#Most Popular Hacking Tools

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Reverse engineers bust sleazy gig work platform

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/2024/11/23/hack-the-class-war/#robo-boss

A COMPUTER CAN NEVER BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE

THEREFORE A COMPUTER MUST NEVER MAKE A MANAGEMENT DECISION

Supposedly, these lines were included in a 1979 internal presentation at IBM; screenshots of them routinely go viral:

https://twitter.com/SwiftOnSecurity/status/1385565737167724545?lang=en

The reason for their newfound popularity is obvious: the rise and rise of algorithmic management tools, in which your boss is an app. That IBM slide is right: turning an app into your boss allows your actual boss to create an "accountability sink" in which there is no obvious way to blame a human or even a company for your maltreatment:

https://profilebooks.com/work/the-unaccountability-machine/

App-based management-by-bossware treats the bug identified by the unknown author of that IBM slide into a feature. When an app is your boss, it can force you to scab:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/30/computer-says-scab/#instawork

Or it can steal your wages:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/12/algorithmic-wage-discrimination/#fishers-of-men

But tech giveth and tech taketh away. Digital technology is infinitely flexible: the program that spies on you can be defeated by another program that defeats spying. Every time your algorithmic boss hacks you, you can hack your boss back:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/12/02/not-what-it-does/#who-it-does-it-to

Technologists and labor organizers need one another. Even the most precarious and abused workers can team up with hackers to disenshittify their robo-bosses:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/07/08/tuyul-apps/#gojek

For every abuse technology brings to the workplace, there is a liberating use of technology that workers unleash by seizing the means of computation:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/01/13/solidarity-forever/#tech-unions

One tech-savvy group on the cutting edge of dismantling the Torment Nexus is Algorithms Exposed, a tiny, scrappy group of EU hacker/academics who recruit volunteers to reverse engineer and modify the algorithms that rule our lives as workers and as customers:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/12/10/e2e/#the-censors-pen

Algorithms Exposed have an admirable supply of seemingly boundless energy. Every time I check in with them, I learn that they've spun out yet another special-purpose subgroup. Today, I learned about Reversing Works, a hacking team that reverse engineers gig work apps, revealing corporate wrongdoing that leads to multimillion euro fines for especially sleazy companies.

One such company is Foodinho, an Italian subsidiary of the Spanish food delivery company Glovo. Foodinho/Glovo has been in the crosshairs of Italian labor enforcers since before the pandemic, racking up millions in fines – first for failing to file the proper privacy paperwork disclosing the nature of the data processing in the app that Foodinho riders use to book jobs. Then, after the Italian data commission investigated Foodinho, the company attracted new, much larger fines for its out-of-control surveillance conduct.

As all of this was underway, Reversing Works was conducting its own research into Glovo/Foodinho's app, running it on a simulated Android handset inside a PC so they could peer into app's data collection and processing. They discovered a nightmarish world of pervasive, illegal worker surveillance, and published their findings a year ago in November, 2023:

https://www.etui.org/sites/default/files/2023-10/Exercising%20workers%20rights%20in%20algorithmic%20management%20systems_Lessons%20learned%20from%20the%20Glovo-Foodinho%20digital%20labour%20platform%20case_2023.pdf

That report reveals all kinds of extremely illegal behavior. Glovo/Foodinho makes its riders' data accessible across national borders, so Glovo managers outside of Italy can access fine-grained surveillance information and sensitive personal information – a major data protection no-no.

Worse, Glovo's app embeds trackers from a huge number of other tech platforms (for chat, analytics, and more), making it impossible for the company to account for all the ways that its riders' data is collected – again, a requirement under Italian and EU data protection law.

All this data collection continues even when riders have clocked out for the day – its as though your boss followed you home after quitting time and spied on you.

The research also revealed evidence of a secretive worker scoring system that ranked workers based on undisclosed criteria and reserved the best jobs for workers with high scores. This kind of thing is pervasive in algorithmic management, from gig work to Youtube and Tiktok, where performers' videos are routinely suppressed because they crossed some undisclosed line. When an app is your boss, your every paycheck is docked because you violated a policy you're not allowed to know about, because if you knew why your boss was giving you shitty jobs, or refusing to show the video you spent thousands of dollars making to the subscribers who asked to see it, then maybe you could figure out how to keep your boss from detecting your rulebreaking next time.

All this data-collection and processing is bad enough, but what makes it all a thousand times worse is Glovo's data retention policy – they're storing this data on their workers for four years after the worker leaves their employ. That means that mountains of sensitive, potentially ruinous data on gig workers is just lying around, waiting to be stolen by the next hacker that breaks into the company's servers.

Reversing Works's report made quite a splash. A year after its publication, the Italian data protection agency fined Glovo another 5 million euros and ordered them to cut this shit out:

https://reversing.works/posts/2024/11/press-release-reversing.works-investigation-exposes-glovos-data-privacy-violations-marking-a-milestone-for-worker-rights-and-technology-accountability/

As the report points out, Italy is extremely well set up to defend workers' rights from this kind of bossware abuse. Not only do Italian enforcers have all the privacy tools created by the GDPR, the EU's flagship privacy regulation – they also have the benefit of Italy's 1970 Workers' Statute. The Workers Statute is a visionary piece of legislation that protects workers from automated management practices. Combined with later privacy regulation, it gave Italy's data regulators sweeping powers to defend Italian workers, like Glovo's riders.

Italy is also a leader in recognizing gig workers as de facto employees, despite the tissue-thin pretense that adding an app to your employment means that you aren't entitled to any labor protections. In the case of Glovo, the fine-grained surveillance and reputation scoring were deemed proof that Glovo was employer to its riders.

Reversing Works' report is a fascinating read, especially the sections detailing how the researchers recruited a Glovo rider who allowed them to log in to Glovo's platform on their account.

As Reversing Works points out, this bottom-up approach – where apps are subjected to technical analysis – has real potential for labor organizations seeking to protect workers. Their report established multiple grounds on which a union could seek to hold an abusive employer to account.

But this bottom-up approach also holds out the potential for developing direct-action tools that let workers flex their power, by modifying apps, or coordinating their actions to wring concessions out of their bosses.

After all, the whole reason for the gig economy is to slash wage-bills, by transforming workers into contractors, and by eliminating managers in favor of algorithms. This leaves companies extremely vulnerable, because when workers come together to exercise power, their employer can't rely on middle managers to pressure workers, deal with irate customers, or step in to fill the gap themselves:

https://projects.itforchange.net/state-of-big-tech/changing-dynamics-of-labor-and-capital/

Only by seizing the means of computation, workers and organized labor can turn the tables on bossware – both by directly altering the conditions of their employment, and by producing the evidence and tools that regulators can use to force employers to make those alterations permanent.

Image: EFF (modified) https://www.eff.org/files/issues/eu-flag-11_1.png

CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us/

[exeggcute]

interesting links roundup #12

>>> permalink <<<

reading

An American composer's biological matter creates new music from beyond the grave

The Creativity Hack No One Told You About: Read the Obits

The dark side of the Moomins

Darwin’s Children Drew All Over the On The Origin of Species Manuscript

Deconstructing Housing

The Great Hobby Lobby Artifact Heist, part 1 (+ part 2)

The hidden religious divide erupting into politics

The High Heel Problem

How Germans Buy New Kidneys in Kenya

How two men stole Edvard Munch's The Scream in just 50 seconds — and how authorities managed to get the painting back

If You Ever See This Speed Sign, You’re Probably Going To Die

An IKEA bookshelf’s third coming

Is True Crime Keeping Me in Prison?

The Man Who Broke Bowling

The Objectively Objectionable Grammatical Pet Peeve

The Play Where Everyone Keeps Fainting

Pokérus: unraveling the biology of the Pokémon virus

The rise of the infinite fringe

Scientists Hack Human Eye to See a Whole New Color, Called "Olo"

Snap. Crack. Stroke.

Sponges, drill bits and wires: Surgeons mistakenly left objects inside thousands of patients since 2015

Standard Patterns in Choice-Based Games

Starved in Jail

A Strange Phrase Keeps Turning Up in Scientific Papers, But Why?

