#web apps examples

[xploreitcorp5]

How much do Java developers earn?

1. Introduction to Java Developer Salaries

What's the earning potential for Java developers? This is a hot topic for students, new grads, and folks looking to get into software development. With the growth of full stack dev, cloud tech, and enterprise software, Java remains essential. Salaries depend on location, experience, and skills. For students in Coimbatore studying Java, knowing what to expect in the industry is key. 

Key Points:

- Java developers are in demand across various fields.  

- Knowing Spring Boot and full stack skills can boost your pay.

2. Java Developer Salary for Freshers

So how much can freshers make? Entry-level Java developers in cities like Coimbatore usually earn between INR 3 to 5 LPA. Completing a Java Full Stack Developer course typically leads to better pay since it covers a wider skill set. Employers often look for hands-on experience, which is why doing Java mini projects or internships is important.  

Key Points:

- Fresh Java developers start around INR 3 LPA.  

- Getting certified in Java can help you land a job.

3. Experienced Java Developer Salaries

With 3-5 years under your belt, what can you expect? Salaries typically range from INR 6 to 12 LPA. Those who take a Java training course in Coimbatore often find they earn more. Companies want people with strong backend skills and experience with tools like Spring, Hibernate, or Microservices. 

Key Points:

- Mid-level Java developers can earn between INR 6 to 12 LPA.  

- Knowledge of Spring and REST APIs can increase your salary.

4. Senior Java Developer Salary

 InsightsFor those at a senior level with over 7 years of experience, earnings can start at INR 15 to 25 LPA. This varies based on company size and responsibilities, plus keeping up with new tech is crucial. Attending weekend Java classes or coaching sessions can help keep skills fresh.

Key Points:-

- Senior Java developers generally earn over INR 15 LPA.  

- Full stack skills can lead to higher pay.

5. Java Full Stack Developer Salaries

People who complete a Java Full Stack Developer Course in Coimbatore often snag higher-paying jobs. Full stack developers with skills in Java, React, and DevOps can earn about 20% more than those focused solely on Java. If you're curious about Java salaries, investing in full stack training is a smart move.  

Key Points:

- Full stack Java developers can earn about 20% more.  

- Having both frontend and backend knowledge is important.

6. Salary Trends in Coimbatore and Tier-2 Cities

In Coimbatore, students of Java courses often ask about earning potential. Starting salaries might be a bit lower than in metro areas, but there’s room for growth. Remote work options are now more common, allowing locals to earn metro-level salaries.  

Key Points:

- Java jobs in Coimbatore offer competitive pay.  

- Remote work opens doors to higher salaries.

7. Java Certification and Salary Growth

Getting certified can mean a 30-40% pay bump compared to non-certified peers. Following a structured Java course helps build strong skills. Recruiters appreciate learning paths and real-world experience from platforms offering Java programs.  

Key Points:

- Java certifications help boost your credibility.  

- Structured training can get you better job offers.

8. Demand for Java Developers in 2025

Looking ahead, there’s expected growth of 15% in Java jobs by 2025. More students are signing up for Java Full Stack Developer Courses in Coimbatore, and chances for freshers are expanding. Mastering Java basics through tutorials can help set you up for success.  

Key Points:

- Job openings for Java developers are on the rise.  

- Full stack training fits well with job market trends.

9. Java Developer Skills That Influence Salaries

Earnings for Java developers often depend on skills like Spring Boot, Microservices, REST APIs, and cloud integration. Regular practice with Java exercises, internships, and coaching can create a strong candidate.  

Key Points:

- Skills in demand directly impact salary.  

- Ongoing learning is vital for career growth.

10. Conclusion and Brand Mention

So how much do Java developers actually make? It varies, but with the right skills and certifications, Java can lead to a rewarding job. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to advance, getting good training is key. If you want to begin or progress in your career, check out Xplore It Corp for Java courses and training designed to help you succeed.  

Key Points:

- Look for recognized training programs.  

- Xplore It Corp can help you close skills and salary gaps.

FAQs

Q1. How much do Java developers earn after certification?

A certified Java developer can earn 30-40% more than non-certified ones.  

Q2. Are Full Stack Developer salaries higher?

Yes, full stack developers generally make 20-25% more due to their wider range of skills.  

Q3. Does location affect salaries?

Absolutely, metro cities tend to pay more, but remote jobs are helping close that gap in places like Coimbatore.  

Q4. Is a Java internship necessary?

Not strictly necessary, but internships can really enhance a resume, especially for those just starting out.  

Q5. What's the best way to learn Java step by step?

Join a structured course, like those from Xplore It Corp, and practice with Java tutorials and coding exercises.

[kittykatthetacodemon]

I know about this! It’s called genericide when the term becomes so broadly common that people forget it refers to a brand at all and the trademark is lost. Examples would be “Frisbee” or “Band-aid”

no idea where i was going with this but i abandoned it at the most disconcerting moment possible

[nitor-infotech]

Have you heard of Backend for Frontend (BFF)? Read our blog to know about its transformative potential in web development, where it elevates user experiences, tackles challenges, and optimizes your web development journey.

[aaksconsulting]

Building A Strong Online Brand Identity: Tips And Examples

Are you ready to take your online presence to the next level? In today’s digital era, establishing a strong brand identity is crucial for success. Whether you’re an entrepreneur or a seasoned marketer, this blog post is here to guide you through the process of building an irresistible online brand.

From crafting compelling visuals to creating authentic messaging, we’ll dive into expert tips and real-life examples that will leave a lasting impression on your audience. Get ready to unleash your creativity and make waves in the vast ocean of cyberspace!

INTRODUCTION TO ONLINE BRAND IDENTITY

In today’s digital age, having a strong online brand identity is crucial for any business or individual looking to establish their presence and stand out in the competitive online market. With the increasing use of social media platforms and the rise of e-commerce, building a recognizable and consistent brand identity has become essential for success.

Online brand identity refers to how a brand is perceived by its target audience in the digital space. It encompasses all aspects of a brand’s online presence, including its website design, visual elements, messaging, tone of voice, and overall personality. In simpler terms, it is what sets your brand apart from others and makes it easily recognizable to your audience.

Why Is Online Brand Identity Important?

There are several reasons why having a strong online brand identity is crucial for businesses:

1. Builds Trust: A well-defined and consistent online brand identity helps build trust with your target audience. When people see your logo or come across your social media posts consistently, they begin to recognize you as an established and reliable brand.

2. Creates Differentiation: In today’s overcrowded marketplace where competition is fierce, having a unique and memorable brand identity can help you stand out from the crowd. It allows you to differentiate yourself from other businesses offering similar products or services.

3. Increases Brand Awareness: An effective online brand identity strategy can significantly increase your reach and visibility in the digital world. With more people recognizing your branding elements such as logos or color schemes, you can expand your customer base and attract new leads.

How to Establish an Online Brand Identity?

1. Define Your Brand’s Core Values and Mission: The first step in establishing an online brand identity is defining what your brand stands for. What values do you want to be associated with? What is your mission or purpose? This will help guide all your branding decisions and ensure consistency across all platforms.

2. Know Your Target Audience: Understanding your target audience is crucial when it comes to creating a strong online brand identity. Conduct market research, gather data, and analyze customer behavior to determine who you are trying to reach and what messaging will resonate with them.

IMPORTANCE OF A STRONG ONLINE BRAND IDENTITY

In today’s digital age, having a strong online brand identity has become more important than ever before. With the increasing reliance on technology and the internet, consumers are constantly engaging with brands online. This makes it crucial for businesses to establish a powerful and distinct online brand identity that sets them apart from their competitors.

But what exactly is an online brand identity? Simply put, it is the image or personality of your brand as perceived by your target audience in the digital space. It encompasses everything from your website design and social media presence to your content and customer interactions.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE

One of the key components of building a strong online brand identity is understanding your target audience. Without a clear understanding of who your target audience is, it can be difficult to create a brand that resonates with them and ultimately leads to success.

Identifying and understanding your target audience involves more than just knowing basic demographics such as age, gender, and income level. It requires delving deeper into their behaviors, interests, values, and pain points. This will help you create a brand that not only appeals to them but also solves their problems or meets their needs.

So how do you go about understanding your target audience? Here are some tips:

1. Conduct Market Research: The first step in understanding your target audience is conducting market research. This can include surveys, focus groups, or even analyzing data from social media platforms or website analytics. The goal of market research is to gather insights about your potential customers’ preferences, behaviors, and motivations.

2. Create Buyer Personas: After gathering data from market research, the next step is to create buyer personas – fictional representations of your ideal customers based on common characteristics found in your research. These personas should include details such as age, occupation, goals, challenges, interests, and preferred communication channels.

DEFINING YOUR BRAND PERSONALITY AND VALUES

Your brand’s personality and values are the backbone of your online identity. They are what sets you apart from your competitors and attracts potential customers to engage with your brand. In order to build a strong online brand identity, it is crucial to define and understand your brand’s personality and values.

