#Network optimisation

[biglisbonnews]

Telekom, MIRA test teleoperated shuttles in Bonn Deutsche Telekom AG and MIRA GmbH have jointly launched a pilot project for teleoperated driving. The project partners are testing the shuttle service with teleoperated operation between various Telekom locations The post Telekom, MIRA test teleoperated shuttles in Bonn appeared first on VanillaPlus - The global voice of Telecoms IT. https://www.vanillaplus.com/2023/08/07/82464-telekom-mira-test-teleoperated-shuttles-in-bonn/

[blood-orange-juice]

Another day in this insane lab.

"N. expressed hope that we can reduce brain dynamics to Ising model." "We will then have to explain why does consciousness arise in the brain but not in ferromagnetics." "How do you know it doesn't?" "True, we can switch to animism, I DON'T MIND."

(note: you can't really do it because of the presence of higher order correlations in the brain, please don't try it. ferromagnetic materials don't show any signs of consciousness either)

[technomasterglobal]

[gadgetshowtech]

Intel® Killer™ Intelligence Center app optimises broadband performance

Intel Killer Intelligence Center is a software application that allows you to optimize your network performance by prioritising bandwidth for specific applications or tasks. The software also includes features such as network diagnostics, Wi-Fi signal strength testing, and network optimization tools. Network Analyzer Here are some of the features of Intel Killer Intelligence…

[infotechsearchgroup]

Hire the best social media optimization (SMO) agency and improve your online presence. We at Infotech Search Group offer SMO services at an affordable price. We specialize in providing affordable and low-cost SMO services to startup and small businesses. Call Us for Details Now +91-8527665635.

[clouds-of-wings]

Bizarre Google blog announcement: they have a "Shipping Network Design API", and operators of container ships can use it to optimise their trade routes?! This feels like a very old-school Google project, by which I mean a group of engineers put it together as an interesting side project, a very small number of people will come to totally rely on it, and Google will shut it down without warning in a few years' time when those engineers have moved on.

-- from Tom Scott's newsletter

[violant-apologia]

i looove thinking about the neon future, so here's a mechanic concept for Fallen Berlin!

The Network Deck

A second deck! While your main deck is the same as in FL and represents things you're physically interacting with/present for, in FB you would be able to draw cards from a secondary deck that represents things happening on the Network. You would still have one hand, just two ways of drawing cards (and also the added option to draw one at a time, if you want). Instead of getting one opportunity card every ten minutes, you get one of each every twenty (or maybe fifteen?)

(a silly mockup:)

Your Network deck (or netdeck for short) is the same in all areas, compared to the changing nature of the main deck (which would be emphasized more to draw a comparison). It's also significantly more customisable/optimisable: you can control what apps you have, which is responsible for almost all of the cards in your netdeck. Similar to lab workers, your deck will start getting clogged up with bad cards if you don't have enough apps: things like lack of stuff do do with your phone:

You find yourself on autopilot, stuck in a loop of closing an app and then immediately reopening it. Nightmares is increasing...

Imagine apps like Squeaker (spices' personal twitter clone, arguments and drama galore), the Library (pages' wikipedia-alike, where a war for the city's knowledge is waged), smaller message boards (sold by mr bricks), geocache-esque stuff in a maps app, experimental apps which interact with parabola, unofficial "dark web" crime-related app, the like. (maybe even phone games lol)

Restricted card areas, like how pickpocketing and parties are now, would probably have to limit your phone use for practicality reasons – though maybe they could build what apps you have into some cards too.

if you have any cool neon future app ideas, shoot them my way and i might mock some of them up as cards!

[biglisbonnews]

Vecttor incorporates Telefonica Tech, Geotab’s solution to its fleet Telefonica Tech and Geotab announce their collaboration with Vecttor to increase the efficiency, safety and sustainability of their vehicles. Telefonica Tech provides a fleet management service to Vecttor vehicles in The post Vecttor incorporates Telefonica Tech, Geotab’s solution to its fleet appeared first on VanillaPlus - The global voice of Telecoms IT. https://www.vanillaplus.com/2023/07/19/81675-vecttor-incorporates-telefonica-tech-geotabs-solution-to-its-fleet/

[canmom]

what I think is really striking about it all is more about human society than the tech itself - a demo of how quickly a technique can go from being 'cool idea' to 'everyone is using this'. obvs I work in a tech industry so I'm surrounded by the kind of people who pay attention to this kind of thing, but language models went from 'funny internet toy' to 'half the people I know regularly talk to our new friend ChatGPT' in what felt like a matter of months, to the point where I start to feel like the weird stick in the mud for not wanting to ask this thing to rephrase my emails or whatever.