The Tactics Elon Musk Uses to Manage His ‘Legion’ of Babies—and Their Mothers

The Third Sex

The Weight of the Internet Will Shock You

The World’s Most Popular Painter Sent His Followers After Me Because He Didn’t Like a Review of His Work. Here’s What I Learned

Why the Right Way To Fly a Rhino Is Upside Down

Your phone isn’t secretly listening to you, but the truth is more disturbing

tools/reference

Emulation General Wiki

"Good" Flag, "Bad" Flag

How to make a Longbow

Pink Trombone

Public Domain Image Archive

Unsplash

other

Attention KMart Shoppers

Claim for a missing tooth

The Fish Doorbell

Improved Relative Time

Which Year - Photo Guessing Game

Wikipedia: Danger triangle of the face

[theresattrpgforthat]

There's an RPG that I just can't find. It's so simple, and yet? It's a one page fantasy RPG, "like" D&D but with much simplified rules. It's called something like Wizards and Sticks, or... Swords and Spells. Or something I don't know. But despite my best efforts, it's just beyond the boundaries of the map. Do you have any idea what it could have been?

Theme: One-Page Fantasy Games

Hello there! I found a *lot* of one-page fantasy games, and I honestly don't know if any of these are what you're looking for. One-page games are great for designers looking to put their feet in the water, and fantasy is definitely one of the most popular genres to play in, by far.

There's also a good amount of Lasers & Feelings hacks, which I'm not surprised by, since the basic rules are easy to pick up, and easy to hack. For the unaware, Lasers & Feelings is a rule-set that gives you two stats, and a single number that defines your proficiency in both. Roll high for one, roll low for the other, and roll it exactly for something special - and that's the core conceit!

Sovereign Shield, by Groovy Dad Games.

SOVEREIGN SHIELD is a tabletop role-playing game set in the grim fantasy world of Avren-Yara, also known as the Sundered Realms. Most of the action takes place within the last bastion of humankind, the great Western Imperium.

The Sovereign Shield is an order of secret agents in service to the High King of Nach Vadryn, the largest city-state in the Imperium. As agents of the Shield, players will undertake clandestine missions on behalf of the High King such as conducting espionage against powerful Guilds and other city-states of the Imperium, as well as investigating strange phenomena and threats that plague the peoples of the realm.

Par for the course for a single-page game, Sovereign Shield has simple stats, some basic rules on Tests, and a player resource called Luck that can be spent for re-rolls. On top of that however, it has an extensive item list, as well as a section for magic & gadgets, giving the players a lot to work with. With a double-sided page format, one page is dedicated to players, while the other is for GM's including some advice on how to run games, a few enemies to pit against your players, and even a first mission to get the ball rolling. It also draws from GUMSHOE in terms of how it handles clues, which might be handy if you decide you like this style of play. (GUMSHOE games assume that clues are too valuable to be hidden behind a chance roll.)

Sovereign Shield appears to be a one-page quick introduction to two other games made by the same designer, Through the Borderlands and Wardens of the Sundered Realms, which provide more lore and tools to play with. This is a very deliberate and thought-out piece of work that gives you a quick introduction to what could be a very complex and in-depth world if you decide to keep the game going.

Dungeon, by Jamzilla.

Dungeon is a one-page table game for one Narrator and at least one Adventurer. Venture into the depths of the Dungeon and face off against the Dungeon Lord!

All you need to play is a coin, at least one friend, a twenty-sided die and a ten-sided die.

What I love about Dungeon is the roll-tables. It has four roll tables for the GM to mine inspiration from: Denizens, Curiosities, Happenings, and Treasures. Each item on the list is a wonderful little starting point to create unique locations and charming NPCs to dazzle your players with.

The rules of the game are very very simple: player simply flip a coin and heads equals success. No stats, no weapons, no modifiers. If you want something more than these simple rules, you could probably take the roll-tables from Dungeon and use them to help generate encounters for another game on this list!

Song & Sword, by Vivanter.

Song & Sword is a 1-page, rules-lite, fantasy adventure game inspired by The Legend of Zelda and its myriad successors. It’s also a hack of John Harper’s Lasers & Feelings. Players take on the role of bold adventurers, attempting to save the land by collecting artifacts of legends and battling the forces of the Adversary.

Another Lasers & Feelings hack, this is a game for the Zelda lovers at the table. You use an ad-libs style of legend creation together, developing a universally known legend for each player to pull from as they dive into the game. Characters have a health system represented by Hearts, which can be lost when you take harm or embarrass yourself.

When it comes to what you do in the game, there's only rules for generating one large villain that the party must defeat. This game feels like it's focused primarily on the ultimate confrontation, and not the smaller fights that your characters might be expected to get into on their way to the big boss. The game also mostly focuses on what the players need to know - there's little to no help for the GM. I'd recommend Song & Sword for a group with a GM who isn't afraid to improvise - or perhaps for a GM who doesn't mind pulling inspiration from somewhere else.

Sword Poem RPG, by ahcoffeebeans

there is a sword. a cursed sword. it has been around for as long as the earth has known life, or perhaps it only pushed its way out into existence the first time you picked it up. either way, the sword will kill you. and then it will wait, for the next person to arrive. forever

SWORD POEM RPG is a gm-less one-page rpg about a very cursed sword and the people who pick it up. You play as the cursed sword, experiencing the lives of the people you ruin from the moment they pick you up to the moment they self-destruct. This is a game for one to seven people.

I don't believe this is anywhere close to what you're looking for, but there's a lot of 1-page games out there and they are easy to read, so I felt like throwing it in anyway. Plus Sword Poem is very pretty, and only requires d6's to play. The game is focused on story first and foremost, following a tragedy where a single cursed sword warps everyone who wields it. It's GM-less, meaning that everyone at the table will get a chance to decide what their leg of the story will look like.

Sword Poem definitely needs a group that is happy to pull from a deep well of creativity, and it's also a game that needs the group to decide when the story has reached it's end. If you want a game that feels like a game, and not a storytelling exercise, you might want to skip this one.

Age of Adventure, by Ageofadventurerpg.

Age of Adventure RPG (Version 10.5) is a one-page rules-light old-school heroic fantasy tabletop roleplaying game inspired by John Harper's Lasers and Feelings. d6 system

Welcome adventurer – to an exciting world of monsters, mayhem and magic. All you need are some 6-sided dice and your imagination.

For a Lasers & Feelings game, Age of Adventure carries a lot of information. There is no space wasted on this one-page game. Despite the fact that it shares the same base rule-set as a number of other games I found, it feels very traditional in genre and tone: high fantasy, encounters, proficiency checks, spell-lists, and a characterization of characters that isn't exactly race or class-based, but feels very similar.

Dungeon Vermin, by BooCherry.

DUNGEON VERMIN!! is a one-page micro-RPG about the dregs of the dungeon going on missions for their Dark Master.

Play as skeletons, goblins, gremlins, kobolds, and other weaklings as you bodily hurl yourself towards certain death. Your foes will fall under your sheer numbers as you die, die again in pursuit of what you're pretty sure is a worthy cause.

This is an option for folks who like the monsters in fantasy games more than the heroes. Your characters have a d6 dice pool that they'll need to leverage in order to roll above their EXP, which stands for their Expiration Point. If you fail - you die!

I expect this to be a game that you careen into and and play fast and loose. Expect death, especially gruesome over-the-top death, and expect to roll up a new character fairly easily - at least, that's what I assume, given that it's a one-page game.

By String and Song, by EfanGamez.

Your words are stone, and your songs are steel…

Introducing By String and Song, a one-page bard-only tabletop roleplaying game! Create a character in under 2 minutes and begin an adventure!

Being one page and by utilizing a simple d20-only system, this game can be enjoyed by both TTRPG vets and newbies alike!

Since the game revolves around a d20, it will likely provide a similar vibe as D&D in terms of kinetic play. That being said, it strips away classes, and gives your characters just 4 stats to worry about: Boldness, Bulk, Brains & Brawn. Combat is expected, with a list of six different kinds of monsters to get your DM started, as well as a short list of spells available to beginning characters. By String and Song might be an easy pick-up game for a short run of 1-3 sessions, but I'm not sure if it works for a year-long campaign.

Dragons & Dungeons, by Little Lab.

You are a group of adventurers returning from a long journey, finally setting foot again in the town of your departure at a great festival, and just now you are at the counter of the inn where you first met. You are celebrating with the treasures you have recovered in your quest when a messenger arrives with this letter. It is signed by an old ally of yours asking you to save the kingdom again in one last great adventure. What do you do?"

A Lasers & Feelings game, Dragons & Dungeons has a very similar feeling as D&D, which makes sense, considering the way it brands itself. Designed to be printed on a piece of paper that folds out into an envelope/brochure format, Dragons & Dungeons has a really lovely presentation, which can make it a fun thing to print out and hand around a table. Additionally, unique to this version of a one-page fantasy game, you can spend a resource called Inspiration to use special powers, such as getting special information from the DM, rolling an extra dice, or saving an ally from certain death.

