Stellafaiis in the Enterprise Collaboration Industry

Stellafai

stellafai

Authored by and DIMO Co-Founder Joe Bender Andy Chatham The next 10 years of the automotive industry are shaping up to be a bloodbath. As competition heats up the knives are starting to come out, and gaps are opening up for new product categories and business models. Consider how much is at stake: Cars are a ~5x larger market than phones. This gap is larger in the developed world. Automakers & suppliers are massive (typically unionized) employers. They have huge political and cultural influence as some of the largest advertisers. Car brands are a national source of pride. Historically, having a domestic auto industry is viewed as a national security priority. Things are starting to look ugly for legacy automakers The public markets have priced in a very high chance that some of the legacy players like GM, Ford, Mercedes Benz, Stellantis, etc., will go bankrupt in the next 5-7 years. VW has said their core brand is and they’re on shipping next generation software for vehicles. no longer competitive years behind How did we get here? If you went back in time and showed Henry Ford any car from the 20th century, he would be able to wrap his head around it. There would be an internal combustion engine, a highway map jammed in the glovebox, and an immediate trip to the mechanic when anything isn’t working. Fast forward to today and imagine Henry hopping in a Tesla Cybertruck. Unless someone showed him how to use the Tesla app, he might not even be able to unlock it and start driving. The idea that computers thousands of miles away could send an update to the drive-by-wire system or autopilot would seem like witchcraft. So, where’s this all headed? The Cybertruck is the most tangible proof that three of the biggest transformations in 100 years are going up the S-curve at the same time: EVs, Autonomy (AI), and Connectivity. We’ll demystify these trends here and introduce some of the opportunities that are emerging for both automakers and completely new business models and applications. Electric Vehicles Most automakers started taking EVs seriously after the Tesla Model S launched in 2012, and since those companies operate on 10-year product cycles, their first real efforts came to market this year. Except for Toyota (they primarily stuck with hybrids), the transition is not going great for any of the legacy automakers. Tesla has a 60% (and climbing) EV market share in the US, and Chinese OEMs like BYD Company are eating their lunch in international markets. Things don’t seem to be looking up as they're walking back expectations for Gen2/3 vehicle sales and delaying spending. Autonomy (AI) This is the biggest unknown, as it's primarily driven by software improvements vs. hardware. Most legacy OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) have given up on their own "Full Stack" AV Plans and are relying on tech from Mobileye. If (BIG IF) can get to a profitable/scalable robotaxi deployment that people don't hate in San Francisco or Phoenix, then there is likely a path towards automating 2-3% of the total trips. Waymo Connectivity Connected cars are unlocking novel use cases (and new attack surfaces). To get a sense of the possibilities, watch this Tesla club set a new record by in the Finnish countryside to perform a coordinated holiday light show. assembling 687 vehicles This also opened a digital Pandora’s Box when it comes to privacy. With such rich data being collected from vehicles, the attack surface broadens, and vulnerabilities are unfortunately commonplace. In recent years, there has been a nonstop stream of disclosures from legacy automakers about customer data being compromised. In 2021, that an unauthorized third party obtained limited personal information about 3.3 million customers. In 2022, a data leak affecting 1.6 million prospective and actual customers, including names, street addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers. Only this year, that they were victims of a decade-long data leak that exposed the data of 2.15 million customers. Volkswagen announced Mercedes-Benz disclosed Toyota reported The capability gap between legacy auto and new “Software Native” players is huge here: Mobile apps people actually want to use are built on one platform. Connected vehicle services for insurance/maintenance. OTA (Over The Air) updates to fix issues and add features. What's the path forward? Where are the opportunities? Legacy OEMs need to differentiate vs. trying to copy Tesla. Toyota has done this by sticking with Hybrids and partnering (Aurora Innovation & May Mobility) instead of buying AV companies. Ford is doubling down on commercial vehicles with Ford Pro. Many OEMs are building their own “walled garden” developer platforms. , and Tesla is migrating an emerging ecosystem of 3rd party apps to a that will allow developers to access data directly from vehicles rather than having to rely on their servers. GM has shared some access to theirs new protocol The problem with this approach is that it’s hard to command developer attention when the biggest OEM (Toyota) only has 15% of the vehicles on the road, and the vast majority of them are unaddressable because they still aren’t connected to the internet. This brings us to the open and permissionless approach - after all, when you buy the car, shouldn’t you own the data from it and use whatever apps you want? Car Wars: The Drivers Strike Back There are some new approaches to create a more resilient system where drivers and fleets are in control of their data - has built an open, connected vehicle network that puts car owners in the digital driver’s seat, giving data back to drivers and helping them earn rewards. DIMO Like Roku for TVs, DIMO goes “over the top” of OEMs to allow any car to connect: Using a that plugs right into a car’s or, more simply, by linking with the native connected car service like the Tesla app or FordPass, drivers can collect and store their own car data directly. hardware device OBD2 port Today, this gives users comprehensive monitoring of all reported vehicle systems right in a mobile app or on the web for fleets. Everything from odometer, battery health, location, fuel level, and VIN number, to useful utilities like reading confusing error codes, estimating the car’s valuation, or estimating battery capacity. Demystifying valuable vehicle metrics and putting them in the hands of the user is the first step to a more transparent automotive industry. However, leveling up insights into your vehicle is only half of DIMO’s approach to car ownership. With such sensitive data on user driving habits, adopting the legacy strategy of storing this information on centralized corporate servers feels dangerous and antiquated. Cars On-Chain That’s why DIMO chose to build an open network and anchor to a blockchain. This gives users with ownership of the network transparency into how their vehicle data is used and, most importantly, the ability to share it with any application they want. vehicle identity DIMO users are rewarded for the longevity of their connection with the network and not necessarily the amount of time or miles driven. This incentivizes maintaining good-faith participation in the network and discourages reward farming. By having a car connected to the DIMO Network, users earn a in $DIMO tokens. There are also opportunities for earning additional rewards by transacting with DIMO apps and services - like an airline reward point for your automotive spending. weekly baseline issuance The DIMO Marketplace is a collection of service providers that offer automotive solutions for drivers in the DIMO Network. By browsing the DIMO Marketplace in the mobile app, users can see partners that have offered tools and services valuable to car owners. For example, is a digital insurance broker. DIMO users can leverage Marble to check for potential insurance savings and receive $DIMO tokens for utilizing the service. This sort of mutually beneficial ecosystem has never existed in the auto industry before today. Marble Typically, drivers are at the whim of big businesses that view consumers as the product. Additionally, the data that is maintained in the DIMO application can be invaluable when leveraging these services. In the past when visiting the mechanic, problems with the vehicle could be a total mystery. Now, with a quick glance at the car’s health in the DIMO app, a repair shop could easily assess that low battery voltage is causing ignition issues or suboptimal tire pressure is resulting in fuel inefficiency. A path (highway?) forward In the same way that there was a monumental shift in perspective when the internet was popularized, or smartphones were widely adopted, it is time to rethink the way we approach car ownership. It has been observed time and time again that open networks benefit the end user. DIMO envisions a future where driving doesn’t have to be so lonely because each car is sharing data and being rewarded for its contributions. If cars are closer to supercomputers than a vintage Model T, then why shouldn’t we be as conscientious about data privacy, transparency, and analytics as we are with our phones or laptops?

