#source code management

[redactedconcepts]

Source code management

What is source code management?

It allows a developer to organize code iterations chronologically, and version it for an application. The most powerful features of source code management systems are in how they allow teams of very diverse sizes to work together on the same application simultaneously.

Some terms that are common to all of them:

A project will be called repository, it’s representing the index/the filesystem root of your project.

Developers might create branches of the codebase, that they will iterate on separately to other developers. For instance, a branch can be meant to be used for a given feature, or a given bug fix. One can create however many branches they need.

Once a branch is ready for it (it’s been tested, peer-reviewed, etc.), it can be merged back to the main branch. The main branch may be called differently: in Git it’s called master , in SVN it’s called trunk.

While coding on their branch, developers are meant to work in small, atomic iterations, called commits. All commits have a commit message describing in one sentence what’s in there.

All commits together are called the history , and it’s a big deal to write meaningful commits and commit messages in order to keep the project’s history clean at a glance, to understand what has been going on and who did what.

Some people might be modifying the same pieces on the codebase on different branches, and this could create conflicts when one merges those branches together. Some of those conflicts can obviously only be fixed by a human, and each system has a different way to manage merge conflicts.

Which systems exist?

I’ll put each specific wording between quotes. The same words may be used for differing notions across the various products.

SourceSafe was an early source code management system from Microsoft, which didn’t handle branches, merges, or conflicts. You could “check out” a file, which meant no one else was allowed to “check it out” and modify it at the same time. When you were done with it, you could “check in” the file, making it editable again to the others. Not very suitable for large teams that may work on the same file, and longer iterations in a given file. SourceSafe is discontinued today.

CVS was among the first open-source source code management systems in the industry, and used to be wildly popular, but is barely seen anymore. It didn’t handle branches, but two people could modify the same file at the same time. People would “update” their whole directory to get everybody else’s work before starting, and “commit” their code to the server when they’re done. When they would “commit” a file that had been “committed” by someone else since last time they “updated”, the system was not able to merge, so it would consider it a conflict every time, that you would have to manually fix (even if the changes were not on the same lines, for instance).

SVN was built upon CVS to handle branches, so a lot of terminology is the same. At some point, it was the most used system, and it is still seen in the industry, even though people are walking away from it. When you’d create a branch, it would actually copy-paste the whole codebase into another directory in the code repository; then, you’d try to merge, and it would massively compare each file one by one. Merging algorithms were smarter than the CVS ones, but you still had conflicts on most merges, even those that shouldn’t necessarily require a human. When you’d create a “tag” (which is a set version of your code, like “1.2.0”), then the whole codebase would simply be massively copy-pasted into another directory too, but without the intention to merge it back later.

Git doesn’t copy-paste the whole codebase when branching and tagging, but stores each commit as a code iteration, in an organized structure that resembles a tree. This allows it to have a much smarter merging algorithm, and it almost never bothers you with conflicts, except for those that really need a human decision. As a result, the cost of branching/merging is very low, and people typically branch/merge a lot, therefore one should never directly work on the “master” branch, if they’re not the only developer on the project. Also: unlike its predecessors, Git allows to work and commit without needing to talk with a server, which allows to work on planes, for instance; and it also can work as a decentralized (peer-to-peer) system, although it’s very rarely done that way.

Mercurial is very similar to Git in its concepts (although the syntax of its command-line tool is often different). It is more rarely seen in the industry than Git, but is still very relevant. It is the one used by Facebook, for instance, for its main application.

The lowdown on Git

A particularity about Git, is that it’s designed to be useable without a central repository (you can pull code from your friend’s computer, and push you work back there, for instance), but not many people use it that way. There is usually a central Git server that the whole team pushes code to and pulls code from; however, that explains why it is often referred as a “decentralized” system.

So that you can work without a server, the commit operation is local, no one other than your computer knows you committed something. You can make several commits however you want, but when you want the server to know about it, you must push them there. You want to be pulling from the repository often if other people may be working on the same branch as you, because each pull performs a merge operation between the code you didn’t have, and the code you recently committed locally. Therefore, in order to let you push , Git will sometimes demand that you pull first, so that the merge can be done on your computer, and you take care of potential conflicts.

Sometimes, you may have modified 3 files, but there are only two that you wish to include in the commit you’re about the make. Therefore, Git has a notion of “ index”, in which you add your modified files so that they’re included in the next commit you register.

How to configure the remote servers your local repository is talking to? They’re called remotes , and you can configure however many you need. The main one is typically named origin (that’s the name that is setup by default when you clone a project from a remote location in the first place). You can also configure however many branches you need, and name them as you please, and the default one is usually called master.

Some UI tools for Git exist, but Git is able to do so many things, that they don’t represent the magnitude of cases for which you need Git. You really want to learn to use it with the command line. Here are some commands:

$ git clone url_of_your_remote_repository # Clone a repository from a remote repository $ git add file1 file2 # will add those two files to the index if they were modified $ git commit -m "Meaningful commit message" # will commit those two files (locally) $ git add . # will add all of the modified files to the index at once $ git commit -m "Other meaningful commit message" # will commit all of those files together $ git push origin master # send all commit to the remote server

Now, let’d do this again, but by on a branch:

$ git branch my_feature # Creating the branch $ git checkout my_feature # Changing the codebase so that we're on that branch now $ git checkout -b my_feature # This does the two previous operations in one ;) $ git add file1 file2 $ git commit -m "Meaningful commit message" # We didn't just commit this on the master branch like last time, but on the my_feature one $ git add . $ git commit -m "Other meaningful commit message" $ git push origin my_feature # Notice, we're not pushing master anymore, you just create a new remote branch

Next time you want to work on that branch, you should probably do this first:

$ git checkout my_feature # Just making sure you're currently on the right branch! $ git pull origin my_feature # Pulling what your coworkers have done so far.

