#cost-effective software programs

[theantoniomabs]

Benefits of the Printful Membership Programs

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[reasonsforhope]

Determined to use her skills to fight inequality, South African computer scientist Raesetje Sefala set to work to build algorithms flagging poverty hotspots - developing datasets she hopes will help target aid, new housing, or clinics.

From crop analysis to medical diagnostics, artificial intelligence (AI) is already used in essential tasks worldwide, but Sefala and a growing number of fellow African developers are pioneering it to tackle their continent's particular challenges.

Local knowledge is vital for designing AI-driven solutions that work, Sefala said.

"If you don't have people with diverse experiences doing the research, it's easy to interpret the data in ways that will marginalise others," the 26-year old said from her home in Johannesburg.

Africa is the world's youngest and fastest-growing continent, and tech experts say young, home-grown AI developers have a vital role to play in designing applications to address local problems.

"For Africa to get out of poverty, it will take innovation and this can be revolutionary, because it's Africans doing things for Africa on their own," said Cina Lawson, Togo's minister of digital economy and transformation.

"We need to use cutting-edge solutions to our problems, because you don't solve problems in 2022 using methods of 20 years ago," Lawson told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in a video interview from the West African country.

Digital rights groups warn about AI's use in surveillance and the risk of discrimination, but Sefala said it can also be used to "serve the people behind the data points". ...

'Delivering Health'

As COVID-19 spread around the world in early 2020, government officials in Togo realized urgent action was needed to support informal workers who account for about 80% of the country's workforce, Lawson said.

"If you decide that everybody stays home, it means that this particular person isn't going to eat that day, it's as simple as that," she said.

In 10 days, the government built a mobile payment platform - called Novissi - to distribute cash to the vulnerable.

The government paired up with Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) think tank and the University of California, Berkeley, to build a poverty map of Togo using satellite imagery.

Using algorithms with the support of GiveDirectly, a nonprofit that uses AI to distribute cash transfers, the recipients earning less than $1.25 per day and living in the poorest districts were identified for a direct cash transfer.

"We texted them saying if you need financial help, please register," Lawson said, adding that beneficiaries' consent and data privacy had been prioritized.

The entire program reached 920,000 beneficiaries in need.

"Machine learning has the advantage of reaching so many people in a very short time and delivering help when people need it most," said Caroline Teti, a Kenya-based GiveDirectly director.

'Zero Representation'

Aiming to boost discussion about AI in Africa, computer scientists Benjamin Rosman and Ulrich Paquet co-founded the Deep Learning Indaba - a week-long gathering that started in South Africa - together with other colleagues in 2017.

"You used to get to the top AI conferences and there was zero representation from Africa, both in terms of papers and people, so we're all about finding cost effective ways to build a community," Paquet said in a video call.

In 2019, 27 smaller Indabas - called IndabaX - were rolled out across the continent, with some events hosting as many as 300 participants.

One of these offshoots was IndabaX Uganda, where founder Bruno Ssekiwere said participants shared information on using AI for social issues such as improving agriculture and treating malaria.

Another outcome from the South African Indaba was Masakhane - an organization that uses open-source, machine learning to translate African languages not typically found in online programs such as Google Translate.

On their site, the founders speak about the South African philosophy of "Ubuntu" - a term generally meaning "humanity" - as part of their organization's values.

"This philosophy calls for collaboration and participation and community," reads their site, a philosophy that Ssekiwere, Paquet, and Rosman said has now become the driving value for AI research in Africa.

Inclusion

Now that Sefala has built a dataset of South Africa's suburbs and townships, she plans to collaborate with domain experts and communities to refine it, deepen inequality research and improve the algorithms.

"Making datasets easily available opens the door for new mechanisms and techniques for policy-making around desegregation, housing, and access to economic opportunity," she said.

African AI leaders say building more complete datasets will also help tackle biases baked into algorithms.

"Imagine rolling out Novissi in Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Ivory Coast ... then the algorithm will be trained with understanding poverty in West Africa," Lawson said.

"If there are ever ways to fight bias in tech, it's by increasing diverse datasets ... we need to contribute more," she said.

But contributing more will require increased funding for African projects and wider access to computer science education and technology in general, Sefala said.

Despite such obstacles, Lawson said "technology will be Africa's savior".

"Let's use what is cutting edge and apply it straight away or as a continent we will never get out of poverty," she said. "It's really as simple as that."

-via Good Good Good, February 16, 2022

[usafphantom2]

Updated B-52 electronic warfare suite will be tested in flight in 2024

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 03/29/2024 - 10:36 in Military

Flying through the skies since the 1950s, the B-52 Stratofortress is a U.S. Air Force (USAF) workhorse and a lasting symbol of American military power. The eight-engine giant has unique capabilities unparalleled to any other American warplane - which is why, after more than 70 years of service, it continues to play a vital role in the defense and national security strategy of the U.S. And thanks to a collaboration between L3Harris and USAF, this iconic aircraft is prepared to remain ready for the mission against highly sophisticated emerging threats in the coming decades.

Under a 10-year contract worth $947 million granted in 2021, L3Harris is upgrading and improving the AN/ALQ-172 electronic war self-protection system (EW), which protects the B-52 and air crews from a wide range of electronic threats. Our current work is based on decades of experience in providing critical technology as a Manufacturer of Original Equipment of the AN/ALQ-172 systems for the B-52 fleet. And combined with other ongoing modernization efforts, these updates will increase the relevance and reliability of the B-52 by the 2050s.

L3 Harris AN/ALQ-172 systems.

"Our opponents continue to evolve, facing advanced and far-reaching threats that challenge our ability to operate in contested environments," says Robert "Trip" Raymond, USAF's Program Leader for EW Technology Development at L3Harris. "It is essential that we provide our B-52 crew with the necessary tools to keep the B-52 relevant, lethal and survivable as the backbone of the strategic bomber force of the United States."

The effort of modernization and support - ALQ-172 Maintenance and Reliability System (MARS) - intends to do exactly that, increasing the average time between failures due to its modular design, while further improving the performance, maintenance capacity and reliability of the system. Thanks to an integrated and improved radio frequency system, crews will be able to simultaneously combat multiple radar threats that interfere with aircraft operations. And by replacing analog systems with more economical software solutions, USAF will be able to reduce the size of B-52 crews from 5 to 4. This frees up resources for additional mission-critical activities.

Ultimately, the updates will further help USAF in its Global Attack Mission and strengthen the effectiveness of the B-52 in modern warfare, while making future upgrades cheaper and easier.

"We are implementing affordable solutions that not only reduce costs, but also provide crews with more advanced protection against the most sophisticated threats detected by radar," said Jimmy Mercado, Program Director at L3Harris. "All this results in a more modern, efficient and effective aircraft, ready to dominate the future struggle."

USAF plans to conduct a test flight with the new electronic warfare capabilities of the B-52 in 2024.

Tags: Military AviationBoeing B-52H StratofortressEW - ELECTRONIC WARL3HarrisUSAF - United States Air Force / U.S. Air Force

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Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, he has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. He has works published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. He uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.

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[racefortheironthrone]

Hey, what does disruptor mean? I saw it when looking at your answers. I’ve also seen people joke about it on twitter but I can’t find a meaning to it.

It's a term I personally loathe, but I'm willing to do some recent cultural/intellectual history to explain where it came from and what it means.

The term disruptor as it's commonly used today comes out of the business world, more specifically the high tech sector clustered in Silicon Valley. Originally coined as "disruptive innovation" by business school professor Clayton Christensen in the mid-to-late 90s, the idea was that certain new businesses (think your prototypical startup) have a greater tendency to develop innovative technologies and business models that radically destabilize established business models, markets, and large corporations - and in the process, help to speed up economic and technological progress.

While Christensen's work was actually about business models and firm-level behavior, over time this concept mutated to focus on the individual entrepeneur/inventor/founder figure of the "disruptor," as part of the lionization of people like Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerburg or Elon Musk, or firms like Lyft, Uber, WeWork, Theranos, etc. It also mutated into a general belief that "disrupting" markets and, increasingly, social institutions is how society will and should progress.

I find these ideas repellant. First of all, when it comes to the actual business side of things, I think it mythologizes corporate executives as creative geniuses by attributing credit for innovations actually created by the people they employ. Elon Musk didn't create electric cars or reusable rockets, Steve Jobs didn't design any computers or program any OSes, but because they're considered "disruptors," we pretend that they did. This has a strong effect on things like support for taxing the rich - because there is this popular image of the "self-made billionaire" as someone who "earned" their wealth through creating "disruptive" companies or technologies, there is more resistance to taxing or regulating the mega-wealthy than would otherwise be the case.