Brand Personality

Just like individuals, brands also have unique personalities that reflect their characteristics, values, and tone of voice. Your brand personality should be consistent across all online channels – from social media posts to website content. This helps create a cohesive and memorable image for your audience.

To define your brand personality, start by identifying the key adjectives that best describe your brand. Is it playful or serious? Sophisticated or down-to-earth? These words will serve as the foundation of your brand’s character.

Next, think about how you want your target audience to perceive your brand. Do you want them to see it as innovative and modern or traditional and reliable? Your chosen perception should align with both your target market’s preferences and the products/services you offer.

It can also be helpful to identify a few well-known brands that have a similar personality to yours. This can give you inspiration on how they communicate their message through visuals, language, and overall branding.

Once you have defined your brand’s personality, it is important to stay consistent in its application across all aspects of branding – from color schemes to messaging.

Brand Values

Your brand values are the guiding principles that define what your brand stands for. They represent the beliefs and convictions that drive your brand’s decision-making process and actions.

To identify your brand values, think about what is important to you as a business owner and to your target audience. These values should align with your brand’s mission and vision. For example, if you are a sustainable fashion company, some of your values may include environmental responsibility, ethical sourcing, and transparency.

It can also be helpful to involve your team in identifying these values, as they are likely to have their own perspectives on what makes your brand unique.

Once you have determined your brand values, make sure to communicate them clearly and consistently through all of your online channels. This will help build trust with potential customers who share similar values.

Overall, defining your brand personality and values is an essential step in building a strong online identity. It not only helps differentiate your brand from competitors but also creates a connection with potential customers who align with your core beliefs and characteristics. By staying consistent in portraying these elements across all online channels, you can establish a memorable and authentic brand identity that resonates with your target audience.

DESIGNING A VISUAL IDENTITY (LOGO, COLOR SCHEME, FONTS)

When it comes to building a strong online brand identity, one of the most crucial elements is designing a visual identity that effectively represents your brand. This includes creating a logo, choosing a color scheme, and selecting appropriate fonts. In this section, we will discuss some important considerations for each of these components.

Logo Design: Your logo is often the first thing your audience sees and remembers about your brand. It should be unique, memorable, and representative of your brand’s values and personality. When designing a logo for your online brand identity, here are some tips to keep in mind:

1. Keep it simple: A cluttered or complex logo can be overwhelming and difficult to remember. Aim for simplicity in both design and concept. 2. Make it versatile: Your logo should look good on various platforms such as social media profiles, website header, business cards, etc. 3. Consider colors carefully: The colors you choose for your logo can convey different emotions and associations to your audience. For example, red is associated with energy and excitement while blue conveys trustworthiness and professionalism. 4. Be consistent with branding elements: Your logo should align with the overall aesthetic of your website and other branding elements such as fonts and color scheme.

Color Scheme: The colors you use throughout your website play a significant role in establishing your brand’s visual identity. Colors evoke emotions and create associations; therefore, it is essential to choose them carefully. Here are some tips for selecting a color scheme for your brand:

1. Start with brand values: Consider what emotions and values you want to convey through your brand. For example, if you want to communicate innovation and creativity, bright and bold colors may be appropriate. 2. Limit the number of colors: Too many colors can be overwhelming and distracting. Stick to a maximum of 3-4 complementary colors. 3. Consider color psychology: Different colors have different psychological effects on people. Do some research on color psychology and choose colors that align with your brand’s message. 4. Choose accessible colors: Make sure the color scheme you choose is accessible to all individuals, including those with color vision deficiencies.

Fonts: The fonts you use can greatly impact the overall aesthetic of your website and contribute to your brand’s visual identity. Here are some things to consider when choosing fonts for your online brand:

1. Be consistent: It’s important to use the same fonts throughout your website as this creates a cohesive look and strengthens your branding. 2. Consider readability: Fonts that are difficult to read can be frustrating for users and may lead them to leave your site. 3. Match font style with brand personality: Just like colors, fonts also have their own personalities.

CREATING CONSISTENT MESSAGING ACROSS PLATFORMS

A strong online brand identity is not just about having a visually appealing website or social media presence. It also involves creating consistent messaging across all platforms to effectively communicate your brand’s values, mission, and voice. In today’s digital world, where consumers have multiple touchpoints with a brand, it is crucial to maintain consistency in your messaging to build trust and loyalty among your audience.

Here are some essential tips for creating consistent messaging across platforms:

1. Define Your Brand Voice and Values The first step in developing a consistent message is to define your brand’s unique voice and core values. Your voice should reflect the personality of your brand and resonate with your target audience. Are you fun and playful or serious and professional? What are the key values that guide your business? Understanding these aspects will help you create a tone of voice that remains consistent across all platforms.

2. Use Visual Elements Consistently In addition to verbal communication, visual elements such as logos, colors, fonts, and imagery play a significant role in reinforcing your brand identity. Make sure these elements are used consistently across all platforms to create a cohesive look and feel for your brand. This will help customers recognize your brand quickly and build trust over time.

3. Maintain Brand Guidelines Having clear guidelines for how your branding should be used ensures consistency across all channels – from social media posts to website design. This includes everything from logo placement, color palette, font usage, image style, tone of voice guidelines , and more. Share these guidelines with all team members responsible for creating content to ensure everyone is on the same page.

4. Tailor Your Message for Each Platform While maintaining consistency in your messaging is essential, it’s also crucial to adapt your message to each platform’s unique format and audience. For example, the tone and style of a post on Twitter may differ from that of a blog post or an email newsletter. However, the core message and values should remain consistent.

5. Be Authentic and Transparent Consistent messaging is not just about using the same words or visuals across platforms; it’s also about authenticity and transparency. Be genuine in your communication with your audience and avoid misleading or contradictory messages. This will help build trust and credibility with your customers.

6. Monitor Your Messaging Across Platforms Regularly monitor your messaging across all platforms to ensure consistency. This includes reviewing social media posts, website content, email newsletters, advertising campaigns, etc. If you notice any discrepancies or inconsistencies, take corrective action immediately.

In conclusion, creating consistent messaging across platforms requires a clear understanding of your brand voice, values, and guidelines. By following these tips, you can effectively communicate your brand’s identity and establish a strong connection with your audience across all digital

UTILIZING SOCIAL MEDIA TO STRENGTHEN YOUR BRAND IDENTITY

Social media has become an essential tool for businesses of all sizes to connect with their target audience and establish a strong brand identity. With billions of active users, platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn offer businesses the opportunity to reach a wide range of potential customers.

In this digital age, having a strong presence on social media is crucial for building your brand’s online identity. It not only helps you reach a larger audience but also allows you to engage with them in real-time, which can greatly impact your brand perception. Here are some key ways to utilize social media to strengthen your brand identity:

1. Define Your Brand Voice and Tone Before jumping into creating content for social media, it is important to define your brand voice and tone. Your brand voice should be consistent across all social media channels and align with your overall branding strategy. It should reflect the personality of your brand and resonate with your target audience.

For example, if you are a fun and playful fashion brand targeting young adults, then using casual language and incorporating humor into your posts would be appropriate. On the other hand, if you are a luxury skincare brand targeting affluent individuals, maintaining a sophisticated tone would be more suitable.

2. Consistency is Key Consistency is crucial when it comes to building a strong online brand identity through social media. This includes posting regularly, using similar visuals/colors/fonts across all platforms and maintaining the same messaging style throughout.

EXAMPLES OF SUCCESSFUL ONLINE BRAND IDENTITIES

In today’s digital age, having a strong online brand identity is crucial for businesses to stand out and succeed. A well-defined brand identity can help a company build credibility, establish a loyal customer base, and differentiate itself from competitors. To better understand the concept of online brand identity, let’s take a look at some successful examples.

1. Nike

Nike is one of the most recognizable and successful brands in the world, both offline and online. Their online brand identity is built on their slogan ‘Just Do It’ which encourages customers to push themselves to achieve their goals. This message is consistently reflected in all of their marketing campaigns, social media posts, website design, and even their packaging.

Additionally, Nike has successfully utilized influencer collaborations to further strengthen its online brand identity. By partnering with athletes and celebrities who embody the spirit of their brand, Nike reaches a wider audience while staying true to its core values.

2. Glossier

Glossier is another great example of a strong online brand identity. The beauty company focuses on natural beauty and self-acceptance rather than promoting an unrealistic standard of perfection. This message resonates with its target audience – young women – who are seeking authenticity in the products they use.

Glossier’s clean and minimalistic branding extends to their social media presence as well. They often feature user-generated content on Instagram that showcases real people using their products, creating a sense of community among followers.

– ANALYSIS AND EXPLANATION OF THEIR STRATEGIES

In the digital age, having a strong online brand identity is crucial for businesses to succeed. A well-crafted online brand can not only attract potential customers but also establish trust and credibility with existing ones. However, building an effective online brand identity requires more than just a catchy logo or a beautiful website. It involves carefully strategizing and implementing various methods to create a cohesive and impactful presence in the virtual world.

In this section, we will delve into the analysis and explanation of successful strategies that have been used by some of the top brands to build a strong online presence.