And when you’re done with the whole feature and want to merge it to master:

$ git checkout master $ git merge my_feature

One other pretty neat thing: if you have a non-Git directory in your computer, and you want to turn it into a Git repository, it’s that easy:

$ git init # You're done! $ git remote add origin url_of_your_git_server # So that you can push your code somewhere.

When you’re in a Git repository, and want to know which files are modified but not in the index, and those that are modified and are in the index, you can run:

$ git status

Git provides many more abilities, such as rewriting pieces of the history of the project if you feel the commits were not meaningful enough, displaying the history in visually meaningful ways, …

For instance, you should run this right now, and see how a complex history can be viewed really nicely:

$ git clone [https://github.com/loverajoel/jstips.git](https://github.com/loverajoel/jstips.git) # You will need a GitHub account for this to work $ cd jstips # changing your directory into the one you just downloaded $ git log --graph --pretty=tformat:'%Cred%h%Creset -%C(yellow)%d%Creset %s %Cgreen(%an %cr)%Creset' --abbrev-commit --date=relative

Cool, right?

What is the difference between Git and GitHub?

Git is everything we’ve covered so far: a source code management tool, that comes with a command-line tool for its users.

GitHub is one of many services that provide at the same time:

a Git repository server to push your code to

a web UI to that view your repositories, with their files and commits

a number of extra features (managing your team and accesses, …) Two GitHub features you have to get familiarized with are:

Forks : you can fork any repository on GitHub, and it will duplicate the repository’s codebase into repository that you own. For instance, if you fork twbs/bootstrap, and your GitHub username is “my_username”, then it will create the my_username/bootstrap repository, and it will remember where it was forked from. Usually, you aren’t allowed to push on other people’s repositories, so that will give you a repository that you can push to, since you own it.

Pull requests: once you’ve pushed your code to your repository (or sometimes to a branch of the main repository, if you’re allowed), then you can create a pull request towards the main repository’s master branch. Somebody in charge of the main repository will review your pull request (potentially asking you to change a couple of things), and merge it if it’s suitable to be in the main product.

GitHub has many competitors, two of the main ones being GitLab and BitBucket (which provide very similar services). We chose to make you use GitHub because that’s where most of the industry is (that way, you’ll be able to interact with them on their open-source projects), and it’s also where tech recruiters typically go check out to see what you’ve been up to.

Some interesting links about Git

https://try.github.io: an interactive tutorial for beginners.

https://help.github.com/articles/good-resources-for-learning-git-and-github/: a list of resources about Git, curated by GitHub.

http://nvie.com/posts/a-successful-git-branching-model/: once you master the technical tool, you have many ways to organize your branches according to your project. This very notorious article from 2010 introduces git-flow , a detailed proposal for organizing collective work with Git that is still the most common today. You should talk about that each time you start a collaborative project using Git.

http://semver.org: now that you can give version numbers to your code iterations, how should you number them? Semantic versioning is the most used versioning scheme.

Git from the inside out

Learn git branching

[devopsenabler1-blog]

Driving Innovation: A Case Study on DevOps Implementation in BFSI Domain

Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI), technology plays a pivotal role in driving innovation, efficiency, and customer satisfaction. However, for one BFSI company, the journey toward digital excellence was fraught with challenges in its software development and maintenance processes. With a diverse portfolio of applications and a significant portion outsourced to external vendors, the company grappled with inefficiencies that threatened its operational agility and competitiveness. Identified within this portfolio were 15 core applications deemed critical to the company’s operations, highlighting the urgency for transformative action.

Aspirations for the Future:

Looking ahead, the company envisioned a future state characterized by the establishment of a matured DevSecOps environment. This encompassed several key objectives:

Near-zero Touch Pipeline: Automating product development processes for infrastructure provisioning, application builds, deployments, and configuration changes.

Matured Source-code Management: Implementing robust source-code management processes, complete with review gates, to uphold quality standards.

Defined and Repeatable Release Process: Instituting a standardized release process fortified with quality and security gates to minimize deployment failures and bug leakage.

Modernization: Embracing the latest technological advancements to drive innovation and efficiency.

Common Processes Among Vendors: Establishing standardized processes to enhance understanding and control over the software development lifecycle (SDLC) across different vendors.

Challenges Along the Way:

The path to realizing this vision was beset with challenges, including:

Lack of Source Code Management

Absence of Documentation

Lack of Common Processes

Missing CI/CD and Automated Testing

No Branching and Merging Strategy

Inconsistent Sprint Execution

These challenges collectively hindered the company’s ability to achieve optimal software development, maintenance, and deployment processes. They underscored the critical need for foundational practices such as source code management, documentation, and standardized processes to be addressed comprehensively.

Proposed Solutions:

To overcome these obstacles and pave the way for transformation, the company proposed a phased implementation approach:

Stage 1: Implement Basic DevOps: Commencing with the implementation of fundamental DevOps practices, including source code management and CI/CD processes, for a select group of applications.

