#code review services

[twentysidednerd]

POTENTIAL SPOILERS FOR “I SAW THE TV GLOW”

‼️‼️‼️‼️THIS IS YOUR WARNING TO TURN BACK NOW IF YOU DONT WANT TO BE SPOILED‼️‼️‼️‼️

i’ve been thinking about “i saw the tv glow” ever since i saw it yesterday and all of the layers that were in it. especially since my brain’s been kinda blah since last night

yes, the whole movie is essentially an allegory to being trans and not being able to be yourself. and i LOVE that messaging, don’t get me wrong. i think it’s so important to have that narrative be told. that messaging is literally part of the reason why my friend and i got so emotional when we watched it lmao. i literally started thinking about the scene where owen/isabel tackles maddie/tara on the football field and runs away right before they go through with their plan at the dinner table yesterday and almost cried. how owen/isabel was so close but got too scared and ran away. that happens so much with trans people, myself included, and it just… ugh, it hit home so hard

but so much of it also reminds me of how it feels to deal with maladaptive daydreaming. how owen/isabel wants so badly to run away into the world of “the pink opaque” and be someone else, be someone he wants to be rather than what real life dictates he SHOULD be. when maddie/tara talks about time and reality feeling different and wrong when she’s in this world but feeling better or “normal” when she’s in the world of “the pink opaque”. the image of owen/isabel literally sticking his/her head into the tv screen, so close to that fantasy world, before being pulled away and forced back to this reality sticks with me to this very moment

you want to live in, and stay in, the worlds in your head so badly with MADD. i know i have an issue trying to be present and be a part of reality when the worlds in my head make me feel so much better. i have so much of an issue trying to be there for the people around me and focus on what’s happening but the second i start getting overwhelmed or just have time alone for myself, im right back into the worlds in my head and i would much rather stay there because it feels safer. i feel some semblance of control, of being someone worthwhile. the exact same way maddie/tara would rather be in, and stay in, “the pink opaque” world

that in itself is a coping mechanism for stress! a coping mechanism the stress owen/isabel finds himself/herself in when trying to be who he/she is in a world that doesn’t want him/her to be! the stress from the fear of wanting to come out and be yourself but being forced to conform to what the rest of the world wants! it’s all intertwined! and i love it! this movie just gets better the more i think about it!!

and i love that even though it doesn’t have a happy ending, there’s still a twinge of hope. because there is still time for owen/isabel, just like the chalk on the street says. there are plenty of people who transition later in life. though owen/isabel is struggling badly at the end of the movie, he/she still has time to be who he/she wants to be. who he/she is. it’s not too late. it might be bad at the moment for him/her, but it’s not too late

[valmillion]

i think the downward spiral of the games industry has absolutely nothing to do with e3 going away BUT there is something about how big publishers publicly revealing their games and the direction of their company to an audience of game journalists who can write almost anything they want (usually) and The General Public, who can tell them to their face that their game sucks

[radioactive-earthshine]

UHC is the worst insurance. You might have heard about their AI problem denying almost all claims - and this is correct - but it runs deeper bc even their reviewers who are human who are supposed to be their backup against the AI don't know how to review LCD policies and compare it to the paperwork they are looking at, bc they lack logical and critical thinking, and weren't even trained in their position for what they are supposed to be looking for - so I have to write a NASTY email to the reviewer in question in the format of Mojo-jojo's speech pattern explaining why ALS is the same fucking thing as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis...

[rosemaryhelenxo]

YSL Touche Éclat Review: A Luxurious Concealer Experience | Review

When it comes to beauty products, few items are as iconic as the YSL Touche Éclat Illuminating Pen Concealer. Often hailed as a must-have in makeup bags across the globe, this concealer-highlighter hybrid promises to brighten, conceal, and perfect your complexion. But does it live up to the hype? Carry on reading my review to find out! Rose xo

When it comes to beauty products, few items are as iconic as the YSL Touche Éclat Illuminating Pen Concealer. Often hailed as a must-have in makeup bags across the globe, this concealer-highlighter hybrid promises to brighten, conceal, and perfect your complexion. But does it live up to the hype? Carry on reading my review to find out! The packaging is undeniably chic. With its sleek, gold pen…

[positivereviewersqr]

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[thegadgetgurus]

LegalZoom: Simplify Your Legal Needs

Legal tasks can be overwhelming, whether it’s drafting a will, forming an LLC, or managing trademarks. That’s where LegalZoom comes in—a trusted online platform designed to make legal processes accessible and hassle-free. In this blog post, we’ll explore LegalZoom’s services, their benefits, and why it could be the perfect solution for your legal needs.