Remember the Smartphone Wars? The Auto Industry is About to Make Them Look Like a Snowball Fight

স্মার্টফোন যুদ্ধের কথা মনে আছে? অটো ইন্ডাস্ট্রি তাদের স্নোবলের লড়াইয়ের মতো দেখাতে চলেছে৷

Erinnern Sie sich an die Smartphone-Kriege? Die Autoindustrie ist dabei, sie wie eine Schneeballschlacht aussehen zu lassen

¿Recuerdas la guerra de los teléfonos inteligentes? La industria automotriz está a punto de hacer que parezcan una pelea de bolas de nieve

Vous vous souvenez de la guerre des smartphones ? L’industrie automobile est sur le point de les faire ressembler à une bataille de boules de neige

स्मार्टफ़ोन युद्ध याद है? ऑटो उद्योग उन्हें एक स्नोबॉल लड़ाई की तरह दिखाने वाला है

スマホ戦争を覚えていますか？自動車業界は雪合戦のように見せかけている

스마트폰 전쟁을 기억하시나요? 자동차 산업이 눈싸움처럼 보이게 만들려고 한다

Lembra das guerras dos smartphones? A indústria automobilística está prestes a fazer com que pareçam uma luta de bolas de neve

Помните «войны смартфонов»? Автомобильная промышленность собирается превратить их в игру в снежки

Akıllı Telefon Savaşlarını hatırlıyor musunuz? Otomotiv Endüstrisi Onları Kartopu Savaşı Gibi Göstermek Üzere

Bạn có nhớ cuộc chiến điện thoại thông minh không? Ngành công nghiệp ô tô sắp biến chúng giống như một cuộc chiến ném tuyết