1. Consistency is Key: Consistency is one of the most important elements when it comes to building an effective online brand identity. This means maintaining consistency in all aspects of your brand – from visuals and messaging to tone and voice. Brands like Coca-Cola and Nike are prime examples of consistency in their branding efforts. They have maintained their iconic logos, slogans, and overall aesthetic throughout their marketing campaigns, creating a recognizable image for consumers.

2. Know Your Target Audience: To build a strong online brand identity, it’s crucial to understand who your target audience is and tailor your branding efforts accordingly. Conduct thorough market research to identify your ideal customer’s demographics, behaviors, interests, etc., and use this information to craft messaging that resonates with them. For instance, skincare brand Glossier has successfully built its online presence by targeting millennial women through its minimalist packaging, social media presence, and relatable messaging.

COMMON MISTAKES TO AVOID IN BUILDING AN ONLINE BRAND IDENTITY

Building a strong online brand identity is crucial for any business or individual looking to establish a successful presence on the internet. However, it’s easy to make mistakes when it comes to creating an effective and impactful brand identity. In this section, we will discuss some common mistakes that individuals and businesses should avoid in order to build a strong online brand identity.

1. Neglecting Your Brand’s Story and Values

One of the biggest mistakes in building an online brand identity is not having a clear understanding of your brand’s story and values. Your brand’s story is what sets you apart from your competitors and helps consumers connect with your business on a deeper level. Without a compelling story or set of values, your brand can come across as generic and unappealing.

To avoid this mistake, take the time to define your brand’s story and values before establishing an online presence. This will ensure that all aspects of your branding – from website design to social media content – are aligned with your narrative and values.

2. Inconsistent Visuals

Another common mistake is using inconsistent visuals across different platforms or channels. Your visual branding elements such as logo, color scheme, typography, and imagery should be consistent throughout all online touchpoints. Inconsistency can confuse consumers and weaken their perception of your brand.

To maintain consistency in visual branding, create style guides or templates that outline how these elements should be used on different platforms. This will help ensure that all marketing materials have a cohesive look and feel.

CONCLUSION:

In today’s digital age, having a strong online brand identity is crucial for the success of any business. It not only helps you stand out from the competition but also builds trust and credibility with your target audience. In this blog post, we have discussed various tips and examples to help you build a strong online brand identity.

Firstly, it is important to define your brand’s values, mission, and vision. This will serve as the foundation for your online presence and help guide all your branding efforts. Make sure to clearly communicate these values in all aspects of your online presence, including your website, social media profiles, and content.

Secondly, consistency is key when it comes to building an online brand identity. Your visual elements such as logo, color scheme, font choices should be consistent across all platforms. This creates a cohesive look and makes it easier for customers to recognize and remember your brand.

[codeonedigest]

AWS APP Runner Tutorial for Amazon Cloud Developers

Full Video Link - https://youtube.com/shorts/_OgnzyiP8TI Hi, a new #video #tutorial on #apprunner #aws #amazon #awsapprunner is published on #codeonedigest #youtube channel. @java @awscloud @AWSCloudIndia @YouTube #youtube @codeonedigest #code

AWS App Runner is a fully managed container application service that lets you build, deploy, and run containerized applications without prior infrastructure or container experience. AWS App Runner also load balances the traffic with encryption, scales to meet your traffic needs, and allows to communicate with other AWS applications in a private VPC. You can use App Runner to build and run API…

[mostlysignssomeportents]

You should be using an RSS reader

On OCTOBER 23 at 7PM, I'll be in DECATUR, GEORGIA, presenting my novel THE BEZZLE at EAGLE EYE BOOKS.

No matter how hard we all wish it were otherwise, the sad fact is that there aren't really individual solutions to systemic problems. For example: your personal diligence in recycling will have no meaningful impact on the climate emergency.

I get it. People write to me all the time, they say, "What can I change about my life to fight enshittification, or, at the very least, to reduce the amount of enshittification that I, personally, experience?"

It's frustrating, but my general answer is, "Join a movement. Get involved with a union, with EFF, with the FSF. Tell your Congressional candidate to defend Lina Khan from billionaire Dem donors who want her fired. Do something systemic."

There's very little you can do as a consumer. You're not going to shop your way out of monopoly capitalism. Now that Amazon has destroyed most of the brick-and-mortar and digital stores out of business, boycotting Amazon often just means doing without. The collective action problem of leaving Twitter or Facebook is so insurmountable that you end up stuck there, with a bunch of people you love and rely on, who all love each other, all hate the platform, but can't agree on a day and time to leave or a destination to leave for and so end up stuck there.

I've been experiencing some challenging stuff in my personal life lately and yesterday, I just found myself unable to deal with my usual podcast fare so I tuned into the videos from the very last XOXO, in search of uplifting fare:

https://www.youtube.com/@xoxofest

I found it. Talks by Dan Olson, Cabel Sasser, Ed Yong and many others, especially Molly White:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTaeVVAvk-c

Molly's talk was so, so good, but when I got to her call to action, I found myself pulling a bit of a face:

But the platforms do not exist without the people, and there are a lot more of us than there are of them. The platforms have installed themselves in a position of power, but they are also vulnerable…

Are the platforms really that vulnerable? The collective action problem is so hard, the switching costs are so high – maybe the fact that "there's a lot more of us than there are of them" is a bug, not a feature. The more of us there are, the thornier our collective action problem and the higher the switching costs, after all.

And then I had a realization: the conduit through which I experience Molly's excellent work is totally enshittification-proof, and the more I use it, the easier it is for everyone to be less enshittified.

This conduit is anti-lock-in, it works for nearly the whole internet. It is surveillance-resistant, far more accessible than the web or any mobile app interface. It is my secret super-power.

It's RSS.

RSS (one of those ancient internet acronyms with multiple definitions, including, but not limited to, "Really Simple Syndication") is an invisible, automatic way for internet-connected systems to public "feeds." For example, rather than reloading the Wired homepage every day and trying to figure out which stories are new (their layout makes this very hard to do!), you can just sign up for Wired's RSS feed, and use an RSS reader to monitor the site and preview new stories the moment they're published. Wired pushes about 600 words from each article into that feed, stripped of the usual stuff that makes Wired nearly impossible to read: no 20-second delay subscription pop-up, text in a font and size of your choosing. You can follow Wired's feed without any cookies, and Wired gets no information about which of its stories you read. Wired doesn't even get to know that you're monitoring its feed.

I don't mean to pick on Wired here. This goes for every news source I follow – from CNN to the New York Times. But RSS isn't just good for the news! It's good for everything. Your friends' blogs? Every blogging platform emits an RSS feed by default. You can follow every one of them in your reader.

Not just blogs. Do you follow a bunch of substackers or other newsletters? They've all got RSS feeds. You can read those newsletters without ever registering in the analytics of the platforms that host them. The text shows up in black and white (not the sadistic, 8-point, 80% grey-on-white type these things all default to). It is always delivered, without any risk of your email provider misclassifying an update as spam:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/10/10/dead-letters/

Did you know that, by default, your email sends information to mailing list platforms about your reading activity? The platform gets to know if you opened the message, and often how far along you've read in it. On top of that, they get all the private information your browser or app leaks about you, including your location. This is unbelievably gross, and you get to bypass all of it, just by reading in RSS.

Are your friends too pithy for a newsletter, preferring to quip on social media? Unfortunately, it's pretty hard to get an RSS feed from Insta/FB/Twitter, but all those new ones that have popped up? They all have feeds. You can follow any Mastodon account (which means you can follow any Threads account) via RSS. Same for Bluesky. That also goes for older platforms, like Tumblr and Medium. There's RSS for Hacker News, and there's a sub-feed for the comments on every story. You can get RSS feeds for the Fedex, UPS and USPS parcels you're awaiting, too.

Your local politician's website probably has an RSS feed. Ditto your state and national reps. There's an RSS feed for each federal agency (the FCC has a great blog!).

Your RSS reader lets you put all these feeds into folders if you want. You can even create automatic folders, based on keywords, or even things like "infrequently updated sites" (I follow a bunch of people via RSS who only update a couple times per year – cough, Danny O'Brien, cough – and never miss a post).

Your RSS reader doesn't (necessarily) have an algorithm. By default, you'll get everything as it appears, in reverse-chronological order.

Does that remind you of anything? Right: this is how social media used to work, before it was enshittified. You can single-handedly disenshittify your experience of virtually the entire web, just by switching to RSS, traveling back in time to the days when Facebook and Twitter were more interested in showing you the things you asked to see, rather than the ads and boosted content someone else would pay to cram into your eyeballs.

Now, you sign up to so many feeds that you're feeling overwhelmed and you want an algorithm to prioritize posts – or recommend content. Lots of RSS readers have some kind of algorithm and recommendation system (I use News, which offers both, though I don't use them – I like the glorious higgeldy-piggeldy of the undifferentiated firehose feed).

