#cloud storage comparison

[techtoio]

Cloud Storage Solutions: Which One is Right for You?

Introduction

Reliable cloud storage is a must in today’s digital era. Whether you’re a business owner, a student, or someone who loves taking photos, choosing the right cloud storage solution can make a huge difference. It can be difficult to determine which option is best for you given the vast array of choices. In this article, we’ll break down some of the top cloud storage solutions to help you make an informed decision.

[znetlivebuydomainname]

Cloud Storage Comparison - Choose the Right Storage Service

Know about the cloud storage comparison to know what is best for your business. Examine features, costs, and capacities to determine which cloud storage solution best suits your needs : https://wire19.com/best-cloud-storage-providers-comparison/

[beescake]

PLEASE PLEASE MEGADUMP THE ARASOL!!! PLEAAASEE MR BEESCAKE I AM ON MY KNEES BEGGING YOU

HFHGHD GLADLY aaa i’ve been adding notes to it here and there for months but just hesitant to post it bcs im 🧍‍♂️🧍‍♂️🧍‍♂️🧍‍♂

also this is just my own takeaway of the events, it doesn’t necessarily comply to the Ultimate Truth of Canon-Alignment or represent the actual facts of what hussie intended! v sentimental smh but hopefully its still interesting to read

i love when characters inform each other by proximity, it's one of my fave things to see in media :') it feels even more significant when two characters deliberately choose to stick together, so that when one operates, you can tell the other is similarly aligned in associative solidarity.

sollux is a keystone of this trope — whoever he aligns with is a wordless statement, a nod of approval. this stood out to me bcs the main four humans were alr friends by default, but once you reach hivebent you realize the trolls can actively choose who they want to hang out with.

and as we all know, after assessing every troll's biases/loyalties, sollux is the only one who maintains his selective preference for innately Good 👍 people.

aradia is such a beautiful character honestly, she evokes such incredible feelings in me. she might not have been consistently written with care but the best parts of her character are truly stunning. i think it's easy to remember sollux as the self-sacrificing one bc he's so open about it (and his friends frequently react to his Moments) but when you compare him to aradia, it's always struck me

how much more. raw it is

to be so alone as an agent of time, having to orchestrate immeasurably harrowing events nobody understands or gives a fuck about

with your role painted in the story as one who must tend to the needs of the narrative, responsible to match every next note

because when you're given the capabilities, it becomes your duty to carry it out.

it becomes expected of you to keep experimenting and arranging the machinations to work for everyone, dusting off hundreds of necessary failures to keep going

and having to be so unwavering in your drive knowing miserably that there's no one who can help you but yourself.

or alternatively: to make things fun! so other people won't think twice about letting you go off on your own.

sure she's had some very good buds, notably thanks to Team Charge v Team Scourge antics.

and yet, at the end of the day, the one friend that kept choosing her time and time again was the friend with the highest standards.

i can see why people like to define arasol as moirails/matesprits but surprisingly i find the nondescript, unlabeled aspect of their relationship more straightforward to understand.

there's no shortage of people who would accommodate sollux. most of the surviving trolls are his oldest friends bcs he’d chosen them well. his transparency with his feelings had built him strong friendships that won’t falter or break, regardless of how much of a dick he can be. they’ve already seen and accepted him at his worst, and they still like him for who he is.

contrast that with aradia, who'd been so approachable, friendly and reliable in her exchanges it was super fun to talk to her. but the moment she became depressed, all her connections broke down.

her friends became hesitant to interact with her (until she became god tier, “happy” and amicable again) because her gloom and resignation didn’t serve them. she dealt with it alone.

there’s def something of note here abt the disparity between the way male & female characters are written+perceived in homestuck (esp parallel arasol with davejade) but i won’t go into that lmaoo

with this in mind i like to think of sollux as a gift to her, a loyal companion given to complement and commend her resolve. she's capable of doing so much alone but hussie took the time to build her and sollux's relationship as one of a unit; a set.

the ambiguity of their status does complicate things, but i do believe it makes sense with their characters. aradia's relationship with romance is a rocky one, the dubious stringalong equius had with her is a pointed reminder that her feelings of attraction are ultimately controlled by the author writing her.

unlike the other trolls who can openly address and own up to their crushes, aradia had romantic emotions forced upon her (especially when hussie implies 'she kissed equius back on her own volition'). and it seems like her character is so intrinsically neutral abt attraction that even when forced by the almighty powers above, she's unable to retain it wholly.

however, looking back to pre-game when she could actually "choose" her own feelings, she did have a crush on sollux.

their soft spots for each other were so obvious to the point where other people could see it.

taunting aside, when vriska comments on their unit as bf/gf it actually informs the audience that arasol's relationship is romantic in nature despite not aligning with the quadrant system.

even while dead, aradia could still describe her care for sollux, expressing that she would like to see him happy. if they had more time to explore their relationship on alternia, it's possible they could've settled in a quadrant once they grew older.

but going back to the lack of labels, their dynamic was affected once more when aradia became god tier.

to me, her ascension was both the perfect culmination and possible closure of her character. it's the light at the end of her journey toiling through countless of timelines where she had to actively assess and participate. that's why it's cool to see her being silly and having fun giving guidance, passively exploring and watching other people do their parts.

and yet the joy of her freedom makes it hard to explore further introspection. if we take her by her word, she'd already come to terms with the hurt she's been through and forgiven those involved.

i can't help feeling attuned to how impersonal and detached it can be, to devote and meld your identity so completely with your designated position as Maid of Time until you've become hard for your old friends (and even some readers!) to personally connect to.