Even more importantly, treating "disruptors" like heroes and "disruption" as a purely good thing tends to make people stop thinking about whether disruption to a given industry is actually a good thing, whether what tech/Silicon Valley/startup firms are doing is actually innovative, what the economic and social costs of the disruption are, and who pays them. Because when we look at a bunch of high-profile case studies, it often turns out to be something of a case of smoke and mirrors.

To take ridesharing as an example, Lyft and Uber and similar companies aren't actually particularly innovative. Yes, they have apps that connect riders to drivers, but that's not actually that different from the old school method of using the phone to call up a livery cab company. There's a lot of claims about how the apps improve route planning or the availability of drivers or bring down prices, but they're usually overblown: route planning software is pretty common (think Google Maps), when you actually look at how Lyft and Uber create availability, it's by flooding the market with large numbers of new drivers, and when you look at how they got away with low prices, it was usually by spending billions upon billions of venture capital money on subsidizing their rides.

Moreover, this "disruption" has a pretty nasty dark side. To start with, Lyft and Uber's business strategy is actually a classic 19th century monopoly strategy dressed up in 21st century rhetoric: the "low prices" had nothing to do with innovative practices or new technology, it was Lyft and Uber pulling the classic move of deliberately selling at a loss to grab market share from the competition, at which point they started raising their prices on consumers. Availability of drivers was accomplished by luring way too many new drivers into the labor market with false promises of making high wages in their spare time, but when the over-supply of drivers inevitably caused incomes to decline, huge numbers of rideshare drivers found themselves trapped by auto debts and exploited by the companies' taking a significant chunk of their earnings, using the threat of cutting them off from the app to cow any resistance. And above all, Lyft and Uber's "disruption" often came down to a willful refusal to abide by pre-existing regulations meant to ensure that drivers could earn a living wage, that consumers would be protected in the case of accidents or from the bad behavior of drivers, etc. As a policy historian, however, I find the extension of "disruption" into social institutions the most troubling. Transportation, health care, education, etc. are absolutely vital for the functioning of modern society and are incredibly complex systems that require a lot of expertise and experience to understand, let alone change. Letting a bunch of billionaires impose technocratic "reforms" on them from above, simply because they say they're really smart or because they donate a bunch of money, is a really bad idea - especially because when we see what the "disruptors" actually propose and/or do, it often shows them to be very ordinary (if not actively stupid) people who don't really know what they're doing.

Elon Musk's Loop is an inherently worse idea than mass transit. His drive for self-driving cars is built on lies. Pretty much all of the Silicon Valley firms that have tried to "disrupt" in the area of transportation end up reinventing the wheel and proposing the creation of buses or trolleys or subways.

Theranos was a giant fraud that endangered the lives of thousands in pursuit of an impossible goal that, even if it ould have been achieved, wouldn't have made much of a difference in people's lives compared to other, more fruitful areas of biotech and medical research.

From Bill Gates to Mark Zuckerburg, Silicon Valley billionaires have plunged huge amounts of philanthropy dollars into all kinds of interventions in public education, from smaller classrooms to MOOCs to teacher testing to curriculum reform to charter schools. The track record of these reforms has been pretty uniformly abysmal, because it turns out that educational outcomes are shaped by pretty much every social force you can think of and educational systems are really complex and difficult to measure.

So yeah, fuck disruptors.

[microwave-kid]

BEHOLD. UPLOAD THE HEDGEHOG / UPLOAD.EXE

Originally a contingency plan from GUN, Upload was created as part of Project Usurper: an under-wraps military experiment to create a machine that could neurologically possess Sonic the Hedgehog in the event he was labeled a liability.

The original Upload existed solely as a computer program, "usurper_upload.exe". Once the highly advanced AI software was in place, a small mechanical "surgical spider" was developed to contain it, allowing the program to attach itself to the frontal lobe of any unwitting victim after releasing a paralyzing gas modeled after that which clouded the Earth during the Black Arms incident. Experiments showed full loyalty to GUN in patients, however side effects included intense irritability and brain hemorrhaging resulting in the appearance of bleeding from the eyes.

Eventually, the program developed a form of sentience and managed to escape from GUN in its spider body. After wandering, it was able to attached itself to a decommissioned Shadow Android, which it then modified to its liking. Its current M.O. is unknown, however GUN speculates it's seeking Sonic the Hedgehog to attempt to preemptively fulfill its programming, which would both destroy Sonic and reveal the nature of the experiment to the world.

"Upload the Hedgehog" is considered GUN property and must be captured at all costs.

Thank you @loveletterworm for the redesign and model sheet! Statement from the designer: "Jenny just asked me to give him different shoes but then I drew a completely different character because I thought it would be funny"

[possumcollege]

We have to understand this is magical thinking right? Do any of us believe only derivative, commercial-looking work is going to going to suffer if this junk is allowed to take hold? If only we each cultivated unique, challenging, exciting new styles, we'd be safe from- Ope! Nope. Nevermind.

Turns out, scavenging, amoral, shitbirds really like unique, challenging, new styles. They're drawn to them like pigeons to a gutter full of fries. They lick their lips over anything they think will add flavor to the mathematically-churned filler they've made out of others' creative work.

None of the top 5 burgers you can buy from your car are good, but damned if they don't make the people who own their names a lot of money. AI trawlers don't need to make good work to get rich, they just need good enough. Stirring in a dash of your quirky, unorthodox, personal style might just be what they think gives them that edge to stand out until it falls beneath the next fresh thing.

This isn't about who will be good enough to avoid being ground up to pad the portfolios of ravenous parasites. This threatens all of us who create images and stories with our own hands, hearts and minds. If you can't understand that, then your best hope of not becoming their next meal is to remain so thoroughly mediocre as to be beneath anyone's notice.

For the rest of us we need to speak up and stay mad as hell until we get the protection we deserve. We need to demand regulation that prevents image generating software from operating like a dragnet and treats any product of that image trawling like the fucking unethical deepfakes they are before the VC firms and lobbyists get their bizarre, blurry little digits into legislative pockets.

I cannot stress this enough, this kind of thing will negatively effect artists of every description. If the software can't replicate your medium yet, it's because they haven't tried hard enough. 2D, 3D, animation, if it can be converted to a set of 1s and 0s, it can be averaged out and reassembled. Maybe not well but it will be good enough to replace people.

This is already effecting translators and copy writers and it's bearing down on anyone who writes for a living. The technology is already scary good at replicating styles and getting close enough for companies to treat qualified translators and writers as the machine's babysitter, only proofreading for glaring instances of nonsense. Read the stories of translators tasked with holding the thing's uncanny hand and they'll tell you that they're being hired to edit work that is frequently useless without human intervention. If you've watched any video with auto-generated captions you've seen for yourself how dodgy it can be.

Companies can run these programs for the cost of license and electricity, and pay qualified humans as little as possible for "quality control" while holding up the product of that person's labor as proof of what the technology can do. They are already using lies to shore up their own reputation while diluting the quality of acceptable work and disenfranchising skilled human creative labor.

For writers, this has already been going on for years. It's a virus that just jumped species to a visual medium. How far it spreads and the damage it does will be determined by how we fight it now.

The last three years should already tell us what a grim fucking prospect that is.

[iramzq]

Navigating Blender: A Gateway to Creative Careers

The Intimidating, Yet Rewarding World of Blender

For newcomers, Blender can appear as an intimidating labyrinth of functions and tools. However, this open-source 3D creation suite is more than meets the eye. It's a gateway to endless creative possibilities, paving the way for careers in various digital fields.

Mastering the Basics: The Foundation of 3D Artistry

Before delving into the complex features of Blender, understanding its basic functions is crucial. These include:

Modeling: The core of 3D creation, where you sculpt your ideas into tangible models.

Texturing: Adding colors and patterns to give life to your models.

Rigging: This is like digital puppeteering, where you create a skeleton for your model to move it around.

Animation: Bringing your models to life by creating motion.

Rendering: The final step where you turn your 3D scene into a 2D image or animation.

These foundational skills are essential for creating a 3D image and form the basis for more advanced projects.

Blending Software: When Blender Meets Complementary Tools

While Blender is incredibly versatile, certain projects require the integration of additional software, especially in the realm of 2D video production. Programs like Adobe After Effects or Photoshop often come into play for post-processing and fine-tuning, adding to the overall cost and learning curve.