I think the superpower of humans is not so much our ability to do reasoning etc., but how good we are at copying novel behaviours from other humans. it's this form of replication-with-modification that allows evolution to take place on a much faster timescale than 'try this new allele and see if you can still fuck'. consider how quickly we went from 'heavier than air flight is impossible' to 'quick, hide, the flying people are back to drop more bombs on our trench!'.

once it's been done once by someone, we can distil and simplify the process of 'doing that thing' and iterate on it and do it again and again and again until we exhaust its limits.

the pattern prevails on all sorts of scales. a new behaviour becomes a new referential frame (from 'how can we make this plane go higher' to 'how can I make a cool new yoyo trick'). an experiment can become a standard technique. the goal and 'meta' will shift as the subculture evolves. and all the time we adapt, adapt, adapt. new people show up, get up to speed, and contribute to something new. before we know it, we're optimising to a level that would be incomprehensible to people a few decades before.

so evolution hit on something amazing with our super plastic brains. it's not all rosy, the same basic 'thing' that lets us learn is what lets us become traumatised, and we can easily learn and adopt disastrously bad behaviours like "burning lots of fossil fuels" or "genocide". we are incredibly, radically undetermined creatures, for good and ill.

but then... that's exactly what we're trying to imitate with these neural networks. evolution has had millions of years to finetune its learning model, and yet even our crude approximation is already showing a lot of traits that we recognise in ourselves. so as much as the current wave is blatantly overhyped, blatantly a bubble, and being used to fill the internet with worthless detritus at huge energy cost because of course it is... even as I roll my eyes at the new AI-enabled toothbrush, I hesitate to dismiss AI research as being as vacuous as cryptocurrency. I'm sure it will take years for it to shake out exactly what it's good for, and there will be a lot of false starts along the way before it speciates into various sub-industries, but it is something new and it's a big one.

what's startling about all this is not the potential for an AI god to emerge and turn us all into paperclips, it's getting to witness the human superorganism adapt and develop a novel behaviour on an incredibly short timescale.

[gallifreyinstituteforlearning]

🤔💪 Do Gallifreyans experience lactic acid build-up?

Ever wondered if Gallifreyans hit the gym? Who knows, but their physiology sidesteps the usual post-exercise aches, making lactic acid build-up, a common human issue, practically non-existent for them.

Advanced Respiration: Their lungs are not only high-performance but are supported by an independent respiratory network. This efficient oxygen supply keeps their muscles from accumulating lactic acid.

Efficient Energy Use: They rarely switch to anaerobic respiration - the process that in humans leads to lactic acid accumulation. Their cells are all about energy efficiency.

Muscle Composition: Gallifreyan muscles definitely aren't superhuman, but they're loaded with slow-twitch fibres, optimising them for endurance.

Stellar Acid-Base Balance: Their natural ability to maintain optimal body pH means there's no environment for lactic acid to thrive.

Gallifreyans are biologically built for the long haul without the usual post-exercise "ouch" moments as easily as humans. Maybe don't engage in a competitive marathon with them.

Gallifreyan Biology for Tuesday by GIL

More content ... →📫Got a question? | 📚Complete list of Q+A →😆Jokes |🩻Biology |🗨️Language |🕰️Throwbacks |🤓Facts →🫀Gallifreyan Anatomy and Physiology Guide (pending) →⚕️Gallifreyan Emergency Medicine Guides →📝Source list (WIP) →📜Masterpost If you're finding your happy place in this part of the internet, feel free to buy a coffee to help keep our exhausted human conscious. She works full-time in medicine and is so very tired 😴

[maaarine]

The tyranny of the algorithm: why every coffee shop looks the same (Kyle Chayka, The Guardian, Jan 16 2024)

"These cafes had all adopted similar aesthetics and offered similar menus, but they hadn’t been forced to do so by a corporate parent, the way a chain like Starbucks replicated itself.

