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MOLLY GIBSON FINDS A CHAMPION.

Our Pet Fox Finds a Tail

MOLLY FINDS HERSELF PATRONIZED.

Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book . IN WHICH PASSEPARTOUT FINDS OUT THAT, EVEN AT THE ANTIPODES, IT IS CONVENIENT TO HAVE SOME MONEY IN ONE’S POCKET here CHAPTER XXII. IN WHICH PASSEPARTOUT FINDS OUT THAT, EVEN AT THE ANTIPODES, IT IS CONVENIENT TO HAVE SOME MONEY IN ONE’S POCKET The “Carnatic,” setting sail from Hong Kong at half-past six on the 7th of November, directed her course at full steam towards Japan. She carried a large cargo and a well-filled cabin of passengers. Two state-rooms in the rear were, however, unoccupied—those which had been engaged by Phileas Fogg. The next day a passenger with a half-stupefied eye, staggering gait, and disordered hair, was seen to emerge from the second cabin, and to totter to a seat on deck. It was Passepartout; and what had happened to him was as follows: Shortly after Fix left the opium den, two waiters had lifted the unconscious Passepartout, and had carried him to the bed reserved for the smokers. Three hours later, pursued even in his dreams by a fixed idea, the poor fellow awoke, and struggled against the stupefying influence of the narcotic. The thought of a duty unfulfilled shook off his torpor, and he hurried from the abode of drunkenness. Staggering and holding himself up by keeping against the walls, falling down and creeping up again, and irresistibly impelled by a kind of instinct, he kept crying out, “The ‘Carnatic!’ the ‘Carnatic!’” The steamer lay puffing alongside the quay, on the point of starting. Passepartout had but few steps to go; and, rushing upon the plank, he crossed it, and fell unconscious on the deck, just as the “Carnatic” was moving off. Several sailors, who were evidently accustomed to this sort of scene, carried the poor Frenchman down into the second cabin, and Passepartout did not wake until they were one hundred and fifty miles away from China. Thus he found himself the next morning on the deck of the “Carnatic,” and eagerly inhaling the exhilarating sea-breeze. The pure air sobered him. He began to collect his sense, which he found a difficult task; but at last he recalled the events of the evening before, Fix’s revelation, and the opium-house. “It is evident,” said he to himself, “that I have been abominably drunk! What will Mr. Fogg say? At least I have not missed the steamer, which is the most important thing.” Then, as Fix occurred to him: “As for that rascal, I hope we are well rid of him, and that he has not dared, as he proposed, to follow us on board the “Carnatic.” A detective on the track of Mr. Fogg, accused of robbing the Bank of England! Pshaw! Mr. Fogg is no more a robber than I am a murderer.” Should he divulge Fix’s real errand to his master? Would it do to tell the part the detective was playing? Would it not be better to wait until Mr. Fogg reached London again, and then impart to him that an agent of the metropolitan police had been following him round the world, and have a good laugh over it? No doubt; at least, it was worth considering. The first thing to do was to find Mr. Fogg, and apologise for his singular behaviour. Passepartout got up and proceeded, as well as he could with the rolling of the steamer, to the after-deck. He saw no one who resembled either his master or Aouda. “Good!” muttered he; “Aouda has not got up yet, and Mr. Fogg has probably found some partners at whist.” He descended to the saloon. Mr. Fogg was not there. Passepartout had only, however, to ask the purser the number of his master’s state-room. The purser replied that he did not know any passenger by the name of Fogg. “I beg your pardon,” said Passepartout persistently. “He is a tall gentleman, quiet, and not very talkative, and has with him a young lady—” “There is no young lady on board,” interrupted the purser. “Here is a list of the passengers; you may see for yourself.” Passepartout scanned the list, but his master’s name was not upon it. All at once an idea struck him. “Ah! am I on the ‘Carnatic?’” “Yes.” “On the way to Yokohama?” “Certainly.” Passepartout had for an instant feared that he was on the wrong boat; but, though he was really on the “Carnatic,” his master was not there. He fell thunderstruck on a seat. He saw it all now. He remembered that the time of sailing had been changed, that he should have informed his master of that fact, and that he had not done so. It was his fault, then, that Mr. Fogg and Aouda had missed the steamer. Yes, but it was still more the fault of the traitor who, in order to separate him from his master, and detain the latter at Hong Kong, had inveigled him into getting drunk! He now saw the detective’s trick; and at this moment Mr. Fogg was certainly ruined, his bet was lost, and he himself perhaps arrested and imprisoned! At this thought Passepartout tore his hair. Ah, if Fix ever came within his reach, what a settling of accounts there would be! After his first depression, Passepartout became calmer, and began to study his situation. It was certainly not an enviable one. He found himself on the way to Japan, and what should he do when he got there? His pocket was empty; he had not a solitary shilling, not so much as a penny. His passage had fortunately been paid for in advance; and he had five or six days in which to decide upon his future course. He fell to at meals with an appetite, and ate for Mr. Fogg, Aouda, and himself. He helped himself as generously as if Japan were a desert, where nothing to eat was to be looked for. At dawn on the 13th the “Carnatic” entered the port of Yokohama. This is an important port of call in the Pacific, where all the mail-steamers, and those carrying travellers between North America, China, Japan, and the Oriental islands put in. It is situated in the bay of Yeddo, and at but a short distance from that second capital of the Japanese Empire, and the residence of the Tycoon, the civil Emperor, before the Mikado, the spiritual Emperor, absorbed his office in his own. The “Carnatic” anchored at the quay near the custom-house, in the midst of a crowd of ships bearing the flags of all nations. Passepartout went timidly ashore on this so curious territory of the Sons of the Sun. He had nothing better to do than, taking chance for his guide, to wander aimlessly through the streets of Yokohama. He found himself at first in a thoroughly European quarter, the houses having low fronts, and being adorned with verandas, beneath which he caught glimpses of neat peristyles. This quarter occupied, with its streets, squares, docks, and warehouses, all the space between the “promontory of the Treaty” and the river. Here, as at Hong Kong and Calcutta, were mixed crowds of all races, Americans and English, Chinamen and Dutchmen, mostly merchants ready to buy or sell anything. The Frenchman felt himself as much alone among them as if he had dropped down in the midst of Hottentots. He had, at least, one resource,—to call on the French and English consuls at Yokohama for assistance. But he shrank from telling the story of his adventures, intimately connected as it was with that of his master; and, before doing so, he determined to exhaust all other means of aid. As chance did not favour him in the European quarter, he penetrated that inhabited by the native Japanese, determined, if necessary, to push on to Yeddo. The Japanese quarter of Yokohama is called Benten, after the goddess of the sea, who is worshipped on the islands round about. There Passepartout beheld beautiful fir and cedar groves, sacred gates of a singular architecture, bridges half hid in the midst of bamboos and reeds, temples shaded by immense cedar-trees, holy retreats where were sheltered Buddhist priests and sectaries of Confucius, and interminable streets, where a perfect harvest of rose-tinted and red-cheeked children, who looked as if they had been cut out of Japanese screens, and who were playing in the midst of short-legged poodles and yellowish cats, might have been gathered. The streets were crowded with people. Priests were passing in processions, beating their dreary tambourines; police and custom-house officers with pointed hats encrusted with lac and carrying two sabres hung to their waists; soldiers, clad in blue cotton with white stripes, and bearing guns; the Mikado’s guards, enveloped in silken doubles, hauberks and coats of mail; and numbers of military folk of all ranks—for the military profession is as much respected in Japan as it is despised in China—went hither and thither in groups and pairs. Passepartout saw, too, begging friars, long-robed pilgrims, and simple civilians, with their warped and jet-black hair, big heads, long busts, slender legs, short stature, and complexions varying from copper-colour to a dead white, but never yellow, like the Chinese, from whom the Japanese widely differ. He did not fail to observe the curious equipages—carriages and palanquins, barrows supplied with sails, and litters made of bamboo; nor the women—whom he thought not especially handsome—who took little steps with their little feet, whereon they wore canvas shoes, straw sandals, and clogs of worked wood, and who displayed tight-looking eyes, flat chests, teeth fashionably blackened, and gowns crossed with silken scarfs, tied in an enormous knot behind an ornament which the modern Parisian ladies seem to have borrowed from the dames of Japan. Passepartout wandered for several hours in the midst of this motley crowd, looking in at the windows of the rich and curious shops, the jewellery establishments glittering with quaint Japanese ornaments, the restaurants decked with streamers and banners, the tea-houses, where the odorous beverage was being drunk with “saki,” a liquor concocted from the fermentation of rice, and the comfortable smoking-houses, where they were puffing, not opium, which is almost unknown in Japan, but a very fine, stringy tobacco. He went on till he found himself in the fields, in the midst of vast rice plantations. There he saw dazzling camellias expanding themselves, with flowers which were giving forth their last colours and perfumes, not on bushes, but on trees, and within bamboo enclosures, cherry, plum, and apple trees, which the Japanese cultivate rather for their blossoms than their fruit, and which queerly-fashioned, grinning scarecrows protected from the sparrows, pigeons, ravens, and other voracious birds. On the branches of the cedars were perched large eagles; amid the foliage of the weeping willows were herons, solemnly standing on one leg; and on every hand were crows, ducks, hawks, wild birds, and a multitude of cranes, which the Japanese consider sacred, and which to their minds symbolise long life and prosperity. As he was strolling along, Passepartout espied some violets among the shrubs. “Good!” said he; “I’ll have some supper.” But, on smelling them, he found that they were odourless. “No chance there,” thought he. The worthy fellow had certainly taken good care to eat as hearty a breakfast as possible before leaving the “Carnatic;” but, as he had been walking about all day, the demands of hunger were becoming importunate. He observed that the butchers stalls contained neither mutton, goat, nor pork; and, knowing also that it is a sacrilege to kill cattle, which are preserved solely for farming, he made up his mind that meat was far from plentiful in Yokohama—nor was he mistaken; and, in default of butcher’s meat, he could have wished for a quarter of wild boar or deer, a partridge, or some quails, some game or fish, which, with rice, the Japanese eat almost exclusively. But he found it necessary to keep up a stout heart, and to postpone the meal he craved till the following morning. Night came, and Passepartout re-entered the native quarter, where he wandered through the streets, lit by vari-coloured lanterns, looking on at the dancers, who were executing skilful steps and boundings, and the astrologers who stood in the open air with their telescopes. Then he came to the harbour, which was lit up by the resin torches of the fishermen, who were fishing from their boats. The streets at last became quiet, and the patrol, the officers of which, in their splendid costumes, and surrounded by their suites, Passepartout thought seemed like ambassadors, succeeded the bustling crowd. Each time a company passed, Passepartout chuckled, and said to himself: “Good! another Japanese embassy departing for Europe!” 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. Jules Verne (1994). Around the World in Eighty Days. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October 2022 https://www.gutenberg.org/files/103/103-h/103-h.htm 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 , located at . www.gutenberg.org https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html