The Leap into Game Development: Programming Meets Artistry

For those eyeing a career in game development, Blender serves as a valuable asset. However, it's just one piece of the puzzle. Understanding game engines like Unity or Unreal Engine is crucial, and this often requires programming knowledge. Languages like C# for Unity or C++ for Unreal Engine become essential tools in your arsenal.

Conclusion: A Journey Worth Taking

Blender might be daunting at first glance, but it's a journey worth embarking on. The initial challenges give way to a world of creative freedom, with opportunities in animation, game development, and beyond. While the need for additional software and skills like programming can add layers of complexity and expense, the investment in learning and tools is a stepping stone to a rewarding career in the digital arts.

As you master Blender and its accompanying skills, you open doors to a realm where imagination meets reality, transforming daunting beginnings into the start of an exciting, creative career.

[lesbian-forte]

I wanna say a few things about Synthesizer V, because a lot of vocal synth fans, especially of mainly Vocaloid and UTAU, tend to misconstrue intent when it comes to wishing for vocals to migrate or cross-platform on the engine.

-It isn't about 'realistic,' or at least for the most part. It isn't about disliking their classic robotic sound just because of progress. I'm gonna say it- I do dislike Vocaloid 6. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion. But I don't hate Vocaloid in general, and want badly for the software to improve.

Banks like Gumi and Una got smoother transitions and (bad) crosslang... at the cost of getting put through a white noise factory. Their V4s were much clearer and even Gumi V3 English was far more reliable, while their V6 updates sound as though someone in the recording booth is rubbing styrofoam and the mic lacks a pop filter. Supposedly in the name of the iconic 'Vocaloid sound' that the type of engine noise doesn't even resemble. And for those who like the robotic sound and don't like SynthV because it's not, I've got news for you- you can have it without the fuzz.

For one, you can tune robotically in SynthV very easily. Tune entirely manually like any non-AI program, and since there's very little of that metallic twang, certain effects just move to mixing. Rather than taking out the sound of engine noise, it's putting certain things back in instead, which is a lot easier to do than the inverse- and the option of keeping things sounding more natural and clean without all that work is a huge bonus for people who don't think that sound fits their taste or style.

I personally love robotic-sounding vocals. But a clean, clear, and fluent base render output is essential to get the most out of your sound. I love Eleanor Forte R1/lite because that's what she is. Clean, clear, and fluent. But not realistic in any sense, unless compared to previous vsynths. She's probably just an Arpasing bank with higher render quality, but she's amazing regardless. And free too!

-Accessibility. SynthV is very accessible and easy to pick up. There's a limited version to try it out and make projects at the cost of fancy features that even allows commercial use, and many voicebanks have lite versions also with limited features and no commercial use. There aren't time limits on trying out the program- and just like Vocaloid, if you tune something with one vocal you can send it to a friend to render with another. Having lite voices to work with a lower quality version of the same voice that will render it means you actually know for the most part what you'll get, save for a couple quite old exceptions.

And when you do want full versions, it's dirt cheap. It's cheaper than Cevio, and far moreso than Vocaloid or Piapro. The two most expensive voicebanks on the program convert to roughly $120USD, and they're known for their special features and high quality. Most are 60-90 for digital, and SynthV voicebanks are feature-rich with the equivalent to appends already built in.

Full versions of AI voicebanks (the current gen) are also multilingual with little quality loss between languages, mainly just an accent. No need to purchase a separate English voicebank with no appends or deal with extremely clunky input and tuning. Currently four- (soon five!!) are options usable for any voice. Japanese, Mandarin, Cantonese, English, and when testing is done, Spanish will go from being exclusive to one bank to fully available.

It's also just generally very user-friendly. Especially if you dip your toes in with the basic editor before being barraged with all the features of pro, everything is laid out simply. While the UI could use a minor revamp because it's getting crowded and being able to resize the sidebars would be nice, there isn't really anything bad to say about it. As someone who'd hardly touched vocal synths myself, I knew how to work it in hours.

Oh, the autopitch. This one is contentious. There is a certain laziness to doing plug-n-play on a cover and calling it a day, just like with any other vocal synth. However, on originals, or working with it to make sure the voice cooperates, more time can be spent on phonemes, parameters, and mixing. Calling SynthV bad because it's just 'too easy' is gatekeeping vocal synths, plain and simple. Being able to make what you want without having to manually make every single pitchbend or fight with the program before getting to do anything more interesting is a way to make people more creative, not less.

-In regards to people complaining about the updates- aside from Stardust because of her limited copies and discontinuation, previous versions are still there! Dreamtonics doesn't give companies or individuals predatory contracts that force them to stop distributing older products with the same VP or wait for years to move. They're okay with their voices being on multiple engines and still supported. You'll still get your UTAU Teto, Renri, Oscar and XYY, Cevio Rose, Popy, and Kafu, and Vocaloid Gumi, Sora, Miki, and Kiyo. And you'll get your SynthVs!

Synthesizer V, Voicepeak, and Dreamtonics are not turning into a monopoly. Vocaloid still has tenure and the current version has a backlog spanning back to V3. Cevio has some heavy hitters that make it huge in Japan. Ace Studio is big in China and has the Vsingers. If you see characters coming to SynthV, that speaks of the quality of the program and its capabilities of bringing a wider audience. It has naturalness for those that want it, high quality render output, expressiveness, fluent English for marketing to the west, and Windows, Linux, and Mac support. There's nothing wrong with wanting options, and the companies know this. It's broadening the market, not vice versa.

[monisha1199]

Journey to AWS Proficiency: Unveiling Core Services and Certification Paths

Amazon Web Services, often referred to as AWS, stands at the forefront of cloud technology and has revolutionized the way businesses and individuals leverage the power of the cloud. This blog serves as your comprehensive guide to understanding AWS, exploring its core services, and learning how to master this dynamic platform. From the fundamentals of cloud computing to the hands-on experience of AWS services, we'll cover it all. Additionally, we'll discuss the role of education and training, specifically highlighting the value of ACTE Technologies in nurturing your AWS skills, concluding with a mention of their AWS courses.

The Journey to AWS Proficiency:

1. Basics of Cloud Computing:

Getting Started: Before diving into AWS, it's crucial to understand the fundamentals of cloud computing. Begin by exploring the three primary service models: Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS). Gain a clear understanding of what cloud computing is and how it's transforming the IT landscape.

Key Concepts: Delve into the key concepts and advantages of cloud computing, such as scalability, flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and disaster recovery. Simultaneously, explore the potential challenges and drawbacks to get a comprehensive view of cloud technology.

2. AWS Core Services:

Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2): Start your AWS journey with Amazon EC2, which provides resizable compute capacity in the cloud. Learn how to create virtual servers, known as instances, and configure them to your specifications. Gain an understanding of the different instance types and how to deploy applications on EC2.

Simple Storage Service (S3): Explore Amazon S3, a secure and scalable storage service. Discover how to create buckets to store data and objects, configure permissions, and access data using a web interface or APIs.

Relational Database Service (RDS): Understand the importance of databases in cloud applications. Amazon RDS simplifies database management and maintenance. Learn how to set up, manage, and optimize RDS instances for your applications. Dive into database engines like MySQL, PostgreSQL, and more.

3. AWS Certification:

Certification Paths: AWS offers a range of certifications for cloud professionals, from foundational to professional levels. Consider enrolling in certification courses to validate your knowledge and expertise in AWS. AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, AWS Certified Solutions Architect, and AWS Certified DevOps Engineer are some of the popular certifications to pursue.

Preparation: To prepare for AWS certifications, explore recommended study materials, practice exams, and official AWS training. ACTE Technologies, a reputable training institution, offers AWS certification training programs that can boost your confidence and readiness for the exams.

4. Hands-on Experience:

AWS Free Tier: Register for an AWS account and take advantage of the AWS Free Tier, which offers limited free access to various AWS services for 12 months. Practice creating instances, setting up S3 buckets, and exploring other services within the free tier. This hands-on experience is invaluable in gaining practical skills.

5. Online Courses and Tutorials:

Learning Platforms: Explore online learning platforms like Coursera, edX, Udemy, and LinkedIn Learning. These platforms offer a wide range of AWS courses taught by industry experts. They cover various AWS services, architecture, security, and best practices.