Stage 2: Modernization: Progressing towards a more advanced stage involving microservices architecture, test automation, security enhancements, and comprehensive monitoring.

To Expand Your Awareness: https://devopsenabler.com/contact-us

Injecting Security into the SDLC:

Recognizing the paramount importance of security, dedicated measures were introduced to fortify the software development lifecycle. These encompassed:

Security by Design

Secure Coding Practices

Static and Dynamic Application Security Testing (SAST/DAST)

Software Component Analysis

Security Operations

Realizing the Outcomes:

The proposed solution yielded promising outcomes aligned closely with the company’s future aspirations. Leveraging Microsoft Azure’s DevOps capabilities, the company witnessed:

Establishment of common processes and enhanced visibility across different vendors.

Implementation of Azure DevOps for organized version control, sprint planning, and streamlined workflows.

Automation of builds, deployments, and infrastructure provisioning through Azure Pipelines and Automation.

Improved code quality, security, and release management processes.

Transition to microservices architecture and comprehensive monitoring using Azure services.

The BFSI company embarked on a transformative journey towards establishing a matured DevSecOps environment. This journey, marked by challenges and triumphs, underscores the critical importance of innovation and adaptability in today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape. As the company continues to evolve and innovate, the adoption of DevSecOps principles will serve as a cornerstone in driving efficiency, security, and ultimately, the delivery of superior customer experiences in the dynamic realm of BFSI.

Contact Information:

Phone: 080-28473200 / +91 8880 38 18 58

Email: sales@devopsenabler.com

Address: DevOps Enabler & Co, 2nd Floor, F86 Building, ITI Limited, Doorvaninagar, Bangalore 560016.

[thethingything]

anyway I've definitely posted something like this before but at some point I think we started making a list of ways to communicate over long distances, with some being silly ones and other being a little more reasonable, so here's a selection:

shared google doc or spreadsheet depending on preference

some kind of online notes app like Trello

those websites like walloftext where you can just leave text on a blank page for your friend to look at

HAM radio

carrier pigeon

fax machine

minecraft realm/server where you leave signs or books with messages for your friends to see when they're online

any browser based game that has an instant messaging feature

email newsletters

leaving messages on each other's wikipedia user talk pages (although presumably these are supposed to be relevant to stuff on Wikipedia? idk)

feel free to add to the list

[unheavenlycreatures]

update: local lesbian forced to learn at least very basic coding. 7 dead 32 injured

[evangelistofmurder]

Watched the Rain Code trailers today and I died inside like 5 times because of 2 of the VAs and Twilight's voice. I DID SOBBED REALIZING THE VA OF MY FAVOURITE CHARACTER WAS THERE TOO

ASANO RAIN CODE ERA LETS GO!!!

[assorted-aesthetics]

are y'all ever listening to a youtube video and immediately just go "oh im in way too deep"

[akuma-homura]

NO I KNEW I WASN'T LOSING MY MIND!! I KNEW I REMEMBERED READING THAT THEY WANTED TO HAVE AS MUCH OF TUMBLR AS OPEN SOURCE AS POSSIBLE

tweet thats mentioning it, from november last year

if I could remember or find the article that mentioned the sites coding being what's made it take so long (not worded like that)....

[andypiper]

The Trunk Line

New personal blog post - some background on the Trunk & Tidbits blog series that I've been helping to deliver for the Mastodon team... #blaugust2024 #100DaysToOffload

One of my freelance roles at the moment is as Developer Relations lead on the Mastodon project. It is a project and platform I’m really passionate about – I use it every day, it is Open Source and based on an open standard, and I strongly feel that federated platforms like this are the key to enabling everyone to own their own content, networks, and experiences beyond the direct reach of…

[zombietreat]

Github, Wow! 😍

Seriously, you got me. I don't have many code-based projects outside of my own personal stuff so I don't use Github like a true developer. I do tinker and bop around in it.

I'm an avid fan of Gitbooks, but I happen to stumble upon the project management feature in Github and now I'm obsessed.

I want to just check out all of the github stuff and play with it today. However, it is Thursday which means I am "working" and I should be focusing on that.... Well, I'll try lol.

[randomfandomloveydovey]

I dress like as much of a freak as I can get away w without breaking the dress code at work so that the baby freaks who come thru feel comfortable

[kodicraft]

🔥 open source

The benefits of open source code are only as valuable as you can make of them and everyone who diminishes the value of FOSS just has a skill issue. The sheer power you have over any piece of software with open source code is unimaginable if you are actually a good enough developer that you're able to use it.

The conclusion of this is that FOSS doesn't matter to normies. Sure often times FOSS has better privacy or compatibility but for someone who isn't a developer open source software has no inherent benefit over closed source software. Open-source isn't a selling point to normal people.

[nightingale-prompts]

Health Code Violation- DC x DP prompt

"Hold on there. You're not permitted beyond this point." The floating teenage boy said as he tucked his clipboard under his arm.

After a battle with another world-ending villain Superman was killed in action and after a short debate the decision to revive him using the Lazarus Pit was made. However, the league members who were carrying his body to the pit didn't expect it to be blocked off with caution tape. A teenage boy with stark white hair and wearing a hard hat and orange construction vest.

"What are you doing out here kid? And what is with the tape?" Barry asked shifting Clark's heavy ass body from crushing him.

"I'm here to take a look at the leak." He said pointing a thumb in the direction of the green pit.