IN WHICH PASSEPARTOUT FINDS OUT THAT, EVEN AT THE ANTIPODES, IT IS CONVENIENT TO HAVE SOME MONEY

The Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book here . M. Giraud Finds Some Clues IX. M. Giraud Finds Some Clues In the Salon I found the examining magistrate busily interrogating the old gardener Auguste. Poirot and the commissary, who were both present, greeted me respectively with a smile and a polite bow. I slipped quietly into a seat. M. Hautet was painstaking and meticulous in the extreme, but did not succeed in eliciting anything of importance. The gardening gloves Auguste admitted to be his. He wore them when handling a certain species of primula plant which was poisonous to some people. He could not say when he had worn them last. Certainly he had not missed them. Where were they kept? Sometimes in one place, sometimes in another. The spade was usually to be found in the small tool shed. Was it locked? Of course it was locked. Where was the key kept? Parbleu, it was in the door of course! There was nothing of value to steal. Who would have expected a party of bandits, of assassins? Such things did not happen in Madame la Vicomtesse’s time. M. Hautet signifying that he had finished with him, the old man withdrew, grumbling to the last. Remembering Poirot’s unaccountable insistence on the footprints in the flower beds, I scrutinized him narrowly as he gave his evidence. Either he had nothing to do with the crime or he was a consummate actor. Suddenly, just as he was going out of the door, an idea struck me. “Pardon M. Hautet,” I cried, “but will you permit me to ask him one question?” “But certainly, monsieur.” Thus encouraged, I turned to Auguste. “Where do you keep your boots?” “Sac à papier!” growled the old man. “On my feet. Where else?” “But when you go to bed at night?” “Under my bed.” “But who cleans them?” “Nobody. Why should they be cleaned? Is it that I promenade myself on the front like a young man? On Sunday I wear the Sunday boots, bien entendu, but otherwise—!” he shrugged his shoulders. I shook my head, discouraged. “Well, well,” said the magistrate. “We do not advance very much. Undoubtedly we are held up until we get the return cable from Santiago. Has any one seen Giraud? In verity that one lacks politeness! I have a very good mind to send for him and—” “You will not have to send far, M. le juge.” The quiet voice startled us. Giraud was standing outside looking in through the open window. He leaped lightly into the room, and advanced to the table. “Here I am, M. le juge, at your service. Accept my excuses for not presenting myself sooner.” “Not at all. Not at all,” said the magistrate, rather confused. “Of course I am only a detective,” continued the other. “I know nothing of interrogatories. Were I conducting one, I should be inclined to do so without an open window. Any one standing outside can so easily hear all that passes. … But no matter.” M. Hautet flushed angrily. There was evidently going to be no love lost between the examining magistrate and the detective in charge of the case. They had fallen foul of each other at the start. Perhaps in any event it would have been much the same. To Giraud, all examining magistrates were fools, and to M. Hautet who took himself seriously, the casual manner of the Paris detective could not fail to give offence. “Eh bien, M. Giraud,” said the magistrate rather sharply. “Without doubt you have been employing your time to a marvel? You have the names of the assassins for us, have you not? And also the precise spot where they find themselves now?” Unmoved by this irony, Giraud replied: “I know at least where they have come from.” “Comment?” Giraud took two small objects from his pocket and laid them down on the table. We crowded round. The objects were very simple ones: the stub of a cigarette, and an unlighted match. The detective wheeled round on Poirot. “What do you see there?” he asked. There was something almost brutal in his tone. It made my cheeks flush. But Poirot remained unmoved. He shrugged his shoulders. “A cigarette end, and a match.” “And what does that tell you?” Poirot spread out his hands. “It tells me—nothing.” “Ah!” said Giraud, in a satisfied voice. “You haven’t made a study of these things. That’s not an ordinary match—not in this country at least. It’s common enough in South America. Luckily it’s unlighted. I mightn’t have recognized it otherwise. Evidently one of the men threw away his cigarette end, and lit another, spilling one match out of the box as he did so.” “And the other match?” asked Poirot. “Which match?” “The one he did light his cigarette with. You have found that also?” “No.” “Perhaps you didn’t search very thoroughly.” “Not search thoroughly—” For a moment it seemed as though the detective were going to break out angrily, but with an effort he controlled himself. “I see you love a joke, M. Poirot. But in any case, match or no match, the cigarette end would be sufficient. It is a South American cigarette with liquorice pectoral paper.” Poirot bowed. The commissary spoke: “The cigarette end and match might have belonged to M. Renauld. Remember, it is only two years since he returned from South America.” “No,” replied the other confidently. “I have already searched among the effects of M. Renauld. The cigarettes he smoked and the matches he used are quite different.” “You do not think it odd,” asked Poirot, “that these strangers should come unprovided with a weapon, with gloves, with a spade, and that they should so conveniently find all these things?” Giraud smiled in a rather superior manner. “Undoubtedly it is strange. Indeed, without the theory that I hold, it would be inexplicable.” “Aha!” said M. Hautet. “An accomplice. An accomplice within the house!” “Or outside it,” said Giraud with a peculiar smile. “But some one must have admitted them? We cannot allow that, by an unparalleled piece of good fortune, they found the door ajar for them to walk in?” “D’accord, M. le juge. The door was opened for them, but it could just as easily be opened from outside—by some one who possessed a key.” “But who did possess a key?” Giraud shrugged his shoulders. “As for that, no one who possesses one is going to admit the fact if they can help it. But several people might have had one. M. Jack Renauld, the son, for instance. It is true that he is on his way to South America, but he might have lost the key or had it stolen from him. Then there is the gardener—he has been here many years. One of the younger servants may have a lover. It is easy to take an impression of a key and have one cut. There are many possibilities. Then there is another person who, I should judge, is exceedingly likely to have such a thing in her keeping.” “Who is that?” “Madame Daubreuil,” said the detective dryly. “Eh, eh!” said the magistrate, his face falling a little, “so you have heard about that, have you?” “I hear everything,” said Giraud imperturbably. “There is one thing I could swear you have not heard,” said M. Hautet, delighted to be able to show superior knowledge, and without more ado, he retailed the story of the mysterious visitor the night before. He also touched on the cheque made out to “Duveen,” and finally handed Giraud the letter signed “Bella.” Giraud listened in silence, studied the letter attentively, and then handed it back. “All very interesting, M. le juge. But my theory remains unaffected.” “And your theory is?” “For the moment I prefer not to say. Remember, I am only just beginning my investigations.” “Tell me one thing, M. Giraud,” said Poirot suddenly. “Your theory allows for the door being opened. It does not explain why it was left open. When they departed, would it not have been natural for them to close it behind them. If a sergent de ville had chanced to come up to the house, as is sometimes done to see that all is well, they might have been discovered and overtaken almost at once.” “Bah! They forgot it. A mistake, I grant you.” Then, to my surprise, Poirot uttered almost the same words as he had uttered to Bex the previous evening: “I do not agree with you. The door being left open was the result of either design or necessity, and any theory that does not admit that fact is bound to prove vain.” We all regarded the little man with a good deal of astonishment. The confession of ignorance drawn from him over the match end had, I thought, been bound to humiliate him, but here he was self satisfied as ever, laying down the law to the great Giraud without a tremor. The detective twisted his moustache, eyeing my friend in a somewhat bantering fashion. “You don’t agree with me, eh? Well, what strikes you particularly about the case. Let’s hear your views.” “One thing presents itself to me as being significant. Tell me, M. Giraud, does nothing strike you as familiar about this case? Is there nothing it reminds you of?” “Familiar? Reminds me of? I can’t say off-hand. I don’t think so, though.” “You are wrong,” said Poirot quietly. “A crime almost precisely similar has been committed before.” “When? And where?” “Ah, that, unfortunately, I cannot for the moment remember—but I shall do so. I had hoped you might be able to assist me.” Giraud snorted incredulously. “There have been many affairs of masked men! I cannot remember the details of them all. These crimes all resemble each other more or less.” “There is such a thing as the individual touch.” Poirot suddenly assumed his lecturing manner, and addressed us collectively. “I am speaking to you now of the psychology of crime. M. Giraud knows quite well that each criminal has his particular method, and that the police, when called in to investigate—say a case of burglary—can often make a shrewd guess at the offender, simply by the peculiar method he has employed. (Japp would tell you the same, Hastings.) Man is an unoriginal animal. Unoriginal within the law in his daily respectable life, equally unoriginal outside the law. If a man commits a crime, any other crime he commits will resemble it closely. The English murderer who disposed of his wives in succession by drowning them in their baths was a case in point. Had he varied his methods, he might have escaped detection to this day. But he obeyed the common dictates of human nature, arguing that what had once succeeded would succeed again, and he paid the penalty of his lack of originality.” “And the point of all this?” sneered Giraud. “That when you have two crimes precisely similar in design and execution, you find the same brain behind them both. I am looking for that brain, M. Giraud—and I shall find it. Here we have a true clue—a psychological clue. You may know all about cigarettes and match ends, M. Giraud, but I, Hercule Poirot, know the mind of man!” And the ridiculous little fellow tapped his forehead with emphasis. Giraud remained singularly unimpressed. “For your guidance,” continued Poirot, “I will also advise you of one fact which might fail to be brought to your notice. The wrist watch of Madame Renauld, on the day following the tragedy, had gained two hours. It might interest you to examine it.” Giraud stared. “Perhaps it was in the habit of gaining?” “As a matter of fact, I am told it did.” “Eh bien, then!” “All the same, two hours is a good deal,” said Poirot softly. “Then there is the matter of the footprints in the flower-bed.” He nodded his head towards the open window. Giraud took two eager strides, and looked out. “This bed here?” “Yes.” “But I see no footprints?” “No,” said Poirot, straightening a little pile of books on a table. “There are none.” For a moment an almost murderous rage obscured Giraud’s face. He took two strides towards his tormentor, but at that moment the salon door was opened, and Marchaud announced. “M. Stonor, the secretary, has just arrived from England. May he enter?” 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. Agatha Christie (2019). The Murder on the Links. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/58866/pg58866-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.

