know about it,” he said, “But I thought… if anyone would understand, it’d be you.”

You turned to him, touched,“Thank you for showing me.”

He just smiled and nodded toward the center. There, a small fountain trickled quietly, framed by moss and nightblooming orchids. The stone bench beside it was barely big enough for two.

So, naturally, you sat side by side, shoulders brushing. And just then, as if cued by some unseen magic, the fireflies came. Hundreds of them, blinking softly in waves above the glass dome, drifting between the leaves like tiny stars falling just for you. For a while, neither of you spoke. Then, gently, Jeremiah broke the silence.

“I don’t usually let people in,” he said, “To any of it. The shop. The hidden things. Even Xavier took years.”

You turned slightly,“But you let me.”

“I couldn’t help it,” he admitted. “From the moment you walked in, asking questions and pretending you weren’t watching everything—I knew you were dangerous.”

You smiled,“And yet, here you are. Showing me your secret fairy garden.”

He chuckled,“You’ve ruined my business model, by the way. I haven’t forged anything properly in days. I keep thinking about you instead.”

Your heart skipped. His voice lowered, “And I keep wondering if I should tell you… or if that would ruin whatever this is. But I can’t keep it quiet anymore.”

You turned to him, breath caught.

“I like you,” he said, soft but firm, “I think I’ve liked you from the first time you mispronounced ranunculus and didn’t even blush.”

You laughed, a little shaky, “It sounds like a villain name.”

He leaned closer, his eyes shining in the firefly light, “You make me want to be more honest. More careful. Like if I stay near you long enough, maybe I’ll grow into something better.”

You opened your mouth—maybe to answer, maybe just to breathe—but he didn’t give you the chance.

He kissed you.

Slow, reverent, the kind of kiss that didn’t ask for anything but this moment. His hand found yours, fingers threading together as though they’d done it a thousand times before. And in the glowing garden, with stars above and flowers around you, it felt like something ancient and true was finally allowed to bloom.

When he pulled back, he whispered against your lips, “Tell me I’m not dreaming.”

You smiled, “If you are, I’m staying in it with you.”

So over the time you spend together, your mutual feeling bloomed into something special.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Amazon Alexa is a graduate of the Darth Vader MBA

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/26/hit-with-a-brick/#graceful-failure

[metalheadsagainstfascism]

I feel like I need to clarify how fucking... random the Big Ugly Bill is.

I do admit. I'm not reading 1000 pages. I did use AI to read it. I know, I know. You can hate me, but my attention span and reading comprehension are not great enough for that.

So here's 25 random ass points in the Big Ugly Bill.

Environment and Energy

1. Repeals grants and rebates from the government for clean energy projects

2. Reduces financial incentive and technical assistance to reduce methane production

3. Ends EPA initiative to label and certify greenhouse gas materials

4. Revokes money meant for modernizing and digitizing environment permitting process

5. Ends federal aid to states and tribes to improve emissions tracking and public access to environmental compliance data

Agriculture and Conservation

6. Reauthorizes major farm safety net programs

7. Rescinds unspent Inflation Reduction Act funds for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), and others

8. Provides $15 million/year to continue controlling the spread of destructive feral swine populations on agricultural lands

9. Continues payments to private landowners who open land for hunting, fishing, and conservation through 2031

10. Increases federal support for groundwater and drinking water safety projects via the USDA

Nutrition and Social Programs

11. Revises definitions of “qualified” non-citizens, likely restricting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) access

12. Reauthorizes through 2031 with ongoing food commodity purchases and distribution logistics support

Defense and National Security

13. Raises the multiplier for calculating military pensions, enhancing the defined-benefit portion for service members

14. Lets DoD keep using private contractors for base housing through September 2029

15. Adds appropriations for expanding the U.S. Navy fleet—part of a broader military-industrial buildup

Infrastructure and Industry

16. Eliminates tax incentives and grants for EV purchases and charging network development

17. Mandates quarterly oil and gas lease sales in areas like the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska, including ANWR

18. Adds metallurgical coal (used for steelmaking) to the list of industries eligible for domestic manufacturing tax credits

IRS and Taxes

19. Eliminates the free government-run tax filing system, reinstating reliance on private tax software providers

20. Doubles the estate tax threshold to $15 million per individual, shielding ultra-wealthy inheritances

21. Temporarily allows Americans to deduct interest on car loans for U.S.-made vehicles

22. Sets up “American Freedom Accounts” seeded with $1,000 at birth and available for tax-free growth

23. Codifies lower individual income tax brackets and corporate rates from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

Other

24. Bars local governments from regulating artificial intelligence for 10 years, centralizing control at the federal level

25. Creates a new EPA division for restoring abandoned hardrock mine sites in western regions

This could all be... a dozen bills... at least. The Big Ugly Bill should be renamed the special interest lobbying bill.

