#General PC troubleshooting | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

girlboss-enthusiast · 6 months

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Please tell us how to get into IT without a degree! I have an interview for a small tech company this week and I’m going in as admin but as things expand I can bootstrap into a better role and I’d really appreciate knowing what skills are likely to be crucial for making that pivot.

Absolutely!! You'd be in a great position to switch to IT, since as an admin, you'd already have some familiarity with the systems and with the workplace in general. Moving between roles is easier in a smaller workplace, too.

So, this is a semi-brief guide to getting an entry-level position, for someone with zero IT experience. That position is almost always going to be help desk. You've probably heard a lot of shit about help desk, but I've always enjoyed it.

So, here we go! How to get into IT for beginners!

The most important thing on your resume will be

✨~🌟Certifications!!🌟~✨

Studying for certs can teach you a lot, especially if you're entirely new to the field. But they're also really important for getting interviews. Lots of jobs will require a cert or degree, and even if you have 5 years of experience doing exactly what the job description is, without one of those the ATS will shunt your resume into a black hole and neither HR or the IT manager will see it.

First, I recommend getting the CompTIA A+. This will teach you the basics of how the parts of a computer work together - hardware, software, how networking works, how operating systems work, troubleshooting skills, etc. If you don't have a specific area of IT you're interested in, this is REQUIRED. Even if you do, I suggest you get this cert just to get your foot in the door.

I recommend the CompTIA certs in general. They'll give you a good baseline and look good on your resume. I only got the A+ and the Network+, so can't speak for the other exams, but they weren't too tough.

If you're more into development or cybersecurity, check out these roadmaps. You'll still benefit from working help desk while pursuing one of those career paths.

The next most important thing is

🔥🔥Customer service & soft skills🔥🔥

Sorry about that.

I was hired for my first ever IT role on the strength of my interview. I definitely wasn't the only candidate with an A+, but I was the only one who knew how to handle customers (aka end-users). Which is, basically, be polite, make the end-user feel listened to, and don't make them feel stupid. It is ASTOUNDING how many IT people can't do that. I've worked with so many IT people who couldn't hide their scorn or impatience when dealing with non-tech-savvy coworkers.

Please note that you don't need to be a social butterfly or even that socially adept. I'm autistic and learned all my social skills by rote (I literally have flowcharts for social interactions), and I was still exceptional by IT standards.

Third thing, which is more for you than for your resume (although it helps):

🎇Do your own projects🎇

This is both the most and least important thing you can do for your IT career. Least important because this will have the smallest impact on your resume. Most important because this will help you learn (and figure out if IT is actually what you want to do).

The certs and interview might get you a job, but when it comes to doing your job well, hands-on experience is absolutely essential. Here are a few ideas for the complete beginner. Resources linked at the bottom.

Start using the command line. This is called Terminal on Mac and Linux. Use it for things as simple as navigating through file directories, opening apps, testing your connection, that kind of thing. The goal is to get used to using the command line, because you will use it professionally.

Build your own PC. This may sound really intimidating, but I swear it's easy! This is going to be cheaper than buying a prebuilt tower or gaming PC, and you'll learn a ton in the bargain.

Repair old PCs. If you don't want to or can't afford to build your own PC, look for cheap computers on Craiglist, secondhand stores, or elsewhere. I know a lot of universities will sell old technology for cheap. Try to buy a few and make a functioning computer out of parts, or just get one so you can feel comfortable working in the guts of a PC.

Learn Powershell or shell scripting. If you're comfortable with the command line already or just want to jump in the deep end, use scripts to automate tasks on your PC. I found this harder to do for myself than for work, because I mostly use my computer for web browsing. However, there are tons of projects out there for you to try!

Play around with a Raspberry Pi. These are mini-computers ranging from $15-$150+ and are great to experiment with. I've made a media server and a Pi hole (network-wide ad blocking) which were both fun and not too tough. If you're into torrenting, try making a seedbox!

Install Linux on your primary computer. I know, I know - I'm one of those people. But seriously, nothing will teach you more quickly than having to compile drivers through the command line so your Bluetooth headphones will work. Warning: this gets really annoying if you just want your computer to work. Dual-booting is advised.

If this sounds intimidating, that's totally normal. It is intimidating! You're going to have to do a ton of troubleshooting and things will almost never work properly on your first few projects. That is part of the fun!

Resources

Resources I've tried and liked are marked with an asterisk*

Professor Messor's Free A+ Training Course*

PC Building Simulator 2 (video game)

How to build a PC (video)

PC Part Picker (website)*

CompTIA A+ courses on Udemy

50 Basic Windows Commands with Examples*

Mac Terminal Commands Cheat Sheet

Powershell in a Month of Lunches (video series)

Getting Started with Linux (tutorial)* Note: this site is my favorite Linux resource, I highly recommend it.

Getting Started with Raspberry Pi

Raspberry Pi Projects for Beginners

/r/ITCareerQuestions*

Ask A Manager (advice blog on workplace etiquette and more)*

Reddit is helpful for tech questions in general. I have some other resources that involve sailing the seas; feel free to DM me or send an ask I can answer privately.

Tips

DO NOT work at an MSP. That stands for Managed Service Provider, and it's basically an IT department which companies contract to provide tech services. I recommend staying away from them. It's way better to work in an IT department where the end users are your coworkers, not your customers.

DO NOT trust remote entry-level IT jobs. At entry level, part of your job is schlepping around hardware and fixing PCs. A fully-remote position will almost definitely be a call center.

DO write a cover letter. YMMV on this, but every employer I've had has mentioned my cover letter as a reason to hire me.

DO ask your employer to pay for your certs. This applies only to people who either plan to move into IT in the same company, or are already in IT but want more certs.

DO NOT work anywhere without at least one woman in the department. My litmus test is two women, actually, but YMMV. If there is no woman in the department in 2024, and the department is more than 5 people, there is a reason why no women work there.

DO have patience with yourself and keep an open mind! Maybe this is just me, but if I can't do something right the first time, or if I don't love it right away, I get very discouraged. Remember that making mistakes is part of the process, and that IT is a huge field which ranges from UX design to hardware repair. There are tons of directions to go once you've got a little experience!

Disclaimer: this is based on my experience in my area of the US. Things may be different elsewhere, esp. outside of the US.

I hope this is helpful! Let me know if you have more questions!

#answers.txt #feel free to reblog with more advice btw

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roseblushkestrel · 3 months

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So You Want to Play Dragon Age: Origins in 2024

I have recently gone through the semi-grueling ordeal of trying to get this almost fifteen year old game to work on my PC, and after writing up a list for my friend of all the mods I used to make it functional, I was informed that the tumblr population may have a use for this information as well! This game, while very Of Its Time (2009), is one of my favorites. It is full of great characters and has a lot of heart, and it is still important to the story and lore of Dragon Age overall. I think it's worth your time! So if you care about the story arc of this game series and have the opportunity to play this one (especially with Veilguard officially existing and theoretically coming out soon), I strongly recommend it.

HUGE DISCLAIMER: I am NOT an expert on modding and I will almost definitely not be able to help you troubleshoot anything if you run into any problems. This post is just compiling the information and links I collected while on my journey to get this game playable on my PC. Most, if not all, of these links come with access to forums where you can ask for help from people who will be able to provide it, and that is where I recommend you look for answers! This game is old enough that almost every problem that is possible to run into has been experienced by someone else, so it's very likely that reading through the forum posts will get you the info you need.

Level 0: I just want this old ass game to work on my modern computer. I do not wish to install any mods, I am just here for the story and I don’t care what the game looks like while I play it.

