SkillBank

skillbank

I can't help but roll my eyes every time I hear about how exorbitantly priced the SEO industry has become. It's downright absurd! Seriously, $1000 for an SEO audit? Come on! Are we supposed to believe that it takes some mystical wizardry to audit a website? Anyone with half a brain and a bit of time can audit a website in less than an hour. It's really not rocket science. Let's break this down. What does an SEO audit entail? Checking for broken links, analyzing site speed, reviewing meta tags, evaluating keyword usage, and maybe a few more technical details. There are plenty of free tools out there that can do this for you in a jiffy. Google Analytics, Google Search Console, Ahrefs, and even Screaming Frog—these are just a few examples of tools that make the process ridiculously simple. But no, the SEO industry wants to convince you that you need their "expertise" to navigate these waters. They come up with fancy jargon and overly complicated reports to make it seem like they are doing something extraordinarily complex. It's a classic case of creating a problem to sell the solution. The truth is, most of what they do can be learned through a few hours of research and a bit of hands-on experience. And let's not forget the SEO "gurus" who charge an arm and a leg for their so-called expertise. Many of them don't have any special knowledge; they're just good at selling themselves. They perpetuate this myth that SEO is some kind of dark art, only understandable by the chosen few. It's infuriating because it exploits businesses, especially small ones that don't have massive marketing budgets. The irony is that the basics of SEO haven't changed much over the years: create valuable content, ensure your site is user-friendly, and build quality backlinks. Sure, algorithms get updated, and there are always new trends, but the core principles remain the same. There's nothing that justifies the exorbitant prices these firms charge. What really grinds my gears is the fear-mongering. These SEO companies prey on the fear of losing out on Google rankings. They throw around terms like "penalties" and "algorithm changes" to scare businesses into thinking they need to shell out big bucks to stay afloat. It's predatory and unethical. And let's talk about the long-term contracts. Many SEO firms lock clients into six-month or year-long contracts with the promise of gradual improvements. They bank on the fact that SEO results take time, but often, they don't do anything substantial after the initial audit and a few tweaks. Clients end up paying thousands of dollars for marginal gains they could have achieved on their own. It's high time businesses wised up to this racket. The absurdity of paying for links Don't even get me started on the absurdity of paying for links. It's like the wild west out there with these so-called "link-building services" charging outrageous amounts of money to place a hyperlink on some random, low-quality blog. Seriously, $150 for a link on a site with a domain rating (DR) of just 20? Are they serious? It's daylight robbery, plain and simple. The entire concept of paying for links is fundamentally flawed. It's built on the idea that you need these links to boost your SEO, which is true to some extent. But let's be honest here: paying through the nose for links from mediocre sites is a scam. These services prey on businesses' desperation to improve their rankings, promising them the moon and delivering dust. Here's a reality check: you can find over 30 places to build great editorial links right now for free. It just takes a bit of effort and genuine outreach. Write quality content, network with industry peers, and engage in real, value-driven collaborations. You don't need to drop hundreds or even thousands of dollars on links that might not even have any significant impact. And then there are those paid guest posting services. What a joke! Some of these services are charging over 90% more than what they actually pay to secure those guest post spots. It's a massive markup for doing what? Sending a few emails and making a couple of phone calls? It's highway robbery, and it needs to stop. These companies often operate under the guise of "premium" services, but the truth is, most of them are just middlemen looking to make a quick buck. They overcharge for placements on subpar sites, and the links they provide are often from blogs with little to no real traffic or engagement. It's a classic case of quantity over quality, and it's businesses that suffer the consequences. The worst part is that paying for links is against Google's guidelines. It's a risky game to play, and the penalties can be severe. If you're caught buying links, your site's rankings can plummet, and recovering from a penalty is a long and arduous process. It's simply not worth the risk or the expense. What businesses need to understand is that there are ethical and effective ways to build links. Focus on creating valuable, shareable content that naturally attracts links. Build relationships within your industry and collaborate with reputable sites. Participate in relevant forums and communities where you can share your expertise and link back to your site. In the end, the best links are those that are earned, not bought. They come from genuine engagement and providing real value to your audience. Don't fall into the trap of thinking you need to pay exorbitant amounts for links to succeed in SEO. It's a myth perpetuated by those looking to profit off your hard-earned money. Educate yourself, use the free tools available, and take control of your SEO. It might take a bit of effort initially, but it's far more empowering and cost-effective in the long run. Don't fall for the overpriced hype. SEO isn't some arcane science—it's a skill you can master with a bit of dedication and common sense. I can't help but roll my eyes every time I hear about how exorbitantly priced the SEO industry has become. It's downright absurd! Seriously, $1000 for an SEO audit? Come on! Are we supposed to believe that it takes some mystical wizardry to audit a website? Anyone with half a brain and a bit of time can audit a website in less than an hour. It's really not rocket science. Let's break this down. What does an SEO audit entail? Checking for broken links, analyzing site speed, reviewing meta tags, evaluating keyword usage, and maybe a few more technical details. There are plenty of free tools out there that can do this for you in a jiffy. Google Analytics, Google Search Console, Ahrefs, and even Screaming Frog—these are just a few examples of tools that make the process ridiculously simple. But no, the SEO industry wants to convince you that you need their "expertise" to navigate these waters. They come up with fancy jargon and overly complicated reports to make it seem like they are doing something extraordinarily complex. It's a classic case of creating a problem to sell the solution. The truth is, most of what they do can be learned through a few hours of research and a bit of hands-on experience. And let's not forget the SEO "gurus" who charge an arm and a leg for their so-called expertise. Many of them don't have any special knowledge; they're just good at selling themselves. They perpetuate this myth that SEO is some kind of dark art, only understandable by the chosen few. It's infuriating because it exploits businesses, especially small ones that don't have massive marketing budgets. The irony is that the basics of SEO haven't changed much over the years: create valuable content, ensure your site is user-friendly, and build quality backlinks. Sure, algorithms get updated, and there are always new trends, but the core principles remain the same. There's nothing that justifies the exorbitant prices these firms charge. What really grinds my gears is the fear-mongering. These SEO companies prey on the fear of losing out on Google rankings. They throw around terms like "penalties" and "algorithm changes" to scare businesses into thinking they need to shell out big bucks to stay afloat. It's predatory and unethical. And let's talk about the long-term contracts. Many SEO firms lock clients into six-month or year-long contracts with the promise of gradual improvements. They bank on the fact that SEO results take time, but often, they don't do anything substantial after the initial audit and a few tweaks. Clients end up paying thousands of dollars for marginal gains they could have achieved on their own. It's high time businesses wised up to this racket. The absurdity of paying for links Don't even get me started on the absurdity of paying for links. It's like the wild west out there with these so-called "link-building services" charging outrageous amounts of money to place a hyperlink on some random, low-quality blog. Seriously, $150 for a link on a site with a domain rating (DR) of just 20? Are they serious? It's daylight robbery, plain and simple. domain rating (DR) The entire concept of paying for links is fundamentally flawed. It's built on the idea that you need these links to boost your SEO, which is true to some extent. But let's be honest here: paying through the nose for links from mediocre sites is a scam. These services prey on businesses' desperation to improve their rankings, promising them the moon and delivering dust. Here's a reality check: you can find over 30 places to build great editorial links right now for free. It just takes a bit of effort and genuine outreach. Write quality content, network with industry peers, and engage in real, value-driven collaborations. You don't need to drop hundreds or even thousands of dollars on links that might not even have any significant impact. And then there are those paid guest posting services. What a joke! Some of these services are charging over 90% more than what they actually pay to secure those guest post spots. It's a massive markup for doing what? Sending a few emails and making a couple of phone calls? It's highway robbery, and it needs to stop. These companies often operate under the guise of "premium" services, but the truth is, most of them are just middlemen looking to make a quick buck. They overcharge for placements on subpar sites, and the links they provide are often from blogs with little to no real traffic or engagement. It's a classic case of quantity over quality, and it's businesses that suffer the consequences. The worst part is that paying for links is against Google's guidelines. It's a risky game to play, and the penalties can be severe. If you're caught buying links, your site's rankings can plummet, and recovering from a penalty is a long and arduous process. It's simply not worth the risk or the expense. What businesses need to understand is that there are ethical and effective ways to build links. Focus on creating valuable, shareable content that naturally attracts links. Build relationships within your industry and collaborate with reputable sites. Participate in relevant forums and communities where you can share your expertise and link back to your site. In the end, the best links are those that are earned, not bought. They come from genuine engagement and providing real value to your audience. Don't fall into the trap of thinking you need to pay exorbitant amounts for links to succeed in SEO. It's a myth perpetuated by those looking to profit off your hard-earned money. Educate yourself, use the free tools available, and take control of your SEO. It might take a bit of effort initially, but it's far more empowering and cost-effective in the long run. Don't fall for the overpriced hype. SEO isn't some arcane science—it's a skill you can master with a bit of dedication and common sense.

