#MICRO TECH PC

[micro-pc-tech]

Guide for Computer virus handling

In todays time every single person familiar with word Virus.

"A virus" the word “virus” is famous for “CORONA VIRUS” after impact of COVID-19 in all around world.

What do you do while protecting yourself from corona virus?

Yes! IT'S about to

Cover you face with mask

Keep distancing

In similar style YOU can protect your computer from viruses that are generally called malware with formula KEEP DISTANCING! YES "IT DEFINITELY WORKS"

Technical masks on your computer in form of Antiviruses, firewall, anti-spyware.

Keep distancing is another magic follow up to stay away from viruses.  (It’s very easy and possible to make distance from computer viruses

Keep distance from suspicious links downloads (Shared through emails or any other sources)

Keep distance from removable devices or does a scan with updated antivirus before insert it.

Keep distance from unauthorized web pages. Don’t open them.

Keep distance from downloading freeware from internet

Keep distance from downloading unauthorized software (malicious software)

Let's read what actually a virus is?

Oh that’s a silly program made by scammers in order to

Destroy computer system

Damage computer system

Make your computer sick and put it on ventilator

Hijack your computer system

Steal control or any important information from your computer system

All that means to disable smart functioning of any computer system, software, or electronic data. Virus is a program that spreads by first infecting files or the system areas of a computer or network router's hard drive and then making copies of itself. It can cause serious damage to your computer.

WHAT TO DO TO STAY AWAY FROM VIRUS

Download from reputable sources

Before downloading any freeware, take some time to read reviews from other users.

verify authenticity before downloading any software

Use a reputable Antivirus and keep it up-to-date

Be cautious of 'too good to be true' offers

Always opt out of installing anything that you're not sure about.

Keep your operating system and software updated with the latest security patches to minimize vulnerabilities that could be exploited by malware.

By following these tips, you can reduce the risk of getting viruses from freeware and protect your computer and personal information.

WHAT IF COMPUTER SYSTEM GET INFECTED?

Over WWW there are numerous guides’ available that teaches you some possible ways to handle a virus. You definitely get huge suggestions in finding and fixing.

Are that all guide is resolving your problem? or

Make it worst?

Sometimes a journey of fixing existing virus may take you at risk of facing another unwanted virus or suspicious attack as many fake resources available to guide you. HOW? As most time a victim can opt for solutions by searching over web and can be entangled in a net of those who

Claim to remove your virus for free

Claim A system scan for free

A software that available with excited offers

Not have reputed name in market and work to just earning from victims.

Removing a virus from your computer requires careful steps. Here's a general guide on how to remove a virus that can be of any type like file infection , Boot sector , macro virus , polymorphic viruses ,Trojans ,Ransom wares ,  Aware , Spyware etc Here are some suggestions to remove virus from your computer .

Best way is to get Professional Help

If you're unable to remove the virus on your own, consider seeking help from a professional computer technician or IT specialist. This is best way to have help from a professional as they know right way to handle with virus. There are many helps over web that cares you pc through call.  They may have specialized tools and knowledge to assist in virus removal. Micro PC Tech, we provide the best support for virus removal.   You can contact at their toll free number +1-877-842-1012.

If you not want to go with a professional follow these steps, may it help you

Opt. Safe Mode: Turn off your computer and start it up again (Restart your computer) and click on safe mode (boot into Safe Mode). This action to run a computer in safe mode prevents the virus from running and makes it easier to remove.So this is one of possible way in detecting and removal of virus from your computer.

Update Antivirus: Antivirus is software that protects you from virus attacks. To ensure your antivirus proper functionality and best output check for software is up-to-date with the latest version. Updating of software is much important as it UPGRADE the software to fight with extreme power an let you protected from any suspicious malware attacks . If you don't have antivirus software installed, consider downloading OR buying a reputable program and installing it.

System Scan: When a virus affects computer than scanning is best way to stay it away from your computer, hence perform a full system scan using your antivirus software. Don’t halt scanning; Allow the scan to complete, as it will search for any traces of the virus on your computer.

Remove Detected Threats: Once you detect a virus, what is our next step? Probably we are going to kick it out. So the next step for you is that if the antivirus software detects the virus or any other threats, follow the prompts to quarantine or remove them from your system.

Manually Delete Suspicious Files: Manual detection is a bit difficult as you have to identify by yourself for any suspicious item and deleting them may cause for data loss. In case if the antivirus software does not detect the malware, you may need to manually search for and delete suspicious files. Be cautious when deleting files manually, as deleting system files can cause issues with your computer.

Restore Your System: most important for firm or personal is DATA, So Consider restoring your computer to a previous state using System Restore (Windows) or Time Machine (Mac) if the micro virus persists after running antivirus scans.

Prevent Future Infections: Once you remove virus that not mean it will not back again. After removing the micro virus, take steps to prevent future infections by installing reliable antivirus software, keeping your operating system and software up-to-date, and practicing safe browsing habits.

By following these steps, you can effectively remove a micro virus from your computer and help protect it from future infections.

Micro PC Tech Inc technician help millions of people around the world by relieving the frustration and stress caused by technical issues. Micro PC Tech Inc also helps enterprises transform customer experiences and increase satisfaction and lifetime value by enabling them to offer high quality technical support services for out of scope issues. Micro PC Tech has one of the highest resolution rates in the industry and strives to provide a great experience at every interaction. Today’s highly tech-dependent lifestyles have created an enormous need for professional tech support services. Filling this need gap neatly, Micro PC Tech helps consumers and small businesses get the most out of the technologies they use everyday by removing the stress and frustration experienced by people when dealing with technical problems.