To avoid the game crashing pretty much constantly, particularly any time you’re in a location with a lot of NPCs (so, any town), you will need to change your graphics settings to Very Low. It will look like dogshit. Most eye colors will not be visible and armor will be weird and glossy and in general the world will look like it hasn’t finished loading. But it should work.

HOWEVER: you may still run into various game breaking bugs and other issues that can be resolved by a mod in the next section, so be aware of that.

ADDITIONALLY: When I first opened my game after installing it, it looked extra shitty because it was defaulting to 800x600 resolution for some reason. It does not seem to be great at detecting monitor settings without help. Go into the game's settings and make sure the resolution is set to whatever your monitor is. This might seem obvious, but I wanted to mention it just in case.

Level 1: I am willing to install two necessary mods because I want the game to both work and not look like dogshit.

THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO INSTALL: Large Address Aware + patch from this random Steam user. This is the thing that will tell your game to stop being so scared of the fact that it is no longer 2009 and it is installed on a computer with more than 2GB of RAM. For LAA to work with the Steam version of the game, it needed extra fiddling, so this very nice person pre-patched it and uploaded it with instructions on how to install it in this post: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=233222451

If you do not have the game through Steam, you can get LAA and install instructions here: https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/large-address-aware.112556/

Ultimate DAO Fixpack This fixes a bunch of random bugs and issues, of which there are many. I don’t even know what they are, because I installed this before I started playing and therefore have not encountered any of them. It's like a vaccine for your game. It's on Nexus, like most of the rest of these are, so you will need to make an account there to download it. https://www.nexusmods.com/dragonage/mods/4689

Level 2: I am willing to install a few additional mods to improve the experience of playing the game.

Before I link any more of the mods, here is some very basic mod-related guidance that may be helpful to someone who is a complete beginner to modding this game:

Most of the following mods you will need to “install” in the override folder yourself (i.e. just copy them over to it); in my experience, the Nexus Vortex mod manager thing does not work 99% of the time with this game, so don't bother with it. I made a DAO Mods folder on my computer to keep the zip files in, then I unzipped them to the override folder here: Documents\BioWare\Dragon Age\packages\core\override

If any of the mods say “install using DAUpdater” (the fixpack does, for example), that is an application you can find in the game's installation files, wherever you have those. (Steam users can easily get to these by right clicking the game in your Steam library and going to “manage > browse local files.”) It will be in the “bin_ship” folder. You should only have to associate the DAZIP file type with this application once--afterwards, you can just double click the mod file and it will open in DAUpdater.

If any of the mods say “Install using DAO Mod Manager,” that is here: https://www.nexusmods.com/dragonage/mods/277

The most important thing is to read the mod developer's instructions on how to install it. Don't assume everything will work the way other mods do. If you install it wrong, the mod will not work and could even cause weird or alarming side effects. Just trust me.

I strongly recommend these:

Mouse Cursors for 4K DAO This will give you options to make the cursor bigger. This is a good one just in general for accessibility reasons. The default one was tiny on my monitor and I kept losing sight of where it was, especially during combat. https://www.nexusmods.com/dragonage/mods/5167 Install location is in your game installation files under packages\Core\data\cursors - pick the size cursor you want and overwrite the original folder (and keep a copy of the original somewhere)

UI Mod - Readable Fonts and UI Basically just makes everything bigger for higher res monitors (and for general accessibility) so you don’t have to squint at microscopic text on your screen. https://www.nexusmods.com/dragonage/mods/73

Level 3: I am willing to install even more mods if it will make the game look better.

There are a lot of these on Nexus to choose from, and not all of them are compatible with each other (which is important to remember and look into if you start installing a ton of mods). These are the ones I like that also play nice with each other:

Unique Face Textures for Companions This mod preserves what the companions/important characters look like but improves their skin textures and makes their eyes clearer. Make sure you also copy the textures folder into the override folder along with the Companion Morphs folder, I forgot to do this at first and it made Alistair look very shiny and blurry. https://www.nexusmods.com/dragonage/mods/4666

Dragon Age Redesigned This is a huge mod full of graphic improvements to like every NPC. This mod comes with a pdf of instructions on how to install everything and is pretty easy to navigate. There are also versions of most of the companions as well, if you prefer this version of what they look like. (Some of those will require extra mods to install--the pdf will tell you what you need.) https://www.nexusmods.com/dragonage/mods/686

Also potentially required for this one, depending on which version you pick: https://www.moddb.com/mods/tmp7704/downloads/tucked-hair

Level 4: I want cuter hair and armor choices for my character.

Another thing there are countless mods for, and if you’re getting this into it, I recommend going through Nexus and perusing on your own. These are the ones I was able to get to work on my computer with the other mods in this list installed:

Jenya’s Random Hairstyles: https://www.nexusmods.com/dragonage/mods/4795

More Hairstyles: https://www.nexusmods.com/dragonage/mods/392

DA2 Grey Warden Armor: https://www.nexusmods.com/dragonage/mods/3258

Level 5: That is all fine but the game is still unplayable until I can bring my dog everywhere with me without sacrificing a companion slot.

You are right, which is why this is actually the most important mod on this list.

Extra Dog Slot This lets you add your Mabari as a summon. https://www.nexusmods.com/dragonage/mods/664

Final notes: This is NOT in any way a conclusive list of DAO mods, there are obviously so many for this game and if you want to do more than this, knock yourself out! I just wanted to post this as a starter pack for these types of people:

1. Brand new player who just bought it on Steam for $2 or whatever it was and wants to play but is intimidated by the idea of modding it 2. Returning players who haven't played in forever/on a PC and want a place to start with mods that will get the game to work 3. Really anyone who wanted to play/replay this but when they started up a new game, it just started crashing over and over and it was making them really mad and annoyed so they gave up because they didn't know how to fix it

I have been every player on this list at one point or another and a post like this would have been really helpful to me.

Now go out there and have fun defeating the Archdemon, fellow Wardens 🫡

#dragon age origins #dragon age origins mods #i am very serious about not being able to help troubleshoot any of this #i am not trying to be mean--i am just dumb #this is all just what worked for me!

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thesims4blogger · 15 days

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The Sims 4: Official Laundry List (September 3rd, 2024)

On the day following The Sims 4 tenth anniversary, EA released a list of bug fixes coming on the next patch.

The release date hasn’t been confirmed, but it’s safe to expect it to come out next week, since Laundry Lists are usually shared one week before the update comes to both versions of the game (PC/Mac and consoles).

Sul Sul Simmers!

Welcome to The Sims 4 Laundry List, where we share the top community concerns we’re currently investigating and aim to resolve in an upcoming patch.

As part of our commitment to tackling technical issues, the dedicated team continues to prioritize community-voted fixes with each update. This is our third release in this series, with more planned for the future.

The extended list below is directly informed by which issues have the most community reports through AnswersHQ. There are more topics that have been reported by players that aren’t listed here but may still be in the process of being solved. Some topics can require an extended investigation on our end, so even though these fixes may be in active review, it’s not a guarantee that we’ll have an immediate fix for it in the upcoming patch.

With each new patch, please remember to remove any external game mods and custom content if you are experiencing issues as the first step in troubleshooting, as they may conflict with the updates.

Thank you for your patience and valuable player reports.

Catch you in the next Laundry List – Happy Simming!

Here’s the list of community concerns we’re investigating for the upcoming game update:

Mac

[AHQ] Thought bubbles of Sims will no longer appear through walls and floors.

The Gallery

Pack filters now properly work for Home Chef Hustle in The Gallery and library.

Base Game:

[AHQ] Outdoor lighting will no longer affect inside the room through ceilings.