Instead, despite their vast geographical separation and total independence from each other, the cafes had all drifted toward the same end point.

The sheer expanse of sameness was too shocking and new to be boring.

Of course, there have been examples of such cultural globalisation going back as far as recorded civilisation.

But the 21st-century generic cafes were remarkable in the specificity of their matching details, as well as the sense that each had emerged organically from its location.

They were proud local efforts that were often described as “authentic”, an adjective that I was also guilty of overusing.

When travelling, I always wanted to find somewhere “authentic” to have a drink or eat a meal.

If these places were all so similar, though, what were they authentic to, exactly?

What I concluded was that they were all authentically connected to the new network of digital geography, wired together in real time by social networks.

They were authentic to the internet, particularly the 2010s internet of algorithmic feeds. (…)

My theory was that all the physical places interconnected by apps had a way of resembling one another.

In the case of the cafes, the growth of Instagram gave international cafe owners and baristas a way to follow one another in real time and gradually, via algorithmic recommendations, begin consuming the same kinds of content.

One cafe owner’s personal taste would drift toward what the rest of them liked, too, eventually coalescing.

On the customer side, Yelp, Foursquare and Google Maps drove people like me – who could also follow the popular coffee aesthetics on Instagram – toward cafes that conformed with what they wanted to see by putting them at the top of searches or highlighting them on a map.

To court the large demographic of customers moulded by the internet, more cafes adopted the aesthetics that already dominated on the platforms.

Adapting to the norm wasn’t just following trends but making a business decision, one that the consumers rewarded.

When a cafe was visually pleasing enough, customers felt encouraged to post it on their own Instagram in turn as a lifestyle brag, which provided free social media advertising and attracted new customers.

Thus the cycle of aesthetic optimisation and homogenisation continued."

[swayaminfotech]

Search Engine Optimization Company | SEO Services Rajkot - Swayam Infotech

Swayam Infotech is a professional search engine optimization company in Rajkot, to improve your website's search rankings. Contact us to learn how we can increase your online visibility! Looking for the best SEO Services Company in Rajkot to increase visitors and customers? Connect with Swayam Infotech. We are a top SEO company located in India. Our SEO experts apply their industry knowledge to improve your website's exposure on search engine results pages (SERPs).

[blubberquark]

Share Your Anecdotes: Multicore Pessimisation

I took a look at the specs of new 7000 series Threadripper CPUs, and I really don't have any excuse to buy one, even if I had the money to spare. I thought long and hard about different workloads, but nothing came to mind.

Back in university, we had courses about map/reduce clusters, and I experimented with parallel interpreters for Prolog, and distributed computing systems. What I learned is that the potential performance gains from better data structures and algorithms trump the performance gains from fancy hardware, and that there is more to be gained from using the GPU or from re-writing the performance-critical sections in C and making sure your data structures take up less memory than from multi-threaded code. Of course, all this is especially important when you are working in pure Python, because of the GIL.

The performance penalty of parallelisation hits even harder when you try to distribute your computation between different computers over the network, and the overhead of serialisation, communication, and scheduling work can easily exceed the gains of parallel computation, especially for small to medium workloads. If you benchmark your Hadoop cluster on a toy problem, you may well find that it's faster to solve your toy problem on one desktop PC than a whole cluster, because it's a toy problem, and the gains only kick in when your data set is too big to fit on a single computer.

The new Threadripper got me thinking: Has this happened to somebody with just a multicore CPU? Is there software that performs better with 2 cores than with just one, and better with 4 cores than with 2, but substantially worse with 64? It could happen! Deadlocks, livelocks, weird inter-process communication issues where you have one process per core and every one of the 64 processes communicates with the other 63 via pipes? There could be software that has a badly optimised main thread, or a badly optimised work unit scheduler, and the limiting factor is single-thread performance of that scheduler that needs to distribute and integrate work units for 64 threads, to the point where the worker threads are mostly idling and only one core is at 100%.

I am not trying to blame any programmer if this happens. Most likely such software was developed back when quad-core CPUs were a new thing, or even back when there were multi-CPU-socket mainboards, and the developer never imagined that one day there would be Threadrippers on the consumer market. Programs from back then, built for Windows XP, could still run on Windows 10 or 11.