[liminalmindcore]

Sharp PC-2001 Boombox Computer from 1979

[kidcore-nostalgia]

1980s educational PC game 'Podd' 🍅

Podd can POP!

[mostlysignssomeportents]

The paradox of choice screens

I'm coming to BURNING MAN! On TUESDAY (Aug 27) at 1PM, I'm giving a talk called "DISENSHITTIFY OR DIE!" at PALENQUE NORTE (7&E). On WEDNESDAY (Aug 28) at NOON, I'm doing a "Talking Caterpillar" Q&A at LIMINAL LABS (830&C).

It's official: the DOJ has won its case, and Google is a convicted monopolist. Over the next six months, we're gonna move into the "remedy" phase, where we figure out what the court is going to order Google to do to address its illegal monopoly power:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/08/07/revealed-preferences/#extinguish-v-improve

That's just the beginning, of course. Even if the court orders some big, muscular remedies, we can expect Google to appeal (they've already said they would) and that could drag out the case for years. But that can be a feature, not a bug: a years-long appeal will see Google on its very best behavior, with massive, attendant culture changes inside the company. A Google that's fighting for its life in the appeals court isn't going to be the kind of company that promotes a guy whose strategy for increasing revenue is to make Google Search deliberately worse, so that you will have to do more searches (and see more ads) to get the info you're seeking:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/24/naming-names/#prabhakar-raghavan

It's hard to overstate how much good stuff can emerge from a company that's mired itself in antitrust hell with extended appeals. In 1982, IBM wriggled off the antitrust hook after a 12-year fight that completely transformed the company's approach to business. After more than a decade of being micromanaged by lawyers who wanted to be sure that the company didn't screw up its appeal and anger antitrust enforcers, IBM's executives were totally transformed. When the company made its first PC, it decided to use commodity components (meaning anyone could build a similar PC by buying the same parts), and to buy its OS from an outside vendor called Micros-Soft (meaning competing PCs could use the same OS), and it turned a blind eye to the company that cloned the PC ROM, enabling companies like Dell, Compaq and Gateway to enter the market with "PC clones" that cost less and did more than the official IBM PC:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/08/ibm-pc-compatible-how-adversarial-interoperability-saved-pcs-monopolization

The big question, of course, is whether the court will order Google to break up, say, by selling off Android, its ad-tech stack, and Chrome. That's a question I'll address on another day. For today, I want to think about how to de-monopolize browsers, the key portal to the internet. The world has two extremely dominant browsers, Safari and Chrome, and each of them are owned by an operating system vendor that pre-installs their own browser on their devices and pre-selects them as the default.

Defaults matter. That's a huge part of Judge Mehta's finding in the Google case, where the court saw evidence from Google's own internal research suggesting that people rarely change defaults, meaning that whatever the gadget does out of the box it will likely do forever. This puts a lie to Google's longstanding defense of its monopoly power: "choice is just a click away." Sure, it's just a click away – a click, you're pretty sure no one is ever going to make.

This means that any remedy to Google's browser dominance is going to involve a lot of wrangling about defaults. That's not a new wrangle, either. For many years, regulators and tech companies have tinkered with "choice screens" that were nominally designed to encourage users to try out different browsers and brake the inertia of the big two browsers that came bundled with OSes.

These choice screens have a mixed record. Google's 2019 Android setup choice screen for the European Mobile Application Distribution Agreement somehow managed to result in the vast majority of users sticking with Chrome. Microsoft had a similar experience in 2010 with BrowserChoice.eu, its response to the EU's 2000s-era antitrust action:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BrowserChoice.eu

Does this mean that choice screens don't work? Maybe. The idea of choice screens comes to us from the "choice architecture" world of "nudging," a technocratic pseudoscience that grew to prominence by offering the promise that regulators could make big changes without having to do any real regulating:

https://verfassungsblog.de/nudging-after-the-replication-crisis/

Nudge research is mired in the "replication crisis" (where foundational research findings turn out to be nonreplicable, due to bad research methodology, sloppy analysis, etc) and nudge researchers keep getting caught committing academic fraud:

https://www.ft.com/content/846cc7a5-12ee-4a44-830e-11ad00f224f9

When the first nudgers were caught committing fraud, more than a decade ago, they were assumed to be outliers in an otherwise honest and exciting field:

https://www.npr.org/2016/10/01/496093672/power-poses-co-author-i-do-not-believe-the-effects-are-real

Today, it's hard to find much to salvage from the field. To the extent the field is taken seriously today, it's often due to its critics repeating the claims of its boosters, a process Lee Vinsel calls "criti-hype":

https://sts-news.medium.com/youre-doing-it-wrong-notes-on-criticism-and-technology-hype-18b08b4307e5

For example, the term "dark patterns" lumps together really sneaky tactics with blunt acts of fraud. When you click an "opt out of cookies" button and get a screen that says "Success!" but which has a tiny little "confirm" button on it that you have to click to actually opt out, that's not a "dark pattern," it's just a scam:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/03/27/beware-of-the-leopard/#relentless

By ascribing widespread negative effects to subtle psychological manipulation ("dark patterns") rather than obvious and blatant fraud, we inadvertently elevate "nudging" to a real science, rather than a cult led by scammy fake scientists.

All this raises some empirical questions about choice screens: do they work (in the sense of getting people to break away from defaults), and if so, what's the best way to make them work?