[AHQ] Clay and Future Cubes will no longer get left on lots during events.

[AHQ] Frogs, mice and fishes in tanks are now visible when placed in laptop mode. Welcome back, friends!

[AHQ] Sims will put their tablets and homework back into their inventory instead of placing them in the world as long as they are standing or sitting.

[AHQ] The call is not coming from inside the house–you’ll stop getting invitational phone calls from your own Household Members.

[AHQ] “Complete a Daily Work Task” want now properly completed after finishing a daily work task.

[AHQ] Child sim now has the option to quit their “After School Activity“.

[AHQ] Family fortune – “Heal Negative Sentiments” task will now properly complete.

[AHQ] Sims will return from work or school and switch into the same Everyday Outfit they had on instead of defaulting to the first Everyday Outfit in the CAS list.

[AHQ] Certain cabinet/shelf combinations over kitchen sinks will no longer prevent Sim from washing in the sink.

[AHQ] Outdoor shadows now move smoothly without jumping on the screen on ultra graphics settings and at different Live Mode speeds.

[AHQ] Camera jittering is no longer observed in Build Buy mode after using Terrain Tools.

[AHQ] When recent neighborhood stories mention a Sim that died in another neighborhood, switching to the respective Sim household will now have an urn present.

[AHQ] Upgrading washer/dryer now completes Nerd Brain aspiration.

[AHQ] Sims will now hold the acarajé dish the right way while eating.

[AHQ] Autonomous check infant no longer causes new random cold weather outfit to be generated for infant.

Infant no longer stretches when crawling in deep snow.

[AHQ] Teen Sim is able to take vacation days while working in the lifeguard career.

[AHQ] Event goal UI will continue to show even after editing from the calendar.

Fixed a CAS flow issue that would incorrectly allow siblings to be engaged.

[AHQ] Teen goal oriented aspiration now gets completed properly after getting promoted at work.

Investigated missing Doodlepip splines.

[AHQ] “Become friends with“ want is no longer observed for sims with relationship equal or above friends.

World icons on the world selection screen will no longer move when middle-clicked.

Locked seed packets are unlocked in BB when using the gardening skill cheat stats.set_skill_level Major_Gardening 10.

[AHQ] Female Sims’ stomachs will no longer become invisible when paired with Masculine cargo pants in certain color swatches.

“Likes/Dislikes“ Sim preferences are now available for Sims created via CAS story in CAS mode.

Sim animation will no longer pop when sitting on a stool and asking another Sim an inappropriate question.

[AHQ] Sim thumbnails are no longer low resolution on the Resume Button.

Re-fixed issue where Skill List gets out of Alphabetical order, specifically when switching between Sims.

[AHQ] ‘ymTop_TshirtRolled_Yellow’ top no longer clips with bottom assets in CAS.

Affecting Multiple Packs

[AHQ] In apartments, University dorms, and penthouses: Walls and doors will now cut away properly in wall down/cutaway viewing mode. Adjusted checks for exterior walls and inactive units.

[AHQ] Vampire scars are no longer observed while creating a genetics-based spell caster Sim, and any scars generated can now be removed (mouth, eye, cheeks and brow details).

[AHQ] Werewolf/Vampire Sims will swap to occult form and vice-versa after the animation instead of before or during.

[AHQ] Nails no longer cause shoulder tears on ‘yfTop_EP08SweaterScarf_Solid’ and ‘ymBody_EF90Djellaba_Solid’ outfits.

Leather Pants no longer overlap with low boots.

Cats & Dogs

[AHQ] Feline friends rejoice! “Give Catnip Treat” action to cats will no longer cancel.

City Living

[AHQ] Strange wall patches and gaps are no longer visible in Wall Down View in San Myshuno Apartments.

[AHQ] Food stalls in San Myshuno no longer disappear after coming out of CAS and Manage Worlds screens.

[AHQ] Snow no longer appears inside the Planet Honey Pop building.

Cottage Living

[AHQ] Finchwick Fair results notification will stop triggering during Sports Day Competition results.

Crystal Creations

[AHQ] New item highlights on the Accessories tab will properly disappear after checking out the new item(s).

Dine Out

[AHQ] Interactions are now available on culinary pot racks.

Removed instances of duplicate menu items in Restaurants.

[AHQ] Photo of experimental food no longer changes upon adding frame.

Discover University

[AHQ] Sim will return from visiting the law class as a guest speaker–in both judge or private attorney branches–whether through the phone or the building interaction.

[AHQ] Sims without the Active Trait will no longer get trait-related buffs when playing with a soccer ball.

[AHQ] “Contribute Knowledge” will now satisfy Writing Aspiration on a Research Archive Machine goal counting towards the “Senior Scholar” milestone Academic aspiration.

[AHQ] Servo’s graduation portrait now shows an accurate picture.

Eco Lifestyle

[AHQ] NPC’s will stop stressing you out by constantly making de-stressing decoctions autonomously in the neighborhood or in the active Sim’s lot during Self-Sufficiency N.A.P.

[AHQ] Notifications for a NAP will no longer trigger with the option turned off and will only send the notification if the Eco Footprint feature is enabled.

[AHQ] Stacking sun rays/aurora will no longer get stuck loading.

[AHQ] Blue void lines are no longer observed in Evergreen Harbor.

For Rent

[AHQ] You can now select and edit wall heights on Residential Rentals without having to delete and replace the walls.

[AHQ] Ownership no longer disappears from objects after “Move Household“.

[AHQ] Kettle and Pressure Cooker no longer randomly disappear from inventory.

[AHQ] The “Do You Be-leaf in Concrete?“ red/orange swatch and green/gray swatch displays properly.

[AHQ] Work From Home Sims in the Handyperson career will be properly paid.

[AHQ] On rental properties, when someone dies you are now given a headstone/urn.

Panya (NPC property owner) visits will count towards the “Have the Property Owner Visit your Unit“ goal for the Discerning Dweller Aspiration.

Lot Traits and Lot Challenges will stay selected for Residential Rental lot units when converted from Residential or Venue lot.

[AHQ] “Venue Funds Transfer” button will no longer appear for community lots.

Able to enter a vacation rental unit by using phone and last exception no longer triggers when loading the save.

When objects are being repossessed the Utility BIlls and Unpaid Taxes will properly update in Bills Info Panel.

Unit Details text will not overlap when hovering on Residential Rental lots in Map View.

When bills are delivered, if you are in another world it will now process utilities correctly.

Get to Work

[AHQ] Sim targeted by the Simray will be changed to the proper blue skin tone.

[AHQ] Child eyebrows will update to match their hair color in CAS.

Growing Together

[AHQ] San Sequoia world map will properly load into all lots and avoid corrupted white screens.

[AHQ] ‘Left-Side Work of Modern Art Window’ is now properly transparent.

Horse Ranch

[AHQ] “Care” pie menu interaction, “Put In Inventory”, and “Trade For” interactions now available on goats/sheep after moving to a new lot.

There is now self-interaction on the Sim to walk to Dreadhorse Caverns.

High School Years

[AHQ] Teen sims will no longer randomly stop taking exams.

[AHQ] Teen Sims will be able to travel to prom even if Principal Mei Prescott is not alive.

[AHQ] Sims will get paid full amount of simoleons for WFH tasks for Simfluencer/Video Game Streamer career

Laundry Day

[AHQ] Sim only has to wash only once (not twice) for clothes to be clean or pristine.

Lovestruck

[AHQ] Error Code 123 no longer occurs in certain circumstances when traveling to another location.

[AHQ] Error Code 121 no longer occurs when moving in a household for the “Finding Love After a Breakup” Scenario.

