#End User Analysis

[kbvresearch]

The Transformative Power of Heat Pump Water Heaters

In a world where every drop counts, the demand for efficient water heating solutions is paramount. Did you know that the Heat Pump Water Heater is anticipated to reach $10.7 billion by 2030, expanding at a CAGR of 11.2% over the period of the forecast, as reported by KBV Research? This surge isn’t just a mere statistic; it reflects a global shift towards sustainable and energy-efficient…

[rememberthelullabies]

soo i've seen several people criticize A Good Man Goes to War by saying the concept of "the Doctor assembling his allies for a big fight" wasn't well executed. and comparing it to The Stolen Earth + Journey's End.

and here's the thing: yes, they didn't bring back characters the audience knew and loved like in those two episodes. yes, they didn't spend much time showing us who those characters were, or what their history with the doctor was. but i think that's the point.

A Good Man Goes to War isn't like the season 4 finale, because it's not trying to be that.

first of all, the people the Doctor brings together in this episode aren't even framed as his friends. no, they are people who owe him something. and they aren't happy to see him again - no, the Tardis appearing is even framed as a negative thing. as an omen of doom. in a way, it's finally shown as what it really is. and that's what this whole episode is about, isn't it? finally showing the Doctors from another perspective than only from a companion's who loves and admires him.

also, i think we don't even need to really know all these people. they're not meant to be more than side characters. they're simply meant to show: for every person we've seen turn into a soldier for the Doctor, there are half a dozen more that we didn't even know about. and not all of them remember him fondly.

i think actually bringing back friends of the Doctor would have ruined the darker mood of the episode and taken away from the message.

this episode isn't supposed to be a happy reunion like The Stolen Earth/Journey's End. it's more like the opposite, a contrast. this isn't a man reuniting with his friends, this is a self-proclaimed pacifist assembling an army of his own making.

[mishy-mashy]

Just wanna say this: the High-End Hood should've been Shinomori's corpse.

Yes, it's confirmed Hood is some random fighter from the underground, but it just makes more sense if it were Shinomori at the base?? At the least, I think it'd be verrry fascinating

Although it might be a bit cliche, like if Kudo were Bakugo's ancestor, but it'd be a nice piece of trivia. It wouldn't have to be said outright. Like AFO losing Yoichi's hand cuz of All Might.

Endeavor just fights and kills Shinomori, a cute hermit that gave the rest of his life because of OFA, and Bruce's trust in him over said Factor. Even using his turn to build up strength, Shinomori was looking forward to the future too

A parallel of wanting to be the strongest is drawn between Shinomori and Endeavor. Even after death, the duty of OFA haunts even a corpse.

For why it makes sense if Hood were Shinomori;

Shinomori and Hood wear the same kind of pants (Hood's is ripped, but he's a Nomu and corpse, so it makes sense). It even ends just below the knee. A colored version because I don't want to open the anime;

Shinomori's desire to avoid the strongest (AFO) could've been tweaked by Garaki to look for the strongest instead

Hood looking for the strongest person (hero) could even be Shinomori's desire to give OFA to someone strong enough to protect and grow the Factor. As a hero, someone trustworthy

My [OFA Users are High-Ends theory post] for why Shinomori would be a good base for a High-End

AFO didn't know his face, so the High-End could've been named Hood to keep up themes. That AFO didn't know his face, and even now, he has a "hood"; Hood's face isn't visible beyond glowing features at first

Endeavor burned Hood and said to rest. This could've been Shinomori getting his cremation, and that Shinomori could relax (about OFA)

Endeavor said Hood is possibly Endeavor from the past or the future. In the past, Shinomori wanted to grow his strength for the Factor, so technically, Shinomori wanted to be the strongest. The strongest he could be, at least

The fact we know Shinomori underwent an autopsy, and that Garaki works in morgues to harvest corpses

The knowledge that multiple Quirks kills the normal (not-AFO) person is found in Shinomori. Finding this out, this could've been the reason Garaki and AFO specifically use corpses for Nomus. That way, there's no life force to drain, and technically no drawbacks to the wielder

Garaki was alive during Shinomori's time. Considering these panels,

This happens chronologically. AFO knew Bruce only had leftover embers (he could tell the same with All Might), which is why he looks so dismissive of his corpse. He's just wondering where Yoichi could be now.

AFO met Garaki after he killed Bruce. With all his followers and the way AFO is sitting, he's likely in search of Yoichi in Shinomori. But he never sees or meets the wielder. Thus the way he has his head down, as if upset and ignoring the insignificant crowds

That's why, when he finds Banjo, he's smiling. Yoichi is right in front of him again, after 18+ years of nothing.

Garaki was probably alive for all the OFA users. He's already looking middle-aged when he first meets AFO, and his Ability is just longer life. So he looks younger than he actually is anyway.

Since AFO faced all the previous OFA Users (sans Shinomori), AFO had access to their bodies when they died. Meanwhile, Shinomori ends up in the morgue anyway, likely by Banjo.

AFO shredded Yoichi's body apart, so there's no corpse left. He killed Kudo, Bruce, Banjo, En, and Nana; but not Shinomori, who died of old age, or All Might or Midoriya, because they're still alive.