Realm Warriors, by Trollish Delver Games.

Welcome to REALM WARRIORS, a one-page fantasy TTRPG inspired by games like The Fantasy Trip.

Players take on the role of Champions of the gods, chosen to destroy the Dark Magus himself.

This is another game that is no-nonsense when it comes to laying out the rules. Everything on the page is devoted to telling you how the game works - and the game feels like it pulls a lot of inspiration from the OSR. Similar to D&D, your champion will have modifications to their core stats based on the class you choose, as well as some basic equipment. There's specific rules for wounds, sleeping, and travel, which are some things that the OSR often cares about, and your Experience is determined by the length of the adventure you go out on. The bulk of the GM advice provided in this game is mostly how to run enemies, as well as a list of typical creatures to send up against your characters. All in all, fairly standard when it comes to one-page fantasy.

Also Consider…

First Fantasy, by Mars Strocks.

Wolves & Spices, by A.Tian.

Dawnfire Warriors, by matara.

Magic & Might, by The_Bellmont.

If you like what I do and want to leave a tip, you can check out my Ko-Fi!

[imsobadatnicknames2]

top 5 ttrpgs for beginners

Sorry that this one took me a bit longer to answer than all the other Top 5 asks :p i wanted to explain a bit of my reasoning behind it and this gave me q chance to ramble a bit about something that bothers me lol

So, first of all I want to talk about what TO ME makes something a good beginner RPG.

Ramble:

I've talked a bit in the past about how I have sort of a bone to pick with the way so many people, when asked for recs for beginner TTRPGs, immediately decide to recommend extremely rules-light/minimalist/one-page RPGs (Hacks of Lasers&Feelings in particular seem to be somewhat popular on this front), when IMO these types of RPGs are at their best when played by an experienced group (or at the very least with least one very experienced player/GM who can provide some guidance to the others). I think a lot of ppl seem to have the impression that simpler mechanics inherently make a game more beginner-friendly, and that thus the most beginner-friendly games are inherently gonna be the ones with the simplest mechanics. And while this is true to an extent (a 700-page RPG with tons of complicated mechanics to remember is obviously gonna be inaccessible to beginners), when you consider that mechanics exist to DELEGATE decisions about the fiction away from the players and the GM so that they don't have to manually arbitrate them every time, there is point where less mechanics are gonna make harder for new players because it means there's more thing they're gonna have to find a way to arbitrate on and decide by themselves, and that's a skill that takes time to develop. An experienced group can probably get a ton of mileage out of a system that essentially ammounts to "the GM describes the world. The players describe what their characters do, and the GM describes how the world reacrs. When the outcome of a player action is uncertain, then [simple resolution mechanic]" but a beginner group is gonna be a little lost. Especially if the game, like many of these types of games, includes practically nothing in terms of GM tools. So I think recommending beginner RPGs solely on the base of how simple they are is well-intentioned but misguided.

(Ramble over)

So, some of what, to me, makes something a good beginner RPG is

Rules provide enough support that the group won't have to constantly be figuring out how to adjudicate stuff on the fly, but they're simple and flexible enough that they're easy to remember and learning them doesn't feel like a daunting task like it does with a certain game (*cough cough* D&D)

Relatively short and uni timidating. Maybe between like 20 and 100 pages. Players should be able to read through the rules and mechanics in one sitting.

Plenty of examples of play, often a good example of play is what makes a game's rules really *click* for a new player.

Relatively quick and painless to start running for the first time. Character creation should be quick and snappy, and if possible a short pre-written adventure (hopefully with some room to be expanded into something larger) should be included within the same book and ready to run out of the box. Even if your group doesn't like using prewritten adventures, having a *good* prewritten adventure can be a huge help in understanding how to write/design them.

Solid set of GM tools and resources (if it's a game with a GM, of course)

Optionally, plenty of compatible material to either use or take inspo from.

So, I think my recs would for beginner games would be...

Mausritter

If any of you have EVER heard me talk about RPGs you knew Mausritter was gonna be here TBH. I've repeatedly talked about it being one of my favorite RPGs and also that I consider it pretty much an ideal introduction to the hobby. I think the woodland critter theme is extremely charming and attractive for people of any age, while the slightly darker elements that rear their head from time to time keep it from feeling too childish.

The mechanics are simple and flexible but still provide enough structure that even a new GM will rarely if ever be at a loss about how to resolve a particular action. They're familiar to anyone who's played a dungeon game while still being extremely streamlined. 3 stats with the main action resolution being roll-under tests, no classes, characters are defined mostly by their inventory, all attacks auto hit and initiative is extremely streamlined, which keeps combat quick and dynamic, etc. And the mechanics are pretty short and esy to digest too, the players' section of the rulebook only takes 18 pages, including stuff like inventory tables and examples of play, and the website features a handy one.page rules summary (which also comes with the box set)

It's super easy to get running: character creation takes a couple minutes at most, and it features both a simple adventure and hexcrawl that can be used right out of the box with plenty of interesting directions to expand for further adventures.

Now, Mausritter takes most of its mechanics from Into The Odd, so a lot of its virtues come to it, but I think the few changes it made DO make mausritter most beginner-friendly, such as its inventory system which makes inventory management into a genuine challenge without having it devolve into a slog of tedious book-keeping, and the incorporation of a streamlined version of GloG's magic system, which manages to still be simple and easy without being as loose and freeform as the magic system from a lot of OSR games of similar complexity (which can be initially daunting to new players)

But what REALLY makes mausritter shine IMO is the extremely solid set of GM tools. In just a few pages mausritter manages to provide simple rules, procedures, generators and advice for running faction play, making an engaging hexcrawl, making adventure sites, and generating stuff like treasure hoards, NPCs, an adventure seeds and overal just a ton of useful stuff that takes a huge load off of the shoulders of any beginner GM.

Cairn

Lets say you're into Mausritter mechanically but your players aren't into the whole woodland creature theme and want to play something more traditional. Cairn is also built on Into The Odd's system, and takes inspiration from some of the same sources, so it's very similar mechanically. It does feature some significant differences regarding magic, character advancement, and how injury and healing work, but overall it's still mostly the same system under the hood, so a lot of what I said makes Mausritter a great introduction to the hobby mechanically still applies here (quick and flavorful character creation, dynamic and streamlined but dangerous combat, etc). It's also a classless system that features msotly inventory-defined characters, but aside from the option to randomly roll your gear, the game also offers the option of picking a gear package in case you wanna emulate a particular fantasy archetype.

Now, Cairn is a much more barebones document, and doesn't even feature examples of play or an explicit GM section with resources for running the game, which breaks with the things I said I look for in a beginner RPG. However, in this case I'm willing to forgive this because, first, Cairn's website features a plethora of first party and third party stuff that isn't featured in the book itself, including examples of play, GM procedures and tools, modular rules, and a wealh of conversions of creature stat blocks and adventures from D&D and other fantasy adventure ttrpgs.

And Second, something different that specifically distinguishes Cairn as a good example of a beginner RPG is how it explicitly outlines its philosophical and design principles, and the principles of play for both the GM and the players before it even shows you any rules, which is something that I think more games and ESPECIALLY begginer games should do. IMO the whole book is worth it just for that little section.

Troika!

Troika is a game built on the Fighting Fantasy system (which originally was less of a TTRPG system and more of an engine for a series of choose-your-own-adventure books) with a really interesting pseudo-victorian space opera weird gonzo setting which is a load of fun. It has very simple 2d6 mechanics, with characters having three stats (Stamina, Skill, and Luck), and being mostly defined by their inventory and the special skills from their background. Character creation is quick and snappy. The game gives you 36 weird and extremely creative character backgrounds, but creating a custom background is as easy as coming up with a concept and the names of a couple special skills that support that concept. It also has a very unique initiative system which might be a little divisive but which I DO find fun an interesting.

While it lacks many of the GM tools I praised Mausritter for, it makes up a little bit for it with an initial adventure that does a wonderful job at naturally introducing the weirdness of the setting, and which at the end presents a ton of opportunities to segway into a variety of urban adventures.