This is an area with a pretty good literature, as it turns out, thanks in part due to some natural experiments, like when Russia forced Google to offer choice screens for Android in 2017, but didn't let Google design that screen. The Russian policy produced a significant switch away from Google's own apps to Russian versions, primarily made by Yandex:

https://cepr.org/publications/dp17779

In 2023, Mozilla Research published a detailed study in which 12,000 people from Germany, Spain and Poland set up simulated mobile and desktop devices with different kinds of choice screens, a project spurred on by the EU's Digital Markets Act, which is going to mandate choice screens starting this year:

https://research.mozilla.org/browser-competition/choicescreen/

I'm spending this week reviewing choice screen literature, and I've just read the Mozilla paper, which I found very interesting, albeit limited. The biggest limitation is that the researchers are getting users to simulate setting up a new device and then asking them how satisfied they are with the experience. That's certainly a question worth researching, but a far more important question is "How do users feel about the setup choices they made later, after living with them on the devices they use every day?" Unfortunately, that's a much more expensive and difficult question to answer, and beyond the scope of this paper.

With that limitation in mind, I'm going to break down the paper's findings here and draw some conclusions about what we should be looking for in any kind of choice screen remedy that comes out of the DOJ antitrust victory over Google.

The first thing note is that people report liking choice screens. When users get to choose their browsers, they expect to be happy with that choice; by contrast, users are skeptical that they'll like the default browser the vendor chose for them. Users don't consider choice screens to be burdensome, and adding a choice screen doesn't appreciably increase setup time.

There are some nuances to this. Users like choice screens during device setup but they don't like choice screens that pop up the first time they use a browser. That makes total sense: "choosing a browser" is colorably part of the "setting up your gadget" task. By contrast, the first time you open a browser on a new device, it's probably to get something else done (e.g. look up how to install a piece of software you used on your old device) and being interrupted with a choice screen at that moment is an unwelcome interruption. This is the psychology behind those obnoxious cookie-consent pop-ups that website bombard you with when you first visit them: you've clicked to that website because you need something it has, and being stuck with a privacy opt-out screen at that moment is predictably frustrating (which is why companies do it, and also why the DMA is going to punish companies that do).

The researchers experimented with different kinds of choice screens, varying the number of browsers on offer and the amount of information given on each. Again, users report that they prefer more choices and more information, and indeed, more choice and more info is correlated with choosing indie, non-default browsers, but this effect size is small (<10%), and no matter what kind of choice screen users get, most of them come away from the experience without absorbing any knowledge about indie browsers.

The order in which browsers are presented has a much larger effect than how many browsers or how much detail is present. People say they want lots of choices, but they usually choose one of the first four options. That said, users who get choice screens say it changes which browser they'd choose as a default.

Some of these contradictions appear to stem from users' fuzziness on what "default browser" means. For an OS vendor, "default browser" is the browser that pops up when you click a link in an email or social media. For most users, "default browser" means "the browser pinned to my home screen."

Where does all this leave us? I think it cashes out to this: choice screens will probably make a appreciable, but not massive, difference in browser dominance. They're cheap to implement, have no major downsides, and are easy to monitor. Choice screens might be needed to address Chrome's dominance even if the court orders Google to break off Chrome and stand it up as a separate business (we don't want any browser monopolies, even if they're not owned by a search monopolist!). So yeah, we should probably make a lot of noise to the effect that the court should order a choice screen, as part of a remedy.

That choice screen should be presented during device setup, with the choices presented in random order – with this caveat: Chrome should never appear in the top four choices.

All of that would help address the browser duopoly, even if it doesn't solve it. I would love to see more market-share for Firefox, which is the browser I've used every day for more than a decade, on my laptop and my phone. Of course, Mozilla has a role to play here. The company says it's going to refocus on browser quality, at the expense of the various side-hustles it's tried, which have ranged from uninteresting to catastrophically flawed:

https://www.fastcompany.com/91167564/mozilla-wants-you-to-love-firefox-again

For example, there was the tool to automatically remove your information from scummy data brokers, that they outsourced to a scummy data-broker:

https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/22/24109116/mozilla-ends-onerep-data-removal-partnership

And there's the "Privacy Preserving Attribution" tracking system that helps advertisers target you with surveillance advertising (in a way that's less invasive than existing techniques). Mozilla rolled this into Firefox on an opt out basis, and made opting out absurdly complicated, suggesting that it knew that it was imposing something on its users that they wouldn't freely choose:

https://blog.privacyguides.org/2024/07/14/mozilla-disappoints-us-yet-again-2/

They've been committing these kinds of unforced errors for more than a decade, seeking some kind of balance between monopolistic web companies and its users' desire to have a browser that protects them from invasive and unfair practices:

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/may/14/firefox-closed-source-drm-video-browser-cory-doctorow

These compromises represent the fallacy that Mozilla's future depends on keeping bullying entertainment companies and Big Tech happy, so it can go on serving its users. At the same time, these compromises have alienated Mozilla's core users, the technical people who were its fiercest evangelists. Those core users are the authority on technical questions for the normies in their life, and they know exactly how cursed it is for Moz to be making these awful compromises.

Moz has hemorrhaged users over the past decade, meaning they have even less leverage over the corporations demanding that they make more compromises. This sets up a doom loop: make a bad compromise, lose users, become more vulnerable to demands for even worse compromises. "This capitulation puts us in a great position to make a stand in some hypothetical future where we don't instantly capitulate again" is a pretty unconvincing proposition.

After the past decade's heartbreaks, seeing Moz under new leadership makes me cautiously hopeful. Like I say, I am dependent on Firefox and want an independent, principled browser vendor that sees their role as producing a "user agent" that is faithful to its users' interests above all else:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/05/07/treacherous-computing/#rewilding-the-internet

Of course, Moz depends on Google's payment for default search placement for 90% of its revenue. If Google can't pay for this in the future, the org is going to have to find another source of revenue. Perhaps that will be the EU, or foundations, or users. In any of these cases, the org will find it much easier to raise funds if it is standing up for its users – not compromising on their interests.