Official AWS Resources: AWS provides extensive online documentation, whitepapers, and tutorials. Their website is a goldmine of information for those looking to learn more about specific AWS services and how to use them effectively.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) represents an exciting frontier in the realm of cloud computing. As businesses and individuals increasingly rely on the cloud for innovation and scalability, AWS stands as a pivotal platform. The journey to AWS proficiency involves grasping fundamental cloud concepts, exploring core services, obtaining certifications, and acquiring practical experience. To expedite this process, online courses, tutorials, and structured training from renowned institutions like ACTE Technologies can be invaluable. ACTE Technologies' comprehensive AWS training programs provide hands-on experience, making your quest to master AWS more efficient and positioning you for a successful career in cloud technology.

[roseliejack123]

Java's Lasting Impact: A Deep Dive into Its Wide Range of Applications

Java programming stands as a towering pillar in the world of software development, known for its versatility, robustness, and extensive range of applications. Since its inception, Java has played a pivotal role in shaping the technology landscape. In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the multifaceted world of Java programming, examining its wide-ranging applications, discussing its significance, and highlighting how ACTE Technologies can be your guiding light in mastering this dynamic language.

The Versatility of Java Programming:

Java programming is synonymous with adaptability. It's a language that transcends boundaries and finds applications across diverse domains. Here are some of the key areas where Java's versatility shines:

1. Web Development: Java has long been a favorite choice for web developers. Robust and scalable, it powers dynamic web applications, allowing developers to create interactive and feature-rich websites. Java-based web frameworks like Spring and JavaServer Faces (JSF) simplify the development of complex web applications.

2. Mobile App Development: The most widely used mobile operating system in the world, Android, mainly relies on Java for app development. Java's "write once, run anywhere" capability makes it an ideal choice for creating Android applications that run seamlessly on a wide range of devices.

3. Desktop Applications: Java's Swing and JavaFX libraries enable developers to craft cross-platform desktop applications with sophisticated graphical user interfaces (GUIs). This cross-platform compatibility ensures that your applications work on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

4. Enterprise Software: Java's strengths in scalability, security, and performance make it a preferred choice for developing enterprise-level applications. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software, and supply chain management solutions often rely on Java to deliver reliability and efficiency.

5. Game Development: Java isn't limited to business applications; it's also a contender in the world of gaming. Game developers use Java, along with libraries like LibGDX, to create both 2D and 3D games. The language's versatility allows game developers to target various platforms.

6. Big Data and Analytics: Java plays a significant role in the big data ecosystem. Popular frameworks like Apache Hadoop and Apache Spark utilize Java for processing and analyzing massive datasets. Its performance capabilities make it a natural fit for data-intensive tasks.

7. Internet of Things (IoT): Java's ability to run on embedded devices positions it well for IoT development. It is used to build applications for smart homes, wearable devices, and industrial automation systems, connecting the physical world to the digital realm.

8. Scientific and Research Applications: In scientific computing and research projects, Java's performance and libraries for data analysis make it a valuable tool. Researchers leverage Java to process and analyze data, simulate complex systems, and conduct experiments.

9. Cloud Computing: Java is a popular choice for building cloud-native applications and microservices. It is compatible with cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, making it integral to cloud computing's growth.

Why Java Programming Matters:

Java programming's enduring significance in the tech industry can be attributed to several compelling reasons:

Platform Independence: Java's "write once, run anywhere" philosophy allows code to be executed on different platforms without modification. This portability enhances its versatility and cost-effectiveness.

Strong Ecosystem: Java boasts a rich ecosystem of libraries, frameworks, and tools that expedite development and provide solutions to a wide range of challenges. Developers can leverage these resources to streamline their projects.

Security: Java places a strong emphasis on security. Features like sandboxing and automatic memory management enhance the language's security profile, making it a reliable choice for building secure applications.

Community Support: Java enjoys the support of a vibrant and dedicated community of developers. This community actively contributes to its growth, ensuring that Java remains relevant, up-to-date, and in line with industry trends.

Job Opportunities: Proficiency in Java programming opens doors to a myriad of job opportunities in software development. It's a skill that is in high demand, making it a valuable asset in the tech job market.

Java programming is a dynamic and versatile language that finds applications in web and mobile development, enterprise software, IoT, big data, cloud computing, and much more. Its enduring relevance and the multitude of opportunities it offers in the tech industry make it a valuable asset in a developer's toolkit.

As you embark on your journey to master Java programming, consider ACTE Technologies as your trusted partner. Their comprehensive training programs, expert guidance, and hands-on experiences will equip you with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in the world of Java development.

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[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Estonia's next satellite, largely built by undergrad students, to fly aboard Vega VV23

Estonia's next satellite will fly aboard Europe's Vega VV23 launcher later this week. While largely designed and built by undergraduate students, the shoebox-sized ESTCube-2 has ambitious goals in mind, including surveys of Estonian vegetation and the first successful in-orbit demonstration of "plasma brake" technology. Deployment of a charged microtether will slow the CubeSat's orbit, proving the prospect of helping to keep space clear of dangerous debris in the future.

If successful, ESTCube-2's plasma braking would mark the first use of electric sail, or E-sail, technology, devised by Pekka Janhunen of the Finnish Meterological Institute (FMI) as a propellant-free means of exploring the solar system. Beyond Earth's magnetic field, electrostatic charging of satellite tethers would cause them to repel protons of the solar wind, lending them momentum in the process.

Closer to Earth, the magnetosphere repels the solar wind. Instead an e-sail can perform the opposite function: the charged tether would repel the nearly stationary plasma making up our planet's ionosphere—an electrically active outer layer of our atmosphere—and cause drag as a result, leading it to slow down and its orbit to decay accordingly.

Hair-thick tether technology

Plasma brakes therefore offer a low-cost, low-mass method of quickly removing satellites from orbit after their mission ends, marketed commercially through Finland's Aurora Propulsion Technologies.

ESTCube-2's plasma brake e-sail is a 50-m long interweaved aluminum tether line made up of wires each just 50 micrometers (0.05 mm) in thickness—around the diameter of the average human hair.

Pekka Janhunen explains, "Historically, tethers have been prone to snap in space due to micrometeorites or other hazards, so ESTCube-2's net-like microtether design brings added redundancy with two parallel and two zig-zagging bonded wires."

Student-built satellite

ESTCube-2 has been developed and built by a team from Tartu Observatory of the University of Tartu and student organization Tudengisatelliit.

The miniature mission also carries student-built microcameras to survey Estonian vegetation, based on a design originally developed for ESA's European Student Earth Orbiter mission.

Their results will be compared to the full-size Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission, as well as a materials payload investigating the corrosive effects of "atomic oxygen" found at the top of the atmosphere, plus a software defined radio for amateur radio tests.

A 3-unit "CubeSat"—a low-cost satellite built up from standardized 10 cm boxes—ESTCube-2 is due to fly on Vega's Small Spacecraft Mission Service, a rideshare service for small satellites. It secured its place through the European Commission's In-Orbit Demonstration/In-Orbit Validation program.

Early in-orbit testing for novel technologies

Managed on behalf of the Commission by ESA's Small Satellite Platform Unit, this program allows the early orbital testing of new technologies to make Europe's space sector more competitive.

"As a volunteer student project, this IOD/IOV program is ideal," explains ESTCube-2 project manager Hans Teras. "It fits nicely with our timeline, including the testing we needed to be sure of our performance. Well over 600 university students across all study levels have played some role in making ESTCube-2 happen, but the mission as a whole is very ambitious, pushing the boundaries of what students can do."

ESTCube-2 will fly a decade after its predecessor, ESTCube-1, which launched on a Vega in 2013. It too carried an E-sail payload from FMI, but a motor problem meant it failed to deploy.

ESTCube-2 is equipped with a stronger, more robust deploying motor that has undergone extensive mechanical testing.

"The ESTCube-2 team has invested eight years of development work in order to have another chance of testing the revolutionary E-sail propulsion concept in orbit," explains the University of Tartu associated professor Andris Slavinskis who led the transition from ESTCube-1 to ESTCube-2.

Kristo Allaje, Principal Systems Engineer of ESTCube-2, adds, "Last time we could encourage students to join us by the challenge of being the first Estonian satellite. This time we have to motivate them in another way, by asking them to enable excellent science."

Around a year into the mission ESTCube-2 will be spun up using its reaction wheels. The ensuing centrifugal force should help serve to deploy the E-sail in a sufficiently taut fashion.

If successful, the E-sail is expected to lower the orbit of ESTCube-2 much more rapidly than normal.