idk post-canon but i assume there’s some degree of similarity to be bridged here with aradia's god tier and how the hs2 humans' Ultimate forms was described as a consolidation of all their possibilities. since aradia's classpect is inherently of service to Time, going god-tier may have elevated her beyond personhood with the "game construct" possessing her entirely. sollux doesn't realize the extent of it bcs he's still mortal, but a part of him may have subconsciously understood this.

i think there is a core aspect to aradia that was lost to the dehumanizing glory of god tier — a core aspect that may have contained an element of why sollux enjoyed talking to her in the first place.

to him, aradia hadn't just been a nice girl, she was a cool girl. despite not having much in common, he's still willing to chill next to her so she's not alone while she does what needs to get done.

back on alternia, they held a mutual and equal-level regard for each other that could've definitely settled into something permanent. but now, he's placed himself in a position where he can be kept around or left behind at will. the parameters of the relationship are largely in aradia's court, so any label she suggests to identify their relationship with he's likely to accept.

but that's why it's so difficult to label it. because god tier aradia may not necessarily Want quadrants or relationship labels. rather than the initial romantic attachment, their commitment to each other had evolved into one fundamentally of companionship.

no label? ok fine. no matter what, he still thinks she's a good soul worth latching on to. the best, actually. aradia > everyone else.

even if it gets stilted at times. there's an unexpected struggle to connect when sollux's go-to default for talking points is his feelings about things, and aradia may not want to talk about emotions all the time.

not to mention god tier aradia became an observer, especially of chaos. but sollux's avoidance of involvement comes partially from his innate pressure to get involved if something goes wrong. and he can't always tell when something goes wrong, because aradia doesn't mind if things go wrong anymore.

it's a non-negotiable preference that causes them to take the occasional time apart, a new boundary that wouldn't have existed before the game and aradia's god tier.

but just like how his friends tolerated his moods, sollux accepts aradia as she is. with no quadrants, their connection doesn't break down because there's no implicit romantic expectations to be disappointed by or resentful over.

sometimes when i see hs content that deliberately distances sollux from aradia, i assume this is the dissonance people might have felt. people might find it "easier" to be cynical about them bcs of this strange tension.

but idc lmao. grab that shit by the neck

lack of easy resolutions and cleanly tied ribbons is pretty standard of homestuck and imo it doesn't make arasol's dynamic any less incredible. with the right affection and consideration, there's still so much potential to develop the nuance of their relationship outside of the popular quadrant-based depictions.

hs has a lot of really great character compatibilities but the way aradia and sollux are in their own special orbit is why i can write this much about them in the first place. it's that frail innocence between first loves that makes it so sweet to me, two kids who grew up too fast playing guesswork without being clear where they're going.

ultimately i do think you're meant to feel a little tragedy for just how much they care for each other, even if they can't quite establish it in simple terms.

maybe they keep taking breaks to progress their own paths. maybe they remain as anchor partners while seeing other people. but even if you decide to separate them, they're still (awkwardly) texting each other updates all the while. and when they reunite it feels like coming home.

and well. more than anything, i like to believe that they do want to be exclusive.

they're just afraid. after all, they're still learning how to love, beyond the projections of the foursquare quadrant system they had inadvertently distanced themselves from since young.

they might not have everything figured out, but they'll get there eventually if you just hold them together and write them there.

optional post-canon segment:

one of the limitations of main hs is that (monogamous) relationships are often written as the go-to solution to wrap up character growth; it's an easy "patch" to imagine characters getting their happy ending because they have a partner, and those who don't end up with someone don't get that closure (most notably jade).

hs2 reaffirms this by suggesting that aradia's character cannot progress without letting sollux go, because happily settling in a relationship automatically locks your potential.

that pathetic panel of sollux staring emptily into the sky is still my fave hs2 spoiler ngl i find the impact of their parting so emotionally provoking precisely bcs they were written in original hs to be each other's forever, coming back together again and again

but now, they're subject to the decisions of the post-canon authors who might choose to deviate from that.

it's not new for them to part, but now there's an underlying worry that her dropping him off this time might be the last time. while i think the prospect of shattering their stability to make them grow separately sounds fun on paper, no amount of me desperately hoping for a good execution is gonna guarantee it

idk. i guess prediction-wise im expecting sollux in classic dramatic-hs2 fashion to tell dave to back off aradia LMAO. otherwise it's just gon be sollux and karkat pathetically watching aradia and dave from a distance swimming in their unresolved feelings for narratively-powerful time players smh obvs it sounds corny as hell but who knows its still plausible

srsly tho i hope they take the opportunity to develop arasol's relationship in a fresh direction that doesn't hurt me too badly...... and i hope they force sollux out of his comfort zone. i like watching him struggle :-)

[techdriveplay]

What Should You Look for in a NAS?

In today’s digital world, data storage and security are essential, both for personal and business use. Whether you have a growing library of family photos, critical work documents, or media collections, a reliable storage solution is paramount. Network-Attached Storage (NAS) systems offer an efficient way to store, back up, and access data across devices from anywhere. But with so many NAS…

[bob3160]

Head in the Clouds - A Deep Dive into Cloud Storage

[legalfirmindia]

Data Protection: Legal Safeguards for Your Business

In today’s digital age, data is the lifeblood of most businesses. Customer information, financial records, and intellectual property – all this valuable data resides within your systems. However, with this digital wealth comes a significant responsibility: protecting it from unauthorized access, misuse, or loss. Data breaches can have devastating consequences, damaging your reputation, incurring…

[wintzero]