还记得智能手机大战吗？汽车行业即将让他们看起来像一场打雪仗

Legacy automakers and electric vehicle companies are in a race for innovation. With multiple household brands now hoping to deliver on their electric vehicle (EV) promises, furthering investments into electrifying their line-ups, and - a wealth of new job opportunities are being developed alongside the surging growth. manufacturing better, faster, and more environmentally-friendly cars The combination of growing consumer demand, partnered with more progressive electric vehicle policies that aim to direct capital investment towards auto manufacturers is helping to fast-track the transition to electric and battery-operated vehicles across nearly every corner of the world. While regions such as the United States, Europe, and China are spearheading the EV transition, key changes in policy and political investment are helping advance technological development, boosting manufacturing capacity, and assisting in crafting more efficient trade agreements between various partners. The introduction of several policies in recent years, including the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, have already helped generate new job opportunities and future possibilities for the U.S. EV industry. However, these key moments were only further building on top of an already growing industry that has experienced steady investment flowing from both the private and public sectors. Now, manufacturers are rushing to fill open positions, in a historically demanding job market that has already undergone tremendous transformation in recent years. The steady demand for new opportunities Following the pandemic, and the aftermath thereof, which later triggered perhaps the biggest shift in labor market conditions, and would be known as the - overall labor conditions have remained historically positive despite the presence of sticky inflation and eye-watering interest rates that were last seen during the Bush Administration. Great Resignation Experts predict that the current change in consumer behavior, and the shift towards owning a battery-operated-vehicle (BEV) could help result in surging job growth in the auto industry. The current prediction estimates that if BEVs are able to rise to a robust 50% of domestic auto sales by 2023, the automotive industry could within the decade. generate an additional 150,000 new jobs Yet, this wouldn’t be the first time that legacy automakers and EV companies would add to the growing and highly dynamic U.S. job market. In a by the Environmental Defense Fund and WSP, automakers have added more than 179,000 new EV jobs and over $165 billion in new electric vehicle investments during the last eight years. report Other claim that the amount of new jobs added by the EV investments is higher, with more than 188,000 new jobs generated in recent years, according to Blue Green Alliance Foundation and Atlas Public Policy's data. sources However, looking at this from a more diplomatic perspective, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which doesn't necessarily specify how many new EV jobs have been added over the last decade or so, revealed that four key areas will continue to see increased demand in the coming years. Those areas include the design and development of electric vehicles; installation and maintenance of charging infrastructure; production of batteries; and automotive production jobs. Although these segments stretch beyond traditional labor market categories, new possibilities would only become more possible through direct investment in the wider auto industry, and better policies that can help secure the United States as a leader in the global EV industry. New employment opportunities require (some) losses While the auto industry might be experiencing tremendous change due to improved manufacturing policies and surging capital investment, unfortunately, growth doesn't come without cutting some losses throughout the process. Despite all the efforts, there remains a level of risk many experts are unable to clearly identify over the long term. There has been however some indication that policy inaction could lead to increased job losses spread across the auto industry, with some experts claiming more than due to poor policy management, and failure to improve investment opportunities. 75,0000 jobs could be lost by 2030 Stunted growth could stem from various factors, including slowing economic conditions, ineffective supply chain management, and failure to regain market dominance. This year already has seen one of these factors playing out on the broader marketplace, with big-tech companies, including Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, and Oracle to name just a few cutting their employee headcount due to slower client demand and rising prices. Throughout the year, more than , across various companies, departments, and vacancies were handed a pink slip, some often laid off via a virtual company call, or even being replaced by more efficient and productive artificial intelligence (AI) systems. 249,000 tech employees Auto workers haven’t been completely shielded from these events either. Last year, several big companies, including General Motors (GM), Volkswagen, Lucid Group, Ford, and Argo AI announced cutting their headcounts in an attempt to stabilize their balance sheets and restructure their forward-looking strategy. Some due to their transition towards EV manufacturing in recent years. Ford cut more than 8,000 jobs last year, in an attempt to focus more on its EV business segment. automakers have laid off employees General Motors wasn’t in the same boat, but treaded through similar waters, announcing that it would limit hiring of new positions, and rather focus on filling critical needs in positions that could help further boost its presence in the auto market and more importantly, the EV industry. Some electric vehicle companies are feeling similar tension rising up against the surface as workers begin to demand better pay, against a backdrop of surging materials and operational costs due to ineffective supply chains and geopolitical tension in Europe and the Middle East. Chinese-based EV startup, Nio, recently that due to slower sales growth and waning demand, the company will look to cut nearly 10% of its workforce. Earlier in the year, word surfaced that Rivian, an American EV automaker, was planning to as it looked towards restructuring its long-term strategy and regain market share due to the EV price war taking place between major automakers such as GM and announced cut around 6% of its workforce Tesla. Being laid off isn’t the only thing that prospective auto workers will need to be concerned about. In recent months, the United Auto Workers (UAW) Union, a labor union that represents auto workers in the U.S. and parts of southern Ontario, Canada, embarked on what was perhaps considered one of the biggest labor strikes in recent decades. In mid-September this year, roughly at three of the biggest manufacturing plants, including at General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis Jeep assembly plants. 13,000 auto workers dropped tools After nearly two months, the UAW and auto manufacturers that would help significantly increase the wages of some plant and assembly workers, further improve retirement benefits, boost pay for temporary workers, and reduce the minimum years required to receive higher pay benefits. managed to reach a deal For legacy automakers, this would perhaps be yet another defining moment in their history, however, for electric vehicle companies, that are still trying to gain a foothold in the auto industry, and having to struggle through the growth pains that come with any new market. The possibility of better wages and improved employee benefits are often overshadowed by the opportunity to become part of something that provides a sense of innovation, and a force of reckoning that’s still trying to navigate through various economic and political challenges. Looking for a job? You’ll need to be an engineer first With the wider auto industry witnessing significant changes, and with many automakers hoping to capitalize on consumer demand, progressive policies, and better investment opportunities, many of them have changed their tune regarding the type of employees they are now hiring to fill the need for critical skills that can help elevate their business growth. As the EV industry continues to develop and breach into new markets, employability has become increasingly competitive, and perhaps increasingly difficult for college graduates and job seekers hoping to land a job in such a multifaceted industry. While there are dozens, even hundreds of new job openings being posted by some of the biggest EV makers in the business, the qualifications required to even be considered for one of these jobs, never mind surviving the rigorous corporate hiring process, has become seemingly outlandish to some extent. The most , depending on the vacancy, often require applicants to hold either a Bachelor's Degree, or an equivalent degree in the field of engineering, design, development, or supply chain management. basic requirements Other, more critical jobs will require applicants to have a necessary qualification, in either electrical, chemical, mechanical, or robotics engineering. That’s not to mention, that some of these jobs will also require applicants to either have a portfolio that showcases their work or a minimum amount of years of working experience to be considered. Keep in mind that in the U.S., nearly with an engineering major will either drop out of college or change their major before graduating. The reason for this high figure? Well, one survey found that students are often ill-prepared for the complexity of the work, and many become overwhelmed with the amount of work and requirements needed to make it to graduation. Additionally, some students have indicated that a lack of success, support, and interest in the field are some of their reasons for changing majors or dropping out. 50 percent of students For less production-orientated positions, such as aftercare service and maintenance, job requirements can even be more stringent, coupled with a laborious hiring process. Due to the strong demand from manufacturers and service centers, and the high competition of entry, many applicants often find it increasingly challenging to land a maintenance job within their first few months of being qualified. With cars becoming more eclectic, new components and inner workings are being introduced, which often requires existing maintenance employees to undergo additional training, or already have the necessary qualifications to service and maintain electric cars. Landing a job is the easy part, even if it doesn’t feel that way. Keeping up with the massive amount of work is another challenge many employees often have to come to terms with. While there may be a short supply for specific jobs, many employees often find themselves having to manage several projects at once, or even doing multiple jobs simultaneously due to the inability to fill open positions. Other leading factors that could also make the job more demanding, and often leading to greater levels of exhaustion include longer working hours, demanding work environment, and lack of flexibility. On top of this, many employees, both on the production floor and in the corporate office have to deal with increased job urgency due to surging competition, and the ability to scale at a much quicker rate. Various studies and surveys have indicated that a culture of urgency in the workplace can lead to increased levels of employees feeling stressed and anxious, only further increasing burnout among employees. For many people, when the going gets tough, they simply quit and move on to the next thing, leaving automakers even more short-staffed. The doom cycle then only begins to repeat itself, as employees become increasingly burned out, many job dissatisfaction, leading many to quit or resign, further causing a higher employee turn around, and more pressure on existing employees to complete projects. will experience higher levels of Working in such a dynamic and multi-dimensional industry was never expected to be easy, yet many people continue to flock towards these opportunities for better pay and wages. show that some Tesla employees make a minimum of $80,000 per year, with a maximum making around $235,000 annually. The average salary for a Tesla employee was around $149,351 per year, making the median $145,000, with roughly 39.1% of Tesla employees making between $150,000 and $199,999. Records Other that many EV companies have been bumping up salaries to attract younger talent, with some mid-level jobs seeing a nearly 100% increase in pay, while senior management has received a steady, yet robust 50% pay increase. research suggests If you want to make money, you will need to work for it, that’s for sure. Finishing Thoughts New job seekers are taking better advantage of the increased opportunities that have been presented by the booming electric vehicle industry. However, the job doesn’t come easy, and demand is high, often creating stiff competition in the labor market. More importantly, future employees who want to work at some of the most innovative companies in the auto industry will need to hold a dedicated degree or qualification, which also doesn’t come easy. While no job is without a sense of urgency or stress, working on some of the most exciting projects that will help reshape the future of the global automotive market is perhaps something worth consideration. Although the journey leading up isn’t easy and requires a tremendous amount of investment, there’s truly something rewarding about working with all-electric cars that will help drive the next generation.

Currents of Opportunity: Navigating Job Openings in the Electric Vehicle Industry

সুযোগের স্রোত: বৈদ্যুতিক যানবাহন শিল্পে চাকরির সুযোগ নেভিগেট করা

Chancenströme: Navigieren zu offenen Stellen in der Elektrofahrzeugindustrie

Corrientes de oportunidades: navegando por las ofertas laborales en la industria de vehículos eléctricos

Courants d'opportunités : naviguer dans les offres d'emploi dans l'industrie des véhicules électriques

अवसर की धाराएँ: इलेक्ट्रिक वाहन उद्योग में नौकरी के अवसर तलाशना

チャンスの流れ: 電気自動車業界の求人をナビゲートする

기회의 흐름: 전기 자동차 산업에서 채용 기회 탐색

Correntes de oportunidades: navegando por vagas de emprego na indústria de veículos elétricos