In spite of all this, I suspect that this kind of problem is quite rare in practice. It requires software that spawns one thread or one process per core, but which is deoptimised for more cores, maybe written under the assumption that users have for two to six CPU cores, a user who can afford a Threadripper, and needs a Threadripper, and a workload where the problem is noticeable. You wouldn't get a Threadripper in the first place if it made your workflows slower, so that hypothetical user probably has one main workload that really benefits from the many cores, and another that doesn't.

So, has this happened to you? Dou you have a Threadripper at work? Do you work in bioinformatics or visual effects? Do you encode a lot of video? Do you know a guy who does? Do you own a Threadripper or an Ampere just for the hell of it? Or have you tried to build a Hadoop/Beowulf/OpenMP cluster, only to have your code run slower?

I would love to hear from you.

[magic-aggy]

new OC, her name is Rune-8. Part of some mlpfim AU stuff about ancient cosmic empires, cloning, and terraforming. She's about the same height as the CMC despite being an adult.

image text: Vat grown pilot a space-faring empire in the distant past. Her ship was destroyed over what would one day be known as Equestria, forcing her to land on the future site of Ponyville. Left to die as the empire fell. Survived untold millennia in the pod's cryogenic stasis. Discovered in a cave by Maud.

Struggling to adapt to the society she finds herself in.

more info, some sketches, and more thoughts under the read more.

please ignore the spelling errors i was high and very sleep deprived when i made this and i do not have the wherewithal to go back and fix them.

basically they're a grown to order clone that was widely used in her society for dangerous or menial work. the template she was grown from is the 'Rune' model pilot. a budget option with the bare minimum implants, optimised for living in low or zero gravity for extended periods. She was loaded with some basic ship maintenance and engineering databases after she was grown, cheap ones, so that the company responsible for the ship she was on could cut costs by not paying for any dedicated engineers. she was the 8th of a crew of 12, and the only survivor when her ship was destroyed in orbit over Equestria.

Their escape pod landed long ago enough that it was submerged in many layers of sediment, lost like a fossil in the cave system below Ponyville.

She clings to Maud, as the first friendly face she met in this strange new world.

Her eyes are cybernetic implants, but she was grown without eyes, and had these implanted before she ever became conscious. They contain hardware that let her wirelessly interface with their ship's computers, and provide her with access to a simple HUD, her personal database, and when in range with a wireless network she can connect and access whatever is stored there.

She is inspired by a Hyracotherium, the prehistoric ancestor of the modern horse, as well as the protagonist from the Murderbot Diaries.

Her body is best suited to low or zero gravity, designed for only temporary stints on planetary gravity. Thus she finds it very difficult and physically taxing to live on the surface of a planet. She is undergoing physical therapy at Ponyville Hospital to try and build up her muscle mass so that she can achieve a better quality of life in the world she is forever stranded in.

Will eventually go on to find a calling designing new and innovative airships, revolutionising public transport in Equestria and it's neighbours.

Vat grown creatures like her are typically genderless, but after some time in Equestria she found herself strangely drawn to mares and femininity. They don't feel the need to label themself particularly, especially in a society that tries as hard as it can to welcome to all identities, but she's something like a trans mare. Prefers she, but is also comfortable with they.

gay little prehistoric horse idk.

[saeedmohammedsblog]

The Future of Website Development: Innovations and Best Practices for Modern Businesses

In today's rapidly changing digital environment, having a robust online presence is of paramount importance. For businesses in Oman, staying ahead in website development is crucial to capturing market share and achieving growth. The future of website development is marked by rapid innovations and evolving best practices that businesses must embrace to remain competitive. This blog explores the latest trends and essential practices in website development, offering valuable insights for businesses aiming to enhance their digital footprint.

1. Harnessing the Potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming website development through the automation of processes and the customisation of user experiences. AI-powered tools can analyse user behavior, predict preferences, and deliver tailored content, which significantly improves user engagement. Chatbots, driven by AI, are becoming a standard feature on websites, providing instant customer support and enhancing user interaction.

AI also plays a crucial role in optimising websites for search engines. With the help of machine learning algorithms, businesses can analyse vast amounts of data to improve their SEO strategies, ensuring better visibility in search engine results.

2. Mobile-First Design: A Necessity, Not a Choice

With mobile internet usage surpassing desktop, a mobile-first approach is now a necessity in website development. The mobile-first design ensures that websites are optimised for mobile devices, offering a seamless experience across all platforms. This approach involves designing the mobile version of a website first and then scaling up for larger screens.