But you control the algorithm, you control the recommendations. And if a new RSS reader pops up with an algorithm you're dying to try, you can export all the feeds you follow with a single click, which will generate an OPML file. Then, with one click, you can import that OPML file into any other RSS reader in existence and all your feeds will be seamlessly migrated there. You can delete your old account, or you can even use different readers for different purposes.

You can access RSS in a browser or in an app on your phone (most RSS readers have an app), and they'll sync up, so a story you mark to read later on your phone will be waiting for you the next time you load up your reader in a browser tab, and you won't see the same stories twice (unless you want to, in which case you can mark them as unread).

RSS basically works like social media should work. Using RSS is a chance to visit a utopian future in which the platforms have no power, and all power is vested in publishers, who get to decide what to publish, and in readers, who have total control over what they read and how, without leaking any personal information through the simple act of reading.

And here's the best part: every time you use RSS, you bring that world closer into being! The collective action problem that the publishers and friends and politicians and businesses you care about is caused by the fact that everyone they want to reach is on a platform, so if they leave the platform, they'll lose that community. But the more people who use RSS to follow them, the less they'll depend on the platform.

Unlike those largely useless, performative boycotts of widely used platforms, switching to RSS doesn't require that you give anything up. Not only does switching to RSS let you continue to follow all the newsletters, webpages and social media accounts you're following now, it makes doing so better: more private, more accessible, and less enshittified.

Switching to RSS lets you experience just the good parts of the enshitternet, but that experience is delivered in manner that the new, good internet we're all dying for.

My own newsletter is delivered in fulltext via RSS. If you're reading this as a Mastodon or Twitter thread, on Tumblr or on Medium, or via email, you can get it by RSS instead:

https://pluralistic.net/feed/

Don't worry about which RSS reader you start with. It literally doesn't matter. Remember, you can switch readers with two clicks and take all the feeds you've subscribed to with you! If you want a recommendation, I have nothing but praise for Newsblur, which I've been paying $2/month for since 2011 (!):

https://newsblur.com/

Subscribing to feeds is super-easy, too: the links for RSS feeds are invisibly embedded in web-pages. Just paste the URL of a web-page into your RSS reader's "add feed" box and it'll automagically figure out where the feed lives and add it to your subscriptions.

It's still true that the new, good internet will require a movement to overcome the collective action problems and the legal barriers to disenshittifying things. Almost nothing you do as an individual is going to make a difference.

But using RSS will! Using RSS to follow the stuff that matters to you will have an immediate, profoundly beneficial impact on your own digital life – and it will appreciably, irreversibly nudge the whole internet towards a better state.

Tor Books as just published two new, free LITTLE BROTHER stories: VIGILANT, about creepy surveillance in distance education; and SPILL, about oil pipelines and indigenous landback.

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

https://pluralistic.net/2024/10/16/keep-it-really-simple-stupid/#read-receipts-are-you-kidding-me-seriously-fuck-that-noise

[what-even-is-thiss]

Free or Cheap Mandarin Chinese Learning Resources Because You Can't Let John Cena One Up You Again

I will update this list as I learn of any more useful ones. If you want general language learning resources check out this other post. This list is Mandarin specific. Find lists for other specific languages here.

For the purposes of this list "free" means something that is either totally free or has a useful free tier. "Cheap" is a subscription under $10USD a month, a software license or lifetime membership purchase under $100USD, or a book under $30USD. If you want to suggest a resource for this list please suggest ones in that price range that are of decent quality and not AI generated.

WEBSITES

Dong Chinese - A website with lessons, a pinyin guide, a dictionary, and various videos and practice tests. With a free account you're only allowed to do one lesson every 12 hours. To do as many lessons as quickly as you want it costs $10 a month or $80 a year.

Domino Chinese - A paid website with video based lessons from absolute beginner to college level. They claim they can get you ready to get a job in China. They offer a free trial and after that it's $5 a month or pay what you can if you want to support their company.

Chinese Education Center - This is an organization that gives information to students interested in studying abroad in China. They have free text based lessons for beginners on vocab, grammar, and handwriting.

Pleco Dictionary App - This is a very popular dictionary app on both iOS and Android. It has a basic dictionary available for free but other features can be purchased individually or in bundles. A full bundle that has what most people would want is about $30 but there are more expensive options with more features.

MIT OpenCourseWare Chinese 1 2 3 4 5 6 - These are actual archived online courses from MIT available for free. You will likely need to download them onto your computer.

Learn Chinese Web Application From Cambridge University - This is a free downloadable file with Mandarin lessons in a PC application. There's a different program for beginner and intermediate.

Learn Chinese Everyday - A free word a day website. Every day the website posts a different word with pronunciation, stroke order, and example sentences. There's also an archive of free downloadable worksheets related to previous words featured on the website.

Chinese Boost - A free website and blog with beginner lessons and articles about tips and various resources to try.

Chinese Forums - An old fashioned forum website for people learning Chinese to share resources and ask questions. It's still active as of when I'm making this list.

Du Chinese - A free website and an app with lessons and reading and listening practice with dual transcripts in both Chinese characters and pinyin. They also have an English language blog with tips, lessons, and information on Chinese culture.

YOUTUBE CHANNELS

Chinese For Us - A channel that provides free video lessons for beginners. The channel is mostly in English.

Herbin Mandarin - A channel with a variety of lessons for beginners. The channel hasn't uploaded in a while but there's a fairly large archive of lessons to watch. The channel is mainly in English.

Mandarin Blueprint - This channel is by a couple of guys who also run a paid website. However on their YouTube channel there's a lot of free videos with tips about how to go about learning Chinese, pronunciation and writing tips, and things of that nature. The channel is mainly in English.

Blabla Chinese - A comprehensible input channel with content about a variety of topics for beginner to intermediate. The video descriptions are in English but the videos themselves are all in Mandarin.

Lazy Chinese - A channel aimed at intermediate learners with videos on general topics, grammar, and culture. They also have a podcast. The channel has English descriptions but the videos are all in Mandarin.

Easy Mandarin - A channel associated with the easy languages network that interviews people on the street in Taiwan about everyday topics. The channel has on screen subtitles in traditional characters, pinyin, and English.

StickynoteChinese - A relatively new channel but it already has a decent amount of videos. Jun makes videos about culture and personal vlogs in Mandarin. The channel is aimed at learners from beginner to upper intermediate.

Story Learning Chinese With Annie - A comprehensible input channel almost entirely in Mandarin. The host teaches through stories and also makes videos about useful vocabulary words and cultural topics. It appears to be aimed at beginner to intermediate learners.

LinguaFlow Chinese - Another relatively new channel but they seem to be making new videos regularly. The channel is aimed at beginner to intermediate learners and teaches and provides listening practice with video games. The channel is mostly in Mandarin.

Lala Chinese - A channel with tips on grammar and pronunciation with the occasional vlog for listening practice, aimed at upper beginner to upper intermediate learners. Some videos are all in Mandarin while others use a mix of English and Mandarin. Most videos have dual language subtitles onscreen.

Grace Mandarin Chinese - A channel with general information on the nitty gritty of grammar, pronunciation, common mistakes, slang, and useful phrases for different levels of learners. Most videos are in English but some videos are fully in Mandarin.

READING PRACTICE

HSK Reading - A free website with articles sorted into beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Every article has comprehension questions. You can also mouse over individual characters and see the pinyin and possible translations. The website is in a mix of English and Mandarin.

chinesegradedreader.com - A free website with free short readings up to HSK level 3 or upper intermediate. Each article has an explaination at the beginning of key vocabulary words in English and you can mouse over individual characters to get translations.

Mandarin Companion - This company sells books that are translated and simplified versions of classic novels as well as a few originals for absolute beginners. They are available in both traditional and simplified Chinese. Their levels don't appear to be aligned with any HSK curriculum but even their most advanced books don't have more than 500 individual characters according to them so they're likely mostly for beginners to advanced beginners. New paperbacks seem to usually be $14 but cheaper used copies, digital copies, and audiobooks are also available. The website is in English.

Graded Chinese Readers - Not to be confused with chinese graded reader, this is a website with information on different graded readers by different authors and different companies. The website tells you what the book is about, what level it's for, whether or not it uses traditional or simplified characters, and gives you a link to where you can buy it on amazon. They seem to have links to books all the way from HSK 1 or beginner to HSK 6 or college level. A lot of the books seem to be under $10 but as they're all from different companies your mileage and availability may vary. The website is in English.

Mandarin Bean - A website with free articles about Chinese culture and different short stories. Articles are sorted by HSK level from 1 to 6. The website also lets you switch between traditional or simplified characters and turn the pinyin on or off. It also lets you mouse over characters to get a translation. They have a relatively expensive paid tier that gives you access to video lessons and HSK practice tests and lesson notes but all articles and basic features on the site are available on the free tier without an account. The website is in a mix of Mandarin and English.

Mandarin Daily News - This is a daily newspaper from Taiwan made for children so the articles are simpler, have illustrations and pictures, and use easier characters. As it's for native speaker kids in Taiwan, the site is completely in traditional Chinese.

New Tong Wen Tang for Chrome or Firefox - This is a free browser extension that can convert traditional characters to simplified characters or vice versa without a need to copy and paste things into a separate website.