He has access to the corpses of the previous holders he killed himself, and left relatively intact. And Banjo may as well have given him Shinomori's corpse to figure out what killed a relatively-young, healthy man.

With access to those corpses, AFO and Garaki could've preserved the corpses of OFA Users to make High-Ends

(Maybe see this post where I elaborate why OFA users make great bases for High-Ends)

[crizztelcb]

just saying but many if not all of the problems in the universe of miraculous would have been fixed if they just destroyed the miraculous, it CAN be destroyed and we know it, plus the kwamis would not die because it has been shown the peacock being broken and duusu was fine so destroying it would;

1 - set a kwami free so they would not need to be forced to obey humans at any cost;

2 - it would prevent any villain to come into contact with it because you know they would not have a physical shape;

3 - it would make the world much safer. (like yeah humans would still have guns and shit but cmon imagine the black cat miraculous in the hands of a crazy person? you dont even need to imagine since the ep chat blanc is right there)

the universe is really fucked just because a little creature that is innocent and childishy is forced to obey a fucking guy that wants to destroy the world and because of a stupid small item he has control over that creature power and that item could have been destroyed years ago to prevent it. like is there any reason why NO ONE in ml ever brought that up? well we dont even have the reason why kwamis and miraculous exist in the first place, and no i wont take that comic as canon or any of thomas tweets i want to see it on screen.

anyway that always bugs me, sure the kwamis can be unstable because of how they act like children (although some are much more "mature" lets say) but still i think it would be more safe to everyone to free them.

[juthemagicalclown]

i just saw a post complaining about the lack of a 'real villain' in owari no seraph and why a story needs it (it doesn't) and why its lack makes the series boring now. while i agree that some of the recent chapters have been very slow, i also kinda understand why writing them like that. but i'm just like, have y'all missed the whole point?? there's no absolute 'good and evil', this is not your traditional story, that's what's great about ons! there are only people trying to do their best and failing miserably, people protecting their family and friends at the cost of everything else, 'people' opposing god and his disregard for humanity, people driven by revenge. they all manipulate and get manipulated, love and betray. they all have their interests and plans and they intersect far beyond one linear 'main character VS villain' plot. the complexity of the plot and the relativity of morality are what's always been great about this series.

[welcometoteyvat]

Which non-combat Genshin overworld soundtrack is your favourite? How about regional battle theme, and boss theme, respectively?

thank you for the ask! :D

for non-combat, I would have to say This Little Light of Mine and Another Hopeful Tomorrow as top faves. I think they play in the same places? I just remember hearing them at Sal Terrae for the first time and just stopping dead in game to listen until the soundtrack ended it was so touching—idk they both have such a lovely tune that fit their locations, like a cheery reverberation of water and memories.

Oh I also like the 3.8 choo-choo cart soundtracks (Let's Get Started and Euphoric Ride) they're literally so cute..... klee 🥺 and the other favorites from annual summer klee events include Vast and Blue (an incredibly made xingqiu birthday fanvid uses it as background music and i fell in love) and honestly every single 1.6 GAA soundtrack. idk they really hit the vibe of cozy and nostalgic. nice summertime fun

the music from uyuu restaurant (Savory Treat) is also very fun and funky I enjoy it :] so is Melody of Hidden Seeds and With Witty Wit (cyno joke soundtrack, though not strictly an overworld track lol) I also already said this before but Lumidouce Harbor's daytime OST is SO GOOD the sailor vibes are impeccable.

Regional battle theme.... I need to listen to those again haha I don't really have a favorite (sometimes combat time is too short and the full track isn't allowed to play). I will say Fischl's domain during 2.8 GAA, Midsummer Fantasia or whatever, literally every single soundtrack there was SO GOOD, especially the combat ones. baroque harpsichord RAAAHHH

besides that. xinyan's domain's theme was also really good. Her remix w the guzheng (???) accents and the wind instruments combined with the rock on top of the normal combat soundtrack is SO GOOD and it really describes her character too :') pushing forward into modernity in an ancient land of history :''). Apparently the soundtrack is called Burst Into Flames. Some of the inazuma domain themes are also really good (will list them maybe tomorrow) I think I just like the percussive(?) elements. something w a strong beat yknow

boss themes... azhdaha rage beneath the mountain >>>>>>>> scaramouche's boss theme 2nd phase (polumnia omnia, apparently) also hits REALLY hard <- just relistened and forgot how good the vocals and technobeat parts were HOLY SHIT and the way inazuman motifs get mixed in???? GOD

if we count world bosses apparently jolts in the forest is the sumeru world boss OST and it's a pretty sick soundtrack (I thought it was either a general combat theme or tighnari's theme for some reason lol)

[patzweigz]

randomly hit with just how. strange. it really is that general discussion of fictional characters treats them as like... people, who's actions have consequences in the real world or who's writers put them through real situations

[lryghe]

MDZS thoughts; jiang cheng's mbti

I’ve been thinking about MBTI in the MDZS community recently, and even posted an analysis of Jiang Cheng on PDB, but I’ve decided I wanted to post something here as well. Spoilers are included in this post by the way, though that’s a given. In terms of the general consensus on PDB, Jiang Cheng is an ESTJ, but I wanted to argue for ISTJ based off the placement of his Ne. This post will dive into cognitive functions as well as the placement of them, which means if anyone is basing their argument on rudimentary MBTI analysis (I’m talking ‘Oh I’m extroverted, and I have feelings so I’m obviously an ENFP’) expect to be flamed.  

