#Operating system definition

[sentienceisoverrated]

Not gonna lie it actually kills me a little bit inside whenever someone doesn't know, and refuses to learn, anything about computers. Like I'm no tech guru. If you asked me about circuit boards or programming or how a gpu really works, I won't be able to tell you, but if you asked me what kind of gpu I own, and other hardware, I would. I have it all memorised, not only because I built my pc myself (and researched extensively for it) but because it's useful information.

I recently started playing Warhammer, and when I tried to launch the game for the first time, it warned me there was a problem with a specific type of cpu. My type of cpu. If I didn't know that, I wouldn't have recognised there was a problem, and I could have severely damaged my computer over time. I had to update my bios (which I had never done before ever), the concept terrified me, but I did research, and I managed it. I learnt something new.

But there are people I've talked to who don't understand the difference between a web browser and a search engine. The number of people I notice who sit their laptops on a fabric case in a lecture and risk overheating. In response to a photo I posted online of my pc, someone asked me where the computer was because there was no visible monitor. A person once recommended me a website to print and deliver photos for free and never even checked the terms and conditions for such a sketchy business plan (lo and behold you were practically giving them rights to your personal images). I get scam messages with urls that are so obviously fake I'm mind-blown when I remember people fall for it. I had to explain to someone else today what a sim card does.

You don't have to be the most informed person on the planet, you just have to put in the effort to learn these things. You use these devices every single day, keep one in your pocket, your bag, almost constantly, and you don't know the bare minimum of how it works??? You can't search for your device specs? Can't read a url? Don't know the difference between a download and an installation? Friends I'm begging you you have all the world's information beneath your fingertips and you haven't ever questioned how? You've never read a five-year-old reddit post for a hyperspecific problem only a handful of people have encountered? I'm so far from the paragon of Computer Knowledge but at least I know the difference between a browser and a search engine. At least I can confidently say my settings reflect my needs.

[mabaris]

ok i’m listening to yesterday’s vows and vengeance episode and i had to pause immediately because harding swearing by the stone was so unexpected??? the idea that surfacer dwarves still believe in the stone as an actual religion is so interesting because unlike the other religions in thedas that believe they were abandoned by their respective deistic force(s), it is the individual who abandons the stone. the maker left the physical world and the creators were locked away against their will, but the stone is always there until you leave it, by choice or by force.

to have someone born and raised on the surface who still pays some importance to the stone introduces the idea of redemption to the philosophy of the stone. to me, being on the surface and still putting some kind of importance on it implies you left unwillingly right? because if you choose to walk away from it, you don’t care about preserving those ties. i wonder if she’s going to be something of a foil to varric—a child of exiles, born and raised on the surface, but she actually does have a desire to connect to that culture. and maybe that desire to reconnect is related to her weird new powers

[misshooman]

i’m trynna fully envision what i’m about to draw so i already have all the rough positioning and a good idea of what i’m gonna draw before the sketch, but it’s like i’m rendering it on the integrated gpu of a 2008 laptop

[gaylittleguys]

it’s so over for me and my facial recognition I didn’t realize two people were twins 😭

[periodiccompletionist]

🔤 again. i understand it now. fuck it's good. i haven't played yet but i'm so antsy to fully realize a charlie deck just for the hell of it

for context they sent me this image last night:

HELL YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so glad you're enjoying it so far I hope you continue to! Please please please keep me updated I've been obsessed with this game for a whole-ass decade (especially if you make an alpha beta charlie deck because laksjlkjfal;kjgfakjf-)

[primrosebitch]

So im still using my iphone 6s, which i got in early 2017, and why, you may ask, am i still using a 7 year old phone? I have 2 reasons for this, 1) i refuse to have a phone without a headphone jack, i will not suffer the indignity of it, and 2) i don't want to deal with learning a new operating system, because stupid apple doesn't sell phones with headphone jacks anymore i will need to get a phone that uses a different operating system

I have many reasons for wanting a headphone jack, i don't want to have to worry about charging my headphones, i have adhd i don't need to add more things to the list of things i need to do but won't remember, i like having the cord and its more convenient to just plug it in to use the headphones than to have to go into settings and bluetooth and all that, and sure in iphones without the jack you can plug it in to the charger part but what if i want to charge my phone and use my headphones at the same time, and like i know there are adapters out there that can make that possible but again i have adhd i will not be able to keep track of it.