[AHQ] Gallery Sims will properly appear in Cupid’s Corner with the pack game option setting set to “enable Gallery Sims”.

[AHQ] Gallery Sims are available again in Cupid’s Corner and the game no longer sometimes infinitely loads when traveling after adding one to your Sim’s contacts.

[AHQ] Sims will have the option to pay bills when they are due.

[AHQ] A Sim who was met on a Blind Date and then canceled on now can be asked to Create a Date. Previously, the interface was blank.

[AHQ] Teen Vampires now can complete a regular, daytime Date.

Vampires without Sun Resistance now can go to Cupid’s Counseling regardless of the time of day.

Ghost partners can go to Cupid’s Counseling.

All Vampires are available for Seductive Dances, not just Vampires with Sun Resistance.

[AHQ] The short, curly beard ‘ymFacialHair_EP16BeardCurly’ no longer changes the shape of the Sim’s jaw.

[AHQ] The door of the Nadir household’s penthouse office has returned, so poor Aziz can get back to his writing.

[AHQ] Sims from Cupid’s Corner whose location was listed as “Not Shared” now can be socialized with on a Lovestruck Date or Hangout.

Married Sims no longer propose to other Sims.

Ghosts are available for Seductive Dances and “Watch Stars/Sky with…”.

The ‘Dr. June’s Weather Control Device’ will no longer offer snow in Ciudad Enamorada. Warm winters are here!

Lovebug and Romantically Reserved Traits are available as Likes/Dislikes as well as Turn-Ons and Turn-Offs in Create a Sim.

When selecting “Cuddle in Bed” multiple times in a row on a bed, Sims no longer lock up with their arm outstretched.

Flowers given to a Sim will show up in the recipient’s inventory.

Sims will no longer read “Seduction by the Sea” indefinitely.

Sims will no longer stargaze inside when visiting the Rattlesnake Juice Bar in Oasis Springs.

My Wedding Stories

There are new interactions on the wedding arch that will allow you to set which Sims to sit on either side of the aisle.

You will now be able to pick which Sims perform the requested behavior when clicking on the wedding arch and do Ceremony Activities. This will allow greater control of what is happening in the wedding.

After telling guests to do a ceremony activity, they’ll stop doing other things autonomously.

Music specific interaction is now available on the wedding arch in order to control when wedding music plays.

Sims gather around without getting stuck as the wedding couple dances.

Sims will properly perform “Exchange Vows with Officiant and Kiss“ interaction after performing “Gather at the Aisle“ interaction.

[AHQ] You can now sell wedding cakes to local bakers! “Sell to Local Bakery“ action is available now on wedding cakes.

“Take your seats” interaction will no longer show up 3 times.

[AHQ] No lines will appear on Sim’s neck after applying the nail asset ‘yfAcc_ManiGP11Patterned_blue’.

Nifty Knitting

[AHQ] Legendary Knitting will now count for Excellent Knits Aspiration.

Paranormal

[AHQ] More spawners like the specters, weird dolls, occult markings, etc now trigger during Paranormal Investigation for Occult Sims.

[AHQ] Paranormal Investigation Gigs no longer showing blank Goal Bar.

Party Essentials

[AHQ] Fun and Dancing Skill tooltips now appear for ‘The Minimalist’s Dance Floor’.

Seasons

[AHQ] Sim will now receive a vacuum along with the vacuum dock as a Holiday gift.

[AHQ] The “lose weight” New Year’s resolution will now be properly completed..

[AHQ] ‘Holiday Decoration Box’ will no longer become unowned after moving to another Residential lot or Residential Rental lot–take those holiday memories with you!

[AHQ] Can now complete the “Countdown to Midnight“ tradition on all TV’s.

Snowy Escape

[AHQ] Platform roof on 2-4-3 Wakabamori lot no longer has roof visual glitches/transparency.

[AHQ] Fun and Social motives no longer reduce while Hiking together. Exercise is fun. Everyone knows that.

Tiny Living

[AHQ] Butlers can now sleep on Murphy beds (at their own risk, of course).

Werewolves

[AHQ] Skin details (like acne or freckles) will no longer appear on Werewolves’ in their wolf form.

#news #the sims 4 #ts4 #sims 4 #sims 4 update

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noisytenant · 8 months

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i think computer literacy is a critical set of skills and that being able to have and use a personal computer has a lot of obvious benefits. more than just being able to navigate a digital environment, computers structure information in an intuitive way--one learns abstract, hierarchical thinking through the process of learning to use the computer. additionally, basic troubleshooting can go a long way in teaching problem-solving strategies.

also, the shift toward mobile devices is one that heavily restricts user control, disempowering users from having the agency to change their digital environment and take calculated risks. especially with the increase in cloud-based file hosting, users are often unwittingly putting their lives in the hands of demonstrably untrustworthy companies. there are many reasons to challenge the dominance of mobile devices.

but i feel pretty annoyed when i see posts scandalized about how Young People These Days only know how to use their phones and can't navigate a desktop to save their lives. i think we adults who grew up around personal computers can be so caught up in how critical they are to our daily lives that we fail to respect the subjective experience of those growing up in a mobile world.

from an experience design and user research perspective, you need to understand the attitude and experience of the people you're complaining about if you want to offer coherent solutions. there are a lot of genuine issues with the current paradigm, but nostalgia can cloud the benefits and draws of the mobile shift.

if we treat pc use as an unqualified good, and mobile use as an unqualified bad, we'll ignore opportunities for cross-generational learning. we'll also feel discouraged by the sentiment that society continues its slow decline toward hyper-late-capitalist technocracy.

but even if a young person's only experience is with mobile devices, we can still teach them how to navigate file structures; we can still introduce troubleshooting and self-directed learning; we can still teach good typing habits (if they have a full-size keyboard). and if we genuinely want young people to have the same computer literacy we do, we need to listen to them about their concerns, frustrations, and questions about PCs. if we want them to use computers, we need to be ready to do a little convincing.

we also need to respect that some people will genuinely prefer mobile devices, because that's what they grew up using. even if mobile interfaces have very distinct priorities from computers, they aren't always worse. being able to identify the logic behind design decisions, even ones you ultimately dislike, is an important analytical skill that primes you to thrive in a changing world.

in short, i know it can be really jarring--and kind of scary!--when skills and ideas that are critical to our generation are being lost as new forces take their place. but if we genuinely think these skills are worth passing on to the next generation, we need to accept that we're in a different world now and that we need to adjust strategies accordingly. a little bit of patience and openmindedness can go a long way in connecting across tech barriers.

#indexed post #i feel like maybe this rant is unnecessary. sometimes people just want to complain and thats valid #But I feel like 'the Youths are losing tech literacy!' is such a solvable problem #But it gets obscured by a kneejerk aesthetic disgust and intolerance for the mobile paradigm #That swallows up the several distinct and actionable criticisms with a general 'mobile bad pc good' energy #And when people sort of stubbornly reject mobile draws on principle #It feels sort of like you're setting yourself up for failure #And then of course you feel hopeless because the paradigm is leaving you behind.#Forgetting how much you have in common w the new generation + how much you have to share #anyways whatever You know how I am #long post #the opinion haver

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secourses · 2 months

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youtube

FLUX Local & Cloud Tutorial With SwarmUI - FLUX: The Pioneering Open Source txt2img Model Surpasses Midjourney & Others - FLUX: The Anticipated SD3

🔗 Comprehensive Tutorial Video Link ▶️ https://youtu.be/bupRePUOA18

FLUX marks the first instance where an open source txt2img model genuinely outperforms and generates superior quality images with better prompt adherence compared to #Midjourney, Adobe Firefly, Leonardo Ai, Playground Ai, Stable Diffusion, SDXL, SD3, and Dall E3. #FLUX is a creation of Black Forest Labs, with its team primarily consisting of the original #StableDiffusion developers, and its quality is truly awe-inspiring. These statements are not exaggerations; you'll understand after watching the tutorial. This guide will demonstrate how to effortlessly download and utilize FLUX models on your personal computer and cloud services like Massed Compute, RunPod, and a complimentary Kaggle account.