Community voting for SXSW is live! If you wanna hear RIDA QADRI and me talk about how GIG WORKERS can DISENSHITTIFY their jobs with INTEROPERABILITY, VOTE FOR THIS ONE!

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/2024/08/12/defaults-matter/#make-up-your-mind-already

Image: ICMA Photos (modified) https://www.flickr.com/photos/icma/3635981474/

CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

[darry-queen]

Modern Steve hcs!!

he builds computers!

He does commissions for pc builds and makes a pretty penny from it too

One time his dad threw out a couple thousand dollars worth of gear in a fit of rage, after that Steve kept all of his expensive things at the Curtis house.

Soda and Twobit rope him into making tiktoks w them

Had an incredibly cringe Elon musk crypto bro faze when he was 14 and no one will let go of it

Can pirate literally anything

Pony will ask him to pirate a bunch of movies and he acts pissed about it and goes on rants but actually loves doing it for him bc even though he has told everyone in the gang he'd pirate anything for them pony is the only one that takes advantage

When he was a kid he had unrestricted internet access which he used to watch exclusively YouTube videos about cars

He spent so much time doing this that he is completely oblivious of any and all pop culture

He barely knows who Brad Pitt is how the hell would he know niche micro e celeb # 1849939??

This is contrasted with Sodas complete obsession with internet drama so every conversation they have is like

"Did you here what x did??"

Steve who just spent the last 16 hours locked in his room building a pc with nothing but niche goth rock playing "huh??"

Evie is the same so every time her and soda are together they just gossip about random people Steve's never heard of and he's just 🧍‍♂️

Is the least chronically online of the entire gang though so....

Is fluent in French bc when he and Soda would hang out when they were little and steve would pull out the phone his dad gave him so he wouldn't have to watch his kid Soda would insist they watch a French guy play Minecraft and now they just know french

Don't know how to spell or read French for shit but eh who cares

I wrote some stuff about him knowing how to code and him using it for evil to make fuxked up troll games for the gang to play

Just over all I imagine he'd use the internet "for good" in that he just becomes incredibly tech savvy

Actually works hard in school bc he wants to be an engineer even though he knows hell absolutely end up in insane amounts of debt

I'll reblog w more later if I feel like it but idk I love Steve ✨️✨️

[liquidcrystalsky]

a few days ago i had to connect to a computer through a serial connection. if you've ever seen the back of an old-ish pc you may have seen this

This is a serial port and it's old and mostly obsolete. the name "serial" itself refers to the fact it only can send One Bit At A Time. but serial isnt only this port and i learned that a few days ago

I was setting up a raspberry pi to put some home server stuff on it, but i wasnt able to connect to it over SSH, and it needed a micro-hdmi cable, which i didnt have.

what i did have for some fucking reason was a FT232R USB to serial UART adapter???? My dad found it inside of one of his drawers of tech stuff.

UART is a standard inside of Serial connections which allows a bunch of stuff, but the thing which was important was that it could send and recieve text in the form of a "Tele-Typewriter" or a TTY. It could send the computer's output to another computer, and by typing in that computer it would send it to the raspi, so i could log in and set things up using the console.

Note the name "typewriter" this is why ASCII has things like "carriage return" in the standard. ASCII wasn't made to digitally display text, it was made to control electric typewriters.

anyway after messing around for a while we found out the pins didnt line up so we had to rewire this bitch

and it worked it displayed the console output and i was able to type into it like normal (this also required some software to interface with the tty as well including i had to set a bunch of values which i didnt know but my dad just said "it's probably this" and it was, lol) i love when nearly half a century old standards and technology just work with new things

[adrianthevampire]

A Somewhat Comprehensive List of Horse Video Games

I will be editing this original post with new games, new information, and so on. If you see a reblogged version of this post, it is worth going to the original post to see if updates have been made.

Ahead will be a list of games that either were released recently and/or are being actively maintained. I have not personally played all of these games. Do not take this list as my personal recommendations.

If you have games you would like to suggest for this list, please let me know!

Some games are listed in both the Single Player and Multiplayer sections. This is due to them having the capability for either.

Single Player

The Ranch of Rivershine [Steam]

Horse Tales: Emerald Valley Ranch [Website, available for PC and consoles]

Rival Stars Horse Racing [Website]

Astride [Steam, Website]

Horse Club Adventures [Steam, also available on consoles]

Horse Club Adventures 2 [Steam, also available on consoles]

Wildshade Unicorn Champions [only available on consoles]

Tales of Rein Ravine [Steam]

Multiplayer

Rival Stars Horse Racing [Website]

Astride [Steam, Website]

Horse Isle 3 [Website]

Alicia Online [Website]

Star Stable Online [Website]

Star Equestrian [Website]

Browser

Horse Reality [Website]

Ropin' Ranch [Website]

Wild Horses Valley [Website]

Hunt and Jump [Website]

Mobile

Wildshade

Equestrian The Game

Star Equestrian

Rival Stars Horse Racing

Star Stable Online

Equestriad World Tour

Honorable Mentions

These are games that are not horse games technically but may have good horse gameplay, either in the base game or via user created content.

Red Dead Redemption 2/Red Dead Online/RedM

Minecraft

Roblox

The Sims 3 Pets

The Sims 4 Horse Ranch

Black Desert Online

Upcoming

Some but not all of these games have demos or paid beta testing, though none are officially available yet.

