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REVO SuperConnect Stereo - Internet Radio/DAB+ Digital Radio (30 Watt, Stereo Radio, Internet, WLAN, DAB/DAB+/FM, Spotify, Amazon Music, napster UVM, Design Radio) Walnut-Black £489.00 Buy now 9.

Best internet radio 2023: Discover a new world of radio and music with the best connected radios and audio systems

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OpenAI’s ChatGPT has received a major update, which includes the ability to connect to the internet. Additionally, the latest version of GPT-4 now incorporates more than 70 third-party browser plugins, among other features. Currently, these enhancements ...

ChatGPT can now browse the internet, OpenAI’s latest update offers accurate responses

The Indian Express

OpenAI update lets ChatGPT browse the internet to help it generate up-to-date text. The update is for paid ChatGPT Plus users. ChatGPT plugins will give access to Expedia, Instacart, OpenTable and ...

OpenAI to Update ChatGPT With Internet Access

Investopedia

Advocate

Polynomial expansion

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MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Some state leaders are trying to increase the availability and affordability of reliable broadband internet throughout the state of Wisconsin. The problem can be twofold ...

Advocates push for expansion of affordable broadband internet plan

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Mobile internet options are constantly changing. We offer multiple ways to keep up to date and help make MIRC possible. Get our news stories delivered to your inbox so you never miss an industry development.

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A new demographic survey indicates a potential link between regular internet usage and cognitive health in older populations. By Andrew Paul | Published May 5, 2023 2:00 PM EDT There are countless ...

The right amount of online scrolling could decrease your risk of dementia

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Elon Musk’s satellite internet company Starlink is already approaching broadband speeds. Actually, Starlink Premium, a new higher-end tier, surpasses some of the best broad speeds available in ...

Starlink internet coverage, cost, speeds and the latest news — what you need to know

Tom's Guide

Dawn

Nearly 48 hours after the incident, most mobile data services remained suspended, while fixed-line internet was also spotty. Major apps such as Twitter, YouTube and Facebook were also disrupted.

Internet blackout

She was 'using' something arguably more insidious, which none of us nowadays can live without: the internet. By that March morning, she explains, 'I'd been bingeing on online streaming for 11 days.

Inside the new AA for internet addicts hooked on gambling, porn and shopping... We all spend too much time online. But when does it become a problem?

Daily Mail

Get the most recent info and news about INGIC on HackerNoon, where 10k+ technologists publish stories for 4M+ monthly readers.

INGIC US is a top-ranked digital agency backed by the best designers, developers and Marketers in United States. INGIC creates leading-edge software, mobile apps & digital marketing strategies, making businesses grow into industry leaders.

INGIC

If you’re in a search of a renowned and reliable Android app development company in the USA, here is your comprehensive list of top companies. I agree that choosing the right app development partner for your Android app project is like looking for a needle in a haystack. To make this task a bit easy, here I give a comprehensive list of twenty top Android app development companies in the USA. Let’s start straightaway: (Delmar, Delaware) Solution Analysts Employee Strength- 100+ Established in- 2011 Since inception in the year 2011, this company has remained committed to app quality and performance. Irrespective of scale and size, Solution Analysts has achieved the client’s happiness in every app project. With an in-house team of , the company is striving for meeting the deadlines without compromising in quality. experienced Android app developers Integration of cutting-edge tools and advancements from emerging technologies like IoT, AR, and VR in enterprise-grade app solutions give this company an edge over its peers. With client-oriented approach and cost-effectiveness, the company has supported many startups and small businesses globally to grow with 360-degree IT solutions in web and app domains. (Culver, California) 2. Swenson He Employee Strength- 50+ Established in- 2014 Swenson He is known for developing high impact mobile app solutions. The company has experienced developers who can build robust and sophisticated mobile apps for Android platform. Swenson He takes care of every app development aspect from conception to completion while developing interactive apps. The company focuses on design and project execution to fulfill the ever-changing requirements of corporate clients. Swenson He has achieved fame for executing complex app projects. , LLC (NYC, New York) 3. The Sneakers Agency Employee Strength- 50+ Established in- 2014 The Sneakers Agency focuses on creating innovative app solutions. They emphasize the design aspect for making the user-friendly app solutions. The company also offers customized solutions in web and systems apart from Android and iOS platforms. Sneakers has forayed into IoT recently. The company believes in providing an interactive digital experience and developing tailored software solutions for enterprises across different industry sectors. ( San Diego, California) 4. Ingic Employee Strength- 50+ Established in- 2012 Ingic comes in top five positions because it offers an excellent mobile app strategy and development services to corporate clients. The company has a team of experienced developers for crafting robust and reliable Android apps. Ingic has focused on high conversion rate through custom app development. Apart from mobile app development, the company also provides software development, web development, and digital marketing services. ( NYC, New York) 5. Blue Label Labs Employee Strength- 100+ Established in- 2009 Blue Label Labs is one of the leading mobile app development companies of USA. The company has partnered with entrepreneurs and digital agencies to develop feature-rich apps for Android and iOS. Apart from mobile app development, the company also works in building apps for the tablet, watch and TV. Blue Label Labs also offers digital marketing services for customized app solutions. The company assists enterprises to grow with high-quality apps for different devices. (San Francisco, California) 6. ArcTouch Employee Strength- 100+ Established in- 2007 ArcTouch helps businesses of all size with feature-rich apps for mobile and connected devices. The company houses experienced product strategists, designers, and engineers to simplify the business processes of the clients. The company also provides cross-platform mobile app development services and blockchain app development services. ArcTouch also develops IoT and AR-based solutions for forward-looking businesses. Conversational bots and apps are specialties of the company. (Atlanta, Georgia) 7. Big Nerd Ranch Employee Strength- 100+ Established in- 2001 Big Nerd Ranch is known for developing web and mobile app solutions with excellent UX and UI design. The company has experienced Android app developers who can complete the project in the given time. The company has in-house teams of designers, web developers and mobile app developers for iOS and Android. Big Nerd Ranch also runs team training programs for the app developers. Employees with the real-world app development experience and thorough understanding run these programs. (NYC, New York) 8. Blue Whale Apps Employee Strength- 50+ Established in- 2006 It is one of the leading company that houses experienced professionals in the domains of technology, advertising, and design domains. Blue Whale Apps is a company dedicated to only mobile app development. It takes care of every aspect of app development from conceptualization to completion. Apart from Android app development, the company also offers quality iPhone and iPad app development services also. (Los Angeles, California) 9. Citrusbyte Employee Strength- 50+ Established in- Citrusbyte focuses on product design, planning, and delivery of customized app solution. The company has gained fame for providing solutions that not only address the current needs but also customizable to meet future needs. The company’s core focus remains on UI/UX design while developing app solutions. The company has also forayed into VR domain for creating app solutions with immersive experience on the VR infrastructure. (San Jose, California) 10. Clavax Employee Strength- 200+ Established in- 2011 Clavax is a reliable software, web, and mobile app development company. The company is known for offering innovative and scalable IT solutions to global clients across the world. The company has experienced developers for developing customized app solutions for leading platforms. The company helps entrepreneurs and startups to transform their app ideas into robust and reliable mobile apps. (NYC, New York) 11. Dom&Tom Employee Strength- 100+ Established in- 2009 The company helps the next-gen startups to grow. The company supports the client’s strategic initiatives with open collaboration and wonderful user experience. The company offers both web and mobile app development services across the USA. Dom&Tom also offers cross-platform app development services and emerging technologies-related solutions. Dom&Tom has a team of experienced developers, designers, and business strategists. Though it was started to develop iPhone apps, the company offers excellent Android app development services. (Chicago, Illinois) 12. Ethervision Employee Strength- 50+ Established in- 2008 As an enterprise mobile application development company, Ethervision offers iPhone, iPad, and Android app development services to corporate clients. The company has experienced mobile app developers who help enterprises come up with innovative app solutions with enterprise-friendly features. The company has some experienced strategists that guide entrepreneurs for building enterprise-grade iOS or Android applications. (NYC, New York) 13. Fueled Employee Strength- 100+ Established in- 2007 Fueled has various teams consists of expert app developers, designers, and software strategies. The company is known for developing cutting-edge mobile apps for startups and big enterprises alike. The company builds iPhone apps and blockchain-based apps along with Android applications. Fueled also offers branding, website development, and strategic consultancy services to the businesses of all sizes. (Brooklyn, New York) 14. Fuzz Productions Employee Strength-50+ Established in- When it comes to high-quality web and mobile app solutions, Fuzz Productions can develop customized and seamlessly-performing apps. The company has multiple teams comprise strategists, designers, and engineers to develop feature-rich apps for Android and iOS platforms. The company can provide teams for working with the client’s product team. Fuzz Productions can develop customized software for various companies across different industry sectors. (Palo Alto, California) 15. Intellectsoft Employee Strength- 100+ Established in- 2007 It is a custom software development company that provides high-quality solutions to meet the challenges and ever-changing business requirements. The company is known for integrating the advancements of emerging technologies like blockchain, AR (Augmented Reality), and AI (Artificial Intelligence). The company also offers UX and UI services and product engineering services. Intellectsoft focuses on the advanced practices for developing high-quality app solutions. (Los Angeles, California) 16. ISBX Employee Strength-100+ Established in- 2009 ISBX is a leading software developer that provides both web and mobile app solutions to the enterprises. As a full range marketing and software development services provider, ISBX has served many companies across the world. Apart from the mobile app and web development, the company also offers designing and technology services. The company also forays into the blockchain and cryptocurrency-related development services with excellent consulting services. (San Francisco, California) 17. Pivotal Employee Strength-500+ Established in- 2013 Pivotal combines modern approach and cutting-edge tools along with domain expertise and experience. The company builds customized software with innovative and lean approaches for building the next-gen app solutions. Pivotal help startups with a greater agility through the advanced apps. Pivotal builds excellent apps by combining platform, tools, and methodology to deliver pleasant user experiences. Quality and reduced time-to-market are other characteristics of the company. (Reston, Virginia) 18. Savvy Apps Employee Strength- 50+ Established in-2009 Savvy Apps offers strategy, branding, mobile app development, digital marketing, web development, and UI/UX design. The company has a team of experienced app developers who have worked on hundreds of app projects. The company also offers cloud computing services and digital marketing services. The company offers strategic services like competitive analysis, user research, etc. Branding and designing are other services. (Charlottesville, Virginia) 19. WillowTree Employee Strength-50+ Established in-2007 WillowTree has engineered customized software solutions. The company ensures seamless app solutions for excellent digital experiences. WillowTree has experienced teams of developers who have built apps, responsive websites, and bots through following a predetermined mobile strategy and product design. Apart from Android apps, WillowTree also offers iOS app development and prototyping services for the businesses. (Sunnyvale, California) 20. Zapps Employee Strength-100+ Established in-2007 The company offers customized solutions to simplify complex business processes. The company has teams of experienced developers who can deliver apps across a wide range of mobile technologies. Zapps create hybrid and native apps for both iOS and Android platforms. What’s more, the company also offers consultancy and marketing services while keeping focus on the mobile app domain. We have also included these two companies in our list: (Pleasanton, California) 21. CitrusBits Employee Strength-50+ Established in-2005 CitrusBits is a noteworthy mobile app development firm that has earned fame for developing and designing tailored mobile apps. The company offers 360-degree solutions through agile approach across all mobile platforms. With effective digital strategy and excellent support, the company builds apps that can mitigate risk and help companies expand the business. The company has also forayed into the AR and VR app development domains. Emerging technologies like blockchain and IoT are also integrated by the company to create game-changing apps for the corporate sector. (NYC, New York) 22. Appetizer Mobile Employee Strength-50+ Established in-2009 Appetizer Mobile LLC builds enterprise-grade app solutions for iOS (iPhone, iPad, Watch, etc.), Android (phones, tablets, etc.), HTML5, and Unity platforms. Apart from mobile application development, the company offers app consulting and marketing services. Innovative UI and UX design and strategic branding are other domains in which the Appetizer Mobile provide high-quality services. Wrapping Up you time, money, and efforts. It is, therefore, necessary for you to find the right development partner. Android app development costs Do let me know what do you think about this list, and send me your suggestions regarding the addition of other reliable and reputed company. With the belief that this exhausting list will remain useful for you, I am signing off.