Now, a lot of beginners come into RPGs specifically looking for a D&D-type fantasy game (which is a problem because D&D is a pretty bad option for a beginner RPG) so for those types of players I would recommend

The Black Hack

The Black Hack is probably my favorite game for doing D&D-style fantasy roleplaying. It's a game that at its core uses the original 1974 white box edition of D&D for inspiration, but modernizes, reimagines, and streamlines every aspect of it to be one of the most simple yet elegant D&D-like experiences out there. For example, TBH uses the six stat array that all D&D players know and love, and with the same 3-18 point range, but does away with the attribute score / attribute modifier dichotomy, instead building its entire system around the attribute scores, with all rolls in the game being roll-under tests for a relevant attribute (including initiative, attack/defense rolls, and saving throws). It also innovated some extremely elegant mechanics that went on to be very influential for other games, such as its Usage Die mechanic as a way to streamline keeping track of consumable resources. Basically, it's like if D&D actually played the way it looks in cartoons and stuff: character creation doesn't take 3 hours, every combat encounter doesn't take five hours, and you can place some emphasis on resource management without the game making you want to tear your hair out with boring bookkeeping.

And one of the coolest things about it is the way it handles compatibility. Despite taking loose at best mechanical inspiration from D&D and playing very differently from it, TBH is intentionally designed to be compatible with a wealth of old-school D&D material. While it very clearly stands as its own distinct game, it's designed in such a way that you can prety much grab any creature stat block or adventure module written for any pre-3e version of D&D and use it in The Black Hack with little to no effort in conversion required.

The first edition of the game is a pretty barebones 20-page booklet that just describes the basic game mechanics, since it was assumed you'd probably be using D&D creature stat blocks and adventures with it anyway, but the second edition was significantly expanded with a bestiary, expanded GM procedures and advice, and tool for creating anything you could want: Hexcrawls, towns, dungeons, quests, treasure hoards, NPCs, dungeon rooms, traps, secrets doors, etc. plus a short premade adventure and even a few premade unkeyed dungeon maps that you can take and key yourself if you're in a pinch for a map, which as you all know, I think GM tools are an important part of a beginner game.

The game only includes the 4 basic classes from old-school D&D (fighter, thief, cleric, magic user) but the community has made several supplements adding back more modern classes.

Now, if you're that type of player that wants a D&D-like experience and you want an alternative that's still beginner-friendly but doesn't deviate as much from D&D's design, I would suggest:

either Basic Fantasy, or Old-School Essentials (or any good retroclone of Basic D&D tbh)

BF and OSE differ a bit from each other but at their core they're both attempts to repackage a relatively faithful but slightly modernized version of the 1981 Basic/Expert D&D set, retaining mostly the same mechanics while ditching a few of the aspects that might seem counterintuitive to a modern audience (such as descending AC, which I personally don't mind but I udnerstand why a lot of people find it confusing). I'm recommending these bc I think if you're gonna play any actual D&D product, the B/X set represents D&D at its most beginner-friendly (character creation is at its quickest and simplest, combat flows faster and remain itneresting due to doing side initiative rather than individual initative, the mechanics forsurprise, stealth, and dungeon exploration actions such as looking for traps are streamlined to simple D6 rolls) while still being recognizably D&D and these retroclones put in a bit of an extra effort to make them even more accessible to modern audiences.

Now, just like The Black Hack, these retroclones are limited in their race/class choice to the classic old-school D&D human/halfling/elf/dwarf and fighter/cleric/thief/magic user, but in the case of Basic Fantasy, the community has made several race and class supplements, some of which are showcased on the official website, and in the case of OSE, the OSE: Advanced addon reintroduces many of the modern classes and races that were originally introduced in the Advanced D&D line.

Have in mind that this list is pretty limited by my own tastes and experiences. I'm very aware that the very specific type of game I tend to play and like and experiences inroducing some of my friends to the hobby completely color the scope of what I can recommend as a good beginner RPG, and that that scope is significantly limited. I also like more narrative storygame type stuff, and I don't doubt that some of them would also make a fantastic introduction to the hobby (some PbTA stuff like Ironsworn, Dungeon World and Monster of the Week comes to mind) but my experience with them is not significant enough for me to feel confident in telling which of them are good beginner RPGs.

Also note that there are several games that I consider to be more MECHANICALLY beginner-friendly than the ones I listed here, but that I avoided mentioning specifically because they offer extremely little to no support in terms of GM tools, which I think is an important and often overlooked aspect of beginner-friendliness for any game that includes a GM! But they still might be worth checking out. These include games like DURF, FLEE, OZR, A Dungeon Game, Bastards, Dungeon Reavers, Knave 1e, and Tunnel Goons.

[karrakincavalrycollege]

The Karrakin Cavalry College would like to inform all Kavaliers to be highly cautious regarding several newly identified Ungrateful pattern groups. These frames seem to be made with a crude combination of hijacked milspec gear and repurposed mining equipment.

The first of these is the FSLC Paradisa, a frame modified from the SSC Dusk Wing in an to attempt to taunt our bold soldiers into chasing after it with several hacking tools. Be very careful when engaging this frame, as it contains highly infectious DHIYED and Horus code strains, and may be capable of causing harm to pilots directly.

Up next, we have an absolute monster of a frame, the FSLC Titanis, a lumbering, brutish piece of mining equipment with some similarities to the IPS-N Tortuga capable of utterly shattering through terrain and static objects. It's grown rather famous for being used in a barbaric assault against a Karrkain Palace, which has made it something of an icon of the Ungrateful Movement.

Finally, we have the FSLC Neophron, a scrapped-together offshoot of the IPS-N Drake designed to repurpose defeated frames around it as armor for itself or allies. It seems to be quite skilled at absorbing harm to protect its more cowardly co-conspirators and can take what might be a lethal hit for most frames without much concern.

OOC These are a new set of frames by Katherine Stark, writer of popular 3rd party Supplement Legionnaire, the official module Shadow of the Wolf and the upcoming official spinoff game Lancer: Far-Field! They're available for free through pilot.net currently and have recieved a bit of playtesting already! Currently they aren't a part of anything larger, but the filename "Grave of the Titan" and the shared lore of these frames makes me think that they might be for a module about the ungratefuls. May or may not be an official release in the future, but they look great regardless.

[indie-ttrpg-of-the-week]

Lancer RPG

pfft, your mech is your dead mom's soul? well MY mech is co-piloted by Cthulhu!

Touchstones: Armored Core, General Mech Media

Genre: Mecha, Tactics game

What is this game?: Lancer is a tactical TTRPG focused on mechs, and the folks piloting them, with a sturdy "Gameplay over Realism" mentality to its game design

How's the gameplay?: Lancer is a tactical RPG using primarily d20s for attack rolls and other problem solving, it's primarily based on the tactical combat rules of Dungeons and Dragons 4th edition, however it is mostly its own thing, with new mechanics, simple but fun character creation, and a high focus on quick and aggressive combat rather than lengthy and Defensive combat. in effect imagine character creation as going to a subway (of mech parts) and picking your ingredients, with a mech's frame being your choice of bread, and combat as an SRPG of your choosing but everyone is in giant mechs

Out of Combat is a bit different, to the point where I didn't even bring it up during my first draft of this! the Out of Combat rules are deliberately bare bones, you can very easily insert straight up a different game in there, or mod it to be something else. But I wouldn't recommend it, as the rules by themselves are 100% useable, fun, and blend into the combat portions pretty easily, Lancer is fully aware of this, and the lack of out of combat depth is partially covered by the KTB book, which gives characters simple out of character skills

What's the setting (If any) like?: Lancer throws you into a world where mankind's either solved, or is close to solving, most of the issues back on earth... too bad we also colonized other planets 10k years ago! Now, while Earth thrives, planets outside of it struggle with poverty, imperialism, dictatorships, and human and non-human rights issues, Earth tries its best to help, but they're stretched very thin. Lancer also has many small details to its setting that are way too in-depth to get into right now, but a major one is the existance of non-human people, eldritch beings strapped to computers in order to create effective and fully sentient artificial intelligence

What's the tone?: Lancer's tone is generally speaking, hopeful. Empires are mighty, but there are people fighting, and they will be toppled, mankind's horrors have attempted to wipe out entire species, but survivors remain, and secretly thrive. While there is some doom and gloom and grimdark stuff, especially with how the highly unethical and wicked corporations are treated as necessary evils for enterprising pilots, but overall lancer is a setting where no matter how bad things get, there will always be hope

Session length: A few hours, it depends on how mean your GM is, generally speaking however combat heavy sessions will only run you around 2-3 hours, with RP sprinkled in between

Number of Players: I generally like to recommend around 4 or more, but I'm sure you can do it with less

Malleability: While lancer's mechanics are pretty hardset in its setting, the existance of Beacon RPG and how at its core its very much a Lancer hack does show that Lancer can be hacked into differing settings, a very popular one I've seen is Magical Girl Lancer.

