#Feature flagging in web development

[8techlabs-blog]

How to Balance Fixing Performance Issues and Adding New Features in Web Applications?

In today’s digital landscape, web applications are essential for business operations, marketing, and consumer involvement. As organizations expand and consumer expectations rise, development teams are frequently confronted with the difficult task of balancing two key priorities: addressing performance issues and introducing new features.

While boosting performance improves the user experience and increases efficiency, new features are required to remain competitive and meet market demands. Prioritizing one over the other, on the other hand, might have negative consequences—performance concerns can lead to a poor user experience while failing to innovate can result in a competitive disadvantage.

This blog delves into how to balance improving performance and introducing new features to web apps, allowing firms to satisfy technical and market demands efficiently.

Why Balancing Performance and New Features Is Crucial

A web application‘s success depends on both its performance and its features. However, relying entirely on one might result in imbalances that impair both user happiness and business progress. 

Performance:Performance is an important component that directly influences user retention and happiness. Users can become frustrated and leave if the application has slow loading times, crashes, or problems. Ensuring that your web application runs smoothly is essential since 53% of mobile consumers would quit a site that takes more than three seconds to load. 

New Features:On the other hand, constantly adding new features keeps users interested and promotes your company as innovative. New features generate growth by attracting new consumers and retaining existing ones who want to experience the most recent changes.

The dilemma is deciding when to prioritize bug fixes over new feature development. A poor balance can harm both performance and innovation, resulting in a subpar user experience and stagnation. 

Common Performance Issues in Web Applications

Before balancing performance and features, it’s important to understand the common performance issues that web applications face:

Slow Load Times: Slow pages lead to higher bounce rates and lost revenue.

Server Downtime: Frequent server outages impact accessibility and trust.

Poor Mobile Optimization: A significant portion of web traffic comes from mobile devices and apps that aren’t optimized for mobile fail to reach their potential.

Security Vulnerabilities: Data breaches and security flaws harm credibility and user trust.

Bugs and Glitches: Software bugs lead to poor user experiences, especially if they cause the app to crash or become unresponsive.

Strategic Approaches to Fixing Performance Issues

When performance issues develop, they must be handled immediately to guarantee that the online application functions properly. Here are techniques for improving performance without delaying new feature development: 

Prioritize Critical Issues:Tackle performance issues that have the most significant impact first, such as slow loading times or security vulnerabilities. Use analytics to identify bottlenecks and determine which areas require urgent attention. 

Use a Continuous Improvement Process:Continuously monitor and optimize the application’s performance. With tools like Google PageSpeed Insights, you can track performance metrics and make incremental improvements without major overhauls. 

Optimize Database Queries:Slow database queries are one of the leading causes of web app performance issues. Optimize queries and ensure that the database is indexed properly for faster access and retrieval of data. 

Reduce HTTP Requests:The more requests a page makes to the server, the slower it loads. Minimize requests by reducing file sizes, combining CSS and JavaScript files, and utilizing caching.

  5. Leverage Caching and CDNs:       Use caching strategies and Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) to deliver content quickly to users by storing files in multiple locations globally.

Why Adding New Features is Essential for Growth

 In the rapidly changing digital environment, businesses must continually innovate to stay relevant. Adding new features is key to maintaining a competitive edge and enhancing user engagement. Here’s why:

User Expectations:Today’s consumers expect personalized experiences and constant innovation. Failure to add new features can lead to customer churn, as users may feel your web application no longer meets their needs.

Market Differentiation:Introducing new features allows your application to stand out in the marketplace. Unique functionalities can set your app apart from competitors, attracting new users and increasing customer loyalty.

Increased Revenue Opportunities:New features can lead to additional revenue streams. For example, adding premium features or new integrations can boost the app’s value and lead to increased sales or subscription rates.

  4. Feedback-Driven Innovation:       New features are often driven by user feedback. By continuously developing and adding features, you create a feedback loop that improves the overall user experience and fosters customer                 satisfaction.

Read More: https://8techlabs.com/how-to-balance-fixing-performance-issues-and-adding-new-features-in-web-applications-to-meet-market-demands-and-enhance-user-experience/

[genericpuff]

So I watched ChattyMia's Lore Olympus video which was great and everyone should watch it. It seems most people who do series reviews of the Lore Olympus don't like the comic for obvious reasons. Then I was reminded by the end that the comic is expecting a TV series which is in development hell. It made me think that Rachel might be better off not having a Lore Olympus TV show. Most praise for the series died awhile ago as the story became an utter mess. If it did get a TV show, people will see the early red flags like the age gap, the treatment of Minthe, trying to excuse cheating, Hades horrible behavior to workers, nymphs being discriminated with no pushback, etc. If some of them read the comic for spoilers they would later see the other big red flags of the series. Excusing slave labor, Persephone threatening the lower class, Hera getting with Echo a 'trash nypmh' as she once called Minthe, Apollo gets community service, the continued mistreatment of Demeter etc. Which I feel will cause everyone to go 'wtf is this series? 50 Shades of Grey mixed with Keeping Up with the Kardashians?'. Then you have to wonder if some of them will do a deep dive and find the stuff about Rachel's tie to Lolita. It would be especially bad if a bigger content creator talked about it. And we already know Rachel doesn't handle criticism the best (i.e. the struggle street tweet, the Minthe cosplay situation or even the merch). So I could only imagine how much worse it would be for her if Lore Olympus got a TV show and more eyes got drawn to it and her. It would no longer be just confided to the web comics fanbase but the much larger TV one. Unless Rachel seriously considered rewriting the TV script (or rekindling it lol) I don't see how a TV adaptation of her show would be good press for her.

Yess I've seen that video, it's great! She did a great job summarizing a lot of the biggest core issues with LO's story and art without getting too lost in the sauce (though god knows the rabbithole of LO's issues runs INCREDIBLY deep in an equally fascinating and "oh god what the fuck did I just read' kind of way), her video editing was very entertaining and her Persephone cosplay was a great touch 😎

That said, regarding the thought of "most people who do series reviews of LO don't like the comic", there is an amount of bias we have to acknowledge there - there's often a lot more to say in the negative rather than the positive. By extension, people who simply enjoy LO and don't participate much in the online discussion surrounding it or the discourse concerning it are less likely to make 2 hour videos analyzing it. So while the popular opinion of LO has shifted more towards a negative point of view, that doesn't mean that fans of the comic don't exist - it's just that most of those fans are blissfully enjoying the comic and can only sum it up as "it's very pretty and the plot is great", whereas many people who didn't enjoy it are more likely to voice their opinions as to why in far more explicit detail (though on the flipside of that, it also goes to show that there's a lot more to analyze in LO's flaws than its strengths - it's ironic that the fans often don't have much to say beyond "it's cute" or "I relate to Persephone" and anything further than that is relegated to pure headcanon pieced together by assumption and best guesses to make up for Rachel's lack of writing).

All that aside though, regarding the TV adaption, at this point it's less a matter of reception and more a matter of relevancy. The perfect time to release or at least show us proof of the LO TV show was years ago, when the comic was at its peak between 2020-2021. The second best time was at last year's NYCC when Rachel was a headlining guest. The fact they still had nothing to show for it at this year's NYCC, with Rachel nowhere to be seen and instead focusing more on the Freaking Romance adaption with Snailords filling the role as their featured guest (an equally if not even more problematic creator), is astounding, but unsurprising.

To me, LO feels like a real life case of "Tortoise and the Hare". Back at the start of it all, in 2017-2018, it was doing what no other comic on the platform was doing, presenting us a retelling of the Hades and Persephone story - which was very popular on Tumblr at the time - through a modern setting and with art that was incredibly unique for the platform. That, paired with WT's aggressive marketing, propelled it far ahead every other comic on the platform, creating a gap so massive that even the comics in second place on the trending tabs still weren't even close to LO's lead in terms of stats and money.

But then it got complacent. Quality of the comic's writing and art dropped, it was becoming increasingly obvious that LO had become no more than a marketing grift akin to the likes of Harry Potter - easily turned into books, t-shirts, socks, coloring books, figures, etc. - and that gave way to an increase of criticism towards it, criticism that had always somewhat existed even as far back as its days on Tumblr, but was now amplified by the existing ongoing proof that LO was never all it was cracked up to be.

Now, at best they shill $200+ figurine pre-orders, but the show is nowhere to be seen and, with the comic now finished and locked behind Daily Pass, its relevancy is dying out. "Rachel Smythe Presents" still has nothing to show for itself, Rachel's IG and Twitter seem to be purely for merch-pushing by the Inklore team, and Rachel has, at best, two new series that she suddenly announced but, in her words, don't even have anything written or planned for them yet beyond the taglines that were thrown together for her socials.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Greek myth retelling industry is in a renaissance. Hades is still a massively popular game, with its sequel now in early access; Epic: The Musical has been making waves on Spotify and TikTok far exceeding that of LO's in terms of audience reach, and even has more to show for itself in the way of official animations than LO ever has; and now Kaos has recently launched its first season after being in production since 2018 - yes, you read that right, it got commissioned around the exact same time LO became an Originals series which suggests the idea for it was already floating around and being pitched prior to LO - and, frankly, has beaten LO at its own game by achieving everything LO set out to do - weaving a Greek epic-style story in a modern setting, balancing romance with prophecies and world-ending stakes. It took a while, but Kaos made it past the finishing line, while LO has been dragging itself behind it, still making empty promises that a TV show is "still in the works" and "coming soon", with not a single thing to show for itself.