Comparison of ip camera cloud storage

This power supply is only possible if the IP camera supports this type of power supply and if your network equipment (router or switch) can provide this type of power. PoE - enables data transmission and power supply via a single twisted pair. Power supply from an unsuitable power source will damage the camera. There are 2 types of power supply for IP cameras:Ī 12 VD power supply is normally required to power an IP camera, but this value may vary. Whether or not a LAN is present, the camera must be powered. If it is not possible to provide a LAN cable to the place where the camera is installed, you should buy a camera with built-in WI-FI. The IP camera requires a connection to the local network, in simple words, to a router. When selecting an IP camera, pay attention to the presence of a LAN cable or UTP cable at the camera site. Therefore, for rooms that are installed at low height, cameras with 2.8mm focal length are standard, which corresponds to 90°/105° viewing angle. These two parameters are closely related, the shorter the focal length of the lens, the wider the angle of view of the camera.Ī wide angle of view of the camera allows you to record many objects near the camera and cover a large area, but keep in mind objects that are far away will be difficult to see. Today, cameras with a resolution of 2-3 MP are considered standard. Choosing a camera with the highest resolution may prove to be an unjustified waste. However, this parameter directly affects the price, you should not immediately buy a camera with the highest resolution available. Resolution This is the most important feature of every camera, the higher the resolution, the more details we can see on the recording. The NVR can be connected to the Internet, so we have the ability to view live camera footage from anywhere using a laptop or a smartphone. The PoE switch significantly simplifies installation. In this case, video transmission from monitoring cameras does not require conversion from analog to digital format. In an IP camera system - the devices are connected directly to the network and the video is recorded by a network video recorder (NVR). Most DVRs can also be connected to a router, allowing you to watch security cameras over the Internet from anywhere in the world. All depending on how many cameras we want to connect to them. DVR ( Digital Video Recorder - it is a digital recorder, a device that allows to record video captured by cameras) is available in different types: 4 channel, 8 channel, and 16 channel. The videos can be stored for several days or weeks (depending on the capacity). All video recordings from the cameras are stored on the hard disk of the recorder. In an analog system, the monitoring cameras are connected to the recorder via a coaxial cable.

[mapgreys]

Comparison of ip camera cloud storage

#Comparison of ip camera cloud storage software#

#Comparison of ip camera cloud storage license#

The camera is responsible for streaming an analog single to the recorder, which then processes the video data. These security systems are priced lower than NVR systems, and this is one of the advantages of DVR systems, especially for small or domestic applications which do not encompass long-distance data transfer or remote viewing.Īs discussed before, the DVR system uses analog cameras. The DVR system is designed for recording video in a digital format. The NVR recorder is only responsible for storing and viewing the footage. They are easier to set up owing to their thin size and shape and cost-effectiveness and easy availability compared to coaxial cables. The NVR system makes use of standard Ethernet cables such as Cat5e and Cat6 to connect the camera to the recorder.

#Comparison of ip camera cloud storage license#

Advanced hardware on these cameras improves intelligent video analytics such as license plate and facial recognition. IP cameras are robust, and capable of recording and transmitting audio in addition to the image. These cameras are capable of processing video data before sending it to the recorder. NVR system uses IP cameras, which act as standalone image capturing devices. The following components are required to set up an NVR system. Popularly known as POE security camera systems, it is more flexible than DVR systems.

#Comparison of ip camera cloud storage software#

NVR is a network-attached computer system that includes a software program for recording video in a digital format to storage devices such as a disk drive, USB flash drive, SD memory card, and many more. This post discusses the NVR and DVR systems in detail. Regardless of the type of system you choose, it is quite difficult to deny the growing interest in these devices. Both the systems have gained acceptance owing to their beneficial features, but this largely depends on your application requirements. Network video recorder (NVR) and digital video recorder (DVR) are the two types of video surveillance systems commonly in use today. With a variety of security systems out there, it is crucial to choose the right system for your business, with the right type of camera and related equipment. A video surveillance system is a keystone for running a safe and secure business. However, it is essential in recent times to ensure overall safety and security of employees, the privacy of data, the safety of possessions, and many more aspects. Many businesses even now refuse to implement a video surveillance system in and around the location. They play a vital role in several critical as well as domestic applications to deter and prevent crime and keep a given area secure. The usage of video surveillance systems has become an important requisite at the commercial and residential level.

Versivision Video Distribution Amplifiers.

High Definition Transmitters & Receivers.

[rjzimmerman]

The Carbon Footprint of Amazon, Google, and Facebook Is Growing. (Sierra Club)

Excerpt from this story from Sierra Club:

IN MARCH The Information reported that Microsoft was in talks with OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, about spending an eye-popping $100 billion on a gargantuan data center in Wisconsin dedicated to running artificial intelligence software. Code-named “Stargate,” the data center would, at full operation, consume five gigawatts of electricity, enough to power 3.7 million homes. For comparison purposes, that’s roughly the same amount of power produced by Plant Vogtle, the big nuclear power station in Georgia that cost $30 billion to build.

Stargate is in the earliest of planning stages, but the sheer scale of the proposal reflects a truth about artificial intelligence: AI is an energy hog. That’s an embarrassing about-face for the technology industry. For at least 20 years, American electricity consumption has hardly grown at all���owing in part, say computer scientists, to steady advances in energy efficiency that have percolated out of the tech industry into the larger economy. In 2023, according to the US Energy Information Administration, total electricity consumption fell slightly from 2022 levels.

But according to a report published last December by Grid Strategies, a consultancy that advises on energy policy, multiple electric utilities now predict that US energy demand will rise by up to 5 percent over the next five years. One of the chief culprits responsible for the surge, say the utilities, are new data centers designed to run AI. To meet the growing demand for power, those utilities want to build new fossil fuel power plants and to dismantle climate legislation that stands in their way.