Top 20 Android Application Development Companies in USA

Developer Experience (DX or DevEx) has become critical for us to drive innovation, productivity, and success. As software development teams vie for top talent and strive to deliver exceptional products, we find that DX is no longer a luxury—it's a necessity. There are telltale signs of subpar DX. It’s easy to miss or ignore them. I’m going to discuss the signs, and also share some of my ideas about how we can improve developer experience. Why Developer Experience (DX) Matters can make or break a development team. Developer Experience It's no longer enough to make incremental improvements to your development process. DX encompasses everything from the ease of use of your APIs and SDKs to the efficiency of your development workflows and the quality of your documentation. It’s usually a poor DX that is driving away your best people, or best opportunities to hire great people. It starts with looking after your engineers. But today, adopting tech to make engineers’ lives easier – including AI tools – will increasingly be a factor. And your best people represent your competitive edge. 7 signs of subpar developer experience As leaders, it's crucial that we recognize the early warning signs. These indicators can point to deeper issues that, if left unaddressed, may lead to unhappy developers, decreased productivity, and, ultimately, a negative impact on our product's success. 1.  Inefficient collaboration Communication bottlenecks and silos within development teams hinder progress. A lack of transparency and cross-functional collaboration means we waste resources in duplicated efforts, missed opportunities, and a slow development process. Be on the lookout for signs of miscommunication or confusion. 2. Limited tool integration The modern developer relies on various tools to get the job done. However, fragmented toolsets can create unnecessary challenges and a poor user experience when these tools don't play nicely together. Getting this wrong hampers developers’ productivity. Insufficient data synchronization and visibility can lead to information gaps, making it difficult for teams to collaborate effectively and make informed decisions. Watch out for developers complaining about the constant need to switch between tools or manually transfer data. 3. Slow feedback loops Timely feedback is crucial for continuous improvement, but slow feedback loops can stifle progress. If developers are left waiting for feedback or approvals, valuable time is wasted, and frustration builds. Keep an eye on your development process to ensure feedback is provided quickly and effectively. 4. Inadequate documentation and resources Comprehensive, accessible documentation is a vital component of a good DX. When resources for onboarding and troubleshooting are insufficient, developers waste time searching for answers or resorting to trial and error. Observe if developers frequently ask the same questions or express frustration when seeking information. 5. Insufficient support and community engagement Support channels and community engagement play an essential role in enhancing DX. Inadequate support and a disconnected developer community can leave our developers feeling isolated and undervalued. Look for frustration with support resources or a lack of engagement in company-wide initiatives. 6. Burnout and attrition This one’s a bit of a smoking gun. A poor DX can lead to developer burnout and high turnover rates. Overworked and underappreciated developers are more likely to seek opportunities elsewhere. That’s the start of a downward spiral of team morale and project failure. Keep track of team members' workloads and regularly check their well-being. 7. Low product quality and slow delivery When subpar DX plagues a development team, the consequences are often visible in the end product. Compromised product quality and delayed releases can result from developers struggling with inefficient processes and inadequate resources. Monitor your team's progress and product performance closely to detect signs of a subpar DX. How to improve DX: 4 Strategies and Solutions Recognizing the signs of a subpar Developer Experience (DX) is the first step. The real challenge lies in addressing these issues to create a better environment for your developers. 1. Seamless collaboration Collaboration can be painful. How much time do you and your project managers spend chasing updates on a feature? Or getting someone to review your pull request? Transparency is at the heart of a good foundation in collaboration. Foster a culture where conversation and collaboration happen in public channels, not in DMs. When it comes to tool integration, consider adopting a centralized platform that connects your core tools, such as Slack, Jira, and GitHub. This unified approach will reduce data silos, improve visibility, and enable more efficient workflows. This is exactly what our tool, , is built to do. CollabGPT CollabGPT isn’t just a dumb layer between your data and an LLM. It uses a complex architecture of AI agents to develop long-term “memory” of your projects and their context So, it can give you on-point summaries of what’s happened, actionable suggestions on what to do next, and answer any question about it instantly. 2. Improving resources and processes Ensure that your development team can access up-to-date resources and invest in creating easy-to-follow guides, tutorials, and FAQs. Encourage developers to contribute to documentation, as this will enhance the available resources and foster a sense of ownership and pride in their work. Consider adopting tools to help with this. allows you to manage and create documentation within the code editor. Swimm.io is an AI tool that analyses your code, extracts relevant information and presents it in a user-friendly way. Mintlify AI automates the process of writing code comments. Readable I wrote about more AI tools CTOs should know about for their software teams here. In addition to documentation, provide ample support through dedicated channels, such as help desks, forums, and mentorship programs. Engage with the developer community by organizing meetups, hackathons, and workshops to encourage knowledge sharing and networking. 3. Optimise the development environment Reducing friction in the development environment is critical to boosting productivity and satisfaction. Audit your existing tools and processes to identify areas of improvement and invest in solutions that enable a smooth, efficient workflow. This may include upgrading your development tools, refining your coding standards, or automating repetitive tasks. Ensure your development process includes timely feedback loops by establishing a robust review and approval system. Where possible, leverage AI-powered tools to analy e code changes, provide automated feedback, and help identify performance bottlenecks. z 4. And of course, culture Creating a supportive, inclusive team culture is essential to create a DX that makes great people stay at your business. Empower your developers by involving them in decision-making processes, recognizing their accomplishments, and providing opportunities for growth and learning. I’m a big believer that when you trust the right people to manage their own time, look after them and encourage them to establish a healthy work-life balance, everyone wins. Wrapping up Great developer experience and business success correlate. By identifying the signs of a subpar DX and taking the necessary steps to address them, you'll create an environment where your developers can reach their full potential. AI-powered tools and collaboration platforms for software engineering have arrived, and they’re ready to help you unlock enormous gains in your development process, streamlining workflows and offering valuable insights. Don't let subpar DX hold your team back—invest in the right strategies and solutions to fuel your organization's growth and success. Also published here.

7 Indicators of Poor Developer Experience and Ways to Improve It

--Today marks a groundbreaking step for decentralized finance (DeFi) on the Solana blockchain. PARIS, France, May 3rd, 2023/Chainwire/ Today, launches its highly anticipated . Symmetry User Interface The platform aims to revolutionize how users manage their portfolios through crypto indices and actively managed funds by providing an all-in-one solution for creating, managing, buying, and selling funds. About Symmetry Symmetry is a decentralized Crypto Indices and Actively Managed Funds infrastructure layer built on , powered by the Symmetry Engine. This innovative on-chain asset management infrastructure covers everything from on-chain funds, indices, and multi-token liquidity pools, to liquidity routing between indices and decentralized exchange (DEX) aggregators and public APIs for other DeFi projects to integrate Symmetry products seamlessly. Solana The platform offers a wide range of opportunities for both fund managers and users. Managers can create and manage funds with multiple tokens that reweigh, rebalance, and refilter according to custom rules defined by the manager or create a trustless Crypto Index with predefined rules. Users can create their own actively managed funds or indices and buy and sell funds created by other users or protocols. Symmetry's liquidity provision feature allows indices and actively managed funds to act as liquidity providers on DeFi aggregators such as and when their token weights deviate from the target weights. This groundbreaking feature not only enables funds to rebalance at zero cost but also generates fees from aggregator users for fund managers and holders, a significant departure from traditional approaches where indices and funds typically pay fees on exchanges to rebalance. PRISM Jupiter The Symmetry Engine relies on , a reliable price oracle, to determine true prices for each asset utilized in Symmetry products. This is crucial for funds to accurately determine fund values, rebalancing triggers, and buy/sell values for users. Pyth Example use cases for Symmetry include decentralized index fund apps, decentralized fund management apps, treasury management tools, retail onboarding apps, copy-trading apps, and investing apps. The platform envisions a future where anyone can create an index fund, manage on-chain funds and portfolio strategies, convert wallet portfolios to funds, and integrate index or actively managed fund tokens for trading. With the launch of the Symmetry User Interface, the world of decentralized finance on the Solana blockchain is poised to experience a paradigm shift in how users interact with and manage their crypto portfolios. As the platform continues to roll out its full suite of features to all users, the future of Solana DeFi looks brighter than ever. Contact PR S. Martin Symmetry operations@symmetry.fi *: This story was distributed as a release by Chain Wire under HackerNoon’s Brand As An Author Program. Learn more about the program .* Disclaimer here

Decentralized Crypto Indices & Actively Managed Funds Arrive on Solana via Symmetry