LO may have gotten a head start in being the "sleek, modern, sexy Greek myth retelling" by the virtue of being a weekly webtoon, but slow and steady wins the race - the productions that have taken their time cooking in the oven are now coming out as beautiful and delicious as we, the guests at the table, were told would be, while LO is simply the short-term gratification junk food that bombards us with gimmicks but sits like a rock in our stomachs and leaves us unfulfilled and wishing for a better meal.

Those better meals are here now and they were absolutely worth the wait.

[gallifreyinstituteforlearning]

What are some major Gallifreyan traditions and holidays?

What are some major Gallifreyan traditions and holidays?

Gallifrey might seem like a quiet, stoic planet, but that doesn't mean they don't know how to par-tay.

🗓️ Calendar

🕰️ Day 1: New Year's Day / Creation of the Web of Time

The Gallifreyan year kicks off by celebrating the Creation of the Web of Time, a foundational moment in Gallifrey's history. This event symbolises Gallifreyan mastery of time travel and their establishment of the many, many rules that govern it.

🚀 Day ~10: Shobogan Day (first Shobogan crewed time travel)

Around Day 10, Gallifreyans celebrate the first crewed time travel by the Shobogans, their ancestors. This holiday commemorates the adventurous spirit that led to the development of their advanced time travel technology.

👑 Day 14: Rassilon's Day (Rassilon becomes the first President)

Rassilon is honoured on Day 14 for becoming the first President of the High Council. This event celebrates the establishment of the Time Lord society and its governing body.

🌱 Day ~60: Spring Begins

💡 Day 128: Intuitive Revolution Day

Intuitive Revolution Day commemorates Rassilon's overthrow of the Pythia. This revolution led to the enlightenment of Gallifreyan society, bringing in the scientific, time-traveling culture that defines them today. Also noted on this day is the ancient Shobogan practice of casting stillborn children into the Crevass of Memories that Will Be.

☀️ Day ~150: Summer Begins

🕊️ Day 162: Otherstide / Othermass / Festival of Freedom

One of the biggest celebrations, Otherstide (or Othermass) is a holiday not too disimilar to Christmas on Earth. Gallifreyans tend to stay in their Houses, feasting with their Cousins and exchanging gifts. A big feature is the Mystery of the New Time, a puppet show performed with massive mechanical puppets, reenacting the rise of Rassilon and the fall of the Other.

🌚 Day ~170: Summer Solstice

🎭 Day 175: The Thirteenth Night

Thirteen days after Otherstide, Gallifreyan cults used to perform the dark tradition of Mimesis, a kind of theatre which could rewrite history. This one's no longer practised ... officially.

⚰️ Day 205: Feast of Omega

Gallifreyans also honour the death of Omega. It likely involves some philosophical contemplation on the nature of sacrifice, power, and hubris, as well as some feasting.

🍂 Day ~240: Haytime / Autumn Begins

❄️ Day ~330: Winter Begins

🥶 Day ~350: Winter Solstice

🍽️ Feasts and Other Celebrations

Gallifreyans love their Feast Days, such as the Feast of Rassilon, Rassilon's Flag Day, and Cold Lamentation. These events typically involve large communal meals with Gallifreyans gathering for a blend of tradition and intellectual discussions. Traditional unsynthesised foods like Karmine pudding, Dactyl Eggs, and the famous Flan of Omega probably make an appearance.

🎁 Name-Days

Instead of birthdays, Gallifreyans celebrate Name-Days, where they might exchange small treats and gifts to honour the anniversary of a person receiving their name. It's a low-key event but still a significant part of their personal traditions.

🏫 So ...

Although their celebrations are way less wild than some human parties, these feast days usually involved being communal and eating traditional foods to get a break from all that synthesised fungus.

Related:

💬|👤👑Why is Rassilon everywhere?: Who Rassilon is and why he’s so important.

💬|⏰🎉Do Gallifreyans have parties?: The kinds of celebrations and feasts Gallifreyans have.

💬|⏰🎉How do Gallifreyans celebrate Otherstide?: Looking at how Gallifreyans celebrate this holiday.

Hope that helped! 😃

Any orange text is educated guesswork or theoretical. More content ... →📫Got a question? | 📚Complete list of Q+A and factoids →📢Announcements |🩻Biology |🗨️Language |🕰️Throwbacks |🤓Facts → Features: ⭐Guest Posts | 🍜Chomp Chomp with Myishu →🫀Gallifreyan Anatomy and Physiology Guide (pending) →⚕️Gallifreyan Emergency Medicine Guides →📝Source list (WIP) →📜Masterpost If you're finding your happy place in this part of the internet, feel free to buy a coffee to help keep our exhausted human conscious. She works full-time in medicine and is so very tired 😴

[satoshi-mochida]

PATAPON 1+2 REPLAY announced for PS5, Switch, and PC - Gematsu

Publisher Bandai Namco, in cooperation with Sony Interactive Entertainment, and developer��SAS have announced PATAPON 1+2 REPLAY for PlayStation 5, Switch, and PC (Steam). It will launch on July 11 worldwide.

Here is an overview of the game, via Bandai Namco:

About

PATAPON is an action adventure where players use the rhythm of four Mystical Drums to command cute and mysterious eyeball-like creatures known as Patapons. All Patapons have unique characteristics and classes (jobs) such as the Hatapon who stands in the center of the squadron waving its flag and leading its allies, the Tatepon who protects others with its large shield, and the Yumipon who attacks by shooting arrows. The role of each Patapon during battle varies with their class, allowing you to create a unique and well-rounded army to take on the various challenges that await! As the player, you are the God of the Patapons and lead them on a grand adventure to Earthend!

Key Features

-PATAPON and PATAPON 2 are now a packaged set!

The two games, released in 2007 and 2008, are back as a remastered set!

-The game involves 2 elements: simple controls and strategic combat!

The controls are incredibly simple, comprised of the rhythmic beating of four drums [Pata(←), Pon(→), Don(↓), Chaka(↑)].

At the same time, there are many strategic elements, such as using the right battle commands during the right situation, and creating an army comprised of the classes (jobs) of Patapons, creating a game that is easy to understand while still offering a challenge!

-A Game full of Challenges and Variety!

Patapons can be made or enhanced using various items. On top of that, even stronger Patapons can be created by gathering materials from stages and minigames. The game contains 400 weapons and equipment to enhance and upgrade your Patapons!

Customize your army to your heart’s content and create a one-of-a-kind squadron to take on the various enemies and challenges this game has to offer!

-New support features!

While the original game elements remain unchanged, new support features have been added for a more enjoyable gaming experience!

Newly implemented features found in this version allow players to adjust the standard difficulty between Easy, Normal, and Hard, adjust the timing of button presses, and keep the drum icon displayed at all times!

Enjoy the original PATAPON, made better with all-new features!

Watch the announcement trailer below.

Announce Trailer

English

Japanese

Web Commercial

[blackbird-brewster]

I've always been a diehard Jemily fan, but I can get behind Jara 👀 Time to fixate on a new ship!

ONE OF US! ONE OF US! Hiiiiii, new recruit. Let me further convince you of how amazing this ship is by sharing a bunch of fics.

First up, feel free to check out my [Jara Beginner's Guide] for episodes, gifsets, and more.

I'm about to change your whole life. As a Jemily shipper, turned Jara truther, might I suggest my favourite OT3... Je T'Emily? (See the bottom of the list for my other polyam ships ft. Jara 👀)

OT3: Je T'Emily Fic Recs

Fooled Around (and Fell in Love) AU | Series

Rated: E || Total WC: 435,000

A queer, polyamorous, rom-com AU starring: Jennifer Jareau, Emily Prentiss and Tara Lewis. Also featuring all of your other favourite CM characters.

False Flags and the Art of Misdirection

Rated: T || WC: 12,000

There was no doubt the case in Roswell was a strange one, but for three members of the BAU in particular, all the talk of secrets, conspiracies and cover-ups felt a bit too familiar, because upon their return, Tara, JJ and Emily found themselves wrapped up in their own web of lies, romance, and misdirection. And just like in Roswell, not everything was exactly how it seemed.

You Tell Me, is Three a Crowd? || By: pagetbrewstersswife

Rated: E || WC: 5300

Emily loves J.J. and J.J. loves Emily. What they don't expect is for Tara to enter the equation.