So my next phone can't be an iphone, which tbh is good because apple is shit, but the issue with that is that any other phone i get will be using a different operating system, so i'll have to learn and get used to a new operating system, and i don't do well with change, so im going to use this old phone until it ceases to function

[apopticghoul]

What was your experience getting diagnosed with DID? How did you know?

i haven’t been diagnosed with anything! i don’t actually think i have DID specifically, because i don’t experience dissociative amnesia very much at all! i have had this kind of “me but not me” experience since primary school though, and i used to have a very detailed inner world when i was younger (although thankfully i can’t access it properly anymore, because it was horrendous). i’m still learning, and still talking it out with my therapist, and theres a chance that i don’t have anything related to DID, but that doesn’t make my experience any less distressing.

[askshivanulegacy]

All the other economic forms also require the state and economic forms are independent of governing style (i.e the fact that capitalism isn't democratic isn't relevant to a critique of it).

Capitalism needs the state, the state does not need Capitalism.

[flowering-darkness]

anyway, to other things -

I need to remind myself what the dates were for E19’s different releases, since I know it became available on the forums or in the Discord server a short time before the actual “proper” “full” release of the game to all and sundry. I’ve been wondering whether to start a new playthrough, or continue my “current” playthrough (which I probably started years ago at this point, but even so it’s technically my most recent one), but.. I’m curious to see how much 19.6 changes, given that I already know some sprites are being updated (like the playable characters’!) And I’m fairly sure that these 19.x updates have been adding or changing very tiny story things, like the quest with giving Laura a Grass-type Pokémon in the park or something? So.. we’ll have to see if anything else gets updated!

Either way, though: Reborn is very much a comfort game to me and it holds a uniquely special place in my heart, in spite of all it is. And I particularly associate it with selfshipping, because I found out about both it and this at about the same sorts of time. I would very much like to play it more, as a result.. though perhaps when Final Fantasy is commandeering less of my time ;w;

[maryoma00]

Customer Service Relationship Management

Introduction to Customer Service Relationship Management

What is Customer Service Relationship Management (CSRM)?

Customer Service Relationship Management (CSRM) refers to the systematic approach of managing customer interactions and enhancing service delivery to build long-term, meaningful relationships. It focuses on addressing customer needs, resolving issues efficiently, and ensuring satisfaction through a blend of technology and human effort.

While traditional CRM systems emphasize sales and marketing, CSRM zeroes in on customer support and service processes to create a seamless experience.

Why is CSRM Important for Businesses?

Enhancing Customer Loyalty Effective CSRM fosters trust and loyalty by ensuring customers feel valued and heard. Loyal customers are more likely to advocate for the brand and provide repeat business.

Improving Operational Efficiency Centralized systems and streamlined workflows reduce redundancies, enabling quicker issue resolution and better service quality.

Gaining a Competitive Advantage In today’s customer-centric market, excellent service is a key differentiator. Businesses that prioritize CSRM stand out by delivering superior customer experiences.

Core Elements of Customer Service Relationship Management

Centralized Customer Data

Consolidating Information CSRM systems centralize customer data, making it easily accessible for service teams. This includes purchase history, preferences, and previous interactions.

Leveraging Data for Personalization Using this data, businesses can offer tailored solutions, making customers feel understood and valued.

Proactive Customer Support

Anticipating Customer Needs Proactive support involves identifying potential issues before they arise, like sending reminders about product updates or addressing frequently encountered problems.

Implementing Predictive Analytics Predictive analytics tools can analyze trends and customer behavior, helping teams forecast needs and provide preemptive solutions.

Integration with CRM Systems

Synchronizing Customer Interaction Data Integrating CSRM with existing CRM systems ensures a seamless flow of information across departments, improving customer interactions.

Cross-Functional Collaboration When sales, marketing, and support teams share insights, they can collaborate more effectively to meet customer needs holistically.

Benefits of Customer Service Relationship Management

Strengthened Customer Relationships Tailored interactions and a personalized approach foster trust and encourage long-term loyalty.