Fernhoof Grove [Trailer]

Unbridled: That Horse Game [Website]

Horse Life Simulator [Patreon]

Canter Crossing [Steam]

Pro Show Jumping [Steam]

Horse Project [Website]

Horse Trainer [Video]

Windstorm: The Legend of Khiimori [Steam]

Details about some of the games:

Rival Stars Horse Racing

Rival Stars has two versions. Desktop via Steam and Mobile. While the gameplay itself (e.i racing, breeding, etc) are identical there are massive differences in how it functions. Mobile has micro transactions and limits on how much you can do a day without paying money. The desktop version has no micro transactions and no limits on how much you can do at any given time. Desktop, however, does not get updated as often as Mobile. I could go on and on listing various pros and cons between the two versions, but ultimately I personally prefer Desktop due to the lack of micro transactions or wait times and in addition Desktop has the ability to make custom horses, which is quite fun. It's worth checking out the mobile version first, however, so you can see if the game appeals to you as the Mobile version is free to play.

Astride

Astride is in "early access" on Steam, though that can be misleading. What is currently available is little more than a tech demo. You can create a horse and ride around an area on it, utilizing Astride's unique jumping system, and you can given play with friends. However, it is extremely glitchy, the lighting looks awful right now, and overall it just... isn't good. That said, it is still in progress and I personally have hopes that it will become a full fledged game as promised someday. That day is not today and so I personally recommend not purchasing it until it has gotten a few good updates, unless you just really want to financially support the developers.

Horse Isle 3

Oh boy. I'll just point you towards this article about some of the issues with the community management of HI3. Be warned if you intend to play, moderators are inconsistent about the rules they enforce and you can very easily get banned for saying harmless things. Personally, I stay out of the chat and I'm careful with what I name my horses. Horse Isle 3 is a one of a kind game, sadly, that allows for extremely detailed breeding. Realistic genetics combined with the ability to breed for all sorts of shapes makes it a very compelling game, which is why so many people continue to play it despite... the issues. It is free to play, though there are paid aspects to it. However, you can earn the premium currency within the game and utilize paid features without ever paying your own money.

Minecraft

Minecraft can be a fun horse game using mods or server plugins! The mod SWEM adds a lot of content that makes for good realistic horse roleplay, though doesn't fit well in survival style gameplay. The mod Realistic Horse Genetics actually doesn't change much of the horse functionality, making it a really good fit for survival gameplay, but adds lots of realistic genetics and a better system for inheriting stats than vanilla minecraft. The mod Genetic Animals will be adding horses soon.

Red Dead Redemption 2, Red Dead Online, and RedM

While it is not intended to be a horse game, RDR2 has horses that feel so very real. They are well animated so they feel alive and they respond to their environment in realistic ways. Many people purchase the game purely because of the horses. There are mods you can use to improve the horses in Single Player, though I've never used any so I can't offer suggestions. Personally, I really like Red Dead Online for the horses because the horses can't die and there are a few more breed options. You also can look into joining a RedM server. There is one called Rift that is specifically meant for horse enthusiasts.

Roblox

I know nothing about Roblox personally, but I know there are several worlds (games? I don't know what they're called) in Roblox that revolve around horses.

I will add to this as I think of more. If you are viewing this as a reblogged post, it's worth checking the original to see if it has been updated.

Please feel free to request more information or suggest games or add your thoughts.

[gay-milton-quotes]

I'm Unpeeling Myself from Big Tech!

"Unpeeling" being any act you take that limits the amount of data a large tech corporation can gather from you, decreases your reliance on products of those corporations, or increases autonomy over your technology. I'm ripping the term from a line in this review by Joanna Nelius, where she writes, "People are looking for ways to peel their eyes from their smartphones like a layer of Elmer’s glue from their hand — to remove a part of themselves that really isn’t a part of themselves." It's different than "unplugging" because the goal isn't to go off the grid, or even to limit one's technology usage. The goal, instead, is to extract from the invasive, addictive, destructive capitalist vision a set of tools that are useful to YOU.

It started when I realized I don't need a smartphone. I've deleted most social media from my phone, and the stuff I still have I prefer to check on my laptop. Not all "dumb phones" (I hate this term) offer the same features, though, so I began to think on a granular level about what I need from a cell phone. Eg, not all "dumb phones" provide MMS, but my family lives 3k miles away. I wanna still talk in the groupchat.

On the more complex end, I write on my phone. I've been using Google Docs to move seamlessly from scribbled writing drafts on my phone to formatted, finished works on my computer since I was fourteen.

Except, Google Docs is useless now. I've been unable to use it since they lowered the storage capacity. The only other cloud storage writing thingy with similar functionality is Office 365, which sucks.

Could a dumb phone with a basic "notes" feature work? Maybe, but I'd have to re-type everything to get it into a formatted document. Ideally, I'd have like, a mini-laptop just for writing - something I could fit in my pocket or in a small bag, so I could bring it to work without looking like a dick - and then, in addition, a basic phone for calls/texts/GPS stuff. But does a device this specific to my use case even exist?

Yes. Yes it does.

This is a GPD Micro PC. GPD mainly sells handheld gaming machines, though this product is designed for mobile IT professionals. It's probably too chonky for a pocket, but mark my words, I will figure out how to make it work for me.

It's stupid, but this gave me a rush. I've been struggling along, tied to the bloated corpses of three gmail accounts, for years, because I needed Google Docs for my writing workflow. But now I don't. I have the power to actually tailor my tech for my life.

By this point, I was like, alright, I don't need Google Docs anymore, I don't need a smartphone, what else? Do I need Windows? No, probably not, right? I can use Linux Mint on this new guy, especially since he'll mostly be a basic writing machine. LibreOffice is less intrusive and bloated than MS Word - a better experience for free than I'd have from the paid program. If I go all the way and install Linux, I also won't have to deal with ads in my start menu, or pre-installed spyware screenshotting my activities.