What Is LegalZoom?

LegalZoom is an online legal technology company that provides professional legal solutions for individuals, families, and businesses. From creating personalized legal documents to offering access to licensed attorneys, LegalZoom bridges the gap between everyday users and legal expertise.

Services Offered by LegalZoom

Here’s a quick overview of the most popular services offered by LegalZoom:

1. Business Formation Services

Starting a business? LegalZoom simplifies the process by helping you:

Form an LLC, corporation, or nonprofit.

Obtain necessary permits and licenses.

Stay compliant with ongoing requirements like annual filings.

💡 Pro Tip: LegalZoom also offers a business advisory plan, providing access to legal consultations for ongoing needs.

2. Estate Planning

Planning for the future has never been easier. LegalZoom offers:

Wills and living trusts.

Power of attorney.

Healthcare directives.

Their step-by-step process ensures your wishes are documented and legally binding.

3. Intellectual Property Services

Protect your ideas with LegalZoom’s:

Trademark registration.

Copyright filing.

Patent searches.

These services help you safeguard your brand and creative assets.

Why Choose LegalZoom?

LegalZoom stands out for several reasons:

1. Ease of Use

With an intuitive platform, you can complete complex legal processes from the comfort of your home.

2. Affordability

LegalZoom offers cost-effective alternatives to traditional law firms, saving you money without sacrificing quality.

3. Comprehensive Support

LegalZoom provides customer support and access to a network of licensed attorneys for personalized guidance.

Pricing and Packages

LegalZoom offers flexible pricing depending on the service:

LLC Formation: Starting at $79 + state fees.

Wills: Starting at $89.

Trademark Registration: Starting at $249 + federal fees.

For ongoing needs, their subscription-based Legal Protection Plans start at $29.99/month, offering legal advice and document reviews.

👉 View Pricing Details

Customer Reviews

LegalZoom boasts millions of satisfied customers who appreciate its efficiency, affordability, and reliability. Whether you’re a small business owner or an individual seeking legal assistance, LegalZoom has a solution for you.

Get Started with LegalZoom Today!

Don’t let legal tasks slow you down. LegalZoom empowers you to handle them efficiently and affordably.

🚀 Start Your Legal Journey

✅ Form Your LLC Now

📜 Protect Your Estate

Take the first step towards legal peace of mind with LegalZoom!

Conclusion

LegalZoom is a game-changer for anyone looking to simplify legal processes. Whether you’re protecting your intellectual property, starting a business, or planning your estate, LegalZoom offers tools and support tailored to your needs.

Ready to get started? Click one of the buttons above to explore LegalZoom’s services and take control of your legal future today!

[blacklocksecuritynz]

Static Application Security Testing (SAST) & Static Code Scanning Services

Enhance your software security with our Static Application Security Testing (SAST) services. We analyze your code for vulnerabilities early in the development process, helping you build secure applications and reduce risks before deployment.

[jcmarchi]

10 Best Internal Developer Platforms (IDPs) (October 2024)

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/10-best-internal-developer-platforms-idps-october-2024/

10 Best Internal Developer Platforms (IDPs) (October 2024)

Internal Developer Platforms (IDPs) are tools that help organizations optimize their development processes. As companies grapple with the complexities of cloud-native architectures, microservices, and the need for rapid deployment, IDPs offer a solution that streamlines workflows, automates repetitive tasks, and empowers developers to focus on what they do best – writing code. 

This article explores the top internal developer platforms that are improving the way development teams work, deploy applications, and manage their infrastructure.

Qovery stands out as a powerful DevOps Automation Platform that aims to streamline the development process and reduce the need for extensive DevOps hiring. Built on top of Kubernetes, Qovery provides a comprehensive solution for provisioning and maintaining secure and compliant infrastructure in a fraction of the time typically required.

What sets Qovery apart is its focus on creating an exceptional developer experience while giving platform engineering teams the tools they need to maintain control and customization. The platform’s approach to abstracting away the complexities of underlying systems allows developers to concentrate on writing code and delivering value to their customers, significantly reducing the friction often associated with infrastructure management.

Key features of Qovery include:

Templates for standardizing deployments across the organization

Role-based access control (RBAC) for enhanced security and governance

GitOps support, enabling version-controlled infrastructure management

Self-service deployment capabilities for developers, promoting autonomy

Seamless integration with existing CI/CD pipelines for smooth workflow incorporation

Visit Quovery →

Humanitec offers a comprehensive internal developer platform that focuses on enabling self-service infrastructure and streamlining development workflows. By providing a suite of tools designed to reduce cognitive load and drive standardization, Humanitec addresses the challenges faced by modern development teams working with complex, distributed systems.