M. Giraud Finds Some Clues

Notes from the Underground by Fyodor Dostoyevsky is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book here . Part I. Underground - IV Part I. Underground - IV “Ha, ha, ha! You will be finding enjoyment in toothache next,” you cry, with a laugh. “Well, even in toothache there is enjoyment,” I answer. I had toothache for a whole month and I know there is. In that case, of course, people are not spiteful in silence, but moan; but they are not candid moans, they are malignant moans, and the malignancy is the whole point. The enjoyment of the sufferer finds expression in those moans; if he did not feel enjoyment in them he would not moan. It is a good example, gentlemen, and I will develop it. Those moans express in the first place all the aimlessness of your pain, which is so humiliating to your consciousness; the whole legal system of nature on which you spit disdainfully, of course, but from which you suffer all the same while she does not. They express the consciousness that you have no enemy to punish, but that you have pain; the consciousness that in spite of all possible Wagenheims you are in complete slavery to your teeth; that if someone wishes it, your teeth will leave off aching, and if he does not, they will go on aching another three months; and that finally if you are still contumacious and still protest, all that is left you for your own gratification is to thrash yourself or beat your wall with your fist as hard as you can, and absolutely nothing more. Well, these mortal insults, these jeers on the part of someone unknown, end at last in an enjoyment which sometimes reaches the highest degree of voluptuousness. I ask you, gentlemen, listen sometimes to the moans of an educated man of the nineteenth century suffering from toothache, on the second or third day of the attack, when he is beginning to moan, not as he moaned on the first day, that is, not simply because he has toothache, not just as any coarse peasant, but as a man affected by progress and European civilisation, a man who is “divorced from the soil and the national elements,” as they express it now-a-days. His moans become nasty, disgustingly malignant, and go on for whole days and nights. And of course he knows himself that he is doing himself no sort of good with his moans; he knows better than anyone that he is only lacerating and harassing himself and others for nothing; he knows that even the audience before whom he is making his efforts, and his whole family, listen to him with loathing, do not put a ha’porth of faith in him, and inwardly understand that he might moan differently, more simply, without trills and flourishes, and that he is only amusing himself like that from ill-humour, from malignancy. Well, in all these recognitions and disgraces it is that there lies a voluptuous pleasure. As though he would say: “I am worrying you, I am lacerating your hearts, I am keeping everyone in the house awake. Well, stay awake then, you, too, feel every minute that I have toothache. I am not a hero to you now, as I tried to seem before, but simply a nasty person, an impostor. Well, so be it, then! I am very glad that you see through me. It is nasty for you to hear my despicable moans: well, let it be nasty; here I will let you have a nastier flourish in a minute....” You do not understand even now, gentlemen? No, it seems our development and our consciousness must go further to understand all the intricacies of this pleasure. You laugh? Delighted. My jests, gentlemen, are of course in bad taste, jerky, involved, lacking self-confidence. But of course that is because I do not respect myself. Can a man of perception respect himself at all? 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. Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1996). Notes from the Underground. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/600/pg600-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 enjoyment of the sufferer finds expression in those moans

Few franchises are as confusing as the X-Men franchise, but that doesn’t take away from how amazing the movies are (most of them anyway). The series has been going on since 2000, and most of their movies aren’t numbered, so it can be hard to know where to start or what entry comes next. So, to help with that, here are the X-men movies in order of release date. P.S. This list will only cover the core X-Men movies to make it less confusing for beginners. This means that only the movies that drive the main plot further will be included. So, the Deadpool movies, the New Mutants, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and Logan won’t be included. The X-Men Movies in Order X-Men
X2
X-Men: The Last Stand
X-Men: First Class
The Wolverine
X-Men: Days of Future Past
X-Men Apocalypse
Dark Phoenix 1. X-Men (2000) The X-Men had been popular for decades, especially in the 90s, and it culminated with them getting their first Hollywood movie in 2000. It starred a fairly unknown Hugh Jackman as Wolverine and seasoned acting veterans Sir Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian McKellan as Professor Xavier and Magneto. Through fate, the lonely wanderer Wolverine finds himself joining the X-Men and becoming a reluctant hero. There, he’ll team up with other heroes such as Cyclops, Storm, and Jean Grey. 2. X2 (2003) Mutant distrust is at an all-time high after a mutant attacks the White House, and unfortunately, the X-Men are caught in the crossfire. The main person leading the crusade against mutants is Colonel William Stryker, and he won’t stop until they’re all dead and buried. Separated and with their backs against the wall, the X-Men will have to turn to an old foe if they want to take down Stryker. But even though he hates mutants, Stryker seemingly has a past with them, specifically, with Wolverine. As the X-Men and Magneto work together to take down the Colonel, Wolverine has his own side mission: to discover how he and Stryker are connected. 3. X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) News breaks out that there is a serum that can take away one’s mutant powers, which, of course, catches the attention of all mutants, including Professor Xavier and his school of mutants, and Magneto and his Brotherhood of Mutants. Although the serum is optional for any mutant who wants it, Magneto and his Brotherhood are certain that this is only the beginning. That in the near future, mutants will be forced to take it. Lines are drawn within the mutant community, and they go to war with each other. In the middle of all this is a mutant child. He has the power to take away other mutants’ powers, and it was because of him that the serum was able to be made. As long as he’s alive, the serum will always be available, and so the X-Men take a last stand to protect him against Magneto. 4. X-Men: First Class (2011) Although we had seen the X-Men in three different movies before, we still didn’t know a ton about them such as how they were formed, why, and how Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr came to know each other. Well, X-Men: First Class answers all of those questions and some that you didn't even know you had. The first iteration of the X-Men come together to take down former Nazi Sebastian Shaw as he pulls the strings of the U.S. and the Soviet Union. His ultimate goal is for both countries to wage nuclear war against one another. Charles, Erik, and their rag-tag team of mutants do everything they can to stop him. 5. The Wolverine (2013) You might be wondering why the first and third Wolverine movies aren’t included on this list but the second one in the trilogy is. I know; it’s kind of a confusing thing to do. However, the other two movies can be watched in a vacuum; they give more insight into the Wolverine character, but they don’t necessarily have much to do with the X-Men team itself. The Wolverine movie is special in that it directly deals with the aftermath of X-Men: The Last Stand. And on top of that, it leads right into Days of Future Past. 6. X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) The past and present clash in Days of Future Past. After everything they have fought for, the X-Men have failed, and their worst nightmare has come true. Mutants are persecuted, hunted down, and killed by robots called sentinels. It is a grim, apocalyptic time, but not all is lost. They have one shot to make things right, and the only man right for the job is Wolverine. He gets sent back in time to the 70s to stop the sentinels from ever being created. There, he’ll meet up with the younger versions of Professor Xavier, Magneto, Beast, and more as they fight to prevent that ugly future from happening. 7. X-Men Apocalypse (2016) The X-Men have saved the world from the Sentinels, but a new threat emerges. Maybe new isn’t the right word considering this person is from ancient Egypt. We’re talking about Apocalypse, one of the first mutants ever. He has awakened in the present, but he’s disappointed in the modern world and plans to restructure it in his image. It’s up to the X-Men to stop him, and who’s a part of the line-up? It’s a mix between veterans such as Beast and Raven along with newcomers Jean Grey, Cyclops, and Quicksilver. 8. X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019) Jean Grey has always been one of the strongest X-Men, so it’s a good thing she’s on our side. However, after a mission goes awry, she awakens the Phoenix Force within her. With Jean becoming even stronger than she already was, it’s up to the X-Men to not only protect her from herself but from others such as Magneto. Technically, this isn’t the final film in the franchise as The New Mutants was released a year later, but that could be watched in a vacuum. Dark Phoenix can be considered the true ending to Fox’s X-Men film series. Read More 1. How to Watch the Harry Potter Movies in Order The MCU Phase 3 Movies in Order
The MCU Phase 4 Movies in Order Feature image source Few franchises are as confusing as the X-Men franchise, but that doesn’t take away from how amazing the movies are (most of them anyway). The series has been going on since 2000, and most of their movies aren’t numbered, so it can be hard to know where to start or what entry comes next. So, to help with that, here are the X-men movies in order of release date. P.S. This list will only cover the core X-Men movies to make it less confusing for beginners. This means that only the movies that drive the main plot further will be included. So, the Deadpool movies, the New Mutants, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and Logan won’t be included. The X-Men Movies in Order X-Men X2 X-Men: The Last Stand X-Men: First Class The Wolverine X-Men: Days of Future Past X-Men Apocalypse Dark Phoenix X-Men X2 X-Men: The Last Stand X-Men: First Class The Wolverine X-Men: Days of Future Past X-Men Apocalypse Dark Phoenix 1. X-Men (2000) The X-Men had been popular for decades, especially in the 90s, and it culminated with them getting their first Hollywood movie in 2000. It starred a fairly unknown Hugh Jackman as Wolverine and seasoned acting veterans Sir Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian McKellan as Professor Xavier and Magneto. Through fate, the lonely wanderer Wolverine finds himself joining the X-Men and becoming a reluctant hero. There, he’ll team up with other heroes such as Cyclops, Storm, and Jean Grey. 2. X2 (2003) Mutant distrust is at an all-time high after a mutant attacks the White House, and unfortunately, the X-Men are caught in the crossfire. The main person leading the crusade against mutants is Colonel William Stryker, and he won’t stop until they’re all dead and buried. Separated and with their backs against the wall, the X-Men will have to turn to an old foe if they want to take down Stryker. But even though he hates mutants, Stryker seemingly has a past with them, specifically, with Wolverine. As the X-Men and Magneto work together to take down the Colonel, Wolverine has his own side mission: to discover how he and Stryker are connected. 3. X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) News breaks out that there is a serum that can take away one’s mutant powers, which, of course, catches the attention of all mutants, including Professor Xavier and his school of mutants, and Magneto and his Brotherhood of Mutants. Although the serum is optional for any mutant who wants it, Magneto and his Brotherhood are certain that this is only the beginning. That in the near future, mutants will be forced to take it. Lines are drawn within the mutant community, and they go to war with each other. In the middle of all this is a mutant child. He has the power to take away other mutants’ powers, and it was because of him that the serum was able to be made. As long as he’s alive, the serum will always be available, and so the X-Men take a last stand to protect him against Magneto. 4. X-Men: First Class (2011) Although we had seen the X-Men in three different movies before, we still didn’t know a ton about them such as how they were formed, why, and how Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr came to know each other. Well, X-Men: First Class answers all of those questions and some that you didn't even know you had. The first iteration of the X-Men come together to take down former Nazi Sebastian Shaw as he pulls the strings of the U.S. and the Soviet Union. His ultimate goal is for both countries to wage nuclear war against one another. Charles, Erik, and their rag-tag team of mutants do everything they can to stop him. 5. The Wolverine (2013) You might be wondering why the first and third Wolverine movies aren’t included on this list but the second one in the trilogy is. I know; it’s kind of a confusing thing to do. However, the other two movies can be watched in a vacuum; they give more insight into the Wolverine character, but they don’t necessarily have much to do with the X-Men team itself. The Wolverine movie is special in that it directly deals with the aftermath of X-Men: The Last Stand. And on top of that, it leads right into Days of Future Past. 6. X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) The past and present clash in Days of Future Past. After everything they have fought for, the X-Men have failed, and their worst nightmare has come true. Mutants are persecuted, hunted down, and killed by robots called sentinels. It is a grim, apocalyptic time, but not all is lost. They have one shot to make things right, and the only man right for the job is Wolverine. He gets sent back in time to the 70s to stop the sentinels from ever being created. There, he’ll meet up with the younger versions of Professor Xavier, Magneto, Beast, and more as they fight to prevent that ugly future from happening. 7. X-Men Apocalypse (2016) The X-Men have saved the world from the Sentinels, but a new threat emerges. Maybe new isn’t the right word considering this person is from ancient Egypt. We’re talking about Apocalypse, one of the first mutants ever. He has awakened in the present, but he’s disappointed in the modern world and plans to restructure it in his image. It’s up to the X-Men to stop him, and who’s a part of the line-up? It’s a mix between veterans such as Beast and Raven along with newcomers Jean Grey, Cyclops, and Quicksilver. 8. X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019) Jean Grey has always been one of the strongest X-Men, so it’s a good thing she’s on our side. However, after a mission goes awry, she awakens the Phoenix Force within her. With Jean becoming even stronger than she already was, it’s up to the X-Men to not only protect her from herself but from others such as Magneto. Technically, this isn’t the final film in the franchise as The New Mutants was released a year later, but that could be watched in a vacuum. Dark Phoenix can be considered the true ending to Fox’s X-Men film series. Read More 1. How to Watch the Harry Potter Movies in Order How to Watch the Harry Potter Movies in Order The MCU Phase 3 Movies in Order The MCU Phase 4 Movies in Order The MCU Phase 3 Movies in Order The MCU Phase 3 Movies in Order The MCU Phase 4 Movies in Order The MCU Phase 4 Movies in Order Feature image source Feature image source source