In fact, if I back everything up on an external drive, I can delete my old Google Drives and switch my main computer to Linux, too! So, I finally bit the bullet and invested in an external hard drive.

This is the problem with "product ecosystems," by the way. When one part of that ecosystem - Google Docs - fails, the whole thing collapses. All the bloat and corruption you dealt with just stops being worth it, and it's easier to make a radical change to a new system. I witnessed something similar happen with comedy tech youtuber Dankpods earlier this year, except with Apple's ecosystem: he was a lifetime Apple guy - seemingly not in a worship way, but he liked their products, and was certainly in Apple's ecosystem. Then a couple things went sour for him, and now he runs Linux.

I'm doing this for personal and ideological reasons. I'm personally sick of Clippy - I mean, Copilot - peeping in to tell me how to write what I'm writing on Office 365. I abhor the idea of paying Google for a service they offered for free until recently, knowing they can flip the script at any point. And while we're talking ideology, I'm a communist, and even though this is far from a shift everyone can make, I believe that taking any available steps towards shutting Big Tech out of our lives is a net good. If all you can do is delete Instagram, or use a screentime tracker, or switch to Firefox, do it. I'm finally in a position to make this more drastic change, and I'm excited.

Get in the weeds about how you use technology. Do you need everything at your fingertips, all the time? If not, what, specifically, do you need? Is there a way that you, now or in the future, can trim out the parts you dislike? And what can you change now?

[animatedjen]

hello animatedjen!! I hope your day has been beautiful 🧡 I've recently moved into an apartment and have decided to get a gaming monitor for my PS5, so I can game at my desk and save some space while still enjoying photo mode sessions. if I remember correctly you play Jedi on PC, so maybe my question for you isn't relevant, but is there a monitor you use & like or would recommend for this purpose? I know these things are expensive and you seemed like a good person to ask about getting my investment right the first time around! especially since I would also use it for professional photo & video editing on occasion, and I know that's relevant to your career field as well. any advice you have on making a flexible set up would be so appreciated! thank you in advance!! I hope this question isn't too bothersome! P.S. I want you to know that you're a micro celebrity amongst my coworker friends because they see your photo mode shots rotate as my desktop wallpapers all day every day haha 😅

Congrats on the apartment!! And I'm very honored to be your work desktop wallpaper 💛 Respawn should be giving you a referral bonus!

Right now I'm using a Gigabyte QHD 34" ultrawide gaming monitor I got secondhand. Good specs for the price, but it's not super color accurate when compared to my Macbook retina screen - it could be calibrated more via software or a physical tool, but for now I use the monitor for gaming, general life stuff, and pre-color editing. I have a DP cable for the PC and HDMI for the Macbook or PS5, so it's easy to switch between devices.

The ultrawide aspect ratio also means I crop my photomode shots to 16:9 to post on socials, since 21:9 photos are very skinny (see above) and people often scroll Tumblr on their small, vertically-oriented phone screens. On the plus side, it's great for video editing since I can see more of the timeline at once. And no black bars during Jedi Survivor cutscenes!

You'll have to decide your budget and what specs are most important to you for photo/video work - I'd recommend a screen somewhere between 24" and 34", with QHD (2K) or UHD (4K) resolution. A higher refresh rate (at least 60hz, if not 120/144/240hz) helps for gaming and video with higher framerates. Color accuracy is tricky, but if you're not creating high-end photo prints or color grading for Netflix, something good (but not perfect) will be just fine. Some monitors will be better for gaming, and some better for photo/video editing, so decide which one to prioritize.

I've seen ASUS ProArt, Dell UltraSharp, and BenQ monitors recommended when I've shopped around before, but I skew towards non-gamer, Mac-friendly tech since more of my client work is on that system and the Jedi stuff is (sadly) not my paid job (yet). But if any other gamer/creative professionals want to drop recs in the comments, y'all probably know more than I do! 🙌

Thanks for the ask and sorry I can't be more helpful. Look forward to seeing the photomode shots from your new monitor :)

[orangameelectronics]

Stay Charged Anywhere: The Ultimate 20000mAh Power Bank with Digital Display

Tired of your phone dying during travel, work, or adventures? Meet the Digital Display Power Bank—your new on-the-go lifesaver. With a massive 20,000mAh polymer battery, built-in USB-C, Lightning, and Android cables, this portable charger keeps all your gadgets juiced up without the cable clutter.

Why This Power Bank is a Game-Changer？

See Your Battery Life: The LED digital screen shows exactly how much juice is left—no guessing games!

Charge 5 Devices at Once: Use the USB-A, Micro-USB, Type-C, and built-in cables to power phones, tablets, cameras, and even small lights. Perfect for group trips or multitaskers.

2.1A Fast Charging: Say goodbye to sluggish charging. This powerhouse refills your devices quickly, so you’re back to 100% in no time.

Travel-Ready Design: Compact (5.5” x 2.7” x 1.2”) and lightweight, it slips into any bag. Plus, it works with USA, EU, UK, and Aussie sockets—ideal for globetrotters.

Built to Last (and Protect) Safety first! Certified by CE, FCC, and RoHS, this charger guards against overheating, overcharging, and short circuits. The rugged ABS+PC shell survives drops, spills, and daily wear. Choose classic black, red, blue, or even customize the color to match your style.

Who Needs This? Travelers: No more hunting for outlets in airports. Outdoor Enthusiasts: Keep your GPS, phone, and flashlight charged during hikes or camping. Busy Pros: Power through back-to-back meetings without battery anxiety.