One of Humanitec’s standout features is its Platform Orchestrator, which integrates seamlessly with CI/CD pipelines to standardize configurations and workflows. This approach eliminates infrastructure bottlenecks and allows development teams to work more efficiently. Additionally, Humanitec’s commitment to accelerating time-to-market while maintaining enterprise-grade security controls makes it an attractive option for organizations of all sizes.

Humanitec’s key features include:

Score: A workload specification for defining resource requirements across any tech stack

Platform Orchestrator for seamless CI/CD pipeline integration

Humanitec Portal: A user-friendly interface for simplified infrastructure management

Dynamically generated, standardized application and infrastructure configurations

Enterprise-grade security controls for maintaining compliance and governance

Visit Humanitec →

OpsLevel takes a unique approach to internal developer platforms by focusing on creating a comprehensive service catalog and enhancing the efficiency of high-performing engineering teams. By providing a centralized platform for cataloging, measuring, and improving software development processes, OpsLevel helps organizations gain better visibility into their microservices architecture and maintain high standards across their development ecosystem.

What distinguishes OpsLevel is its emphasis on standards and scorecards, allowing teams to set and maintain development standards across their organization. This focus on continuous improvement and alignment with best practices helps teams identify areas for optimization and ensures consistent quality across all services.

OpsLevel’s key features include:

Comprehensive Service Catalog with AI-assisted service descriptions

Standards and Scorecards for setting and maintaining development benchmarks

Developer Self-Service capabilities for improved autonomy and productivity

Extensive integrations with various tools and services in the development stack

Clear visibility of services with automated dependency tracking and ownership management

Visit OpsLevel →

Backstage, originally created by Spotify and later open-sourced, has quickly become a frontrunner in the IDP space. This open-source framework for building developer portals provides a centralized platform for managing software catalogs, documentation, and developer workflows, making it an attractive option for organizations looking to create a customized internal platform.

What sets Backstage apart is its flexibility and extensibility. The platform’s plugin architecture allows teams to tailor the developer portal to their specific needs, integrating with existing tools and services seamlessly. This adaptability, combined with its strong community support, makes Backstage an excellent choice for organizations that value customization and have the resources to invest in platform development.

Key features of Backstage include:

Software Catalog for managing metadata about all software in an organization

Software Templates enabling standardized project creation and best practices enforcement

TechDocs, implementing a “docs like code” approach for easy maintenance of technical documentation

Extensible plugin architecture for customization and integration with existing tools

Large and active community support, ensuring continuous improvement and innovation

Visit Backstage →

Mia Platform offers a comprehensive IDP designed to optimize the delivery and lifecycle management of cloud-native applications. By providing a suite of services for platform teams, software engineers, and IT leaders, Mia Platform aims to enhance productivity, facilitate governance, and expedite delivery in complex cloud environments.

One of Mia Platform’s standout features is its Mia-Platform Console, which serves as a unified developer hub. This centralized console allows organizations to govern all projects in one place, industrialize DevOps operations, and accelerate the creation of microservices architectures. The platform’s approach to improving the overall developer experience (DevX) while maintaining robust governance capabilities makes it an attractive option for organizations looking to balance agility with control.

Mia Platform’s key features include:

Mia-Platform Console for centralized project governance and DevOps automation

Marketplace filled with ready-to-use templates and plug-and-play components

Fast Data Service enabling Digital Integration Hub architecture for improved performance

Built-in CI/CD capabilities for streamlined development and deployment

Comprehensive tools for microservices development and orchestration

Visit Mia Platform →

Coherence positions itself as a “full developer experience platform,” uniquely combining features of an IDP, ephemeral environments, and Platform as a Service (PaaS). This comprehensive approach supports the entire software development lifecycle, from initial development to testing and deployment of full-stack web applications.

What distinguishes Coherence is its holistic approach to the development process. By offering a solution that covers the full spectrum of development needs, including cloud IDE integration and PaaS capabilities, Coherence aims to provide a seamless experience for developers while simplifying complex processes for organizations. This all-encompassing platform is particularly valuable for teams looking to consolidate their toolchain and streamline their development workflow.

Key features of Coherence include:

Full-cycle platform supporting development, testing, and deployment processes

Ephemeral Environments as a Service, simplifying the creation of preview environments

Cloud IDE integration for collaborative and consistent development practices

PaaS capabilities that can be deployed within an organization’s cloud infrastructure

Simplified creation and management of various environment types, from development to production

Visit Coherence →

Facets offers a comprehensive IDP designed to unify developer and operations workflows. By accelerating software delivery and reducing cloud costs, Facets aims to address the challenges faced by multi-app engineering organizations dealing with complex cloud architectures.