A Secret Santa (or Two) || By: mournful_shapes

Rated: E || WC: 5800

Emily draws a newly divorced JJ’s name for Secret Santa.

JJ/Tara Fic Recs

Find more on my [Master List of Jara fics]

Stand By Me | Series

Rated: E || Total WC: 192,000

A JJ/Tara romantic saga set in canon (S11 onwards). Told through a mixture of flashbacks and current narratives that weave the story together.

Twelve Days of Christmas

Rated: M || WC: 100,000+ (WIP)

When widowed author Jennifer Jareau and her sons attend the fourth annual Jareau holiday reunion in the small mountain-town of Northvale, the last thing she expected was to fall in love. The only problem is, the woman who has stolen her heart happens to be JJ's brother's girlfriend, Tara. While trying to get close to Tara, JJ also stumbles into a mystery she must unravel in order to understand the other woman's true intentions. Can she solve the mystery and win the woman of her dreams in a mere twelve days? She's certainly going to try. [This festive rom-com AU is packed full of tropes, plot twists, and holiday cheer.]

Here is Home

Rated: T || WC: 20,000

After her divorce, JJ finds friendship and companionship with Tara but things become complicated when JJ realises she's developing romantic feelings as well. How could she let herself fall for Tara, when Tara runs from absolutely any and all serious relationships?

New Emotion

Rated: T || WC: 6300

With the help of Penelope and Emily, a BAU Girls' Night leads to Tara and JJ realising how they truly feel about each other.

I Know a Place

Rated: T || WC: 3000

Tara takes JJ out for a night of dancing and while getting swept away by the music, the end up swept into each other's arms.

OT3: Did You Say Girlfriend? (Tara/Rebecca/JJ)

Cut to the Feeling

Rated: E || WC: 19,300

When JJ finds out Tara has a girlfriend, she's surprised when this announcement causes her to feel an overwhelming sense of jealousy. In her attempt to ask Tara about her relationship status, JJ accidentally admits far more than she ever intended, leaving Tara feeling confused and slightly intrigued at the idea of what she and JJ might have had together -- if not for the fact Tara is happily dating Rebecca.

Company

Rated: E || WC: 4700

After an extremely stressful week, all Rebecca wants is to do on Friday night is go home to Tara and relax. But when JJ opens the front door, instead of her girlfriend, Rebecca fears those plans are completely ruined. Little does she know, Tara and JJ are about to make sure she has the best night of her life.

OT4: Book Club (JJ/Tara/Emily/Rebecca)

The Rush

Rated: E || WC: 9200

The arrangement was unusual, but definitely not unheard of. It began like these things usually do, a group of four friends (made up of two couples) had a bit too much to drink one night, they got a little flirty with each other, and someone, none of them could recall who (though, the the Brat of the group would naturally take credit for the idea), decided to finally address the sexual tension in the room. Five months after closing the Gold Star case, JJ, Tara, and Rebecca give Emily a birthday she'll never forget. [Follow-up to 'Do What I Want (Over What's Right)' but can be read as a stand-alone]

In conclusion, JJ/Tara are in love and that's just the facts. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Object permanence

I'm on a 20+ city book tour for my new novel PICKS AND SHOVELS. Catch me in AUSTIN on Mar 10. I'm also appearing at SXSW and at many events around town, for Creative Commons, Fediverse House, and EFF-Austin. More tour dates here.

#20yrsago EU software patents pass in the teeth of decency and democracy https://web.archive.org/web/20050310004103/http://wiki.ffii.org/Cons050307En

#20yrsago Europe’s “Broadcast Flag” dangers https://web.archive.org/web/20050305062313/http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=21595

#20yrsago Koster’s keynote from Game Developers Conference https://crystaltips.typepad.com/wonderland/2005/03/raphs_keynote.html

#20yrsago Sterling on the counterfeits of Belgrade https://web.archive.org/web/20050223100218/https://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.03/view.html?pg=4

#15yrsago Ubisoft DRM servers go down, punishing customers but not pirates https://www.escapistmagazine.com/Ubisoft-DRM-Authentication-Servers-Go-Down/

#10yrsago Albuquerque PD encrypts videos before releasing them in records request https://www.techdirt.com/2015/03/06/albuquerque-police-dept-complies-with-records-request-releasing-password-protected-videos-not-password/

#10yrsago Judge who invented Ferguson’s debtor’s prisons owes $170K in tax https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/mar/06/ferguson-judge-owes-unpaid-taxes-ronald-brockmeyer

#10yrsago Hartford, CT says friends can’t room together unless some of them are servants https://www.courant.com/2015/02/17/hartford-upholds-action-against-scarborough-street-family/

#10yrsago Improving the estimate of US police killings https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/a-new-estimate-of-killings-by-police-is-way-higher-and-still-too-low/

#5yrsago The savior of Waterstones will turn every B&N into an indie https://pluralistic.net/2020/03/07/bookselling-is-back/#dauntbn

#5yrsago Compromise threatens Intel's chip-within-a-chip https://pluralistic.net/2020/03/07/bookselling-is-back/#csme

#5yrsago Gig economy drivers won't get sick-pay if they have covid-19 symptoms https://pluralistic.net/2020/03/07/bookselling-is-back/#covid-gig

#5yrsago Audio from last night's Canada Reads event in Kelowna https://pluralistic.net/2020/03/07/bookselling-is-back/#kelowna

#1yrago 1900s futurism https://pluralistic.net/2024/03/07/the-gernsback-continuum/#wheres-my-jetpack

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/2025/03/05/printers-devil/#show-me-the-incentives-i-will-show-you-the-outcome

[agapi-kalyptei]

crowdstrike hot take 5: so who was incompetent, really?

OK so it's the first Monday after the incident. CrowdStrike (CS) is being tight-lipped about the actual cause of the incident, which Microsoft estimates to have affected 8.5 million devices.

Here's an unconfirmed rumor: CS has been firing a lot of QA people and replacing them with AI. I will not base this post on that rumor. But...

Here's a fact: wikipedia listed 8429 CS employees as of April 2024. Now the updated page says they have 7925 employees in their "Fiscal Year 2024".

Anyway. Here's a semi-technical video if you want to catch up on what bluescreen and kernel-mode drivers are in the contexts of the CS incident by a former microsoft engineer. He also briefly mentions WHQL certification - a quality assurance option provided by Microsoft for companies who want to make sure their kernel drivers are top-notch.

Now conceptually, there are two types of updates - updates to a software itself, and a definition update. For a videogame, the software update would be a new feature or bugfixes, and content update would add a new map or textures or something. (Realistically they come hand in hand anyway.) For an antivirus/antimalware, a definition update is basically a list of red flags - a custom format file that instructs the main software on how to find threats.

The video mentions an important thing about the faulty update: while many people say "actually it wasn't a software update that broke it, it was a definition file", it seems that CS Falcon downloads an update file and executes code inside that file - thus avoiding the lengthy re-certification by Microsoft while effectively updating the software.

Some background: On audits in software

A lot of software development is unregulated. You can make a website, deploy it, and whether you post puppy pictures or promote terrorism, there's no one reviewing and approving your change. Laws still apply - even the puppy pictures can be problematic if they include humans who did not consent to have their photos taken and published - but no one's stopping you immediately from publishing them.

And a lot of software development IS regulated - you cannot make software for cars without certifications, you cannot use certain programming languages when developing software for spaceships or MRIs. Many industries like online casinos are regulated - IF you want to operate legally in most countries, you need a license, and you need to implement certain features ("responsible gaming"), and you must submit the actual source code for reviews.

This varies country by country (and state by state, in USA, Canada, etc) and can mean things like "you pay $200 for each change you want to put to production*", or it can mean "you have to pay $40'000 if you make a lot of changes and want to get re-certified".

*production means "web servers or software that goes to end customers", as opposed to "dev environment", "developer's laptop", "QA environment" or "staging" or "test machines", "test VMs" or any of the other hundreds way to test things before they go live.

The certification, and regular audits, involves several things:

Testing the software from user's perspective

Validating the transactions are reported correctly (so that you're not avoiding taxes)

Checking for the user-protecting features, like being able to set a monthly limit on depositing money, etc

Checking the source code to make sure customers are not being ripped off

Validating security and permissions, so a janitor can't download or delete production databases

Validating that you have the work process that you said you would - that you have Jira (or similar) tickets for everything that gets done and put to production, etc, and

...that you have Quality Assurance process in place, and that every change that goes to production is tested and approved

You can see why I highlighted the last point, right.

Now, to my knowledge, security software doesn't have its own set of legal requirements - if I want to develop an antivirus, I don't need a special permission from my government, I can write code, not test it at all, and start selling it for, idk for example $185 per machine it gets deployed to.

And here's the thing - while there certainly is a level of corruption / nepotism / favoritism in the IT industry, I don't think CloudStrike became one of the biggest IT security providers in the world just by sweet talking companies. While there isn't any legal regulation, companies do choose carefully before investing into 3rd party solutions that drastically affect their whole IT. What I mean, CloudStrike probably wasn't always incompetent.