Responsive design is an essential aspect of mobile-first development. It ensures that a website adjusts its layout and content based on the screen size of the device being used, providing an optimal viewing experience. For businesses in Oman, where mobile device usage is prevalent, adopting a mobile-first strategy is critical for reaching a broader audience.

3. Enhanced User Experience through Progressive Web Applications (PWAs)

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) are transforming the way websites are built and experienced. PWAs combine the best features of web and mobile applications, offering a fast, reliable, and engaging user experience. They can be accessed through a web browser but provide app-like functionalities, such as offline access and push notifications.

For businesses in Oman, implementing PWAs can enhance user engagement and retention. PWAs load quickly, even on slow networks, and offer a smooth experience, which is crucial for retaining visitors and reducing bounce rates.

4. Emphasize the importance of User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) Design.

User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) design are central to the success of any website. UX design focuses on the overall experience of the user, including ease of navigation, content accessibility, and interaction quality. UI design, on the other hand, deals with the visual elements of a website, such as layout, colours, and typography.

A well-designed UX/UI can significantly impact user satisfaction and conversion rates. Businesses in Oman should prioritise creating intuitive and visually appealing websites that cater to their target audience's needs and preferences. Conducting regular user testing and gathering feedback can help refine design elements and improve the overall user experience.

5. Integrating Advanced Security Measures

As cyber threats become more sophisticated, website security is more important than ever. Implementing advanced security measures is essential to protect sensitive data and maintain user trust. Some key security practices include:

- SSL Certificates: Secure the communication by encrypting the data exchanged between the user's browser and the server.

- Regular Updates: Keep software, plugins, and themes up to date to prevent vulnerabilities.

- Firewalls and Security Plugins: Use firewalls and security plugins to protect against malicious attacks and threats.

For businesses in Oman, prioritising website security is crucial to safeguarding customer information and maintaining a trustworthy online presence.

6. Optimising for Voice Search

With the rise of voice-activated devices and virtual assistants, optimising websites for voice search is becoming increasingly important. Voice search optimisation involves tailoring content and keywords to match the conversational queries users might speak into their devices.

Businesses in Oman should consider incorporating long-tail keywords and natural language phrases into their content to improve voice search visibility. Additionally, ensuring that websites load quickly and provide concise, relevant answers can enhance their performance in voice search results.

7. Leveraging Data Analytics for Continuous Improvement

Data analytics is a powerful tool for understanding user behavior and improving website performance. By analysing metrics such as user traffic, engagement rates, and conversion rates, businesses can gain valuable insights into what works and what needs improvement.

Implementing data-driven strategies allows businesses in Oman to make informed decisions, optimise their websites, and tailor their content to meet user needs. Regularly reviewing analytics data and making adjustments based on findings can lead to better user experiences and increased business success.

8. The Role of Content in Website Development

Content remains a cornerstone of effective website development. High-quality, relevant content not only attracts visitors but also helps in building authority and trust. Businesses should focus on creating engaging and informative content that addresses their audience's needs and interests.

Integrating multimedia components like videos, infographics, and interactive features can significantly boost user engagement and enhance the overall attractiveness of the website. For businesses in Oman, producing content in multiple languages can also help reach a broader audience and cater to diverse customer segments.

9. Future-Proofing Your Website

As technology continues to advance, it's essential to future-proof your website to adapt to upcoming changes. This involves using flexible and scalable technologies, adopting best practices, and staying updated with industry trends.

Choosing a robust content management system (CMS) and ensuring that your website's architecture is adaptable to new technologies can help future-proof your site. Consistently assessing and refreshing the features and design of your website will help maintain its relevance and effectiveness over time.

Conclusion

The future of website development is dynamic and filled with opportunities for innovation. For businesses in Oman, staying abreast of the latest trends and best practices in website development is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge and delivering exceptional user experiences. By embracing AI, mobile-first design, PWAs, and advanced security measures, businesses can enhance their online presence and drive growth. Prioritising UX/UI design, voice search optimisation, and data analytics will further contribute to building a successful and future-proof website. As technology continues to evolve, staying adaptable and forward-thinking will ensure that your website remains a powerful tool for achieving business success.