One of Facets’ standout features is its no-code infrastructure automation, which allows users to create and manage cloud infrastructure through an intuitive interface. This approach democratizes infrastructure management, enabling team members with varying levels of technical expertise to contribute to the process. Additionally, Facets’ emphasis on reusable architecture blueprints helps organizations standardize best practices and accelerate project initiation.

Facets’ key features include:

A unified interface for centralized management of all infrastructure and applications

Automated environment provisioning for consistent setup across development stages

No-code infrastructure automation to simplify complex cloud management tasks

Comprehensive microservice catalog with dependency visualization for better system understanding

Reusable architecture blueprints to enforce best practices and accelerate new project setups

Visit Facets →

Bunnyshell positions itself as an Environments as a Service (EaaS) platform specifically designed for Kubernetes applications. By focusing on automating the development process and enabling developer self-service, Bunnyshell aims to simplify the complexities often associated with Kubernetes environments.

What distinguishes Bunnyshell is its emphasis on creating and managing ephemeral environments. This feature allows developers to spin up isolated, realistic environments for each pull request, significantly reducing integration issues and accelerating the feedback loop. The platform’s approach to cloud development environments also eliminates the need for powerful local machines, making it an attractive option for teams embracing remote or distributed work models.

Bunnyshell’s key features include:

Automatic preview environments for each pull request, enhancing code review processes

Self-service cloud development environments for on-demand access to resources

Comprehensive Infrastructure as Code support for defining complex environments

Seamless CI/CD integration with popular tools like GitHub, GitLab, and Jenkins

Real-time observability and logging capabilities for efficient debugging and monitoring

Visit Bunnyshell →

Portainer stands out as a universal container management platform designed to simplify the deployment, management, and monitoring of containerized applications. While not exclusively an Internal Developer Platform, Portainer’s focus on making container technologies accessible to users with varying levels of expertise makes it a valuable tool in the modern development ecosystem.

What sets Portainer apart is its user-friendly approach to container management. By providing a intuitive web interface that abstracts the complexities of container technologies, Portainer enables teams to manage Docker, Kubernetes, and Azure ACI environments from a single platform. This unified approach is particularly beneficial for organizations transitioning to or expanding their use of containerized applications.

Key features of Portainer include:

A centralized management interface for multiple container environments, offering a single pane of glass view

Comprehensive container and image management capabilities for efficient resource utilization

Simplified Kubernetes support, making complex orchestration more accessible

Robust Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) for enhanced security and governance

Environment templates for quick deployment of pre-configured application stacks

Visit Portainer →

Appvia stands out as a specialized IDP that focuses on simplifying the adoption and management of Kubernetes and cloud-native technologies. By offering a comprehensive suite of tools that cater to both developers and operations teams, Appvia aims to strike a balance between developer empowerment and operational control in complex cloud environments.

What sets Appvia apart is its deep integration with Kubernetes and its commitment to making cloud-native technologies more accessible. The platform’s approach to automating complex tasks and providing self-service capabilities allows organizations to accelerate their cloud-native journey without compromising on security or governance. This makes Appvia particularly attractive for enterprises looking to adopt or expand their use of Kubernetes while maintaining strict compliance and security standards.

Appvia’s key features include:

Kubernetes-native architecture, providing seamless integration with existing Kubernetes ecosystems

Self-service portal for developers, enabling rapid provisioning of cloud resources and environments

Comprehensive governance and compliance tools to ensure adherence to organizational policies

Multi-cloud support, allowing for consistent management across various cloud providers

Advanced automation capabilities for CI/CD pipelines and infrastructure provisioning

Visit Appvia →

The Bottom Line

The landscape of internal developer platforms has evolved significantly, offering a wide range of solutions to address the complex challenges of modern software development. From open-source frameworks like Backstage to specialized platforms like Bunnyshell for Kubernetes environments, there’s a solution for every organization’s unique needs.

These platforms share a common goal: to streamline development processes, improve collaboration, and accelerate time-to-market. By automating routine tasks, providing self-service capabilities, and offering centralized management interfaces, IDPs enable development teams to focus on innovation rather than infrastructure management.

As cloud-native architectures and microservices continue to dominate the development landscape, adopting the right IDP can be a game-changer for businesses looking to stay competitive. Whether you’re a small startup or a large enterprise, investing in an internal developer platform can lead to significant improvements in productivity, cost-efficiency, and overall software quality.