SEO Services Are Overpriced To The Hilt - Stop Paying Wallet Parasites

The world is filled with gurus whispering the same tired mantra: "Follow your passion." It's supposed to be the golden ticket to a happy, rich life. But I'm calling BS. Passion alone is like a fancy sports car with no gas. It might look good for a while, but it ain't getting you anywhere. I'm here to shake things up. What if I told you that becoming insanely good at something the market NEEDS will light a fire under your ass far more potent than any fleeting feeling of "passion?" Think back: how many times have you been excited about something new for a few weeks, only to lose the zeal? That's not passion, that's a crush. Real, soul-satisfying drive comes from becoming an undeniable force in what you do. Why "Follow Your Passion" Sucks This "passion" narrative is drilled into our heads from day one. Well-meaning parents, social media influencers, and self-proclaimed experts sell it hard. But here's why they're sending you down a rabbit hole: What gets you excited one week might bore you to tears the next. Passion is fluid; it's fickle. Your "Passion" is a Moving Target: Sure, being passionate about underwater basket weaving is cool, but will it pay your mortgage? Passion Doesn't Always Translate to $$$: You'll find plenty of passionate people who suck at what they do. The world rewards excellence, not enthusiasm. Passion Doesn't Equal Skill: Competence Is Your Real Superpower Forget trying to chase a feeling, focus on building your skill bank instead. Here's why competence is the rocket fuel you need: The world craves people who can code websites, write copy that converts, or untangle tax nightmares. If you deliver value, you get paid. Skills = Value. Period: Knowing you're GOOD at what you do is its own kind of high. When you see your skills translate into cash, it creates a different kind of passion, a more potent one. Competence Builds Confident Swagger: Suddenly, people want to work with YOU. Clients come knocking, doors you thought were closed start to swing open. Skills Unlock Opportunities You Never Imagined Finding a Skill the Market Will Pay You For Okay, so you're starting to see the value in chasing competence. But what skills should you hone? Let's ditch the fluff and get real: Ignore the latest "get-rich-quick" schemes. What skills have staying power? Think coding, persuasive writing, and fixing complex problems – things the market will always need. Hype is for Losers, Focus on the Timeless: Are you insanely organized with an eye for detail? Become the project management ninja everyone wants. Naturally persuasive? Pair that with sales skills, and companies will fight over you. Play to Your Existing Strengths (With a Twist): Sometimes, the most lucrative paths are the least crowded. Don't be afraid to specialize in a skill that others scoff at. Be Weird, Be Niche, Be in Demand: Competence Compounds Like Crazy Here's where building competence starts getting sexy. Imagine it like a damn good investment: You work smarter, charge more, and build a reputation that opens doors. More Skill = Faster Growth and Fatter Paydays: Suddenly, people come to YOU with juicy problems. You become the go-to expert, the indispensable one. Word Gets Around: Clients with big budgets want a piece of your magic. Now, YOU'RE in control, not the other way around. You Call the Shots: Suddenly, you're not just scraping by, you're crushing it. Competence is the Gateway to Real Passion I'm not saying passion doesn't matter. But here's the secret most people miss: true, soul-deep passion often emerges from mastery over time. Think about the chef who obsesses over the perfect sauce, the surgeon who saves lives, and the writer who puts words to the ideas that change the world. Passion is often built on the back of damn hard work, a refusal to quit, and the tangible impact you make. Chasing rainbows gets you nowhere. Focused, strategic work ethic is where you'll find the real magic. P ractical Strategies for Building Insane Competence I'm not one for sugarcoating: building valuable skills takes sweat. Let's talk about the hustle: Put in the daily reps, whether it's code practice, closing sales, or whatever your chosen path demands. Embrace the Grind, There are NO Shortcuts: Focus is everything. Become known as the "go-to" person for a specific, lucrative skill before you branch out. Master ONE Skill Before You Expand: Join a mastermind, hire a coach... stop hiding in your comfort zone. Learn from those a few steps ahead, and let them kick your ass when you need it. Get Uncomfortable, Find Mentors & Accountability: Even the most amazing skillset is useless if nobody knows about it. Learn to share your value and results, even if it feels awkward. Don't be Shy, Market Yourself: The Bottom Line: Passion Is a Lie, Competence Is King Does this mean you'll never work a hard day again? Hell no. Anything worth having takes effort. But here's the difference: when you're building on a foundation of solid skill, you've got the tools to smash through challenges and come out stronger. If you've been trapped in the "follow your feel-good passion" spiral, it's time to break free. Stop waiting for lightning to strike and start grinding. Real-World Examples (Because Talk Is Cheap) Check these out, and remember: none of these success stories began with a magical spark. Turns out, she was incredible at research and organization. Now, she's crushing six figures as a technical writer for big brands, on her own terms. The freelance writer who couldn't stand the thought of writing: She WAS passionate about helping businesses thrive. She became a niche advisor, quadrupling her income because she focused on the results, not the boring spreadsheets. The accountant who was miserable despite being good at numbers: Your Call To Action If you've been spinning your wheels, searching for that elusive spark of passion, I got news for you: it's time to WAKE UP. Today, make a decision that's bold, that might even feel scary. Where do you naturally excel? What comes a little easier to you than to others? Don't overthink it. **Stop Bullsh*tting Yourself: Where is there a NEED for those strengths? What industries are cash-rich, what problems are people DYING to have solved? Scan the World for Hungry Buyers: Pick a direction and commit. Find a course, hire a mentor, or just start relentlessly practicing on your own. Get Off Your Ass and TAKE ACTION: The road might not always be smooth, but let me tell you: focus on building your damn skillset, and the road will start building itself under your feet. The rewards – financial freedom, emotional satisfaction, and the pride of true mastery – will make the sweat worth every drop. Let's make competence the new cool. Let's redefine success not by what makes you FEEL GOOD, but by the irrefutable impact you make in this world. Have a great weekend! Scott Also published here