(Another rumor from youtube comments: A company with ~1000 employees was apparently pressured by an insurance company to use CrowdStrike - whether it's a genuine recommendation, an "affiliate link" or just plain old bribery... I do not know.)

WHY what happened is still very baffling

See, this is what would be the process if I was running a security solutions company:

a team is assigned a task. this task is documented

the team discusses the task if it's non-trivial, and they work on it together if possible

solo developer taking the task is not ideal, but very common, since you cannot parallelize (split it between several people) some tasks

while developing, ideally the developer can test everything from start to finish on their laptop. If doing it on their laptop isn't possible, then on a virtual machine (a computer that runs only inside software, and can be more or less stored in a file, duplicated, restored to a previous version, backed up, etc, just by copying that file)

in case of automated software updates, you would have "update channels". In this case it means... like if you have a main AO3 account where you put finished things, and then you'd have another AO3 account where you only put beta fics. So in my hypothetical company, you'd have a testing update channel for each developer or each team. The team would first publish their work only on their update channel, and then a separate QA team could test only their changes.

Either way, after maybe-mostly-finishing the task, the code changes would be bundled in something called a "pull request" or "PR" or "merge request". It's basically a web page that displays what was the code before and after. This PR would be reviewed by people who have NOT worked on the change, so they can check and potentially criticize the change. This is one of the most impactful things for software quality.

Either before or after the PR, the change would go to QA. First it would be tested just in the team's update channel. If it passes and no more development is needed on it, it would go to a QA update channel that joins all recent changes across all teams.

After that, it would be released to an early access or prerelease update channel, sometimes called a canary deploy. Generally, this would be either a limited amount - maybe 100 or 1000 computers, either used internally, or semi-randomly spread across real clients, or it could be as much as 10% of all customers' computers.

THEN YOU WAIT AND SEE IF THERE ARE NO ERROR REPORTS.

Basically ALL modern software (and websites! all the cookies!) collect "metrics" - like "how often each day is this running", or "did our application crash"

you absolute MUST have graphs (monitoring - sometimes this is a part of discipline called "reliability engineering") that show visually things like the number of users online, how many customers are lagging behind with updates, how many errors are reported, how many viruses are being caught by our software. If anything goes up or down too much, it's a cause for concern. If 10% of your customers are suddenly offline after a canary deploy is out, you're shitting your pants.

ONLY after waiting for a while to see everything is okay, you can push the update to ALL clients. It is unfathomable how anyone would do that straight away, or maybe how someone could do it without proper checks, or how the wrong thing got sent to the update.

As ClownStrike is still silent about the actual cause of the issue, we can only make guesses about how much they circumvented their own Quality Assurance process to push the faulty update to millions of computers.

It gets worse

Here's the thing: CrowdStrike itself allows users to create computer groups and let them choose the update channel. You, as a business customer, can say

these 100 unimportant laptops will have the latest update

these important servers will have N-1 update (one version behind)

the rest of the company will have N-2 update (two update versions behind)

CrowdStrike has ignored those settings. According to some youtube comments, supposedly they pushed the update to "only" 25% of all devices - which is worrying to think this could have gone even worse.

Third time isn't the charm

And hey, do you know what happened two years before CrowdStrike was founded? The CEO George Kurtz was at the time, in 2010, the CTO of McAfee, the controversial / crappy security company (IMO offering one of the worst antivirus programs of all times, that was aggressively pushed through bundled OEM deals). In both 2009 and 2010 their enterprise software deleted a critical operating system file and bricked a lot of computers, possibly hundreds of thousands.

And yes, the trigger wasn't an update to the antivirus itself, but a faulty "definition update". Funny coincidence, huh.

[thoughtportal]

There are multiple pathways from Anne Carson’s poetry to Ross Gay’s prose. One need only listen, the Poetry Center at the University of Arizona in Tucson reminds us, and follow the trail of audience participation, decolonization, and ants.

In August 2024 the center announced the complete transcription of Voca, the audiovisual archive of its poetry recordings, including its longtime reading and lecture series, which began in 1962. The result is more than twelve thousand captioned media files of poets reading—and talking about—their poetry, making the archive’s intellectual content accessible to users with disabilities, visible to search engines, and available for linguistic computational analyses, library director Sarah Kortemeier says. The transcriptions date back to the center’s earliest recordings, in 1963, and amount to some six million words, spoken in at least twenty-five languages, including Japanese, classical and modern Greek, Bosnian, Swedish, Arabic, Diné Bizaad, and O’odham. A reading by Ada Limón held in 2024. (Credit: Tyler Meier) 

This enormous undertaking was made possible by a 2021 Mellon Foundation Public Knowledge grant of $135,000, which allowed Voca to hire professional transcribers to create the initial text documents. (Artificial intelligence was only of limited help in creating transcriptions, Kortemeier found: Large language models “are trained to predict the most likely word in a sequence based on thousands of other texts,” she says. “But when we write poems, we’re frequently looking for the most surprising next word, not the most likely one!”) Over three years, the center’s library staff and graduate student interns proofread, revised, and uploaded the transcriptions—with input from the center’s staff and community on some non-English language entries. The center also collaborated with web developers at the University of Arizona’s College of Humanities to redesign the Voca site to enable captions, as well as new features like playlists and lesson plans.

A unique aspect of the archive is that it captures poets talking extemporaneously about their work. This spontaneous reflection is another reason the universal design of captioning is so important, Kortemeier says. “An author’s commentary can provide a crucial on-ramp for access to the poem, an open invitation to experience the artwork with the artist.”

While Voca’s digital cataloging system already flagged recordings of early drafts, captioning helped identify “real wild cards—poems that subsequently got chopped up into multiple published pieces, say, or poems that retained only a couple of lines from the first draft in their final published versions.”

A reader might begin exploring Voca with a 2001 reading by Anne Carson, in which the poet coaches her audience through an interactive performance of several of her “short talks.” Carson’s words light up on-screen as she promises their first assignment is easy; at her signal, all they have to do is call out a single word, deciduous, in a questioning tone. “Okay,” she warns them with mock sternness, “remember your line.” (They nail it.)

Entries in the Voca archive are accompanied by keyword tags generated by library staff (and, in some older examples, by members of the public), creating a site-wide taxonomy of literary ideas. Carson’s reading is tagged: classics, audience participation, franz kafka, john keats, beauty, innovative, painter, artists. Clicking on “audience participation” offers a spate of other recordings, including a 2014 reading by Craig Santos Perez. Introducing the event, Poetry Center executive director Tyler Meier thanks the audience for braving local storms. Then Perez himself explains that the weather has cost him one of the props for his series of poems on colonization and American food: When the center warned him his flight might be canceled, he ate his can of corned beef. One doesn’t need the audio to know there is laughter in the room.

Clicking on decolonization, one of Perez’s keywords, will send a reader to Sawako Nakayasu discussing source texts for her “micro-translations,” including Adam Pendleton’s “Black Dada” and Ron Silliman’s “Ketjak.” Such references are easily missed in a live event or audio recording; the transcripts, which have been uploaded as plain-text files, can be scrolled through or searched to verify a word. The text format also offers a treasure trove of material for digital humanities scholars. Kortemeier hopes for the creation of a Voca concordance (an alphabetized index of key terms and their usage), which would allow for the study of the frequency with which poets use certain words across the archive’s six decades—just one avenue of research made possible by Voca’s transcription.

Nakayasu’s irresistible keyword ants delivers a Voca visitor to Ross Gay, reading poems from his insect-friendly Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude (2015) as well as “essayettes” from a work-in-progress.

Gay’s reading, on the eve of Donald Trump’s first presidential inauguration, is accompanied by a Q&A in which the poet describes the inspiration he finds in human interactions. Walking to an Ethiopian restaurant earlier that day, Gay recalls, he saw a man in roller skates—“half purple and half pink”—skating over something written on the sidewalk: Repent. Fear God. The skater, Gay delightedly observed, was slowly erasing the text as he rolled across it. “That person,” Gay promises, “is going to show up in something I write.”

Two years later, he did. The pink-and-purple skater and the message over which he rolls appear in The Book of Delights (Algonquin Books, 2019), the book those budding essayettes would become. The Voca transcript makes it simple to compare the two texts—Gay’s off-the-cuff story and its eventual manifestation in print���side by side. In the published version, the pink of the skates is refined (“a color I want to call fuchsia but I think that’s wrong. Magenta?”) and the pavement text is now “REPENT OR BURN,” but the anecdote is largely unchanged. Then the essayette swerves, in its final line, into new territory. As he watches the skater erode the text, the poet recognizes himself as part of the tableau—and active in it. “And, too,” Gay concludes, “the slight erosion was I, admiring him steadfast like this, all the herons in my chest whacking unrepentantly into the sky.”