The X-Men Movies in Order: How to Watch Them By Release Date

This paper is available on arxiv under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED license.
Authors:
(1) Ehud Shapiro,  Department of Computer Science and Applied Math, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel and ehud.shapiro@weizmann.ac.il. Table of Links Abstract and Introduction
Grassroots Protocols
Grassroots Implementation of Grassroots Dissemination
Applications of Grassroots Dissemination Supporting Digital Sovereignty
Future Work & Discussion
References
A. Preliminaries: Asynchronous Distributed Multiagent Transition Systems
B. All-to-All Dissemination is not Grassroots
C. Proofs 4 Applications of Grassroots Dissemination Supporting Digital Sovereignty We describe applications of Grassroots Dissemination that support digital sovereignty by not depending on or employing any third-party resources other than the network itself, and thus provide motivation for implementing the Grassroots Dissemination protocol. 4.1 Grassroots Twitter-Like Social Networking Here we illustrate how a Twitter-like grassroots social network can be realised on top of Grassroots Dissemination. Recall that any block (p, i, x) is uniquely identified by its creator p and index i, provided the creator is not equivocating. The Twitter-like realization employs two types of payloads, tweet(x), where x is any text string, and respond(p, i, x), which includes the text string x as a response to the p-block with index i. With Grassroots Dissemination, an agent p will observe any tweet and any response by every agent that p follows. But, p will not observe responses to tweets of agents that it follows, if p does not follow the respondents. This behavior could be desirable, if indeed p prefers not to hear these respondents; or undesirable, if p does not know the respondents but would be interested to hear what they have to say. This can be addressed by adding a third type of payload, echo(b), where b is a block. With this construct an agent p could echo responses to its own tweets, for the benefit the agents that follow p but not the respondents. Doing so could induce an agent to enlarge the set of agents it follows, if it finds agents whose echoed responses are of interest. This completes the high-level description of how to implement serverless Twitter-like social networking with grassroots dissemination. 4.2 Grassroots WhatsApp-Like Social Networking Here we illustrate how a WhatsApp-like grassroots social network can be realised on top of Grassroots Dissemination, using the same three payload types, tweet, respond, and echo. A group is initiated by p creating block b with a special tweet that declares the group formation and invites friends to join the group. All communications in the group are direct or indirect responses to b. While all group members are friends of p, they may not necessarily follow each other. Therefore, p echoes all direct or indirect responses to b by members of the group. This way every group member can follow the group and contribute to it, and a user-interface can make group communication look and feel like a regular messaging group. The group founder p can easily add or remove agents by echoing or ceasing to echo their responses to b. A group like this is public in that any follower of p can follow the group. If p wishes the group to be private, it can secretly share a new key-pair with all members of the group (as p knows their public key), and have all group communication be encrypted and decipherable only by group members. If a member leaves an encrypted group, p has to share a new key-pair with the remaining group members. Another way to ensure privacy is to initiate a separate blocklace for each new group. This line of thought will be investigated in a separate paper. 4.3 Grassroots Sovereign Cryptocurrencies Sovereign cryptocurrencies were introduced in reference [25], with an implementation by the All-to-All Dissemination protocol AD (Appendiex B). However, sovereign cryptocurrencies do not need all-to-all dissemination: It is enough that dissemination ‘follows the money’. This can be achieved by people adhering to the following conservative principle: Transact only with friends, and only hold coins created by a friend (not the sovereigns include not only people but also legal persons such as banks, corporations, municipalities and states; hence a person its bank may be ‘friends’ in this technical sense and hold each other’s coins). The key operation of sovereign cryptocurrencies is coin redemption, which provides for fungibility, equivocation-exclusion, credit-risk management, coin-trading, chain payments and arbitrage. With it, an agent p that holds a q-coin requests q to redeem this coin for another coin q holds. Making and serving this request requires bi-directional communication between p and q, which can happen by default with Grassroots Dissemination if p and q are friends. Thus, by following this principle, the Grassroots Dissemination protocol GD can provide a correct implementation of sovereign cryptocurrencies. Transacting with non-friends is also possible through ‘direct messages’ (the Send transition), but without the ability to verify that the other party is following the protocol. Proving this formally requires the entire mathematical machinery of sovereign cryptocurrencies [25] and is beyond the scope of this paper. This paper is available on arxiv under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED license. Authors: (1) Ehud Shapiro,  Department of Computer Science and Applied Math, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel and ehud.shapiro@weizmann.ac.il. This paper is available on arxiv under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED license. Authors: Authors: (1) Ehud Shapiro,  Department of Computer Science and Applied Math, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel and ehud.shapiro@weizmann.ac.il. Table of Links Abstract and Introduction Grassroots Protocols Grassroots Implementation of Grassroots Dissemination Applications of Grassroots Dissemination Supporting Digital Sovereignty Future Work & Discussion References A. Preliminaries: Asynchronous Distributed Multiagent Transition Systems B. All-to-All Dissemination is not Grassroots C. Proofs Abstract and Introduction Abstract and Introduction Grassroots Protocols Grassroots Protocols Grassroots Implementation of Grassroots Dissemination Grassroots Implementation of Grassroots Dissemination Applications of Grassroots Dissemination Supporting Digital Sovereignty Applications of Grassroots Dissemination Supporting Digital Sovereignty Future Work & Discussion Future Work & Discussion References References A. Preliminaries: Asynchronous Distributed Multiagent Transition Systems A. Preliminaries: Asynchronous Distributed Multiagent Transition Systems B. All-to-All Dissemination is not Grassroots B. All-to-All Dissemination is not Grassroots C. Proofs C. Proofs 4 Applications of Grassroots Dissemination Supporting Digital Sovereignty We describe applications of Grassroots Dissemination that support digital sovereignty by not depending on or employing any third-party resources other than the network itself, and thus provide motivation for implementing the Grassroots Dissemination protocol. 4.1 Grassroots Twitter-Like Social Networking 4.1 Grassroots Twitter-Like Social Networking Here we illustrate how a Twitter-like grassroots social network can be realised on top of Grassroots Dissemination. Recall that any block (p, i, x) is uniquely identified by its creator p and index i, provided the creator is not equivocating. The Twitter-like realization employs two types of payloads, tweet(x), where x is any text string, and respond(p, i, x), which includes the text string x as a response to the p-block with index i. With Grassroots Dissemination, an agent p will observe any tweet and any response by every agent that p follows. But, p will not observe responses to tweets of agents that it follows, if p does not follow the respondents. This behavior could be desirable, if indeed p prefers not to hear these respondents; or undesirable, if p does not know the respondents but would be interested to hear what they have to say. This can be addressed by adding a third type of payload, echo(b), where b is a block. With this construct an agent p could echo responses to its own tweets, for the benefit the agents that follow p but not the respondents. Doing so could induce an agent to enlarge the set of agents it follows, if it finds agents whose echoed responses are of interest. This completes the high-level description of how to implement serverless Twitter-like social networking with grassroots dissemination. 4.2 Grassroots WhatsApp-Like Social Networking 4.2 Grassroots WhatsApp-Like Social Networking Here we illustrate how a WhatsApp-like grassroots social network can be realised on top of Grassroots Dissemination, using the same three payload types, tweet, respond, and echo. A group is initiated by p creating block b with a special tweet that declares the group formation and invites friends to join the group. All communications in the group are direct or indirect responses to b. While all group members are friends of p, they may not necessarily follow each other. Therefore, p echoes all direct or indirect responses to b by members of the group. This way every group member can follow the group and contribute to it, and a user-interface can make group communication look and feel like a regular messaging group. The group founder p can easily add or remove agents by echoing or ceasing to echo their responses to b. A group like this is public in that any follower of p can follow the group. If p wishes the group to be private, it can secretly share a new key-pair with all members of the group (as p knows their public key), and have all group communication be encrypted and decipherable only by group members. If a member leaves an encrypted group, p has to share a new key-pair with the remaining group members. Another way to ensure privacy is to initiate a separate blocklace for each new group. This line of thought will be investigated in a separate paper. 4.3 Grassroots Sovereign Cryptocurrencies 4.3 Grassroots Sovereign Cryptocurrencies Sovereign cryptocurrencies were introduced in reference [25], with an implementation by the All-to-All Dissemination protocol AD (Appendiex B). However, sovereign cryptocurrencies do not need all-to-all dissemination: It is enough that dissemination ‘follows the money’. This can be achieved by people adhering to the following conservative principle: Transact only with friends, and only hold coins created by a friend (not the sovereigns include not only people but also legal persons such as banks, corporations, municipalities and states; hence a person its bank may be ‘friends’ in this technical sense and hold each other’s coins). The key operation of sovereign cryptocurrencies is coin redemption, which provides for fungibility, equivocation-exclusion, credit-risk management, coin-trading, chain payments and arbitrage. With it, an agent p that holds a q-coin requests q to redeem this coin for another coin q holds. Making and serving this request requires bi-directional communication between p and q, which can happen by default with Grassroots Dissemination if p and q are friends. Thus, by following this principle, the Grassroots Dissemination protocol GD can provide a correct implementation of sovereign cryptocurrencies. Transacting with non-friends is also possible through ‘direct messages’ (the Send transition), but without the ability to verify that the other party is following the protocol. Proving this formally requires the entire mathematical machinery of sovereign cryptocurrencies [25] and is beyond the scope of this paper.