Enhanced Customer Satisfaction Quick and effective resolution of queries, along with self-service options, improves overall satisfaction.

Optimized Team Productivity By automating repetitive tasks and centralizing data, service teams can focus on complex issues, boosting efficiency.

Steps to Implement a CSRM Strategy

Assessing Customer Service Needs

Identifying Pain Points Conducting surveys and analyzing feedback helps identify recurring issues and areas for improvement.

Understanding Customer Preferences Determine the preferred channels and communication styles of your customers to tailor the strategy accordingly.

Selecting the Right Tools

Features to Look For Look for tools offering ticketing systems, analytics, AI capabilities, and omnichannel support.

Popular CSRM Platforms Platforms like Zendesk, Salesforce Service Cloud, and Freshdesk cater to businesses of various sizes and industries.

[catboybiologist]

Hey. You know how laws against queer people never really mask off say that they're for queer persecution? You know how they always have to wrap it in a layer of "saving the children" or "protecting women", when the goal is actually the destruction of queer groups without actually any improvements to the lives of children or women? You know how the cherry pick examples without context of queer people committing horrible Acts, most of the times in completely false ways, try and make their point?

A bill to destroy biomedical research as we know it just got introduced to Congress with a similar tactic.

The SPARE act would ban all use of vertebrate animals for biomedical research in the United states. It's dressed in language of animal welfare, into aims to tap into the public lack of knowledge about how animal research is used and why is necessary. Not easier, necessary.

I can go into great detail about why this is, but I'm going to put this as simply as possible. There is an inherent paradox to not using animals for biomedical research. If you know enough about a factor or disease or whatever, that you are studying, replicated in a model system and no, for a fact that this model system reflects the reality of how that factor operates in a complete organism, then you know enough about that factor by definition to none use an animal. And therefore, no research is even necessary. If something is being researched, somewhere in the thread of that research, there will be an animal study involved. Maybe not in that particular paper, maybe not in that particular research group, but something that group cites, some continuation of that research, some thing that is necessary to actually provide a meaningful understanding about human or animal biology, must involve a research animal at some point in the process.

Anyone who has done animal research understands this is the case. Anyone who has done animal research also understands that there are great standards put in place by University IACUCs to maintain ethical standards. Are there lapses? Of course. And you're about to hear about *all* of them, without context, without the thousands of examples of lives that have been saved by disease research. And of course, we already *have* systems of accountability.

Animal testing is a delicate topic across the political spectrum. And for good reason. However, I don't think very many people outside of the field truly understand how necessary it is to gain literally any understanding about biological systems, nor the systems of accountability that already exist to ensure it's done ethically and meaningfully.

The goal is destruction of research science in this country. If this bill passes I'm genuinely doubtful that I will ever be able to be employed in this country again.

Please, PLEASE urge your representatives to do something about this.

Oh and by the way- if you needed any indication that this law is bullshit and they don't care about animal welfare, any testing on military and police animals is a specifically allowed exception.

[evilkitten3]

ok so like i agree with you in theory but. tbh there's not really a set "this is when you are an adult" age, biologically-speaking. generally, 16-22 seems to be where the average falls among cultural understandings of adulthood, but there's a wide range of ages that have been Official Adult Ages over time.

kawarama was seven, and itama even younger, but as shinobi they were considered to no longer be children (which.... understandable, in a deeply fucked-up way). let's say itama was 5/6. by the time naruto comes along, that age has doubled. that's an absolutely enormous difference.

hiruzen was 69 (nice) years old when he died. it's incredibly likely that he was born before the village was founded and thus spent his early years in that time of war where children barely out of toddlerhood were sent to die in battle. he may have even gone himself. so a 12yo being an adult in his eyes is progress. almost radically so.