Reading along exemplifies what’s precious about Voca’s transcription project: In following the text’s development, in listening to writers discuss their own work and discovering their lines of intersection—from Carson to Perez to Nakayasu to Gay—more readers can chart a poet’s imagination taking flight.     

Evangeline Riddiford Graham is the senior editor of Public Seminar and host of the poetry podcast Multi-Verse.

[kandisatechnologies]

Accelerate LWC Development With Salesforce’s Local Development Server

Tired of constantly deploying and refreshing your UI every time you update your Lightning web components (LWCs)?

With Local Dev (beta), you can streamline your workflow by developing your LWCs while previewing them in real-time directly within your Lightning app or Experience Cloud site.

Note: Before you begin make sure that you have the latest version of the CLI command, run “sf update”.

Step 1: Install the Local Dev Plugin To begin, install the Local Dev Plugin using one of the following commands based on your environment:

For Production or Scratch orgs:

sf plugins install @salesforce/plugin-lightning-dev

OR

sf plugins install @salesforce/plugin-lightning-dev@latest

For Sandbox environments:

sf plugins install @salesforce/plugin-lightning-dev@prerelease

Step 2: Enable Local Dev

Navigate to Setup in Salesforce.

In the Quick Find box, type Local Dev.

Select Local Dev and enable the feature.

Step 3: Enable Local Dev for Your Scratch Org

To configure Local Dev for a scratch org:

Open your SFDX project.

Locate the config/project-scratch-def.json file.

In the settings section of the file, add the following key “enableLightningPreviewPref”: true

Step 4: Preview

Use Local Dev to run a preview of the following types of Salesforce projects.

Lightning Experience apps (desktop and Salesforce mobile app)

LWR Sites for Experience Cloud

To preview your application, use the following steps:

Run the command below in the CLI to start the guided setup: sf lightning dev app

Alternatively, if you want to bypass the guided steps, you can directly use the following command in the VS Code terminal: sf lightning dev app — target-org — name — device-type — device-id — flags-dir

Replace the placeholders with the appropriate values for your project. This will launch the application preview.

Guided Steps When Running the Command sf lightning dev app:

Step 4: Build an LWC Component and Experience the Real-Time Magic of Local Dev (Beta).

Start by creating a Lightning Web Component (LWC).

Embed the LWC into any Lightning app. For now, you can add it to any page in the Sales App.

Make changes to your LWC, such as modifying the HTML, CSS, or JavaScript. As soon as you save your code, you’ll experience the power of Local Dev (Beta), with changes reflected in real-time on the UI.

Notice how quickly the LWC updates, without needing to deploy your code or refresh the page. The changes are applied instantly!

Considerations and Limitations:

LWCs automatically update for the following changes only.

1. Basic HTML revisions: Changing component attributes, like in our case

lighting-button variant=”neutral” to variant=”brand”

Get More info: https://www.kandisatech.com/blog-details/accelerate-lwc-development-with-salesforces-local-development-server

[mariacallous]

Grindr’s AI wingman, currently in beta testing with around 10,000 users, arrives at a pivotal moment for the software company. With its iconic notification chirp and ominous mask logo, the app is known culturally as a digital bathhouse for gay and bisexual men to swap nudes and meet with nearby users for sex, but Grindr CEO George Arison sees the addition of a generative AI assistant and machine intelligence tools as an opportunity for expansion.

“This is not just a hookup product anymore,” he says. “There's obviously no question that it started out as a hookup product, but the fact that it's become a lot more over time is something people don't fully appreciate.” Grindr’s product road map for 2025 spotlights multiple AI features aimed at current power users, like chat summaries, as well as dating and travel-focused tools.

Whether users want them or not, it’s all part of a continuing barrage of AI features being added by developers to most dating apps, from Hinge deciding whether profile answers are a slog using AI, to Tinder soon rolling out AI-powered matches. Wanting to better understand how AI fits into Grindr's future, I experimented with a beta version of Grindr's AI wingman for this hands-on report.

First Impressions of Grindr’s AI Wingman

In interviews over the past few months, Arison has laid out a consistent vision for Grindr’s AI wingman as the ultimate dating tool—a digital helper that can write witty responses for users as they chat with matches, help pick guys worth messaging, and even plan the perfect night out.

“It's been surprisingly flirtatious,” he says about the chatbot. “Which is good.”

Once enabled, the AI wingman appeared as another faceless Grindr profile in my message inbox. Despite grand visions for the tool, the current iteration I tested was a simple, text-only chatbot tuned for queer audiences.

First, I wanted to test the chatbot’s limits. Unlike the more prudish outputs from OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude, Grindr’s AI wingman was willing to be direct. I asked it to share fisting tips for beginners, and after stating that fisting is not for newcomers, the AI wingman encouraged me to start slow, use tons of lube, explore smaller toys first, and always have a safe word ready to go. “Most importantly, do your research and maybe chat with experienced folks in the community,” the bot said. ChatGPT flagged similar questions as going against its guidelines, and Claude refused to even broach the subject.

Although the wingman was down to talk through other kinks—like watersports and pup play—with a focus on education, the app rebuked my advances for any kind of erotic role-play. “How about we keep things playful but PG-13?” said Grindr’s AI wingman. “I’d be happy to chat about dating tips, flirting strategies, or fun ways to spice up your profile instead.” The bot also refused to explore kinks based on race or religion, warning me that these are likely harmful forms of fetishization.

Processing data through Amazon Web Service’s Bedrock system, the chatbot does include some details scraped from the web, but it can’t go out and find new information in real time. Since the current version doesn't actively search the internet for answers, the wingman provided more general advice than specifics when asked to plan a date for me in San Francisco. “How about checking out a local queer-owned restaurant or bar?” it said. “Or maybe plan a picnic in a park and people-watch together?” Pressed for specifics, the AI wingman did name a few relevant locations for date nights in the city but couldn’t provide operating hours. In this instance, posing a similar question to ChatGPT produced a better date night itinerary, thanks to that chatbot’s ability to search the open web.

Despite my lingering skepticism about the wingman tool potentially being more of an AI fad than the actual future of dating, I do see immediate value in a chatbot that can help users come to terms with their sexuality and start the coming out process. Many Grindr users, including myself, become users of the app before telling anyone about their desires, and a kind, encouraging chatbot would have been more helpful to me than the “Am I Gay?” quiz I resorted to as a teenager.

Out With the Bugs, In With the AI

When he took the top job at Grindr before the company’s public listing in 2022, Arison prioritized zapping bugs and fixing app glitches over new feature releases. “We got a lot of bugs out of the way last year,” he says. “Until now, we didn't really have an opportunity to be able to build a lot of new features.”

Despite getting investors hot and bothered, it’s hard to tell how daily Grindr users will respond to this new injection of AI into the app. While some may embrace the suggested matches and the more personalized experience, generative AI is now more culturally polarizing than ever as people complain about its oversaturation, lack of usefulness, and invasion of privacy. Grindr users will be presented with the option to allow their sensitive data, such as the contents of their conversations and precise location, to be used to train the company’s AI tools. Users can go into their account’s privacy settings to opt out if they change their mind.

Arison is convinced in-app conversations reveal a more authentic version of users than what's filled out on any profile, and the next generation of recommendations will be stronger by focusing on that data. “It's one thing what you say in your profile,” he says. “But, it's another thing what you say in your messages—how real that might be.” Though on apps like Grindr, where the conversations often contain explicit, intimate details, some users will be uncomfortable with an AI model reading their private chats to learn more about them, choosing to avoid those features.

Potentially, one of the most helpful AI tools for overly active Grindr users who are open to their data being processed by AI models could be the chat summaries recapping recent interactions with some talking points thrown in to keep conversations going.

“It's really about reminding you what type of connection you might have had with this user, and what might be good topics that could be worth picking back up on,” says A. J. Balance, Grindr’s chief product officer.

Then there’s the model’s ability to highlight the profiles of users it thinks you’re most compatible with. Say you’ve matched with another user and chatted a bit, but that’s as far as things went in the app. Grindr’s AI model will be able to summarize details about that conversation and, using what it has learned about you both, highlight those profiles as part of an “A-List” and offer some ways to rekindle the connection, widening the door you’ve already opened.

“This ‘A-List’ product actually goes through your inbox with folks you've spoken with, pulls out the folks where you've had some good connections,” Balance says. “And it uses that summary to remind you why it could be good to pick back up the conversation.”

Slow Roll

As a gaybie, my first interactions on Grindr were liberating and constricting at the same time. It was the first time I saw casual racism, like “No fats. No fems. No Asians,” blasted across multiple online profiles. And even at my fittest, there always seemed to be some headless torso more in shape than me right around the corner and ready to mock my belly. Based on past experiences, AI features that could detect addiction to the app and encourage healthier habits and boundaries would be a welcome addition.

While Grindr’s other, AI-focused tools are planned for more immediate releases throughout this year, the app’s generative AI assistant isn’t projected to have a complete rollout until 2027. Arison doesn’t want to rush a full release to Grindr’s millions of global users. “These are also expensive products to run,” he says. “So, we want to be kind of careful with that as well.” Innovations in generative AI, like DeepSeek’s R1 model, may eventually reduce the cost to run it on the backend.