🔗 FLUX Instructions Post (publicly accessible, no login required) ⤵️ ▶️ https://www.patreon.com/posts/106135985

🔗 FLUX Models 1-Click Robust Auto Downloader Scripts ⤵️ ▶️ https://www.patreon.com/posts/109289967

🔗 Primary Windows SwarmUI Tutorial (Watch For Usage Instructions) ⤵️ ▶️ https://youtu.be/HKX8_F1Er_w

🔗 Cloud SwarmUI Tutorial (Massed Compute - RunPod - Kaggle) ⤵️ ▶️ https://youtu.be/XFUZof6Skkw

🔗 SECourses Discord Channel for Comprehensive Support ⤵️ ▶️ https://discord.com/servers/software-engineering-courses-secourses-772774097734074388

🔗 SECourses Reddit ⤵️ ▶️ https://www.reddit.com/r/SECourses/

🔗 SECourses GitHub ⤵️ ▶️ https://github.com/FurkanGozukara/Stable-Diffusion

🔗 FLUX 1 Official Blog Post Announcement ⤵️ ▶️ https://blackforestlabs.ai/announcing-black-forest-labs/

Video Segments

0:00 Introduction to the groundbreaking open source txt2img model FLUX 5:01 Our approach to installing FLUX model into SwarmUI and its usage 5:33 Guide to accurately downloading FLUX models manually 5:54 Automatic 1-click download process for FP16 and optimized FP8 FLUX models 6:45 Distinguishing between FLUX model precisions and types for your specific needs 7:56 Correct folder placement for FLUX models 8:07 Updating SwarmUI to the latest version for FLUX compatibility 8:58 Utilizing FLUX models after SwarmUI initialization 9:44 Applying CFG scale to FLUX model 10:23 Monitoring server debug logs in real-time 10:49 Turbo model image generation speed on RTX 3090 Ti GPU 10:59 Potential blurriness in some turbo model outputs 11:30 Image generation with the development model 11:53 Switching to FP16 precision for FLUX model in SwarmUI 12:31 Differences between FLUX development and turbo models 13:05 Testing high-resolution capabilities of FLUX at 1536x1536 and its VRAM usage 13:41 1536x1536 resolution FLUX image generation speed on RTX 3090 Ti GPU with SwarmUI 13:56 Checking for shared VRAM usage and its impact on generation speed 14:35 Cloud-based SwarmUI and FLUX usage - no local PC or GPU required 14:48 Using pre-installed SwarmUI on Massed Compute's 48 GB GPU at $0.31/hour with FLUX dev FP16 model 16:05 FLUX model download process on Massed Compute instance 17:15 FLUX model download speeds on Massed Compute 18:19 Time required to download all premium FP16 FLUX and T5 models on Massed Compute 18:52 One-click SwarmUI update and launch on Massed Compute 19:33 Accessing Massed Compute's SwarmUI from your PC's browser via ngrok - mobile compatibility included 21:08 Comparison between Midjourney and open source FLUX images using identical prompts 22:02 Configuring DType to FP16 for enhanced image quality on Massed Compute with FLUX 22:12 Analyzing FLUX-generated image against Midjourney's output for the same prompt 23:00 SwarmUI installation and FLUX model download guide for RunPod 25:01 Comparing step speed and VRAM usage of FLUX Turbo vs Dev models 26:04 FLUX model download process on RunPod post-SwarmUI installation 26:55 Restarting SwarmUI after pod reboot or power cycle 27:42 Troubleshooting invisible CFG scale panel in SwarmUI 27:54 Quality comparison between FLUX and top-tier Stable Diffusion XL (SDXL) models via popular CivitAI image 29:20 FLUX image generation speed on L40S GPU with FP16 precision 29:43 Comparative analysis of FLUX image vs popular CivitAI SDXL image 30:05 Impact of increased step count on image quality 30:33 Generating larger 1536x1536 pixel images 30:45 Installing nvitop and assessing VRAM usage for 1536px resolution and FP16 DType 31:25 Speed reduction when increasing image resolution from 1024px to 1536px 31:42 Utilizing SwarmUI and FLUX models on a free Kaggle account, mirroring local PC usage 32:29 Instructions for joining SECourses discord channel and contacting for assistance and AI discussions

FLUX.1 [dev] is a 12 billion parameter rectified flow transformer designed for text-to-image generation.

Key Attributes State-of-the-art output quality, second only to our flagship model FLUX.1 [pro]. Competitive prompt adherence, matching closed source alternatives. Enhanced efficiency through guidance distillation training. Open weights to foster new scientific research and enable artists to develop innovative workflows.

The FLUX.1 suite comprises text-to-image models that establish new benchmarks in image detail, prompt adherence, style diversity, and scene complexity for text-to-image synthesis.

To balance accessibility and model capabilities, FLUX.1 is available in three variants: FLUX.1 [pro], FLUX.1 [dev], and FLUX.1 [schnell]:

FLUX.1 [pro]: The pinnacle of FLUX.1, offering unparalleled image generation with superior prompt following, visual quality, image detail, and output diversity.

FLUX.1 [dev]: An open-weight, guidance-distilled model for non-commercial applications. Directly derived from FLUX.1 [pro], it achieves similar quality and prompt adherence while being more efficient than standard models of comparable size. FLUX.1 [dev] weights are accessible on HuggingFace.

FLUX.1 [schnell]: Our most rapid model, optimized for local development and personal use. FLUX.1 [schnell] is openly available under an Apache2.0 license. Like FLUX.1 [dev], weights are available on Hugging Face, and inference code can be found on GitHub and in HuggingFace's Diffusers.

Transformer-powered Flow Models at Scale

All public FLUX.1 models are built on a hybrid architecture of multimodal and parallel diffusion transformer blocks, scaled to 12B parameters. FLUX 1 improves upon previous state-of-the-art diffusion models by incorporating flow matching, a versatile and conceptually straightforward method for training generative models, which includes diffusion as a special case.

Furthermore, FLUX 1 enhances model performance and hardware efficiency by integrating rotary positional embeddings and parallel attention layers.

A New Benchmark for Image Synthesis

FLUX.1 sets a new standard in image synthesis. FLUX.1 [pro] and [dev] surpass popular models like Midjourney v6.0, DALL·E 3 (HD), and SD3-Ultra in various aspects: Visual Quality, Prompt Following, Size/Aspect Variability, Typography, and Output Diversity.

FLUX.1 [schnell] stands as the most advanced few-step model to date, outperforming not only its in-class competitors but also robust non-distilled models like Midjourney v6.0 and DALL·E 3 (HD).

FLUX models are specifically fine-tuned to maintain the entire output diversity from pretraining. Compared to current state-of-the-art models, they offer significantly enhanced possibilities.

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pictureamoebae · 5 months

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Hi! 😄

Trying to use reshade on Disney Dreamlight Valley, and the I’m using a YouTube video for all games as I haven’t found a tutorial for strictly DDV. The first problem I’ve ran into is I’m apparently supposed to click home when I get to the menu of the game but nothing pops up so I can’t even get past that. It shows everything downloaded in the DDV files tho. 😅 never done this before so I’m very confused. Thanks!