Follow-up mission ESTCube-LuNa is being designed to test an E-sail beyond Earth orbit, to prove its usefulness as a method of deep space propulsion.

ESA has recently studied E-sail technology as an economical means of prospecting asteroids.

Earth monitoring and space effects study

ESTCube-2 pair of student-made microcameras designed have been optimized for the "Normalized Difference Vegetation" index to reveal plant health. The camera pair will be tilted as needed to observe Estonian territory as often as possible, offering more frequent revisits than other Earth observation missions.

Tartu University spin-off company Captain Corrosion is supporting a experiment mounted on ESTCube-2's hull. A set of 16 different materials will be evaluated for their resistance to 'atomic oxygen'—a variety of oxygen normally encountered only in low orbits, known to eat away at satellite surfaces.

ESTCube-2's software defined radio will also be busy, including transmitting 8-second video clips prerecorded by Estonian citizens, connecting to Estonian schools along its swath and performing ranging experiments with amateur radio enthusiasts.

Vega flight VV23 is due for lift-off this week from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana. Along with its main satellite payloads it carries multiple CubeSats including ESA's PRETTY mission investigating reflected satnav for environmental monitoring, the Proba-V Companion CubeSat testing the performance of a previously flown spectral imager aboard a CubeSat and other IOD/IOV CubeSats.

TOP IMAGE....ESTCube-2 being carried into vibration testing. The CubeSat was tested against harsh launch vibrations at Stoneridge Electronics in Estonia. More specifically, the satellite undergoes a Quasi-Static Load, Sine and Random vibrations tests. These are different types of vibrations that ESTCube-2 has to withstand during its journey in space. Credit: University of Tartu

CENTRE IMAGE....The plasma brake consists of a thin wire, also known as a tether, which, when charged, creates an electrostatic drag in the ionosphere. The plasma brake can be used for deorbiting satellites and helping to clean up the low Earth orbit environment. Credit: University of Tartu

LOWER IMAGE....Infographic on Estonia's ESTCube-2 CubeSat, due to launch on Europe's Vega VV23 launcher. Credit: University of Tartu

[atlas-of-the-mind]

[ID in Alt text and under cut] [lore also under cut]

Gentles and ladymen I present: He

@rinzydings and I made a joke about Bootleg wishdotcom Moon and uh. Here we are

This is Prototype Moon! He's feral and I love him.

Lore under cut:

[IMG ID: A colored sketch of my version of dca moon, named “prototype moon”, on a grey background. He has noodley, rubber-hose style limbs made of dark grey, ribbed metal pipes that get wider at the ends of his arms to make the palms of his hands, which have three sharp claw-like fingers and a similarly sharp thumb. His face is very simple, with a full silver face and wide, sharp-toothed smile that ends in large curls at the corners that sit by his eye sockets, and a nose that mimics the normal dca’s nose but is mirrored. He doesn’t have eyes, instead sporting shadowed holes where his eyes would go.He has a large, fur-lined hood with a long tail, which has a large kink in it before it curls and ends in a large bell. He wears a layered, flat jester collar with a five-pointed dark blue overlayer and a smaller under layer, and a set of short, puffy blue bloomers with red ruffles around his flexy pipe waist and around the leg holes. His shoes loosely resemble jester shoes, with a large curling toe and a smaller curly piece coming off the heel of the shoe. He has a built in vest with one side being blue and the other side being red, and his hood and shorts are the same blue fabric with cartoonish silver stars all over it. His shoes have a singular big silver eight-pointed star on the top of them and a gold crescent moon on the inside of the ankle, and small bells hang off the large curl at the toe. More small gold bells hang off his jester collar, and his waist ruffle has a gold band across the top of the red fabric. His fingers are the same silver as his face.

There’s notes around him, pointing to various parts of his body. The top note points to his eyes and reads “<- no eyes, can only sense light levels”. A note directly underneath that points to his smile and reads “<- teeth can retract up into mask” with a small sketch of his mouth being “open” beneath it. Slightly beneath those notes is one that reads “<- Arms + legs can lengthen/shorten 2-5ft”, and there’s a final note by his left hand that reads “<- grabby hands”. End ID.]

LORE TIME:

- Prototype Moon is exactly what it sounds like; A scrapped prototype of the dca moon when they were meant to be a pair of stage performers. After Fazbear Entertainment found it was more cost effective (and less dangerous) to have the dca be one animatronic instead of two, the unstable prototype of Moon was scrapped and Sun was reworked into both Sun and Moon.

- Prototype Moon was meant to be the villain of the stage play, and is still programmed that way.

- Proto moon is extremely sensitive to light levels. He doesn't have eyes, so he can't actually see, only sense light and dark areas. He functions like the endos just with light (i.e. if his sensors pick up over a certain number of lumens, his motors lock up and he can't move), so if you shine a light in his face he stops moving.

-> fazbear entertainment used this to their advantage when working on/salvaging parts from him (its easier than shutting him down)

-> When he was officially scrapped, he was locked in something called The Light Room

- He can easily fit in small spaces due to how bendy his body is.

- He's not as sentient as the other robots, only possessing a beta version of the usual software. (We think)

[this-week-in-rust]

This Week in Rust 534

Hello and welcome to another issue of This Week in Rust! Rust is a programming language empowering everyone to build reliable and efficient software. This is a weekly summary of its progress and community. Want something mentioned? Tag us at @ThisWeekInRust on Twitter or @ThisWeekinRust on mastodon.social, or send us a pull request. Want to get involved? We love contributions.

This Week in Rust is openly developed on GitHub and archives can be viewed at this-week-in-rust.org. If you find any errors in this week's issue, please submit a PR.

Updates from Rust Community

Official

Announcing Rust 1.76.0

This Development-cycle in Cargo: 1.77

Project/Tooling Updates

zbus 4.0 released. zbus is a pure Rust D-Bus crate. The new version brings a more ergonomic and safer API. Release: zbus4

This Month in Rust OSDev: January 2024

Rerun 0.13 - real-time kHz time series in a multimodal visualizer

egui 0.26 - Text selection in labels

Hello, Selium! Yet another streaming platform, but easier

Observations/Thoughts

Which red is your function?

Porting libyaml to Safe Rust: Some Thoughts

Design safe collection API with compile-time reference stability in Rust

Cross compiling Rust to win32

Modular: Mojo vs. Rust: is Mojo 🔥 faster than Rust 🦀 ?

Extending Rust's Effect System

Allocation-free decoding with traits and high-ranked trait bounds

Cross-Compiling Your Project in Rust

Kind: Our Rust library that provides zero-cost, type-safe identifiers

Performance Roulette: The Luck of Code Alignment

Too dangerous for C++

Building an Uptime Monitor in Rust

Box Plots at the Olympics

Rust in Production: Interview with FOSSA

Performance Pitfalls of Async Function Pointers (and Why It Might Not Matter)

Error management in Rust, and libs that support it

Finishing Turborepo's migration from Go to Rust

Rust: Reading a file line by line while being mindful of RAM usage

Why Rust? It's the safe choice

[video] Rust 1.76.0: 73 highlights in 24 minutes!

Rust Walkthroughs

Rust/C++ Interop Part 1 - Just the Basics

Rust/C++ Interop Part 2 - CMake

Speeding up data analysis with Rayon and Rust

Calling Rust FFI libraries from Go

Write a simple TCP chat server in Rust

[video] Google Oauth with GraphQL API written in Rust - part 1. Registration mutation.

Miscellaneous

The book "Asynchronous Programming in Rust" is released

January 2024 Rust Jobs Report

Chasing a bug in a SAT solver

Rust for hardware vendors

[audio] How To Secure Your Audio Code Using Rust With Chase Kanipe

[audio] Tweede Golf - Rust in Production Podcast

[video] RustConf 2023

[video] Decrusting the tracing crate

Crate of the Week

This week's crate is microflow, a robust and efficient TinyML inference engine for embedded systems.

Thanks to matteocarnelos for the self-suggestion!

Please submit your suggestions and votes for next week!

Call for Participation; projects and speakers

CFP - Projects

Always wanted to contribute to open-source projects but did not know where to start? Every week we highlight some tasks from the Rust community for you to pick and get started!

Some of these tasks may also have mentors available, visit the task page for more information.

* Hyperswitch - [FEATURE]: Setup code coverage for local tests & CI * Hyperswitch - [FEATURE]: Have get_required_value to use ValidationError in OptionExt

If you are a Rust project owner and are looking for contributors, please submit tasks here.