Will he be able to navigate adding these experimental, and sometimes controversial, AI tools to the app as part of a push to become more welcoming for users looking to find long-term relationships or queer travel advice, in addition to hookups? For now, Arison appears optimistic, albeit cautious. “We don't expect all of these things to take off,” he says. “Some of them will and some won't.”

[aureumdev]

Welcome to The Aureum

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

Enter, The Aureum!

What is The Aureum?

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

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

What does it do?

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

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

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

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

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

Features

Multiple Projects/ Worlds

Entirely locally hosted, no internet connection required

Personality sliders

Character sheet generator

Timeline feature per project/world

Ability to link to sources and citations

Relationship linking between characters (Similar to fandom wiki setups)

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

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

Ideas for future releases

D20, d6, etc dice roller

Fake social media screenshot generator similar to twinote or photonote

Additional timeline just on a character by character basis

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

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

and more!

Okay but when will it be done?

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

Why are you doing this?

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

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

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

[govindhtech]

NVIDIA AI Workflows Detect False Credit Card Transactions

A Novel AI Workflow from NVIDIA Identifies False Credit Card Transactions.

The process, which is powered by the NVIDIA AI platform on AWS, may reduce risk and save money for financial services companies.

By 2026, global credit card transaction fraud is predicted to cause $43 billion in damages.

Using rapid data processing and sophisticated algorithms, a new fraud detection NVIDIA AI workflows on Amazon Web Services (AWS) will assist fight this growing pandemic by enhancing AI’s capacity to identify and stop credit card transaction fraud.

In contrast to conventional techniques, the process, which was introduced this week at the Money20/20 fintech conference, helps financial institutions spot minute trends and irregularities in transaction data by analyzing user behavior. This increases accuracy and lowers false positives.

Users may use the NVIDIA AI Enterprise software platform and NVIDIA GPU instances to expedite the transition of their fraud detection operations from conventional computation to accelerated compute.

Companies that use complete machine learning tools and methods may see an estimated 40% increase in the accuracy of fraud detection, which will help them find and stop criminals more quickly and lessen damage.

As a result, top financial institutions like Capital One and American Express have started using AI to develop exclusive solutions that improve client safety and reduce fraud.

With the help of NVIDIA AI, the new NVIDIA workflow speeds up data processing, model training, and inference while showcasing how these elements can be combined into a single, user-friendly software package.

The procedure, which is now geared for credit card transaction fraud, might be modified for use cases including money laundering, account takeover, and new account fraud.

Enhanced Processing for Fraud Identification

It is more crucial than ever for businesses in all sectors, including financial services, to use computational capacity that is economical and energy-efficient as AI models grow in complexity, size, and variety.

Conventional data science pipelines don’t have the compute acceleration needed to process the enormous amounts of data needed to combat fraud in the face of the industry’s continually increasing losses. Payment organizations may be able to save money and time on data processing by using NVIDIA RAPIDS Accelerator for Apache Spark.

Financial institutions are using NVIDIA’s AI and accelerated computing solutions to effectively handle massive datasets and provide real-time AI performance with intricate AI models.

The industry standard for detecting fraud has long been the use of gradient-boosted decision trees, a kind of machine learning technique that uses libraries like XGBoost.

Utilizing the NVIDIA RAPIDS suite of AI libraries, the new NVIDIA AI workflows for fraud detection improves XGBoost by adding graph neural network (GNN) embeddings as extra features to assist lower false positives.

In order to generate and train a model that can be coordinated with the NVIDIA Triton Inference Server and the NVIDIA Morpheus Runtime Core library for real-time inferencing, the GNN embeddings are fed into XGBoost.

All incoming data is safely inspected and categorized by the NVIDIA Morpheus framework, which also flags potentially suspicious behavior and tags it with patterns. The NVIDIA Triton Inference Server optimizes throughput, latency, and utilization while making it easier to infer all kinds of AI model deployments in production.

NVIDIA AI Enterprise provides Morpheus, RAPIDS, and Triton Inference Server.

Leading Financial Services Companies Use AI

AI is assisting in the fight against the growing trend of online or mobile fraud losses, which are being reported by several major financial institutions in North America.

American Express started using artificial intelligence (AI) to combat fraud in 2010. The company uses fraud detection algorithms to track all client transactions worldwide in real time, producing fraud determinations in a matter of milliseconds. American Express improved model accuracy by using a variety of sophisticated algorithms, one of which used the NVIDIA AI platform, therefore strengthening the organization’s capacity to combat fraud.

Large language models and generative AI are used by the European digital bank Bunq to assist in the detection of fraud and money laundering. With NVIDIA accelerated processing, its AI-powered transaction-monitoring system was able to train models at over 100 times quicker rates.

In March, BNY said that it was the first big bank to implement an NVIDIA DGX SuperPOD with DGX H100 systems. This would aid in the development of solutions that enable use cases such as fraud detection.

In order to improve their financial services apps and help protect their clients’ funds, identities, and digital accounts, systems integrators, software suppliers, and cloud service providers may now include the new NVIDIA AI workflows for fraud detection. NVIDIA Technical Blog post on enhancing fraud detection with GNNs and investigate the NVIDIA AI workflows for fraud detection.

Read more on Govindhtech.com

[genshin-side-piece]

I want to talk a little about Pierro and Neuvillette.

With Fontaine's impending arrival, speculation is rampant. It's coincidentally my favorite time, because the theory crafters roll up and we all begin sharing our ideas of what could be happening. I'm going to keep this as spoiler free as possible, but I'm still placing it under a cut for people, just to be safe.

The concept that Pierro and Neuvillette are the same person is not that far-fetched. Based on Wanderer's story quest we know that the Fatui had a variation on a cloaking device about 400-500 years ago. That isn't something they developed. It's likely Khaenri'an tech that could have been modified by Dottore later on or was put into use as is. It's also connected specifically to Dottore and Pierro as they are the names mentioned when the device makes it's debut. Since everything Hoyo does is intentional, the device was bound to show up later on.

One thing about the device is that when in use, the user may look similar to their original self or a variation on their own looks, but it's not completely different. In Dottore's case, the version that we see is likely what he looked like before he began experimenting on himself. The segment we know in game is an enhanced version of the actual individual. The same principle can be applied to Pierro/Neuvillette. The "mask" version of Pierro is a younger version of himself before he was impacted by the abyssal corruption in the cataclysm.

 The only variable is how it impacts the eyes. We don’t know if the Dottore of the past is the original incarnation or if it’s a segment. Based on the visuals in the story, the monster has two little birds with it, meaning Dottore had succeeded in duplicating himself by this point. If you look at the segments without the mask, then they have no eyes. Escher, has red/maroon eyes, similar to the web comic version of Dottore. For purpose of my theory, I’m going with the concept that the Dottore we meet in the past is the original Dottore, meaning he has eyes and the device can change the persons full appearance.

So the question is, why? How does this play into the story?

A fun fact about Fontaine is that it will be first nation to not feature one of the Harbingers mentioned in the Pale Flame Set, nor does it have a long serving Harbinger like Dottore, Scaramouche, or Signoria (RIP) running the proverbial show. Arlecchino is set to make her in game debut, but you have to wonder if all is well for her. Thanks to Childe and Wanderer, we know there are trust issues with her. If those two see that she's a red flag, then the others are bound to as well. An argument can made for that based on Signoria's funeral. The shot at the end show's Arlecchino in the background, near Pierro. She and Childe are standing to Pierro's left, directly in his field of vision, signifying that he's got his eye on them.

Another factor to take into account is revenge. The Traveler did not kill Signoria, but we are responsible for her death. That has to come into play at some point. Pierro and Arlecchino were the most visibly upset at Signoria's death. Arlecchino lashes out at her fellow harbingers for their comments and behavior. A year out, you have to question if her temper has cooled or will she use her time in Fontaine as a way to exact revenge.

Pierro's response to Signoria's death is to give her the equivalent to a state funeral. Whether that came from him personally or it was at the directive of the Tsarista, it's hard to say. I tend to believe it does come from him, because at least in my mind, Signoria and Pierro were friends. It's clear Pierro has a familiarity with the longer serving harbingers. How close Signoria and Pierro were, is up for debate. But in this situation, you don't passionately promise someone you don't like that you'll lay her to rest in the entirety of the old world. At the very least Signoria was a link to the truth. She lived through the Cataclysm. She would remember the actual events and not the sanitized version of what we get in the game. Her death is made greater because of that. Would it be enough for Pierro to take revenge? It's hard to say. With the doors to Khaenri'ah resting in the nation of Knowledge and Wisdom though, it makes you wonder.