"The leak?" Diana echoed in confusion.

"Yeah, your planet has a leak. A few actually. Our realm hasn't been managed well and now that the old king is gone we need to fix some things. Right now the leaks need to be sealed." He said. "Also what's with the dead guy?"

"We were bringing him to the Lazarus Pit to revive him." Barry said blankly.

The teen shook his head in astonishment almost dropping his clipboard.

"You are what?! With the what?!"

"The Lazarus pit...?" Hal laughed nervously his face in a half-quirked smile.

"You call it a Lazarus Pit? Guys this is a pool of contaminated ectoplasm. Basically sewage. This thing is full of dead people juice. All those leftover emotions and obsessions are stewing in there. You toss that body in these pool and you'll make a revenant full of anger. It doesn't even have an ecosystem to cleanse it. It's like stagnant water." The teen said waving his pen around before pausing "Wait a minute....you people have been using it? No wonder it's so polluted! What is wrong with you?! Are you trying to contaminate your planet? Do you want zombies?"

It was kind of weird to be scolded by a kid, for everyone but Bruce. He thought of a more pragmatic approach. He didn't like the pit but he acknowledged it's usefulness.

"I understand. But we do want to save our friend and the only way is to use the pit."

"That's a big ask. The pit is one thing but bringing back the dead willy nilly? ...But I guess that's my domain now.. "

The teen mumbled to himself before sighing.

"Look, I want to help. I really do. But the pit is unstable and there are many more on this planet with the same issue. We can't risk an apocalypse and the chance they get into the wrong hands. This is for the safety of your planet." The teen said as mannerly as possible as he dismissed the heros.

"Come on, please. Our friend is dead. You don't want our friend to die." Barry said pleadingly.

"Very mature of you. A bit of shame might help you...alright fine but don't badger me again." The silver-haired being said taking out a small syringe and taking a sample of his own blood.

"It's diluted compared to the pure stuff but 10x stronger than the stuff in the pool. It's safer and once he's kicking again it'll drain out of his system." He tossed the needle to Barry and returned to taking samples of the pit. "This biohazard requires an ecologist. I'll have to import some blob feeders to clean up the toxins. Then either seal this up or link it to the network. But these dumb mortals are just going to keep dumping bodies into it."

The teen mumbled to himself as he tried to find a solution.

A week later all the Lazarus pits had disappeared. The Al Ghuls were scrambling as the source of their powers dried up.

Clark was alive and feeling better than ever. No pit rage at all.

Eventually the boy returned.

"I had a talk with the ancients and they agreed to let you have one ecto pool. Only one thought and it has to be managed by me. As long as you don't try abusing it by going into it while alive or not asking permission I'll allow you to use it. Also, be mindful of my cleaning wisps, they work very hard to keep the natural flow of the ecto cycle going." The teen said holding up a green little ghost blob and petting it.

[ventique18]

IDIA MADE AN AMV TO EXPLAIN HIS PLAN TO YUU AND FRIENDS IU'M FUCKING DYING

HE EVEN HAS A GOD DAMN NARRATION OMFG

"Ahh~ Only good things are happening lately~ As if we're in a dream~"

"Eh. It's actually just a dream tho."

"Hello everyone trapped in this empty world of dreams."

"This is Idia Shroud."

"So today, I will explain the strategy to beat:

"I BUILT A DREAM WORLD USING CHEAT-LEVEL MAGIC AS THE MOST EVIL LAST BOSS MAGE MALLEUS DRACONIA"

"The magical domain that Malleus created is similar to a server running a huge MMORPG."

"That means everyone's dreams are ran individually. Malleus and his clones are keeping an eye on the server."

"In other words, Malleus is the server admin."

"And his clones crack down on users who commit violations like in online games."

"Malleus is the game master who has the authority to manage the entire server."

"HE REALLY IS A DEMON LORD WHO RULES THE WORLD"

"Under his control, we have no chance of winning..."

"HOWEVER..!"

"With the super geek hacker group STYX using ORTHO ATTACK, the server source code has been analyzed."

"So using this, we're building cheating tools [WARNING: DO NOT DO THIS IN ACTUAL GAMES]"

"So using these cheating tools, the administrative rights to my dream can be transferred to me."

"Then I'll lure Malleus into my dream where I can get rid of that god damned invincibility!"

I CAN'T FUCKING TAKE THIS OH MY GOD

"-- Well, it sounds like a perfect strategy but... The truth is there's just a few things about this cheating tool..."

"WHAT IF THE SERVER ADMIN FINDS OUT ABOUT THIS DURING DEVELOPMENT?"

"THEN,"

"GAME OVER."

"BUT BUT BUT--"

"The thing is, even though he's using autonomous clones to monitor each dream, it still shouldn't be easy to control the dreams of 20000 PEOPLE in Sage island."

"If problems turn up everywhere, he'll have to deal with them all!"

"Sooooo..."

"While I'm developing the cheat tool, I want you all to distract Malleus!"

"I want you all to gather party members to defeat the Demon King!"

"Once everyone's awake, I'll send out invitations to my own dream."

"Then I'll lure Malleus into my dream... THEN TURN ON THE CHEAT TOOL! As planned, Malleus' invincibility will disappear,"

"Then everyone will accept the invitation and gather into my dream!"

"THEN EVERYONE BEATS HIM UP"

"Then Malleus will have to take down his magic AND EVERYONE WILL BE FREE!"