Applications of Grassroots Dissemination Supporting Digital Sovereignty

Authors:
(1) Philipp Straubinger, University of Passau, Passau, Germany;
(2) Gordon Fraser, University of Passau, Passau, Germany. Table of Links Abstract and Introduction
Gamification Elements of Gamekins
Intellij Plugin for Gamekins
Conclusions
Acknowledgement and References 3 INTELLIJ PLUGIN FOR GAMEKINS The Gamekins IntelliJ plugin can be installed on any IntelliJ Community Edition or Ultimate IDE, adding a new tab on the right side of the IDE interface. Upon initial access to this tab, a login prompt will appear, prompting users to enter their username, password, URL, and project name to establish a connection with the relevant Jenkins instance. Subsequent logins are streamlined through the use of a token, eliminating the need for repeated manual logins, although users have the flexibility to log out as needed. Project and user configurations are centrally managed within Gamekins on a Jenkins server rather than within the Gamekins IntelliJ plugin. This allows for extensive collaboration within the project, and the analyses conducted by Gamekins need not be executed locally. A customized API integrated into Gamekins empowers the plugin to fetch challenges, quests, and user data from Gamekins, as well as transmit data to it. The Gamekins IntelliJ plugin tab encompasses various pages presenting all the information and gamification elements generated and provided by Gamekins, along with the buttons on the bottom to change between these pages (Fig. 1). 3.1 Challenges All challenges are visible in the Gamekins IntelliJ plugin, with the availability of different information and actions based on the challenge type. For instance, a Test Challenge solely displays information about the challenge without further interactions with IntelliJ (Fig. 1). Similarly, a Build Challenge provides information and includes an additional link to the log files in Jenkins. The Class and Method Coverage Challenges offer a button to navigate to and highlight the respective class or method. This feature is also available for Line and Branch Coverage challenges, highlighting the specified line. The Branch Coverage Challenge additionally provides information about covered and uncovered branches for the tested line. The Mutation and Smell Challenges allow developers to go to and highlight the original line of code or the start of the test smell, respectively. These challenges also have an expandable area containing details such as the mutant or a smell description. The challenges are not only visible in the Gamekins IntelliJ plugin tab but also feature yellow highlighting in the source files, aiding developers in easily identifying challenges in their current code. Hovering over the highlighted code snippet reveals a tooltip with the challenge description and a button to open the challenges page in the Gamekins IntelliJ plugin (Fig. 2). This page displays current challenges along with completed and rejected ones (Fig. 1). Developers can reject challenges with an explanation if they deem them irrelevant, prompting the generation of new challenges. Once rejected, challenges cannot be reinstated, except for Class Coverage Challenges, which can be restored using the Undo button (Fig. 1). If a developer finds a challenge interesting but unsuitable for the current workflow, they can store a configurable number of challenges. These stored challenges can also be shared with a colleague working on the same project, especially if the source code is segmented into specialized fields unknown to the participant. To address a challenge, developers simply need to commit and push their changes to their version control system, triggering Jenkins to run the CI pipeline in the background. Developers can seamlessly continue their work in the project as Gamekins automatically executes after the pipeline concludes, providing notifications upon completion. General notifications about the finished build and specific notifications for each solved and generated challenge or quest are displayed (Fig. 3) in IntelliJ. These notifications include links to view the corresponding elements in the Gamekins IntelliJ plugin. 3.2 Quests Each quest in the Gamekins IntelliJ plugin is displayed on the quests page (Fig. 4) along with its description and a progress bar. Both ongoing and completed quests are shown. The progress bar indicates the percentage of quest completion and is dynamically updated whenever relevant actions are undertaken. 3.3 Achievements Presently, the Gamekins IntelliJ plugin encompasses all achievements from Gamekins, allowing developers to access a dedicated tab to view both acquired and available achievements (Fig. 5). Each achievement consists of an icon, a title, a description, and the date and time it was awarded. 3.4 Leaderboards To incentivize developers to solve challenges and complete quests, points are awarded based on the task’s difficulty. These points are accumulated for each user and team, prominently displayed in a dedicated leaderboard within the Gamekins IntelliJ plugin tab (Fig. 6). The leaderboard showcases rankings for individual users as well as teams, emphasizing their scores in the logged-in project. Information regarding completed challenges, quests, achievements, and earned points is presented on each leaderboard. Additionally, users have the option to personalize their appearance by selecting one of 50 avatars available within Gamekins. This paper is available on arxiv under CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED license. Authors: (1) Philipp Straubinger, University of Passau, Passau, Germany; (2) Gordon Fraser, University of Passau, Passau, Germany. Authors: Authors: (1) Philipp Straubinger, University of Passau, Passau, Germany; (2) Gordon Fraser, University of Passau, Passau, Germany. Table of Links Abstract and Introduction Gamification Elements of Gamekins Intellij Plugin for Gamekins Conclusions Acknowledgement and References Abstract and Introduction Abstract and Introduction Gamification Elements of Gamekins Gamification Elements of Gamekins Intellij Plugin for Gamekins Intellij Plugin for Gamekins Conclusions Conclusions Acknowledgement and References Acknowledgement and References 3 INTELLIJ PLUGIN FOR GAMEKINS The Gamekins IntelliJ plugin can be installed on any IntelliJ Community Edition or Ultimate IDE, adding a new tab on the right side of the IDE interface. Upon initial access to this tab, a login prompt will appear, prompting users to enter their username, password, URL, and project name to establish a connection with the relevant Jenkins instance. Subsequent logins are streamlined through the use of a token, eliminating the need for repeated manual logins, although users have the flexibility to log out as needed. Project and user configurations are centrally managed within Gamekins on a Jenkins server rather than within the Gamekins IntelliJ plugin. This allows for extensive collaboration within the project, and the analyses conducted by Gamekins need not be executed locally. A customized API integrated into Gamekins empowers the plugin to fetch challenges, quests, and user data from Gamekins, as well as transmit data to it. The Gamekins IntelliJ plugin tab encompasses various pages presenting all the information and gamification elements generated and provided by Gamekins, along with the buttons on the bottom to change between these pages (Fig. 1). 3.1 Challenges All challenges are visible in the Gamekins IntelliJ plugin, with the availability of different information and actions based on the challenge type. For instance, a Test Challenge solely displays information about the challenge without further interactions with IntelliJ (Fig. 1). Similarly, a Build Challenge provides information and includes an additional link to the log files in Jenkins. The Class and Method Coverage Challenges offer a button to navigate to and highlight the respective class or method. This feature is also available for Line and Branch Coverage challenges, highlighting the specified line. The Branch Coverage Challenge additionally provides information about covered and uncovered branches for the tested line. The Mutation and Smell Challenges allow developers to go to and highlight the original line of code or the start of the test smell, respectively. These challenges also have an expandable area containing details such as the mutant or a smell description. The challenges are not only visible in the Gamekins IntelliJ plugin tab but also feature yellow highlighting in the source files, aiding developers in easily identifying challenges in their current code. Hovering over the highlighted code snippet reveals a tooltip with the challenge description and a button to open the challenges page in the Gamekins IntelliJ plugin (Fig. 2). This page displays current challenges along with completed and rejected ones (Fig. 1). Developers can reject challenges with an explanation if they deem them irrelevant, prompting the generation of new challenges. Once rejected, challenges cannot be reinstated, except for Class Coverage Challenges, which can be restored using the Undo button (Fig. 1). If a developer finds a challenge interesting but unsuitable for the current workflow, they can store a configurable number of challenges. These stored challenges can also be shared with a colleague working on the same project, especially if the source code is segmented into specialized fields unknown to the participant. To address a challenge, developers simply need to commit and push their changes to their version control system, triggering Jenkins to run the CI pipeline in the background. Developers can seamlessly continue their work in the project as Gamekins automatically executes after the pipeline concludes, providing notifications upon completion. General notifications about the finished build and specific notifications for each solved and generated challenge or quest are displayed (Fig. 3) in IntelliJ. These notifications include links to view the corresponding elements in the Gamekins IntelliJ plugin. 3.2 Quests Each quest in the Gamekins IntelliJ plugin is displayed on the quests page (Fig. 4) along with its description and a progress bar. Both ongoing and completed quests are shown. The progress bar indicates the percentage of quest completion and is dynamically updated whenever relevant actions are undertaken. 3.3 Achievements Presently, the Gamekins IntelliJ plugin encompasses all achievements from Gamekins, allowing developers to access a dedicated tab to view both acquired and available achievements (Fig. 5). Each achievement consists of an icon, a title, a description, and the date and time it was awarded. 3.4 Leaderboards To incentivize developers to solve challenges and complete quests, points are awarded based on the task’s difficulty. These points are accumulated for each user and team, prominently displayed in a dedicated leaderboard within the Gamekins IntelliJ plugin tab (Fig. 6). The leaderboard showcases rankings for individual users as well as teams, emphasizing their scores in the logged-in project. Information regarding completed challenges, quests, achievements, and earned points is presented on each leaderboard. Additionally, users have the option to personalize their appearance by selecting one of 50 avatars available within Gamekins. This paper is available on arxiv under CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED license. This paper is available on arxiv under CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED license. available on arxiv

An IDE Plugin for Gamified Continuous Integration: Intellij Plugin for Gamekins

Effective Communication at Work: Key Practices to Enhance Collaboration and Success