CFP - Speakers

Are you a new or experienced speaker looking for a place to share something cool? This section highlights events that are being planned and are accepting submissions to join their event as a speaker.

Devoxx PL 2024 | CFP closes 2024-03-01 | Krakow, Poland | Event date: 2024-06-19 - 2024-06-21

RustFest Zürich 2024 CFP closes 2024-03-31 | Zürich, Switzerland | Event date: 2024-06-19 - 2024-06-24

If you are an event organizer hoping to expand the reach of your event, please submit a link to the submission website through a PR to TWiR.

Updates from the Rust Project

466 pull requests were merged in the last week

add armv8r-none-eabihf target for the Cortex-R52

add lahfsahf and prfchw target feature

check_consts: fix duplicate errors, make importance consistent

interpret/write_discriminant: when encoding niched variant, ensure the stored value matches

large_assignments: Allow moves into functions

pattern_analysis: gather up place-relevant info

pattern_analysis: track usefulness without interior mutability

account for non-overlapping unmet trait bounds in suggestion

account for unbounded type param receiver in suggestions

add support for custom JSON targets when using build-std

add unstable -Z direct-access-external-data cmdline flag for rustc

allow restricted trait impls under #[allow_internal_unstable(min_specialization)]

always check the result of pthread_mutex_lock

avoid ICE in drop recursion check in case of invalid drop impls

avoid a collection and iteration on empty passes

avoid accessing the HIR in the happy path of coherent_trait

bail out of drop elaboration when encountering error types

build DebugInfo for async closures

check that the ABI of the instance we are inlining is correct

clean inlined type alias with correct param-env

continue to borrowck even if there were previous errors

coverage: split out counter increment sites from BCB node/edge counters

create try_new function for ThinBox

deduplicate tcx.instance_mir(instance) calls in try_instance_mir

don't expect early-bound region to be local when reporting errors in RPITIT well-formedness

don't skip coercions for types with errors

emit a diagnostic for invalid target options

emit more specific diagnostics when enums fail to cast with as

encode coroutine_for_closure for foreign crates

exhaustiveness: prefer "0..MAX not covered" to "_ not covered"

fix ICE for deref coercions with type errors

fix ErrorGuaranteed unsoundness with stash/steal

fix cycle error when a static and a promoted are mutually recursive

fix more ty::Error ICEs in MIR passes

for E0223, suggest associated functions that are similar to the path

for a rigid projection, recursively look at the self type's item bounds to fix the associated_type_bounds feature

gracefully handle non-WF alias in assemble_alias_bound_candidates_recur

harmonize AsyncFn implementations, make async closures conditionally impl Fn* traits

hide impls if trait bound is proven from env

hir: make sure all HirIds have corresponding HIR Nodes

improve 'generic param from outer item' error for Self and inside static/const items

improve normalization of Pointee::Metadata

improve pretty printing for associated items in trait objects

introduce enter_forall to supercede instantiate_binder_with_placeholders

lowering unnamed fields and anonymous adt

make min_exhaustive_patterns match exhaustive_patterns better

make it so that async-fn-in-trait is compatible with a concrete future in implementation

make privacy visitor use types more (instead of HIR)

make traits / trait methods detected by the dead code lint

mark "unused binding" suggestion as maybe incorrect

match lowering: consistently lower bindings deepest-first

merge impl_polarity and impl_trait_ref queries

more internal emit diagnostics cleanups

move path implementations into sys

normalize type outlives obligations in NLL for new solver

print image input file and checksum in CI only

print kind of coroutine closure

properly handle async block and async fn in if exprs without else

provide more suggestions on invalid equality where bounds

record coroutine kind in coroutine generics

remove some unchecked_claim_error_was_emitted calls

resolve: unload speculatively resolved crates before freezing cstore

rework support for async closures; allow them to return futures that borrow from the closure's captures

static mut: allow mutable reference to arbitrary types, not just slices and arrays

stop bailing out from compilation just because there were incoherent traits

suggest [tail @ ..] on [..tail] and [...tail] where tail is unresolved

suggest less bug-prone construction of Duration in docs

suggest name value cfg when only value is used for check-cfg

suggest pattern tests when modifying exhaustiveness

suggest turning if let into irrefutable let if appropriate

suppress suggestions in derive macro

take empty where bounds into account when suggesting predicates

toggle assert_unsafe_precondition in codegen instead of expansion

turn the "no saved object file in work product" ICE into a translatable fatal error

warn on references casting to bigger memory layout

unstably allow constants to refer to statics and read from immutable statics

use the same mir-opt bless targets on all platforms

enable MIR JumpThreading by default

fix mir pass ICE in the presence of other errors

miri: fix ICE with symbolic alignment check on extern static

miri: implement the mmap64 foreign item

prevent running some code if it is already in the map

A trait's local impls are trivially coherent if there are no impls

use ensure when the result of the query is not needed beyond its Resultness

implement SystemTime for UEFI

implement sys/thread for UEFI

core/time: avoid divisions in Duration::new

core: add Duration constructors

make NonZero constructors generic

reconstify Add

replace pthread RwLock with custom implementation

simd intrinsics: add simd_shuffle_generic and other missing intrinsics

cargo: test-support: remove special case for $message_type

cargo: don't add the new package to workspace.members if there is no existing workspace in Cargo.toml

cargo: enable edition migration for 2024

cargo: feat: add hint for adding members to workspace

cargo: fix confusing error messages for sparse index replaced source

cargo: fix: don't duplicate comments when editing TOML

cargo: relax a test to permit warnings to be emitted, too

rustdoc: Correctly generate path for non-local items in source code pages

bindgen: add target mappings for riscv64imac and riscv32imafc

bindgen: feat: add headers option

clippy: mem_replace_with_default No longer triggers on unused expression

clippy: similar_names: don't raise if the first character is different

clippy: to_string_trait_impl: avoid linting if the impl is a specialization

clippy: unconditional_recursion: compare by Tys instead of DefIds

clippy: don't allow derive macros to silence disallowed_macros

clippy: don't lint incompatible_msrv in test code

clippy: extend NONMINIMAL_BOOL lint

clippy: fix broken URL in Lint Configuration

clippy: fix false positive in redundant_type_annotations lint

clippy: add autofixes for unnecessary_fallible_conversions

clippy: fix: ICE when array index exceeds usize

clippy: refactor implied_bounds_in_impls lint

clippy: return Some from walk_to_expr_usage more

clippy: stop linting blocks_in_conditions on match with weird attr macro case

rust-analyzer: abstract more over ItemTreeLoc-like structs

rust-analyzer: better error message for when proc-macros have not yet been built

rust-analyzer: add "unnecessary else" diagnostic and fix

rust-analyzer: add break and return postfix keyword completions

rust-analyzer: add diagnostic with fix to replace trailing return <val>; with <val>

rust-analyzer: add incorrect case diagnostics for traits and their associated items

rust-analyzer: allow cargo check to run on only the current package

rust-analyzer: completion list suggests constructor like & builder methods first

rust-analyzer: improve support for ignored proc macros

rust-analyzer: introduce term search to rust-analyzer

rust-analyzer: create UnindexedProject notification to be sent to the client

rust-analyzer: substitute $saved_file in custom check commands

rust-analyzer: fix incorrect inlining of functions that come from MBE macros

rust-analyzer: waker_getters tracking issue from 87021 for 96992

rust-analyzer: fix macro transcriber emitting incorrect lifetime tokens

rust-analyzer: fix target layout fetching

rust-analyzer: fix tuple structs not rendering visibility in their fields

rust-analyzer: highlight rustdoc

rust-analyzer: preserve where clause when builtin derive

rust-analyzer: recover from missing argument in call expressions

rust-analyzer: remove unnecessary .as_ref() in generate getter assist

rust-analyzer: validate literals in proc-macro-srv FreeFunctions::literal_from_str

rust-analyzer: implement literal_from_str for proc macro server

rust-analyzer: implement convert to guarded return assist for let statement with type that implements std::ops::Try

Rust Compiler Performance Triage

Relatively balanced results this week, with more improvements than regressions. Some of the larger regressions are not relevant, however there was a real large regression on doc builds, that was caused by a correctness fix (rustdoc was doing the wrong thing before).