"If you liked this 3-minute video, don't forget to leave a like!"

I'M GONNA FUCKING CRY THIS IS INSANE OMFG KASDJLKLDASLMASD

[blythesarchives]

Подарок. | W.S

summary: You give the soldier a present for Christmas.

warnings: Fluff & Angst | Fem!reader | Winter Soldier!Bucky | Post!CA:TWS | PTSD mentions | Mention of medical treatments | Recovery | Brief talk of nightmares

a/n: Sort of unofficial part two to Sugar Plums since I had a few people asking for a part two. Same universe I guess, with some time between. Uhh probably rushed idk. To be edited later. ;; wc: 3.3k

Recovery.

Fickle, fragile, exhausting.

He gradually accepted being called Bucky, though the name stirred something uncomfortable within him each time it reached his ears. Steve, ever persistent and hopeful, would use various versions of the name - Bucky, Buck, or sometimes James - in his unwavering attempts to resurrect the friend he once knew, unable to accept that the Bucky from his memories had faded away like footprints in snow.

Winter had completely erased the old Bucky.

While these names would trigger a subtle internal struggle, he maintained an almost perfect mask of indifference, with only the slightest furrowing of his brow betraying any sign of his inner turmoil.

You, however, carefully navigated between calling him Bucky and Soldat, aware that using his old code name might reinforce programming you wished to help him break free from. Yet there was a slight relaxation in his shoulders when you used the familiar designation, the way it seemed to ease the constant tension he carried made it impossible to completely abandon - his comfort, however small, had become your priority.

Even if that comfort stemmed from a dehumanizing name.

It required negotiation and persistent discussions to convince Tony to finally allow the soldier access to the medbay wing for his necessary medical treatments. Despite the soldier's extended stay in the tower passing without any concerning incidents, Tony maintained a strong hesitation about providing medical assistance. His deeply-rooted skepticism and apparent distrust were sources of frustration for you, though you consciously chose to avoid escalating the situation into a full-blown argument, knowing it would only make matters more complicated.

You had already gotten into intense scuffles with Tony over the soldier’s stay, how he needed to be looked over, physically and internally. The dislocated arm Steve caused never healed, and he had been carrying his arm awkwardly close to his body. Other physical injuries on top of the apparent dehydration and malnourishment, he was constantly under a veil of sickness.

The situation was particularly delicate because Soldat struggled with being in the presence of the other tower residents. He was acutely aware of how everyone seemed to cautiously moderate their behavior around him, treating each interaction as if they were navigating through a minefield of potential triggers. Like they were walking along eggshells every time they were near him.

It felt like he was walking on glass.

You were his only source of comfort, though traces of caution still lingered in his demeanor. He knew you posed no threat to his wellbeing. You had been patient and gentle the entire time, regardless of his panic or prone sense to lash out if he got stressed enough.

Long nights stretched endlessly in the sterile medbay rooms, where you faithfully maintained your vigil in the uncomfortable chair positioned beside the standard-issue medical bed. The soldier’s bed remained empty, as he consistently chose to rest on the cold floor instead. Sleep was an elusive companion for him, a nightly battle he rarely won. More often than not, his rest was violently interrupted by his own terrified screams or desperate shouts, his body jerking upright with defensive movements, arms swinging at invisible threats.

You would spend countless minutes trying everything in your power to bring him back to reality and calm his frantic state. Sometimes, despite your best efforts and gentle words, the situation would escalate beyond your ability to manage, forcing the medical staff on standby to intervene with sedatives to prevent him from unintentionally causing harm during these episodes.

Luckily his recovery progressed slowly but surely, transitioning from those intensive IV treatments in the clinical environment of the medbay to the more comfortable setting of your personal quarters. His sleeping arrangements evolved as gradually as his treatment; first from the hard floor, then to the modest couch tucked against the far wall, and finally to your bed.

These days, he found his rest beside you each night, his body instinctively seeking comfort by curling close to yours, desperately trying to make up for all those decades of disturbed sleep and haunted dreams.

Over time, his attachment to you had grown increasingly intense, and he began experiencing waves of jealousy whenever your attention was directed elsewhere. You helped around the tower a lot, so you tended to be distracted with tasks or aiding in another’s need. The soldier didn’t like it, so he began leaving his mark on you. It started subtly at first, he would rub your clothes on himself, in his mind it was good enough that you smelled like him. He saw it in a documentary once, of animals, but he had been in such a dehumanized state for so long, it made sense to him. His body’s scent on you, others would back off. That would work.

But, no, it wasn’t enough.

One day, crossing an unspoken boundary between you, he started placing love bites along your skin, positioning these tender marks from your neck down to your shoulders, eventually becoming bold enough to venture lower, marking your chest with these plum bruises.

The possessive displays sent warmth coursing through your body, and you willingly accepted his territorial behavior. After all, you had become his sole source of comfort and security in this world, making it perfectly natural for him to want to claim you in some way - whether through his distinctive scent (you knew about him rubbing your clothes on his body) or these carefully placed marks. His need to establish this connection, to make his claim visible, he was terrified you’d be taken from him.

Progress was being made in your relationship.

While he was still cautious with physical contact, he had begun to allow gentle touches and brief moments of closeness, though always within carefully maintained boundaries. He was like a cat, deciding when he wanted physical attention and when he wanted it to stop. The challenge of memory recovery remained a significant hurdle in his healing process. You had to help him remember specific things, he often mixed Russian and English, or plainly forgot the simplest of words.