I haven't played DVV so I'm not sure if it has any quirks or special requirements for ReShade.

Still, for general troubleshooting, make sure that you've installed ReShade into the same folder where the main DVV exe is located.

Does the ReShade banner come up at the top when you start the game? If so, then ReShade is at least installed in the correct place.

If it doesn't show up despite being in the correct location, make sure you've selected the correct rendering api as part of the installation process. You know the part where it asks you to choose between directx 9/10/11/12 or OpenGL/Vulkan? If you choose the wrong one of those ReShade won't load.

You can usually find out the rendering api of most games on PC Gaming Wiki. Here's the page for Disney Dreamlight Valley. It seems to suggest it supports Direct X 10 and 11.

If you're certain everything is installed correctly and the banner is showing up as expected but you still can't open the ReShade menu, you can change the Home key to something else just in case DVV is blocking the use of that for some reason.

Open reshade.ini in a text file and look for the INPUT section.

You'll see a line that says

KeyOverlay=36,0,0,0

36 is the javascript keycode for Home. You can change that to something else.

Check the game's hotkeys to find something that isn't already assigned to a command. For example, a lot of games use F5 to quick save, and F9 to quick load, so you might need to avoid using those. In TS4 at the moment I use F6 to open the overlay, because it's not assigned to anything in the game. You can choose whatever you want. You can find a list of javascript keycodes here. F6, for example, is 117, so you'd change the line to read

KeyOverlay=117,0,0,0

But you can choose whatever you want. Just remember to check it isn't already used by the game.

Note: you can usually do this in the ReShade menu, but since it isn't opening for you at the moment this is a way to change that key manually

Beyond that, I'm not sure what would be stopping the menu from opening. If you've exhausted the options above, you can try asking over in the official ReShade discord server. Please give them as much information as possible in as clear and uncluttered and to-the-point language as possible to increase your chances of someone being able (and willing) to help.

#ask #hellyl68 #reshade faq #reshade installation

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dollsonmain · 1 year

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Meaningless celebrity-ish ramble? I give 0 fucks about celebrities and everything I learn about them I learn against my will.

A while back I noticed That Guy watching a LOT of videos by this one girl that I call Obnoxious Girl because all she was doing in every video was screeching, whining, and yelling at other people's videos.

Like I've said, I don't care for that kind of video. I find it cheap and lazy to do nothing other than sit there watching other people's content and react to it. I also find it kind of shitty in general because instead of watching the original creator's channels, all of the views are going to someone else.

I mean, I block ads and sponsorships and unfollow creators for ads and sponsorships, but at least I make a point of my views going on the correct accounts.

Anyway, I teased him a little because it was obvious the only reason he was watching her was because she was young and pretty. He didn't care what she had to say or that she was screeching and whining the whole time or anything like that.

He was watching SO much of her content that I figured I ought to know who she was at least and after finding that out, heard there was some gaming-related drama about her. I didn't care enough to dig into it.

Apparently now her bf/husband is suing her for taking their content brand, doing her own thing with it like starting up multiple other YT channels without consulting him, and not sharing the preposterous profits, and because of that people are talking about her in YT shorts.

It's coming up in my related feed because I watch PC builds, reviews for PC parts, and troubleshooting.

Now I know what both of them did that got the gaming community pissed off at her without even trying or wanting to know and I know some of her personal drama without trying or wanting to know.

The internet is a wild place.

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deaderpoolmc · 3 months

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MC Command Center 2024.4.1 is out!

The latest public release, MCCC/MC Woohoo 2024.4.1, is out! MCCC 2024.4.1 contains a small fix for MCCC 2024.4.0. If a player had a Sim living in an apartment and clicked the mailbox to view billing information, they'd get an error if they were using MCCC Money settings to change billing. That's the only change between 2024.4.0 and 2024.4.1.

Full change log for 2024.4.1 is here.

Installation instructions can be found here.

Troubleshooting can be found here.

For support, you should always go to the Discord support channels:

General Support - Support for other mods or just general Q&A. General Support (Sims After Dark) - Alternate support for other mods or general Q&A MCCC Support - MCCC errors and questions Error Support- Last Exception questions

Compatibility:

This has been tested to be working with (but does not require) GTW, OR, Get Together, Dine Out, City Life, Vampires, Parenthood, Cats & Dogs, Jungle Adventures, Seasons, Get Famous, Strangeville, Island Living, Realm of Magic, Discover University, Eco Living, Journey to Batuu, Snowy Escape, Cottage Living, Werewolves, High School Years, Growing Together, Horse Ranch, For Rent, and the patch released June 6, 2024 - PC: 1.107.151.1020 / Mac: 1.107.151.1230. It will also work with anything after that Sims 4 update unless otherwise specified on Tumblr/Patreon posts I make after the update. Earlier Sims 4 versions may not be compatible, so we often do not support anything below the specified version here!

The legacy version of Sims 4 will now, and forever, use MCCC version 6.6.0, which can be found on Patreon and on my website.

DOWNLOAD HERE:

MC Command Center - All Modules Version 2024.4.1

MC Woohoo - Version 2024.4.1 (optional if MC Woohoo features are wanted)

ALL TRANSLATIONS AVAILABLE FOR 2024.4.1 CURRENTLY INCLUDE:

German - Thanks, Bonxie & SimNes!

Japanese - Thanks, Halapeco!

Russian - Thanks, KuriXarya!

Korean - Thanks, Smlee499!

Chinese - Thanks, Rebya!

Polish - Thanks, OnlyBroken!

French - Thanks, Holodeck!

Swedish - Thanks, Namelessperson98!

Portuguese - Thanks, Bishon2057!

#mcccrelease

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crackling-dab · 1 year

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having fucking,,, Opinions about modern computer literacy and how technology is constantly getting more complex while also obscuring this complexity behind a thin facade of "user friendliness" that quickly collapses any time there's any issue. Like, working in retail tech support, the number of people of a variety of ages who didn't know the term "internet browser" was highly concerning, or didn't know the difference between Windows and Google Chrome, or whether or not they had a Google account. Like, these are all very important things to know, and in some rare cases people just refused to learn "all that tech stuff", but most people tried to understand when I explained it, in what little time i could spare. Everyone should know the answer to questions like "what operating system are you using?", and the fact that many people don't is a (not entirely unintentional) failure on society's part to not give people agency over their own fucking devices! Navigating the file system through explorer should be simple, not a completely foreign activity, knowing what is or isn't installed, how to remove it, etc. I will always recommend Linux over windows, there are a ton of different versions, many of which are very easy to use these days, but on some level they all require that basic understanding and comfortability with the workings of a computer that people just don't get anymore, and so I can't really blame people for hesitating when Windows is at least somewhat more familiar and requires less work to operate, even as it takes away more and more user control.

I used to just get annoyed when people came to me with basic questions, but eventually I realized its almost like owning a car. I don't know how to fix cars, and everytime mine makes a noise I'm like oh god, what's wrong?? So I pay a mechanic who has much greater knowledge than I do to fix it. Not being familiar with computers is very similar, except troubleshooting a computer doesn't require a wholeass workshop and specialized tools, and so it shouldn't be something people are charged an arm and a leg for (we charged $50 for (up to) 30 minutes of general tech support, like I'm supposed to run someone's pockets because I took 10 minutes to help them reset a password?? Because I closed the annoying popup and restarted their pc?? The fuck??). Like so many times I just, hopped on google and found an answer within minutes, and that just seemed like wizardry to people, like no using a search engine should, again, be basic stuff at this point, at least for simple stuff.