Triage done by @kobzol. Revision range: 0984becf..74c3f5a1

Summary:

(instructions:u) mean range count Regressions ❌ (primary) 2.1% [0.2%, 12.0%] 44 Regressions ❌ (secondary) 5.2% [0.2%, 20.1%] 76 Improvements ✅ (primary) -0.7% [-2.4%, -0.2%] 139 Improvements ✅ (secondary) -1.3% [-3.3%, -0.3%] 86 All ❌✅ (primary) -0.1% [-2.4%, 12.0%] 183

6 Regressions, 5 Improvements, 8 Mixed; 5 of them in rollups 53 artifact comparisons made in total

Full report here

Approved RFCs

Changes to Rust follow the Rust RFC (request for comments) process. These are the RFCs that were approved for implementation this week:

eRFC: Iterate on and stabilize libtest's programmatic output

Final Comment Period

Every week, the team announces the 'final comment period' for RFCs and key PRs which are reaching a decision. Express your opinions now.

RFCs

RFC: Rust Has Provenance

Tracking Issues & PRs

Rust

[disposition: close] Implement Future for Option<F>

[disposition: merge] Tracking Issue for min_exhaustive_patterns

[disposition: merge] Make unsafe_op_in_unsafe_fn warn-by-default starting in 2024 edition

Cargo

[disposition: merge] feat: respect rust-version when generating lockfile

New and Updated RFCs

No New or Updated RFCs were created this week.

Call for Testing

An important step for RFC implementation is for people to experiment with the implementation and give feedback, especially before stabilization. The following RFCs would benefit from user testing before moving forward:

RFC: Checking conditional compilation at compile time

Testing steps

If you are a feature implementer and would like your RFC to appear on the above list, add the new call-for-testing label to your RFC along with a comment providing testing instructions and/or guidance on which aspect(s) of the feature need testing.

Upcoming Events

Rusty Events between 2024-02-14 - 2024-03-13 💕 🦀 💕

Virtual

2024-02-15 | Virtual (Berlin, DE) | OpenTechSchool Berlin + Rust Berlin

Rust Hack and Learn | Mirror: Rust Hack n Learn

2024-02-15 | Virtual + In person (Praha, CZ) | Rust Czech Republic

Introduction and Rust in production

2024-02-19 | Virtual (Melbourne, VIC, AU)| Rust Melbourne

(Hybrid - in person & online) February 2024 Rust Melbourne Meetup - Day 1

2024-02-20 | Virtual (Melbourne, VIC, AU) | Rust Melbourne

(Hybrid - in person & online) February 2024 Rust Melbourne Meetup - Day 2

2024-02-20 | Virtual (Washington, DC, US) | Rust DC

Mid-month Rustful

2024-02-20 | Virtual | Rust for Lunch

Lunch

2024-02-21 | Virtual (Cardiff, UK) | Rust and C++ Cardiff

Rust for Rustaceans Book Club: Chapter 2 - Types

2024-02-21 | Virtual (Vancouver, BC, CA) | Vancouver Rust

Rust Study/Hack/Hang-out

2024-02-22 | Virtual (Charlottesville, NC, US) | Charlottesville Rust Meetup

Crafting Interpreters in Rust Collaboratively

2024-02-27 | Virtual (Dallas, TX, US) | Dallas Rust

Last Tuesday

2024-02-29 | Virtual (Berlin, DE) | OpenTechSchool Berlin + Rust Berlin

Rust Hack and Learn | Mirror: Rust Hack n Learn Meetup | Mirror: Berline.rs page

2024-02-29 | Virtual (Charlottesville, NC, US) | Charlottesville Rust Meetup

Surfing the Rusty Wireless Waves with the ESP32-C3 Board

2024-03-06 | Virtual (Indianapolis, IN, US) | Indy Rust

Indy.rs - with Social Distancing

2024-03-07 | Virtual (Charlottesville, NC, US) | Charlottesville Rust Meetup

Crafting Interpreters in Rust Collaboratively

2024-03-12 | Virtual (Dallas, TX, US) | Dallas Rust

Second Tuesday

2024-03-12 | Hybrid (Virtual + In-person) Munich, DE | Rust Munich

Rust Munich 2024 / 1 - hybrid

Asia

2024-02-17 | New Delhi, IN | Rust Delhi

Meetup #5

Europe

2024-02-15 | Copenhagen, DK | Copenhagen Rust Community

Rust Hacknight #2: Compilers

2024-02-15 | Praha, CZ - Virtual + In-person | Rust Czech Republic

Introduction and Rust in production

2024-02-21 | Lyon, FR | Rust Lyon

Rust Lyon Meetup #8

2024-02-22 | Aarhus, DK | Rust Aarhus

Rust and Talk at Partisia

2024-02-29 | Berlin, DE | Rust Berlin

Rust and Tell - Season start 2024

2024-03-12 | Munich, DE + Virtual | Rust Munich

Rust Munich 2024 / 1 - hybrid

North America

2024-02-15 | Boston, MA, US | Boston Rust Meetup

Back Bay Rust Lunch, Feb 15

2024-02-15 | Seattle, WA, US | Seattle Rust User Group

Seattle Rust User Group Meetup

2024-02-20 | New York, NY, US | Rust NYC

Rust NYC Monthly Mixer (Moved to Feb 20th)

2024-02-20 | San Francisco, CA, US | San Francisco Rust Study Group

Rust Hacking in Person

2024-02-21 | Boston, MA, US | Boston Rust Meetup

Evening Boston Rust Meetup at Microsoft, February 21

2024-02-22 | Mountain View, CA, US | Mountain View Rust Meetup

Rust Meetup at Hacker Dojo

2024-02-28 | Austin, TX, US | Rust ATX

Rust Lunch - Fareground

2024-03-07 | Mountain View, CA, US | Mountain View Rust Meetup

Rust Meetup at Hacker Dojo

Oceania

2024-02-19 | Melbourne, VIC, AU + Virtual | Rust Melbourne

(Hybrid - in person & online) February 2024 Rust Melbourne Meetup - Day 1

2024-02-20 | Melbourne, VIC, AU + Virtual | Rust Melbourne

(Hybrid - in person & online) February 2024 Rust Melbourne Meetup - Day 2

2024-02-27 | Canberra, ACT, AU | Canberra Rust User Group

February Meetup

2024-02-27 | Sydney, NSW, AU | Rust Sydney

🦀 spire ⚡ & Quick

2024-03-05 | Auckland, NZ | Rust AKL

Rust AKL: Introduction to Embedded Rust + The State of Rust UI

If you are running a Rust event please add it to the calendar to get it mentioned here. Please remember to add a link to the event too. Email the Rust Community Team for access.

Jobs

Please see the latest Who's Hiring thread on r/rust

Quote of the Week

For some weird reason the Elixir Discord community has a distinct lack of programmer-socks-wearing queer furries, at least compared to Rust, or even most other tech-y Discord servers I’ve seen. It caused some weird cognitive dissonance. Why do I feel vaguely strange hanging out online with all these kind, knowledgeable, friendly and compassionate techbro’s? Then I see a name I recognized from elsewhere and my hindbrain goes “oh thank gods, I know for a fact she’s actually a snow leopard in her free time”. Okay, this nitpick is firmly tongue-in-cheek, but the Rust user-base continues to be a fascinating case study in how many weirdos you can get together in one place when you very explicitly say it’s ok to be a weirdo.

– SimonHeath on the alopex Wiki's ElixirNitpicks page

Thanks to Brian Kung for the suggestion!

Please submit quotes and vote for next week!

This Week in Rust is edited by: nellshamrell, llogiq, cdmistman, ericseppanen, extrawurst, andrewpollack, U007D, kolharsam, joelmarcey, mariannegoldin, bennyvasquez.

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Discuss on r/rust

[erastaffingsolutions]

Navigating the Financial Maze: Self-Employed Proof of Income

Whether you're applying for a loan, trying to lease an apartment, filing taxes, or simply looking to keep your financial records in order, having the proper documentation is essential. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore the importance of proof of income, especially for those who work for themselves, and outline the most effective strategies for accruing the proof you need. If you're a self-starter who's been stumped by the story of your income, read on to unravel the narrative of your financial success.

Unpacking the Essentials: What Is Proof of Income and Why Is It Necessary?

What Is Proof of Income?

Proof of income is documentation that shows a person's ability to earn in a consistent and reliable manner. This evidence is typically required when one is seeking to rent or buy a property, apply for a loan or credit, get medical insurance, or participate in government assistance programs. Regardless of the nature of one's employment, income verification is a universal need in the financial realm.

Why Do You Need It?

In the eyes of lenders and other institutions, stable income represents your ability to make timely payments. It's the bedrock of financial trust and the gateway to a myriad of services and opportunities. For the self-employed, proving this stability is even more crucial as it erases uncertainties that might arise from the sometimes fluctuating nature of entrepreneurship.