He couldn’t for the life of him remember what a pillow was.

When Steve would speak to him, sharing stories and memories of their past, Bucky would often find himself lost in confusion, unable to connect with the vivid recollections that Steve so enthusiastically shared. The determination in Steve's eyes was evident as he tried desperately to help his lost friend remember the bond they once shared, but for Bucky, these memories remained frustratingly out of reach.

Steve's enthusiasm was well-intentioned, but sometimes, it manifested as an overwhelming flood of information and expectations. You could sense Bucky's growing distress during these interactions, the way his shoulders would tense, how his eyes would dart anxiously around the room. The stark reality was that Bucky's memories of Steve were minimal at best, yet Steve continued to share detailed accounts of their past experiences with increasing intensity.

Your became a careful mediator, providing emotional support to Bucky while gently helping Steve understand that his passionate approach was more hindering rather than helping the delicate process of memory recovery.

Bucky would get frustrated with himself during his journey of recovery. His collection of journals became a sanctuary for his fragmented memories, filled with carefully preserved photographs (provided by Steve), detailed notes written in an unsteady hand, and hastily scrawled thoughts or recollections that would suddenly surface from the depths of his consciousness throughout all hours of the day and night. These journals became both a source of comfort and torment, evidence of his struggle to piece himself back together like a puzzle without a photo.

Even with help from you or Steve, he maintained strict control over his recovery process. He deliberately chose not to document anything that Steve mentioned or tried to convince him of, instead focusing solely on recording memories that emerged organically from within his own mind.

Having experienced decades of mental manipulation, he didn’t want anyone influencing his thoughts or memories ever again. He couldn't bring himself to simply accept Steve's version of events without questioning them, needing to verify everything through his own recollections.

You knew it hurt Steve to see Bucky this way, how he refused to listen or believe him, but you couldn’t blame the man. Either of them, really. It was delicate, it took a lot of patience on everyone’s part.

Bucky’s dedication to recovering his past manifested in sleepless marathons that would stretch on for days at a time. The soldier within him approached the task with military precision, attempting to reconstruct his shattered memories in a specific manner. Yet despite his efforts, the majority of his recollections remained disjointed and fractured, with memories of his time with HYDRA dominating his consciousness more than anything else.

While Bucky was trying to recall his elusive past, you dedicated yourself to helping him build new neural pathways and retain more recent experiences, hoping to make his daily life more manageable and give him a sense of independence. The simplest tasks had become foreign territory for him - the muscle memory and basic understanding of everyday activities having slipped away like water through cupped hands. Modern appliances like microwaves, coffee makers, or the oven had become objects that he approached with confusion.

His relationship with food had become particularly concerning. Unable to prepare proper meals, you would find him furtively consuming makeshift sandwiches, but only when he believed he could finish them before being discovered. His posture during meals was hunched, protectively positioning himself over his plate or bowl, shoveling food into his mouth at an alarming pace, his entire body tense as though preparing to defend his meal from unseen threats.

Food aggression, apparently, wasn't restrictive to just animals.

Among the numerous concerns, his recurring nightmares stood out as the most troubling and pressing issue. The frequency and intensity of these night terrors had become increasingly worrisome, regardless of how well he had progressed otherwise.

Night after night, his anguished screams would pierce the darkness, and these episodes gradually evolved into extended periods where sleep became completely impossible for him to achieve. Bucky would remain awake for days and nights at a stretch, fighting against his own exhaustion, scribbling nonsense into his journals until his body would finally surrender and he would collapse into a brief, troubled slumber.

This cycle would repeat, each time more severe than the last.

Your began looking into different methods that might help ease his troubled sleep so that Bucky could experience the simple luxury of peaceful rest. Your research led you through a wide array of options; from various herbal teas and natural sleep remedies to more conventional medical interventions. However, given his strong aversion to pharmaceutical solutions, you deliberately steered clear of medication-based approaches, knowing they would likely be met with resistance.

Over time, you discovered that a soothing routine of warm herbal tea and gentle companionship proved to be an effective remedy for his nightmares. The nightly ritual of sharing your sleeping space had become second nature, and you observed how this consistent presence brought him the comfort and stability his life lacked for seven decades. His sleep patterns were delicately intertwined with his emotional state, thus during periods of anxiety or perceived threat, his rest would become noticeably disturbed and fitful.

However, your unwavering presence served as a constant source of reassurance, creating a safe haven where he could finally find peaceful rest. Plus, it helped him regain new memories to write down and you could see how proud he was every time he recounted something from his past.

Christmas morning.

Every corner and crevice of the tower sparkled with festive décor, tinsel draped from every available surface, and twinkling lights illuminated the halls in a dazzling display. It was an extravagant winter wonderland that bordered on excessive, but that was exactly Tony's style - he approached every holiday with unbridled enthusiasm, and Christmas was undoubtedly his crowning achievement.

With his seemingly limitless resources at his disposal, there was nothing holding him back from creating the most elaborate celebrations possible.

Aka…he was rich so he could.

In contrast to Tony's lavish approach, you took a more modest approach when it came to gift-giving. The act of receiving presents always made you somewhat uncomfortable, as you found far more joy in being the one doing the giving. You selected meaningful presents for each team member, carefully considering their individual interests and preferences. You couldn't match Tony's extravagant spending (something he never failed to remind everyone of that morning), but you firmly believed that the genuine thought and personal consideration behind a gift carried far more significance than its monetary value (Tony disagrees).