In relation to cognitive functions, ESTJs (obviously) aren't that different from ISTJs, but none of the posts I’ve seen on PDB have a good reasoning for the specific placements of Jiang Cheng’s Ne. Placing Ne as his inferior function makes a lot more sense than Ne tertiary when one considers the Jiang’s motto, ‘attempt the impossible’. It appears to be a bit of a sore spot for Jiang Cheng, because he always felt his father had favoured Wei Wuxian more, bearing in mind that Wei Wuxian has the extraordinary ability to think outside the box quite a bit more than Jiang Cheng himself could. Wei Wuxian himself is an ENTP, placing Ne as his dominant function, and although Jiang Cheng probably can think of impossible solutions to things, it’s problematic that he can never show it in the way that counts (read; in a way that impresses his father). This itself fits an Ne inferior compared to an Ne tertiary function, because tertiary’s act as a counterbalance to your auxiliary function but placing Ne as an inferior endorses his use of it, while also allowing one to recognise that his use of Ne is very rare and affects his basic fears and insecurities, which is very common for inferior functions (for example, not being able to live up to his name like his brother can, despite the fact Wei Wuxian is not a Jiang). Tertiary Ne would make him a lot more outgoing and experimental, but placing it in his inferior function makes it known that he has it, it’s just exhausting and difficult to use.   

To argue for ISTJ will also mean that you have to switch Fi from an Fi inferior to an Fi tertiary, but this is a pretty easy switch. A key component of having Fi inferior (which would be ExTJ) is that an unhealthy use of it will result in the user getting so lost in their own ambitions or goals that they’ll lose their sense of self or end up going against their own moral code. And I think this is something that maybe would have suited a younger Jiang Cheng, because everyone before the time skip was insecure and at odds with their growing and changing selves (something that’s really common throughout your teenage years anyway), but it doesn't fit older Jiang Cheng, who has been sculpted by decades of grief and the loss of everyone he cares about. He is confident and composed the majority of the time (I do not want to hear anyone bringing The Untamed Jiang Cheng into this because he doesn’t count, novel Jiang Cheng is a cold-hearted bitch), and never loses sight of himself. He’s Sect Leader Jiang and Sandu Shengshou, and he holds himself to a rather strict moral code. His morals also happen to perfectly align themselves with whatever's good for the sect, because Jiang Cheng has shown time and time again to push aside whatever is good for others to protect Yunmeng Jiang. He stands strong and would never compromise what he believes in, which is the sect he built from the ground up again. An unhealthy use of Fi tertiary (ISxJ) would look something like being so staunch and unyielding in one's moral codes that they don’t care about how other people view them and they don’t care about how other people may have different opinions, because they are so assured in their own ideology. Jiang Cheng is exactly this type of person, because he’s so stuck in his own views of everything that happened, that he regularly fails to consider other points of view, which is part of the inherent tragedy that has stained him and Wei Wuxian’s relationship ever since they were kids.

I like to think Jiang Cheng is one of the more well-adjusted MDZS characters, because the whole golden core reveal at the end of the novel/donghua was a huge shock and reverted what appeared to be around a decade of healing and moving on, so like, go Jiang Cheng! I see no point arguing to replace his dominant function from Te to Si considering your dominant and auxiliary function work in tandem anyways, and as a finishing note, I don’t know why I bother posting on PDB, because half the people on there do brainless and stereotypical voting of literally everyone, that is so rudimentary it makes me ill. I’ve genuinely seen people vote INFP for Jiang Cheng or ENFP for Wei Wuxian and I just. It’s so stupid. 

Word count: 866

Reading time: 3 mins

[aimarketresearch]

Variable Reluctance Market Size, Share, Trends, Opportunities, Key Drivers and Growth Prospectus

[electronalytics]

Electronic Display Devices Market Analysis Key Trends, Growth Opportunities, Challenges, Key Players, End User Demand and Forecasts to 2033

The global Electronic Display Devices market will grow from USD 56.74 billion in 2023 to USD 89.82 billion by 2033, with a CAGR of 4.7% during 2024-2033.

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Market projections and forecasts are underpinned by extensive primary research, further validated through precise secondary research specific to the Electronic Display Devices Market. Our research analysts have dedicated substantial time and effort to curate essential industry insights from key industry participants, including Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), top-tier suppliers, distributors, and relevant government entities.