kakashi, itachi, and the sannin were all noted to be exceptionally talented. the children in the warring states area were just regular kids, who unlike any of the aforementioned 5 had little training outside of what their families could provide them, and no "pass this test so we know you know what you're doing" verification. moreover, all of them were placed on teams with people meant to be guiding them along the way. itama died alone in the woods surrounded by five grown men with no qualms about killing a tiny kid shaking with terror with nothing but a kunai to defend himself (granted we don't actually know this for sure bc hashirama is telling this story and he. was not actually there in the moment)

hashirama and madara formed konoha to stop children - as in, people who were children in their eyes - from being sent to die on the battlefield. hashirama pretty clearly states that he doesn't think the current training being provided to child soldiers is sufficient. it should be noted that he and madara are maybe 13 here, and they seem not to consider themselves as children or adults, but somehow divorced from either. they talk about children as a separate group from themselves, but they clearly separate themselves from adults as well, seemingly for ideological reasons.

i've talked before about why butsuma's like that (and again @komehyappyou's explanation is better imo) so i'll skip that here, but i really don't think this should be viewed as things "staying the same". in terms of protecting children, the village system absolutely improved things. it's still a terrible situation, but it makes complete sense that people living in it - especially people who remember when it was significantly worse - would see it as reasonable.

i think a lot of the issue with how the child soldier thing is talked about in the fandom is due to the readers interpreting the words "child" and "adult" by their own cultural standards, and while that's not inherently wrong, it does leave a lot to be desired bc the world of naruto simply does not have a reason for those standards to exist. i mention real life historical japanese adulthood ages here, but i'll reiterate again that naruto by its nature can only draw so much from real life (for example: the time between the extremely modern-esque boruto era and the sengoku-based founders era is barely over a hundred years, whereas the real life reiwa and muromachi eras are separated by 446 minimum, meaning the timeline is operating on an incredibly condensed level in comparison to real life history)

This line from Hiruzen is brief but it says so much about the way Konoha operates. In this panel, Naruto is 12, but because he graduated from the academy and earned his headband, by Konoha standards he is now an adult. Following this logic that means that Itachi, the Sannin, and Kakashi, who graduated at ages 7, 6, and 5 respectively, would have also been regarded as adults. I don't think I need to explain why that's fucked up.

But what makes it worse is that it reminds me of another scene:

Kawarama Senju was only 7 when he died, but being a Shinobi meant Butsuma and the other adult ninjas viewed him as an adult. Hashirama and Madara formed Konoha in part to stop this attitude because they'd seen how badly it impacted their own families...but it took relatively little time for this practice to return, enforced by one of Hashirama's followers no less.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

[whenstarsundress]

you flirt back for the first time:

sylus

you say something like, “you keep looking at me like that, sylus… you’re gonna have to do something about it,” with a shy little smile.

he completely malfunctions. his eyes grow wide, he swallows hard, his heart visibly skipping a beat.

sylus stares at you like he’s trying to determine if you’re possessed. then, quietly, with his voice a little huskier than usual, “that’s new.”

he recovers fast, though. steps closer and gently brushes your hair behind your ear. “is this your way of telling me you want me to kiss you? because i’m listening.”

bonus:

… sylus.exe has crashed.

his lips part and his eyes darken. he stares for a moment, like he’s trying to decide between kissing you soft or ruining your life. eventually, he just breathes, “say that again. i dare you.”

zayne

you casually murmur, “if you’re gonna keep biting your lip like that, at least let me do it for you,” while scrolling your phone.

dead silent. zayne stops breathing. his jaw flexes, his pupils dilate.

“…excuse me?” his voice drops an octave and he looks at you like you just kicked open the doors to a side of you he definitely wants to explore.

he walks over real slow, tilts your chin up and says, “say that again. no, no—i need it word for word, baby. because if i heard what i think i heard…”

bonus:

zayne chokes on air. his head snaps around so fast, his whole brain reboots. “wait. what? you never—?!” he chuckles lowly. “okay, okay. who are you and what did you do with my sweet, shy angel?”

caleb

you’re teasing him during one of his gym sessions and say, “keep showing off like that and i might have to reward you. privately.”

caleb drops the dumbbell. literal pause. he stares at you with wide eyes, mouth slightly open like a golden retriever who just got called a bad boy.