Idk where I'm going with this it just makes me so frustrated that people are essentially encouraged to not learn how to operate their devices so they can be charged for shitty tech support subscriptions and just, buy a new one when it stops working right, god I hate tech companies

#for the record most of my clients were from the elderly community near the store #and I didn't actually charge the $50 or most of the other fees as long as no one was looking #so like obviously my demographic experience is skewed #but I definitely encountered similar issues across a wide range of ages #including like middle aged business people who use their pcs for work and stuff #blegh

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colintrumanarchive · 1 year

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FULL NAME: Colin James Truman FACECLAIM: Fionn Whitehead GENDER: Cis man PRONOUNS: He/him AGE + BIRTHDAY: 27 + August 24, 1996 LENGTH OF TIME IN FAIRFORD: ~1.5 years HOUSING: A townhouse Downtown OCCUPATION: Remote software developer for a large tech company

MORE STATS.

Nickname(s): Col Sexual Orientation: Bisexual Religion: None Nationality: American Ethnicity: White Hometown: Eureka, California Education: BS and Master's in Computer Science from SFSU

Height: 6'2 Tattoos: Tba (Right bicep and left shin) Piercings: Both lobes but not usually wearing anything in them Scars: Tba

Mother: Joyce Truman (Deceased) Father: Shane Truman (Deceased) Siblings: None Pet(s): None

PERSONALITY.

Pos. Traits: Analytical, intelligent, persistent, focused, logical, erudite Neg. Traits: Pretentious, aloof, judgmental, uncreative Likes: Old PC games, long drives, the beach, seafood, smoking weed, metal and 80s music, live music, dive bars, gouging electronics to look at the insides Dislikes: Most mainstream/top 40 pop, most social media, vegan substitutions for meat, people who call instead of texting for no reason, most stand-up comedy Fears: That his parents weren't even good people, growing old alone, getting old in general, regret, unfulfilled potential

TL;DR.

Grew up in Eureka, California, and lost his parents at just under five years old, after which he went to live with his maternal grandparents one neighborhood over. Was a quiet but still relatively social kid in school, got good grades but not as good as they could have been if he'd focused more instead of smoking weed and going to concerts. Went to SFSU after high school for his undergrad and then also got his Master's in Computer Science there before moving back in with his grandparents and landing a high-paying remote software dev job with a company based out of Seattle. Moved to Fairford to be a little closer to the company and because he wanted to get out of Eureka. Semi-quiet metal head tech boy who can can't produce art to save his life but can fix your computer in twenty minutes.

CURRENT CONNECTIONS.

Dumbass stoners with @mackmontgomery

Fwb with @phoebebaker

Unlikely friendship with @thaddcarter

Dark-sided friendship with @tysonchapmans

Unofficial IT for @aylinerdogan's restaurant

HEADCANONS.

Always stoned but he's so high functioning you wouldn't know it if he doesn't want you to

Crazy fluent with computers and most technology, he's everyone's go-to for troubleshooting and he can even do it over text usually

Type of person you think hates you at first but he's just got resting unimpressed face and is a little judgy but he's not at all mean or unpleasant if you actually talk to him

Unless he actually doesn't like somebody, in which case he's the first one to say something. He's got zero problem with confrontation

Prefers a smaller number of close friends to a large number of acquaintances and can be hard to get close to as he gets older because he isn't necessarily looking for new friends

Will get really excited about a new person he genuinely vibes with though

Really into music and a little pretentious about it but won't necessarily shit on what you're listening to unless you ask HGFKJHDS he's a metal head but he's also super into 80s post punk alt rock bands like Bauhaus and listens to (mostly indie) pop but is picky about it. Forever in love with Lana though

Despite being kind of aloof and not the easiest person in the world to get close to, he's a pretty sociable person. He can carry conversations easily when he wants to and has not even a touch of social anxiety so striking up conversations with strangers is a no-brainer

Has a horrible fear that his parents weren't actually good people. His maternal grandma's always been weird about talking about his dad and he's convinced it's because she didn't like him

Fucked around in high school too much and still got good grades but not as good as they could have been. He was one of those kids that frustrated teachers because he'd do well on tests and only sporadically turn in homework

His personal essay was what pushed him over the edge in his application to SFSU because otherwise he wouldn't have gotten in on his grades or extracurriculars alone

He's a great writer and has always wanted to write a book but can't get himself to actually do it and is loathe to let anyone help him or read his stuff

BIOGRAPHY.

**trigger warnings for accidental homicide, suicide, death of parents

His therapists have always told him how much repressed trauma he carries with him, but Colin doesn’t remember finding his father’s dead body in the backyard one summer morning when he was four years old, and he’s grateful for that. Pills and alcohol, he’d discovered much later, though he doesn’t know what kind and he’s grateful for that too.

Colin was born to Shane and Joyce Truman in the middle of a late August heatwave that brought Eureka’s temperature into the nineties, and with the exception of his dad’s constant battle with alcoholism, life was pretty good in the beginning. Most of Colin’s memories of those days are from the beach, with one very distinct memory of visiting the Redwoods for the first time and listening to his mom tell him about how some of the trees had been around since even before Jesus, which to Colin sounded like they were there at the beginning of time.

About a month before Colin turned five, his dad came home one morning, drunk off his ass after a night out, and hit his mom with the car while she was gardening out front. She died in the hospital a few hours later, with a stunned Colin, still in his pajamas, watching from a few feet away and his grandparents sobbing on one side of her, his dad nearly catatonic on the other. A few weeks later, on a morning two days before the court date, Colin found his dad dead in a lawn chair out in the backyard.

He went to live with his maternal grandparents, whose house was one neighborhood away but may as well have been in a different universe, as far as Colin was concerned. A place where he’d once spent fun nights with his grandparents was now his permanent home, and even though he loved them, it could never be the same.

The most terrible thing of all was that life went on, and by the time he was starting high school Colin had spent twice as long without his parents as he had with them.

He was relatively quiet but always unexpectedly charming when he felt like it, and from the time he was in grammar school all the way through his years getting first his bachelor's degree and then his Master's in computer science at SFSU, Colin kept most of the same close friends, picking up new ones here and there along the way.

Almost immediately after finishing his Master's and returning home to his grandparents' house in Eureka he landed a remote job doing software development for a large tech company based out of Seattle, and within months of settling into the job and getting comfortable with the high salary, he decided to uproot himself and try starting his own life somewhere new that wouldn't bog him down with half-formed memories.

Washington, up near the Canadian border, was somehow perfect. Not quite Seattle, but close enough in a tranquil beach town, and Fairford was an easy pick because it reminded him of Eureka if a little more touristy and populated. He's been here about a year and a half, living well but going through the motions of life and wondering what the hell he's still missing.

WANTED CONNECTIONS.

A few besties

Weed smoking buddies

Computer nerd friends and/or people he's always helping with tech stuff

Someone who tries to teach him guitar or piano or smth!!!

Music lover friends

Someone who's like a direct opposite of him (really emotional and creative and passionate) and can challenge him a little

An ex from FF in the last year and a half

Anyone who thinks he's a pretentious twat

Other pretentious twats to discuss pretentious things with

Neighbors downtown

Hookups/fwb/etc

#fairfordintro #accidental homicide tw #suicide tw #death of parents tw

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favorite-pc-games1 · 5 days

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Build a Custom Computer is a Good Idea

Why Building a Custom Computer is a Good Idea as Compared to Buying any Prebuilt One Through Computer Stores?