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Global Electronic Display Devices Market: By Company • ActiveLight Inc. • AU Optronics • Casio Computers Co. Ltd. • LG Electronics • Toshiba Corporation • Sony Corporation • Zenith Electronics Corporation

Global Electronic Display Devices Market: By Type • LCD • LED • OLED • Others Global Electronic Display Devices Market: By Application • Consumer Electronics • Digital Signage • Automotive Display • Others

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All the regional segmentation has been studied based on recent and future trends, and the market is forecasted throughout the prediction period. The countries covered in the regional analysis of the Global Electronic Display Devices market report are U.S., Canada, and Mexico in North America, Germany, France, U.K., Russia, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, and Rest of Europe in Europe, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, China, Japan, India, South Korea, Rest of Asia-Pacific (APAC) in the Asia-Pacific (APAC), Saudi Arabia, U.A.E, South Africa, Egypt, Israel, Rest of Middle East and Africa (MEA) as a part of Middle East and Africa (MEA), and Argentina, Brazil, and Rest of South America as part of South America.

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Report includes Competitor's Landscape:

➊ Major trends and growth projections by region and country ➋ Key winning strategies followed by the competitors ➌ Who are the key competitors in this industry? ➍ What shall be the potential of this industry over the forecast tenure? ➎ What are the factors propelling the demand for the Electronic Display Devices? ➏ What are the opportunities that shall aid in significant proliferation of the market growth? ➐ What are the regional and country wise regulations that shall either hamper or boost the demand for Electronic Display Devices? ➑ How has the covid-19 impacted the growth of the market? ➒ Has the supply chain disruption caused changes in the entire value chain? Customization of the Report:

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[wolfdisguise]

yknow since i reblogged that post about getting a bad grade in your friend’s favorite movie. last month i dragged two of my friends to go to the intro to film history viewing of double indemnity w/ me and both of them ended up only giving it 3 stars on letterboxd… no one understands me

[kenresearch1]

The Transformative Growth of the US Acute Myeloid Leukemia Market

Buy Now

What is the Size of US Acute Myeloid Leukemia Industry?

US Acute Myeloid Leukemia Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of ~ % in 2022 and is expected to reach ~USD Mn by 2028. The US Acute Myeloid Leukemia market is the rapid advancement in precision medicine and targeted therapies. The emergence of innovative treatments tailored to the genetic and molecular characteristics of individual AML patients has transformed the treatment landscape. Targeted therapies, such as FLT3 and IDH inhibitors, capitalize on specific genetic mutations driving AML, resulting in higher response rates and improved outcomes compared to traditional approaches.

Precision medicine's ability to identify the most effective treatment for each patient not only enhances therapeutic efficacy but also reduces unnecessary treatments, mitigating side effects and improving overall quality of life. This paradigm shift is bolstered by technological progress in molecular profiling techniques like next-generation sequencing, allowing for accurate genetic profiling and treatment customization.

Furthermore, regulatory support and accelerated approval pathways for targeted therapies have expedited their availability to patients. Pharmaceutical companies' increasing investment in research and development of novel agents, along with collaborations between academia and industry, leads to grow this market even more.

Click here to Download a Sample Report

US Acute Myeloid Leukemia Market by treatment type

The market is segmented by Treatment type into Chemotherapy, Targeted Therapy, Hormone Therapy, Immunotherapy and Others. Targeted Therapy is the dominant segment in the US Acute Myeloid Leukemia market in 2022. Specialty Centers, dedicated to the diagnosis, treatment, and management of specific medical conditions like AML, offer a concentrated and specialized approach to patient care. Their dominance in the AML market is driven by their unique capabilities to provide comprehensive and tailored treatments that address the complex needs of AML patients.

US Acute Myeloid Leukemia Market by end -user industry

The market is segmented by End-User into Hospitals, Homecare, Specialty Centers, Pharmacies and Others. Among these, Specialty Centers are the dominant End-User in the US Acute Myeloid Leukemia market in 2022. Specialty centers have a higher level of expertise and experience in treating specific types of cancer, including acute leukemia. They typically have specialized medical professionals, including hematologists and oncologists, who are well-versed in the latest treatment protocols and research. These centers are equipped with state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment facilities that are specifically tailored to the needs of leukemia patients. This can include advanced imaging technologies, specialized laboratories, and access to cutting-edge therapies.

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US Acute Myeloid Leukemia companies market by Region

The US Acute Myeloid Leukemia market is segmented by Region into North, South, East, West. The dominance region is North in the US Acute Myeloid Leukemia Market in 2022. the North region often benefits from a higher level of funding for medical research, including AML. Federal funding agencies, private foundations, and pharmaceutical companies frequently channel resources into institutions within this region, allowing for greater research capabilities and clinical trials infrastructure.

Competition Scenario in US Acute Myeloid Leukemia Market

The US acute myeloid leukemia market was characterized by the presence of several prominent pharmaceutical companies and biotechnology firms striving to establish their presence and gain a competitive edge.

Larger corporations, smaller biotechnology companies making significant contributions to the AML landscape. Companies like Agios Pharmaceuticals and Daiichi Sankyo were gaining attention for their novel therapies targeting AML-associated mutations. These players are often at the forefront of introducing precision medicine approaches to AML treatment, taking advantage of advancements in genetic profiling and molecular diagnostics.

The competition is further intensified by research collaborations and partnerships between pharmaceutical companies, academic institutions, and research organizations. These collaborations aimed to combine resources, expertise, and insights to accelerate the development of effective therapies.