I'm continuing my journey on getting more familiar with HTTP APIs by reading related Request For Comments. This time, I read the on the suggestion of . In this post, I'd like to summarize my reading. Health Check Response Format for HTTP APIs Stefano Fago Note that it's a draft. Moreover, it has been dormant for nearly two years and, thus, has been automatically expired. However, it's the closest to a specification on health checks and thus deserves some love. Sample data visualization Even though it's not a long read, it's a bit "dry". Fortunately, the specification offers a JSON sample. I copy-pasted it in PlantUML, and presto, it shows a visual representation of it: Let's have a look at the proposed structure element by element. The root object At its simplest, the response is a JSON object with a mandatory property: status Values can be: for healthy status. The value can also be (for NodeJS) and (for Spring Boot) to account for existing health check libraries. The HTTP status code must be in the range from 2xx to 3xx. pass ok up for healthy status but with concerns with the same HTTP status range. warn to indicate unhealthy status. Possible alternative values include (NodeJS) and (Spring Boot). The HTTP status code must be in the range from 4xx to 5xx. fail error down One can add additional values: optional : version of the service version public : internal version of the service. For example, the would be incremented for non-compatible change, while the could be the commit hash or a semantic version. releaseId version releaseId : the unique identifier of the service serviceId : self-explanatory description : array of non-structured notes notes : plain error message in case of or . The field should be left blank for . output pass warn pass The objects links The object consists of object pairs. Values are URIs, while keys can be URIs or common/registered ones: see for common values, , . links RFC5988 e.g. self The objects checks Keys of objects consist of two terms separated by a colon, component name, and measurement name. The latter can be either: checks A pre-defined value: , , , or utilization responseTime connections uptime A standard term from a well-known source, , IANA, , etc. e.g. microformat.org An URI Values consist of one of the following keys: : unique id of this component componentId : componentType A pre-defined value, , , or component datastore system A standard term from a well-known source, , IANA, , etc. e.g. microformat.org An URI : any valid JSON value observedValue : unit of measurement observedUnit : as the parent object's status, but for this component, only status : if the component is not , lists all affected endpoints affectedEndpoints pass : date-time in ISO8601 format of the observation time : as the parent object's output, but for this component, only output : see the previous section links Any other non-standard value I tried implementing the above with Spring Boot using a custom . Here's the best I could come up with: HealthIndicator The current structure of the JSON response needs to be (easily?) customizable. You'd need to create your endpoint. I hope the Spring Boot team provides the option to generate a compatible structure. Conclusion The Healthcheck IETF draft is a great initiative to standardize health checks across the industry. It would allow monitoring tools to rely on HTTP status and response body without ad-hoc configuration on each service. Unfortunately, the draft is expired because of a lack of activity. I'd love to see it revived, though. To go further: Health Check API "Spring Boot Actuator: Health" Originally at on May 28th, 2023 published A Java Geek

Health Check Response Format for HTTP APIs

THE AMMOPHILA

Edmund Halley, a soap-boiler

Our Humble Helpers: Familiar Talks on the Domestic Animals by Jean-Henri Fabre, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book here . THE PALMIPEDES CHAPTER XI. THE PALMIPEDES Hawk “The workman is known by his tools, and by the tools of the feathered creatures—that is to say, their beaks and claws—their way of life is not less easily recognized. If it were not already known to us, who could fail to infer the carnivorous disposition of the hawk from the shape of its beak—short, sharp, and hooked—and from the structure of its talons, armed as they are with pointed nails grooved underneath with a narrow channel after the manner of certain daggers, to facilitate the flow of blood from the wound? Does it call for any extraordinary perspicacity to recognize, in the heron’s long legs, veritable stilts which enable it to traverse, step by step, without getting wet, the inundated flats, as does the hunter in his long, waterproof marsh boots? And then, that long beak, pointed like a nail, does it tell us nothing? Does it not say that the bird bores deep in the tufts of rushes and in the soft mud to pull out reptiles and worms?” “It is the heron,” put in Emile, “that the fable tells about when it says: “The long-necked, long-beaked heron went walking; On its stilt-like legs one day it went stalking.” Heron “Yes,” said Uncle Paul, “that is the bird. Everything about the heron is long—legs, beak, neck. The length of its legs enables the bird to explore the swamp at its ease all day long without wetting a feather; its length of neck is needed that it may reach the ground without stooping; and the long beak is indispensable for burrowing in the tall tufts of grass where the reptile lurks, and for probing the mud where the worm buries itself.” “I begin to see now,” said Jules, “how the character of a bird may be judged from its shape. The heron bears its trade stamped on its form.” “The duck, in its turn, makes an equally unmistakable announcement. Let us forget its habits, which are so familiar to us, and try to rediscover them in the shape of the legs and beak. “The duck’s beak is very wide and flat, and round at the end. Shall we compare it with the hen’s beak, [ ]a slender pair of pincers that snaps up seeds and kernels one by one? Comparison is impossible. Do we see there a tool working in the manner of the heron’s pointed probe? Still less. Shall we make it the equivalent of the bloody hooked beak of the bird of prey? No one would dream of such a thing, so great is the difference. But one sees at once in this wide, rounded beak a spoon shaped expressly for scooping up food from the water, just as our table-spoons enable us to take out pieces of bread or lumps of rice swimming in a thin soup. The duck dabbles, then: it dips up water in large spoonfuls—that is to say, in beakfuls—and seeks its food therein. It is a soup of the thinnest sort and, in itself, of no nutritive value. Consequently the liquid that fills the bird’s mandible must be rejected, but at the same time it must be drained out in such a manner as to leave behind what little alimentary matter it may contain. For this purpose the edges of the beak are fringed with a row of thin, short blades which let the liquid run out when the bird has once filled its mouth.” 94 “That’s an ingenious way to eat,” remarked Jules. “In order to snap up what it takes a fancy to, perhaps a tadpole, or a little water shell, or a worm, the duck is obliged to fill its beak with water. To swallow the whole mouthful without sorting would simply stuff the crop with a useless liquid. What does the bird do? It closes the beak, and the water, driven back, runs out through the fringed edges as if through a grating. The tadpole alone remains [ ]behind the grating, and goes down into the stomach.” 95 “You can see, any time,” observed Louis, “the ducks on the pond dipping up water by the mouthful. It certainly isn’t just for drinking that they work their beaks so.” “Certainly not,” assented Uncle Paul; “they drain the water of the pond through the fringe of the beak to gather worms and other small aquatic prey. “The spoon-shaped beak of the duck indicates the bird’s dabbling habits; now let us see what the feet have to say. They are composed of three toes connected by an ample and supple membrane. Is that, I ask you, the footgear of a bird destined to long walks? With such a sole, so fine, so tender, and by its extent of surface exposing itself so much to the hardness of the stones, is the duck made for foot-racing? Note, on the contrary, the foot of the hen and the guinea-fowl, both untiring walkers. The toes are short, knotty, and sheathed with strong leather, without any connecting membrane. That is the true footgear of the pedestrian. But what will become of the duck on rough ground, with its wide sandals that a mere nothing can wound? You all know its pitiful walk. It waddles along, as ill at ease as a person afflicted with corns on the rough pavement of some of our streets. No, the duck is not made for walking. “But in water those expanded feet will make vigorous swimming oars. If the bird throws them out behind, they spread wide open merely with the resistance [ ]of the water; and their fan-shape gives them purchase enough to send the duck forward. When the duck draws them in again under its breast, they are closed automatically by the resistance of the liquid acting in a contrary direction; the membrane refolds in the manner of a closed umbrella, thus doing away with all shock or recoil. The twofold essential of a perfect oar lies in its presenting to the water the greatest possible surface on the stroke, and the least possible surface on the recovery, so as to furnish adequate purchase against the water in the first movement and to offer only very feeble resistance in the second. If the oar moved alternately forward and backward while presenting the same extent of surface to the water and driven with the same vigor, the recoil would equal the advance and there would be no progress. Man, with all his skill, does not yet know how to ply his oar so that it shall offer this alternating maximum and minimum of surface. Therefore, in propelling a boat, he is obliged to bring the oars back to their first position through the air instead of through the water, which latter would be much more direct. The duck scorns this clumsy method: with its foot, which opens wide of itself in the backward thrust and closes again of its own accord in the return movement, it moves forward or puts about, without ever lifting the oars from the water. 96 “Thus the duck is an expert swimmer; the shape of its feet tells us as much, and a glance at any duck-pond demonstrates it. Who has not admired the [ ]aquatic evolutions of the bird, so awkward on land with its tender feet, so graceful when once on the water, its proper element? Sometimes they race with one another, whitening their breasts with a band of foam; sometimes, in order to explore the depths with their beaks, they plunge half-way in and point their tails heavenward; sometimes, also, yielding to the current, they let themselves drift idly down-stream or hold their position by paddling a few strokes when necessary. Water is their chosen domain; there they take their recreation, seek their food, and enjoy their sleep. 97 Albatross “The membrane connecting the duck’s toes is called a web, and the feet converted into oars by means of this membrane are spoken of as webbed. Similar feet are found in all good swimming birds such as the swan, teal, goose, and many others. Hence this group of birds, especially skilled in swimming, is designated by the term of palmipede, meaning web-footed.” “Then the duck is a palmipede?” asked Emile. “It is a palmipede, as also the goose, swan, and teal. All four are equally endowed with a large [ ]spoon-bill shaped for dabbling in the water; that is to say, a wide, round beak; but there are palmipedes, notably among sea-birds, that live on prey, on fish, and consequently are equipped with the crooked mandible appropriate for a predatory life. Such, to take but a single example, is the albatross, of which I here show you the picture. By its ferociously hooked beak it can easily be recognized as a sea pirate, an insatiable devourer of fish.” 98 “I certainly don’t like its looks,” declared Emile. “But tell me now what name they give the heron on its tall stilts.” “The heron belongs to the group of stilt-birds or wading-birds. That is what they call all birds mounted on long legs for traversing the marshes.” “A bird on stilts is a stilt-bird; it would be hard to improve on that. It is just the kind of name I like.” “Instead of allowing ourselves to be turned from our theme by the heron and its stilts, let us come back, my little friend, to the palmipedes, the swimming birds. Clothing made expressly for the purpose is required by the bird that passes the greater part of its time on the water. It is indispensable that this clothing should keep out both cold and wet. Well, the plumage of an aquatic bird, especially in very cold countries, is a marvel of delicate precautions. The outside feathers are strong, placed very accurately one on the other and glossed with an oily varnish that water cannot wet. Have you ever noticed ducks as they come out of the [ ]water? They may have prolonged their bath for hours, swimming, diving, playing; but they leave the stream without getting the least bit wet. If a drop of water has got between their feathers, they have only to shake themselves a moment, and they are perfectly dry. That, you must agree, is a precious privilege, to be able to go into the water and not get wet.” 99 “A privilege that, for my part,” rejoined Emile, “I have often envied without being able to explain—the secret of a duck’s keeping dry when right in the water.” “I will explain the secret to you. Watch the ducks as they come out of their bath. In the sun, some lying at ease on their stomachs, others standing up, they proceed to make their toilet with minute care. With their large beak they smooth their feathers, one by one, coat them over with an oily fluid, the reservoir of which is situated on the bird’s rump. There, just at the base of the tail, is found, hidden under the down, a kind of wart of grease, from which oil oozes constantly. From time to time the beak presses the wart, draws from the oily reservoir, and then distributes here and there, methodically, all over the plumage, the oil thus obtained.” “That greasy wart might be called a sort of pomatum pot,” suggested Emile. “It is a pomatum pot, if that comparison pleases you. Thus greased, thus anointed with pomatum, feather by feather, the duck furnishes no foothold for moisture, because, as you all know, water and [ ]oil do not mix, and from an oiled surface drops of water run off without wetting it. Such is the secret of the duck’s keeping itself dry when immersed in water.” 100 “That is one of the most curious things I ever heard of,” declared Jules, “and one that I shouldn’t have known anything about for a long time if it hadn’t been for Uncle Paul. Should I ever have guessed that the duck presses a certain wart on its rump to get the grease for oiling its feathers?” “The duck’s secret is known to all birds without exception; all have this oil-sac on the rump, and obtain from it the oil for giving luster to their plumage and making it impervious to wet; but aquatic birds are more abundantly provided in this respect. And it is only right that those most exposed to dampness should have the largest reservoir of this oily coating.” “In all birds the fattest part is always the rump,” said Louis. “Grease gathers there by preference, no doubt, to maintain the store of oil in the oil-sac?” “Evidently. It is in this storehouse that the oil attains its perfect state and becomes the finished product that oozes from the sac. As to the making of it in the first place, nearly all parts of the body take part; and as the swimming bird uses a great deal of this pomatum, the result is that the palmipede tends to fatness and, as it were, sweats grease: witness the plump duck and goose, which carry under the breast a heavy, fat swelling. As a general rule, the web-footed fowl of our poultry-yards is [ ]analogous to the pig: it is a fat-factory. We divert to our own use the excess of fat accumulated primarily for the supply of the oil-sac on the rump and the maintenance of the luster that distinguishes the plumage. 101 “The palmipede, you see, is admirably protected against wet. Neither rain nor the finest drizzle can penetrate the first covering of feathers, always kept, as it is, well coated with the varnish laid on by the point of the beak. The bird can plunge into the deepest water, swim on its surface, or sleep there cradled by the waves, and the wet will not reach it. Neither will cold affect it, for under this outer covering is found a second, designed for resisting inclement weather and made of what is most efficacious for preserving the heat of the body. This under-clothing of aquatic birds is a down so delicate and soft that, unable to compare it with anything else, we have given it a special name, that of eiderdown. In its proper place I will come back to this down. For the present let us confine ourselves to a general survey of the palmipedes, and of the duck in particular.” About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Jean-Henri Fabre (2022). Our Humble Helpers: Familiar Talks on the Domestic Animals. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/67073/pg67073-images.html This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org , located at https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html .