Resources: Lancer's primary resource is Comp/Con, it effectively serves as a do everything tool for lancer, allowing you to manage characters, encounter, and homebrew, while also having a very slick and easy to use UI Lancer also has many pre-made modules, of... varying quality, Siren's song and Solstice rain are pretty good, Wallflower is very good but the encounters are of mixed quality, and it's not great for introducing people to the game in my experience

Homebrew is also fairly popular, new frames, NPC types, Bonds, and modules are all pretty popular, my personal favorite being Field Guide to Suldan and Field Guide to Iridia, I also enjoy Field Guide to Liminal Spaces though that one's a bit on the "Be Very Careful" side

Overall, lancer is effectively THE indie ttrpg, being quality, fun, and affordable, with the core rulebook being 100% free if you just wish to see the player-side content, it's a great time, and everyone who's interested in the indie ttrpg scene should check it out at least once

[gwenadier]

F.I.S.T: An imperfect OSR that's a perfect introduction to OSR

When people want to get out of 5e and ask for alternatives, I think the most common answer is Pathfinder (either first or second edition), and don't get me wrong I LOVE Pathfinder 2e. But if someone is looking to escape 5e, they may be looking for something beyond a fantasy setting and traditional D20 gaming.

Enter: Old School Renaissance (OSR)(Not to be confused with Old School Runescape), one of my personal favourite design spheres in TTRPGs. OSR games tend to be fairly rules light, and lean more on GM rulings than hard and fast rules as written out of the book, and players are intended to cook up clever solutions to problems rather than having solutions built in to their character's class (in fact many popular OSR games like Knave don't even have character classes, or have them as optional rules.)

The problem I've found however, is that a lot of OSR games assume players are familiar with this method of problem solving. But if a player is coming off of a trad D20 ttrpg like 5e, than they're likely very used to having the solution to any given problem being "I use something off of my character sheet".

Here is where I find one of the main reasons F.I.S.T excels as an introductory OSR. It actually has a section on changing your approach to the game:

Another way that F.I.S.T is a great introductory system for OSR is that it is a system that does give the players weird super powers in the way of its main gimmick: a D666 table of bizarre abilities that ranges from everything between knowing how to make a bomb out of anything, to the "cut anything" mechanic from Metal Gear Rising to having legally distinct Pokemon.

Some argue that this is against the spirit of OSR gaming since it gives players abilities that could be used to solve problems instead of clever thinking. But I personally feel like it doesn't remove creative problem solving and moreso just gives the players new tools for being creative. Also it's just fun.

So yeah! If OSR seems like it'll be fun for you and your group, I'd recommend trying out FIST! Then once you've got the mindset down, there's a whole new world of games covering huge swaths of genres and settings, the doomed fantasy world of Mörk Borg or it's cyberpunk hack CY_Borg, the classic fantasy of Knave, the Alien inspired space horror of Mothership or the Ghibli-esque Cloud Empress!

[gaysheep]

Touching is Good: A Retrospective

My trusty Nintendo 3DS, which has held out since I was gifted it for my 15th birthday, has turned one decade old with my 25th birthday this past November. Given new life with custom firmware and nds-bootstrap via TWiLightMenu, the 3DS is stellar for visiting any past handheld title or console title up to (and somewhat including) the N64. (Quick plug for the CFW/hacking community for the less popular PS Vita, too, which has accomplished some pretty crazy-cool stuff this last year.) I use my 3DS more often than I use my Nintendo Switch most weeks.

The Nintendo DS (minus the three) launched in late 2004. The second display and stylus support were novel tools for developers to experiment with, and the NDS is best remembered for its robust catalogue of RPGs and visual novels. Where it lacked in power, narrative-focused games flourished under its technical limitations.

That being said, while browsing the ROM archives on Vimm's Lair to pick up some titles, I was reminded of what an interesting era the mid-to-late 2000s were for games. While Sony and Microsoft were fighting over the "core gamer" demographic, who had outgrown Nintendo mascots, Nintendo led a series of wildly successful marketing campaigns for its hardware after the light failure of the Gamecube, where the Nintendo DS and then the Wii were targeted at...everyone else.

[Image source. Image description in alt text.]

If you look at ads for the DS and the Wii, you'll see that adults are featured much more prominently than children, especially women and seniors. (This did not go unnoticed, as I found this ancient relic of misogyny while looking for images for this post.) A Nintendo handheld was already an easy sell to parents with small children (though I think it's also notable that ads which do focus on children often prominently feature girls. Munchlax is pretty hot...), but Nintendo's angle for the DS and Wii was that their hardware wasn't just for children. The Wii was a way to get up off the couch and to play board games with grandma. The DS was a great gadget for a working woman to keep in her pocketbook.

This worked. The Wii and DS were two of the best-selling consoles of all time. In particular, the DS's marketing campaign only worked because it came out in the perfect window of time. PDA-phone hybrids had been around since the 90s, and the Blackberry had been kicking around for a few years, but the iPhone wouldn't be introduced until 2007, and the 4G LTE standard wouldn't be released until 2009. While the Blackberry was popular with businesspeople and the PDA was out of style, smartphones were luxury toys for several years; they wouldn't become near-ubiquious until the mid-2010s. I didn't get my own smartphone until probably around the same time I got my 3DS, a full handheld generation later.

Browsing the software library for the Nintendo DS and DSi with that in mind is really interesting. Many titles released for the platform serve the same purposes that would be fulfilled by simple smartphone apps less than a decade later: planners and diaries, fitness trackers, calculators, language learning and SAT prep software, even a guide to the then-most-recent version of the driver's test in the UK. These proliferated with the release of the DSi's virtual store, but they existed even with the base model. You could go to a brick-and-mortar store and buy them on physical cartridges. (You might be wondering, "Why would you bother carrying those around over just buying a Blackberry?" You can't underestimate how expensive the service bills for a smartphone were before companies realized they were the most powerful spyware tool in history.)

There was never a time where every single businesswoman in New York carried a DS Lite, but adults did buy and use them, and a not insignificant portion of the DS's software library is aimed at a casual adult audience. Another niche covered mostly by smartphone games these days—games designed to be picked up and played in short sessions on-the-go, in places like waiting rooms and subway commutes.

Nintendo made crazy bank in the seventh console generation. Publications of the time talked about a console war between Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo, but the real battle was between the PS3 and the Xbox 360 over the gamer demographic. Nintendo was producing hardware for a niche who would quietly disappear once smartphone sales began ballooning by hundreds of millions per year over the course of the early 2010s.

After the failure of the Wii U, Nintendo's marketing strategy pivoted again, though I doubt they'll ever completely abandon their family-friendly image. Currently beat out only by the PS2 and the DS, the Nintendo Switch may very well climb to a status as the best-selling console of all time before the end of its lifespan, but the "gamer" demographic is much bigger than it was two decades ago at the dawn of the DS. As more and more devices become consolidated into the Swiss army knife the smartphone has become, consoles can only carve out a role as dedicated gaming machines.

I'm not sure we'll ever see anything like the Nintendo DS or the Wii again. I think they're worth looking back on for their uniqueness in that way as much as they are for the more celebrated parts of their libraries.

[yuzu-balignon]

Do you know any way I could move my playlists out of spotify and onto a different app/website?

Hello ! I have Oh So Many tools for you >:D

Migration

Firstly, the simple migration tools. There are multiple services that allow you to do that, depending on the target platform. Here's the ones for Apple Music and Youtube Music. Deezer have their built-in tools.

I don't know many streaming services, but I would recommend using Youtube Music : with the help of Newpipe or alternatives, you can listen to your playlist with no ads for free :) And you can mix in youtube videos in your playlists - very cool when a specific version of a track isn't on streaming services ! Plus Newpipe has a very handy download tool

Download

Secondly, I wanna talk about downloading. Having your own library with the files accessible anytime are a must, to my sense. It will greatly improve your battery life and reduce your mobile data usage. And you can keep them your whole life !! Make mixtapes on CDs for your friends !!! And- ok let's get to the point

From other services

The go-to tool for downloading music and videos is yt-dlp. It's the base of most DL tool out there ! The vanilla version is a command-line tool, but there's a few apps with an interface. If you're on PC, I like to use Parabolic for that. I *think* LibreTube has batch download ? NewPipe only has single download. Seal does it but is a bit clunky.