PODCASTS

Melnyks Chinese - A podcast for more traditional audio Mandarin Chinese lessons for English speakers. The link I gave is to their website but they're also available on most podcatcher apps.

Chinese Track - Another podcast aimed at learning Mandarin but this one goes a bit higher into lower intermediate levels.

Dimsum Mandarin - An older podcast archive of 30 episodes of dialogues aimed at beginner to upper beginner learners.

Dashu Mandarin - A podcast run by three Chinese teachers aimed at intermediate learners that discusses culture topics and gives tips for Mandarin learners. There are also male teachers on the podcast which I'm told is relatively rare for Mandarin material aimed at learners and could help if you're struggling to understand more masculine speaking patterns.

Learning Chinese Through Stories - A storytelling podcast mostly aimed at intermediate learners but they do have some episodes aimed at beginner or advanced learners. They have various paid tiers for extra episodes and learning material on their patreon but there's still a large amount of episodes available for free.

Haike Mandarin - A conversational podcast in Taiwanese Mandarin for intermediate learners. Every episode discusses a different everyday topic. The episode descriptions and titles are entirely in traditional Chinese characters. The hosts provide free transcripts and other materials related to the episodes on their blog.

Learn Chinese With Ju - A vocabulary building podcast aimed at intermediate learners. The podcast episodes are short at around 4-6 minutes and the host speaks about a variety of topics in a mix of English and Mandarin.

xiaoyuzhou fm - An iOS app for native speakers to listen to podcasts. I’m told it has a number of interactive features. If you have an android device you’ll likely have to do some finagling with third party apps to get this one working. As this app is for native speakers, the app is entirely in simplified Chinese.

Apple Podcast directories for Taiwan and China - Podcast pages directed towards users in those countries/regions.

SELF STUDY TEXTBOOKS AND DICTIONARIES

Learning Chinese Characters - This series is sorted by HSK levels and each volume in the series is around $11. Used and digital copies can also be found for cheaper.

HSK Standard Course Textbooks - These are textbooks designed around official Chinese government affiliated HSK tests including all of the simplified characters, grammar, vocab, and cultural knowledge necessary to pass each test. There are six books in total and the books prices range wildly depending on the level and the seller, going for as cheap as $14 to as expensive as $60 though as these are pretty common textbooks, used copies and cheaper online shops can be found with a little digging. The one I have linked to here is the HSK 1 textbook. Some textbook sellers will also bundle them with a workbook, some will not.

Chinese Made Easy for Kids - Although this series is aimed at children, I'm told that it's also very useful for adult beginners. There's a large number of textbooks and workbooks at various levels. The site I linked to is aimed at people placing orders in Hong Kong but the individual pages also have links to various other websites you can buy them from in other countries. The books range from $20-$35 but I include them because some of them are cheaper and they seem really easy to find used copies of.

Reading and Writing Chinese - This book contains guides on all 2300 characters in the HSK texts as of 2013. Although it is slightly outdated, it's still useful for self study and is usually less than $20 new. Used copies are also easy to find.

Basic Chinese by Mcgraw Hill - This book also fuctions as a workbook so good quality used copies can be difficult to find. The book is usually $20 but it also often goes on sale on Amazon and they also sell a cheaper digital copy.

Chinese Grammar: A beginner's guide to basic structures - This book goes over beginner level grammar concepts and can usually be found for less than $20 in print or as low as $2 for a digital copy.

Collins Mandarin Chinese Visual Dictionary - A bilingual English/Mandarin visual dictionary that comes with a link to online audio files. A new copy goes for about $14 but used and digital versions are available.

Merriam-Webster's Chinese to English Dictionary - In general Merriam Websters usually has the cheapest decent quality multilingual dictionaries out there, including for Mandarin Chinese. New editions usually go for around $8 each while older editions are usually even cheaper.

(at the end of the list here I will say I had a difficult time finding tv series specifically made for learners of Mandarin Chinese so if you know of any that are made for teenage or adult learners or are kids shows that would be interesting to adults and are free to watch without a subscription please let me know and I will add them to the list. There's a lot of Mandarin language TV that's easy to find but what I'm specifically interested in for these lists are free to watch series made for learners and/or easy to understand kids shows originally made in the target language that are free and easy to access worldwide)

[meowbrown]

Apps/sites for learning Japanese

Can't believe how high quality these free resources are!

Last updated: 2025-01-05

コース

Minato

Free high-quality interactive self-guided courses. It also has live courses (I haven't tried it yet).

Preview

TUFS Language Modules

From Tokyo University of Foreign Studies.

The English version currently only has the pronunciation and dialog modules, so I'm studying the Traditional Chinese version.

Features

Vocabulary list by topics (Chinese)

Dialog

Pronunciation guide

辞書

Kakimashou

Features

Stroke order

Tone

Preview

Jisho

Super clean interface

Features

Tone

Has JLPT tags

Lots of sentence examples

アプリ

Miraa

The Miraa app makes it easy to listen and repeat (the shadowing/echoing technique).

It has a paid version, but I find the free version to be good enough

Features

Can directly paste links from YouTube

Can ask AI for an explanation of words/sentences you don't understand

Has search built in to search for podcasts in Japanese

renshuu

Also available as a web app

その他(た)のツール

Google - Text-to-Speech AI

Useful for reading out my transcripts. It already sounds much more natural than I do, so I can import it to Miraa and shadow my writings.

10ten Japanese Reader (Rikaichamp)

This is a Chrome extension that I use. I used to use Yomichan and then Yomitan after Yomichan sunsetted. But I personally like 10ten's UI.

Preview

[engineering]

Tumblr Hack Week, January 2024 Edition

Once again it was Hack Week (more than just a day!) at Tumblr! This is getting repetitive in the best way. A couple of times per year we slow down our normal work and spend a week working on scratching a personal itch or features we want as user and see how far we can get with our hacks. One thing from the last Hack Week in September made it all the way to a new experiment out to some testers: Tumblr Patio!

Here are some of the projects that got built for our most recent Hack Week in January. Some of these things you may also end up seeing on the site…

Spoiler text, spoiler blocks, and centered text!

This one is so obvious and amazing, it’s wild we don’t already have it. For Hack Week, Katie added the ability to select text in a paragraph to be hidden behind a wall of black that can be revealed with a tap. This can be super useful to hide spoilers. And even better: whole spoiler blocks. And while we’re here, the ability to center text!

A plethora of new default blog avatars

We haven’t updated our default avatars in several years. (Some of you may remember this one from 10+ years ago.) They’re feeling a bit stale to us, so why not update them? And while we’re at it… make a ton more variations! Paul from the Tumblr Design team came up with a suite of new default avatars, using our latest Tumblr color palette. Here’s a look at some of them, but there are actually many dozens more using different colors:

Notifications and emails about engagement on your posts

This one is for the folks on Tumblr who love numbers and their Activity page. Daniel, @jesseatblr​, and the Feeds & Machine Learning team worked on some new notifications and emails we could send out to people about how their posts have been doing lately on the platform, such as how many views they’ve gotten, and by how many people. We already have this available (and more) when you Blaze a post, but why not open it up to more people? It’s really useful to the folks who use Tumblr to help build an audience for their work!

A new way of navigating the web: the Command Palette

Some apps we use a lot have a “command palette” accessible via a keyboard shortcut for quick keyboard-driven access to different parts of the platform. For example, Slack and Discord have Command + K to access their quick switchers to hop around conversations. What if Tumblr had one? Kelly and Paul built one! Press Command/Control + K on Tumblr and you can use your keyboard to jump to your blog, Activity, your recent conversations, search, dozens of places!

As always, stay tuned to the @changes​ blog to see if any of these hacks make it on Tumblr for real!

[hydrophobicmenace]

The interesting thing about QSMP is that it is a perfect example of how people spontaneously mimic the structures of human societies when they are thrown into a situation together, and the best part is that the resulting dynamics were totally unforeseen by Quackity himself.

We knew that the point of creating pairs and assigning each of them a little creature to protect was to incentivize people to break the language barrier and bridge the cultural gap—that’s the whole reason this server existed. And it worked wonderfully. What I’m sure the admins didn’t account for, however, is that because these creatures were played by real people, they developed personalities of their own and before they knew it, what was supposed to be a temporary event turned into the very core of the server.

It's hard to explain to people the sheer impact that the eggs left on all of us without sounding like we’re completely insane. Our brains are really bad at making the difference between real and fictional relationships (if there even is such a thing), so when you spend weeks taking care of a little egg that follows you around and eats the food you make and calls you its parent, you don’t just go about your day pretending that it’s all a game.

(Except Roier. This guy has exceptional mental fortitude.)

We are social animals. We look out for each other. When someone lets an egg die, it feels like a failure on ourselves and the people who put their faith in us. Look at Slime, he literally exiled himself for it. So they start weaving a net to stop their fall, a web of connections between the islanders that can withstand outside pressure. It takes a village, they say. The islanders came together to protect something dear to their hearts, and from their efforts bloomed a tight-knit community that never would have seen the light of day in different circumstances.