THE PALMIPEDES

110 Stories To Learn About Refactoring

THE AMMOPHILÆ

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On the topmost tier of the hotel verandah

Insect life: Souvenirs of a naturalist by Jean-Henri Fabre, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book here . THE EMIGRANTS XIV. THE EMIGRANTS I have already told how on the top of Mont Ventoux, some 6000 feet above the sea, I had one of those pieces of entomological good luck, which would be fruitful indeed did they but occur often enough to allow of continuous study. Unhappily mine is a unique observation, and I despair of repeating it. Future observers must replace my probabilities by certainties. I can only found conjectures on it. Under the shelter of a large flat stone I discovered some hundreds of Ammophila hirsuta, heaped in a mass almost as compact as a swarm of bees. As soon as the stone was lifted all the small people began to move about, but without any attempt to take wing. I moved whole handfuls, but not one seemed inclined to leave the heap. Common interests appeared to unite them indissolubly. Not one would go unless all went. With all possible care I examined the flat stone which sheltered them, as well as the soil and immediate neighbourhood, but could discover no explanation of this strange assemblage. Finding nothing better to do, I tried to count them, and then came the clouds to end my observations and plunge us into that perplexing darkness I have already described. At the first drops of rain I hastened to put back the stone and replace the Ammophila people under shelter. I give myself a good mark, as I hope the reader also will, for having taken the precaution of not leaving the poor things, disturbed by my curiosity, exposed to the downpour. AMMOPHILA HIRSUTA ATTACKING A GRUB Ammophila hirsuta is not rare in the plain, but is always found singly on the edge of a road or on sandy slopes, now digging a well, now dragging a heavy prey. It is solitary, like Sphex occitanica, and I was greatly surprised by finding such a number gathered under one stone at the top of Mont Ventoux. Instead of my solitary acquaintance, here was a great assembly. Let us try to educe the probable causes of this agglomeration. By an exception very rare among mining Hymenoptera, Ammophila hirsuta builds in the first days of spring. Toward the end of March, if the season be mild, or at least in the first fortnight of April, when the grasshoppers take their adult form, and painfully cast off their first skin on their thresholds,—when Narcissus poeticus expands its first flowers, and the bunting utters its long-drawn note from the top of the poplars in the meadow,—Ammophila hirsuta sets to work to hollow and provision a home for her larvæ, whereas other species and the predatory Hymenoptera in general undertake this labour only in autumn, during September and October. This very early nidification, preceding by six months the date adopted by the immense majority, at once suggests [ ]certain considerations. One asks if those found burrowing so early in April are really insects of that year—i.e. whether these spring workers completed their metamorphosis and came out of their cocoons during the preceding three months. The general rule is that the Fossor becomes a perfect insect, leaves its burrow, and occupies itself with its larvæ all in one season. It is in June and July that the greater part of the hunting Hymenoptera come from the galleries where they lived as larvæ, and in August, September, and October they follow their occupations as burrowers and hunters. 195 Does a similar law apply to Ammophila hirsuta? Does the same season witness the final transformation and the labours of the insect? It is very doubtful, for the Hymenoptera, occupied with mining at the end of March, would have to complete their metamorphosis and break forth from the cocoon in winter, or at latest in February. The severity of the climate at that date forbids any such conclusion. It is not when the bitter Mistral howls for a fortnight at a time and freezes the ground, nor when snow-storms follow its icy breath, that the delicate transformations of the nymph state can take place, and the perfect insect venture to quit the shelter of its cocoon. It needs the soft dampness of earth under a summer sun before it can leave its cell. If I did but know the exact date at which Ammophila hirsuta leaves the cocoon it would greatly help me; but, to my deep regret, I do not. My notes, gathered day by day, show the confusion inseparable from researches that are generally dealing with points that cannot be foreseen, and are [ ]silent on this point, whose importance I fully realise now that I want to arrange my materials in order to write these lines. I find mention of the Ammophila of the sands coming out of the egg on June 5, and A. argentata on the 20th; but I have nothing in my archives regarding the hatching of A. hirsuta. It is a detail left unnoticed through forgetfulness. The dates for the two other species accord with the general law, the perfect insect appearing at the hot time of year. By analogy I fix the same date for the coming forth of A. hirsuta from the cocoon. 196 Whence, then, come those which one sees at work on their burrows at the end of March and April? We must conclude that they were hatched in the previous year and emerged from their cells at the usual time in June and July, lived through the winter, and began to build as soon as spring came. In a word, they are insects that hibernate. Experience fully confirms this conclusion. Do but search patiently in a vertical bank of earth or sand well exposed to the sun, especially where generations of the various honey-gathering Hymenoptera have followed one another year after year, riddling the ground with a labyrinth of passages till it looks like a huge sponge, you are nearly sure to see in the heart of winter A. hirsuta either alone or in little parties of three or four, crouched in some warm retreat, waiting inactive till summer shall come. This cheering little meeting, amid the gloom and cold of winter, with the graceful insect which at the first notes of the bunting and the cricket enlivens the grassy paths, is one that I have been able to enjoy at will. If the weather be calm and the sun [ ]has a little power, the chilly insect comes out to bask on its threshold, luxuriating in the hottest beams, or it will venture timidly outside and walk slowly over the spongy bank, brushing its wings. So, too, does the little gray lizard, when the sun begins to warm the old wall which is its home. 197 But vainly would one seek in winter, even in the most sheltered spots, for a Cerceris, Sphex, Philanthus, Bembex, and other Hymenoptera with carnivorous larvæ. All died after their autumn labours, and their race is only represented by the larvæ benumbed down in their cells. Thus, by a very rare exception, Ammophila hirsuta, hatched in the hot season, passes the following winter in some warm refuge, and this is why it appears so early in the year. With these data let us try to explain the Ammophila swarm on the crest of Mont Ventoux. What could these numerous Hymenoptera under their sheltering stone have been about? Were they meaning to take up winter quarters there and await under their flat stone, benumbed, the season propitious to their labours? Everything points to the improbability of this. It is not in August, at the time of the greatest heat, that an animal is overcome with winter sleep. Want of their food—the honey juice sucked from flowers—cannot be suggested. September showers will soon come, and vegetation, suspended for a while by the heat of the dog days, will assume new vigour and cover the fields with a flowery carpet almost as varied as that of spring. This period—one of enjoyment for most of the Hymenoptera—cannot possibly be one of torpor for A. hirsuta. Again, can one suppose that the heights [ ]of Ventoux, swept by the gusty Mistral, uprooting beech and pine,—summits where the bise whirls about the snow for six months of the year,—crests wrapped for the greater part of the year by cold clouds and mist,—can be adopted as a winter refuge by such a sun-loving insect? One might as well make it hibernate among the ice fields of the North Cape! No, it is not there that A. hirsuta must pass the cold season. The group observed there were making a temporary halt. At the first indication of rain, which, though it escaped us, could not escape the insect so eminently sensitive to the variations of the atmosphere, the wayfarers had taken refuge under a stone, and were waiting for the rain to pass before they resumed their flight. Whence came they? Where were they going? 198 In this same month of August, and especially in September, there come to the warm olive region flocks of little migratory birds; descending by stages from the lands where they have loved,—fresher, more wooded, more peaceful lands than ours,—where they have brought up their broods. They come almost to a day in an invariable order, as if guided by the dates of an almanac known only to themselves. They sojourn for a while in our plains, where abound the insects which are the chief food of most of them; they visit every clod in our fields where the ploughshare has turned up innumerable worms in the furrows, and feast on them, and with this diet they speedily lay on fat,—a storehouse and reserve to serve as nutrition against toils to come, and thus well provided for the journey they go on southward, to reach winterless [ ]lands where insects are always to be found, such as Spain and Southern Italy, the isles of the Mediterranean and Africa. This is the season for the pleasure of shooting and for succulent roasts of small birds. 199 The Calandrelle, or Crèou, as Provence calls it, is the first to arrive. As soon as August has begun it may be seen exploring the stony fields, seeking the seeds of the Setaria, an ill weed affecting cultivated ground. At the least alarm it flies off, making a harsh guttural sound sufficiently expressed by its Provençal name. It is soon followed by the whinchat, which preys quietly on small weevils, crickets, and ants in old fields of luzern. With the whinchat begins the long line of small birds suitable for the spit. It is continued in September by the most celebrated of them—the common wheat-ear, glorified by all who are capable of appreciating its high qualities. Never did the Beccafico of the Roman gourmet, immortalised in Martial’s epigrams, rival the delicious, perfumed ball of fat the wheat-ear makes when it has grown scandalously obese on an immoderate diet. It consumes every kind of insect voraciously. My archives as a sportsman-naturalist give a list of the contents of its gizzard. All the small people of the fallows are in it,—larvæ and weevils of every kind, crickets, chrysomelides, grasshoppers, cassidides, earwigs, ants, spiders, hundred-legs, snails, wire-worms, and ever so many more. And as a change from this spicy diet there are grapes, blackberries, and cornel-berries. Such is the bill of fare sought incessantly by the wheat-ear as it flutters from clod to clod, the white feathers of its [ ]outspread tail giving it the look of a butterfly on the wing. Heaven only knows to what amount of fat it can attain. 200 Only one other bird surpasses it in the art of fattening itself, and that is its fellow emigrant,—another voracious devourer of insects,—the bush pipit as it is absurdly styled by those who name birds, while the dullest of our shepherds never hesitate to call it Le Grasset, i.e. the fattest of the fat. The name is sufficient to point out its leading characteristic. Never another bird attains such a degree of obesity. A moment arrives when, loaded all over with fat, it becomes like a small pat of butter. The unfortunate bird can hardly flutter from one mulberry tree to another, panting in the thick foliage, half choked with melting fat, a victim to his love of weevil. October brings the slender gray wagtail, pied ash colour and white, with a large black velvet gorget. The charming bird, running and wagging its tail, follows the ploughman almost under the horses’ feet, picking up insects in the newly turned furrow. About the same time comes the lark,—first in little companies thrown out as scouts, then in countless bands which take possession of cornfield and fallow, where abounds their usual food, the seeds of the Setaria. Then on the plain, amid the sparkle of dewdrops and frost crystals suspended to each blade of grass, a mirror shoots intermittent flashes under the morning sun. Then the little owl, driven from shelter by the sportsman, makes its short flight, alights, stands upright with sudden starts and rolling of alarmed eyes, and the lark comes with a dipping [ ]flight, anxious for a close inspection of the bright thing or the odd bird. There it is, some fifteen paces away—its feet hanging, its wings outspread like a saint-esprit. The moment has come; aim and fire. I hope that my readers may experience the emotions of this delightful sport. 201 With the lark, and often in the same flocks, comes the titlark—the sisi—another word giving the bird’s little call. None rushes more vehemently upon the owl, round and round which it circles and hovers incessantly. This may suffice as a review of the birds which visit us. Most of them make it only a halting-place, staying for a few weeks, attracted by the abundance of food, especially of insects; then, strengthened and plump, off they go. A few take up winter quarters in our plains, where snow is very rare, and there are countless little seeds to be picked up even in the heart of the cold season. The lark which searches wheat fields and fallows is one; another is the titlark, which prefers fields of luzern and meadows. The skylark, so common in almost every part of France, does not nest in the plains of Vaucluse, where it is replaced by the crested lark—friend of the highway and of the road-mender. But it is not necessary to go far north to find the favourite places for its broods; the next department, the Drôme, is rich in its nests. Very probably, therefore, among the flocks of larks which take possession of our plains for all autumn and winter many come from no farther than the Drôme. They need only migrate into the next department to find plains that know not snow, and a certainty of little seeds.[ ] 202 A like migration to a short distance seems to me to have caused the assemblage of Ammophila on the top of Mont Ventoux. I have proved that this insect spends the winter in the perfect state, sheltering somewhere and awaiting April to build its nest. Like the lark it must take precautions against the cold season; though capable of fasting till flowers return, the chilly thing must find protection against the deadly attacks of the cold. It must flee snowy districts, where the soil is deeply frozen, and, gathering in troops like migrant birds, cross hill and dale to seek a home in old walls and banks warmed by a southern sun. When the cold is gone, all or part of the band will return whence they came. This would explain the assemblage on Mont Ventoux. It was a migrant tribe, which, on its way from the cold land of the Drôme to descend into the warm plains of the olive, had to cross the deep, wide valley of the Toulourenc, and, surprised by the rain, halted on the mountain top. Apparently A. hirsuta has to migrate to escape winter cold. When the small migratory birds set out in flocks, it too must journey from a cold district to a neighbouring one which is warmer. Some valleys crossed, some mountains overpassed, and it finds the climate sought. I have two other instances of extraordinary insect gatherings at great heights. I have seen the chapel on Mont Ventoux covered with seven-spotted ladybirds, as they are popularly called. These insects clung to the stone of walls and pavement so close together that the rude building looked, at a few paces off, like an object made of coral beads. I should not dare to say how many myriads were [ ]assembled there. Certainly it was not food which had attracted these eaters of Aphidæ to the top of Mont Ventoux, some 6000 feet high. Vegetation is too scanty—never Aphis ventured up there. 203 Another time, in June, on the tableland of St. Amand, at a height of 734 mètres, I saw a similar gathering, only less numerous. At the most projecting part of the tableland, on the edge of an escarpment of perpendicular rocks, rises a cross with a pedestal of hewn stone. On every side of this pedestal, and on the rocks serving as its base, the very same beetle, the seven-spotted ladybird of Mont Ventoux, was gathered in legions. They were mostly quite still, but wherever the sunbeams struck there was a continuous exchange of place between the newcomers, who wanted to find room, and those resting, who took wing only to return after a short flight. Neither here any more than on the top of Mont Ventoux was there anything to explain the cause of these strange assemblages on arid spots without Aphidæ and noways attractive to Coccinellidæ,—nothing which could suggest the secret of these populous gatherings upon masonry standing at so great an elevation. Have we here two examples of insect migration? Can there be a general meeting such as swallows hold before the day of their common departure? Were these rendezvous whence the cloud of ladybirds were to seek some district richer in food? It may be so, but it is very extraordinary. The ladybird has never been talked of for her love of travel. She seems a home-loving creature enough when we see her slaying the green-fly on rose trees, [ ]and black-fly on beans, and yet with her short wings she mounts to the top of Ventoux and holds a general assembly where the swallow herself only ascends in her wildest flights. Why these gatherings at such heights? Why this liking for blocks of masonry? 204 About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Jean-Henri Fabre (2022). Insect life: Souvenirs of a naturalist. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/66762/pg66762-images.html This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org , located at https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html .