Authors:
(1) Ritesh Sharma, University Of California, Merced, USA rsharma39@ucmerced.edu;
(2) Eric Bier, Palo Alto Research Center, USA bier@parc.com;
(3) Lester Nelson, Palo Alto Research Center, USA lnelson@parc.com;
(4) Mahabir Bhandari, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA bhandarims@ornl.gov;
(5) Niraj Kunwar, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA kunwarn1@ornl.gov. Table of Links Abstract and Intro Related Work Methodology Experiments Conclusion & Future work and References Abstract This paper describes a novel approach for generating accurate floor plans and 3D models of building interiors using scanned mesh data. Unlike previous methods, which begin with a high resolution point cloud from a laser range-finder, our approach begins with triangle mesh data, as from a Microsoft HoloLens. It generates two types of floor plans, a "pen-and-ink" style that preserves details and a drafting-style that reduces clutter. It processes the 3D model for use in applications by aligning it with coordinate axes, annotating important objects, dividing it into stories, and removing the ceiling. Its performance is evaluated on commercial and residential buildings, with experiments to assess quality and dimensional accuracy. Our approach demonstrates promising potential for automatic digitization and orientation of scanned mesh data, enabling floor plan and 3D model generation in various applications such as navigation, interior design, furniture placement, facilities management, building construction, and HVAC design. Keywords: Clustering based methods · Floor plans · Augmented Reality· 3D Models. 1 Introduction Floor plans are useful for many applications including navigating in building interiors; remodeling; efficient placement of furniture; placement of pipes; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) design; and preparing an emergency evacuation plan. Depending on the application, different kinds of floor plan are appropriate. For remodeling building interiors or designing HVAC systems, users may prefer a drafting-style floor plan that focuses on planar walls and removes furniture and other clutter. For furniture placement, navigation, or evacuation planning, users may prefer a more detailed floor plan that shows the positions of furniture, cabinets, counter tops, etc. In either case, producing a floor plan can be time consuming, requiring expert skills, such as measuring distances and angles or entering data into a CAD program. Furthermore, it may need to be done more than once because a building changes when walls and furniture are moved, added, or removed. So it is valuable to be able to generate floor plans automatically with little or no training. To generate floor plans, it helps to begin with accurate data that can be collected automatically. Laser range finders, smartphones, tablets, and augmented reality (AR) headsets are some of the devices that have made it easier to collect high-resolution building data in the form of RGBD images, point clouds, and triangle meshes. In this paper, we describe a method for generating drafting style and pen-and-ink-style floor plans by leveraging incomplete and imperfect triangle mesh data. This approach efficiently generates both types of floor plans accurately, supporting a wide range of applications. Main Contribution We describe a new method for generating accurate floor plans using poorly captured triangle mesh data from the Microsoft HoloLens 2. The main contributions are: – A modified Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise (DBSCAN) algorithm, using blocks to capture wall height and thickness. – An orientation-based clustering method that finds walls at arbitrary angles. – The use of k-means clustering to rotate the mesh to the principal axes and to identify the floor and ceiling. – Generating two kinds of precise floor plans from incomplete mesh data. This paper is available on arxiv under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED license. Authors: (1) Ritesh Sharma, University Of California, Merced, USA rsharma39@ucmerced.edu; (2) Eric Bier, Palo Alto Research Center, USA bier@parc.com; (3) Lester Nelson, Palo Alto Research Center, USA lnelson@parc.com; (4) Mahabir Bhandari, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA bhandarims@ornl.gov; (5) Niraj Kunwar, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA kunwarn1@ornl.gov. Authors: Authors: (1) Ritesh Sharma, University Of California, Merced, USA rsharma39@ucmerced.edu; (2) Eric Bier, Palo Alto Research Center, USA bier@parc.com; (3) Lester Nelson, Palo Alto Research Center, USA lnelson@parc.com; (4) Mahabir Bhandari, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA bhandarims@ornl.gov; (5) Niraj Kunwar, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA kunwarn1@ornl.gov. Table of Links Abstract and Intro Abstract and Intro Related Work Related Work Methodology Methodology Experiments Experiments Conclusion & Future work and References Conclusion & Future work and References Abstract This paper describes a novel approach for generating accurate floor plans and 3D models of building interiors using scanned mesh data. Unlike previous methods, which begin with a high resolution point cloud from a laser range-finder, our approach begins with triangle mesh data, as from a Microsoft HoloLens. It generates two types of floor plans, a "pen-and-ink" style that preserves details and a drafting-style that reduces clutter. It processes the 3D model for use in applications by aligning it with coordinate axes, annotating important objects, dividing it into stories, and removing the ceiling. Its performance is evaluated on commercial and residential buildings, with experiments to assess quality and dimensional accuracy. Our approach demonstrates promising potential for automatic digitization and orientation of scanned mesh data, enabling floor plan and 3D model generation in various applications such as navigation, interior design, furniture placement, facilities management, building construction, and HVAC design. Keywords : Clustering based methods · Floor plans · Augmented Reality· 3D Models. Keywords 1 Introduction Floor plans are useful for many applications including navigating in building interiors; remodeling; efficient placement of furniture; placement of pipes; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) design; and preparing an emergency evacuation plan. Depending on the application, different kinds of floor plan are appropriate. For remodeling building interiors or designing HVAC systems, users may prefer a drafting-style floor plan that focuses on planar walls and removes furniture and other clutter. For furniture placement, navigation, or evacuation planning, users may prefer a more detailed floor plan that shows the positions of furniture, cabinets, counter tops, etc. In either case, producing a floor plan can be time consuming, requiring expert skills, such as measuring distances and angles or entering data into a CAD program. Furthermore, it may need to be done more than once because a building changes when walls and furniture are moved, added, or removed. So it is valuable to be able to generate floor plans automatically with little or no training. To generate floor plans, it helps to begin with accurate data that can be collected automatically. Laser range finders, smartphones, tablets, and augmented reality (AR) headsets are some of the devices that have made it easier to collect high-resolution building data in the form of RGBD images, point clouds, and triangle meshes. In this paper, we describe a method for generating drafting style and pen-and-ink-style floor plans by leveraging incomplete and imperfect triangle mesh data. This approach efficiently generates both types of floor plans accurately, supporting a wide range of applications. Main Contribution We describe a new method for generating accurate floor plans using poorly captured triangle mesh data from the Microsoft HoloLens 2. The main contributions are: Main Contribution – A modified Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise (DBSCAN) algorithm, using blocks to capture wall height and thickness. – An orientation-based clustering method that finds walls at arbitrary angles. – The use of k-means clustering to rotate the mesh to the principal axes and to identify the floor and ceiling. – Generating two kinds of precise floor plans from incomplete mesh data. This paper is available on arxiv under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED license. This paper is available on arxiv under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED license. available on arxiv

Using Scanned Mesh Data for Auto-Digitized 3D Modeling: Abstract and Introduction