From Spotify

Spotify is infamous for being very good at protecting its files against download. They make breaking changes regularly, making it hard to find reliable, durable tools. Usually, the solution is to hack into the official Spotify app, and get the data from there. On PC, you can use OnTheSpot to hook into the official app. You can also mod the official app with Soggfy (windows only). I wasn't able to find any working Android app as of April 2025. Seal used to do it but not anymore, and popular options are discontinued or getting sketchy.

There are also tools that allow you to download music from CSV files

Backups

Finally: Backup !!! Your !!! Playlists !!! While pretty unlikely, it is possible that you may lose access to your account for one reason or another. Playlist.cloud (the very first link) allow you to do that. If anything goes wrong, you'll be able to restore all your playlists from these CSV files !

If you want to go even deeper : Soulseek is the gold standard for peer-to-peer music sharing (use an interface). With community scripts, you can even input your CSV list and have it downloaded.

ℹ️ Why should I trust any of these apps ? Github links are scary

A very wise consideration ! Some of these apps I used myself, so I can vouch for them. The rest is taken from FMHY (Free Media Heck Yeah), **the most comprehensive resource for piracy and free media access**. Here are the quick links to Migration and Download. I cannot overstate how good this resource is. Read it, bookmark it, this will be your best ally for the years to come !!! All recommendations on this website are curated by experimented communities. They are mostly safe and up to date.

Closing thoughts

Thank you for your patience ! I spent a lot of time researching this answer, so the information would be as useful, complete and accurate as possible. Tech companies makes it as hard as possible to escape them, so this can be an arduous journey. I hope this will be helpful, and your migration will be smooth !

Love and Piracy <3

[fantasy-fields-danger-zone]

Normal Dad!007n7 bitty

Name: Dad

Size: 6 - 8 inches (Mini), 2'0 - 2'8 feet (Fullsize)

Personality: Kind, Caring, Thoughtful, Protective, Fatherly,

Likes: Cozy evenings and quiet mornings, Reading stories out loud (especially to other bitties), Cooking simple comfort food, Bitty/child-proofing the environment “just in case”, Catching up on “their shows” while folding laundry,

Dislikes: Neglect or mistreatment (of any kind), Loud arguing, Cold floors, Broken routines, Seeing someone cry (it will break their little heart),

Compatibility: Gentle, thoughtful, and endlessly patient, this bitty is your emotional anchor- always there with a kind word, a warm mug, or a protective hand when things get stressful.

While they have a soft voice and a calm demeanor, they are not someone you want to mess with when it comes to their loved ones. Think “dad mode activated”- that’s them, every time someone gets hurt or cries. Lord forbit its a C00lkid, Bluudud, or any child bitty and lord forbid if you hurt them and it wasn't an accident!

A fantastic addition to almost any household- especially those needing emotional support, structure, or just someone who remembers to check the nightlight batteries.

Gets along with nearly every bitty type, even harder-to-manage ones. Excellent at de-escalating tense situations and quietly offering help without making anyone feel weak.

Carries a pocket-sized toolbelt with “dad tools” (tape, bandaids, spare buttons, etc.)

Often smells faintly of laundry detergent or warm cinnamon

Has a signature “disappointed stare” that stops even the most chaotic bitties in their tracks

Will tuck in anyone, anytime, anywhere

May spontaneously offer advice, dad jokes, or unsolicited “life lessons”(that are actually pretty good-)

Feeding habits: Very simple and predictable- loves traditional meals like grilled cheese, tomato soup, or warm casseroles. Will always ask if you've eaten before serving themselves. May try to sneak extra veggies into the meals of other bitties under the radar.

Additional info: they have the ability to use their C00l UI! They can hack anything, even able to ‘hack’ living material, teleport, and even change things about themselves or others if they so wish!

Zone: Inside,

In Universe: They're super popular bitty types and often are adopted along with child or child like bitties!

Difficulty: Beginner

[unwelcome-ozian]

Engineering Development Group-CIA malware and hacking tools are built by EDG (Engineering Development Group), a software development group within CCI (Center for Cyber Intelligence), a department belonging to the CIA's DDI (Directorate for Digital Innovation). The DDI is one of the five major directorates of the CIA. The EDG is responsible for the development, testing and operational support of all backdoors, exploits, malicious payloads, trojans, viruses and any other kind of malware used by the CIA in its covert operations world-wide. The increasing sophistication of surveillance techniques has drawn comparisons with George Orwell's 1984, but "Weeping Angel", developed by the CIA's Embedded Devices Branch (EDB), which infests smart TVs, transforming them into covert microphones, is surely its most emblematic realization. The attack against Samsung smart TVs was developed in cooperation with the United Kingdom's MI5/BTSS. After infestation, Weeping Angel places the target TV in a 'Fake-Off' mode, so that the owner falsely believes the TV is off when it is on. In 'Fake-Off' mode the TV operates as a bug, recording conversations in the room and sending them over the Internet to a covert CIA server. As of October 2014 the CIA was also looking at infecting the vehicle control systems used by modern cars and trucks. The purpose of such control is not specified, but it would permit the CIA to engage in nearly undetectable assassinations. The CIA's Mobile Devices Branch (MDB) developed numerous attacks to remotely hack and control popular smartphones. Infected phones can be instructed to send the CIA the user's geolocation, audio and text communications as well as covertly activate the phone's camera and microphone. These techniques permit the CIA to bypass the encryption of WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, Wiebo, Confide and Cloackman by hacking the "smart" phones that they run on and collecting audio and message traffic before encryption is applied.

[coralbasementblaze]

The Risks and Realities of Buying Cash App Accounts: What You Need to Know

In today’s digital age, payment platforms like Cash App have become essential tools for managing finances, transferring money, and even investing. With its user-friendly interface and versatile features, Cash App has earned a loyal following. However, with the popularity of such platforms comes a rise in the demand for ready-made accounts. Many people search for ways to buy Cash App accounts, but is this a safe and viable option? Let’s dive into the risks and realities of this growing trend.

What Is Cash App?

Cash App, developed by Square, Inc., is a peer-to-peer payment service that allows users to send and receive money, invest in stocks and Bitcoin, and even get direct deposits. It’s incredibly convenient for everyday transactions, and it has become a go-to app for millions of people globally. Users can create an account in minutes, link a bank account, and start sending or receiving money almost immediately.

Why Do People Want to Buy Cash App Accounts?

You might be wondering why anyone would want to buy Cash App accounts instead of creating their own. There are a few reasons why someone might consider purchasing an existing account:

Anonymity: Some people prefer to remain anonymous and feel that buying a pre-existing account can provide them with this sense of privacy.

Skipping Setup: Not everyone has the time or inclination to create a new account from scratch, so buying one that’s already set up seems like a quick solution.

Access to Larger Limits: Some individuals look to purchase accounts with higher transaction limits, which they believe will allow them to send and receive larger sums of money.

The Risks of Buying Cash App Accounts

While buying a Cash App account may seem like an attractive shortcut, there are significant risks involved. It’s important to understand these risks before making such a decision.

1. Account Fraud and Scams

The most obvious risk is the potential for fraud. Many sellers of Cash App accounts are not legitimate, and buying from them can result in the loss of money or personal information. Some sellers may even hack into accounts and sell them to unsuspecting buyers, leading to financial losses.

2. Violation of Terms of Service

Cash App’s Terms of Service explicitly prohibit the buying and selling of accounts. Engaging in this activity could lead to the suspension or permanent banning of the account you’ve purchased. This is particularly concerning if you’ve invested a significant amount of money into the account.

3. Privacy Concerns

When you buy a Cash App account, you’re essentially inheriting someone else’s personal information. This includes potentially sensitive data such as their bank account or social security number. If the previous owner’s data is linked to illegal activities, you might find yourself entangled in a financial mess or worse.

4. Lack of Control and Support

If you buy an account that’s already been set up, you have little to no control over its recovery process. If the account gets locked or you face issues with transactions, Cash App’s customer support may not be able to assist you effectively, as you’re not the original account holder.

What Are the Legal Implications?

Buying Cash App accounts is not just a risky endeavor—it can also have legal ramifications. Depending on your location, purchasing a pre-existing account can be considered a form of identity theft, fraud, or illegal activity. It’s essential to understand the legal landscape surrounding these transactions in your area to avoid any serious consequences.