Accidents still happen, of course. But at least you’re not alone to face them. I often think about how every single person on the server at the time was immediately willing to accompany Jaiden and Roier on an 8k blocks journey to the place of Bobby’s death, not because Cucurucho told them to, but because they didn’t want the pair to face this hardship on their own. They didn’t need to know them well to volunteer—hell, the francophones had literally crash-landed the day before and Kamel probably thought that Bobby was some kind of pet still. They just did, because that’s what people do for each other. They’ll stand outside of the room where two grieving parents are saying goodbye to their child and discuss plans for a funeral because they understand that it’s the last thing you want to think about when you’re mourning, and someone has to do the unpleasant work.

Grief is a really silly and complicated thing that is difficult to simulate. I don’t think anyone would willingly put themselves in the state of anguish that some of the players were in during that time. Like Bad said, it was a genuinely traumatizing experience, yet you just had to live through it to understand why he didn’t regret any of it. These eggs were their babies—imagine someone gives you a little creature and asks you to sing them lullabies and bring them on adventures until it becomes something you look forward to every day, only to take them away from you on a whim—how fucked up is that?

But even in those moments of tragedies, there is some light to be found. Even as the Brazilians are sat around Maximus in a sullen silence while he plays the harmonica, the francophones are busy collecting bricks a couple feet away and discussing their plans for Pomme—literally ensuring the future of the island in real time. And they did a fantastic job of it. I’ve never seen people fight so hard for the life of a Minecraft egg; French viewers were literally threatening to organize a revolution on the bird app in case things didn’t go their way. You don’t typically do that for a two-week old cubito.

When you think about it, prying this server from their cold dead hands was really the only way to end this.

[toystore]

Vince's Emergency Commissions

Hello, I am currently homeless and have been living in motel rooms for the past week; I've been applying for many jobs, but so far haven't heard anything back. So, I'm opening my very affordable coding, graphic and art commissions again for the summer to help me make ends meet! ^^

I accept money through ppal, $app, and ko-fi. If you would like to donate without purchasing a commission, you can visit the highlighted links.

Under the cut are examples of everything I can do and the prices, please contact me here on my blog if you are interested. Thank you so much ⊹ ࣪ ˖͙͘͡★

Artwork

(ex. 1-3) Colored, simple background — $11

(ex. 4-6) Colored, no background — $9

(ex. 7) Uncolored* — $7

* background optional, it will be simple and have no effect on cost if chosen

Coding

I've been coding for 5 years, and have made many Tumblr themes and Neocities templates. (Please visit the links to see the full extent of my work). I also made the website Windchime.

(ex. 1-4) Neocities template — $10

(ex. 5-8) Tumblr theme — $10

Both themes and templates are $10 as a base price, but the price may increase slightly based on complexity.

Web Graphics

I can make simple—animated or static—buttons and banners for any purpose! Please just provide details about what you're wanting, and images to use if possible. (However, I can also find my own if you need help).

(ex. 1-2) Animated button — $5

(ex. 3-4) Static button — $3

(ex. 1) Animated banner — $5

(ex. 2) Static banner — $3

[scallioncreamcheesebagel]

avoiding ocd unsafe posts on tumblr

so i've been experimenting a while with filtering phrases, and here is a list i've come up with that i use to get posts that trigger my ocd / have compulsive language off my dash! this ends up taking out about 95% of these posts. i'm sharing it here so anyone who also wants to blacklist this stuff can as well.

it is helpful to me as someone with ocd to blacklist these phrases and makes tumblr much more accessible, so i hope it can also help others with ocd and similar mental illnesses (or people who just find this stuff aggravating)

phrases to blacklist that are usually used in compulsive statements related to tumblr actions:

asking for reblog

follows>likes

follows > likes

hit that reblog

ignore for

i know you see this

keep reblogging

must reblog

obligated to reblog

obligated to vote

people can reblog

people reblog

please rb

please reblog

please share

rb after voting

rb for

rb if u vote

rb if you vote

rbs > likes

rbs>likes

rb this

reblog after voting

reblog bait (people use this one as a trigger tag, so this one is better under filtered tags instead of filtered post content)

reblog for (this one tends to catch a lot of non-compulsive posts, but leaving it out allows a lot of compulsive posts onto the dash, so it's a tossup if you want to include it)

reblog for exposure

reblog if u vote

reblog if you vote

reblog it every time

reblogs > likes

reblogs>likes

reblog this

remember to reblog

required by law to

sample size

you will reblog

just filtering the word "reblog" will also work as a catchall for most of these, but will also catch a lot of non-compulsive posts, so this list is meant to minimize that effect.

how to blacklist post content

on desktop/web: settings > account > filtered post content (should be right under filtered tags), at this url

on mobile/app: settings > account settings > content you see > filtered post content (again will be right under filtered tags)

how you can make tumblr more accessible for people with ocd and similar mental illnesses

tag posts with compulsive statements as "#reblog bait"

avoid using compulsive statements in posts - according to polls, this makes people less likely to reblog anyway! (poll 1) (poll 2)

if you are able to, avoiding sharing posts with aggressively compulsive statements would help. for example, those "reblog for good luck ignore and you'll never have good luck again" type posts, or things with "rules". i saw a lighthearted tournament with "From now on, if you see a matchup post - even accidentally - you are immediately morally obligated to vote one way or the other. Refusing to vote is strictly forbidden" in the pinned post. this is an example of an ocd unsafe statement. (op of that poll is not malicious though and removed that when told it was inaccessible).

avoid implying that reblogging, following, voting, etc or not doing so carries a moral value.

while reblogging a post may be very small stakes in itself, things like this can trigger compulsions that spiral into more than just reblogging a post. this is why this stuff is important even if it's small-stakes by itself.

you are under no obligation to share this.

[all-the-fish]

Oh, you know, just the usual internet browsing experience in the year of 2024

Some links and explanations since I figured it might be useful to some people, and writing down stuff is nice.

First of all, get Firefox. Yes, it has apps for Android/iOS too. It allows more extensions and customization (except the iOS version), it tracks less, the company has a less shitty attitude about things. Currently all the other alternatives are variations of Chromium, which means no matter how degoogled they supposedly are, Google has almost a monopoly on web browsing and that's not great. Basically they can introduce extremely user unfriendly updates and there's nothing forcing them to not do it, and nowhere for people to escape to. Current examples of their suggested updates are disabling/severly limiting adblocks in June 2024, and this great suggestion to force sites to verify "web environment integrity" ("oh you don't run a version of chromium we approve, such as the one that runs working adblocks? no web for you.").

uBlockOrigin - barely needs any explanation but yes, it works. You can whitelist whatever you want to support through displaying ads. You can also easily "adblock" site elements that annoy you. "Please log in" notice that won't go away? Important news tm sidebar that gives you sensory overload? Bye.

Dark Reader - a site you use has no dark mode? Now it has. Fairly customizable, also has some basic options for visually impaired people.

SponsorBlock for YouTube - highlights/skips (you choose) sponsored bits in the videos based on user submissions, and a few other things people often skip ("pls like and subscribe!"). A bit more controversial than normal adblock since the creators get some decent money from this, but also a lot of the big sponsors are kinda scummy and offer inferior product for superior price (or try to sell you a star jpg land ownership in Scotland to become a lord), so hearing an ad for that for the 20th time is kinda annoying. But also some creators make their sponsored segments hilarious.

Privacy Badger (and Ghostery I suppose) - I'm not actually sure how needed these are with uBlock and Firefox set to block any tracking it can, but that's basically what it does. Find someone more educated on this topic than me for more info.

Https Everywhere - I... can't actually find the extension anymore, also Firefox has this as an option in its settings now, so this is probably obsolete, whoops.

Facebook Container - also comes with Firefox by default I think. Keeps FB from snooping around outside of FB. It does that a lot, even if you don't have an account.

WebP / Avif image converter - have you ever saved an image and then discovered you can't view it, because it's WebP/Avif? You can now save it as a jpg.

YouTube Search Fixer - have you noticed that youtube search has been even worse than usual lately, with inserting all those unrelated videos into your search results? This fixes that. Also has an option to force shorts to play in the normal video window.

Consent-O-Matic - automatically rejects cookies/gdpr consent forms. While automated, you might still get a second or two of flashing popups being yeeted.

XKit Rewritten - current most up to date "variation "fork" of XKit I think? Has settings in extension settings instead of an extra tumblr button. As long as you get over the new dash layout current tumblr is kinda fine tbh, so this isn't as important as in the past, but still nice. I mostly use it to hide some visual bloat and mark posts on the dash I've already seen.

YouTube NonStop - do you want to punch youtube every time it pauses a video to check if you're still there? This saves your fists.

uBlacklist - blacklists sites from your search results. Obviously has a lot of different uses, but I use it to hide ai generated stuff from image search results. Here's a site list for that.