Потоки возможностей: поиск вакансий в отрасли электромобилей

Fırsat Akımları: Elektrikli Araç Endüstrisindeki İş Fırsatlarını Yönlendirmek

Dòng cơ hội: Tìm kiếm cơ hội việc làm trong ngành xe điện

机遇潮流：电动汽车行业的职位空缺

The American auto industry finds itself on potentially shaky ground, as a significant and historic labor movement gains momentum. On September 15, automotive production came to a screeching halt at three major facilities located in Michigan, Ohio, and Missouri. Details on the Strike This stoppage is due to nearly 13,000 members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) union deciding to down tools and walk off the job. Notably, this marks the inaugural occasion in U.S. history where the UAW has simultaneously initiated strikes against the "Big Three" automakers: Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis. Stellantis, it should be noted, isn't just a single brand. It encompasses a portfolio of 14 different automotive brands, which includes household names like Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep. This wave of strikes was prompted by the expiration of union contracts for a vast number of UAW members, totaling approximately 150,000, who work for the Big Three. These contracts ran out on September 14. According to the details of this now-expired agreement, full-time autoworkers would start with an hourly wage of $18. This rate could climb to a peak of $32 per hour, but only after they have dedicated eight years to the job. Several pressing questions emerge in the wake of these developments. What is the Biden administration’s proposed plan to navigate or potentially mitigate this labor dispute? It remains crucial for the authorities to address this swiftly, given the immense economic implications of a prolonged strike and the negative consequences it can have on the livelihoods of thousands of workers. CBS that Ford Motor said it had temporarily laid off 600 non-striking workers at its assembly plant in Wayne, Michigan, only hours after other employees at the facility had walked off the job early Friday. reported UAW President Shawn Fain visited the Wayne plant Friday and said the strike will continue until Ford, GM, and Stellantis (which owns Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and RAM, along with foreign brands such as Peugeot and Open) lift worker wages and improve job security. Interestingly, in August, the Biden administration billions in grants and loans to help the auto industry transition to making electric vehicles — while retaining union workers for the new jobs, announced as reported by Michigan Radio. The $15.5 billion program is expected to be administered by the Department of Energy. Car companies that have a long history in auto manufacturing with an existing union workforce, will get preference for some of the money. That could mean the Detroit Three would have an application advantage over car makers in southern states with non-unionized workforces. While the immediate effects of the strike seem detrimental, it's possible that some sectors or entities might find an advantage. Who stands to benefit from this labor unrest? With traditional automakers facing such disruptions, does this present an opportunity for the Electric Vehicle (EV) market to capture a larger share? Could this strike inadvertently propel the EV industry to the forefront of the American automotive sector? The UAW strike is not just about immediate labor concerns. Beneath the surface, there's a deeper undercurrent of unease about the impending shift towards EVs and its potential implications for the labor market. By virtue of having fewer parts than their traditional internal combustion counterparts, EVs inherently demand less manual labor, potentially leading to significant job cuts. Moreover, the geographic distribution of these emerging EV industries raises eyebrows. A substantial portion of the new plants dedicated to EV manufacturing is sprouting in the southern states, where the climate is not particularly friendly towards labor unions. Companies like Tesla and several Asian EV manufacturers, while pioneering in the field, are criticized for not compensating their workforce adequately. The relatively lower wage structure in these firms stands in sharp contrast to what unionized workers in traditional automakers earn. Recognizing the tidal wave of change coming, the UAW sees this juncture as crucial. It's not just about immediate wages or working conditions; it's about setting a precedent for the future of American EV manufacturing. The union aims to ensure that as the EV industry flourishes, the workforce isn't sidelined but rather receives a just portion of the burgeoning profits. Parallel to this labor-management dispute runs a broader political narrative. There's an ongoing tug-of-war between factions advocating a rapid shift to EVs to curb carbon emissions and those championing the rights of fossil fuels. Some argue for a more laissez-faire approach, proposing that market forces alone should dictate the speed of this automotive evolution. What Happens Next? Amidst this complicated and layered saga, the Biden administration has come under scrutiny. The question arises: What steps is the current government taking to mediate and guide this transformation? As we stand on the cusp of an automotive revolution, the choices made now will undoubtedly influence the trajectory of the U.S. auto industry for decades. The intersection of labor rights, technological advancements, and environmental concerns promises a difficult road ahead, and we will need to come together to navigate it. Only time will tell how these events will unfold and shape the future of the American automotive landscape. Until then, let us hope everyone keeps their jobs.

Is America’s Auto Industry in Trouble?

From mass layoffs (231,349 and counting so far this year) to fears about generative AI’s impact on the job market, you could be forgiven for thinking tech is in a precarious position. And while the World Economic Forum did little to alleviate tensions when it reported last year that AI would abolish , the good news for those working in tech is that AI-compatible roles are on the rise and are expected to increase significantly by 83 million global jobs by 2027 2028. In fact, according to recent data compiled by McKinsey, generative AI is now being and 22% use it regularly to complete their . used by 79% of all workers day-to-day work tasks Bearing all this in mind, it’s clear that upskilling is imperative if you want to futureproof your career. Similarly, shifting gears and pivoting to a growth area or new sectors like prompt engineering is something to consider, particularly when you factor in that prompt engineers at OpenAI are reportedly being paid up to per year. $300,000 Below you’ll find five roles that are hiring right now (prompt engineer included) but you can also find thousands of other opportunities to accelerate your career now and into the future on the . Hackernoon Job Board Artificial Intelligence Research Scientist, Soar Technology, Orlando SoarTech is focussed on the development of AI to be an augmentation to, not a replacement of, humans. It is currently looking for full-time to lead research, development and transition activities in the areas of artificial intelligence, human behavior modeling, natural language processing, machine learning, multi-agent systems, deep learning, agent-based social simulation, data analytics, intelligent user interfaces, complex adaptive systems, decision support systems, learning science, learning technologies, augmented reality, virtual reality, simulation, robotics, data fusion, and/or game development. Activities in this area include developing and executing new concepts for addressing some of the most challenging issues associated with the use of AI, and helping in the creation of Research and Development (R&D) proposals. . Research Scientists/Principal Investigators (PIs) Apply here Prompt Engineer/Generative AI Engineer, STELLANTIS, Auburn Hills As a , your role is to design, develop, refine, and optimize AI-generated text prompts to ensure they are accurate, engaging, and relevant for various applications. It includes natural language processing (NLP) models and prompts that drive the performance and effectiveness of language models and conversational AI systems. You will work with generative models and implement prompt engineering to create new and innovative AI products. In this role you will collaborate with data scientists, machine learning engineers, and cross-functional teams to create high-quality prompts and enhance the overall user experience. . Prompt Engineer/Generative AI Engineer Learn more about this role here Senior Frontend Engineer, Remote, Givebutter, Wilmington Fundraising platform Givebutter allows nonprofits to replace multiple tools so they can launch fundraisers and events, use donation forms and donor management (CRM), send emails and text blasts. It is hiring a to contribute to building Givebutter’s products, primarily the CRM platform, perform peer code reviews, ensuring that code meets acceptance criteria, adheres to company code guidelines and follows engineering best practices and work closely with the design team using Figma to build out components and features. . Senior Frontend Engineer View additional details here AIML - Senior Software Engineer, Data & ML Innovations, Apple, Cupertino Apple is seeking a highly skilled and experienced to join Apple AIML and help design and develop infrastructure and work on various machine learning solutions and models. You will also have the chance to collaborate with product teams and utilize your expertise to solve technical challenges for upcoming products. Your responsibilities will include building the on-device machine learning infrastructure, working with product teams, and contributing to the development of machine learning solutions and platforms. . Senior Software Engineer See the full job description here Artificial Intelligence Developer, Lockheed Martin, Herndon Lockheed Martin Space is driven by innovation and it is hiring an to work with program personnel to develop intelligent factory implementation strategies, drive development and deployment of solutions that directly reduce manufacturing, assembly, integration, and testing costs and schedule and work with programs to define project success criteria and ensure completion of milestones. As such, you will need to be familiar with disciplines such as natural language processing, machine learning, predictive modeling, statistical analysis and hypothesis testing and collaborate with customers and stakeholders to understand and assess business requirements and define AI solutions to align business needs. . Artificial Intelligence Developer Get more information here . For thousands more jobs across tech, visit the Hackernoon Job Board today