There are also Pierro's personal connections to the traveler and their sibling to consider. The fact that we're four nations in and we haven't come across him yet is a tad odd. You would think he would get curious, but then again, he also knows that at some point we'll turn up. From his perspective, I'm sure he can wait. It is a little odd if he is masquerading as Nevillette for him to just leave to find the traveler with no explanation. In my mind though, it doesn't make sense to tell us that he lived with our sibling and not come across him sooner rather than later. The explanation to the contrary is that Pierro lied to Wanderer about his identity. The only way to fact check him would be to check Irminsul. Since Wanderer doesn't out him on the lie, I have to give Pierro the benefit of the doubt.

With only three official nations left, every step counts. I doubt the Fatui, more specifically Pierro would leave much to chance, if there is anything to chance. Given that the plans for Inazuma were laid several hundred years in the past, I wouldn't be surprised if the other nations weren't the same. For all we know, Pierro, disguised as Neuvillette could have conspired with the current Hydro Archon to murder the old one and seize power. That would give Pierro direct access to the gnosis when he needed it. The Fatui's entire plan has hinged on Morax's assent to surrender his gnosis. There's no point in taking any of the gnosises before that happened and I'm sure it would be all too easy for Pierro to get it now.

Since we know the Fatui run political distractions as a way of thwarting the Traveler, Arlecchino's purpose could be just that. She's responsible for luring the traveler in and keeping the do gooders busy while Pierro secures the gnosis behind the scenes. Much in the same vein as Childe, Arlecchino could be participating in her own downfall. I doubt she would know or realize that Neuvillette is Pierro is disguise. That makes her the perfect scape goat for when the traveler foils the Fauti's plans in Fontaine. Pierro can easily two birds one stone two considerable problems. He can get rid of someone he doesn't trust and he can get the Hydro gnosis. But that's only IF he and Neuvillette are the same person.

If they are not, then Pierro and Neuvillette are from the same species, or even family. There are too many similarities between them to dismiss the possibility. We have enough examples of other Khaenri'ans to know that Pierro and Neuvillette (not confirmed as Khaenri'an) are not like the others. I won't get into the other rumor surrounding Neuvillette, but it does provide a pretty substantial reason for a few other things that have been mentioned in the game, especially regarding Pierro. Wanderer mentions that Pierro was a Khaenri'an Mage prior to the cataclysm. One of the largest looming questions surrounding the Fatui is why would the Tsaritsa make a deal with a mage to overthrow Celestia? How does that same mage control some of the most powerful people in the world for close to 500 years? He’s either got a ton of people skills, an expert black mailer, or possesses a power that hasn’t been seen since the days of the primordial one.

Only time will tell.

[idiosys1]

10 security tips for MVC applications in 2023

Model-view-controller or MVC is an architecture for web app development. As one of the most popular architectures of app development frameworks, it ensures multiple advantages to the developers. If you are planning to create an MVC-based web app solution for your business, you must have known about the security features of this architecture from your web development agency. Yes, MVC architecture not only ensures the scalability of applications but also a high level of security. And that’s the reason so many web apps are being developed with this architecture. But, if you are looking for ways to strengthen the security features of your MVC app further, you need to know some useful tips.

To help you in this task, we are sharing our 10 security tips for MVC applications in 2023! Read on till the end and apply these tips easily to ensure high-security measures in your app.

1. SQL Injection: Every business has some confidential data in their app, which needs optimum security measures. SQL Injection is a great threat to security measures as it can steal confidential data through SQL codes. You need to focus on the prevention of SQL injection with parameterized queries, storing encrypted data, inputs validation etc.

2. Version Discloser: Version information can also be dangerous for your business data as it provides hackers with your specific version information. Accordingly, they can attempt to attack your app development version and become successful. Hence, you need to hide the information such as the server, x-powered-by, x-sourcefiles and others.

3. Updated Software: Old, un-updated software can be the reason for a cyber attack. The MVC platforms out there comprise security features that keep on updating. If you also update your MVC platform from time to time, the chances of a cyber attack will be minimized. You can search for the latest security updates at the official sites.

4. Cross-Site Scripting: The authentication information and login credentials of applications are always vulnerable elements that should be protected. Cross-Site Scripting is one of the most dangerous attempts to steal this information. Hence, you need to focus on Cross-Site Scripting prevention through URL encoding, HTML encoding, etc.

5. Strong Authentication: Besides protecting your authentication information, it’s also crucial to ensure a very strong authentication that’s difficult to hack. You need to have a strong password and multi-factor authentication to prevent unauthorized access to your app. You can also plan to hire security expert to ensure strong authentication of your app.

6. Session Management: Another vital security tip for MVA applications is session management. That’s because session-related vulnerabilities are also quite challenging. There are many session management strategies and techniques that you can consider such as secure cookie flags, session expiration, session regeneration etc. to protect access.

7. Cross-Site Request Forgery: It is one of the most common cyber attacks MVC apps are facing these days. When stires process forged data from an untrusted source, it’s known as Cross-Site Request Forgery. Anti-forgery tokens can be really helpful in protecting CSRP and saving your site from the potential danger of data leakage and forgery.

8. XXE (XML External Entity) Attack: XXE attacks are done through malicious XML codes, which can be prevented with the help of DtdProcessing. All you need to do is enable Ignore and Prohibit options in the DtdProcessing property. You can take the help of your web development company to accomplish these tasks as they are the best at it.

9. Role-Based Access Control: Every business has certain roles performed by different professionals, be it in any industry. So, when it comes to giving access to your MVC application, you can provide role-based access. This way, professionals will get relevant information only and all the confidential information will be protected from unauthorized access.

10. Security Testing: Finally, it’s really important to conduct security testing on a regular basis to protect business data on the app from vulnerability. Some techniques like vulnerability scanning and penetration testing can be implied to ensure regular security assessments. It’s crucial to take prompt actions to prevent data leakage and forgery as well.

Since maintaining security should be an ongoing process rather than a one-time action, you need to be really proactive with the above 10 tips. Also, choose a reliable web development consulting agency for a security check of your website or web application. A security expert can implement the best tech stack for better security and high performance on any website or application.

[jexcore]

What is the Best Mobile Application Development Framework, Flutter, or React Native?

As an ever-increasing number of individuals are accepting modernized innovation in technology, the interest in mobile applications has expanded step by step.

Hybrid mobile frameworks are acquiring prevalence. The presence of React Native (RN) in 2015 opened astounding chances to assemble applications for iOS and Android utilizing one codebase. Thus, it permitted us to solve two problems at once and not rework a similar code two times. Large firms like UberEats, Discord, and Facebook moved to React Native, a powerful promotion.

Google didn’t stand separated; they saw the immense popularity of RN. Subsequently, Google presented an alpha version of its hybrid framework called Flutter in 2017. Flutter likewise turned into an extremely famous framework. The improvement of a framework like React Native prompts confusion over what to decide for hybrid mobile app development:

React Native or Flutter? Nonetheless, there’s another significant inquiry which you ought to choose before this: Is it better to develop a hybrid or native mobile apps?

Both cross- platform application has its upsides and downsides and prevalence

Flutter

Flutter is an open-source mobile application development Software tool sh that has design & created by Google. It had its main release in May 2017. Flutter has composed into the C, C++, Dart, and Skia Graphics Engine. Flags have been created by Google. Creating Android and Android applications is additionally utilized. The SDK is free and sent off as a source designer to explore and make strong, powerful applications around.

Why choose to Flutter for Android and iOS mobile application development?

Cross-platform

Hot Reload

High compatibility with programming languages

Faster and improved native performance

Appealing UI

Accessible SDKs and native features

The functional and reactive framework

 React Native

React Native is a structural framework made by Facebook that permits us to foster local mobile applications for iOS and Android with a solitary JavaScript codebase.

React native is a genuine mobile application, additionally open-source application development system which is created by Facebook. Rouse that ideas should be created on the web for mobile development. Reactive native is accustomed to making iOS and Android applications. IT was delivered in March 2015. In such a manner, JavaScript is created. Notwithstanding, the application appearance is by all accounts a native app.

Why choose to React Native forAndroid and iOS app development?

Seamless and synchronous API

Seamless and synchronous API

Quick performance

Greater reach

Which is Better: Flutter or React Native?

Flutter ranks positions higher with 75.4% and React Native likewise cut with 62.5% among most cherished frameworks.

Both Flutter and React Native are famous and exceptionally used by the application developers for the development of cross-platform applications. Every single one of them has their one-of-a-kind upsides and downsides, stability in development, speed, and much more.

Flutter is a new framework, and it is expanding and growing slowly and gradually. Compared to Flutter, React Native is in the industry for a long time now. Hence, it is mature enough that leading brands have experienced its benefits of it. While Flutter is yet to have such strong case studies.

The choice of the right framework can be best done based on your mobile app requirements.

Flutter is new in the framework market, and it is extending and developing gradually and slowly. Contrasted with Flutter, React Native is in the business for quite a while now. Thus, mature an adequate number of leading brands have encountered its advantages of it. While Flutter is yet to have areas of strength for such investigations study.