Redirect AMP to HTML - redirects links from their amp version to the normal version. Amp link is a version of a site made faster and more accessible for phones by Bing/Google. Good in theory, but lets search engines prefer some pages to others (that don't have an amp version), and afaik takes traffic from the original page too. Here's some more reading about why it's an issue, I don't think I can make a good tl;dr on this.

Also since I used this in the tags, here's some reading about enshittification and why the current mainstream internet/services kinda suck.

[changes]

Thursday, September 12th, 2024

🌟 New

When a community post gets 10 reactions (not counting reactions from the post author) the post author will now receive a notification about those reactions. We want to give some kind of notification when you’re getting reactions, but not for every single reaction (that could be a deluge of hundreds of notifications in our big communities). Let us know what you think!

Community admins and mods will now be asked for a reason when they moderate a comment.

Logged out users, likely new visitors to Tumblr itself, can now start requesting new communities to be put on the waitlist. They will be asked to log in or sign up before finishing.

To celebrate the new folks joining Tumblr from Brazil, we have launched a lot of communities features if you’re in that country, such asrecommended communities in the For You feed and related communities carousels when searching and viewing tag pages in the mobile apps.

🛠 Fixed

Dismissed “Check out these blogs” recommendations are now dismissed forever.

New custom domains were not receiving renewed SSL certificates, and thus not properly accessible. This has now been fixed, and new SSL certificates have been granted to the affected domains.

Archives and custom pages on blogs with custom domains were broken. This has now been fixed.

On web, some dialogs did not disable our keyboard shortcuts while they were open. For example, you could like a post with the ‘l’ key even though a dialog was open on top of the post! This is now fixed.

On web, we were displaying an option to block a community in Activity, which is not actually possible, and has now been removed. Instead of blocking a community, you can simply leave a community.

The community tags section has been updated to make it clearer that they will aid in discovery of your community.

We’ve made a few small design improvements throughout communities. Less wasted space FTW!

🚧 Ongoing

We’re aware that some ads may interrupt background audio on iOS and are working on a fix! We have also received reports of a weird “cricket-like” sound in the app, which we think is related.

🌱 Upcoming

No upcoming launches to announce today.

Experiencing an issue? Check for Known Issues and file a Support Request if you have something new. We’ll get back to you as soon as we can!

Want to share your feedback about something? Check out our Work in Progress blog and start a discussion with other users.

Wanna support Tumblr directly with some money? Check out Premium and the Supporter badge in TumblrMart!

[codeonedigest]

AWS Service Mesh for Cloud API Developer | AWS APP Mesh Explained with Examples  

Full Video Link https://youtube.com/shorts/KDXrF2Km_R8 Hi, a new #video on #aws #servicemesh #appmesh #aws #ecs #cloud is published on #codeonedigest #youtube channel. @java #java #awscloud @awscloud #aws @AWSCloudIndia #Cloud #CloudCom

Service mesh is a dedicated infrastructure layer built into an application that controls service-to-service communication in a microservices architecture. It controls the delivery of service requests to other services, performs load balancing, encrypts data, and discovers other services. Service mesh enables greater scalability in service-to-service communication. AWS App Mesh provides…

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puppy love

puppy love | yandere!mark grayson x afab!reader | MULTI-CHAP: 4

chapter 3

cw; DARK CONTENT!!! MDNI!!! MENTION OF ANIMAL DEATH, reader is neurodivergent, ableism, growing up is messy & adults suck, angst, niceguy™/slight incel mark, childhood friend/bully!mark, mark gets his powers sooner, teeny tiny implications of pseudo incest (blink and you’ll miss it), SADIST MARK, violent rape, threats of violence, & canon typical violence, so . . gore, stalking, implied murder, gender & body dysphoria, mentions/implications of disordered eating, mark teases reader about their body once, overall asshole mark, implied grooming (mark handles it but he’s a lil bitch about it later), so, victim blaming, misogyny, the inexplicable horrors of being afab, objectification, sexualization

about; [the fuckin' thought of you with somebody else, i don't like that.] . . actually, if you even consider leaving i'll lose a couple screws in due time, i'll stop breathing and you'll see the meaning of stalker when i pop out the dark to find you and that new dude that you're seeing with a attitude - IFHY (tyler the creator)

4.

there was blood on mark's hands.

syrupy and wet.

the distinct stench of iron rot fogged up his senses.

blood clots stuck like soft gelatin between his fingers. stretching, snapping webs of gore whenever he opened and closed his hands.

still warm as he switched on the water from your sink.

the suds from your hand soap came up a copper brown, adorned by tiny rivulets of red as he dug beneath his fingernails to scrape away any remnants of viscera.

dna washed away by tap water.

his skin purified once again.

mark looked up and met the eyes in the reflection, making sure to pick off specks of skull fragment and the fatty tissue of brain matter from strands of his hair.

what a fantasy.

a blink and it's all gone.

just like you.

you and your attention.

your undying devotion. a huff and the flame gets snuffed.

better yet. . you light and pass the torch to someone fucking else.

it's no good.

there's no use being mad at you and your uninspiring devotion. how special is your love, really, if it is so easily obtained?

and why does the fact that it no longer belongs to mark so upsetting?

why'd the realization that anyone who called you pretty would have you fantasizing about baby's breath bouquets - something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a sixpence in your shoe - make his blood run that much hotter?

why'd it make him stare down into the sink, faucet running, as he tried to slow down his breathing? gripping the edges of your porcelain sink until he heard it creak. counting forwards to a hundred, then back again.

he did all the things the therapist his mother took him to recommended he do when those feelings came up. things to see, smell, and touch, and taste. but the only thing that came through the ringing in his ears was the vivid fantasy of tearing your boy apart.

he could see the light leaving his eyes. he could smell the acrid stench of piss running down the coward's leg. and god knows he'd only ever touch him to dispose of his body.

and at the end, he'd taste the tears collecting at your cupid's bow when you sought comfort in his presence. just like the old days. it'd all be worth it in the end.

. . he shouldn't have read your dairy.

not because debbie raised him to 'respect privacy' - because who doesn't keep shit in their notes app in this day and age? - but because it put him in a shitty mood.

but he was also glad he did it.

it revealed what your problem was.

and mark's always been your problem solver.

mark was imaginative.

mark was smart.

mark was also patient.

surely, you'll get bored.

you'll preoccupy your mind with mundane things: how the world spins, for example. what you'll make of yourself. what people will think of you.

ouroboros: swallowing yourself whole trying to find the beginning to the end.

will you be loved? how will you be loved?

you're a glutton obsessing over not being enough in the first place. more, more, more.

you'll dizzy yourself.

come full circle, nausea and vertigo, habitually crawling back to him.

you're a distracted little thing.

you always have been.

it's in your nature.

mark tries not to be too hard on you about your romantic pursuits.

after all, you'll go after what you think you deserve.

and if that's dysfunction, then so be it.

however. . . your standards could be a little higher. had it been any other person occupying your mind. . mark wouldn't have cared.

oh, not at all.

he cares fuck all about your meaningless schoolyard crushes but the one thing that boils mark's blood is all of the abuse.

the hoops you have to jump through for the smallest shred of applause.

and really, how pathetic do you have to be? why can't you see that he's using you? as entertainment. as a pet. as a clown.

and what you don't understand is that deep down. . mark and your boy aren't all that different.

which explains why you like him so much.

mark and your boy were sharks.

your boy could smell your blood from a mile away; see the desperation in the way you sauntered past him, salivating at the thought of being the apple of his eye.

he saw you for what you were: prey.

and they saw right through your flimsy little costume of new clothing and perfumed wrists.

your boy and his group of cronies didn't laugh at your jokes because they thought you were funny. they laughed at the idea of you believing they found you entertaining.

your mediocre attempts at relevancy were funny - hilarious, even - because of how eager you were to impress them.

and the only reason why they hadn't used and discarded you like a plastic bag with warm dog shit inside of it was because they were more than happy tossing a coin into traffic, making you fetch just so they could entertain themselves watching you get hit by a bus.

but everything for your boy, right?

you and that fucking boy.

whatever it is, mark's more than willing to find a way to make all of that stop. he's devised some plans to make everything go back to the way they used to be.

it'd always been you and mark.

mark and you.

he planned to keep it that way.

and so, he was on his best behavior.

he'd let you have your boy.

he'd push down the bile that crawled up his throat whenever he imagined his hands on you. whenever he saw your face light up whenever your phone pings with a notification.

mark can be a very good actor.

he'd act as if his stares weren't deadly when you looked up and caught him looking at you. he could melt those icey eyes, the ones that glaze over in anger, and turn them into their usual warm brown.

he's on his best behavior.

attentive, even.

he's so, so interested in what you've got going on.

who are you talking to? yes you can tell me. no i won't get mad. yes. i promise. him? yeah, I remember. why didn't you tell me?

no, i'm not mad.

good for you!

no, i won't threaten him.

who do you think i am~?

mark knows better than to be outright poisonous towards you. not when there was another boy willing to stuff your pretty little head with cotton.

you are far too sensitive to hear anything that isn't a candied lie. if he plays nice, it gives him the upper-hand.

there is no need to vent to a diary when your best friend is sitting in front of you, doe eyed and innocent, the way he pretended to be when you two were twelve and his mom would check up on you in his room. or when teachers would walk past and he had to pretend he wasn't pressing the sharp point of his pencil into your thigh.

mark loves your parent(s).

they aren't that much different than you.

in fact, mark has come to find that there aren't many people that match him in terms of intelligence.

he can see why you came out the way you did. un-special, if he's feeling kind. the other word he'd like to use is not nice to call someone.

pining after approval, your parent(s) were very easy to like.

very easy to control.