For environmentalists, this represents a giant step backward. Artificial intelligence was supposed to help us solve problems. What good are ChatGPT and its ilk if using them worsens global warming?

This is a relatively new story—the AI gold rush is still in its infancy, ChatGPT only having debuted in fall 2022. But computing’s energy demands have been growing for decades, ever since the internet became an indispensable part of daily life. Every Zoom call, Netflix binge, Google search, YouTube video, and TikTok dance is processed in a windowless, warehouse-like building filled with thousands of pieces of computer hardware. These data centers are where the internet happens, the physical manifestation of the so-called cloud—perhaps as far away from ethereality as you can get.

In the popular mind, the cloud is often thought of in the simple sense of storage. This is where we back up our photos, our videos, our Google Docs. But that’s just a small slice of it: For the past 20 years, computation itself has increasingly been outsourced to data centers. Corporations, governments, research institutions, and others have discovered that it is cheaper and more efficient to rent computing services from Big Tech.

The crucial point, writes anthropologist Steven Gonzalez Monserrate in his case study The Cloud Is Material: On the Environmental Impacts of Computation and Data Storage, is that “heat is the waste product of computation.” Data centers consume so much energy because computer chips produce large amounts of heat. Roughly 40 percent of a data center’s electricity bill is the result of just keeping things cool. And the new generation of AI software is far more processor intensive and power hungry than just about anything—with the notable exception of cryptocurrency—that has come before.

The energy cost of AI and its perverse, climate-unfriendly incentives for electric utilities are a gut check for a tech industry that likes to think of itself as changing the world for the better. Michelle Solomon, an analyst at the nonprofit think tank Energy Innovation, calls the AI power crunch “a litmus test” for a society threatened by climate change.

[coconox]

whb QoLs that i would like to see

boredom post lol, just dumping my thoughts into the void of what id like to see be added in whb but probably will never happen 🫠

1. separation of character and artifact banners

pretty self-explanatory. w the roster being huge and it only increasing from here there needs to be a distinction btwn characters and artifacts. im sure many ppl atp have gotten tired of the false hope they get when they get the gold glow from one of the kings at the beginning only to find out that its just one of his sig 💀💀

1.1 for patches w 2 l-rank debuts, have the selector work even before you hit pity

i get having the selector for if you reach hard pity, but its a bit greedy for it to apply only when you wasted so many seals (esp when f2ps dont get as much seals as they should). i would like the chance of knowing im guaranteed that char from the beginning even when i get the char early

1.2 if there exists an artifact banner, let there be a selector for which one you want to pull for

same logic as prev points. the rosters getting huge and ideally id like to have smth guaranteed for when i do my pulls

2. update characters' skill descriptions to be more specific

theres too many "[dmg/healing] is proportional to [some stat]." i want to see what that actual proportion is, like "dmg is proportional to x% of stat" where x is some number. or in skill menus theres "increase passive effect" like just tell me what youre specifically increasing in the passive !!!! i shouldnt need to actually lvl the passive to figure out whats changing, it should be stated from the get-go

3. have someone at the very least proofread the text

now i've seen my fair share of typos in games, hell, i literally play one where they couldnt even spell their own game name properly during the earlier yrs of its release lol *cough pgr cough*, but for the most part theyve resolved that issue and simple typos are easily spotted and fixed, but ive never seen there be this many typos or language switches mid-sentence. literally just 1 thorough proofread couldve easily solved most of these grammatical issues.

4. better optimization

im sorry but this is getting to like hoyo lvls of optimization w the fact that whb, which just hit half anni a month ago, is getting close to the amnt of storage an almost 3 yr old game has is wild to me (completely disregarding the fact that pgr has 3d models, l2d cgs, etc). imo, the amnt of storage whb holds should be around or even lower than what neural cloud has (which mind you, also has 3d models and l2d art 😭😭)

incoming very weird comparison but vanilla minecraft, a game that gets regularly updated, both on pc and pe take less than 1 gb

literally improving the optimization would make the game more accessible i.e. get more players to play since it wont take up a lot of storage !!! as someone who used to have 64gb or less on my phone, i could barely play any games on it bc nowadays they unnecessarily take up so much storage

5. add more daily/weekly tasks

keep the 9 daily requirements and 32 weekly requirements the same, just give more tasks for each so that we arent strictly set on doing specific ones. id like to see more stuff like "battle any stage x amnt of times" (emphasis on any, not a specific stage) or "interact w the lobby character at least once," just really anything that doesnt involve investing in a character or artifact. i feel like im wasting resources from lvling chars i dont wanna lvl, + we dont get enough tears per week to properly invest in so many characters at once.

giving more breathing room to hit the 9 and 32 achievements would put less stress on me cause then i'll know that if i cant complete one task, i can just do another and still be able to get all the rewards obtained for the week. im sure a fair share of ppl atp have missed out on getting all the weekly rewards bc they accidentally missed 1 daily task which is painful

5.1. get rid of the lvling artifacts weekly requirement and lvling characters requirement

briefly mentioned it prev but wanted to make its own section. its useless, especially when i ald have the artifacts that i need lvled up. its a dumb requirement that makes me waste mats and pulls just so i could lvl some artifacts properly.