Passion Doesn't Pay Your Rent

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are among the most significant advancements in the sphere of technology. These tools have evolved beyond their original entertainment purposes, now playing pivotal roles across various sectors, notably in training scenarios. Compared to conventional methods of training, VR-based training tools have gained a lot of traction. AR enhances our interaction with the real world by adding digital elements to it, facilitating a more enriching interaction with our environment. , on the other hand, immerses users in a purely digital environment, providing a comprehensive sensory experience. A few examples of VR training include flight drills, medical techniques, and complicated machine operations. VR The adoption of AR/VR in training modules is significant, given their ability to provide engaging and enveloping learning avenues unmatched by classical or online training approaches. Research that 26% of enterprises have adopted VR/AR for staff training, underscoring its rising acceptance in the business sector. indicates While traditional lecture-based and reading approaches yield retention rates of 5% and 10%, respectively, VR is a game-changer, securing a remarkable 75% retention. This effectiveness of VR training is only by the act of instructing others, which achieves an unparalleled 90% retention rate. rivaled The commercial prospects for AR and VR technologies are also worth noting. Forecasts from Statista the AR & VR sector's revenue to reach approximately US$31.12 billion by 2023, marking considerable expansion and prospects, spanning VR training modules and various other uses. anticipate Transitioning from Conventional Learning Methods to Engaging in VR Training Throughout time, traditional instructional techniques like lectures, reading materials, and hands-on demonstrations have dominated educational landscapes. While they've shown some efficacy, these methodologies often fall short in personalization, dynamic interaction, and instant feedback. As a result, these strategies generally provide a somewhat linear and passive learning experience, leading to innovations such as hands-on labs, collaborative learning sessions, and interactive workshops. The onset of the digital era introduced us to online education platforms, offering unprecedented flexibility and reach. These platforms not only facilitated distance learning but also placed a plethora of resources within learners' grasp. Yet, the craving for a deeper, more engaging learning experience persisted. With the rise of in training, we're witnessing a transformative movement. Coupled with AR, immersive VR training introduces fresh horizons for incredibly engaging and interactive educational settings. These profound virtual experiences seamlessly merge theoretical insights with real-world applications. VR and AR Advantages of AR/VR Training In the ever-changing world of education and professional growth, both augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) have surfaced as groundbreaking tools that transform the way we learn. By intertwining digital elements into training sessions, these captivating technologies open doors to a realm of interactive and meaningful training experiences. Enhancing Realistic Learning The introduction of AR and VR is set to redefine educational paradigms by immersing learners in lifelike virtual settings. Such digital recreations allow students to immerse themselves in practical experiences reflecting real-life challenges, paving the way for improved understanding and memory retention. Consider a medical trainee executing complex surgical steps in a safe digital space or military personnel undergoing tactical training without actual danger. The spectrum of hands-on learning is broad, with a profound effect on refining learners' skills. Reducing Real-World Risks A standout benefit of AR and VR training is its capacity to recreate perilous real-world scenarios without exposing trainees to inherent risks. This innovation is transformational for sectors prone to high risks, encompassing medical, defense, and heavy industries. By mimicking high-stakes situations, learners can hone their skills and judgment in a monitored setting, thereby cutting down the risk of mishaps when faced with real challenges. An insightful observation of VR's role in workplace safety is demonstrated in a study by Chaos Theory Games. Their findings revealed that VR training led to a remarkable 43% decrease in workplace accidents. This impressive figure highlights the potential of AR and VR in setting elevated safety benchmarks across diverse sectors. Bridging the Distance Gap With Remote Learning The dawn of AR and VR has initiated a progressive phase in distant learning, obliterating the constraints of location and granting broader access to top-notch training. Now, participants can immerse in dynamic training modules from their personal spaces, eradicating the necessity of being physically present at a specific training venue. This feature is a boon for those in secluded locations or those restricted from traveling for educational reasons. Moreover, this form of training paves the way for international teamwork and the sharing of insights, amalgamating a mix of expertise and viewpoints in a shared digital arena. Consequently, entities can cultivate an ethos of ongoing learning and talent enhancement, irrespective of their workforce's geographical dispersion. Customizing Learning Paths Generic training models often miss the mark in addressing the varied learning preferences and necessities of diverse individuals. This is where AR and VR stand out. These platforms allow educators to craft lessons specifically attuned to each student's distinct needs. By offering instant feedback and flexible learning modules, can gauge a student's strengths and highlight areas needing attention. Such an analytical approach lets educators refine their teaching techniques, ensuring optimal growth for every learner. AR and VR platforms Financial and Time Prudence While AR and VR systems might seem initially pricey, they usher in lasting savings in training duration, assets, and recurring costs for organizations. Substituting age-old training mechanisms that demand tangible assets and continuous expenditure, AR and VR emerge as financially prudent alternatives. AR/VR Training for Different Industries AR and VR technologies, by replicating real-life situations, present immersive learning experiences that harmonize theoretical concepts with real-world practice across diverse sectors. From healthcare to aviation and customer service, virtual training bolsters existing training paradigms. Healthcare In the healthcare sector, AR/VR has ushered in innovative learning avenues. Medical practitioners can now refine their surgical and diagnostic skills in a virtual, risk-free space, promoting heightened proficiency and fewer mistakes. These technologies not only enhance the skill sets of professionals but also cultivate confidence, ultimately profiting both patients and healthcare facilities. Recent surveys suggest a growing inclination among healthcare professionals toward adopting AR/VR-based training modules in the coming years. Emergency AR/VR technologies are invaluable in fields such as safety and emergency response. These tools offer realistic simulations of emergencies, allowing trainees to refine decision-making and response capabilities without facing real-world dangers. Police departments are increasingly turning to VR to hone skills ranging from de-escalation techniques to addressing implicit biases. Likewise, emergency response initiatives, like those in Austin, are using VR to prepare responders with ambulance operations and protocols, demonstrating that VR training can lead to improved retention and reduced errors. Manufacturing