When choosing an IDP, consider factors such as your team’s specific needs, existing technology stack, scalability requirements, and long-term development goals. The right platform will not only solve immediate challenges but also grow with your organization, supporting your development efforts well into the future.

[beingjellybeans]

The charms of In-Room Dining at Holiday Inn Manila Galleria

The Holiday Inn Manila Galleria holds the distinction of being one of the most iconic hotels in Ortigas. It’s been around for thirty-one years, but the best thing about it is that it has recently undergone a transformative restoration, blending timeless elegance with modern functionality. The new design seamlessly balances contemporary style with a soothing ambiance, ensuring guests enjoy a…

[sweetfirebird]

The US Postal Service

I am going to ask you all to do a small but important thing. When you go to the post office to mail a package or buy stamps or shipping supplies, get a receipt.

At the bottom of the receipt is a link and a QR code to fill out a short survey about your "customer satisfaction" with the post office. You are going to fill out that (it takes less than two minutes) and you are going to give them a glowing review each time!

Why? Because they are looking for reasons to make budget cuts despite the USPS being in the constitution and a valuable public service. So we are going to make it unequivocal that we like the postal service.

Because we do!

They send medicine cheaply, they take ballots for voting (which Republicans hate). They are the only shipping service in many rural areas. AND they are basically all that is keeping UPS, FedEx etc's prices down. Privatization means everything will be more expensive.

The post office is ours. It's our right. And the workers there are also being treated like shit right now. So support them in this very simple, easy way. And do this every single time you go there. Please. (And please reblog this. Let's overwhelmingly flood the system with positive feedback.)

[datascraping001]

Google Search Results Data Scraping

Google Search Results Data Scraping

Harness the Power of Information with Google Search Results Data Scraping Services by DataScrapingServices.com. In the digital age, information is king. For businesses, researchers, and marketing professionals, the ability to access and analyze data from Google search results can be a game-changer. However, manually sifting through search results to gather relevant data is not only time-consuming but also inefficient. DataScrapingServices.com offers cutting-edge Google Search Results Data Scraping services, enabling you to efficiently extract valuable information and transform it into actionable insights.

The vast amount of information available through Google search results can provide invaluable insights into market trends, competitor activities, customer behavior, and more. Whether you need data for SEO analysis, market research, or competitive intelligence, DataScrapingServices.com offers comprehensive data scraping services tailored to meet your specific needs. Our advanced scraping technology ensures you get accurate and up-to-date data, helping you stay ahead in your industry.

List of Data Fields

Our Google Search Results Data Scraping services can extract a wide range of data fields, ensuring you have all the information you need:

-Business Name: The name of the business or entity featured in the search result.

- URL: The web address of the search result.

- Website: The primary website of the business or entity.

- Phone Number: Contact phone number of the business.

- Email Address: Contact email address of the business.

 - Physical Address: The street address, city, state, and ZIP code of the business.

- Business Hours: Business operating hours

- Ratings and Reviews: Customer ratings and reviews for the business.

- Google Maps Link: Link to the business’s location on Google Maps.

- Social Media Profiles: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook

These data fields provide a comprehensive overview of the information available from Google search results, enabling businesses to gain valuable insights and make informed decisions.

Benefits of Google Search Results Data Scraping

1. Enhanced SEO Strategy

Understanding how your website ranks for specific keywords and phrases is crucial for effective SEO. Our data scraping services provide detailed insights into your current rankings, allowing you to identify opportunities for optimization and stay ahead of your competitors.

2. Competitive Analysis

Track your competitors’ online presence and strategies by analyzing their rankings, backlinks, and domain authority. This information helps you understand their strengths and weaknesses, enabling you to adjust your strategies accordingly.

3. Market Research

Access to comprehensive search result data allows you to identify trends, preferences, and behavior patterns in your target market. This information is invaluable for product development, marketing campaigns, and business strategy planning.

4. Content Development

By analyzing top-performing content in search results, you can gain insights into what types of content resonate with your audience. This helps you create more effective and engaging content that drives traffic and conversions.

5. Efficiency and Accuracy

Our automated scraping services ensure you get accurate and up-to-date data quickly, saving you time and resources.