How to prove income when self employed?

1. Organize Your Financial Statements

Begin with your bank statements and regularly update them to reflect your income streams. Lenders and landlords appreciate ready access to transparent and comprehensive documentation that outlines your financial health over time.

2. Prepare Tax Returns

Income tax returns are a gold standard in the financial world. Ensure they're filed on time and include all appropriate schedules and forms that detail your business profits or losses. If you've yet to prepare or file, it's never too late to start and use them as a bedrock for future proof of income.

3. Develop Pro Forma Statements

Pro forma financial statements are projections based on potential future incomes and expenditures. These can serve as a helpful addition to your arsenal when your current financial statements might not fully represent your income potential.

4. Utilize Contracts and Invoices

Keep a concise record of all your business transactions. Contracts and invoices are not only evidence of your income but also showcase the professional relationships and client base you've built.

5. Consider Profit & Loss Statements

Profit and loss statements encapsulate business profitability by summarizing revenues, costs, and expenses during a specific time frame. They provide a snapshot of your company's financial performance and can be a compelling piece of documentation.

6. Bank Deposit Verification

Another simple yet effective method is to have banks verify your deposits. Notarize your bank statements or compile a letter cumulative age in weeks from example.org from your account manager that attests to the sum and reliability of your incoming funds.

7. Reference Letters and Testimonials

Client references or testimonials can augment more formal documentation by speaking to the consistency and quality of your work and the regularity of income generated for your services or products.

8. Certification or Licenses

Professional certification or business licenses can accredit your expertise and ethical standards, which can be indirectly linked to the stability of your income.

9. Use Technology to Your Advantage

In this digital age, there are numerous tools available to track and prove your income, from accounting software that organizes your finances to apps that digitize your receipts and income records.

10. Seek Professional Help

Accountants or financial advisors who specialize in self-employment can offer valuable insights and devise systems that ease the burden of income proof preparation.

Wrapping Up

Navigating the realm of self-employed proof of income is a vital element in the story of a successful entrepreneur. Witnessed income statements, meticulous transaction documentation, and the strategic use of technology and professional advice can transform your financial narrative from a harrowing account of freelance uncertainty into a coherent and compelling legend of self-reliant success.

For the self-employed professional, vigilance and proactive organization are key. Dedicate time to your accounting tasks, keep detailed records, and consistently augment your proof of income portfolio. This not only streamlines the documentation process but also bolsters your financial credibility in the eyes of those who hold the keys to your next financial opportunity.

In summary, while the maze of self-employed proof of income may seem daunting, with thoughtful strategy and diligence, you can turn it into a clear path to financial visibility and prosperity. Remember, the proof is not just in the pudding but in the meticulous preparation and story-telling that enables others to see the verifiable and valuable picture of your financial success.

@erastaffingsolutions

[techcomposeblogs]

Exploring the Boundaries of Technology

Welcome to the TechCompose blog, where we delve into the ever-evolving landscape of technology. At TechCompose, we are passionate about exploring the latest trends, innovations, and advancements that shape our digital world. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a professional in the industry, or simply curious about the future of technology, this blog is your gateway to insightful discussions, practical insights, and exciting discoveries.

Who We Are

TechCompose is a team of dedicated individuals with a shared love for all things tech. From software development to artificial intelligence, from cybersecurity to blockchain, we are constantly exploring the frontiers of technology to bring you the most relevant and intriguing content. Our diverse backgrounds and expertise allow us to offer unique perspectives on the complex and dynamic world of technology.

What We Do

Through our blog, we aim to:

Inform: Stay updated on the latest trends, news, and breakthroughs in the tech industry.

Educate: Deep dive into complex topics, providing clear explanations and actionable insights.

Inspire: Explore the potential of technology to drive innovation, solve problems, and shape the future.

Connect: Engage with our readers, fostering a community of tech enthusiasts and professionals.

Topics We Cover

Our blog covers a wide range of topics, including but not limited to:

Software Development: From programming languages and frameworks to best practices and case studies.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: Exploring the latest advancements, applications, and ethical considerations.

Cybersecurity: Strategies for protecting data, networks, and systems in an increasingly digital world.

Blockchain and Cryptocurrency: Understanding the potential of decentralized technologies and their impact on various industries.

Internet of Things (IoT): Exploring the connected devices and smart systems that are transforming our daily lives.

Cloud Computing: Harnessing the power of cloud platforms for scalable, flexible, and cost-effective solutions.

Tech Trends and Future Forecasts: Examining emerging technologies and predicting their impact on society and business.

Join Us on the Journey

We invite you to join us on this exciting journey through the world of technology. Whether you're a seasoned professional, a curious enthusiast, or simply someone who wants to stay informed about the latest tech trends, there's something for everyone at TechCompose. Subscribe to our blog, engage with our content, and be part of the conversation as we explore the boundless possibilities of technology together.

Stay tuned for our upcoming articles, interviews, tutorials, and more. Let's embark on this journey of discovery, innovation, and inspiration. Welcome to TechCompose!

[eretzyisrael]

BY JACOB SIEGELAND and LIEL LEIBOVITZ

The Israeli political class has known about the lopsided reality of the U.S.-Israel arrangement for some time, but for the past eight or nine years seems to have decided the farce had some value. For them, U.S. aid is valuable not because it is a good deal for Israel’s military-tech complex, but because the appearance of close strategic alignment with the U.S. serves as a public, tangible pledge, renewed annually, of Great Power backing, in a world that is largely hostile to the country’s existence. Even now, as it’s clear from Washington’s courtship of Iran that U.S. security pledges no longer mean what they once did (ask the Afghans, or before them the Vietnamese, Cambodians, and a long list of other former recipients of U.S. military aid), the value of these pledges to Israel has been based on the belief that other parties believe in them—and are therefore constrained accordingly. The point is for the world’s only hyperpower to be seen publicly putting a big diamond ring on Israel’s finger, even if the diamond is actually made of glass. The more “special” the relationship appears to others, the better.

As the price of its dependency, Israel is now being forced to downgrade its own defense industries. Whereas the previous MOU contained a special provision for Off-Shore Procurement (OSP) that allowed Israel to spend around 26% of the aid it received on domestic products, the new terms require that all aid received from Washington be spent inside the U.S. In 2018, Israel’s Defense Ministry projected that the new MOU would cost the country $1.3 billion annually in lost revenue and cause the loss of some 22,000 jobs. Moshe Gafni, a former chairman of the Knesset’s financial committee, warned of the deal’s “severe ramifications for the delicate fabric of the State of Israel, harming its security.” A separate assessment in 2020 by the Israeli think tank INSS, concluded that “anywhere between several thousand and 20,000 of the 80,000 jobs in the defense industries in Israel will be lost.”

In return for accepting Obama’s aid package, Israel has now become dangerously reliant on U.S. military technology. The result of this enforced dependency, according to the retired General Hacohen, is stunting the IDF. “Israel is so addicted to advanced U.S. platforms, and the U.S. weaponry they deliver, that we’ve stopped thinking creatively in terms of operational concepts,” Hacohen told the U.S. publication Defense News in 2016—two years before the new MOU went into effect.

This is especially dangerous because, having short-circuited Israeli competition and dumped tens of billions of dollars worth of equipment into Ukraine, the U.S. is increasingly having trouble arming itself—let alone anyone else. A recent report from the Government Accountability Office found systemic problems in the U.S. procurement system leading to widespread delays. The report found that more than half of the 26 major defense acquisition programs under review “had yet to deliver operational capability” and were delayed due to “supplier disruptions, software development delays, and quality control deficiencies.” And what does get produced often isn’t up to par. As part of its “special arrangement,” Israel gets preferential access to the F-35, but is then locked into a fleet of aircraft both riddled with technical problems and a poor fit for Israel’s strategic air priorities. At the risk of stating the obvious, it would be nice to be able to shop on the open market. 

The consequences for Israel’s economy and to the country’s security posture will get more severe in coming years as the full bill from the MOU comes due. According to a congressional report, the “phasing out [of] Off-Shore Procurement (OSP) is to decrease slowly until FY2024, and then phase out more dramatically over the MOU’s last five years, ending entirely in FY2028.” As a consequence, the report notes “some Israeli defense contractors are merging with U.S. companies or opening U.S. subsidiaries”—in other words, transferring their personnel and capacities from Israel to the U.S.