THE EMIGRANTS

Recently, we crossed the 250-episode mark with the Success Story Podcast—an accomplishment that caught me off guard. The three years of interviews have flown by, and it’s hard to remember every single moment of talking to so many talented people. So I’ve started going back through the interviews to see if I missed any key insights. Boy, did I. One that stuck out is my . The primary topic was about Black venture capital investment and how he was working to generate support for minority CEOs. discussion with Keenan Beasley of Venture Noire I’d love to say that Keenan’s work has dramatically changed the venture landscape in the years since we spoke, but that’s not true. In 2022, saw a disproportionate fall in VC funding— . Black entrepreneurs a 45% drop overall That part of the conversation is a lot broader than what we can discuss in a newsletter, and frankly, I’m not the one that should be leading it. For that, I’ll let do the talking. Venture Noire But there was another part of the interview I overlooked at the time (likely because of the shocking numbers that Keenan shared) that I want to dig into today. “We are supposed to see a world that doesn’t exist. That’s our job, fundamentally, as entrepreneurs.” Such a powerful statement and a philosophy that many fledgling entrepreneurs misunderstand. Identifying a problem worth solving To be an entrepreneur, you need to change the world. That sounds a little daunting, doesn’t it? Let me explain. We often get caught up searching for the next big idea or following the latest trends. You wouldn’t believe how often pitch meetings throw out grand, misguided visions like “ …but for windsurfing.” Instagram But, as Keenan put it, the fundamental job is to see a future where a specific problem is solved. To see the world that doesn’t exist yet, and move us toward it. So, how do we spot potential problems that need addressing? The answer is simple. Just pay attention. Every day, we encounter various challenges and imperfections. Maybe you've experienced an ineffective customer service process or noticed gaps in the market that haven't been adequately addressed. These experiences can serve as valuable indicators of potential problems. Next, it's all about validating the problem you've identified. Is it something prevalent enough that needs solving? Ask yourself these questions: How much pain does this problem cause for people? Are people willing to pay for a solution to alleviate this pain? Would your solution save people time, money, or another valuable resource? Are any existing businesses attempting to solve the same problem, and how successful are they? Finally, don't be afraid to engage with real people. Discover your target audience, explore their pain points, and gather feedback. Through these conversations, you'll gain a deeper understanding of the problem and how it affects people on a day-to-day basis. You'll be able to refine your idea and further assess the viability of your potential solution. Remember, empathy plays a significant role here—you don’t necessarily have to experience the pain yourself, but you better understand what it feels like. Defining the solution you want to provide Creating a solution that effectively addresses a problem requires foresight, strategic planning, and an understanding of the market. Let's dive deeper into the steps you should take to define the solution you want to provide. Competitive intelligence Research your direct and indirect competitors to learn about their approaches and strategies when tackling similar challenges. Take note of their strengths, weaknesses, and how customers perceive their solutions. Sometimes, you’ll see a flaw in the plan or someone already solving it without you knowing. By , you'll gain insights into potential opportunities and areas for improvement, allowing you to work backward from the ideal future state and create a compelling roadmap for your solution. gathering competitive intelligence Align objectives and solutions Don't just slap some buzzwords like “transparency, loyalty, and hard work” on your About Us page and call it a day. Crafting a meaningful solution requires digging deep and truly understanding what's important to you personally and professionally. Of course, financial success might be a significant motivator, but what about other factors? Family, community, or simply creating a more convenient experience for people might matter more! To impact your business more deeply, look inward and identify your core values and aspirations. Then, work to align these personal drivers with your solution authentically. Always keep the problem-solving aspect at the heart of your business. Every action and decision should reflect your core values and align with the solution you're creating. This sense of purpose will fuel your passion for the business and resonate with your customers and community. Essentially, aligning your objectives and solutions is about finding harmony between what truly matters in your life and the world you want to create for your customers. By taking a reflective approach and focusing on authentic values and passions, your business will be well-positioned to deliver lasting impact and success. Unique value proposition Now that you have a clear picture of the competitive landscape and have aligned your objectives with your solution, it's time to develop your unique value proposition (UVP). Your UVP is the key differentiator that sets your solution apart, helping customers understand why they should choose your offering over others. Identify the specific group of people that your solution serves, and tailor your messaging to resonate with them. Target audience: Highlight your solution's unique benefits and features that will improve customers' lives and solve their problems. Benefits and features: Consider how your solution impacts your customers emotionally, and use that connection to craft your UVP. Emotional connection: By crafting a compelling UVP, you'll effectively communicate the distinct advantages of your solution, reinforcing the idea that you've seen the world where the problem no longer exists and have taken the necessary steps to get there. Reaching beyond the trends It's easy to get sucked into the whirlwind of the latest trends and fads, watching simple ideas become massive successes overnight. But quick exits are the exception, not the rule. For most entrepreneurs, you’ll need to reach beyond superficial issues and focus on your customers' underlying problems and needs. Chasing trends vs. addressing long-term issues When you chase trends, you're playing catch-up, trying to ride a wave of popularity someone else created. Sure, it might offer some quick returns, but it's usually unsustainable. On the other hand, focusing on addressing genuine long-term issues creates a solid foundation for your business, resulting in loyal customers and lasting value. To rise above fleeting trends, look for persistent and widespread problems—the kind of issues that people will always face, regardless of the latest craze. Keep an open mind, listen to the concerns of your target audience, and seek opportunities to provide sustainable solutions with lasting impact. Merging financial success with a problem-solving mindset Don’t get me wrong. Running a business requires financial stability. But it doesn't mean you should disregard the problem-solving aspect of entrepreneurship. You can (and should) merge financial success with a genuine commitment to addressing the issues that matter to your customers. Think about it this way: when your business solves real-life problems, your customers are likelier to become brand advocates, spreading the word about your products or services. This naturally leads to growth and financial success. Case studies of entrepreneurs who have discovered value in solving problems Many successful entrepreneurs exemplify the power of a problem-solving mindset. Take Warby Parker, for example. The founders recognized a real problem—overpriced eyewear—and launched an affordable, direct-to-consumer solution that transformed the industry. Or consider , which arose from the founders' pain point in finding affordable lodging while attending a conference. They saw the opportunity to address this common issue, creating a platform that has since revolutionized the travel and accommodation industry. Airbnb These examples prove that reaching beyond the trends and focusing on solving problems can lead to incredibly successful and transformative businesses. So, bear in mind that by keeping your customers' needs and solving long-term issues at the forefront, you'll be positioning your business for lasting success and impact. Staying committed to your vision Sometimes, that world you visualize—the one where your problem is solved—won't be easy to find. Obstacles and setbacks may seem to cloud your vision, making the journey daunting. In these moments, it's crucial to stay committed to your purpose and remain focused on the ultimate goal: creating a solution that makes a difference in people's lives. Setbacks and failures may be disheartening, but they're a natural part of entrepreneurship. Instead of letting them derail your progress, view these challenges as opportunities to learn and refine your solution. Each bump in the road can provide valuable insights that will ultimately improve your offering and help you better address the problem you're tackling. Final thoughts I get it. You want to start a business to make money. There’s nothing wrong with admitting that. But you’ll only find real success if you can imagine something that currently doesn’t exist. Not necessarily a better mousetrap or a specific product. But the world where the problem has been solved. If you build it, they will come. (Any opportunity for a little Field of Dreams is worth taking.) Before leaving you, just one more thing. You should take 45 minutes and listen to my whole conversation with Keenan. It was oddly (and unfortunately) prophetic as we discussed exactly what appears to be happening now—the fleeting momentum built for Black-owned startups. We have to keep talking about this. You can find it over on the , with hundreds of interviews with other thought leaders. Otherwise, I’ll talk to you next week! Success Story YouTube page If you enjoyed this article, I’d love to hear from you. Also published here. Reply to this email or tweet at me @ScottDClary and I'll do my best to get back to everyone! The lead image for this article was generated by HackerNoon's AI Image Generator via the prompt "a world that doesn't exist"