“wait. wait. wait, back up. say that again?” he starts laughing, but it’s nervous, like he doesn’t know how to process it.

he immediately gets 10x more flirty and tries to re-assert dominance with a grin. “okay, but only if you’re the reward too.”

bonus:

his jaw clenches, breath catches and you can feel the tension shift. like something in him just snapped. he leans back, clears his throat and gives a tiny smirk. “you’re playing with fire, and i’m not the type to pull away when i get burned.”

xavier

you’re both deep into a high-risk deepspace operation. he’s focused, assessing potential threats, guns calibrated, his hud flickering with tactical readouts. you, cool as ever, lean in behind him and murmur through the comms. “you look sexy when you’re in control like this. makes me want to follow your every order… after hours.”

immediate system crash. xavier stops walking, literally halts mid-movement in zero gravity like his whole code just corrupted.

“…repeat that,” he says into the comm, voice a little rough, a lot lower than usual. he doesn’t turn to face you. he’s trying to regain composure while actively calculating threat levels.

he doesn’t miss a beat on the mission afterward, but the tight grip on his weapon and the way he refuses to look at you say everything: you broke him.

bonus:

he stammers, short-circuits, then just covers his face and laughs into his hands quietly. “okay. that’s unfair. you can’t just… out-flirt me like that.”

rafayel

you’re watching him get dressed and casually comment, “if you’re going to tease me with that shirt unbuttoned, the least you can do is let me take it off for you.”

rafayel blinks, twice. “what did you just say?” not offended, not teasing. he’s actually stunned.

a slow, devilish smile starts to curl on his lips as he puts down whatever he was holding. he steps toward you and murmurs, “are you seducing me? because i have to warn you… i’m very easy to seduce.”

bonus:

rafayel freezes. for one glorious second there’s silence. then he smiles a bit mischievously. “oh? okay, i see you. someone’s been hiding from me the whole time.” he never lets it go, but he wants more of your flirty side. “you gonna flirt like that again, or was i just blessed once?”

author’s note: sometimes i can’t decide in which direction i want to go with a headcanon, so, i went with a little bonus 😊

[malachitezmeyka]

I just spent a good 20 minutes almost tearing out my hair because my timeline suddenly stopped adding up and I was close to actually losing my mind

If you count from her birth year, Midori turns 17 in 171 AG, but if you count from what year I placed her parents’ imprisonment in, she’d actually turn 18, and I genuinely thought my several years’ worth of careful timeline placing was completely off and I’d need to move everything up

And mind you, I’m running on 2 hours of sleep and just got done with an exam, so I’m not exactly in the best headspace for this shit

Anyway, upon calculating and recalculating both Suiren and Midori’s ages, I figured out that the problem was me adding 13 years + a handful of months to the date of imprisonment, the position of which, according to UtOS timeline and the girls’ birthdays, is actually in a bit of a weird spot, meaning that the RL weren’t imprisoned for 13 years exactly, rather 12 years and 7-ish months, which does round up to 13 and I’m sure we all knew the number wasn’t to the day, so… yeah, I’m okay with this development

It did give me a major headache, though…

[moon-fics]

Pepper Spray Lovers

Pairings: Bob Floyd x Reader

Summary: You're a well-known bartender at the Hard Deck and friends with most of the pilots who enter through the doors. However, you've caught the eye of one specific weapon systems operator.

A/n: I'm going to need a break after this one. Holy shit.

It was the same every night for you. Serve drinks, clean cups, chat with pilots, and never give out your number. It was a loop that you found comforting and easy to follow. At the Hard Deck, there was a guaranteed safety with the amount of trained pilots around.

You never have to memorize names because the call signs they have are way too ridiculous to forget. They stand out, and based on their personality, you can match them easily. For Hangman, you chalk it up to him always talking to a woman at the bar, but never taking her home. For Rooster, it's because his mustache sometimes looks like a beak to a bird.

You treat each customer the same and smile when they order. You highly doubt any of them know your name, but why should they? You serve them drinks, and they pay their tab. That's all you need or want from them.

"Can I get a water?" A soft voice asks from behind you. You're cleaning a pile of cups while Penny takes orders. You aren't supposed to be bothered, but you assume Penny is busy. You can fetch some water and return back to your cleaning.

Without even looking at the person who ordered, you grab a clean cup and fill it with water from the water dispenser. You spin around and place the cup on the bar top. You only look up for a second but you immediately stop on him.