What is the Expected Future Outlook for the Overall US Acute Myeloid Leukemia market?

The US Acute Myeloid Leukemia market was valued at USD ~Million in 2022 and is anticipated to reach USD ~ Million by the end of 2028, witnessing a CAGR of ~% during the forecast period 2022- 2028. Pharmaceutical companies have been actively researching and developing novel therapies for Acute Myeloid Leukemia, with a focus on improving patient outcomes and reducing the side effects associated with traditional treatments like chemotherapy.  The approval of new drugs, such as FLT3 and IDH inhibitors, has offered fresh therapeutic avenues for specific subsets of Acute Myeloid Leukemia patients with genetic mutations.

The future outlook for the US Acute Myeloid Leukemia market is anticipated to be influenced by a combination of factors including advancements in treatment options, evolving regulatory landscapes, and a growing understanding of the molecular basis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia. The market has been witnessing a shift towards personalized medicine, with increasing emphasis on targeted therapies and precision medicine approaches.

Furthermore, the integration of innovative technologies like next-generation sequencing (NGS) has enhanced our understanding of Acute Myeloid Leukemia’s molecular complexities, allowing for better patient stratification and treatment selection. This trend toward molecular profiling and personalized treatment regimens is likely to continue shaping the market landscape.

However, challenges persist. Despite progress, Acute Myeloid Leukemia remains a difficult-to-treat disease with a high relapse rate. Overcoming drug resistance and developing effective strategies for patients who do not respond well to existing therapies remain critical areas of focus.

Additionally, the cost of novel therapies and access to these treatments could also impact their adoption and availability. The regulatory environment, including expedited pathways for drug approvals, continue to influence market dynamics.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Kickstarting a book to end enshittification, because Amazon will not carry it

My next book is The Internet Con: How to Seize the Means of Computation: it’s a Big Tech disassembly manual that explains how to disenshittify the web and bring back the old good internet. The hardcover comes from Verso on Sept 5, but the audiobook comes from me — because Amazon refuses to sell my audio:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/doctorow/the-internet-con-how-to-seize-the-means-of-computation

Amazon owns Audible, the monopoly audiobook platform that controls >90% of the audio market. They require mandatory DRM for every book sold, locking those books forever to Amazon’s monopoly platform. If you break up with Amazon, you have to throw away your entire audiobook library.

That’s a hell of a lot of leverage to hand to any company, let alone a rapacious monopoly that ran a program targeting small publishers called “Project Gazelle,” where execs were ordered to attack indie publishers “the way a cheetah would pursue a sickly gazelle”:

https://www.businessinsider.com/sadistic-amazon-treated-book-sellers-the-way-a-cheetah-would-pursue-a-sickly-gazelle-2013-10

[Image ID: Journalist and novelist Doctorow (Red Team Blues) details a plan for how to break up Big Tech in this impassioned and perceptive manifesto….Doctorow’s sense of urgency is contagious -Publishers Weekly]

I won’t sell my work with DRM, because DRM is key to the enshittification of the internet. Enshittification is why the old, good internet died and became “five giant websites filled with screenshots of the other four” (h/t Tom Eastman). When a tech company can lock in its users and suppliers, it can drain value from both sides, using DRM and other lock-in gimmicks to keep their business even as they grow ever more miserable on the platform.

Here is how platforms die: first, they are good to their users; then they abuse their users to make things better for their business customers; finally, they abuse those business customers to claw back all the value for themselves. Then, they die:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/01/21/potemkin-ai/#hey-guys

[Image ID: A brilliant barn burner of a book. Cory is one of the sharpest tech critics, and he shows with fierce clarity how our computational future could be otherwise -Kate Crawford, author of The Atlas of AI”]

The Internet Con isn’t just an analysis of where enshittification comes from: it’s a detailed, shovel-ready policy prescription for halting enshittification, throwing it into reverse and bringing back the old, good internet.

How do we do that? With interoperability: the ability to plug new technology into those crapulent, decaying platform. Interop lets you choose which parts of the service you want and block the parts you don’t (think of how an adblocker lets you take the take-it-or-leave “offer” from a website and reply with “How about nah?”):

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/07/adblocking-how-about-nah

But interop isn’t just about making platforms less terrible — it’s an explosive charge that demolishes walled gardens. With interop, you can leave a social media service, but keep talking to the people who stay. With interop, you can leave your mobile platform, but bring your apps and media with you to a rival’s service. With interop, you can break up with Amazon, and still keep your audiobooks.

So, if interop is so great, why isn’t it everywhere?

Well, it used to be. Interop is how Microsoft became the dominant operating system:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/06/adversarial-interoperability-reviving-elegant-weapon-more-civilized-age-slay

[Image ID: Nobody gets the internet-both the nuts and bolts that make it hum and the laws that shaped it into the mess it is-quite like Cory, and no one’s better qualified to deliver us a user manual for fixing it. That’s The Internet Con: a rousing, imaginative, and accessible treatise for correcting our curdled online world. If you care about the internet, get ready to dedicate yourself to making interoperability a reality. -Brian Merchant, author of Blood in the Machine]

It’s how Apple saved itself from Microsoft’s vicious campaign to destroy it:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/06/adversarial-interoperability-reviving-elegant-weapon-more-civilized-age-slay

Every tech giant used interop to grow, and then every tech giant promptly turned around and attacked interoperators. Every pirate wants to be an admiral. When Big Tech did it, that was progress; when you do it back to Big Tech, that’s piracy. The tech giants used their monopoly power to make interop without permission illegal, creating a kind of “felony contempt of business model” (h/t Jay Freeman).