The Key to Entrepreneurial Success: Seeing a World That Doesn’t Exist

318 Stories To Learn About Reactjs

(DI) is widely used to manage class dependencies and avoid issues that can arise from implicit dependency usage. Most modern frameworks have native support for the DI feature or can use third-party libraries for it. In this article, we will describe the implementation of DI in the Symfony framework. Dependency Injection Symfony uses the PSR-11 compatible service container to store and obtain services. The service container is aware of all registered services and their dependencies and can provide an already initialized and properly created instance of the required service. Creating a Service A service is a class with properties, methods, constants, etc. After creating the class, we need to declare private/protected properties that will receive the injected services. There are two ways to fill these properties: using a constructor or using a setter method. The constructor approach is the most popular, usually used when creating a service. However, DI can also be used with setter calls. The constructor approach is shown in the example below: namespace App\Services;

class SmsService {
    private $gateway;

    public function __construct(SmsGatewayInterface $gateway)
    {
        $this->gateway = $gateway;
    }
} # services.yml
services:
    sms.sender:
        class: App\Services\SmsService
        arguments:
            - '@sms.gateway' The setter approach can be used when the dependency is added with a trait, which can provide both the property and the setter. To use this approach, add a section to the service declaration, as shown below: 'calls' namespace App\Services;

class SmsService {
    private $gateway;

    public function setGateway(SmsGatewayInterface $gateway)
    {
        $this->gateway = $gateway;
    }
} # services.yml
services:
    sms.sender:
        class: App\Services\SmsService
        calls:
            - [setGateway, ['@sms.gateway']] This approach is useful in cases where the dependency is added with a trait or if you have circular dependencies and need to handle them somehow. However, this DI method is not recommended, usually, the constructor approach is more than sufficient. Public and private services Symfony allows marking services as either 'public' or 'private'. Public services can be accessed directly from the service container at runtime. Although it is not recommended to access services this way, if you have to, declare the service as public, as shown below: # services.yml
services:
    sms.sender:
        class: App\Services\SmsService
        public: true
        arguments:
            - '@sms.gateway' You can access public services using: $container->get('sms.sender'); Trying to access a non-public service directly from the container will result in an exception. Shared and non-shared services By default, the service container contains shared services, which means you will receive the same instance of the service wherever you access it in the application. This is the default behavior of the Symfony service container and means that you don't need to add any kind of state to your services. In some specific cases, you may want to obtain a new instance from the container every time. Such services are referred to as non-shared. To declare a non-shared service, simply add a single line to the service declaration, as shown below: # services.yml
services:
    sms.sender:
        class: App\Services\SmsService
        shared: false
        arguments:
            - '@sms.gateway' Autowiring When declaring a service, you can use autowiring of the arguments. The method of your service needs to have type-hinted arguments. The container will stand the dependencies in the method and automatically pass the appropriate arguments, as demonstrated below: __construct() __construct() # services.yml
services:
    sms.sender:
        class: App\Services\SmsService
        autowire: true Autoconfiguration Autoconfiguration is a powerful feature of the Symfony framework that works similarly to autowiring. However, instead of passing the correct arguments to the constructor, it automatically adds the necessary tags to your service. With autoconfiguration, Symfony scans your service and checks if it implements any interface that the container is aware of. If it does, the container will automatically add the required tag to the service. Starting from Symfony 6+, autoconfiguration and autowiring are enabled by default for all services, simplifying the management of your application's dependencies. By leveraging these features, you can create a more modular and maintainable application architecture that is easier to extend and update. # services.yml
services:
    sms.sender:
        class: App\Services\SmsService
        autoconfigure: true Tags Tags in Symfony services provide a powerful mechanism for organizing and grouping related services. By assigning tags to services, you can easily identify and manipulate them based on their common functionality or purpose. Tags are particularly useful when you want to apply specific operations or configurations to a subset of services. For example, if you have multiple event listeners in your application, you can tag them with a common tag such as "event_listener". Later on, you can retrieve all services with that tag and perform actions on them collectively. Here's an example of how to define a service with a tag in the service configuration: services:
    app.event_listener.sms_was_sent_listener:
        class: App\EventListener\SmsWasSentEventListener
        tags:
            - { name: event_listener, event: my_event } In this example, the service is tagged with and is associated with the event . Later on, you can retrieve all services with the tag and handle them accordingly. By leveraging tags, you can dynamically configure and manipulate groups of services in a flexible and extensible manner, making your Symfony application more modular and easier to maintain. app.event_listener.my_listener event_listener my_event event_listener In addition to the predefined tags provided by Symfony, you can also create custom tags to further categorize and identify your services. Custom tags enable you to define your own criteria for grouping services and can be added to services based on specific requirements or functionality. This is particularly useful when you need t to apply custom logic or processing to a specific set of services. Custom tags offer a flexible approach to categorizing services based on the specific needs of your application. They allow you to implement custom processing or apply specific functionality to a targeted group of services, enhancing the modularity and extensibility of your Symfony application. Using Parameters Sometimes you may need to use certain values in your service that can’t be hard-coded or that may vary depending on the environment or configuration. In such cases, Symfony allows you to use parameters in the service declaration. Here is a Symfony Dependency Injection example of how to use parameters in a service declaration: # services.yml
parameters:
    sms.sender.name: "My SMS Sender"

services:
    sms.sender:
        class: App\Services\SmsService
        arguments:
            - '@sms.gateway'
            - '%sms.sender.name%' The sign indicates that a parameter should be used. In this example, we have defined a parameter called with the value "My SMS Sender". We then use this parameter in the SmsService service declaration as the second argument. % sms.sender.name Symfony Dependency Injection is a very powerful component and provides a huge number of exciting features which can help you build the application. Best Practices While PHP Dependency Injection is a powerful tool, it's essential to use it effectively and efficiently. Here are some best practices to keep in mind: minimizing the number of dependencies a service has, avoiding circular dependencies, using interfaces and type-hinting to make your code more flexible, and using lazy-loading to improve performance. Symfony provides a powerful and flexible that can easily handle your project's needs. Dependency Injection framework Use interfaces for dependencies: When defining a dependency, use interfaces instead of concrete classes. This helps to decouple your code and makes it easier to switch out implementations later if necessary. Keep the container small: It's important to keep the number of services in the container to a minimum. This helps to keep the container performant and makes it easier to manage. If you find yourself dealing with a large number of services, consider breaking them up into smaller, more focused containers. Use constructor injection instead of setter injection: While Symfony supports both constructor and setter injection, it's generally better to use constructor injection whenever possible. Constructor injection ensures that all dependencies are available when the object is created, making it easier to reason about the code. Use autowiring with caution: While autowiring can be a convenient way to declare services and their dependencies, it can also lead to hard-to-debug issues if used incorrectly. Use autowiring with caution and make sure to test your code thoroughly. Avoid circular dependencies: Circular dependencies occur when two or more services depend on each other. These can be challenging to manage and may result in performance issues. Avoid circular dependencies whenever possible by refactoring your code or using an event-driven architecture. Conclusion In conclusion, dependency injection is a powerful tool for efficiently managing class dependencies in a structured and maintainable way. offers a robust and flexible service container, making the implementation of dependency injection seamless in your application. By using features like autowiring, autoconfiguration, and parameters, you can streamline your application's architecture and make it more modular and easier to maintain. Symfony Also published here.