Best Google Data Scraping Services

Scraping Google Business Reviews

Extract Restaurant Data From Google Maps

Google My Business Data Scraping

Google Shopping Products Scraping

Google News Extraction Services

Scrape Data From Google Maps

Google News Headline Extraction   

Google Maps Data Scraping Services

Google Map Businesses Data Scraping

Google Business Reviews Extraction

Best Google Search Results Data Scraping Services in USA

Dallas, Portland, Los Angeles, Virginia Beach, Fort Wichita, Nashville, Long Beach, Raleigh, Boston, Austin, San Antonio, Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Orlando, San Diego, Houston, Worth, Jacksonville, New Orleans, Columbus, Kansas City, Sacramento, San Francisco, Omaha, Honolulu, Washington, Colorado, Chicago, Arlington, Denver, El Paso, Miami, Louisville, Albuquerque, Tulsa, Springs, Bakersfield, Milwaukee, Memphis, Oklahoma City, Atlanta, Seattle, Las Vegas, San Jose, Tucson and New York.

Conclusion

In today’s data-driven world, having access to detailed and accurate information from Google search results can give your business a significant edge. DataScrapingServices.com offers professional Google Search Results Data Scraping services designed to meet your unique needs. Whether you’re looking to enhance your SEO strategy, conduct market research, or gain competitive intelligence, our services provide the comprehensive data you need to succeed. Contact us at info@datascrapingservices.com today to learn how our data scraping solutions can transform your business strategy and drive growth.

Website: Datascrapingservices.com

Email: info@datascrapingservices.com

[stenoodie]

Flashfood Hauls in May 2024

Flashfood Hauls in May 2024. #newservicefee #notascheapasbefore #butstillcheaperthanretailcosts #convertingregularpurchasestoFlashfood

Screenshot of an item I got for $5 but after the new service fee and tax, it comes to $5.28 Oh, no.  The 5% service fee has kicked in on the Flashfood app officially (as of May 1, 2024).  Sigh.  I don’t know why they have to tax on top of the 5% fee.  It makes a $3 box become $3.15 after the fee and then $3.17 after tax…  Or a $5 box become $5.28. 😦 Also, when I emailed Continue reading Flashfood…

[mostlysignssomeportents]

“If buying isn’t owning, piracy isn’t stealing”

20 years ago, I got in a (friendly) public spat with Chris Anderson, who was then the editor in chief of Wired. I'd publicly noted my disappointment with glowing Wired reviews of DRM-encumbered digital devices, prompting Anderson to call me unrealistic for expecting the magazine to condemn gadgets for their DRM:

https://longtail.typepad.com/the_long_tail/2004/12/is_drm_evil.html

I replied in public, telling him that he'd misunderstood. This wasn't an issue of ideological purity – it was about good reviewing practice. Wired was telling readers to buy a product because it had features x, y and z, but at any time in the future, without warning, without recourse, the vendor could switch off any of those features:

https://memex.craphound.com/2004/12/29/cory-responds-to-wired-editor-on-drm/

I proposed that all Wired endorsements for DRM-encumbered products should come with this disclaimer:

WARNING: THIS DEVICE’S FEATURES ARE SUBJECT TO REVOCATION WITHOUT NOTICE, ACCORDING TO TERMS SET OUT IN SECRET NEGOTIATIONS. YOUR INVESTMENT IS CONTINGENT ON THE GOODWILL OF THE WORLD’S MOST PARANOID, TECHNOPHOBIC ENTERTAINMENT EXECS. THIS DEVICE AND DEVICES LIKE IT ARE TYPICALLY USED TO CHARGE YOU FOR THINGS YOU USED TO GET FOR FREE — BE SURE TO FACTOR IN THE PRICE OF BUYING ALL YOUR MEDIA OVER AND OVER AGAIN. AT NO TIME IN HISTORY HAS ANY ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY GOTTEN A SWEET DEAL LIKE THIS FROM THE ELECTRONICS PEOPLE, BUT THIS TIME THEY’RE GETTING A TOTAL WALK. HERE, PUT THIS IN YOUR MOUTH, IT’LL MUFFLE YOUR WHIMPERS.

Wired didn't take me up on this suggestion.

But I was right. The ability to change features, prices, and availability of things you've already paid for is a powerful temptation to corporations. Inkjet printers were always a sleazy business, but once these printers got directly connected to the internet, companies like HP started pushing out "security updates" that modified your printer to make it reject the third-party ink you'd paid for:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/11/ink-stained-wretches-battle-soul-digital-freedom-taking-place-inside-your-printer

Now, this scam wouldn't work if you could just put things back the way they were before the "update," which is where the DRM comes in. A thicket of IP laws make reverse-engineering DRM-encumbered products into a felony. Combine always-on network access with indiscriminate criminalization of user modification, and the enshittification will follow, as surely as night follows day.