The Internet Con describes how this came to pass, but, more importantly, it tells us how to fix it. It lays out how we can combine different kinds of interop requirements (like the EU’s Digital Markets Act and Massachusetts’s Right to Repair law) with protections for reverse-engineering and other guerrilla tactics to create a system that is strong without being brittle, hard to cheat on and easy to enforce.

What’s more, this book explains how to get these policies: what existing legislative, regulatory and judicial powers can be invoked to make them a reality. Because we are living through the Great Enshittification, and crises erupt every ten seconds, and when those crises occur, the “good ideas lying around” can move from the fringes to the center in an eyeblink:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/06/12/only-a-crisis/#lets-gooooo

[Image ID: Thoughtfully written and patiently presented, The Internet Con explains how the promise of a free and open internet was lost to predatory business practices and the rush to commodify every aspect of our lives. An essential read for anyone that wants to understand how we lost control of our digital spaces and infrastructure to Silicon Valley’s tech giants, and how we can start fighting to get it back. -Tim Maughan, author of INFINITE DETAIL]

After all, we’ve known Big Tech was rotten for years, but we had no idea what to do about it. Every time a Big Tech colossus did something ghastly to millions or billions of people, we tried to fix the tech company. There’s no fixing the tech companies. They need to burn. The way to make users safe from Big Tech predators isn’t to make those predators behave better — it’s to evacuate those users:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/18/urban-wildlife-interface/#combustible-walled-gardens

I’ve been campaigning for human rights in the digital world for more than 20 years; I’ve been EFF’s European Director, representing the public interest at the EU, the UN, Westminster, Ottawa and DC. This is the subject I’ve devoted my life to, and I live my principles. I won’t let my books be sold with DRM, which means that Audible won’t carry my audiobooks. My agent tells me that this decision has cost me enough money to pay off my mortgage and put my kid through college. That’s a price I’m willing to pay if it means that my books aren’t enshittification bait.

But not selling on Audible has another cost, one that’s more important to me: a lot of readers prefer audiobooks and 9 out of 10 of those readers start and end their searches on Audible. When they don’t find an author there, they assume no audiobook exists, period. It got so bad I put up an audiobook on Amazon — me, reading an essay, explaining how Audible rips off writers and readers. It’s called “Why None of My Audiobooks Are For Sale on Audible”:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/07/25/can-you-hear-me-now/#acx-ripoff

[Image ID: Doctorow has been thinking longer and smarter than anyone else I know about how we create and exchange value in a digital age. -Douglas Rushkoff, author of Present Shock]

To get my audiobooks into readers’ ears, I pre-sell them on Kickstarter. This has been wildly successful, both financially and as a means of getting other prominent authors to break up with Amazon and use crowdfunding to fill the gap. Writers like Brandon Sanderson are doing heroic work, smashing Amazon’s monopoly:

https://www.brandonsanderson.com/guest-editorial-cory-doctorow-is-a-bestselling-author-but-audible-wont-carry-his-audiobooks/

And to be frank, I love audiobooks, too. I swim every day as physio for a chronic pain condition, and I listen to 2–3 books/month on my underwater MP3 player, disappearing into an imaginary world as I scull back and forth in my public pool. I’m able to get those audiobooks on my MP3 player thanks to Libro.fm, a DRM-free store that supports indie booksellers all over the world:

https://blog.libro.fm/a-qa-with-mark-pearson-libro-fm-ceo-and-co-founder/

Producing my own audiobooks has been a dream. Working with Skyboat Media, I’ve gotten narrators like @wilwheaton​, Amber Benson, @neil-gaiman​ and Stefan Rudnicki for my work:

https://craphound.com/shop/

[Image ID: “This book is the instruction manual Big Tech doesn’t want you to read. It deconstructs their crummy products, undemocratic business models, rigged legal regimes, and lies. Crack this book and help build something better. -Astra Taylor, author of Democracy May Not Exist, but We’ll Miss It When Its Gone”]

But for this title, I decided that I would read it myself. After all, I’ve been podcasting since 2006, reading my own work aloud every week or so, even as I traveled the world and gave thousands of speeches about the subject of this book. I was excited (and a little trepedatious) at the prospect, but how could I pass up a chance to work with director Gabrielle de Cuir, who has directed everyone from Anne Hathaway to LeVar Burton to Eric Idle?

Reader, I fucking nailed it. I went back to those daily recordings fully prepared to hate them, but they were good — even great (especially after my engineer John Taylor Williams mastered them). Listen for yourself!

https://archive.org/details/cory_doctorow_internet_con_chapter_01

I hope you’ll consider backing this Kickstarter. If you’ve ever read my free, open access, CC-licensed blog posts and novels, or listened to my podcasts, or come to one of my talks and wished there was a way to say thank you, this is it. These crowdfunders make my DRM-free publishing program viable, even as audiobooks grow more central to a writer’s income and even as a single company takes over nearly the entire audiobook market.