6. get rid of the rng boxes and make them selectors

5.2 increase the daily/weekly rewards

dailies (w pancake shop): 9 tears, 7 key boxes (rng)

weeklies: 4 tears, 5 red keys, 2 yellow keys, 50 seals

i dont think i need to explain much here thats like scraping the bottom of a barrel for important mats/gacha currency

they suck. i do not want resources to be gacha too

7. make all shops cheaper

self-explanatory. everything is too expensive (esp in red gems shop) and therefore is borderline inaccessible unless if you hoard mats or 💳

7.1 add the ability to convert red gems to seals

red gems have very little use now ever since seals were introduced. id like them to have some important use if we keep getting a certain amnt of them every week. we can covert them to red/yellow keys, so by that logic we should also be able to convert them to seals too

8. get rid of uncommon/useless currencies

pretzels, artifact enhancement stones, and blue guilty gems are the 3 that come to mind. ik pretzels were originally supposed to be from the friends system, but that was removed a bit after launch and still hasnt showed up despite pb promising itd be launched around this time. aside from that the other 2 serve little to no use, as artifact stones dont lvl up the artifact all that much and blue gems died when seals became a thing

9. auto-clear for story stages

i mean that after getting a perfect clear on a stage, then have auto-clear be an option. since candy boxes are farmable through story, i end up falling asleep or getting bored of having to sit through fighting the same stage like 20+ times a day. this is honestly one of the more nit picky ones in this list lol, i just play the stages in the bg while i do other stuff but ideally id like to get stuff done asap

10. make lvling characters cheaper

we only get 13 tears a week from dailies + weeklies + pancake shop. assuming you start from scratch and want to get to char lvl70, it takes 3 weeks to get there without the help from other shops. thats almost a month for 1 character, it shouldnt take that long to invest in someone (it also shouldnt be that expensive 💀)

if we're getting such low numbers of essential materials per week, decrease the character lvl prices to reflect that. or alternatively, increase the number of mats we get per week to easily lvl characters

10.1 increase the character lvl cap to 100

40 tears for one level is not worth it, having the cap be 100 would make it feel like its worth it (not really tbh, its still real expensive when lvl70 provides more than enough to clear all content 💀)

10.2 add a resource stage for pies

getting pies only through shop (rng boxes btw) and events isnt enough to compensate for how much skill lvls cost. either decrease the skill lvl prices or increase the pie income to balance it out

11. have the ability to backread txt msgs before choosing a reply

self-explanatory. the game doesnt allow you to backread before choosing a reply which sucks :/

as someone who usually cant process txt after reading it once i kinda just sit at the replies like :/ girl i forgor what he just said and i cant go back and read so i'll just leave and re-enter the chatroom again ig

12. have the game automatically lock l-rank artifacts as soon as you get them

ik theres a lock feature, but you need to lock all artifacts manually. id rather the game lock l-rank artifacts for me once i get them so that i dont accidentally recycle them when cleaning out my inventory and then i manually unlock them later if i want to

13. give seals, keys, or just any sort of general gacha currency as compensation rewards

receiving only ap feels like a slap to the face, and seals/any other currency would only be given out if there was smth that was severely (and i mean very severely) hindering everyones gameplay. the ap given isnt even that much either which is like rubbing salt in the wound

14. decrease ap requirement in stages

considering stages can go up to 32ap as a req (given this is only seen in events, the usual hovers around 25 but my point still stands), you cant really do all that much if the cap hovers around 250 (give or take, i havent seen anyone w 300ap yet so 250 im considering is the avg rn for endgame players). w each stage at highest difficulty being 25-30+ap, we essentially only play like 10 stages max before needing to wait.

1 solution ppl would have in mind is to just buy the 300ap from red gems shop or buy more ap from selecting the ap counter directly to get more for the day, but i want smth thats more accessible. i shouldnt need to pay w some currency to get literally the bare necessity of being able to play this game.

i think keeping all stages at 15ap is perfect, hell, even 20 would also work since w 250ap you can get more than 10 runs in one session

15. make the battles less reliant on needing certain l-ranks

this is just smth ive noticed when testing out stages w other chars or just playing realm of seraphim lol, but theres a huge imbalance w l-ranks vs s and a+-ranks. theres also a huge imbalance when it comes to the classes too (i'll get to that in a bit)

take beel's camp for example, there is no one in beels camp that can essentially mimic or closely mimic what beel does kit-wise (dmg ik will be different cause lower ranking and all). imo, the go-to non-l-rank alternative for beel isnt even from his camp, its from belphegors !!!! (if you didnt catch on im talking abt andrealphus lol)

or take mammon for example, no one in his camp (as of making this post) deals dmg on ult, they only either shield themselves or take the hit for ppl on the team, which tends to do more harm than good.

element-wise, take juno for example. juno being an l-rank fire unit significantly changed how fire team worked, i.e., you can actually use that team to clear most story content now (minus water enemies lol). that should probably put into perspective of 1. how l-ranks are a bit too important in this game and 2. how unbalanced light as an element is compared to every other element

15.1 give us more tanks and healers

i need yall to see how crazy our current roster is

(dont mind the title of the table lol its from the spreadsheet, also for reference if ppl see this in the future this is pre-lucifer (victory))

why do we have so many close-rangers??? so many marksman????

we have such little supports (tanks + healers) that it makes me fully convinced the gameplay pb wants to achieve is full on dps and not yk a well-balanced team w dps AND support. dont get me wrong if players want to full on dps that is totally fine by me, the issue im having is that the devs appear to want a full on dps team, completely ignoring the idea of how to properly balance a game where they also introduce supports. of course there are marksman/close-rangers that can support i.e. buff the team (juno, dantalian, ronové, phenix, the list of examples goes on), but im specifically talking abt the classes in general. for the most part, marksman and close-rangers are usually dps while tanks and healers are usually support.

if youre gonna introduce supports in this game, 1. have more than just 1 tank unit for each non-light element, 2. make the healing be higher than 1% of a char's hp, 3. have an equal amnt of tanks and healers as close-rangers and marksman.