It's his smile that catches you off guard. It's almost silly how adorable a Top Gun pilot can look by just smiling. His hair is gelled back neatly, and his glasses are a little lower than where they should be.

"Thank you," He nods while taking the glass. His fingers graze yours, and you realize you're still holding the cup. Your hand flinches away automatically. "Busy night?"

You force yourself to speak because you cannot just stare at him. "Yeah, it's definitely busier than usual," You say while clearing your throat. He nods and takes a sip of his water. "There must be something huge happening for so many Top Gun pilots to be here." You glance around the room to see it practically filled with people wearing navy uniforms.

"I'd tell you if I could," He chuckles. "I'm Bob," He holds out his free hand to shake. You gladly take it, and there's a shiver that goes up your spine at how nice his arms look. Before you can respond, someone is calling him over. He gives a little wave as he parts from you.

Throughout the night, you catch him staring at you. Usually, you'd find it creepy or enough to cut him off, so he leaves. Instead, you try to catch him. It gives you some enjoyment to watch when he nervously looks away after getting caught. After a while, he understands the game and begins playing along.

--

It's closing time, and by now, everyone has left, including Penny. The beach waves are all you hear as you check the register and count the cash left over. There's still a smell of alcohol in the air, but it's mixed with salt and sunscreen.

After shutting the register and turning off the lights, you lock the doors. Right as you pull the key out, you hear rustling. No one should be out this late on base. So, either you have a wild animal nearby or someone is stalking you. Either way, it could mean trouble.

Silently and slowly, you reach for your pepper spray. You unlock the safety feature and press your thumb over the top of it. The rustling gets louder, and your body trembles from anxiety.

"Do you need someone to walk you to your car?" A familiar voice rings from behind you. On instinct, you swing around and aim the spray at them. "Hey, hey, wait!" The person yells while putting their hands up in surrender.

Your eyes adjust to the darkness to see Bob standing in front of you. You don't put the pepper spray down, but you remove your thumb from it.

"What are you doing? That was so scary!" You scold. One corner of his lips turns up in a half smile that is still charming.

"I just wanted to make sure you got home alright," He explains. He lowers his hands and puts one in his pocket. He looks concerned that you're going to spray him anyway, but you decide not to. "It's late, and I know that sometimes it can be dangerous on base." He mumbles.

"So, you waited out here for me to close up? It's been like an hour since I saw you leave the bar." You raise an eyebrow. There's no way he waited that long for you.

"I waited," He admits with a nod. You suck in your cheeks at how honest he is. It's refreshing but also a bit odd. "Sorry that I scared you. I thought you heard me walking up to you." He chuckles to himself.

"It's alright. Just, next time, announce yourself or maybe wear a bell." You smile.

He pushes his glasses up his nose, "I'll think about tying a bell around my belt next time."

"Next time?" You tease. You aren't sure what he means by it, because it could simply be a joke. You don't know if he'll be back at the bar because sometimes people show up once and never return.

He seems caught off guard by your repeating his words. "I mean, it's a popular bar. It's the best one on base, so I just assumed I'd come back," He clarifies while scratching at the top of his lip nervously.

"Would you walk me to my car every time?" His eyes practically twinkle at your question. As if your offer has brought a genuine joy inside him. "You did say it's dangerous on base at night."

"I'll walk you to your car as many times as you'd allow."

It takes longer than you expect to get home. Mostly because you're enchanted into a conversation with Bob way past curfew. Once you walk through your door, you get a sense of excitement for your next shift.

--

The music is loud, and so are the pilots. After a long day of training and sweating their asses off they've returned to the bar. Not that you mind anymore.

You get to continue your favorite game with Bob as he plays pool. Every time he makes a shot, he looks for you to see if you saw. When he gets a ball in one of the pockets, he waves. When he scratches, he talks to you until his turn again.

This continues until the end of the night, until he walks you to your car.

[dinosaurspen]

DEC PDPs & friends at the System Source Museum (Maryland Technology Museum)

Visited earlier this week. It was thrilling to see so many of my favorite computers in-person, and even see the LINC in operation!

Definitely recommend checking it out you're in the Baltimore area!