Backers can choose from the DRM-free audiobook, DRM-free ebook (EPUB and MOBI) and a hardcover — including a signed, personalized option, fulfilled through the great LA indie bookstore Book Soup:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/doctorow/the-internet-con-how-to-seize-the-means-of-computation

What’s more, these ebooks and audiobooks are unlike any you’ll get anywhere else because they are sold without any terms of service or license agreements. As has been the case since time immemorial, when you buy these books, they’re yours, and you are allowed to do anything with them that copyright law permits — give them away, lend them to friends, or simply read them with any technology you choose.

As with my previous Kickstarters, backers can get their audiobooks delivered with an app (from libro.fm) or as a folder of MP3s. That helps people who struggle with “sideloading,” a process that Apple and Google have made progressively harder, even as they force audiobook and ebook sellers to hand over a 30% app tax on every dollar they make:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/doctorow/red-team-blues-another-audiobook-that-amazon-wont-sell/posts/3788112

Enshittification is rotting every layer of the tech stack: mobile, payments, hosting, social, delivery, playback. Every tech company is pulling the rug out from under us, using the chokepoints they built between audiences and speakers, artists and fans, to pick all of our pockets.

The Internet Con isn’t just a lament for the internet we lost — it’s a plan to get it back. I hope you’ll get a copy and share it with the people you love, even as the tech platforms choke off your communities to pad their quarterly numbers.

Next weekend (Aug 4-6), I'll be in Austin for Armadillocon, a science fiction convention, where I'm the Guest of Honor:

https://armadillocon.org/d45/

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

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/31/seize-the-means-of-computation/#the-internet-con

[Image ID: My forthcoming book 'The Internet Con: How to Seize the Means of Computation' in various editions: Verso hardcover, audiobook displayed on a phone, and ebook displayed on an e-ink reader.]

[ochibrochi]

spontaneous magic manifestation was NOT mentioned in the parenting handbook 😬

I know this isn’t how magic in dc works, but the fact that Damian’s ancestry includes some pretty powerful magic users is… INTERESTING 🤔? Drabble under the cut!

I wanna preface that I'M NOT SAYIN' that Damian should/does have magic powers, but there’s still so much unexplored potential with Damian's character, and the thought that he has a dormant adeptness in magic is somewhat compelling to me. Most importantly it would FREAK! BRUCE! OUT!!!!! What is this, magic puberty 😭??

By DC laws, anyone has the ability to learn magic, but it is also possible to be an innate ability. The Al Ghuls are no strangers to the occult-- Ra's has had increasingly been portrayed as a magic user, and the recent establishment of his mother being a sorceress/witch?? Even Talia dabbled in a bit of magic, I think. There is a catch that their power is suggested to be due to Lazarus exposure, but for arguments sake let's say the Al Ghul lineage is inherently proficient in magic (and Lazarus exposure simply enhances it).

I can't recall "magic" being a part of Damian's training/upbringing (I'm still slowly catching-up on Damian comics so apologies if I miss any canon examples of magic use). Not sure why Talia wouldn't want her little "heir to an ancient assassin empire baby" to learn magic, but it would at least give reason to Damian not knowing about his magic potential, or lack of interest in it.

Through the power of pseudo storytelling, what if Damian's encounter with Mother Soul could have triggered a manifestation of magic that was once dormant; like a pressure cooker waiting to explode with energy when it hasn't been given a safe outlet.

I've yet to read a satisfying arc where Damian truly gets to contemplate his Al Ghul roots outside of "dad is good guy, mum is bad guy". Damian's initial character growth stems from him running away from, and renouncing his association with the League (i.e. "I'm nothing like you, mother and grandfather!").

The most recent thing I've read was Robin (2021), and whilst Damian is much more cordial with his mother, there's still an emotional distance and sense of distrust/resentment (for good reason, even if the context was some cartoonishly evil writing). But there is a silver-lining that they still appear to be fond of each other, in a melancholy kind of way.

Realizing he's "genetically" primed for magic would be especially confronting to Damian. There's no denying his Al Ghul blood, forcing him to confront a facet of himself he can no longer ignore or reject. A family that he likely has to approach for help/guidance.

Damian is put in a position of acknowledging this power could be used for good, to be stronger, to fight crime, balancing it with the implication that what he possesses could be rooted in dark magic (Lazarus enchantment).

If he decides to embrace it, would that be too much of an endorsement of the Al Ghul's dark occultism? Can he separate the two ideas? What if he can't control it? What if he accidentally hurts someone? What if has the ability to save someone where his other skills fall short?

Ideally, I'd love for this hypothetical story to lead into Damian exploring his Al Ghul heritage more intimately, historically, and spiritually (à la RSoB: Year of Redemption adventures). Another little coming-of-age self discovery journey.