SINGAPORE, Singapore, May 7th, 2024/GamingWire/-- As the digital dawn of gaming rises, the visionary minds behind DECIMATED are ecstatic to unveil their groundbreaking foray into the desolate yet captivating future of online gaming. DECIMATED, a novel 3rd person PvP and PvE online game experience, invites players to an unprecedented journey through a vast dystopian landscape. Offering freedom for players to explore this post-apocalyptic playground, DECIMATED opens up a realm where players craft their own fate as human citizens struggling for survival or cyborg cops enforcing order in a world where nature and technology collide in chaos. https://youtu.be/1_8N_Lye2JA?si=5SBJktv0U4TV25MJ&embedable=true A New World Awaits: Immersive Gameplay and Unparalleled Adventure At the heart of DECIMATED lies a richly designed, immersive world that tests each player’s survival instincts at every turn. Players engage in a relentless battle for existence against the apocalyptic aftermath, populated by mutated creatures, environmental hazards, and rival survivors. This rich narrative is further enhanced by offering players the opportunity to salvage advanced technology, uncover hidden treasures, and navigate the perils of a fractured society on the brink of rebirth. DECIMATED stands as a testament to survival, strategy, and resilience, offering a sandbox of endless possibilities. Whether patching up a battle-scarred vehicle, building impenetrable bases, to navigating the treacherous markets of this new world, players can embrace the lawless land, facing off against deranged robots, monstrous bio-entities, and other mutants, all while forging alliances or rivalries with other players to carve out a semblance of civilization amid chaos. Backed By 46 Investors And a Growing Community Decimated received an Epic Mega Grant and was backed by 46 investors in December 2021 after the studio was self-funded as an indie start-up for three years. Developers Fracture Labs were offered $34M from 180 investors and accepted $3.5M from VCs, including Mechanism Capital, Spartan Capital, Polygon Ventures, Good Games Guild, Israel Blockchain Association, Dutch Crypto Investors, and Metavest Capital, to name a few. Since then, the Decimated community has grown to 60k followers on Twitter and 23k members in Discord, many of whom are participating in the closed alpha testing. A Quest For Dominance In The Wasteland: The DIO Token Economic gameplay takes a revolutionary turn in DECIMATED with the DIO token, integrated into the game using the Solana chain and with interoperability between all of Fracture Labs' planned games. This creates a real-time digital economy within DECIMATED, incentivizing players for each and every decision made, as well as their efforts within the game itself. Every transaction, trade, and treasure found within this desolate world is valued in DIO, bridging the game to real-world economic principles and making the thrill of loot discovery and trading exponentially more engaging. The ways to earn in DECIMATED are as varied as the wasteland itself. Players can venture into the unknown, salvaging cargo and lost technology, engaging in both legal and illicit commerce to claim their fortune. Whether it's ambushing convoys for loot, undertaking dangerous missions, or trading valuable finds on the virtual market, success in the desolate landscape of DECIMATED demands wit, bravery, and a keen sense of strategy. Decimated features a leaderboard system that rewards the best-performing players, whether they play solo, in guilds, or in clans. In a recent announcement, DECIMATED confirmed its official sponsorship of Token2049 Dubai, underscoring its commitment to innovation, blockchain technology, and the burgeoning digital economy, demonstrating its potential for the future from the lens of immersive gaming. This sponsorship accentuates DECIMATED’s commitment to forging a future where gaming transcends mere entertainment to become a cornerstone of digital economies in virtual worlds, allowing players to earn real rewards through tournaments. The community buzzed with excitement for DECIMATED listing on the Epic Games Store in May 2024. While the official launch date is yet to be announced, the open alpha is pegged for the end of 2024, and the eagerness around this launch grows daily as players and fans are encouraged to keep an eye out for what hopes to be a landmark announcement in online gaming history. About DECIMATED DECIMATED is the future of immersive online gaming, offering a dynamic 3rd person PvP and PvE experience within a richly detailed post-apocalyptic world. With its unique digital economy and endless opportunities for exploration, combat, and alliance, DECIMATED invites players to define their legacy in a world where every decision can mean the difference between survival and extinction. For media inquiries or further information, please visit https://www.decimated.net Contact Stephen Arnold Fracture Labs PTE Ltd contact@decimated.net +35699554901 This story was distributed as a release by Gamingwire under HackerNoon’s Business Blogging Program. Learn more about the program here. SINGAPORE, Singapore, May 7th, 2024/GamingWire/-- As the digital dawn of gaming rises, the visionary minds behind DECIMATED are ecstatic to unveil their groundbreaking foray into the desolate yet captivating future of online gaming. DECIMATED, a novel 3rd person PvP and PvE online game experience, invites players to an unprecedented journey through a vast dystopian landscape. Offering freedom for players to explore this post-apocalyptic playground, DECIMATED opens up a realm where players craft their own fate as human citizens struggling for survival or cyborg cops enforcing order in a world where nature and technology collide in chaos. https://youtu.be/1_8N_Lye2JA?si=5SBJktv0U4TV25MJ&embedable=true https://youtu.be/1_8N_Lye2JA?si=5SBJktv0U4TV25MJ&embedable=true A New World Awaits: Immersive Gameplay and Unparalleled Adventure At the heart of DECIMATED lies a richly designed, immersive world that tests each player’s survival instincts at every turn. Players engage in a relentless battle for existence against the apocalyptic aftermath, populated by mutated creatures, environmental hazards, and rival survivors. This rich narrative is further enhanced by offering players the opportunity to salvage advanced technology, uncover hidden treasures, and navigate the perils of a fractured society on the brink of rebirth. DECIMATED stands as a testament to survival, strategy, and resilience, offering a sandbox of endless possibilities. Whether patching up a battle-scarred vehicle, building impenetrable bases, to navigating the treacherous markets of this new world, players can embrace the lawless land, facing off against deranged robots, monstrous bio-entities, and other mutants, all while forging alliances or rivalries with other players to carve out a semblance of civilization amid chaos. Backed By 46 Investors And a Growing Community Decimated received an Epic Mega Grant and was backed by 46 investors in December 2021 after the studio was self-funded as an indie start-up for three years. Developers Fracture Labs were offered $34M from 180 investors and accepted $3.5M from VCs, including Mechanism Capital, Spartan Capital, Polygon Ventures, Good Games Guild, Israel Blockchain Association, Dutch Crypto Investors, and Metavest Capital, to name a few. backed by 46 investors backed by 46 investors Since then, the Decimated community has grown to 60k followers on Twitter and 23k members in Discord , many of whom are participating in the closed alpha testing. Twitter Twitter Discord Discord A Quest For Dominance In The Wasteland: The DIO Token Economic gameplay takes a revolutionary turn in DECIMATED with the DIO token , integrated into the game using the Solana chain and with interoperability between all of Fracture Labs' planned games. DIO token DIO token This creates a real-time digital economy within DECIMATED, incentivizing players for each and every decision made, as well as their efforts within the game itself. Every transaction, trade, and treasure found within this desolate world is valued in DIO, bridging the game to real-world economic principles and making the thrill of loot discovery and trading exponentially more engaging. The ways to earn in DECIMATED are as varied as the wasteland itself. Players can venture into the unknown, salvaging cargo and lost technology, engaging in both legal and illicit commerce to claim their fortune. Whether it's ambushing convoys for loot, undertaking dangerous missions, or trading valuable finds on the virtual market, success in the desolate landscape of DECIMATED demands wit, bravery, and a keen sense of strategy. Decimated features a leaderboard system that rewards the best-performing players, whether they play solo, in guilds, or in clans. In a recent announcement , DECIMATED confirmed its official sponsorship of Token2049 Dubai, underscoring its commitment to innovation, blockchain technology, and the burgeoning digital economy, demonstrating its potential for the future from the lens of immersive gaming. This sponsorship accentuates DECIMATED’s commitment to forging a future where gaming transcends mere entertainment to become a cornerstone of digital economies in virtual worlds, allowing players to earn real rewards through tournaments. a recent announcement a recent announcement The community buzzed with excitement for DECIMATED listing on the Epic Games Store in May 2024. While the official launch date is yet to be announced, the open alpha is pegged for the end of 2024, and the eagerness around this launch grows daily as players and fans are encouraged to keep an eye out for what hopes to be a landmark announcement in online gaming history. Epic Games Store Epic Games Store About DECIMATED DECIMATED is the future of immersive online gaming, offering a dynamic 3rd person PvP and PvE experience within a richly detailed post-apocalyptic world. With its unique digital economy and endless opportunities for exploration, combat, and alliance, DECIMATED invites players to define their legacy in a world where every decision can mean the difference between survival and extinction. For media inquiries or further information, please visit https://www.decimated.net https://www.decimated.net https://www.decimated.net Contact Stephen Arnold Fracture Labs PTE Ltd contact@decimated.net +35699554901 This story was distributed as a release by Gamingwire under HackerNoon’s Business Blogging Program. Learn more about the program here. This story was distributed as a release by Gamingwire under HackerNoon’s Business Blogging Program. Learn more about the program here . here here

Post-Apocalyptic Survival Game DECIMATED Launches On Epic Store

Strategies for Responsible AI Governance

দায়িত্বশীল এআই গভর্নেন্সের জন্য কৌশল

Strategien für eine verantwortungsvolle KI-Governance

Estrategias para una gobernanza responsable de la IA

Stratégies pour une gouvernance responsable de l’IA

उत्तरदायी एआई शासन के लिए रणनीतियाँ

責任あるAIガバナンスのための戦略

책임 있는 AI 거버넌스를 위한 전략

Estratégias para uma governança responsável da IA

Стратегии ответственного управления ИИ

Sorumlu Yapay Zeka Yönetişimine Yönelik Stratejiler

Chiến lược quản trị AI có trách nhiệm

负责任的人工智能治理策略

Hey there, Hackers! Today, we’re talking about the almighty backlink. Although it could sometimes seem like an afterthought, a good set of high-quality backlinks could take a good piece to the next level. If you can backlink like a pro, then all your writing will be more authoritative, look stronger, read more professionally, and, best of all, can help you reach the coveted front page of Google. So, how can you master backlinks? Let's break down a few tips and learn from some of our backlink black belts at HackerNoon. Are you ready to step into the Backlink Dojo? Use our template with backlink tips and more to get started. AP-Style Reporting 1. Keywords Matter (Make It Make Sense!) When backlinking, always remember that you should include any relevant keywords from the website you are linking to in the writing of your HackerNoon article and make that your point of contact. For example, if you’re linking to a source reference about Game of Thrones, make sure that “Game of Thrones” is what gets highlighted and linked in your HackerNoon article. This ensures that your audience knows what they’re getting linked to. In short, make sure your anchor text is reflective of what you’re sourcing. Take a look at ’s new piece about visualizing network graphs as Hamilton characters and how all their backlinks make semantic sense to their reference source about the play and various other media. @iswaryam https://hackernoon.com/analysis-of-network-graphs-visualizing-hamilton-characters-as-a-social-network?embedable=true 2. Backlink Quality Good writers present strong sources to back up their claims, and you should make sure you’re not just taking info from anywhere. If you find yourself writing about news, academic research, or anything that is highly evidence-based or makes strong claims, always make sure you’re linking to authoritative, high-quality sources to reinforce your writing. Plus, the stronger the source, the more Google will like your writing! Check out ’s new piece about AI and extinct species, where he links back to strong sources like the National Library of Medicine, BBC Earth, and CBS News. @zacamos https://hackernoon.com/the-role-of-ai-in-resurrecting-extinct-species?embedable=true 3. Backlink Diversity While it could be tempting to list one place as your one-stop shop for everything you’re writing about, it can actually hinder your writing in the long run if you’re not careful. Linking to one place repeatedly can be considered backlink spamming by Google and our editors, and it could hurt your piece’s chances of becoming a HackerNoon Top Story or reaching search engines. Diversifying your knowledge pool and linking back to a wide variety of places indicates that you’ve researched your topic well and can present useful backlinks for those who would like to follow in your footsteps. For a good example of backlink diversity, read ’s deep dive into the world of PrisonTok, where he finds great interviews and quotes from former prisoners and legal specialists about the world of incarcerated influencers. @drewchapin https://hackernoon.com/the-rise-and-real-value-of-prisontok?embedable=true 4. Use a Lot of Backlinks (But Know When To Trim It Down!) Now you know how to use backlinks effectively; however, the next level is knowing to use them. No one likes to read a mega-highlighted article filled with so many links that it looks like a virtual minefield of redirects for every minor claim and occurrence. A truly skilled writer knows when it’s time to backlink for the benefit of the reader and when to let the writing confidently do its own thing. If you find yourself swamped with important sources and reference material, don’t be afraid to make a nice “References” section at the bottom of your piece to look like a real professional! when deftly links back to important sources like GitHub, Intel, and Nvidia as needed throughout this piece and then intelligently creates a “References” section at the bottom with a whole host of high-quality backlinks should readers need them. @venkat2811 https://hackernoon.com/a-digestible-high-level-overview-of-cpu-and-gpu-capabilities?embedable=true Are you ready to step into the Backlink Dojo? Use our template with backlink tips and more to get started. AP-Style Reporting Now That You’re A Pro, Check Out The #crypto-api Writing Contest by CoinGecko. If you’re an expert in all things crypto and with expertise regarding cryptocurrency data APIs, try your hand at the for your shot at winning from a Submissions are open now and run until July 18th, 2024. Get started with a or the official . #crypto-api Writing Contest $1,000 prize pool. new draft #crypto-api template Click for more info. here Wanna See Why Writers Love Publishing With HackerNoon? With mountains of testimonials from across the web about our great editorial team, wide content variety, and superb distribution engine, it’s no wonder thousands of writers chime into the site daily, and millions of readers keep coming back for more. Check out our new to see why readers trust us and why new and returning writers love submitting to us. HackerNoon Page That’s all for today, folks. See you in cyberspace!