Dependency Injection with Symfony: Streamlining Code Management for Efficiency

You might have already been using some AI writing detectors, but now you wanna know how AI detection works, right? I’m by no means an AI research expert. But let me put my data science experience to go use. I’ll go over the following: What AI detection is What are the techniques involved in training these models Who uses them Other important FAQs What Is AI Detection? AI detection is using sophisticated machine learning and models to help differentiate between human-generated and computer-generated texts. It involves using AI detection software that is trained on established libraries of pre-existing texts to develop predictive algorithms that recognize patterns within new testing data. You’ll then get a probability score indicating whether the assessed material was created manually or through automated means. natural language processing Why Is AI Text Detection Important? AI text detection is important to ensure that information remains reliable, and it’s critical in areas like search engine optimization (SEO), academia, and law. AI content generators are undoubtedly helpful and a must-use to be competitive. But they are also notoriously unreliable. So Google, schools, and clients want to ensure you aren’t just publishing raw content without using your brain. Like can you imagine if people were allowed to: Write about (YMYL) topics without fact-checking. Your Money or Your Life Publish journal articles where the term “peer-reviewed” no longer holds any value. Give generic AI-generated legal advice. There won’t be any more trust. That’s why you need to use these tools because people can’t tell the difference most of the time. How AI Writing Detection Works Alright, let’s dive a little deeper to see what’s really going on under the hood. In a nutshell, there are many different ways these tools work. But here are the 2 main concepts: Examining sentence structure to look for semantic meaning or repetition Linguistic Analysis: Comparison with the training dataset, which looks for similarities with previously identified instances. Comparative Analysis: And these are some of the more common techniques used in training a model to detect AI content using the two concepts above. Classifiers: The Sorting Hat of AI Detection Classifiers kinda operate like Harry Potter’s Sorting Hat, sorting data into predetermined classes. Using machine or deep learning models, these classifiers examine various features like word usage, grammar, style, and tone to differentiate between AI-generated and human-written texts. Picture a scatter plot where each data point is a text entry, and the features will form the axes. Then let’s say we have 2 classes: AI Text Human Text Whatever text you are testing will fall into one of these two clusters. Below is a graphic I made so you can visualize it. The classifier’s job is to form a boundary to separate the 2. Depending on what classifier model was used, some examples include: Logistic Regression Decision Trees Random Forest Support Vector Machines (SVM) K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) You don’t need to know what these are, but just know they are algorithms that sort data in different ways. Note: That boundary might be a line, curve, or some other random shape. And when you test a new text (data point), the classifier will simply put them in either one of those classes. Embeddings: The DNA of Words What if every word had its own covert code, as though we were watching some exciting spy flick? In (AI) and language comprehension, this is precisely what happens. artificial intelligence These codes are known as embeddings. . Essentially unique DNA for individual words By capturing the core meaning behind each term and understanding how each relates to others in context, these embeddings form a of meaning. semantic web This is done by in an Nth dimensional space and running some fancy computation. It can be 2D, 3D, or 302934809D. representing each word as a vector A vector is a quantity with both magnitude and direction. But for this explanation, just think of it as coordinates on a graph. Note: But why a vector? Because computers don’t understand words. SHOCKING. No serious. That’s why it has to be converted into numbers first through vectorization. Here’s an example of what it might look like in a table. Vectorized text numerical values can take on a wide range of values, not just binary ones (1 or 0). I just made it easier to visualize. Note: And here’s another 2D example of plotting vectors on a graph. I’m sure you can imagine what 3D will look like but don’t ask me to illustrate 4D. No human can tell you, but a computer can do it with the magic of MATH. This is also exactly how Google operates. How do you think you can type something in the search bar and get scarily related results? But what about telling apart text produced by humans versus that generated using AI? We transform all text into their respective embeddings before feeding them to a machine-learning model to be trained. Then without even knowing any actual verbiage itself, it will form all these connections and figure out all the “codes” common with AI-generated text. Cool huh? Perplexity: The Litmus Test for AI-Generated Text Perplexity is a measure of how well a probability distribution or a language model can predict a sample. In the context of AI-generated content detection, perplexity acts as a litmus test for AI-generated text. The lower the perplexity, the more likely the text is AI-generated. It’s like a detective using a fingerprint match to identify a suspect. Here’s a table breaking it down: Perplexity Level Interpretation Example Low (close to 1) The language model is highly confident in its predictions. It’s like a well-read book critic accurately predicting the next word in a novel. A language model trained on medical literature predicting terms in a medical textbook. Medium The language model is somewhat confident in its predictions. It’s like a casual reader making some accurate and some inaccurate predictions about the next word in a novel. A language model trained on general English literature predicting terms in a science fiction novel. High The language model is not confident in its predictions. It’s like a beginner reader trying to predict the next word in a complex philosophical text. A language model trained on sports articles trying to predict terms in a legal document. Burstiness: The Telltale Sign of AI-Generated Text Burstiness is the variation in the length and complexity of sentences generated by an AI model. Picture yourself at a restaurant. The place is filled with various conversations, some loud and boisterous, others quiet and intimate. Just like those conversations, sentences written by humans tend to be unpredictable due to many nuances. But AI models usually produce output that is more uniform in length and complexity, while human writing typically shows more significant variability or ‘burstiness’. AI detectors can flag a text as potentially AI if it notices low variance in sentences: their lengths, structures, and tempos. Here’s a table with some examples. Text Type Example Burstiness Human-written “I love going to the park. The fresh air, the sound of birds chirping, and the sight of children playing always lift my spirits. It’s a place where I can relax and unwind, away from the hustle and bustle of city life.” High (Variation in sentence length and complexity) AI-generated “I like the park. It is nice. The air is fresh. There are birds. Children play there. It is relaxing.” Low (Sentences are similar in length and complexity) Is AI Detection Accurate? I’ll straight up tell you that it’s never 100% accurate, even if the score turns out to be 100%. That’s just the model’s . CONFIDENCE When an AI detector analyzes text, instead of simply deciding between human-written or AI-generated content, it typically calculates scores or probabilities for each based on particular features within said material. classification For instance, let us assume we analyzed some text with our AI detector. It gave us scores of 0.7 for “AI” and 0.3 for “human.” These numbers indicate that our detector has determined roughly a seventy-to-thirty chance (70% vs 30%) that our material falls under one category versus another. Thus deciding ultimately whether one category does or doesn’t apply becomes quite easy. Assigning probability measures rather than leaving things binary offers numerous benefits since it provides insight into how much trust you can place in predictions. There’s more to determining whether a text was written by humans or artificially intelligent tools than just separating them into two categories: “human” and “AI.” If the assessment method used involves calculating probability scores, then how close or far apart these scores are can impact an AI model’s certainty in making predictions. For instance, if there isn’t much difference between the score assigned to an AI-generated piece and one written by humans (like getting scores of 0.51 and 0.49, respectively), then detecting their source will be more challenging compared to cases where their probabilities vary widely (e.g. getting probabilities of 0.9 versus 0.1). So, despite yielding binary results, this decision involves detailed analysis relying heavily on the difference in probability scores. You might see other articles discussing how AI detectors work by calculating the likelihood of each word being the next predicted word or temperature. They got the search intent completely off. Note: That refers to how AI writers work, not AI detectors. That was quite a long paragraph, but that’s the best I can explain it. What Is the Future of AI Content Detection? As we witness further evolution within artificial intelligence comes with an increased level of sophistication within machine-generated content, which presents a distinctive challenge towards detecting such content effectively. Therefore all involved in its development process need to work on creating even more cutting-edge and accurate tools that can keep up. Detecting false information created by AI accurately is vital for maintaining online information credibility, which will be the only way to counter these threats effectively. Moreover, it is important that we pay close attention to ethical considerations surrounding privacy encroachment, consent violations, and the potential for misuse of this powerful technology. Who Uses AI Detection? Here are some groups that stand to benefit the most from using AI detection: : Prevent students from abusing AI writing software. Schools : Get rid of spam, fake reviews, or fake news. Businesses : Eliminate criminal activities such as impersonation, identity fraud, and cyberbullying. Law Enforcement Agencies : Remove bots and fake accounts that spread misinformation and propaganda. Social Media Platforms : Identify false news and propaganda or even replace writers who rely on AI too much. Media and Journalism Organizations : Eradicate disinformation campaigns and propaganda. Government Organizations Frequently Asked Questions Do AI Content Detection Tools Have Any Limitations or Shortcomings? AI content detection tools do have some shortcomings and limitations. Their accuracy is not always perfect, as AI-generated content improves and becomes more indistinguishable from human-generated text. Additionally, AI detectors may struggle to identify . Future developments in both AI-generated and detection technologies will determine the extent of these limitations. AI-generated content designed to be undetectable Why Use AI Detection in SEO? There is still an ongoing debate on with despite having said in their most recent update that they no longer consider AI content spammy if it’s valuable. However, you never really know when or if they will actually penalize you. So most SEOs will still use AI detection to be safe. Google can detect AI-generated content How Accurate Is AI Detection? AI detection is only accurate at predicting how similar the text in question is to its training data. It’s a confidence score and not a binary yes or no result. To Sum Up So I’ve covered everything you need to know about AI detection. From why you need it, what really goes behind the scenes of training such a model, its accuracy, and the future of it. I hope this helps you understand this topic slightly better. If you liked it, please share this article and leave a comment below! Also published here.