the fact that if you dont have mammon as your designated tank or lucifer as your designated healer, youre essentially screwed over is wild to me. their camps' s/a+-ranks should be able to hold just as well without their kings. satans camp is the perfect example of that. chars like minhyeok (who is quite literally mini satan kit-wise lmao), gabriel, leraye, nostalgia leraye, hell even ppyong (the a+-rank ver, not juno lol) are all perfect alternatives for if you dont have satan and that is amazing. we currently dont have that for supports and i genuinely hope thatll change in the future

—

this game is very, VERY far from being at least somewhat balanced in my eyes. i really do wish for the best w this game but man as someone who loves to dissect gameplay down to the numbers, seeing all this gets real frustrating for me from time to time.

anyw thats all for now– this was a bit of a rant more than anything lol

[i-can-even-burn-salad]

Merchant of the Skies

[ID: The logo of the game Merchant of the Skies on a banner showing a large airship and floating islands half hidden in the clouds. End ID]

A nice little game I lost a few sleepless nights to because I just couldn't stop.

[ID: A screenshot from the game, in pixel graphics. The airship is docking in front of a bunch of connected floating islands. The first one is covered in wheat fields, the second one houses a stone building, and the third one is barely visible. Interface elements line most sides of the screen, most notably a circular calendar showing 5 days of the week in rainbow colors, as well as the energy meter of the ship in the middle. End ID]

The premise of the game is easy: You're a merchant, and you make money by trading between floating islands and fulfilling quests. The map is randomly generated, and each island with a merchant has a different set of goods it offers and buys, for a different price ranging from cheap to very expensive.

There's an overarching quest as well: complete several special objectives to gather all the seeds to restore the botanical garden.

[ID: A screenshot from the game. It shows the world map with icons for each randomly generated island. All names consist of two joined words, like Skyshire, Silvershire, or Skyby. End ID]

The graphics are adorable, and the early gameplay was a joy to figure out. The starting ship doesn't have a huge reach, I was scraping together money to afford upgrades, I was discovering new islands and quests left and right.

The excitement about pulling up my own production didn't last too long. No island merchant takes processed goods, so they just fill the storage until I need them for a quest. Some I never produced myself, because I just declined each quest containing them.

Unfortunately, once I reached the point where you can hire caravans and have a gem mine autosell the gems to all expensive/very expensive islands, there wasn't much left to do. Money just rained in, making every other effort pale in comparison.

[ID: A screenshot from the game. The airship is floating in front of a giant carrot wearing a top hat. The area is called Majestic Carrot. A musical instrument is visible on the bottom of the screen, with 4 buttons corresponding to the ABXY gamepad buttons.]

It was one last small challenge to figure out how to supply all 4 inns at the same time with bread and apple juice, but as so often: you can just throw money at the problem to make it go away :D As in, the fastest ship has no problem completing a round.

All in all, it took me about 12 hours to get all achievements, all on the steam deck/with controller. There is a certain replay value, considering the map is randomly generated, and there's also other game modes, but in my personal opinion, not enough to make it worth the full price. On sale though, 100% worth it.

[majjiktricks]

im gonna end up playing that again because i wanna look for more details. things i did see but cant post because the audio is ATROCIOUS. heres what i can remember tho:

if you go into the basement level before you're suppose to, the peace walker theme will be playing over some kind of loudspeaker (instead of the radio like it does when you can pick it up later). the room is pitch dark and completely empty aside from some shelves and gurneys. i'd have to turn the brightness up but i wouldnt be surprised if it was a storage room for medicines and/or some kind of morgue.

theres an entire wing of the quarantine building you cant explore because there are carts and shelves overturned in front of the doors. apparently the people who end up in the basement room were hiding there, and then left once the parasites made them run. im not sure why they went to the basement when the parasites want outside, but props to them for locking themselves in. you have to pick the door to get in.

despite being listed in the credits, ocelot never talks to you over the radio. you only hear kaz, code talker, and eventually huey. ocelot only appears in the casket burning cutscene, and only for a moment with no dialogue.

i cant remember if its present in the english, but in the japanese dub, the people infected with vocal cord parasites have a strange, warbly filter over their voices that makes its sounds like their vocal cords are loose and moving too much when they speak.

all the staff who are infected have visibly clouded over eyes, except for the last one who you carry to the door. when you first look at him, his eyes are dark. they are still dark even after confirming he is also infected. this is likely because it would have been too small of a detail to make a model change for mid-mission, or for a watsonian explanation, perhaps the eyes are one of the last symptoms to present.

there are a handful of different staff reactions to you appearing and then pointing your gun at them. a lot of them are relieved to see you. some are confused and say "wait!" or plead with you when you raise your gun. some of them just look at you and accept it. a few even say thank you as their last line when you shoot them. one staff member laying on the floor will see you shoot another and then pull a gun on you. one refuses to die via parasites and shoots himself. the security team member you find protecting two other staff is the same one you will find at the end behind everyone in the basement.

you cannot use cqc during this mission except for while in the rooftop room. you cannot prevent staff from injuring each other or themselves with stuns or punches.

code talker over the radio will theorize about how the parasites mutated and how they behave. he posits that it may have something to do with the recent radiation leak on the quarantine platform.

he also has a theory about why the disease is progressing so quickly this time and has no visible symptoms: the parasites are reproducing asexually and laying eggs without vocal stimulation, simply overwhelming and destroying the host. the strategy to spread is no longer through bodily fluids, but through animals. the parasites want to get outside so birds will eat the bodies and uncontrollably spread the parasites that way.

the comparison to the snail is apt because multiple parasites alter snail behavior to make them more susceptible to being eaten by birds, who are the parasites' final host. it then releases eggs with the birds' droppings, which can end up in water to infect more snails and bird-prey.