In sectors where intricate machinery and potential hazards are daily challenges, traditional training might fall short. AR/VR introduces immersive scenarios for machine operations, mitigating on-site risks while boosting output and effectiveness. This hands-on virtual approach paves the way for a proficient and confident workforce, as they can engage with virtual machinery and processes before handling actual equipment. Customer Service Quality customer interactions are vital for many businesses, and AR/VR tools are elevating soft skills training in this realm. Virtual environments simulate diverse customer scenarios, allowing staff to refine their communication, problem-solving, and empathy skills, leading to enhanced customer satisfaction. Automotive Industry The automotive sector is witnessing a renaissance with the integration of AR/VR. From design to assembly and even customer experience, these tools are proving indispensable. Virtual environments streamline the design process, enhance assembly proficiency, and offer technicians interactive repair guides. Prominent automotive brands like BMW employ mixed reality for efficient design processes, while Audi's VR training focuses on error reduction across intricate systems. Volkswagen leverages VR for versatile training options and collaborations, signifying the transformative role of AR/VR in this industry. Defense AR/VR technologies have transformed training and operations in the defense sector, offering realistic combat scenarios, improved mission planning, and aiding in the design of military equipment. Partnerships, such as the one between SimX and the US Air Force, showcase the advancements in medical training for troops, emphasizing the growing reliance on these technologies for more effective preparation. Logistics In logistics, AR/VR tools elevate employee training and optimize operational performance. Companies like DB Schenker harness VR for intricate tasks, such as forklift operations, by simulating realistic environments. Similarly, NS uses VR to train staff in tackling unforeseen situations at train stations, highlighting the utility of immersive simulations in enhancing efficiency. Finance , are changing the training landscape in finance. Firms like Bank of America are leveraging VR to mimic customer interactions, thereby training staff in tasks ranging from account management to navigating emotional scenarios, leading to increased efficiency and empathy. AR/VR technologies, coupled with AI Aviation The aviation sector's embrace of AR/VR is evident in its widespread adoption across companies. Boeing's VR training for NASA astronauts and Avietra's safety simulations for cabin crew members epitomize the industry's shift toward virtual training. Additionally, collaborations like that of Airbus, Air France, and KLM spotlight the potential of VR in aircraft maintenance. Rolls Royce and KLM further underscore the importance of VR in training mechanics and pilots, respectively, signaling a trend toward more immersive and efficient training methods. HoReCa In the HoReCa sector, AR/VR is redefining customer engagement and staff training. From AR-enhanced interactive menus to VR-driven kitchen simulations, these technologies are enriching guest experiences and streamlining operations. Instances like Honeygrow's adoption of VR for employee onboarding underline the potential of these tools in enhancing staff competency and understanding of operational processes. Key Challenges of AR/VR Training While AR and VR promise transformative and engaging learning experiences, they are not without their set of hurdles and shortcomings. Addressing these is paramount to unlocking their full potential in specialized training. Tackling Technological Hurdles AR and VR training is largely dependent on sophisticated hardware and software, occasionally leading to technological impediments. Unexpected technical snags and hardware constraints can interrupt the flow of training. However, the consistent progress in both hardware and software domains is making these technologies increasingly user-centric. As technology evolves, we can anticipate fewer glitches and a more streamlined AR and VR training experience. Tracking and Evaluating Trainee Development In AR/VR settings, monitoring trainee growth can be daunting, given the virtual ambiance of the session. Traditional assessment tools might fall short in this context. Yet, the integration of advanced data analytics and specific performance indicators into AR/VR systems offers a solution. These analytics shed light on trainee actions, choices, and information assimilation, equipping trainers with tools to personalize training content. Acceptance and Hesitancy Toward Technological Shift Transitioning to AR/VR necessitates a departure from age-old training methods. Such changes can be met with skepticism from trainers and students unfamiliar with or uncertain about these new tools. But, as the merits of AR and VR become evident, such reluctance should wane. Highlighting the tangible benefits – like heightened engagement, faster learning curves, and better memory retention – will foster a more widespread acceptance. Health Implications Prolonged exposure to AR/VR gadgets can sometimes cause minor health challenges like dizziness or ocular fatigue. These discomforts can act as deterrents to AR and VR training. To counteract these issues, manufacturers are emphasizing user-friendly designs and better hardware and software for devices. Also, punctuating sessions with breaks and offering customizable settings can further elevate the AR and VR training experience. Financial Aspects Rolling out VR training can be financially daunting. The combined costs of advanced hardware and software and the creation of top-tier AR/VR content might strain organizational budgets. Yet, as these technologies become more mainstream and market competition intensifies, cost factors should become more manageable, making such training more economically viable. Challenges in Accessibility A primary shortcoming in VR and AR training is that not all trainees can access the required equipment or online connectivity. This disparity might exclude some from the training process. A potential solution could be blending traditional training techniques with AR and VR or setting up dedicated training hubs equipped with the latest tech for all to use. Navigating Through a Lack of Set Norms The void in universal standards for AR and VR training can result in hiccups in content design and rollout. Without a set benchmark, developers might grapple with compatibility challenges across platforms. A practical approach is to design software tailored for specific hardware models or employ adaptable platforms, such as Unity or Unreal Engine. The Prospective Landscape of AR and VR Training The horizons of training and education are expanding rapidly with the integration of AR and VR technologies. When intertwined with the advanced capabilities of AI and ML, they pave the way for dynamic learning, insightful analytics, and intelligent process optimization. These cutting-edge technologies facilitate personalized, immersive learning experiences that promise enriched understanding and readiness for our increasingly digitalized world. Although current challenges, such as technological constraints and initial high costs, may seem daunting, the transformative advantages of AR and VR far surpass these obstacles. The prospect of providing learners with vibrant, three-dimensional, and interactive training experiences compels businesses and educational institutions alike to delve deeper into these technologies. By adopting AR and VR, we stand at the cusp of a groundbreaking shift in learning methodologies, ushering in an era of boundless exploration and unprecedented innovation in education and training. Also published . here