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THE MAN OF THE SEAS

THE STARS OF SUMMER

THE HABITS OF INSECTS IN RELATION TO THE FERTILISATION OF FLOWERS

The Wheels of Chance by H. G. Wells, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book here . HOW MR. HOOPDRIVER REACHED MIDHURST HOW MR. HOOPDRIVER REACHED MIDHURST It was one of my uncle's profoundest remarks that human beings are the only unreasonable creatures. This observation was so far justified by Mr. Hoopdriver that, after spending the morning tortuously avoiding the other man in brown and the Young Lady in Grey, he spent a considerable part of the afternoon in thinking about the Young Lady in Grey, and contemplating in an optimistic spirit the possibilities of seeing her again. Memory and imagination played round her, so that his course was largely determined by the windings of the road he traversed. Of one general proposition he was absolutely convinced. “There's something Juicy wrong with 'em,” said he—once even aloud. But what it was he could not imagine. He recapitulated the facts. “Miss Beaumont—brother and sister—and the stoppage to quarrel and weep—” it was perplexing material for a young man of small experience. There was no exertion he hated so much as inference, and after a time he gave up any attempt to get at the realities of the case, and let his imagination go free. Should he ever see her again? Suppose he did—with that other chap not about. The vision he found pleasantest was an encounter with her, an unexpected encounter at the annual Dancing Class 'Do' at the Putney Assembly Rooms. Somehow they would drift together, and he would dance with her again and again. It was a pleasant vision, for you must understand that Mr. Hoopdriver danced uncommonly well. Or again, in the shop, a sudden radiance in the doorway, and she is bowed towards the Manchester counter. And then to lean over that counter and murmur, seemingly apropos of the goods under discussion, “I have not forgotten that morning on the Portsmouth road,” and lower, “I never shall forget.” At Northchapel Mr. Hoopdriver consulted his map and took counsel and weighed his course of action. Petworth seemed a possible resting-place, or Pullborough; Midhurst seemed too near, and any place over the Downs beyond, too far, and so he meandered towards Petworth, posing himself perpetually and loitering, gathering wild flowers and wondering why they had no names—for he had never heard of any—dropping them furtively at the sight of a stranger, and generally 'mucking about.' There were purple vetches in the hedges, meadowsweet, honeysuckle, belated brambles—but the dog-roses had already gone; there were green and red blackberries, stellarias, and dandelions, and in another place white dead nettles, traveller's-joy, clinging bedstraw, grasses flowering, white campions, and ragged robins. One cornfield was glorious with poppies, bright scarlet and purple white, and the blue corn-flowers were beginning. In the lanes the trees met overhead, and the wisps of hay still hung to the straggling hedges. Iri one of the main roads he steered a perilous passage through a dozen surly dun oxen. Here and there were little cottages, and picturesque beer-houses with the vivid brewers' boards of blue and scarlet, and once a broad green and a church, and an expanse of some hundred houses or so. Then he came to a pebbly rivulet that emerged between clumps of sedge loosestrife and forget-me-nots under an arch of trees, and rippled across the road, and there he dismounted, longing to take off shoes and stockings—those stylish chequered stockings were now all dimmed with dust—and paddle his lean legs in the chuckling cheerful water. But instead he sat in a manly attitude, smoking a cigarette, for fear lest the Young Lady in Grey should come glittering round the corner. For the flavour of the Young Lady in Grey was present through it all, mixing with the flowers and all the delight of it, a touch that made this second day quite different from the first, an undertone of expectation, anxiety, and something like regret that would not be ignored. It was only late in the long evening that, quite abruptly, he began to repent, vividly and decidedly, having fled these two people. He was getting hungry, and that has a curious effect upon the emotional colouring of our minds. The man was a sinister brute, Hoopdriver saw in a flash of inspiration, and the girl—she was in some serious trouble. And he who might have helped her had taken his first impulse as decisive—and bolted. This new view of it depressed him dreadfully. What might not be happening to her now? He thought again of her tears. Surely it was merely his duty, seeing the trouble afoot, to keep his eye upon it. He began riding fast to get quit of such selfreproaches. He found himself in a tortuous tangle of roads, and as the dusk was coming on, emerged, not at Petworth but at Easebourne, a mile from Midhurst. “I'm getting hungry,” said Mr. Hoopdriver, inquiring of a gamekeeper in Easebourne village. “Midhurst a mile, and Petworth five!—Thenks, I'll take Midhurst.” He came into Midhurst by the bridge at the watermill, and up the North Street, and a little shop flourishing cheerfully, the cheerful sign of a teapot, and exhibiting a brilliant array of tobaccos, sweets, and children's toys in the window, struck his fancy. A neat, bright-eyed little old lady made him welcome, and he was presently supping sumptuously on sausages and tea, with a visitors' book full of the most humorous and flattering remarks about the little old lady, in verse and prose, propped up against his teapot as he ate. Regular good some of the jokes were, and rhymes that read well—even with your mouth full of sausage. Mr. Hoopdriver formed a vague idea of drawing “something”—for his judgment on the little old lady was already formed. He pictured the little old lady discovering it afterwards—“My gracious! One of them Punch men,” she would say. The room had a curtained recess and a chest of drawers, for presently it was to be his bedroom, and the day part of it was decorated with framed Oddfellows' certificates and giltbacked books and portraits, and kettle-holders, and all kinds of beautiful things made out of wool; very comfortable it was indeed. The window was lead framed and diamond paned, and through it one saw the corner of the vicarage and a pleasant hill crest, in dusky silhouette against the twilight sky. And after the sausages had ceased to be, he lit a Red Herring cigarette and went swaggering out into the twilight street. All shadowy blue between its dark brick houses, was the street, with a bright yellow window here and there and splashes of green and red where the chemist's illumination fell across the road. 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. H. G. Wells (2009). The Wheels of Chance. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October 2022, from https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1264/1264-h/1264-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 www.gutenberg.org, located at https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html.