Bucky perched uncomfortably at the far end of the plush couch, his posture tense and rigid while the other team members enthusiastically tore through their wrapped presents with childlike excitement. Your general annoyance with Tony's characteristic swagger and showmanship failed you this morning, a warmth spread through your chest at the genuine joy radiating from Pepper's face when she discovered the exquisite diamond ring he had carefully selected for her and presented after she freed it from the tight wrapping paper.

You stayed by Bucky all morning, carefully observing his reactions to the bustling holiday atmosphere. It was clear he was struggling to process the overwhelming sensory experience and you didn’t blame him. The twinkling lights and shimmering tinsel to the constant chatter and laughter of the group, on top of holiday music and the smells of breakfast and baked goods from the kitchen, were surely a lot to process. His discomfort grew and you recognized the telltale signs of sensory overload in his slightly widened eyes and shallow breathing. The social expectations was clearly taking its toll.

He had wanted to try, he wanted to sit down with you that morning, but he had been struggling.

Your gift pile was modest, exactly as you had requested. You insisted that presents weren't necessary, you found yourself the recipient of a generously stuffed Christmas stocking and an assortment of small, meaningful items carefully chosen by your teammates in a way that made it impossible for you to object to their kindness.

When Steve presented Bucky with a collection of carefully preserved mementos from their past, but the soldier's response wasn’t what he wanted. His eyes fixed on the items that should have sparked recognition, should have ignited memories of happier times, but instead were met with blank confusion and growing distress. You sensed the uncomfortable scene and noticed the mounting anxiety in Bucky's expression, you decided to intervene with a present you got for him.

"Here, I got this for you." You handed him a carefully wrapped bag with delicate tissue paper peeking out from the top, rustling softly with each movement. "Nothing all that special but...I figured it might be nice to have something like this." You replied gently, your voice carrying a hint of nervousness as you watched him, waiting with anticipation for him to open the gift.

Bucky held the bag tentatively, his eyes fixed on the festive baby blue packaging adorned with an intricate pattern of darker blue ornaments. The glitter-coated decorations caught the light as they spiraled across the surface of the bag. He had to blink a few times to refocus his eyes, his hand slowly reached up and grasped the white tissue paper that had been carefully arranged at the top, concealing the gift. He pulled it free, soft crinkling sounded as he removed it.

He reached into the depths of the bag, his fingers brushing against something soft before grasping it. As he drew it out, his hand revealed a charming stuffed elephant, its plush grey body soft to the touch. The toy was perfectly proportioned, with endearing fat limbs that dangled naturally from its tear-shaped body. Its oversized ears flopped gently and its trunk curved in a friendly manner that seemed to welcome embrace. The stuffed animal sat comfortably in his hands, sized just right for holding close and cuddling.

"Elephants are known for their memories, you know." You gave him a gentle, encouraging nudge, your voice soft and hopeful. "Who knows? Maybe having this elephant around will help spark some of those lost memories of yours. They say elephants never forget, after all."

Bucky turned to face you, his expression one of confusion and curiosity. His eyes held that familiar, guarded look the soldier usually carried - a careful blend of wariness and interest that never quite revealed his inner thoughts. He examined the stuffed toy with an almost childlike fascination, as if encountering one for the first time.

His flesh hand explored every detail of the plush elephant with careful attention, fingers trailing along the soft fabric. He wrapped them around the trunk, testing its flexibility, then moved to rub the floppy ears between his thumb and forefinger, then squeezing the body gently as if checking its softness.

"There's something else too." You smiled warmly, gesturing toward the bag with enthusiasm. "Go ahead, take another look." He complied, reaching in until his hand emerged clutching a brand new journal. Following the theme, the journal was decorated in a soothing light blue shade, its cover stamped with a delicately printed elephant in the center. "I noticed your other journals were getting pretty full, so I thought you might need a fresh start. This one's got plenty of space, lots of room for all those thoughts and memories you want to keep safe."

His hands gently set the items down after examining each one carefully, his eyes lingering on every detail as if trying to memorize them. Then he turned to you, his expression unreadable. "You...got these...for me." Bucky spoke slowly, each word carefully chosen, as if he was having trouble processing the simple act of kindness. "To help me remember?"

"And, the elephant will be a nice cuddle buddy for those long nights you tend to have," you explained softly, watching his reaction. "It has special infusions of lavender and bergamot oils that I picked specifically to help you sleep better. The aromatherapy might even help soothe away those bad dreams you've been having. Well, at least according to the sales clerk." You reached out and lifted the soft plush elephant, bringing it to your nose and inhaling deeply. "See? It's really calming, isn't it?"

He took the toy back and smelled it deeply, letting out a contented sigh as the aroma filled his nose and sent waves of comfort through his body, making him feel warm and fuzzy inside. He carefully lowered the elephant into his lap, treating it as if it were made of delicate porcelain. His throat tightened with emotion as he swallowed hard and looked back at you, his eyes wide with disbelief and gratitude.

"All this for me?" he whispered, his voice barely audible as he struggled to process the reality that someone would think to get him anything at all (Steve didn’t count). The concept of receiving gifts was so foreign to him, so far removed from his perception of what he deserved, that he could barely wrap his mind around it.

You thought maybe it looked sill to some people, but it was more about why you got it, not what you got him.