A Detailed Overview of How AI Detectors Work

Are you familiar with the term “typosquatting”? It’s a type of cybersquatting that can be harmful to your brand and reputation. In this blog post, we’ll explore what typosquatting is and how it differs from cybersquatting, as well as provide tips on how to prevent it. Plus, we’ll discuss the potential consequences of falling victim to these types of attacks. Keep reading to ensure your online presence stays secure and protected! What is Typosquatting Typosquatting is a type of cybersquatting where attackers register similar to popular websites, hoping users will mistype the URL and land on their fake site. These sites can be used for phishing attacks, distributing , or even stealing sensitive information. domains malware Typosquatters make money by tricking users into clicking on ads or buying products from their fake sites. To prevent typosquatting attacks, individuals and businesses can register common misspellings of their domain names and regularly monitor for any unauthorized use of their brand name in URLs. Explanation of Typosquatting Typosquatting refers to the practice of registering domain names that are similar in spelling or pronunciation to an existing website’s domain name, with the intention of deceiving users into visiting these sites. This can include minor changes such as swapping letters or adding hyphens and underscores. The rise of typosquatting dates back to the early days of internet browsing, and it has since become a major concern for businesses and individuals alike. Types of Typosquatting: URL Hijacking Brandjacking Sub-Domain Spoofing Businesses must be wary of typosquatting because it can lead to brand dilution, reputational damage, and loss of revenue due to potential customers being redirected elsewhere. Individuals should also take precautions when navigating the web by double-checking URLs before entering any personal information or making purchases on websites. By being aware of this issue, we can all better protect ourselves against malicious online practices. How Typosquatting Works Typosquatters use various methods to drive traffic to their fraudulent websites. Some may simply rely on users making typographical errors when entering a URL, while others might purchase domain names that are similar in spelling or appearance to popular sites. In many cases, typosquatters will try to deceive users by mimicking the look and feel of the intended website. Typosquatters use fake login pages to steal user credentials. Common techniques used by typosquatters include using misspellings or variations of a popular brand name in their domain name, creating fake login pages designed to steal user credentials, and utilizing pop-up ads and other tactics to redirect traffic from legitimate sites. URLs commonly targeted by typosquatters include those of major social media platforms, e-commerce sites, and financial institutions. Examples of Typosquatting Domains Typosquatting is a common cybercrime that involves creating domains with names similar to popular websites. Some well-known examples like goggle.com or amazoon.com deceive users and lead them to phishing scams or malware distribution sites. In real-world cases, typosquatters often buy up domain names of misspelled versions of popular brands’ URLs and redirect the traffic to their website for financial gain. It’s important to recognize indicators that a domain may be part of a typosquatting scheme in order to prevent becoming a victim, such as suspicious pop-up ads, unsolicited email campaigns, or poor-quality website design. How Typosquatters Make Money Typosquatters make money through various monetization models such as pay-per-click advertising, affiliate marketing, or selling the domains for a profit. The amount of money that can be made from typo domains varies depending on factors such as the popularity of the website being targeted and the type of ads displayed. However, typosquatting is illegal and those who engage in this practice may face legal consequences such as fines or even imprisonment. It’s important to take preventative measures to protect your brand and domain name from typosquatters. What is Cybersquatting? Cybersquatting is the act of registering, using, or trafficking a domain name with bad-faith intent. In other words, it is when someone registers a domain name that incorporates someone else’s trademark or brand in order to profit from it. Cybersquatters often try to sell these domains at inflated prices to the rightful owner or use them for malicious purposes such as phishing scams. The process of cybersquatting typically involves purchasing a domain that contains a well-known brand or trademark and then waiting for the rightful owner to offer payment for its return. This can be highly profitable if done successfully, but it also carries legal risks and consequences. As such, companies should take proactive measures to protect their brand by monitoring registrations and filing UDRP complaints against cybersquatters who infringe upon their trademarks. How Cybersquatting Works Cybersquatting involves the registration of domain names that closely resemble established brand names or trademarks. The process followed by cyber squatters includes identifying popular brands and registering domain names that are similar to them. This is done with the intention of selling these domains back to the original brand owners for a profit. One of the ways in which cyber squatters profit from cybersquatting is through pay-per-click advertising revenue generated by redirecting web traffic from their website to another site. Another common technique used by cyber squatters is holding onto multiple domains related to a particular brand, forcing companies to purchase all domains associated with their name in order to prevent misuse or confusion among customers. How to Prevent Typosquatting and Cybersquatting One effective way to prevent typosquatting and cybersquatting is by securing your domain name early on. Registering variations of your brand’s domain name can also deter cyber criminals from attempting to replicate your website or online presence. Another preventive measure is monitoring and taking legal action against any potential infringing domains. This involves keeping an eye out for similar domain names that may be used in bad faith, as well as engaging with a legal team for assistance in enforcing trademark rights. Tips for Identifying Typosquatting and Cybersquatting Pay attention to misspellings or variations of your domain name, as typosquatting often involves using a common typing error to redirect users to an infringing website. Look out for domains with similar names or logos as yours, which may confuse customers and damage your brand reputation. To research potential infringing domains, use tools like WHOIS and Google Search to identify the owner and history of the site. By taking these steps, you can protect your business from both typosquatting and cybersquatting. Don’t let scammers take advantage of your hard work – stay vigilant in monitoring potentially infringing activity online. Steps to Take to Protect Your Business from Typosquatting and Cybersquatting To protect your business from the risks of typosquatting and cybersquatting, there are a few key steps you can take. First, register common misspellings or variations of your domain name to prevent others from using them for malicious purposes. In addition to your main domain, consider registering other relevant TLDs such as .net or .org. It’s also important to monitor the internet regularly for any instances of typosquatting or cybersquatting on your brand. This includes conducting regular searches and monitoring social media platforms for mentions of your brand that could be used by squatters. By taking proactive measures like these, you can help protect your business from the damaging effects of typosquatting and cybersquatting tactics. Consequences of Typosquatting and Cybersquatting Typosquatting and cybersquatting can have serious legal consequences for those who engage in these practices. Companies that fall victim to typosquatters or cybersquatters may find themselves embroiled in costly lawsuits as they fight to regain control of their domain names and protect their brand identity. In addition to the legal risks, typosquatting and cybersquatting can also cause significant reputational damage. Consumers may become suspicious of a company’s legitimacy if they encounter fraudulent websites with similar domain names, leading to a loss of trust and potential financial harm. It is important for businesses to be vigilant about monitoring their online presence and taking action against any instances of squatting. Legal Consequences of Typosquatting and Cybersquatting Typosquatting and cybersquatting can have severe legal consequences for individuals and businesses. In the case of typosquatting, loss of domain name ownership is a common consequence that can occur when a user intentionally registers a domain name that is similar to an existing popular website with the intent to redirect traffic or deceive users. On the other hand, cybersquatting involves registering domains containing another company’s trademarked names which can lead to trademark infringement lawsuits and financial penalties. In addition to potential legal ramifications, typosquatting and cybersquatting can also result in reputational damage for companies if they are associated with deceptive or fraudulent activity online. As such, it is important for individuals and businesses to take necessary precautions such as monitoring new registrations related to their brand names and trademarks in order to prevent these types of activities from occurring. Reputational Damage Caused by Typosquatting and Cybersquatting Typosquatting and cybersquatting can cause significant reputational damage to businesses. Here are some of the ways: When customers come across a website that looks like yours but has a slightly different domain name, they may assume it’s affiliated with your brand. If that site is fraudulent or malicious, it will erode their trust in your brand. Loss of customer trust: Typosquatting and cybersquatting sites often look unprofessional and scammy. If someone stumbles on a fake site when searching for your business, they’ll associate those negative qualities with you. Damage to brand image: prioritizes websites with high-quality content and good user experience. So if there are typosquatters or cybersquatters out there publishing low-quality content under similar domain names as yours, it could negatively affect your search engine rankings. Negative impact on SEO ranking: Google Also published here.

Understanding Typosquatting: Threats and Countermeasures

When we hear the word "group," we often think of various associations, from social circles to musical bands or even a gathering of animals. A Fabric.js group is a collection of objects that are clustered together. These groups serve multiple purposes, such as moving and modifying objects collectively or applying property changes uniformly across multiple objects. In this blog post, we will explore how to create object groups using Fabric.js, empowering you to streamline your object manipulation and modification tasks. Why Use Object Groups in Fabric.js: Object groups offer several advantages and functionalities, including: With object groups, you can conveniently move multiple objects as a single unit, simplifying the positioning and arrangement of complex scenes. Moving Multiple Objects Together: By grouping objects, you can apply modifications uniformly across the entire group, saving time and effort when making changes to related objects. Modifying Objects as a Group: Object groups enable simultaneous property changes, allowing you to apply transformations like skewing, scaling, fill color, stroke, and more to multiple objects at once. Applying Property Changes: Creating Object Groups in Fabric.js: To create an object group in Fabric.js, we utilize the fabric.Group constructor. Let's take a closer look at its syntax and usage: Syntax: new fabric.Group(objects: Object, 
                  options(optional): Object, 
                  isAlreadyGrouped(optional): Boolean); The parameter accepts an array of objects that we want to group together. objects Optional can be passed as an object, allowing customization of group properties like position and angle. options The parameter is used to indicate if the provided objects are already grouped. isAlreadyGrouped Creating a Basic Object Group: Follow these steps to create a basic object group: You can group shapes, images, or text elements by creating individual objects. Pass these objects as an array to the constructor. fabric.Group Example: var circle = new fabric.Circle({ radius: 30, fill: "#FF0000" });
var image = new fabric.Image(...);
var text = new fabric.Text("Hello", ...);

var group = new fabric.Group([circle, image, text]);
canvas.add(group); A circle, an image, and a text element are combined in the above example. The variable represents the newly created object group, which is then added to the canvas. group Customizing Object Groups: You can further customize object groups by providing optional properties to the object parameter. These properties allow you to define the group's position, rotation angle, and other visual attributes. options Example: var group = new fabric.Group([circle, image, text], {
  left: 70,
  top: 94,
  angle: -10,
}); In the above example, we set the and properties to position the group on the canvas. Additionally, we specify an to rotate the entire group. left top angle Creating a Group of Two Objects: Creating a group of two objects follows a similar approach. However, we need to ensure proper alignment within the group by setting the and properties to "center" for each object. originX originY Example: var rect = new fabric.Rect({
    width: 100,
    height: 85,
    fill: "#FFC0CB",
    originX: "center",
    originY: "center"
});
var text = new fabric.Text("Hello world@", {
    fontSize: 30,
    originX: "center",
    originY: "center"
});

var group = new fabric.Group([rect, text], {
    left: 150,
    top: 100,
    angle: -10
});
canvas.add(group); In the above example, we create a group of a rectangle and text element. By specifying the and properties as "center" for each object, we ensure they are properly centered within the group. originX originY Ungrouping Fabric.js Objects In addition to creating groups of objects in Fabric.js, you also have the ability to ungroup them when needed. Ungrouping objects allows you to restore their individual properties and manipulate them independently. Let's explore how to ungroup objects using Fabric.js with an example. Example of Ungrouping Objects: You want to ungroup a group of objects and treat them separately. Consider a group consisting of two rectangles and a text element. We will demonstrate how to ungroup them using Fabric.js. var canvas = new fabric.Canvas("canvas");

// Create the rectangles
var rect1 = new fabric.Rect({
  width: 100,
  height: 50,
  fill: "blue",
  left: 50,
  top: 50,
});

var rect2 = new fabric.Rect({
  width: 100,
  height: 50,
  fill: "red",
  left: 200,
  top: 50,
});

// Create the text element
var text = new fabric.Text("Hello", {
  fontSize: 20,
  fill: "white",
  left: 120,
  top: 60,
});

// Group the objects
var group = new fabric.Group([rect1, rect2, text], {
  left: 100,
  top: 100,
});

canvas.add(group);

// Ungroup the objects
var activeObj = canvas.getActiveObject();
var activegroup = activeObj.toGroup();
var objectsInGroup = activegroup.getObjects();

activegroup.clone(function(newgroup) {
    canvas.remove(activegroup);
    objectsInGroup.forEach(function(object) {
        canvas.remove(object);  
    });
    canvas.add(newgroup);
    canvas.setActiveObject(newgroup);
    canvas.requestRenderAll();
});

canvas.renderAll(); In the code above, we assume that canvas is the Fabric.js canvas object. First, we retrieve the active object from the canvas using . We then convert the active object into a group using the method, and store it in the activegroup variable. getActiveObject() toGroup() A list of objects within the group is obtained using the method and stored in the variable. getObjects() objectsInGroup A clone of the activegroup is then created using the clone() method. Inside the callback function of clone(), we remove the activegroup from the canvas using . remove(activegroup) We iterate over the objectsInGroup array and remove each individual object from the canvas using . remove(object) After removing the group and its objects, we add the cloned group back to the canvas using . add(newgroup) Finally, we set the newgroup as the active object on the canvas using , and request the canvas to render the changes using By executing this code, you will ungroup the objects and have them restored as separate entities on the canvas. setActiveObject(newgroup) requestRenderAll(). Conclusion Mastering object grouping in Fabric.js empowers you to simplify object manipulation and modification tasks. By creating object groups, you can move, modify, and apply property changes to multiple objects simultaneously, enhancing your productivity and efficiency. Whether you're working with complex scenes or need to apply uniform transformations, object groups in Fabric.js are a valuable tool in your development arsenal. Start leveraging the power of object grouping in Fabric.js and take your canvas-based applications to the next level.

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