This is the root of all the right to repair shenanigans. Sure, companies withhold access to diagnostic codes and parts, but codes can be extracted and parts can be cloned. The real teeth in blocking repair comes from the law, not the tech. The company that makes McDonald's wildly unreliable McFlurry machines makes a fortune charging franchisees to fix these eternally broken appliances. When a third party threatened this racket by reverse-engineering the DRM that blocked independent repair, they got buried in legal threats:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/04/20/euthanize-rentier-enablers/#cold-war

Everybody loves this racket. In Poland, a team of security researchers at the OhMyHack conference just presented their teardown of the anti-repair features in NEWAG Impuls locomotives. NEWAG boobytrapped their trains to try and detect if they've been independently serviced, and to respond to any unauthorized repairs by bricking themselves:

https://mamot.fr/@q3k@hackerspace.pl/111528162905209453

Poland is part of the EU, meaning that they are required to uphold the provisions of the 2001 EU Copyright Directive, including Article 6, which bans this kind of reverse-engineering. The researchers are planning to present their work again at the Chaos Communications Congress in Hamburg this month – Germany is also a party to the EUCD. The threat to researchers from presenting this work is real – but so is the threat to conferences that host them:

https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/researchers-face-legal-threats-over-sdmi-hack/

20 years ago, Chris Anderson told me that it was unrealistic to expect tech companies to refuse demands for DRM from the entertainment companies whose media they hoped to play. My argument – then and now – was that any tech company that sells you a gadget that can have its features revoked is defrauding you. You're paying for x, y and z – and if they are contractually required to remove x and y on demand, they are selling you something that you can't rely on, without making that clear to you.

But it's worse than that. When a tech company designs a device for remote, irreversible, nonconsensual downgrades, they invite both external and internal parties to demand those downgrades. Like Pavel Chekov says, a phaser on the bridge in Act I is going to go off by Act III. Selling a product that can be remotely, irreversibly, nonconsensually downgraded inevitably results in the worst person at the product-planning meeting proposing to do so. The fact that there are no penalties for doing so makes it impossible for the better people in that meeting to win the ensuing argument, leading to the moral injury of seeing a product you care about reduced to a pile of shit:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/11/25/moral-injury/#enshittification

But even if everyone at that table is a swell egg who wouldn't dream of enshittifying the product, the existence of a remote, irreversible, nonconsensual downgrade feature makes the product vulnerable to external actors who will demand that it be used. Back in 2022, Adobe informed its customers that it had lost its deal to include Pantone colors in Photoshop, Illustrator and other "software as a service" packages. As a result, users would now have to start paying a monthly fee to see their own, completed images. Fail to pay the fee and all the Pantone-coded pixels in your artwork would just show up as black:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/10/28/fade-to-black/#trust-the-process

Adobe blamed this on Pantone, and there was lots of speculation about what had happened. Had Pantone jacked up its price to Adobe, so Adobe passed the price on to its users in the hopes of embarrassing Pantone? Who knows? Who can know? That's the point: you invested in Photoshop, you spent money and time creating images with it, but you have no way to know whether or how you'll be able to access those images in the future. Those terms can change at any time, and if you don't like it, you can go fuck yourself.

These companies are all run by CEOs who got their MBAs at Darth Vader University, where the first lesson is "I have altered the deal, pray I don't alter it further." Adobe chose to design its software so it would be vulnerable to this kind of demand, and then its customers paid for that choice. Sure, Pantone are dicks, but this is Adobe's fault. They stuck a KICK ME sign to your back, and Pantone obliged.

This keeps happening and it's gonna keep happening. Last week, Playstation owners who'd bought (or "bought") Warner TV shows got messages telling them that Warner had walked away from its deal to sell videos through the Playstation store, and so all the videos they'd paid for were going to be deleted forever. They wouldn't even get refunds (to be clear, refunds would also be bullshit – when I was a bookseller, I didn't get to break into your house and steal the books I'd sold you, not even if I left some cash on your kitchen table).

Sure, Warner is an unbelievably shitty company run by the single most guillotineable executive in all of Southern California, the loathsome David Zaslav, who oversaw the merger of Warner with Discovery. Zaslav is the creep who figured out that he could make more money cancelling completed movies and TV shows and taking a tax writeoff than he stood to make by releasing them:

https://aftermath.site/there-is-no-piracy-without-ownership

Imagine putting years of your life into making a program – showing up on set at 5AM and leaving your kids to get their own breakfast, performing stunts that could maim or kill you, working 16-hour days during the acute phase of the covid pandemic and driving home in the night, only to have this absolute turd of a man delete the program before anyone could see it, forever, to get a minor tax advantage. Talk about moral injury!