HOW MR. HOOPDRIVER REACHED MIDHURST

Worlds Within Worlds: The Story of Nuclear Energy, Volume 3 (of 3), by Isaac Asimov is part of HackerNoon’s Book Blog Post series. You can jump to any chapter in this book here . Volume III, NUCLEAR FUSION: Controlled Fusion Controlled Fusion However effective a fusion bomb may be in liberating vast quantities of energy, it is not what one has in mind when 151speaking of a fusion power station. The energy of a fusion bomb is released all at once and its only function is that of utter destruction. What is wanted is the production of fusion energy at a low and steady rate—a rate that is under the control of human operators. The sun, for instance, is a vast fusion furnace 866,000 miles across, but it is a controlled one—even though that control is exerted by the impersonal laws of nature. It releases energy at a very steady and very slow rate. (The rate is not slow in human terms, of course, but stars sometimes do release their energy in a much more cataclysmic fashion. The result is a “supernova” in which for a short time a single star will increase its radiation to as much as a trillion times its normal level.) The sun (or any star) going at its normal rate is controlled and steady in its output because of the advantage of huge mass. An enormous mass, composed mainly of hydrogen, compresses itself, through its equally enormous gravitational field, into huge densities and temperatures at its center, thus igniting the fusion reaction—while the same gravitational field keeps the sun together against its tendency to expand. There is, as far as scientists know, no conceivable way of concentrating a high gravitational field in the absence of the required mass, and the creation of controlled fusion on earth must therefore be done without the aid of gravity. Without a huge gravitational force we cannot simultaneously bring about sun-center densities and sun-center temperatures; one or the other must go. On the whole, it would take much less energy to aim at the temperatures than at the densities and would be much more feasible. For this reason, physicists have been attempting, all through the nuclear age, to heat thin wisps of hydrogen to enormous temperature. Since the gas is thin, the nuclei are farther apart and collide with each other far fewer times per second. To achieve fusion ignition, therefore, temperatures must be considerably higher than those at the center of the sun. In 1944 Fermi calculated that it might take a temperature of 50,000,000° to ignite a hydrogen-3 fusion with hydrogen-2 under earthly conditions, and 400,000,000° to ignite hydrogen-2 fusion alone. To ignite hydrogen-1 fusion, which is what goes on in the sun (at a mere 15,000,000°), physicists would have to raise their sights to beyond the billion-degree mark. A supernova photographed on March 10, 1935. The same star on May 6. This would make it seem almost essential to use hydrogen-3 in one fashion or another. Even if it can’t be prepared in quantity to begin with, it might be formed by neutron bombardment of lithium, with the neutrons being formed by the fusion reaction. In this way, you would start with lithium and hydrogen-2 plus a little hydrogen-3. The hydrogen-3 is formed as fast as it is used up. Although in the end hydrogen is converted to helium in a controlled fusion reaction as in the sun, the individual steps in the reaction under human control are quite different from those in the sun. Still, even the temperatures required for hydrogen-3 represent an enormous problem, particularly since the temperature must not only be reached, but must be held for a period of time. (You can pass a piece of paper rapidly through a candle flame without lighting it. It must be held in the flame for a short period to give it a chance to heat and ignite.) The English physicist John David Lawson (1923- ) worked out the requirements in 1957. The time depended on the density of the gas. The denser the gas, the shorter the period over which the temperature had to be maintained. If the gas is about one hundred-thousand times as dense as air, the proper temperature must be held, under the most favorable conditions, for about one thousandth of a second. There are a number of different ways in which a quantity of hydrogen can be heated to very high temperatures—through electric currents, through magnetic fields, through 154laser beams and so on. As the temperature goes up into the tens of thousands of degrees, the hydrogen atoms (or any atoms) are broken up into free electrons and bare nuclei. Such a mixture of charged particles is called a “plasma”. Ever since physicists have begun to try to work with very hot gases, with fusion energy in mind, they have had to study the properties of such “plasma”, and a whole new science of “plasma physics” has come into existence. But if you do heat a gas to very high temperatures, it will tend to expand and thin out to uselessness. How can such a super-hot gas be confined in a fixed volume without an enormous gravitational field to hold it together? An obvious answer would be to place it in a container, but no ordinary container of matter will serve to hold the hot gas. You may think this is because the temperature of the gas will simply melt or vaporize whatever matter encloses it. This is not so. Although the gas is at a very high temperature, it is so thin that it has very little total heat. It does not have enough heat to melt the solid walls of a container. What happens instead is that the hot plasma cools down the moment it touches the solid walls and the entire attempt to heat it is ruined. What’s more, if you try to invest the enormous energies required to keep the plasma hot despite the cooling effect of the container walls, then the walls will gradually heat and melt. Nor must one wait for the walls to melt and the plasma to escape before finding the attempt at fusion ruined. Even as the walls heat up they liberate some of their own atoms into the plasma and introduce impurities that will prevent the fusion reaction. Any material container is therefore out of the question. Fortunately, there is a nonmaterial way of confining plasma. Since plasma consists of a mixture of electrically charged particles, it can experience electromagnetic interactions. Instead of keeping the plasma in a material container, you can surround it by a magnetic field that is designed to 155keep it in place. Such a magnetic field is not affected by any heat, however great, and cannot be a source of material impurity. In 1934, the American physicist Willard Harrison Bennett (1903- ) had worked out a theory dealing with the behavior of magnetic fields enclosing plasma. It came to be called the “pinch effect” because the magnetic field pinched the gas together and held it in place. The first attempt to make use of the pinch effect for confining plasma, with eventual ignition of fusion in mind, was in 1951 by the English physicist Alan Alfred Ware (1924- ). Other physicists followed, not only in Great Britain, but in the United States and the Soviet Union as well. The first use of the pinch effect was to confine the plasma in a cylinder. This, however, could not be made to work. The situation was too unstable. The plasma was held momentarily, then writhed and broke up. Plasma in a magnetic field. Enormous machines and complex equipment, such as the Scyllac machine shown above, are required for nuclear fusion research. Attempts were made to remove the instability. The field was so designed as to be stronger at the ends of the cylinder than elsewhere. The particles in the plasma would stream toward one end or another and would then bounce back producing a so-called “magnetic mirror”. 157 In 1951 the American physicist Lyman Spitzer, Jr. (1914- ) had worked out the theoretical benefits to be derived from a container twisted into a figure-eight shape. Eventually, such devices were built and called “stellarators” from the Latin word for “star”, because it was hoped that it would produce the conditions that would allow the sort of fusion reactions that went on in stars. All through the 1950s and 1960s, physicists have been slowly inching toward their goal, reaching higher and higher temperatures and holding them for longer and longer periods in denser and denser gases. In 1969 the Soviet Union used a device called “Tokamak-3” (a Russian abbreviation for their phrase for “electric-magnetic”) to keep a supply of hydrogen-2, a millionth as dense as air, in place while heating it to tens of millions of degrees for a hundredth of a second. A little denser, a little hotter, a little longer—and controlled fusion might become possible. [5] 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. Isaac Asimov. 2015. Worlds Within Worlds: The Story of Nuclear Energy, Volume 3 (of 3). Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved May 2022 from https://www.gutenberg.org/files/49821/49821-h/49821-h.htm#c38 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 .