AR and VR Training: Leveraging Capabilities

এআর এবং ভিআর প্রশিক্ষণ: ক্ষমতার ব্যবহার

AR- und VR-Training: Möglichkeiten nutzen

Capacitación en AR y VR: aprovechamiento de las capacidades

Formation AR et VR : tirer parti des capacités

एआर और वीआर प्रशिक्षण: क्षमताओं का लाभ उठाना

AR および VR トレーニング: 機能の活用

AR 및 VR 교육: 기능 활용

Treinamento em AR e VR: aproveitando recursos

Обучение AR и VR: использование возможностей

AR ve VR Eğitimi: Yeteneklerden Yararlanma

Đào tạo AR và VR: Tận dụng khả năng

AR 和 VR 培训：利用能力

Determining ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ for subjective crowd input using a global expertise bank and expertise-weighted reviews In my last article, I wrote about — using human intelligence and experience to answer questions that and AI cannot answer. the need for Social Search Google For a social search platform like (or any system that relies on crowd intelligence) to work and to offer high quality responses**,** there needs to exist — for categorizing answers as better or worse, right or wrong. Without a mechanism to measure ‘correctness’ of an answer, there would be no way to rank or filter the answer space. Furthermore, in a crowdsourcing platform that offers rewards or penalties to encourage responders to participate, there’d be no way to determine which responders to reward, which responders to penalize, and by how much. Proffer a reliable system for evaluating crowd-provided answers (subjecting an answer to the scrutiny of other experts in the same field) is the traditional approach for assessing crowd inputs. It’s a powerful idea and widely practiced in academia and online communities, but suffers from political manipulation, a lack of granularity/specificity in the measurement of expertise, an ability for reviewers to falsely accumulate expertise, and an unnatural constraint whereby votes from skilled and unskilled reviewers have equal impact on the outcome. Peer review In building Proffer, we sought to create a protocol for decentralized peer review that avoids the pitfalls of traditional peer review and runs on the , adapting to cover future crowdsourcing and social search use cases on a global scale. blockchain Don’t want to read? Go through the slides for a protocol overview and example. This article is structured as follows: Problems with peer review as implemented today Solution and Key Features: a novel peer review platform built on the concept of , where reviews are weighted by the reviewers’ expertise, where ‘correctness’ of answers is based on cumulative skill of its supporters minus that of its detractors, and where expertise for all reviewers for all topics is stored and updated on the ( ). self-optimizing expert networks blockchain global expertise bank Walkthrough of crowdsourced peer review on Proffer, a Physics Q&A use case. Bootstrapping a global expertise bank (what happens at t=0) Problems with Traditional Peer-Review It puts significant power in the hands of a few without offering the necessary checks and balances, or the necessary incentives to encourage unbiased, thoughtful reviews. Just ask the academic community — e.g. in , Chris Lee describes academic peer review as “utter randomness,” citing the undue influence that reviewers’ “mood, medication, and memory” play on the outcome. He proposes a decentralized peer review process for academic publications that opens up each review to a crowd of 100+ panelists and significantly improves upon the quality and efficiency of traditional peer review. Peer Review is politically influenced: this Ars Technica article For example, anyone can endorse anyone for any skill on LinkedIn. Reddit users can accumulate ‘karma’ from one subreddit (e.g. ) to qualify them to post on a completely unrelated subreddit (e.g. ). It’s hard for our computational systems to identify true expertise, and such systems can be fooled. Expertise should be measured based on actions and outcomes, not on self- or crowd-reported inputs with a single data point. Expertise is arbitrary, inaccurate, and easily manufactured. /r/dogs /r/ethereum across apps, i.e. Reddit “karma” for blockchain topics doesn’t carry any weight on Stack Exchange or Quora blockchain topics. A ‘top writer’ for Artificial Intelligence on a Medium blog will see no benefits of that reputation when posting on an AI thread on Reddit. Users are forced to re-create their reputation on each new platform or app they join, and must maintain this reputation separately cross the various platforms, leading to a missed opportunity for effects and usage driven by shared reputation across apps. Expertise is fragmented network Crowdsourced Peer Review: Key Features : stores every user’s in every topic on a common decentralized ledger. It is ‘global’ as opposed to ‘fragmented’ because all dApps read/write expertise to this bank rather than maintaining their own application-specific skill stores. A global expertise bank benefits from and creates shared network effects across multiple applications — a user can switch from one math tutoring dApp to another while retaining his/her expertise in topic ‘Math’. Global expertise bank skill A mechanism to objectively determine correctness of a subjective answer by the cumulative expertise of those who answered or upvoted it minus those who downvoted it. This allows more skillful responders to have a greater influence on the correctness of a response than less skillful responders. Skill-weighted peer reviews: A network of experts where expertise can be gained or lost by any individual, pushing the network closer to ground-truth over time. i.e. false expertise gets filtered out as incorrect responders lose skill, and true experts rise to the top as they provide correct responses repeatedly. Self-optimizing expert network: Crowdsourced peer review on Proffer: a Physics Q&A example Step 1: Receive a question from Seeker, broadcast to qualified responders Seeker asks a question that he/she wants crowd input on, e.g. “Why is the sky blue?” Seeker optionally backs the question with money ( ) that will be distributed among correct responders. This seeds an incentive pool called . A new token backing pool is created question that is asked on the platform. SeekerStake SeekerStake Token Backing Pool for each Step 2: Start peer review process. Receive answers and votes from responders Responders a.k.a peer reviewers see the question and by other responders. Counterintuitively, responders must also contribute a stake ( ) to the as an expression of their confidence in their response; this stake is returned to them unless their answer is deemed incorrect (explained below) by the peer review protocol. The requirement of a dis-incentivizes spam and puts responders’ skin