Final conlusaction This isn’t just a power bank—it’s a must-have tech essential for anyone who hates being tethered to a wall. With its huge capacity, smart features, and travel-friendly design, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it.

#PowerBank #FastCharging #StayConnected #TechEssentials #OnTheGo #ChargeOnTheGo #HighCapacity

Grab yours at https://pse.is/7j7ryd today and never run out of power again!

[micro-pc-tech]

NVIDIA Technology -Alphabet-owned robotics software company

Intrinsic, the Alphabet-owned robotics software company, recently announced a partnership with NVIDIA to incorporate NVIDIA's advanced technologies into its robotics platform. This integration aims to enhance Intrinsic's robotics capabilities and expand the possibilities for automation across various industries.

Here's an overview of the collaboration and its implications:

NVIDIA Technology Integration: Intrinsic is leveraging NVIDIA's hardware and software solutions to improve its robotics platform. This integration includes NVIDIA's powerful GPUs and AI software, which are known for their performance in computing-intensive tasks such as machine learning and computer vision.

Enhanced Robotics Capabilities: The integration of NVIDIA technology is expected to enable Intrinsic's robotics platform to perform more complex tasks and improve its efficiency. For example, machine learning models can be accelerated using NVIDIA GPUs, allowing robots to learn and adapt to different tasks more quickly.

Application Across Industries: By incorporating NVIDIA's tech, Intrinsic aims to offer advanced robotics solutions that can be applied across a range of industries, including manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare. This collaboration could lead to more versatile and adaptable robotics systems.

AI-Driven Automation: The combination of Intrinsic's robotics software with NVIDIA's AI expertise could result in more advanced AI-driven automation solutions. This could lead to more intelligent and capable robots that can work alongside humans in a variety of settings.

Impact on Robotics Research: The partnership between Intrinsic and NVIDIA has the potential to accelerate innovation in robotics research. By combining Intrinsic's experience in robotics with NVIDIA's strengths in AI and high-performance computing, the collaboration could lead to breakthroughs in robotics technology.

Collaboration for Future Developments: The partnership between Intrinsic and NVIDIA is part of a larger trend in the tech industry, where companies collaborate to push the boundaries of technology and drive innovation. By working together, both companies can leverage each other's strengths and expertise.

Overall, the integration of NVIDIA technology into Intrinsic's robotics platform represents an exciting development in the field of robotics. It highlights the potential for advanced AI and robotics solutions to transform industries and improve the way humans interact with technology.

[nanalineni]

Tbh I think "tech literacy is decreasing" is a fallacy. Computers haven't existed under a stable form long enough to define what literacy of their use is. Like ffs my parents were the very first generation to use PC for work for their entire career ! "Tech literacy" in the 90s, the 00s and the 10s do not mean the same, and they don't even mean the same thing between different groups. Do you need to know how the software and the hardware communicate to be tech literate ? Do you need to know how the basics of memory allocation work ? Do you need to know of the myriads of way data can be stored and shared and organized across networks or locally ? Do you need to know about encryption ? Do you need to master the use of an operating system ? Which one ? Do you need to know how to use office softwares ? Which ones ? Do you need to know how to code in a language ? Which language ? To code what ? Python is completely different if you use it to create a software, to model stuff, to analyze tables, or to plot data. Are you still literate if nothing is retro compatible ? LabVIEW 2019 does not allow to open vi from LabVIEW 2013, does that mean thousands of people are now illiterate again ?

No I truly think tech literacy is a non issue and a weird think to wrack your brain on when the real issue is the increasing lack of accessibility and control for the users, not just on computers, macro or micro, but really on everything. Recently I had to buy a new coffee grinder because grinders are not mechanical anymore, they're a small plastic tower with a blade inside, and if you open the plastic case you discover inside there was a tiny stick that pushed a button that is impossible to put back in place anymore. Your sewing machine whose casing used to be cast iron is now plastic with little clips that are made to break when you open it, so you cannot fix it or improve it yourself if you want to keep the warrantee or a functioning machine. Furniture is now delivered pre built with components that are made to break if you try to unscrew them to fix a broken ball bearing drawer tray. Even your fucking pens are now made to be thrown and re bought instead of refilled or fixed. This, imo, is the same issue as software becoming more and more smoothed out with less and less control from the user.

[pkmn479]

Pokemon PC systems run like Mastodon instances, all able to federate with eaach other but every region has its own "home instance," and evil teams tend to have their own micro-instances on account of usually getting blocked from the regional instances.

There's exceptions ofc; Team Yell aren't banned from the network bc the worst they do is minor mischief (and let's face it I'm p sure the Rotomi are MC tech and... Yeah) and Team Skull... well I don't think they'd be banned bc even if they weren't they just keep all their "boxed" in a like. bucket in Po Town cuz that'd be in character lmao

[transgender-tech-support]

i’m working on it i promise loveletter should be released by 2025

(what is loveletter? info under the cut)

Loveletter is currently a beta program made by a self taught programmer using Python and it’s related libraries. It aims to eventually mirror the functionality of programs like Word, Docs, and even the sticky note function on your computer, while holding a primarily love-core theme (more themes to be released after initial release!)

At current standing, Loveletter will be released for free, with the possibility that it will be able to download for a one-time fee. This one time fee is simply because I cannot afford to exist, as well the website to actually host the download for loveletter will unfortunately require out-of-pocket costs. However, once you own loveletter, you own it. If you grabbed it while it was free? You still own it! (Including all future updates as well!)

(p.s. if you share the software file, how am I gonna know?)