Volume 3: Controlled Fusion

Video games will one day surpass films and TV as the most popular storytelling medium. You've heard it here first and please be sure to credit me for my prediction once this comes true within the next 20 years. In this article, we talk about the games that best illustrate how well video games can tell stories. This Slack discussion by Nicolas Ng, Jack Boreham, Jeffrey Harris, and I occurred in 's official #gaming channel, and has been edited for readability. Slogging What games best illustrate the potential for video games as a storytelling medium? Limarc Ambalina Feb 5, 2021, 12:10 AM For me, I would have to go with The Last of Us and What Remains of Edith Finch which I covered in my article. The Last of Us is great at seamlessly (IMO) transitioning from gameplay to cutscene and interlacing story throughout the gameplay itself. Sometimes the best moments didn't come from cutscenes, but when Joel and Ellie were just walking around the environment (I'm looking at you giraffe scene: ). What Remains of Edith Finch showed the power of gameplay itself as a storytelling medium. It made the most mundane tasks (like taking a bath) feel refreshing and interesting. While this game is called a walking simulator by some, it is so much more than that. I'd recommend it as an introduction title for people who have never picked up a game in their lives but love great stories and want to give story-based games a chance! Limarc Ambalina Feb 5, 2021, 12:15 AM https://hackernoon.com/the-5-best-video-games-i-played-in-2020-0q7v318p https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMjdl_uYXgE Honestly, I'll always point at Nier: Automata for doing that like nothing else. It's got a well-deserved reputation for being really, really weird with some of the strangest sequences to prove a point. The game ties in quite a few game mechanics with the story. Things like being able to straight up disable the HUD by removing an item or having the interface getting completely messed up because it reflects what's going on in the story itself. The thing that sells it though, is the true ending. I can't say what it is but it is something that you have to play to truly experience.  Watching it on Youtube doesn't do it justice at all The other would have to be Stelaris. Naughty Dog uses games as a way to their story with game mechanics really well. Stellaris on the other hand uses its game mechanics for the player to create their own story. There's enough freedom in the game to find yourself the leader of an interstellar federation fending off extradimensional threats or being the Galactic Empire and carting around a planet-destroying superweapon to bully the other empires. They do it really well by using a library of random events to keep things interesting like new planets having a subterranean race hidden inside and stuff. It's another way video games are can tell stories, just the other way Nicolas Ng Feb 7, 2021, 9:18 PM Personally, the recent God of War illustrates the potential of video games as a storytelling medium. The team over at Santa Monica  Studios turned the franchise from originally a slasher into an in-depth storytelling series. They effectively gave Kratos emotion and depth, otherwise sought not possible. His relationship with his son is encapsulating and adds deep story layers to the franchise. The game itself not only has a deep story but shows how effective games are at storytelling. As no one could have imagined the God of War would turn from being an emotionless god slayer to a kind and caring father. It shows how games are perfect storytelling mediums. Jack Boreham Feb 8, 2021, 7:39 PM Nicolas Ng that's very interesting to hear. I actually played about 3 hours of the game and then got caught up playing Warzone and just stopped. I'll have to go back to it. And I've actually never heard of Stellaris.   Looking into it now, I've never experienced strategy games with a good story. I love games like Age of Empires and Command & Conquer, but I've never really played those games for the story, so it's surprising that you mentioned a strategy game in this thread! I'm always all for games that let players create their own story. Games that force the players to use their own imagination are special in their own right. Limarc Ambalina Feb 8, 2021, 11:08 PM Jack Boreham I've gotta shamefully admit that I've never played any God of War game...now that all of them are pretty cheap to pick up I'll have to give them a try. About the most recent release, I feel like games that focus on the relationship between just 2 characters have been some of the most successful: Last of Us, Brothers, TellTale's The Walking Dead, etc. Limarc Ambalina Feb 8, 2021, 11:10 PM Without a doubt The Witcher 3. The Witcher 3 drops you in a dark fantasy setting, and your choices and actions dictate your gameplay experience. CD Projekt Red put in subtle work to show the environments changing based on the story. Your actions will affect how NPCs view you in certain areas. Some NPCs will sing songs about your deeds. This is a higher level of storytelling than what can be achieved in a movie or TV show. It's storytelling in the passive gameplay. It's environmental storytelling. It's immersive storytelling. JeffreyHarris-HackerNoon Feb 15, 2021, 8:05 AM If you condemn someone to die, you can go back and see their decaying corpse later. The game pays off the side quest material in ways you would never expect that's deeply rewarding in ways most games do not do. JeffreyHarris-HackerNoon Feb 15, 2021, 8:06 AM

The Potential for Video Games as a Storytelling Medium: 6 Best Story-Driven Games