I have my own little personal thoughts on what Damian decides to do with his magic powers, but I'd like to leave that open to interpretation... By the end of it I hope that he will at least find some forgiveness over resentment, and a balance between accepting that side of his family a little easier. It is finally a sense of inner peace :)

Any thoughts? Did I get any characterisation wrong? Let's talk over on my DC blog @arkhamochi! I'm currently trying to read all Damian-centric comics until I catch up with the current run. I'm hungry for discussion and analysis!!!!!!

[amazingcreek]

rapid fire oathbound thoughts:

holy shit we got queer bree AND transfem zoe. is anyone in this book series straight? no? good.

natasia kane my beloveddddd you are such a bad parent but such a proud mom

Nick and Bree on the roof?!?!? I haven't seen anyone mention this and it's making me crazyyyyyyyy

also one bed, yes ma'am there's only one bed ty mrs. deonn

William having a crush on Lark and Lark having a crush on William and neither of them ~actually~ addressing it is so frustrating I can't even

LARK CALLING WILL SWEETHEART ugh my heart

bring. back. Alice.

sel's "got you" IS FROM THEIR FIRST INTERACTION. BUT ALSO A PREY THING. GODDAMNIT

Zoe was so real for forgiving Bree after learning all this had been less than a year. like yeah ok that's too much in too little to expect normal communication

Mariah and valec's opinions on the whole "powerhouse" and "point of our spear" thing is soooooo good. I love nuance tracy deonn take my money

nick talking about sel constantlyyyyyyy. oh my god these two are gonna kill me. "please tell sel that when we find him" "sel would draw and quarter me" UGH

NICK HOLDING EVERYONE ACCOUNTABLE. truly that moment at his council hearing when he says we must name them when Bree is here AND when she isn't is just. yeah. go him. AND THEN the perspective of William checking himself and going "oh shit I have NOT been doing as much as I thought" was so good. tracy you're a literal wizard and changing the world thank you.

valec calling the merlins cops. fuck yeah they are. tbh doing a whole analysis on merlins abuse of aether users/experimenting on Black bodies would be so good. maybe I'll write a paper who knows

valec and zoe. make them come back

bree knowing she's loved as she meets everyone, not being able to love them back in the same way because of her memories, BUT choosing to love and support them regardless is just like gorgeous. the amount of hugs she just accepts and goes, yeah I need this, even when she can't do the same in return is perfect

the ending. the ending. hooooollyyyyy shit the ending. "a king, a knight, and a prince" AHHHHHHHH. selwyn kane you can do no wrong in my eyes but oh my god. I am so scared someone hold me

ALSO after reading the ending going back through the book and seeing that there are several places where Bree and Nick are talking about sel and HE is the one calling her bloodmark. oh em gee.

this is not comprehensive and I'll probably think of more but yeah. how're we doing gang?

[hellspawnmotel]

love your blog and your art!! and realised ive been following you for almost ten years so thank you for the quality posts

have you got any thoughts on ralsei and noelle in terms of both of them taking on “the girl” role in the game? or i guess rather ralsei trying to be the girl in his own meta and sorta weird way. i know youve drawn them together a couple times but would love to hear any analysis if you have thoughts (if youve already posted about this and i missed it my bad! feel free to ignore)

well damn that's flattering. wish I had some kind of membership program so I could give you a little gift, haha

anyway. this is something I've touched on before but only really spelled out once so you're good. I think there's several factors at play with ralsei's metatextual femininity: his status as the party squishy mage/healer, his status as kris's (and by extension, the player's) love interest, his obsession with roles and subservience, and the fact that ralsei is probably meant to be as appealing to the player as possible. none of those things are INHERENTLY feminine of course, but they are in the context of a story with an audience. we don't know for sure yet how ralsei feels about all that, but I'd wager he either thinks he wants it or thinks it has to be his purpose and he wants to do a good job at it. ralsei is like..... the wife. he's the perfect wife. and he's really good at it! the audience LOVES ralsei! whenever my art gets reposted on reddit, there are way more romantically charged or even sexually explicit comments about ralsei than any other character. when I posted my "choose your bride" illustration, most of the people commenting said they would choose ralsei over noelle, with some even saying that it's because noelle "already belongs to susie".

and that leads into his parallels with noelle. like ralsei, noelle is a fragile magic user, is generally more shy and demure (though both of them can break out of that easily), is shown as pining for the object of her affections, and she's slotted into the role of "the love interest" for susie (or for kris/the player, but I'm gonna focus on normal route here). the ferris wheel scene also directly parallels the acid tunnel of love- both forcing the two "couples" to be alone together in a deliberately romantic setting with nothing to do but talk. I've already talked plenty about noelle's roles as the girl, the bride, the damsel, etc. so I won't get into it again, but I think the connections made between kralsei and suselle are worth keeping an eye on. there's nothing to indicate that susie and noelle's budding romance is anything but sweet and genuine, but at the same time you have to wonder what it means that the game is pushing them together in a way so similar to kris and ralsei.

to reference classic jrpg dragon quest v: hand of the heavenly bride, nera comes out of nowhere and was tailor-made to be a wife, while bianca is a childhood friend you have an actual prior connection with. but it doesn't really matter who you choose to marry. in the end they both get kidnapped and sidelined as soon as they're done having your babies.