in the game. can either respond with a new answer, or upvote/downvote answers previously submitted ResponderStake Token Backing Pool ResponderStake Step 3: Compute the net ‘skill’ supporting each submitted answer The protocol keeps track of the “net skill” backing each answer that is added to the answer space. The for an answer is equal to the skill of the responder who first proposed it (+) skill of all responders who upvoted it (-) the skill of all responders who downvoted it. is a skill-weighted measure of the correctness of an answer at any given point in time. SkillBacking plus minus SkillBacking “Skill” here refers to the very specific / granular skill of the user in the topic being addressed in the question, which in this case can be ‘Physics’ or ‘Optical Phenomenon’. The skill is read from the and written back to it each time it’s updated. Global Expertise Bank Shown above, five different responders (Joe / Sam / Jenny / Andrea / Brett) contribute five new answers to the question “Why is the sky blue?”, paying into the for each answer. Answer Stake Token Backing Pool Shown below, 15 different responders, named P1 thru P15, choose to upvote or downvote the five answers already in the Answer Space, paying into the for each vote. Note that each vote updates the net skill backing of each answer: an upvote adds the upvoter’s skill and downvote reduces net skill by the downvoter’s skill. Vote Stake Token Backing Pool Step 4: Use net ‘Skill Backing’ to determine which answers are Correct/Incorrect and accordingly compute payouts for each responder After P1 thru P15 have submitted their votes, the answer space has five answers, each with a net skill backing. At this point, we can either use a heuristic such as “net skill backing is > zero” to determine which answers are correct, or we can present all options to the Seeker who initially asked the question and allow him / her to choose what is the correct answer. The best way to determine ‘correctness’ will depend on use case, so our protocol provides two configurable parameters rather than prescribing the judge of correctness/incorrectness: Let’s assume for this example that = ‘seeker’ and = ‘peers’. This means that we can determine incorrect answers based on net skill backing. Answer 3, which received a net skill backing of -70, and Answer 5 with net skill backing of -15 are therefore . Judge of Correctness Judge of Incorrectness Incorrect Answer 2 is deemed because we make the assumption that the Seeker will select Answer 2 as the best answer since it has the highest net skill backing. Answers that are neither Correct nor Incorrect are labeled . Correct undecided We now use the following guidelines to compute two types of payouts — financial and skill — for each responder: Guidelines for financial and skill payouts for each responder Skill is an open/indefinite quantity. It can be given freely and taken freely. Performing skill payouts is therefore as easy as increasing or decreasing the responder’s skill on the Global Reputation Bank for the topic at hand. Skill updates after Answers 3 and 5 determined to be and Answer 2 to be . Incorrect Correct Money / tokens on the other hand are a closed / zero-sum quantity. They are re-distributed, not created, from incorrect responders to correct responders. The protocol first returns the money that responders with Correct responses and undecided responses had put into the at the start of the process. Token Backing Pool The remainder in the pool after these stakes have been returned consists of the original SeekerStake, and the AnswerStake(s) and VoteStake(s) of incorrect responders. Finally, this amount can be distributed across correct responders as their reward for answering or voting correctly. Possible outcomes in crowdsourced peer review. Incorrect responders lose what they had put in. Correct responders recover what they had put in AND get an additional reward. Bootstrapping the Global Expertise Bank: getting it right at t=0 In steady state, the self-optimizing expert network described above updates the expertise of each responder over time based on his/her current expertise, his/her response, the crowd’s current expertise, and the crowd’s responses. Expertise of person ‘p’ at time ‘t+1’ is a function of that same person’s expertise and response at time ‘t’, and the crowd’s expertise and response at time ‘t’ As long as expertise in the system is a reliable metric at time , we can rest assured that it will be reliable at time , getting closer to ground truth / ‘actual’ expertise of all users with time. t t+1 Our peer review protocol and the global expertise bank are capable of working out of the box, with all responders starting off with Skill = zero across all topics. The law of large numbers will ensure that with enough iterations, responders who started off with no skill will have won or lost skill based on the crowd’s voting for or against them, equilibrating somewhere close to their actual skill relative to their peers. However, to improve the rate at which this skill equilibrium is reached, and to provide the highest quality answers right from , particularly for industry topics that require specialized knowledge or certification, , both online and offline, formal and informal. t=0 we propose bootstrapping the expert network by manually selecting and on-boarding experts from pre-existing networks For example, in the field of healthcare, one could onboard physician networks and initialize skill for each physician in their respective practice (‘Cardiology’, ‘General Medicine’, etc.) based on a combination of past experience and in-person interviews. The same can be done with practicing lawyers for topics concerning the Law, with school teachers for topics in k-12 education, with land developers and construction teams for topics concerning real estate, etc. Seeding an expert network through a manual process would be neither trivial nor quick, but in a world where the nature of work is already tending towards ad-hoc gigs that allow workers to monetize their free time, an expert network on the blockchain with frictionless reward payments for experts who answer correctly could be an exciting platform to be a part of. This would be especially true for Proffer’s global expertise bank, as experts would be able to leverage reputation accumulated answering questions on Proffer while using other dApps built on the same global expertise bank. If you’re curious to learn more about Proffer, the social search protocol we’re building on top of crowdsourced peer review and self-optimizing expert networks, check out our tech spec here , and the 5 apps we’ve published to showcase five different use cases for Proffer on our website here .