"i just don't know if they've told you, yet. . it seems kinda unfair that i'll be the one to say." mark mutters under his breath, tracing shapes into the dining room table as your parent(s) sit across from him.

"mark," your parent reaches across the table, hoping to grab his hand, only for mark to pull it out of their reach. "if something's happening. . we want to know. we need to know."

"it's just that. ." mark pauses, gives a few seconds to really build the tension. "it's a bit embarrassing."

super.

he's worried about you, you see? there's a group of guys you've been chasing around in school. . and mark doesn't think they have your best interest in mind.

mark has heard. . things.

but you've gone cold on him.

he's worried you might be. .

well, he's worried you might be having sex.

with a few. .

. . all of them?

oh, who gives a shit? the more the better. and the more mark spills, plucks things out of thin air, the more petrified your parents look.

he makes sure to say it.

sex.

hisses, purrs it, whispers it like it's such a bad word.

he even wills himself to look embarrassed, averting his eyes like it's a shameful thing.

it brings him back to the day debbie caught him with some girl after a baseball game.

she had just been some random. a shiny object that called mark's attention. something he could put his dick into while he tucked his face into her neck and imagined the sounds you'd make.

his mom should've known he was already having sex. however, having been caught with his pants down and balls deep in someone wasn't necessarily the way he planned to break it to her.

he heard his mom and his dad arguing in the next room that night and, coincidentally, nolan came in and gave him 'the talk' to the best of his ability.

humans are fragile, mark.

yes, they are.

but the bruises on her were not his fault.

she was soft.

and she'd liked it.

nevertheless, your parents are not as forgiving as mark's.

they promise him it's not a big deal. that he did good. that he's good.

a good kid, a good student, a good friend.

but as soon as he's gone, he knows they are searching your room top to bottom.

he flies up to your room and peeks in through the curtains to watch them toss open closet doors, rummaging through clothing, bookbags, notebooks, whatever they can find.

and finally, your bed.

your diary with all the juicy, dirty - downright violent, jesus - fantasies mark wrote by forging your handwriting.

and your nightstand.

wherein tucked underneath your cute underwear lays a shiny pack of condoms.

at least you're being safe.

you'll never hear the end of it.

it's too good to miss and mark doesn't care if he has to wait all day for you to get home. he wants to watch your everything crash and burn.

not that he'll have to wait much, anyway.

your parent's on the phone, trying to contain red hot anger from spewing out like a backed up volcano, hissing at you to get home, now.

you poor thing.

you poor, poor, thing.

you don't know what to tell them when they toss the pack of condoms at your feet.

when they shove the journal in your face, showing you all the depraved things you wrote in that cute little scrawl.

the boys, the nights out in which you claimed to be at mark's: helping him out with a project.

yeah, right, stop lying, already!

"give me your phone. now."

fingers feverishly tapping and swiping, going through texts as tears stream down your flushed face.

you've got a date tonight.

and you hadn't told your parent(s).

what a coincidence, oh my!

your boy must've planned to seal the deal that night. and mark would be damned if he didn't have you first.

mark doesn't need to worry.

that's definitely not happening now, is it?

in fact, you won't be able to go anywhere that isn't class for the rest of the school year. not unless you're monitored by mark. and isn't it embarrassing, mark having to be some sort of guardian?

"I thought you were smarter than this."

and you're too good to yell back.

you're too good to argue and try to explain that it wasn't you.

you didn't buy condoms. you didn't write that. you didn't do anything.

but if it wasn't you, who was it?

who did?

you look every bit of a cornered animal. it's very you: to freeze in situations like that. back to the door, facing the window just enough for mark to be able to peek at every emotion going past your face through the crack of your curtains.

he watches it flicker past your eyes, the way the muscles in your neck tense up when you squeak out those ugly, strangled, sniffed out cries. the ones you try to hold back when you're crying alone in your room and you want no one else to hear them.

the ones you'd let out at your desk when you were itty bitty and your parent had dropped you off at kindergarten, promising you they'd be right back, but they never were.

you are so much like the way you used to be.

mark wishes things hadn't changed.

he wishes you were just as innocent, as good. he wishes no one would've turned you into what you are now.

he wishes you wouldn't have been stupid enough to let them.

you don't say anything.

you don't even push past your parent when they're done berating you, just stare down at the floor until their mouth has dried, and they shoulder check past you.

you only slowly turn to push the door closed, grab your computer and send a message to the only person you think you can confide in.

he arrives in ten minutes.

enough to make it believable, climb up a tree and sneak into your room.

you fall into his arms immediately, sobbing.

mark hopes you don't feel him smiling against your shoulder as he comforts you.

your boy has been different since the last time you talked to him. distant, distracted. different. you catch him zoning out whenever the two of you are studying in the library, not reciprocating when you try to play footsies with him.

you're not sure if it has to do with the night you had to cancel your date. sure, it was last minute but he'd told you that it was okay. but with everything going on at home, you don't have the patience to hear him lie.

"seriously, what's up?" you ask, kicking his shoe softly.

your boy looks up at you.

his eyes used to gleam with confidence. the type of cockiness that'd make your cheeks burn and butterflies flutter like mad in your stomach. but they looked empty then. he looked like he hadn't slept well. that night or the one before.

he looked around, making sure no one was within earshot. you leaned forward in response, your curiosity peaked.

"this is going to sound weird but. . do you ever get the feeling that you're being watched?"

you blinked.

"uh. . hm. ."

come to think of it. . sometimes you did. you've been sensitive to eyes on you since you can remember. the hyper vigilance is something you've grown accustomed to, making peace with the fact that it might not be a curse after all, and instead some sort of safety feature.

but it felt different.

not like the irrational tickle in your stomach whenever you think of a possibility. but the speckling feeling across your skin, crawling with a million legs, the kind that makes you hallucinate a breath against your neck. the type that has your head rolling, looking for an intruder.

nothing.

but you didn't tell your boy.

because your boy was talking about himself and you've learned to insert yourself into it could be rude.

you settle with saying, "what do you mean?"

he shrugged a shoulder. "i dunno. watched. I get that sometimes. see something from the corner of my eye. and when I turn to look it's gone."

you felt your heart pick up speed. strange. the same thing had been happening to you.

you let out a nervous laugh. "if you're saying this to scare me I'm gonna get really mad, y'know?"

"i'm serious." he said, almost urgently. "and here's this: i was walking to my car after baseball practice and found some weird red shit smeared across my windshield."

he's fucking with you.

surely, he is.

this must have something to do with the rumour circulating around school. the one in which they've seen a figure whizzing past. the one in which that figure is the reason in which some animal carcasses have been found in the baseball field, mutilated like some sort of fucked up science experiment. a villain that's found a hobby in terrorizing the town, perhaps.

"it's probably nothing." you whisper, unsure if you're trying to convince him or yourself.

"probably." he responds.

he doesn't look convinced.

and he doesn't reciprocate when you try, again, to get his attention.

your boy was gone.

gone, gone, gone.

word around the school was that he'd transfered.

but that started to feel suspicious when the students noticed the smell.

something easy to dismiss at first.

the kind of funk attributed to warm weather and not enough deodorant. growing boys and their scattered hormones.

and then it grew.

bold, loud.

ugly enough that it couldn't be ignored.

sour.

downright rancid.

and it was all coming from your boy's locker.

it got so bad a janitor had to pry his locker open.

and that's where they found a decomposed animal, tire marks through the middle of the delicate body. maggots swarming in the orifice where the eyes used to be.

you don't remember when the last time you saw him was.

you don't know if you ever will.

with his past time of mutilating animals and collecting roadkill, you're not sure you even want to.

and if you did, the only thing you'd ask is why?

mark seemed the least surprised about it.

he hadn't so much as grimaced as he told you the story of his locker being pried open.

the stench was the worst thing, apparently.

although, it wasn't enough to deter his appetite as he popped grapes between his fingers, making sure to squirt the juice onto you as he described fat, wriggling maggots falling off in swarming little balls off of the carcass.

you shiver, skin crawling, staring at the pile of homework before mark.

now that your boy had vanished into thin air, his entourage wanted nothing to do with you. you figured it was only normal. you were all preparing for finals, applying for college, planning ahead.

still, it hurt.

it hurt to think you almost had it, almost had him, but it was all taken away. you're not sure why you feel that way, but you do.

and the only thing keeping you afloat is the fact that you've found your way back to mark.

it reminds you, he'll always be there for you.

no matter what.

it's nice, you think.

spending time with your best friend.

even if it means doing mark's work again.

CHAPTER 5