Safer Alternatives to Buying Cash App Accounts

If you’re looking for a legitimate way to use Cash App and avoid the risks of buying an account, there are several safer alternatives:

Create Your Own Account: It only takes a few minutes to set up a Cash App account, and you’ll have complete control over it from day one. This is the safest and most straightforward option.

Increase Your Limits: Cash App offers ways to increase your transaction limits by verifying your identity. If you need higher limits, this is the proper way to do it.

Consult Customer Support: If you’re facing any issues with your account, Cash App’s customer support can help you resolve them without risking your privacy or security.

Conclusion

While the temptation to buy Cash App accounts may be strong, it’s essential to consider the risks involved. Fraud, privacy violations, and legal issues can all arise from such transactions. The safest way to use Cash App is by creating your own account and adhering to its terms of service. This way, you can enjoy all of its features without compromising your security or financial well-being.

Remember, when it comes to digital finances, there’s no substitute for caution. Protect your personal information, use legitimate channels, and always stay informed.

[rabbitcruiser]

National Dishwasher Day

National Dishwasher Day celebrates the convenience dishwashers bring, saving time and water while making our lives easier.

The machine that hums in our kitchens scrubbing away the grime from plates deserves its moment of appreciation.

Beyond just cleaning dishes, this day also reminds us of the technological marvel dishwashers represent. These machines have evolved from manual contraptions to sophisticated devices that help conserve water and energy, benefiting both our homes and the environment.

Celebrating National Dishwasher Day gives us a chance to appreciate how much this invention has simplified our daily routines, reduced effort, and promoted cleanliness in households everywhere.

It’s not just about convenience; it’s about celebrating the quiet power of innovation that transforms our homes.

How to Celebrate National Dishwasher Day

Celebrating National Dishwasher Day can be a lot of fun while showing some love to the unsung hero of the kitchen.

There are several quirky and practical ways to make the most of the day and appreciate the mighty machine that takes care of one of life’s most tedious chores.

Give Your Dishwasher Some TLC

Take a moment to clean and maintain your dishwasher. It works hard every day, so a thorough scrub of the interior, clearing out the filter, and running a cleaning cycle can extend its life and improve its efficiency.

A well-maintained dishwasher keeps your dishes spotless and your kitchen running smoothly.

Host a Dishwasher Appreciation Party

Invite friends or family over and have a fun gathering centered around your dishwasher! Share dishwasher tips, swap stories of failed hand-washing attempts, or even test different detergent brands. The best part? The cleanup is automatic, thanks to your trusted machine.

Try New Uses for Your Dishwasher

Dishwashers aren’t just for dishes! Use this day to get creative. Try washing things like baseball caps, sneakers, or even plastic toys.

It’s a fun and surprising way to explore your dishwasher’s versatility. Just remember to check what’s safe to load before starting the cycle!

Reflect on Dishwasher’s Environmental Benefits

Use the day to highlight the energy and water savings that dishwashers provide. Share interesting facts with family or online about how modern machines use far less water than handwashing.

It’s a great conversation starter about sustainability and small changes that make a big difference.

Share the Love Online

Post on social media to spread the word about National Dishwasher Day. Share a photo of your shiny dishes or a quick video of your favorite dishwasher hack.

Encourage others to appreciate their dishwashers and share their own tips and tricks.

History of National Dishwasher Day

National Dishwasher Day began as a tribute to one of the most overlooked appliances in modern homes. It recognizes the significant impact of dishwashers, celebrating the convenience and cleanliness they provide.

Though the exact person who started this day isn’t widely known, the celebration itself reflects how much dishwashers have transformed kitchen routines worldwide.

The day highlights Josephine Cochrane’s invention of the first practical dishwasher in the late 1800s. Cochrane’s frustration with handwashing led to the creation of the first automatic dishwasher. Since then, dishwashers have evolved, becoming energy-efficient and water-saving household essentials.

National Dishwasher Day isn’t just about appreciating the machines. It also honors the inventor who revolutionized home cleaning.

The day encourages people to reflect on how dishwashers save time and reduce water usage. Over time, this special day has grown in popularity, reminding us of how everyday technologies shape our lives.

While still relatively new, this annual celebration has begun to gain attention online and in households. From maintaining dishwashers to sharing tips, the day helps people value a tool that’s often taken for granted.

National Dishwasher Day FAQs

What inspired Josephine Cochrane to invent the modern dishwasher?

Josephine Cochrane was frustrated by servants chipping her fine china while handwashing.

She wanted a faster, gentler solution. Her determination led to the creation of a machine that used water pressure instead of scrubbing, laying the foundation for modern dishwashers.

Did early dishwashers include drying functions?

No, early dishwashers only focused on washing. Drying functions became common in the mid-20th century, thanks to advancements in electric heating elements.

These features saved users the time and effort of hand-drying dishes.

Is there a dishwasher museum?

Yes, the KitchenAid Experience in Ohio showcases the evolution of dishwashers.

It includes early prototypes, vintage ads, and rare models that highlight how the technology has changed over the decades.

What was the first dishwasher brand to advertise on television?

GE aired the first TV commercial for dishwashers in the 1950s. The ad emphasized how the appliance could “free the modern housewife” from daily drudgery, reflecting mid-century gender roles and consumer aspirations.

Can you wash clothes in a dishwasher?

While not recommended, some have experimented with small, delicate items like socks in dishwashers.

However, the high temperatures and detergent formulas aren’t designed for fabric, so this “hack” often damages clothing.

Why do some people use vinegar in dishwashers?

Vinegar acts as a natural cleaning agent for dishwashers. Running a cycle with vinegar helps remove hard water deposits, grease, and odors. It’s a popular eco-friendly maintenance tip among homeowners.

What’s the weirdest thing people clean in dishwashers?

Some use dishwashers to sanitize items like gardening tools, plastic toys, or even sneakers.

Others have tried unconventional methods like cooking meals, such as pasta or salmon, during wash cycles.

How do dishwashers support sustainability efforts?

Many European cities encourage dishwashers as part of water conservation initiatives. Cities like Copenhagen have even run public campaigns promoting energy-efficient models to reduce water waste.

What’s the strangest dishwasher-related world record?

A Guinness World Record was set in Italy for washing the most plates in one dishwasher in an hour—1,048 plates, using an industrial model. It demonstrated speed and eco-efficiency.

Why are stainless steel interiors in dishwashers considered better?

Stainless steel interiors retain heat better, helping dishes dry faster and more efficiently. They also resist stains and odors better than plastic, making them a favorite for high-end models.

Source

[citizen-zero]

I’m back on my DBH bullshit and it’s a bad-good game with interesting underutilized concepts and many unexplored areas but one of the things that makes me mad about it is that it just glosses over the fact that humanity gets easily attached to anything. We name our Roombas and even though we recognize it’s a tool of the police state we can’t help but think the robot dog is kinda cute and we sing happy birthday to the Mars rovers and cry when they finally break down after being active for much longer than we thought they’d be and some of the most popular toys of my youth were robot creatures some of which explicitly looked robotic and virtual pets are a consistently popular toy and like. The point is that it takes not a lot for people to get attached to something they know isn’t alive or sapient, and get emotional if it’s endangered

I just think that leaving this element out of a game/story about the sapience of androids kinda makes it less interesting. Realistically androids would be hated because they’d absolutely 100% immediately become tools of the police state and of late stage capitalism (which the game touches on but doesn’t explore basically at all) just like cell phones and Alexas and AI but that’s a hatred of the function, not the simple fact they exist. I feel like in a setting where androids were only used as like housekeepers and scientific instruments and other things that enrich our lives rather than make them more fucking miserable there’d be a lot more warmth and affection towards them. Especially if we got our shit together and made it possible to live without having to struggle. Anyway as usual David Cage is a hack

[writter123]

Key Programming Languages Every Ethical Hacker Should Know

In the realm of cybersecurity, ethical hacking stands as a critical line of defense against cyber threats. Ethical hackers use their skills to identify vulnerabilities and prevent malicious attacks. To be effective in this role, a strong foundation in programming is essential. Certain programming languages are particularly valuable for ethical hackers, enabling them to develop tools, scripts, and exploits. This blog post explores the most important programming languages for ethical hackers and how these skills are integrated into various training programs.