Loveletter will NEVER introduce AI, subscriptions, or micro-transactions. It is being developed by a crust punk who is irritated with the current state of the tech world!

What will the one-time fee be?

That is unfortunately going to depend on costs of upkeep, but the good news is hosting a domain is not that expensive (typically). But, I’m poor guys. I understand! I aim to have Loveletter under 10USD at maximum, I like to highball and be pleasantly surprised later!

I looked up Loveletter and found the famous bug, is Loveletter malicious?

Loveletter has nothing to do with the LoveBug bug, a famous computer virus that infected PCs by sending an email masquerading as a loveletter from your friend. This software is called Loveletter because my middle name is Cupid, I love love, and I think it’s cute!

[linuxgamenews]

AETHUS Gameplay: Survival and Story Await You

AETHUS a gripping story-driven sci-fi survival game, is fully playable on both Linux and Windows PC. All of this comes to life thanks to the creative mind of solo developer Pawsmonaut Games. Which is working to make its way onto Steam. Grab your trusty mouse, crank the RGB, and prep your titanium coffee mug—because AETHUS is digging its way onto Steam in 2025. It also has “late-night-session” written all over it. But this story-driven sci-fi survival offers Linux support via Proton.

...people have played the game via Proton and even Nobara Linux, and the game plays well...

Pawsmonaut isn’t planning native support at launch, but since it’s built with Unreal Engine 5, AETHUS runs smoothly through Proton. So Linux players are still in the game.

Meet Maeve—the runaway miner who won’t stay buried

You play Maeve, a mining engineer who finally snapped the corporate leash. Astral Resource Corporation (ARC)—the kind of mega-corp that chews people up for quarterly bonuses, then buries the evidence six miles below the bedrock. With only a half-scrapped utility drone named Roland for company (think Wall-E with more sarcasm and a bigger therapy bill), Maeve stumbles into an abandoned dig site. One that’s also full of secrets, grief, and the ghosts of bad business decisions.

Low-poly beauty, high-stakes survival

The alien cavern system of AETHUS isn’t just eye candy for your Mesa drivers. It’s alive—pulsing, growing, and occasionally trying to crush you beneath tons of rock. Crack veins of neon ore with industrial-strength lasers, drop explosives like confetti, and carve out tunnels that would make a dwarven architect jealous. Everything you yank from the earth—gems, fungus, scrap tech—feeds your next invention or scores coin on the black-market console.

Build, tinker, automate…then chill in your fungal lounge

Start with four rusty panels and a dream; end with a neon-lit outpost worthy of a banner. Hidden blueprints let you snap together habitat pods, hydroponic farms, even furniture that looks like it was salvaged from a starliner’s first-class deck. When the power grid hums and the conveyor belts chug along on their own, kick back in Rol-Mart™ recliners and watch your mushroom farm pay the bills while you plan the next dive.

AETHUS | New Anti-capitalist Colony Builder

A story that hits where it hurts

This isn’t just another “mine, craft, repeat” loop. Every corridor drips with the fallout of ARC’s greed. Such as missing crews, shattered families, and one stubborn drone who knows more than he lets on. Maeve’s journey is fully voiced and surprisingly raw. While hitting themes of family, resistance, and what it costs to dig for truth when the whole planet wants you quiet. Expect genuine gut punches between laser blasts.

Built in AETHUS, zero crunch, zero micro-transactions

Solo dev Pawsmonaut Games (UK) promises no AI-generated filler and absolutely no “$5 pickaxe skins.” Just one person’s passion project, polished for Linux PC and primed for Proton.

Gear up for AETHUS now

A Windows demo is already blazing through Steam—perfect for Proton. Smash that wishlist button so Valve’s algorithm does the marketing work while you frag in Tux Kart. 2025 can’t come fast enough. Until then, keep your GPUs cool, your kernels updated, and your drills spinning. The depths of the AETHUS story-driven sci-fi survival are waiting, and they won’t mine themselves.

[orangameelectronics]

Stay Charged Anywhere with the Portable Slim 20000mAh Power Bank: Your Ultimate On-the-Go Companion

Never run out of juice again with the Portable Slim Power Bank 20000mAh—a high-capacity, ultra-reliable charging solution designed for tech-savvy adventurers and busy professionals alike. Packed with PD22.5W fast charging and dual USB outputs, this powerhouse fuels your devices at lightning speed, whether it’s your smartphone, iPad, camera, or even a laptop.

Why This Power Bank is a #PortablePowerbank:

Fly-Friendly & Safe: Certified by CE, TUV, and RoHS, it meets airline safety standards, so you can #ChargeOnTheGo worry-free.

Smart Protection: Built-in safeguards against over-discharging, short circuits, and overheating ensure your devices stay protected.

Slim & Portable: At just 122x56x22mm, its lightweight design slips easily into bags or pockets. Bonus: An LED flashlight adds #ConvenientCharging in low-light settings.

Universal Compatibility: With Micro-USB, Type-C, and dual USB inputs, it’s ready for any device.

Crafted from fireproof PC and ABS materials, this recyclable power bank combines durability with eco-conscious design. Choose from sleek colors like Black, Red, Blue, or White to match your style.

Whether you’re traveling, working remotely, or exploring the outdoors, the #HighCapacity 20000mAh battery keeps you #StayConnectedEverywhere. Say goodbye to low-battery anxiety and hello to #TechInnovation that fits in your palm.

#PowerBank #FastCharging #TechEssentials #PortableCharger #GadgetLovers #StayJuicedUp #TechAccessories

Upgrade your gear—stay powered, stay limitless! 🔋✨Follow us at https://pse.is/7dez47 if you’re interested in!