Peer Review with expert networks on the blockchain

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With a total population of over 1.8 billion worshippers, Islam is the second most practiced religion globally. Like many other religions, Islam requires worshippers to follow its religious laws in every aspect of their lives. These religious codes fall under Sharia law. Specific countries like for the financial industry. Sometimes these laws and regulations are in place to simply monitor and control the sector, and other times countries enforce outright bans. the US have laws and regulations However, there are also religious laws and codes such as Sharia, which are designed to regulate and govern the everyday life of Muslims. As a result, these religious laws guide fundamental life decisions like health, hygiene, finances, and investments. In recent times, there have been divergent views within the Islamic community on the suitability of the crypto industry for Muslims. Some Islamic scholars, banks, and financial institutions believe that the vast majority of the crypto industry is mostly halal (lawful). However, many others believe that certain aspects of the crypto space are haram (unlawful) and unacceptable for Muslims. Having a clear consensus on Islamic views regarding the crypto industry and its subsets can have an enormous impact on the growth of that industry. An optimistic view can see a massive increase for various crypto products due to the number of Muslims worldwide. This article will help you identify aspects of the crypto markets that follow Islamic banking practices. Additionally, we will examine crypto lending, a growing sector within the crypto space. We aim to assess whether crypto lending is suitable for Muslims under Islamic law. First, we will discuss the meaning of the Arabic words: Halal and Haram. Also, we will review some Sharia laws that apply to financial practices. What Do Halal And Haram Mean? Halal and haram are two Arabic words with opposite meanings. In simple terms, halal means lawful or permissible, while haram means unlawful or forbidden. When applied to the crypto industry, halal refers to legal or acceptable crypto services that Muslims can engage in or invest their funds into. On the other hand, haram denotes unacceptable and forbidden crypto-based services that are not permissible under Islamic law. Understanding Sharia laws On Popular Financial Services As previously stated, laws and regulations under Sharia are designed to regulate all aspects of Muslim life, including their finances. An understanding of Sharia finance laws is necessary to determine financial practices that are suitable for followers of Islam. It is important to note that Islamic scholars can not constitute financial advice on their own without first ensuring that their views are Sharia-compliant. In terms of , Sharia prohibits all interest-based lending activities. For this reason, Muslims must not engage in lending activities where borrowers pay interest. This principle applies to both fiat currency, crypto loans, and mortgages. We will discuss this further in this article. direct laws and regulations on crypto finance Additionally, this principle applies to financial tools designed to accumulate interest and deliver returns to investors. Based on this assessment, investment in traditional banks or insurance firms may be considered haram. Sharia laws also prohibit all forms of gambling activities. Based on these laws, Muslims must not invest in any form of gambling venture. This Islamic law also prohibits financial investments into brands that produce alcohol, pork, pornography, and tobacco, to name a few. All of these are considered haram. It is imperative to note that there are no clear instructions on whether Muslims should invest in the crypto markets. Despite this fact, considering some of the principles stated in this section can help us determine aspects of the crypto space that are permissible under Islamic laws. Are Crypto-Assets Halal? Many Muslims have asked questions regarding cryptocurrencies, such as "Is Bitcoin Halal?" The short answer is yes. Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ether, and DOGE are not necessarily haram. However, for these digital assets to be accepted, their use must comply with the tenets of Islam. Any transaction involving fiat money or digital assets needs to be ethical if it is to be accepted in Islam. Moreover, such transactions cannot be exploitative. With that in mind, transactions using crypto-assets can only be halal when they are not used for extortion, bribery, and profiteering purposes. Cryptocurrencies conform with this tenet when they are used as a standard of payment or as a means for making low-cost transactions. Many scholars also support the use of cryptocurrencies for this and many other purposes. In a 2017 report released by Mufti Muhammad Abu-Bakar, former Shariah advisor to Blossom Finance stated his belief that Bitcoin and many other cryptocurrencies are halal. Abu-Bakar states that all currencies can be classified to a reasonable degree as speculative assets since the laws of demand and supply control them. In his opinion, if speculative assets like gold, the US dollar, and many other fiat currencies and financial tools are accepted under Sharia law, digital assets can also be permitted. Responding to arguments citing the use of Bitcoin for illegal activities, Mufti Abu-bakar noted that this does not make Bitcoin an illegal asset. He notes that it is still not unlawful to use a legal product for an illegal purpose. He then cites the sale of grapes to wine merchants as an example of his argument. Opinions Expressed By Other Islamic Scholars Different scholars have expressed numerous opinions regarding the Islamic laws that apply to the crypto industry. For example, UK-based Islamic finance and fintech consultant Mufti Faraz Adam believes that Bitcoin and many other cryptocurrencies should be considered assets since they have value. Using Shariah terms, Mufti Faraz states that Bitcoin has "Maal" and "Taqawwum". Both terms indicate that Bitcoin can be stored and has legal value. From this assessment, he concludes that Bitcoin and many other digital assets are lawful. According to Mufti Muhammad Abu Bakar, a Shariah scholar and mufti at SilkBank Limited, any currency endorsed by a government becomes legal tender in that region. He argues further that Muslims can trade, buy, and sell cryptocurrencies in countries that accept them as an official payment method. Can DeFi be considered halal? Decentralized finance protocols eliminate the need for a central authority and use smart contracts to run its operations. The DeFi space has also experienced enormous growth over the past few years. Scholars have been drawn to the growth of this sector, raising questions such as "Is DeFi Halal?" A major part of investment vehicles in the DeFi space currently offer interest as a reward for investors for their crypto staking activities. Based on the principles of Sharia, such protocols cannot be considered halal. There are, however, many other DeFi platforms that offer Sharia-compliant services. DeFi protocols built on Islamic finance laws can help drive further growth in this sector. The growth of the market will inevitably lead to the creation of halal DeFi apps. Applying Islamic Finance Laws to Crypto Lending As we have stated previously, Sharia prohibits all interest-based lending activities. For this reason, Muslims must not engage in lending activities where borrowers pay interest. This principle applies to fiat currency and crypto loans requiring borrowers to pay back interest for their loans. At best, it is worth asking your local religious leader before engaging in it. The law against interest-based lending is designed to protect borrowers from exploitative financial practices. Several Islamic financial institutions offer interest-free crypto loans to borrowers as an alternative. However, at the time of writing this article, no crypto lending platform offers interest-free loans to its users. Apart from offering its lending services, many crypto sites also provide an opportunity for investors on their platform to open a savings account and earn interest on their deposits. Similar to interest-based lending, this practice can not be considered lawful based on Islamic laws. Conclusion The cryptocurrency market has grown in leaps and bounds over the past few years. However, there is room for more growth. One way to ensure increased growth for this industry is by creating financial services that are sharia compliant. Although some aspects of crypto can be considered lawful based on Islamic laws, there are many others that are unlawful. These include crypto staking, gambling, and crypto lending activities. With increased innovation in this sector, we expect to see blockchain-based products built according to Sharia laws.