Python: The Versatile Tool

Python is often considered the go-to language for ethical hackers due to its versatility and ease of use. It offers a wide range of libraries and frameworks that simplify tasks like scripting, automation, and data analysis. Python’s readability and broad community support make it a popular choice for developing custom security tools and performing various hacking tasks. Many top Ethical Hacking Course institutes incorporate Python into their curriculum because it allows students to quickly grasp the basics and apply their knowledge to real-world scenarios. In an Ethical Hacking Course, learning Python can significantly enhance your ability to automate tasks and write scripts for penetration testing. Its extensive libraries, such as Scapy for network analysis and Beautiful Soup for web scraping, can be crucial for ethical hacking projects.

JavaScript: The Web Scripting Language

JavaScript is indispensable for ethical hackers who focus on web security. It is the primary language used in web development and can be leveraged to understand and exploit vulnerabilities in web applications. By mastering JavaScript, ethical hackers can identify issues like Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) and develop techniques to mitigate such risks. An Ethical Hacking Course often covers JavaScript to help students comprehend how web applications work and how attackers can exploit JavaScript-based vulnerabilities. Understanding this language enables ethical hackers to perform more effective security assessments on websites and web applications.

Biggest Cyber Attacks in the World

C and C++: Low-Level Mastery

C and C++ are essential for ethical hackers who need to delve into low-level programming and system vulnerabilities. These languages are used to develop software and operating systems, making them crucial for understanding how exploits work at a fundamental level. Mastery of C and C++ can help ethical hackers identify and exploit buffer overflows, memory corruption, and other critical vulnerabilities. Courses at leading Ethical Hacking Course institutes frequently include C and C++ programming to provide a deep understanding of how software vulnerabilities can be exploited. Knowledge of these languages is often a prerequisite for advanced penetration testing and vulnerability analysis.

Bash Scripting: The Command-Line Interface

Bash scripting is a powerful tool for automating tasks on Unix-based systems. It allows ethical hackers to write scripts that perform complex sequences of commands, making it easier to conduct security audits and manage multiple tasks efficiently. Bash scripting is particularly useful for creating custom tools and automating repetitive tasks during penetration testing. An Ethical Hacking Course that offers job assistance often emphasizes the importance of Bash scripting, as it is a fundamental skill for many security roles. Being proficient in Bash can streamline workflows and improve efficiency when working with Linux-based systems and tools.

SQL: Database Security Insights

Structured Query Language (SQL) is essential for ethical hackers who need to assess and secure databases. SQL injection is a common attack vector used to exploit vulnerabilities in web applications that interact with databases. By understanding SQL, ethical hackers can identify and prevent SQL injection attacks and assess the security of database systems. Incorporating SQL into an Ethical Hacking Course can provide students with a comprehensive understanding of database security and vulnerability management. This knowledge is crucial for performing thorough security assessments and ensuring robust protection against database-related attacks.

Understanding Course Content and Fees

When choosing an Ethical Hacking Course, it’s important to consider how well the program covers essential programming languages. Courses offered by top Ethical Hacking Course institutes should provide practical, hands-on training in Python, JavaScript, C/C++, Bash scripting, and SQL. Additionally, the course fee can vary depending on the institute and the comprehensiveness of the program. Investing in a high-quality course that covers these programming languages and offers practical experience can significantly enhance your skills and employability in the cybersecurity field.

Certification and Career Advancement

Obtaining an Ethical Hacking Course certification can validate your expertise and improve your career prospects. Certifications from reputable institutes often include components related to the programming languages discussed above. For instance, certifications may test your ability to write scripts in Python or perform SQL injection attacks. By securing an Ethical Hacking Course certification, you demonstrate your proficiency in essential programming languages and your readiness to tackle complex security challenges. Mastering the right programming languages is crucial for anyone pursuing a career in ethical hacking. Python, JavaScript, C/C++, Bash scripting, and SQL each play a unique role in the ethical hacking landscape, providing the tools and knowledge needed to identify and address security vulnerabilities. By choosing a top Ethical Hacking Course institute that covers these languages and investing in a course that offers practical training and job assistance, you can position yourself for success in this dynamic field. With the right skills and certification, you’ll be well-equipped to tackle the evolving challenges of cybersecurity and contribute to protecting critical digital assets.

[cryptoolivia]

What is Bitcoin? A Beginner's Guide to Bitcoin

When it comes to cryptocurrency, Bitcoin (BTC) is what most people think of first. However, many beginners don’t fully understand how Bitcoin works or how to invest in it. So, what exactly is Bitcoin? What is its history? And how should you invest in Bitcoin? This article will address these questions to help you better understand how to participate in Bitcoin investing. What is Bitcoin? Bitcoin (BTC) is a form of virtual currency, also known as cryptocurrency. It was introduced in 2008 by a mysterious person or group under the name "Satoshi Nakamoto." While we still don’t know Satoshi Nakamoto's true identity, Bitcoin has become a popular global investment asset. Bitcoin relies on blockchain technology, a distributed ledger that is immutable and ensures transparency and security in transactions. Why is Bitcoin so important? The primary reason Bitcoin has gained attention so quickly is its decentralized nature. Unlike traditional currencies, Bitcoin isn’t controlled by any government or financial institution. This means that in any country, the government cannot directly interfere with Bitcoin transactions. Additionally, Bitcoin’s anonymity makes it a valuable tool for those seeking to protect their privacy. Key Advantages of Bitcoin • Decentralization: Bitcoin isn’t controlled by any central authority or government, offering users greater financial freedom. • Anonymity: Although Bitcoin transaction records are public on the blockchain, transaction addresses aren’t directly linked to the owner's identity, protecting privacy. • Global Reach: Bitcoin can be circulated globally without the need for exchange rates or transaction restrictions. • Security: Bitcoin uses advanced encryption techniques to ensure the security of transactions and prevent asset theft. Risks of Investing in Bitcoin While Bitcoin has many advantages, there are also some risks that cannot be ignored. Due to its price volatility, investors may experience significant gains or losses in a short period. Additionally, since Bitcoin is decentralized and not government-regulated, if it’s hacked or you lose your private key, the funds cannot be recovered. Common questions: • Why is Bitcoin worth investing in despite its price fluctuations? • If I lose my Bitcoin wallet, can I recover it? • What are the risks associated with Bitcoin's anonymity? Bitcoin’s Use Cases Beyond being an investment tool, Bitcoin has many real-world applications. On platforms like Paxful and Noones, users can exchange Bitcoin for various gift cards (such as Amazon, iTunes, Steam, etc.) and points, making it a flexible asset tool. Bitcoin can also be used for cross-border payments, particularly in restricted countries or regions where it bypasses traditional financial systems, enabling quick and convenient transactions. Other use cases include: • Online shopping: An increasing number of merchants accept Bitcoin as a payment method, allowing users to make purchases using cryptocurrency. • Travel and accommodation: Some websites like Travala allow users to book flights, hotels, and travel packages using Bitcoin. • Charity donations: Some charitable organizations have started accepting Bitcoin donations, leveraging its decentralization and low transaction fees. • Peer-to-peer payments: Bitcoin facilitates fast peer-to-peer fund transfers, making it especially useful for international remittances.

Three Basic Ways to Invest in Bitcoin

Buy and store on an exchange This is the simplest investment method. You can buy Bitcoin through exchanges like Binance, OKX, or Bitget and store it in your exchange account. While this method is easy to operate, the security of the exchange is a risk factor. If an exchange is hacked or goes bankrupt, your assets could be lost.

Use a cold wallet to store Bitcoin Cold wallets are a more secure storage method. Users can transfer Bitcoin to an offline wallet they control, avoiding the risks of exchange hacks or collapses. However, if the private key is lost, the assets cannot be recovered, so users must take full responsibility for their wallets.

Contract trading Contract trading allows users to speculate on Bitcoin price movements without owning the actual asset. By leveraging positions, contract trading can amplify profits and losses. This approach carries high risk and is more suited to experienced investors. Advanced Strategies: Bitcoin Derivatives and Mining As the Bitcoin market matures, financial products like options, dual-currency savings, and liquidity mining are becoming increasingly popular. Additionally, traditional mining—contributing computing power to secure the network in exchange for Bitcoin rewards—remains an important source of income for some investors. Though mining has a high entry threshold, it is still a valuable way for participants to earn Bitcoin. Conclusion There are many ways to invest in Bitcoin. For beginners, the simplest approach is to buy and hold Bitcoin on an exchange. As you gain more market knowledge, you can explore cold wallet storage or contract trading. More advanced strategies, like Bitcoin derivatives and mining, require higher technical expertise and capital. Common questions: • What can Bitcoin be used to buy? • What are the advantages of using Bitcoin for payments? • Which Bitcoin trading platform is the most secure?