You nodded, offering a warm smile, "Yes...I got this just for you."

The soldier's gaze slowly drifted back to his lap, his fingers lingering momentarily on the thoughtful gifts before carefully pushing the journal and elephant to rest beside him. He then leaned forward quickly, closing the distance between you and wrapping his arms around you in a tight embrace. The display caught you off guard, given his usual hesitance to initiate any form of contact beyond nightly cuddling or his possessive love-bites.

After you recovered from the sudden gesture, your arms encircled him in return. You drew him closer as he nestled himself against your body, seeking comfort in your warmth and smell. It was one of the only things he could consistently rely on.

A knowing smile played across your lips as you whispered against his ear, "I take it you like it?"

"...Да."

Thanks for reading. -em 🌿

Dividers by @/strangergraphics | Images found on Pinterest.

[kevin-roozrokh]

Hostinger: The Cost-Effective Hosting Solution for Any Business

Hostinger: The Cost-Effective Hosting Solution for Small Businesses

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Side-by-Side Comparison: Hostinger vs. Popular Hosting Providers

| Provider | Starting Price | Free Domain | Storage | Bandwidth | Support | | Hostinger | $1.39 per month | Yes | 10GB | 100GB | 24/7 | | Namecheap | $2.88 | Yes | 20GB | Unmetered | 24/7 | | GoDaddy | $5.99 | No | 100GB | Unmetered | 24/7 | | DreamHost | $2.59 | Yes | 50GB | Unmetered | 24/7 | | Bluehost | $2.95 | Yes | 50GB | Unmetered | 24/7 | | HostGator | $2.75 | No | Unmetered | Unmetered | 24/7 | | Wix | $14 | No | 3GB | Unmetered | 24/7 | | Shopify | $29 | No | Unlimited | Unlimited | 24/7 | | Web.com | $5.95 | No | 300GB | Unmetered | 24/7 |

Note: The pricing and features mentioned are based on entry-level plans as of the publication date. Please visit the respective websites for the most up-to-date information.

How to Sign Up for Hostinger Hosting: 1. Visit Hostinger’s website (www.hostinger.com). 2. Choose a hosting plan that suits your business needs (shared, VPS, or cloud hosting). 3. Click on the “Get Started” or “Choose Plan” button. 4. Enter your desired domain name or transfer an existing domain. 5. Review the hosting plan details and select the billing cycle. 6. Complete the registration process by providing your account and payment information. 7. After successful payment, you will receive an email with instructions on how to access your hosting account. 8. Follow the provided instructions to set up your website, create email accounts, and start building your online presence.

Conclusion: Hostinger stands out as the most cost-effective hosting service for small businesses, offering competitive pricing, comprehensive services, and exceptional value for money. With its range of hosting plans, website builder, domain registration, and email hosting, Hostinger provides small business owners with the tools they need to establish a professional online presence without breaking their budget. By comparing Hostinger to other popular hosting providers, you can make an informed decision that aligns with your specific requirements. Follow the step-by-step guide to sign up for Hostinger hosting and take your small business to new heights in the digital world.

[4chan]

Still standing

On the afternoon of April 14th, a hacker using a UK IP address exploited an out-of-date software package on one of 4chan's servers, via a bogus PDF upload. With this entry point, they were eventually able to gain access to one of 4chan's servers, including database access and access to our own administrative dashboard. The hacker spent several hours exfiltrating database tables and much of 4chan's source code. When they had finished downloading what they wanted, they began to vandalize 4chan at which point moderators became aware and 4chan's servers were halted, preventing further access.

Over the following days, 4chan's development team surveyed the damage, which to be frank, was catastrophic. While not all of our servers were breached, the most important one was, and it was due to simply not updating old operating systems and code in a timely fashion. Ultimately this problem was caused by having insufficient skilled man-hours available to update our code and infrastructure, and being starved of money for years by advertisers, payment providers, and service providers who had succumbed to external pressure campaigns.

We had begun a process of speccing new servers in late 2023. As many have suspected, until that time 4chan had been running on a set of servers purchased second-hand by moot a few weeks before his final Q&A, as prior to then we simply were not in a financial position to consider such a large purchase. Advertisers and payment providers willing to work with 4chan are rare, and are quickly pressured by activists into cancelling their services. Putting together the money for new equipment took nearly a decade.

In April of 2024 we had agreed on specs and began looking for possible suppliers. Money is always tight for us, and few companies were willing to sell us servers, so actually buying the hardware wasn’t a trivial problem. We managed to finalize a purchase in June, and had the new servers racked and online in July. Over the next few months we slowly moved functionality onto the new servers, but we had still been relying on the old servers for key functions. Everything about this process took much longer than intended, which is a recurring theme in this debacle. The free time that 4chan's development team had available to dedicate to 4chan was insufficient to update our software and infrastructure fast enough, and our luck ran out.

However, we have not been idle during our nearly two weeks of downtime. The server that was breached has been replaced, with the operating system and code updated to the latest versions. PDF uploads have been temporarily disabled on those boards that supported them, but they will be back in the near future. One slow but much beloved board, /f/ - Flash, will not be returning however, as there is no realistic way to prevent similar exploits using .swf files. We are bringing on additional volunteer developers to help keep up with the workload, and our team of volunteer janitors & moderators remains united despite the grievous violations some have suffered to their personal privacy.

4chan is back. No other website can replace it, or this community. No matter how hard it is, we are not giving up.