[webmeridian]

How to Choose the Right eCommerce Development Partner

The article was initially published in WebMeridian blog.

Nasdaq previously projected that by 2040, 95% of all purchases will be through eCommerce. As the global eCommerce industry continues to grow, businesses are increasingly expected to keep up with the competition by having a strong online presence.

In the digital age, slow websites and poorly-constructed user interfaces can spell disaster for an eCommerce retailer. As people’s attention spans continue to wane, so does the likelihood of them returning to a website if they have had a bad experience. Experts reveal that it only takes a little over three seconds for the average person to abandon a slow webpage — that’s bad news for any eCommerce retailer’s bottom line.

The solution to this problem is simple — hire an eCommerce partner with the right expertise, experience, and skillset to create an amazing online presence that resonates with one’s target audience. An eCommerce partner agency can provide businesses with the necessary expertise and resources to create an online platform that is robust, secure, and suited to their needs.

But how do you find the right eCommerce solution partner? Below, we’ll take a deep dive into the steps to find the best eCommerce partner for your business. Let’s get started.

What Are the Benefits of eCommerce Outsourcing?

Choosing the right eCommerce development agency can help an online business transform its operations by highlighting all the features on its website that are driving engagement and sales.

Here are some of the benefits of outsourcing for eCommerce development:

Access to a Variety of Skills and Specializations

Developing one’s eCommerce website in-house can help businesses initially save on costs but investing in eCommerce outsourcing services can give businesses access to a full suite of resources that are not easily accessible in-house.

Software development partners typically have a wide range of skills and specializations, such as UI/UX (user interface/user experience) design, product photography, web hosting, and content writing — all services necessary for creating a strong online presence.

Better Productivity

Choosing the right eCommerce partner also means one can rely on clearly-defined cost estimates and project delivery timelines. Outsourced eCommerce development teams typically charge by the hour, depending on the size and complexity of an eCommerce development project. This allows for more effective planning and project management, as well as higher productivity.

Scalability and Flexibility

eCommerce solution providers can also help businesses scale their operations up or down quickly and effectively. This means that businesses can easily adjust to the unexpected challenges of the online business landscape, such as sudden spikes in traffic or customizations in product offerings.

Bigger Savings

While outsourcing one’s eCommerce development project by the hour may seem costlier, quite the contrary is true, as an experienced software development partner can provide businesses with cost savings and quality assurance in the long run.

As opposed to paying the salaries of full-time in-house developers, outsourcing helps businesses save on overhead costs such as payroll taxes and benefits — especially if one doesn’t need to have developers on board permanently.

How to Choose the Right eCommerce Development Partner

It’s easy to find eCommerce developers promising stellar results — but finding the right eCommerce partner can help take an online business from good to great. Below are some guidelines to consider when searching for the perfect eCommerce web development partner:

1. Check Out Their Website

The website of an eCommerce agency should reflect their own expertise and experience — if they can’t develop their own website effectively, that’s a red flag. Take some time to explore their online presence and assess how well-developed it is. Check for site speed and get a feel for their design skills, as well as the user experience of their site.

Additionally, visit their blog or resource center to see if it’s up to date. A relevant knowledge center proves that an agency is abreast of the latest trends in the industry and is updated on technological developments in the field.

2. Look at Reviews from Various Sources

Online reviews are essential when assessing an eCommerce solution provider as they give you an honest look at what customers and industry experts think about their services. Reviews can provide great insights into the quality of customer service, project delivery timelines, and product capabilities.

Review websites specifically dedicated to reviewing development services and related products may be helpful for this purpose. Check out sites like Clutch, CrowdReviews, and C2CReview for in-depth, reliable reviews about a potential web development partner.

3. Analyze Their Technical Expertise

Make sure to ask potential software development partners for their portfolio as well as additional case studies or samples of their work. This can help gauge their level of technical expertise, as well as the range of eCommerce solutions they are familiar with.

Additionally, find out what processes and technologies a potential partner is comfortable working with. Check through their portfolio and review the types of eCommerce platforms they build on (WordPress, Shopify, Magento, etc.) — and whether or not these platforms align with your technical requirements.

4. Set a Budget in Advance

Begin negotiations from a position of knowledge. Have a budget in mind, and ensure that it is realistic for the scope of your project. Talk about the project’s total cost of ownership (TOC), which will cover all costs arising from the project including post-production upgrades and maintenance costs.

Having a clear budget and timeline well in advance allows you to adjust expectations accordingly and ensures that everyone is on the same page throughout the development process.

5. Beware of “Yes-Man” Agencies

Finding the right eCommerce agency also means not going with the first agency that promises to deliver on every technical requirement you have with zero questions asked. By nature, an eCommerce developer will have the expertise needed to provide you with salient advice on what can and cannot be done within the time and budget you agreed on.

This means they should be vocal about their opinions and provide constructive feedback to help you develop a better website. If an agency only says yes to everything, it could be a sign of inexperience or lack of knowledge.

6. Revisit their Core Values

An agency’s core values should be in line with your own values and goals. Consider if they are offering the same level of commitment, accountability, and professionalism as you expect from them. If their core values don’t feel like a match, it could be challenging to build a successful and productive working relationship.

7. Pick an eCommerce Partner that Understands Your Business Goals

A proactive eCommerce development agency should take the initiative to understand your business before offering any solutions. This includes assessing where you are now and helping you determine the strategy to get from here to there.

Rarely is eCommerce development ever disconnected from a brand’s larger goals, so if you find that your development agency only treats your project as a one-and-done task, then it’s time to look for a more suitable partner.

A strong eCommerce partner should have a clear understanding of your brand, target audiences, and product offerings in order to provide effective insights into how best to launch or grow your online store.

What to Look For in an eCommerce Development Partner

Finding the right eCommerce development company is easier when you know what to look for in a provider. These include technical expertise, clear communication, realistic pricing, and a shared understanding of your needs.

Here are some things to look out for when searching for the best eCommerce service provider:

Extensive Experience

eCommerce is an ever-changing field, and your chosen eCommerce development team should have a solid track record of success with a wide range of clients and platforms. Look for an agency that:

Has significant technical experience from delivering successful B2B and B2C eCommerce projects across various industries;

Has ideally delivered local and global eCommerce projects using a range of technologies;

Is well-versed in providing effective eCommerce development services — from website design to hosting and integration.

These attributes will ensure that your chosen vendor is capable of delivering meaningful value from their eCommerce development services.

A Proactive Approach

There are few things more frustrating than working with an agency that doesn’t take the initiative to understand your business. You want an eCommerce development team who takes ownership of their own responsibilities and is willing to go the extra mile for you, even if it means taking on additional tasks or offering fresh perspectives.

Ultimately, you want to work with an agency that understands your needs and objectives from the start and is willing to provide the level of planning and support necessary to ensure success.

Excellent Communication Skills

The best eCommerce agencies have excellent communication skills, both written and verbal. They should be able to clearly explain their processes, procedures, and decisions in ways that are easy to understand.

Confusion or miscommunication can quickly lead to a breakdown between client and agency, so make sure to vet the communication skills of any potential eCommerce partner.

Realistic Pricing

While it may be tempting to choose an agency based on cost alone, it’s important to remember that you usually get what you pay for. It’s better to invest in a quality eCommerce development team than settle for a lesser-quality solution that’s cheaper in the short run but will cost you more money and time in the long run.

Make sure to evaluate all of your options before committing to an agency, as this will ensure you receive value for every dollar spent.

Openness to Innovations

Developers should always be open to new ideas and be willing to experiment with the latest technologies. The best eCommerce development teams are always looking for ways to improve their services and provide value to their clients — whether that’s through experimenting with different platforms or integrating innovative features into your existing store.

Complete Transparency

A successful eCommerce partner should be open and honest with their clients throughout the development process. They should provide regular updates on progress and be willing to answer any questions you may have in a timely manner.

Furthermore, they should also offer access to project timelines and other documents so that you can easily track the status of your store.

Responsibility for Results

Related to transparency, a good eCommerce development team should be willing to stand behind their work and take responsibility for any issues that may arise during the course of the project. They should also be open to discussing how they can fix them in order to ensure the best possible outcome.

Customer-First Approach

As previously mentioned, a reliable eCommerce development provider should keep your business goals in mind throughout the entire process. They should have an understanding of your target markets, and use this knowledge to create a user experience that resonates with customers.

This also means giving you expert advice on features you may want added but may not necessarily be the best solution for your business.

Conclusion

Ultimately, finding an effective eCommerce development team or vendor is essential for achieving success in the digital economy. Taking into account all the factors listed above can help you make informed decisions when selecting a provider to work with.

If you’re looking for an experienced and reliable vendor providing e-commerce development services, WebMeridian is here to help! We are a full-service Magento development agency comprised of eCommerce experts and tech professionals dedicated to helping clients build successful online stores.

With years of experience in this field and well-established processes, our team has the skills you need to make your digital store a success. Contact us today to get started!