One of the most crucial options you will make when buying a new computer is whether to construct a bespoke PC yourself or just purchase a prebuilt system from a computer store either online or offline. Although many retailers sell high-performance, ready-to-use computers, building your own bespoke PC has several advantages. You may save money, have more control over the components, and be more flexible when you build your own computer. Visit this website if you are looking for a computers store in Australia. https://www.aftershockpc.com.au

This is why getting a custom-made PC is a far better option than purchasing one that is already built:

Tailor-Made Performance

Prebuilt computers from a computer store often lack this flexibility as they are typically made for general-purpose use. For Gamers choosing a high-end graphics card and CPU that delivers the best gaming performance without being weighed down by unnecessary features like an underwhelming power supply or excess storage, can be a good pick. Personalization is one of the biggest advantages of building your own computer.

Cost Efficiency

In addition to paying for the hardware when you purchase a prebuilt computer from a computer retailer, you also pay for the labor used to assemble and promote it. Prebuilt systems are frequently overpriced, and in order to increase the manufacturer's profit margin, certain components could be of inferior quality. By purchasing parts separately and concentrating on better-quality components at reasonable rates, custom PC builder may steer clear of these expenses.

Upgrade Flexibility

Prebuilt systems might have drawbacks, such as the use of proprietary components that may prevent future improvements. Systems that are hard to change, making it difficult to update or replace components when necessary, may be sold in computer stores. You might have to purchase a completely new system sooner than you had anticipated due to this lack of flexibility. On the other hand, constructing a custom PC allows you to upgrade each component separately as technology advances. It's simple to replace components like the motherboard, RAM, and GPU to keep your system running smoothly and prolong its life. Because of this, investing in a custom-built PC is more economical and long-lasting than buying a prebuilt one.

Better Understanding of Your System

Building your own computer gives you a deep grasp of how it functions. When troubleshooting issues, this information may be quite helpful since it can give you a better sense of which components might be producing issues. Prebuilt systems may have proprietary software, which can complicate debugging and need expert support. Gaining practical experience as a custom PC builder might ultimately save you money and time. As opposed to depending on tech assistance for a prebuilt system, you will be more independent when it comes to updating components or resolving basic hardware problems.

Customization and Aesthetic Control

Not only may building your own PC improve speed, but it also allows you to personalize the appearance of your system. Computer businesses usually sell prebuilt computers with a standard design that does not allow for much customization. But when you construct your own PC, you have complete control over everything from the cooling and lighting setup to the case design. A visually pleasing system can improve the entire experience for creative workers or gamers. When you create your own computer, you may have anything from an RGB-lit setup to a clean, minimalistic design, the option is all yours.

Read more articles about Gaming PC Australia here at - https://makeprojects.com/project/is-pc-gaming-booming-in-australia-lets-find-out?projectid=174379&r=myqb7

#Computers Store #Custom PC Builder

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govindhtech · 16 days

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Improve The Dell Management Portal With Microsoft Intune

Boost Microsoft Intune’s Management Capabilities for Dell PCs. Find out how IT managers can minimize complexity, save time, and maximize resources using the Dell Management Portal.

Dell Management

Keeping an inventory of PCs across several locations, OEMs, and management software may be a challenging chore, especially with the growing complexity of the IT environment and evolving needs. IT managers often have to juggle a number of tools and procedures in order to keep control over the business. Let me introduce you to the Dell Management Portal, a cutting-edge tool that makes managing Dell client devices with Microsoft Intune easier. For IT managers, this cloud-based tool seeks to minimize complexity, save time, and maximize resources.

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What is the Dell Management Portal?

The online Dell Management Portal helps IT administrators and enterprises manage, monitor, and support Dell hardware and software solutions. Dell network equipment, servers, storage systems, laptops, and desktops may be managed from one interface.

Features

The Dell Management Portal‘s salient characteristics comprise:

Device Monitoring: Keep an eye on the functionality, state, and health of your Dell devices in real time.

Updates for Firmware and Software: Make it easier to update drivers, system software, and firmware on various Dell devices.

Enable remote diagnostics, system setting, and troubleshooting from any location with remote management.

Automation Tools: Automate regular IT chores like as patch management, compliance checks, and backups.

Analytics and Reporting: Get access to thorough reports and insights on use patterns, system alarms, and hardware performance.

The gateway makes it simpler for businesses to manage large fleets of Dell devices by streamlining IT operations, decreasing downtime, and enhancing security.

The Dell Management Portal: What Sets It Apart?

Tools for Integrated Management

IT administrators may face serious difficulties as a result of different end user client device management programs not communicating with one another. This is made easier by the Dell Management Portal, which links Microsoft Intune and Dell PC Management Solutions to create an integrated ecosystem that improves control and reduces the amount of human labor needed.

Cloud-Based Adaptability

The cloud-based flexibility, ease of use, and forward-thinking benefits that contemporary IT settings need are provided with the Dell Management Portal. Workflows are streamlined by this connection, which also gives you more visibility and control over your Dell devices.

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Entire Device Administration

It’s never been easier to manage Dell computers. IT administrators may get both the prior and current BIOS passwords as well as the BitLocker recovery keys using the Dell Management Portal. These are essential for maintenance procedures. Dell commercial devices from both the previous and current generations are compatible with this capability.

Management of Applications

IT managers may now manage assignments from inside Microsoft Intune and publish Dell corporate apps to their Intune environment via the Dell Management Portal. All programs are kept current and correctly allocated to the proper device groups thanks to this seamless interaction.

The functioning of the Dell Management Portal

Open a browser or Microsoft Intune first

IT managers will have the option to access the Dell Management Portal directly from a contemporary browser like Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, or Google Chrome, or via the Microsoft Intune Partner Portal (which will arrive in late September or early October). Just go to manage.dell.com.

A Tenant Global Administrator must first start the portal, log in using Entra credentials, and then accept the required rights via the Microsoft Authentication dialog box. Taking this step guarantees safe access to the Dell Management Portal‘s management features.

Take Control of Your Dell Software and Hardware

After connecting, IT managers have access to comprehensive end-user client device data, enabling them to manage Dell PCs. On Dell-managed PCs, they may examine both the most recent and older BIOS passwords as well as the BitLocker recovery keys.

Make Applications Public and Assign Them

Viewing the available Dell corporate apps, together with their descriptions, supported operating systems, and languages, is accessible to IT managers. The selected version of an application is instantly published to Microsoft Intune when you click “publish now.” The program may then be assigned by administrators to certain user or device groups, with the option to remove, require installation, or make it accessible.

The Dell Management Portal’s Advantages

Efficiency of Time and Resources

The Dell Management Portal facilitates easy Dell PC Management by allowing a smooth interface to Microsoft Intune. With only a few clicks, key apps may be loaded into Microsoft Intune for deployment. Accessing device information is simpler. This facilitates IT administrators’ access to important data.

Improved Control and Visibility

One consolidated view of all Dell devices controlled by Microsoft Intune is offered via the Dell Management Portal. IT managers may now access critical device information more quickly thanks to the improved visibility and management.

Enhanced Safety and Adherence

The BitLocker recovery key management and BIOS password retrieval functions of the Dell Management Portal improve security and compliance. IT managers can quickly get vital security data, guaranteeing that devices stay safe and adhere to company regulations.

Practical Uses

IT managers may benefit from the features that the Dell Management Portal provides, which range from installing drivers and setting up BIOS to keeping an eye on devices and controlling updates. It offers the features and tools required to guarantee the best possible device performance and efficiency, regardless of the size of your organization or fleet of devices.

In Summary

When used with Microsoft Intune, the Dell Management Portal is an extremely potent tool that enhances the management potential of Dell PCs. By providing complete device management, cloud-based flexibility, integrated management tools, and seamless application administration, it tackles the main issues encountered by IT administrators and offers a foundation for ongoing development within a well-known global ecosystem.