venom snake puts on a set of goggles he took off a guy who died right in front of him, who was COVERED in blood. im amazed he wasnt infected that way.

thats all i can remember right now, will have to go through again and try to get all the radio clips and any details i might have missed 👍

[fagcrisis]

what kind of weather do you prefer? (on a sidenote, it's been raining non-stop here. i've been looking through old photos to clean my digital storage and saw some fun looking clouds that look like ripples. i tried looking it up and the closest i got in comparison were "cirrocumulus" clouds)

i like 16c sunny weather or like betwren 10-16 honestly.... i can tolerate any temperature above freezing tho as long as its not raining. i also like warm rain bzt warm rain is neccesarily followed by humid heat which i despise

[ictlsg23]

SESSION 1. INTRODUCTION TO INFOCOMM TECH LAW IN SINGAPORE

OPTIONAL READING: ICT LAW IN SINGAPORE CHAPTER 1

OPTIONAL REFERENCES: LAW AND TECH IN SINGAPORE CHAPTERS 1-3

A. COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVE

New economies have emerged within the last two decades including digital models of transaction and disruptive innovation. Internet intermediaries generally are taking on a major role as facilitators of commercial and non-commercial transactions online. These include social networking platforms (e.g. Facebook, IG and Twitter), multimedia sharing platforms (e.g. YouTube, Apple Music and Spotify), search engines and news aggregators (e.g. Yahoo, Google), content hosts and storage facilities (e.g. Dropbox) and many others. Content generating platforms such as TikTok have also become popular even as cybersecurity concerns and other misgivings have emerged at the governmental level in some jurisdictions.

In the last few years, the use of Internet of Things (IoT) have become quite common in advanced economies, the latest being wearable devices for the 'Metaverse' and an even more immersive experience in the digital realm. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is also becoming more visible at the workplace and at home, leading to ethical concerns and a slate of guidelines globally to 'govern' its development and deployment. Most recently, interest in generative AI (GAI) emerged from the successful launch of chatGPT and other similar services.

Policies and laws have been adapted to deal with the roles and functions of Internet intermediaries, IoT and AI devices and services, and their potential effects and impact on society. Regulators in every jurisdiction are faced with the challenge to manage the new economy and players, and to balance the interest of multiple parties, in the context of areas of law including intellectual property, data protection, privacy, cloud technology and cyber-security. Different types of safe harbour laws and exceptions have emerged to protect these intermediaries and putting in place special obligations; while some forms of protections have been augmented to protect the interests of other parties including content providers and creators as well as society at large. Students taking this course will examine the legal issues and solutions arising from transactions through the creation and use of digital information, goods and services ('info') as well as the use of non-physical channels of communication and delivery ('comm').

The technological developments from Web 1.0 to 2.0 and the future of Web 3.0 with its impact on human interaction and B2B/B2C commerce as well as e-governance will be examined in the context of civil and criminal law, both in relation to the relevance of old laws and the enactment of new ones. In particular, this course examines the laws specifically arising from and relating to electronic transactions and interaction and their objectives and impact on the individual vis-à-vis other parties. Students will be taken through the policy considerations and general Singapore legislations and judicial decisions on the subject with comparisons and reference to foreign legislation where relevant.

In particular, electronic commerce and other forms of transactions will be studied with reference to the Electronic Transactions Act (2010) and the Singapore domain name framework supporting access to websites; personal data privacy and protection will be studied with reference to the Personal Data Protection Act of 2012 and the Spam Control Act; the challenges and changes to tort law to deal with online tortious conduct will be analysed (e.g. cyber-harassment under the Protection from Harassment Act (2014) and online defamation in the context of online communication); the rights and liabilities relating to personal uses of Internet content and user-generated content will be considered with reference to the Copyright Act (2021); computer security and crimes will be studied with reference to the Computer Misuse Act (2017) and the Cybersecurity Act (2018); and last, but not least, Internet regulation under the Broadcasting Act and its regulations as well as the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (2019), the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act (2021) and the Online Criminal Harms Bill (2021) will be critically evaluated.

You will note from the above paragraph that there have been an acceleration in the enactment of ICT laws and amendments in recent years, which shows the renewed focus of the government and policy-makers when it comes to the digital economy and society (as we move towards a SMART Nation). This is happening not online in Singapore, but abroad as well. In such an inter-connected work with porous jurisdiction when it comes to human interaction and commercial transactions, we have to be aware of global trends and, in some cases, the laws of other jurisdictions as well. When it is relevant, foreign laws will also be canvassed as a comparison or to contrast the approach to a specific problem. Projects are a good way to approach in greater depth.

B. CLASS PREPARATION FOR SESSION 1

In preparation for this session, use the online and library resources that you are familiar with to answer the following questions in the Singapore context (and for foreign/exchange students, in the context of your respective countries):

What are the relevant agencies and their policies on ICT?

What are the areas of law that are most impacted by ICT?

What is the government's position on Artificial Intelligence?

What are the latest legal developments on this field?

Also, critically consider the analysis and recommendations made in the report on Applying Ethical Principles for Artificial Intelligence in Regulatory Reform, SAL Law Reform Committee, July 2020. Evaluate it against the second version of the Model AI Governance Framework from the IMDA. Also, look at the Discussion Paper on GAI released on 6 June 2023. Take note of this even as we embark on the ‘tour’ of disparate ICT topics from Session 2 onwards, and the implications for each of those areas of law that will be covered in class.