"BUT! NO TAXES ON TIPS! IT'S GOOD!"

But it revokes grants for clean energy and methane control, instead providing grants for coal production.

"BUT CHILD SAVINGS ACCOUNT"

But it creates stricter work requirements for SNAP eligibility.

"BUT CLEAN WATER"

But it eliminates the free government funded tax filing system.

We can do this all day. This is trash. The bill is trash. It's a "EVERYONE SHOVE WHATEVER SHIT YOU WANT INTO IT" bill.

And don't get me started on Obama's "EVERYONE SHOVE AS MUCH SHIT AS YOU CAN INTO IT." Bill. I'm tired of every time I criticize the current administration people want to say "BUT OBAMA". I wasn't okay with it when he did it. I'm not okay with it now. Besides, by your logic. Just because one person does something, that makes it okay for EVERYONE to do it.

How about "it wasn't okay for Obama to do it and it's not okay for Trump to do it"? Eh?

-fae

[callmearcturus]

@vmprsm replied to your post “Raw MKV rip of Mission Impossible: Fallout:...”:

Theoretically, if one wanted their own copies of the MI movies safely on a hard drive....where would one go?

​I mean, there is a site where you can acquire a lot of movies via torrent. I tend to use (rot13) 1337k.gb and I got a heavily discounted Windscribe VPN subscription that I use on almost all of my devices.

But my thing is that... I want commentary reels and special features, and sometimes you'll download a movie but the fucking subtitles are either bad or they become desynced over time and I haaaaate it.

So I've been gathering bits and pieces over the past year to get a Plex system going in my house and it works like a fucking DREAM. But it requires some investment. If you just want to have a few local copies of your favorite movies, this is way overkill. But me, I am canceling all of my family's streaming services and pivoting to our Plex.

So what I have for actually getting the files:

I don't have this model but it's similar to this, a Pioneer External Blu-ray Reader. It sits on a little shelf and is connected to my PC by a USB cable. (I think I got mine for around 68 bucks so you can wait for a sale.)

I use MakeMKV which will rip the big honking raw files from a Blu-ray and leave them as matroshka (.mkv) files.

Because these raw files are ENORMOUS, I compress them in Handbrake. Handbrake is wildly powerful, can convert file formats and make them super small. I have my Handbrake set up special to dump all the non-English language subtitles and audio tracks to save space.

(SUPER BONUS TIP FOR HANDBRAKE: If you have a dedicated GPU, you can give Handbrake permission to use it, and it'll compress shit literally 10x faster, love it.)

At the moment, I am using a Western Digital portable 5TB external harddrive because it was one sale and I couldn't beat the price. Eventually, I want to upgrade to two 10TB HDDs so I can keep a full backup of everything I'm ripping. Because this is a bit of a time and energy commitment and I don't wanna lose all my progress here!

At first I was running Plex off my desktop PC and that worked totally fine, but my family hates having to touch my desktop to wake it up every time, so I very recently grabbed one of these guys:

This is a Beelink Mini PC S12 Pro. It is small enough to fit in my hand but it is a speedy little demon that runs Windows 11. (And eventually I am gonna use it to firewall out ads from our entire home network, I'm pumped for that project but ANYWAY.)

The upside of these mini boys is that instead of being a hefty workhorse like my main computer, this is small and has a low-power draw.

So I moved my Plex Media Server to the mini PC, plugged in my 5TB drive of movies, and now everyone in the house can easily stream anything I have added to the library.

This is what it looks like, if you're curious. Any device in the house that runs Plex and is signed in can select any movie or TV show I have and just watch it like it was Netflix or something.