But without Sony's complicity in designing a remote, irreversible, nonconsensual downgrade feature into the Playstation, Zaslav's war on art and creative workers would be limited to material that hadn't been released yet. Thanks to Sony's awful choices, David Zaslav can break into your house, steal your movies – and he doesn't even have to leave a twenty on your kitchen table.

The point here – the point I made 20 years ago to Chris Anderson – is that this is the foreseeable, inevitable result of designing devices for remote, irreversible, nonconsensual downgrades. Anyone who was paying attention should have figured that out in the GW Bush administration. Anyone who does this today? Absolute flaming garbage.

Sure, Zaslav deserves to be staked out over an anthill and slathered in high-fructose corn syrup. But save the next anthill for the Sony exec who shipped a product that would let Zaslav come into your home and rob you. That piece of shit knew what they were doing and they did it anyway. Fuck them. Sideways. With a brick.

Meanwhile, the studios keep making the case for stealing movies rather than paying for them. As Tyler James Hill wrote: "If buying isn't owning, piracy isn't stealing":

https://bsky.app/profile/tylerjameshill.bsky.social/post/3kflw2lvam42n

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/12/08/playstationed/#tyler-james-hill

Image: Alan Levine (modified) https://pxhere.com/en/photo/218986

CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

[mariacallous]

 Our Nation has made tremendous progress in advancing the cause of equality for LGBTQI+ Americans, including in the military.  Despite their courage and great sacrifice, thousands of LGBTQI+ service members were forced out of the military because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.  Many of these patriotic Americans were subject to a court-martial.  While my Administration has taken meaningful action to remedy these problems, the impact of that historical injustice remains.  As Commander in Chief, I am committed to maintaining the finest fighting force in the world.  That means making sure that every member of our military feels safe and respected.

     Accordingly, acting pursuant to the grant of authority in Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution of the United States, I, Joseph R. Biden Jr., do hereby grant a full, complete, and unconditional pardon to persons convicted of unaggravated offenses based on consensual, private conduct with persons age 18 and older under former Article 125 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), as previously codified at 10 U.S.C. 925, as well as attempts, conspiracies, and solicitations to commit such acts under Articles 80, 81, and 82, UCMJ, 10 U.S.C. 880, 881, 882.  This proclamation applies to convictions during the period from Article 125’s effective date of May 31, 1951, through the December 26, 2013, enactment of section 1707 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 (Public Law 113-66).

     The purpose of this proclamation is to pardon only offenses based on consensual, private conduct between individuals 18 and older that do not involve any aggravating factor, including:  

     (1)  conduct that would violate 10 U.S.C. 893a, prohibiting activities with military recruits or trainees by a person in a position of special trust;      (2)  conduct that was committed with an individual who was coerced or, because of status, might not have felt able to refuse consent;      (3)  conduct on the part of the applicant constituting fraternization under Article 134 of the UCMJ;      (4)  conduct committed with the spouse of another military member; or      (5)  any factors other than those listed above that were identified by the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces in United States v. Marcum as being outside the scope of Lawrence v. Texas as applied in the military context, 60 M.J. 198, 207–08 (2004).

     The Military Departments (Army, Navy, or Air Force), or in the case of the Coast Guard, the Department of Homeland Security, in conjunction with the Department of Justice, shall provide information about and publicize application procedures for certificates of pardon.  An applicant for a certificate of pardon under this proclamation is to submit an application to the Military Department (Army, Navy, or Air Force) that conducted the court-martial or, in the case of a Coast Guard court-martial, to the Department of Homeland Security.  If the relevant Department determines that the applicant satisfies the criteria under this proclamation, following a review of relevant military justice records, the Department shall submit that determination to the Attorney General, acting through the Pardon Attorney, who shall then issue a certificate of pardon along with information on the process to apply for an upgrade of military discharge.  My Administration strongly encourages veterans who receive a certificate of pardon to apply for an upgrade of military discharge.  

     Although the pardon under this proclamation applies only to the convictions described above, there are other LGBTQI+ individuals who served our Nation and were convicted of other crimes because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.  It is the policy of my Administration to expeditiously consider and to make final pardon determinations with respect to such individuals.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-eighth.                              JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

[pittsburghbeautiful]

Pittsburgh Glass Center

The Pittsburgh Glass Center: A Hub of Glass Artistry The Pittsburgh Glass Center, located in the Friendship neighborhood of Pittsburgh, is a renowned gallery, glass studio, and public-access school dedicated to teaching, creating, and promoting the art of studio glass. With its rich history, diverse programs, and commitment to fostering creativity, the Center has become a hub for glass…

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