Is Crypto Lending Halal: What You Need to Know

¿Es Halal Crypto Lending?: Lo que necesita saber

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What’s the Hype About Hyperledger Sawtooth Hyperledger Sawtooth is an open source Blockchain platform founded by the Linux Foundation’s open-source blockchain project, Hyperledger. Proposed by Intel, it is an enterprise-grade distributed ledger and was one of the first projects under the Hyperledger Umbrella. With a pluggable consensus model, Hyperledger Sawtooth is : Modular Scalable Supports Permissionless and Permissioned Infrastructure. Its underlying design is aimed at keeping ledgers distributed and adding business logic to smart contracts. In many standard blockchain based platforms, applications and core are executed and hosted on their platform, that may cause performance issues and security concerns. However, Hyperledger Sawtooth is different from such platforms in a way that it isolates the core ledger system from the application specific environment. As a result, it simplifies the application development yet keeps the system safe and secure. With Sawtooth’s modular architecture, developers can develop applications in the programming language of their choice and can host, run and operate it on system periphery without hindering the core blockchain system. An application on Hyperledger Sawtooth can be based on a core business logic to run business operations, or it can be built and run as a smart contract virtual machine with a self-governing mechanism to create, notify and execute the contracts between various members on the blockchain network. Sawtooth’s core system allows both of these applications to co-exist, allowing different types of applications to stay in the same instance of the blockchain network. Applications on Sawtooth can select transaction rules, define the consensus mechanisms and select the required permissioning to decide the working of the digital ledger in a way that it meets the requirements of an enterprise. Being extremely scalable. Hyperledger Sawtooth can offer high transaction throughput of data and is, therefore, a great option for handling production supply chains. Features of Hyperledger Sawtooth **Private networks with the permissioning features**Sawtooth overcomes the challenges of the permissioned network as the cluster of its nodes can be deployed with isolated permissioning. No centralized service can leak confidential information or transaction patterns. The blockchain manages the settings that specify identities and roles so that participants within the network can access the information on the network. **Ethereum Contract Compatibility with Seth**The Seth, Sawtooth-Ethereum integration project allows the interoperability of the Sawtooth platform to Ethereum. The project makes it possible for Ethereum smart contracts to get deployed to the Sawtooth platform with Seth transaction family. **Parallel Transaction Execution**Many blockchains need serial transaction execution to ensure consistent ordering at every node on the network. However, Sawtooth contains an advanced parallel scheduler that classifies transactions into parallel flows. Based on locations in state accessed by a transaction, Sawtooth separates the transactions’ execution from one another while handling contextual changes. Transactions in Sawtooth are executed parallelly to prevent double spending even with several modifications to the same state. This type of scheduling leads to the potential increase in performance as compared to serial execution. **Isolation between the core system and the application level**Hyperledger Sawtooth eases the development and deployment of an application by separating the application level from the core system level. It offers smart contract abstraction to allow developers to create contract logic in the programming language of their choice. Each application can define the custom transaction processors to meet the unique requirements. It provides transaction families to serve as an approach for low-level functions, like storing on-chain permissions, managing chain-wide settings and for particular applications such as saving block information and performance analysis. **Pluggable Consensus Mechanisms**The consensus mechanism is the process of coming to an agreement among a group of participants on the blockchain network. Algorithms for achieving consensus with arbitrary faults need some kind of voting among a specific set of participants.General consensus approaches comprise Nakamoto-style consensus that selects a leader through the lottery and variants of Byzantine Fault Tolerance mechanisms that run multiple rounds of explicit voting to form a consensus.Sawtooth supports multiple consensus types on the same blockchain which is chosen initially during the network setup and can be changed on a running blockchain with a transaction. It supports the following consensus implementations: **Proof of Elapsed Time (PoET):**It is a Nakamoto-style consensus, designed as a production-grade protocol that can support large network populations. Relying on a secure instruction execution, it can achieve the scalability of Nakamoto-style consensus mechanism without the drawbacks of power consumption of the PoW algorithm. **PoET Simulator:**It enables PoET-style consensus on any hardware and a virtualized cloud environment. **Dev mode:**It is a simplified random-leader mechanism used for development and testing. **Sample Transaction Families**Transaction language and the data model are implemented in a transaction family. Though users can build custom transaction families to represent their unique requirements, Sawtooth also provides various transaction families as models: for testing deployed ledgers.2. for managing on-chain permissioning for validator and transactor keys to simplify identity management for public keys’ lists.3. to provide an implementation for saving on-chain configuration settings.4. for providing an approach to store information about a number of historic blocks.5. for managing performance analysis for performance testing and benchmarking when doing the comparison of blockchain systems’ performance. IntegerKey Identity Settings BlockInfo Smallbank Getting started with Hyperledger Sawtooth Application Development? Image Source: Hyperledger Sawtooth Documentation You will have to set up and execute a local validator to test your application before you start developing an application on Hyperledger Sawtooth platform. Once the network will be running, you can conduct new transactions and fetch the block data and resulting state from the blockchain via Sawtooth REST API and HTTP. Sawtooth validators can run from prebuilt Docker containers which are installed using Ubuntu 16.904 or deployed in AWS from the AWS marketplace. We will walk you through the process of Hyperledger Sawtooth Application Development using Docker Compose. Installing Docker Engine and Docker Compose **Windows:**Docker Compose can be installed automatically when you install . Docker Engine on Windows **Linux:**On the Linux operating system, you will need to install both and . Docker Engine Docker Compose **macOS:**On macOS, you will have to install the latest version of the . Similar to Windows, Docker Compose is also installed automatically with Docker Engine on macOS. Docker Engine Setting up Environment A Docker Compose file is provided to state the process for building a Sawtooth environment. The Sawtooth environment comprises of the following containers: REST API connected to the validator A client container to run Sawtooth commands A single validator that uses dev-mode consensus The Settings, XO transaction processors and IntegerKey Docker Compose file also represents the container images to obtain from Docker Hub and the network settings required for containers to interact correctly. The Docker Compose File serves as the basis for the multi-container Sawtooth application development environment. Download the Docker Compose File and set up the environment for the development of Sawtooth application. Starting up the Sawtooth environment involves the following tasks: Open a terminal window. Switch the working directory to the same directory where you stored the Docker Compose file. Run the command: % docker-compose -f sawtooth-default.yaml up Downloading of the docker images may take a few minutes. After you find the containers registering and building initial blocks, move to the next step. In case the environment needs to be stopped or reset, you need to log out of the client container to return to the default state and then press CTRL- C from the Windows system where you initially executed docker-compose. How to Create and Submit transactions to the Sawtooth network Sawtooth provides the intkey command to make sample transactions of the IntegerKey (intkey) transaction type for testing. This method uses intkey for preparing batches of intkey transactions that assign a few keys to random values, then increase and decrease those values randomly. These batches are stored locally and distributed to the validator within the network. Run the mentioned-below commands from the client container: $ intkey create_batch — count 10 — key-count 5 $ intkey load -f batches.intkey -U The terminal window where you ran the docker-compose command will start logging output as a validator and intkey transaction processor manages the transactions submitted recently. http://rest-api:8008 Rather than using intkey load, you can also use “sawtooth batch submit” command to submit transactions. For instance, submit the transactions in batches.intkey file with the command: $ sawtooth batch submit -f batches.intkey — url http://rest-api:8008 Viewing the Blockchain Following are the different commands for viewing the block, list of blocks, a specific block and global state: sawtoothblockThis subcommand is used to see the blocks saved in the blockchain. sawtoothblocklistThis command is used to view the blocks stored by the state. sawtooth block show — url {BLOCK_ID}This command is used to view a specific blockchain using a block ID. http://rest-api:8008 sawtoothstatelistThis command is used for listing the nodes in the Merkle tree. sawtooth state show — url {STATE_ADDRESS}This command is used to view the data at a specific address. http://rest-api:8008 Connecting to the REST API Use the command “$ curl http://rest-api:8008/blocks" to ensure that you can connect to the REST API via the host. To connect the REST API from the host, use the command: “$ curl http://localhost:8008/blocks". Due to the potential of Hyperledger Sawtooth to build modular and scalable blockchain apps, it is being used widely by blockchain companies to provide blockchain business solutions to enterprises and startups. Shameless Plug a.k.a Our Work on Hyperledger Sawtooth We have built a distributed ledger platform called on the Hyperledger Sawtooth that enables end-to-end traceability across the pharma supply chain on the blockchain. The platform allows UNO to track the distribution of free aid and perform recalls quickly. TraceRx Image Source: LeewayHertz At LeewayHertz, we have a team of Blockchain Consultants who can assist companies and individuals interested in advancing their business operations with distributed ledger technology. <a href="https://medium.com/media/3c851dac986ab6dbb2d1aaa91205a8eb/href">https://medium.com/media/3c851dac986ab6dbb2d1aaa91205a8eb/href</a>

An Introduction to Hyperledger Sawtooth and a Guide to Setting It Up

Alexa, tell me how to build a skill

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