A month ago, I has like.... 65 movies? Now I'm ripping a few and we're gonna break 100 soon.

"But Arc, where do you get so many blurays!"

My local library.

When I lived in Broward County, FL, I had an extravagantly wonderful library system. Tax dollars at fucking WORK, y'all. Now I live in Georgia and the library system is not nearly as good, but I have still gotten my hands on a frankly ridiculous amount of blurays. Every week I'm picking up 3 to 10 movies or shows, taking them home, making good copies, and returning them.

All of this is an investment and it is work. But as someone who built my computer, built my keyboard, cracked my 3DS and PS Vita-- this is fun to me! This is what I love to do. And through doing it, I've seen more movies in the past year than the last ten years put together.

So yeah, I can't recommend this to everyone, but if you wanna get out of your subscriptions and to just have high quality shit on demand, this is what I'm doing.

Cannot stress this enough tho, if this seems interesting to you: wait for sales. All the components here go on steep sale if you wait patiently. Take your time assembling the parts and keep in mind that shit is modular, you can upgrade parts later.

[glowettee]

˚₊‧꒰ა ♡ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚maintaining your academic glow-up (forever!) - part 5/5˚₊‧꒰ა ♡ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

1st post 2nd post 3rd post 4th post 5th post

posted by: glowettee

hey academic angels! ♡

we've made it to the final part of our grade recovery journey! now that you're back on track, i wanna talk about how to keep that academic glow permanent. because we're not just trying to fix one grade - we're creating a whole new you! and we want it to last as long as possible <3

♡ creating your prevention system

catch problems before they happen:

early warning signs:

feeling confused in class more than usual

taking longer to complete assignments

procrastinating more than normal

losing interest in subjects

feeling overwhelmed easily

skipping study sessions

quick intervention steps:

review your notes daily (even if just for 15 mins!)

keep a confusion log for each class

schedule regular check-ins with professors/teachers

maintain your study buddy system

track your understanding weekly

stay ahead of readings

♡ building sustainable study habits

because we're in this for the long haul:

daily non-negotiables:

review today's class notes (make them pretty but useful)

preview tomorrow's material

update your planner

check for upcoming deadlines

organize materials for next day

celebrate small victories

weekly must-dos:

deep review of tough concepts

organize notes and materials

plan next week's study schedule

check assignment progress

connect with study group

reflect on what's working

♡ maintaining your academic aesthetic

looking cute while studying actually helps:

your study space:

keep it clean and organized

update inspiration board regularly

maintain good lighting

rotate study locations when needed

keep supplies stocked and cute

create seasonal study vibes

your materials:

color code consistently

update planners weekly

maintain digital backups

organize notes beautifully

keep supplies aesthetic but functional

create pretty study guides

♡ long-term success strategies

thinking ahead like the queen you are:

grade monitoring:

track all assignments and tests

calculate grade scenarios

maintain grade goals

document improvement patterns

celebrate progress milestones

adjust strategies as needed

knowledge building:

connect concepts across subjects

create master study guides

maintain concept maps

build on previous learning

develop deep understanding

share knowledge with others

♡ emergency preparation

because life loves to throw curveballs:

your emergency kit:

quick review sheets for each subject

backup study materials

digital copies of everything

contact list for help

stress-relief techniques

backup study locations

preventive measures:

stay ahead in readings

maintain good notes

keep organized files

build support networks

practice self-care regularly

maintain work-life balance

♡ mindset maintenance

keeping your academic confidence high:

daily practices:

positive study affirmations

progress appreciation

growth mindset exercises

self-care routines

gratitude journaling

visualization exercises

long-term mindset:

view challenges as opportunities

celebrate all progress

maintain high standards (but be kind to yourself)

focus on growth, not just grades

build academic confidence

stay curious and engaged

maintaining success is like maintaining your favorite aesthetic - it needs constant care and attention, but it's so worth it!

final thoughts:

trust your systems

stay consistent

keep things cute but functional

maintain your support network

celebrate every win

keep growing and glowing

thank you for joining me on this journey! remember, you're capable of amazing things, and one bad grade doesn't define your academic story. keep shining, keep studying, and keep being absolutely amazing!

stay brilliant and beautiful!

xoxo, mindy 🎀