C. ASSESSMENT METHOD AND GRADING DISTRIBUTION

Class Participation 10% (individually assessed)

Group Project 30% (group assessed)

Written Exam 60% (2 hour open book examination)

This course will be fully conducted in the classroom setting. Project groups will be formed by week 2, projects will be assigned from week 3, and presentations will begin from week 4 with written assignments to be due for submission a weeks after presentation. Further details and instructions will be given after the groups are formed, but before the first project assignment.

D. RECOMMENDED TEXTBOOK AND READINGS

The main textbook is: Warren B. Chik & Saw Cheng Lim, Information and Communications Technology Law in Singapore (Academy Publishing, Law Practice Series, July 2020). You can purchase the book (both physical and electronic copies) from the Singapore Academy of Law Publishing (ask for the student discount). If you prefer, there are copies available in the reserves section of the Law Library that you can use. The other useful reference will be: Chesterman, Goh & Phang, Law and Technology in Singapore (Academy Publishing, Law Practice Series, September 2021).

Due to the rapid pace of development in the law in some areas of analysis, students will also be given instructions and pre-assigned readings via this blog one week before each lesson. Students need only refer to the SMU eLearn website for administrative information such as the Project Schedule and the Grade Book as well as to share project papers and presentation materials. Students will be expected to analyse legislative provisions and/or cases that are indicated as required reading for each week.

Free access to the local legislation and subsidiary legislation may be found at the Singapore Statutes Online website at: https://sso.agc.gov.sg. 

Local cases are accessible through the Legal Workbench in Lawnet. The hyperlink can be found under the Law Databases column on the SMU Library’s Law Research Navigator at: http://researchguides.smu.edu.sg/LAW. 

Other online secondary legal materials on Singapore law that you may find useful include Singapore Law Watch (http://www.singaporelawwatch.sg) and Singapore Law SG (https://www.singaporelawblog.sg). 

There are also other secondary resources made available from the SMU Library when doing research for your projects such as the many other digital databases available from the LRN (e.g. Lexis, Westlaw and Hein online that are all available under the Law Databases column) and the books and periodicals that are available on the library shelves.

[harinikhb30]

A Comprehensive Analysis of AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud for Linux Environments

In the dynamic landscape of cloud computing, selecting the right platform is a critical decision, especially for a Linux-based, data-driven business. Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) stand as the giants in the cloud industry, each offering unique strengths. With AWS Training in Hyderabad, professionals can gain the skills and knowledge needed to harness the capabilities of AWS for diverse applications and industries. Let’s delve into a simplified comparison to help you make an informed choice tailored to your business needs.

Amazon Web Services (AWS):

Strengths:

AWS boasts an extensive array of services and a global infrastructure, making it a go-to choice for businesses seeking maturity and reliability. Its suite of tools caters to diverse needs, including robust options for data analytics, storage, and processing.

Considerations:

Pricing in AWS can be intricate, but the platform provides a free tier for newcomers to explore and experiment. The complexity of pricing is offset by the vast resources and services available, offering flexibility for businesses of all sizes.

Microsoft Azure:

Strengths:

Azure stands out for its seamless integration with Microsoft products. If your business relies heavily on tools like Windows Server, Active Directory, or Microsoft SQL Server, Azure is a natural fit. It also provides robust data analytics services and is expanding its global presence with an increasing number of data centers.

Considerations:

Azure’s user-friendly interface, especially for those familiar with Microsoft technologies, sets it apart. Competitive pricing, along with a free tier, makes it accessible for businesses looking to leverage Microsoft’s extensive ecosystem.

Google Cloud Platform (GCP):

Strengths:

Renowned for innovation and a developer-friendly approach, GCP excels in data analytics and machine learning. If your business is data-driven, Google’s BigQuery and other analytics tools offer a compelling proposition. Google Cloud is known for its reliability and cutting-edge technologies.

Considerations:

While GCP may have a slightly smaller market share, it compensates with a focus on innovation. Its competitive pricing and a free tier make it an attractive option, especially for businesses looking to leverage advanced analytics and machine learning capabilities. To master the intricacies of AWS and unlock its full potential, individuals can benefit from enrolling in the Top AWS Training Institute.

Considerations for Your Linux-based, Data-Driven Business:

1. Data Processing and Analytics:

All three cloud providers offer robust solutions for data processing and analytics. If your business revolves around extensive data analytics, Google Cloud’s specialization in this area might be a deciding factor.

2. Integration with Linux:

All three providers support Linux, with AWS and Azure having extensive documentation and community support. Google Cloud is also Linux-friendly, ensuring compatibility with your Linux-based infrastructure.

3. Global Reach:

Consider the geographic distribution of data centers. AWS has a broad global presence, followed by Azure. Google Cloud, while growing, may have fewer data centers in certain regions. Choose a provider with data centers strategically located for your business needs.

4. Cost Considerations:

Evaluate the pricing models for your specific use cases. AWS and Azure offer diverse pricing options, and GCP’s transparent and competitive pricing can be advantageous. Understand the cost implications based on your anticipated data processing volumes.

5. Support and Ecosystem:

Assess the support and ecosystem offered by each provider. AWS has a mature and vast ecosystem, Azure integrates seamlessly with Microsoft tools, and Google Cloud is known for its developer-centric approach. Consider the level of support, documentation, and community engagement each platform provides.

In conclusion, the choice between AWS, Azure, and GCP depends on your unique business requirements, preferences, and the expertise of your team. Many businesses adopt a multi-cloud strategy, leveraging the strengths of each provider for different aspects of their operations. Starting with the free tiers and conducting a small-scale pilot can help you gauge which platform aligns best with your specific needs. Remember, the cloud is not a one-size-fits-all solution, and the right choice depends on your business’s distinctive characteristics and goals.