Learn How To Backlink Like a Pro From The HackerNoon Editors

হ্যাকারনুন সম্পাদকদের থেকে কীভাবে একজন প্রো লাইক ব্যাকলিংক করবেন তা শিখুন

Erfahren Sie von den HackerNoon-Redakteuren, wie Sie Backlinks wie ein Profi erstellen

Aprenda a crear vínculos de retroceso como un profesional con los editores de HackerNoon

Apprenez à créer des backlinks comme un pro grâce aux éditeurs HackerNoon

HackerNoon संपादकों से जानें कि कैसे एक पेशेवर की तरह बैकलिंक बनाएं

HackerNoon 編集者からプロのようにバックリンクする方法を学ぶ

HackerNoon 편집자로부터 전문가처럼 백링크하는 방법 알아보기

Aprenda como fazer backlinks como um profissional com os editores do HackerNoon

Узнайте, как профессионально использовать обратные ссылки, от редакторов HackerNoon

HackerNoon Editörlerinden Bir Profesyonel Gibi Nasıl Backlink Vereceğinizi Öğrenin

Tìm hiểu cách liên kết ngược như một chuyên gia từ các biên tập viên HackerNoon

从 HackerNoon 编辑那里学习如何像专业人士一样建立反向链接

Invisible Online: A Family Guide to Private and Secure Online Living

This paper is available on arxiv under CC 4.0 license. Authors: (1) Pietro Ghezzi, Brighton & Sussex Medical School, Falmer, Brighton, UK; (2) Peter G Bannister, Brighton & Sussex Medical School, Falmer, Brighton, UK; (3) Gonzalo Casino, Communication Department, Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain and Iberoamerican Cochrane Center, Barcelona, Spain; (4) Alessia Catalani, Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Urbino, PU, Italy; (5) Michel Goldman, Institute for Interdisciplinary Innovation in healthcare (I3h), Université libre de Bruxelles; (6) Jessica Morley, Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; (7) Marie Neunez, Institute for Interdisciplinary Innovation in healthcare (I3h), Université libre de Bruxelles; (8) Andreu Prados, Communication Department, Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain, Iberoamerican Cochrane Center, Barcelona, Spain, Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Urbino, PU, Italy, Institute for Interdisciplinary Innovation in healthcare (I3h), Université libre de Bruxelles, Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK, and Blanquerna School of Health Sciences, Universitat Ramon Llull, Barcelona, Spain; (9) Mariarosaria Taddeo, Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK, Blanquerna School of Health Sciences, Universitat Ramon Llull, Barcelona, Spain, and The Alan Turing Institute, London, UK; (10) Tania Vanzolini, Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Urbino, PU, Italy; (11) Luciano Floridi, Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK, Blanquerna School of Health Sciences, Universitat Ramon Llull, Barcelona, Spain, and The Alan Turing Institute, London, UK. Table of Links Abstract and Introduction Methods Web search and content analysis Results Discussion Conclusion and References Table 1. Example of classification of webpages Table 2. Percentage of vaccine-negative webpages in different SERPs Table 1. Example of classification of webpages Positive stance on vaccines https://www.historyofvaccines.org/content/articles/do-vaccines-cause-autism https://www.nhs.uk/news/medication/no-link-between-mmr-and-autism-major-study-finds/ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/mmr-vaccine/ https://www.autism.org.uk/get-involved/media-centre/position-statements/mmr-vaccine.aspx https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/autism-studies.html https://vaccine-safety-training.org/mmr-vaccine-increases.html https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa021134 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30986133 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15366972 Negative stance on vaccines https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140673605756968/fulltext www.whale.to/vaccine/vaccine_autism_proven.html www.vaccineriskawareness.com/Infant-Vaccines-Produce-Autism-Symptoms-In-Primates https://leftbrainrightbrain.co.uk/2014/07/17/more-of-that-vaccineautism-research-that-doesnt-exist/ edition.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/01/05/autism.vaccines/index.html https://www.coasttocoastam.com/show/2018/02/21 nocompulsoryvaccination.com/2014/08/22/vaccine-autism-cover-up/ https://www.newswars.com/vaccine-autism-questioned-by-doctor-congressman-elect/ vaxtruth.org/2011/08/vaccines-do-not-cause-autism/ Neutral stance on vaccines https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/vaccine-and-autism-link.880852/ www.discovermagazine.com/2009/jun/06-why-does-vaccine-autism-controversy-live-on https://www.ecso.org/news/autism-charity-founder-anti-vaccination-campaigner/ https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/jun/01/professor-who-links-vaccines-to-autismfunded-through-university-portal https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/trump-vaccines-autism-links-anti-vaxxerus-president-false-vaccine-a8331836.html https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2376879/

Online Information of Vaccines: Table 1. Example of Classification of Webpages

This paper is available on arxiv under CC 4.0 license. Authors: (1) Pietro Ghezzi, Brighton & Sussex Medical School, Falmer, Brighton, UK; (2) Peter G Bannister, Brighton & Sussex Medical School, Falmer, Brighton, UK; (3) Gonzalo Casino, Communication Department, Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain and Iberoamerican Cochrane Center, Barcelona, Spain; (4) Alessia Catalani, Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Urbino, PU, Italy; (5) Michel Goldman, Institute for Interdisciplinary Innovation in healthcare (I3h), Université libre de Bruxelles; (6) Jessica Morley, Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; (7) Marie Neunez, Institute for Interdisciplinary Innovation in healthcare (I3h), Université libre de Bruxelles; (8) Andreu Prados, Communication Department, Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain, Iberoamerican Cochrane Center, Barcelona, Spain, Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Urbino, PU, Italy, Institute for Interdisciplinary Innovation in healthcare (I3h), Université libre de Bruxelles, Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK, and Blanquerna School of Health Sciences, Universitat Ramon Llull, Barcelona, Spain; (9) Mariarosaria Taddeo, Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK, Blanquerna School of Health Sciences, Universitat Ramon Llull, Barcelona, Spain, and The Alan Turing Institute, London, UK; (10) Tania Vanzolini, Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Urbino, PU, Italy; (11) Luciano Floridi, Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK, Blanquerna School of Health Sciences, Universitat Ramon Llull, Barcelona, Spain, and The Alan Turing Institute, London, UK. Table of Links Abstract and Introduction Methods Web search and content analysis Results Discussion Conclusion and References Table 1. Example of classification of webpages Table 2. Percentage of vaccine-negative webpages in different SERPs Corresponding author: Professor Pietro Ghezzi, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Trafford Centre, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, BN19RY, UK. Email: p.ghezzi@bsms.ac.uk; phone: +44-(0)1273-873112 Abstract The fact that Internet companies may record our personal data and track our online behaviour for commercial or political purpose has emphasized aspects related to online privacy. This has also led to the development of search engines that promise no tracking and privacy. Search engines also have a major role in spreading low-quality health information such as that of anti-vaccine websites. This study investigates the relationship between search engines’ approach to privacy and the scientific quality of the information they return. We analyzed the first 30 webpages returned searching “vaccines autism” in English, Spanish, Italian and French. The results show that “alternative” search engines (Duckduckgo, Ecosia, Qwant, Swisscows and Mojeek) may return more anti-vaccine pages (10-53%) than Google.com (0%). Some localized versions of Google, however, returned more anti-vaccine webpages (up to 10%) than Google.com. Our study suggests that designing a search engine that is privacy savvy and avoids issues with filter bubbles that can result from user-tracking is necessary but insufficient; instead mechanisms should be developed to test search engines from the perspective of information quality (particularly for health-related webpages), before they can be deemed trustworthy providers of public health information. Introduction The World Health Organization lists vaccine hesitancy as one of the top ten threats to global health in 2019 1, requiring ongoing global monitoring. Despite the fact that the 1998 study which incorrectly suggested that the MMR vaccine could cause autism in children and prompted antivaccine beliefs 2 has now been discredited, misinformation, and indeed, disinformation, about vaccines continues to be published on the Internet perpetuating such beliefs. It has been suggested that this misinformation plays a role in the current low uptake of vaccines in developed countries 3. Understanding whether this is actually the case, and how to address this issue, is crucial as web-based sources of health information may be instrumental to solve the sustainability challenge currently facing health systems across the globe. The accuracy of information provided by a website is a key indicator of its overall information quality (IQ). The broader aspects of IQ have been the subject of many studies 5, but health IQ and trustworthiness of the sources have only partially been characterized 6. Studies looking at the influence of variations in eHealth literacy levels 7 and trust in different sources of online health information2 indicate that the relationship is not linear in all cases, i.e. higher health IQ does not result automatically in higher perceived levels of trustworthiness. For example, in a study by Chen et al. 8, 618 people were recruited to complete a survey which tested their eHealth literacy level, asked them to identify which of 25 sources of health information they used, and how much they trusted each source. The study showed that people with lower eHealth literacy were less likely to trust medical websites (typically higher IQ) and more likely to trust social media, blogs, and celebrity webpages (typically lower IQ). This might seem a spurious result, were it not for the fact that research has shown that those with high eHealth literacy assess more accurately the credibility and relevance of online health information, whereas those with low eHealth literacy often struggle to locate and understand eHealth information 9. This difficulty lowers their self-efficacy 10, distorts their perception of source credibility, and impacts negatively perceived trustworthiness 9, ultimately creating a need for individuals with low eHealth literacy to find an alternative means of determining trustworthiness in online sources of information. One such alternative is social endorsement. Visible social endorsement, e.g. ‘likes,’ 11 enables those with low eHealth literacy to determine trust based on the bandwagon heuristic and assume that, if the source has already been deemed valid by others, then it is safe for them to trust it too 10,12. Traditional medical websites afford those with low eHealth literacy no such alternative means of determining credibility and trust. This suggests that those who are more vulnerable to the real-world effects of both disinformation and misinformation (e.g. declining to vaccinate their children) are more likely to rely on online sources with lower health IQ, which are more prone to spread such inflammatory and inaccurate information. Personalisation of online search results may favour this phenomenon and lead to a vicious cycle where the more one searches and reads dis- and mis-information about vaccines the less one finds and reads scientific information on the same topic. At the same time, there are increasing concerns about the privacy risks associated with Internet search engines storing potentially sensitive and private health information contained within users search histories, combining it with additional information collected for tracking purposes, and using these data for commercial or other purposes 13,14. This creates a public push back against the idea that search engines or public health providers should interfere in the results people see when searching for health information online. This makes it hard to address concerns about health disinformation/misinformation in a way that is at least socially acceptable if not ideally preferable 15. The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) discovered this when its announcement of Amazon Alexa responding with guaranteed high-IQ content from NHS.UK to user voice queries such as “Alexa, how do I treat a migraine,” resulted in a public outcry over privacy infringement 16. This raises the question whether, in the context of online vaccination information, it is possible at all to balance concerns about user privacy and IQ. The following pages seek to lay the foundations for answering this question by reporting on the methodology for, and results of, a study concerning the following research question: “What is the current relationship between search engines’ approach to privacy and the scientific quality of the information they return?”.

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