Instagram is currently one of the top marketing platforms for brands and businesses. With ever-evolving features for content and in-app shopping, there’s no sign of slowing for the social media giant’s prowess and the need for businesses to establish a firm presence. Even if you are not a business, it’s increasingly important that you establish yourself on the platform, as Instagram is the quintessential marker of social proof; if you don’t have a solid Instagram profile, your reputation won’t stand as tall. Artists, musicians, public figures, designers, chefs, photographers, lawyers— you name it, no matter what your niche or specialty, you need a solid Instagram. In addition to social cred and business expansion, there’s a big opportunity to monetize the platform through sponsorships, brand partnerships, conversion, and more. If you are able to establish yourself on Instagram, doors begin to open for you. So, sounds great, right? While mega Instagram stars make it look easy, there are a lot of blood, sweat, and tears that go into creating a flourishing Instagram profile. Not only do you need to focus on strong content and hashtag strategy, but you’ve also got to clock the required hours engaging with users on the platform to generate more interest in and awareness of your account. I know, tired just thinking about it. Well, you’re not alone. It’s completely understandable that spending hours searching for users in your target audience, engaging with them and their content, and then responding isn’t at the top of your want-to-do list. With so many other things to manage, it can be pretty overwhelming. Fear not— there is a solution, and a popular one at that. Instagram growth services are here to save the day, taking over your hours spent engaging with new users on Instagram so that you can refocus your workflow and take back your time. A good Instagram growth service can be a lifesaver, but a bad one can be a nightmare. It’s tough to choose the right growth services with so many restrictions from Instagram and shady business practices. You may be reliving a bad experience with one as you read, it’s not uncommon. To make the decision a little easier and a little less time-consuming, we’ve created this ultimate go-to list for the top 5 Instagram growth services. These growth services are the cream of the crop, and you should definitely consider using one of them. Not only will we introduce you to the top growth services on the market, we’ll tell you a little about each type of growth service you can choose from, and how to get the best results. Without further ado, here are the top Instagram growth services and tips to round out the year. Best Instagram Growth Services in 2021 Before we get started with our list, you can do a few things to make sure that you get optimal results with these growth services. We’ll get more into that later, but the first thing you want to do is make sure that your account is set to public. If your account isn’t set to public, the results that you can gain from these services will be hindered, as users don’t typically follow users that are private unless they are close to them in real life. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot before you even begin— go public. Also, ensure that you have your account set to a professional or creator account. That way, you’ll be able to have access to valuable analytics, known on Instagram as insights, so that you can see just how your content is performing and track your stats. Alright, let’s take a look at the top Instagram growth services! 1. Growthoid Offering a no-frills, transparent, and effective organic Instagram growth service, Growthoid is our top pick for an Instagram growth service. They’ve totally reinvented the wheel in terms of how growth services work and their results speak for themselves. is a targeted Instagram growth service that uses interactions to generate interest around your profile, gaining real followers and increasing your engagement. You won’t have to worry about any fake or irrelevant followers, as Growthoid is meticulous in following your targeting instructions. Growthoid How can they be so precise? Growthoid’s service is , which means they don’t use bots or automation to do any of their searching or interacting. , so it’s just as if you were doing it yourself, except they’ll do it for you. completely manual Everything is done by hand Growthoid assigns you a after you sign up, and they will then ask you for your targeting instructions. Once you collaborate with them and provide them your targets, they’ll immediately get working on interacting with those users and begin to bring you new followers that care about your content. dedicated account manager The great thing is that followers who care about your content bring you higher levels of engagement, which means you’ll perform better against the Instagram algorithms, perpetuating a continual cycle of growth. That’s the ultimate Instagram growth goal. Growthoid offers two affordable monthly plans alongside a 14-day money-back guarantee. Their support team and account managers are unmatched in their expertise and passion for getting their clients results. It’s quite unlike any other Instagram growth service we’ve seen. Working with Growthoid is a joy and a pleasure, but if you feel that you’ve got your growth under control after a while with them, their plans are no contract, so you won’t have to worry about sacrificing your flexibility. 2. Growthsilo Our second top Instagram growth service goes to Growthsilo. Growthsilo is also a fully-managed Instagram growth service, which means you’ll be enjoying similarly excellent results to what you’d see from Growthoid. One awesome thing about Growthsilo is that their setup process is super quick and you’ll start to see your account manager taking action on your account soon after you sign up. This is a good sign that Growthsilo actually cares about your account and wants to get you great results. In addition to their simple sign-up process, Growthsilo will focus on your targeting instructions to get people in your target audience looking at your account and following you. Because engagement is so important, it’s a good thing that Growthsilo will bring you targeted followers. The better your engagement on Instagram, the more reach your content will get. That’s one of the biggest benefits to using an organic Instagram growth service that is operated manually. Growthsilo gives you peace of mind through their 14-day guarantee; they offer two plans, one of which gives you more options in terms of targeting and speed of results. 3. Stellation Media Stellation Media offers an interesting take on Instagram growth, taking advantage of the widely popular Instagram stories feature to propel your Instagram follower growth to new heights. Through many different mass engagements, including mass story views, mass DMs, mass likes, mass commenting, and more, Stellation Media will generate interest around your profile and get many more people looking at your account. They claim really high levels of follower growth, and while their service is a bit pricier than others on the list, they can be a great choice if you want to capitalize off of Instagram stories and use one of Instagram’s most popular features to your advantage. Instagram stories have increased time spent on Instagram by an average of 28 minutes, so there is definitely a draw to Instagram stories that can result in follower growth when done right. 4. Nitreo Coming in at number 4, Nitreo is a top-caliber option for gaining real Instagram followers. Nitreo works through your targets in order to connect with users that are in your ranges, bringing them to your profile. While Nitreo isn’t a fully-managed service, they still offer competitive targeting options and draw valuable users to your account. It’s hard to find a service that is responsive and dedicated to your success, and we can definitely say that Nitreo is. Promising to gain more engagement for your account, Nitreo offers two monthly options that you can choose from depending on your needs. 5. Upleap Our final choice for the best Instagram growth service is Upleap. WIth Upleap, you’ll enjoy an expansion of real followers through engagement techniques according to your specific targeting options. Upleap offers to help guide you through the setup process, and once you’re setup, you can sit back and watch them work. That’s not to say that you don’t have to continue to work; in order to see results, you have to keep producing strong content and posting it on schedule. More about that later. In terms of plans and pricing, Upleap offers three different options, but you’ve got to fork over a bit more in order to benefit from all the best features. In any case, Upleap can be a terrific option if you’re looking for more followers from interactions like follows, likes, story views, and more. Other Instagram Growth Tools for Best Results While Instagram growth services will complete the task of engaging with users in your target audience, there are plenty of other Instagram growth tools out there that you should absolutely be taking advantage of. If you use these tools in tandem with one of our top 5 Instagram growth services, there’s no doubt you’ll be absolutely ecstatic about your results. These tools can help you make your profile and content better, as well as keep you on track and informed about what your account is doing. Canva Canva is an awesome tool that can help you to become a graphic design expert with even the littlest of experience. Okay, so all of their templates are already created, and they’re beautiful, but they do give you the option to edit them and customize them as you see fit. They offer great templates for Instagram stories, Instagram posts, animated social media posts, as well as Instagram story highlight album covers. All of these are really important in terms of upholding a cohesive brand image, which means using a tool like Canva can catapult your Instagram content to the next level. They’re free to use with a Pro option for a small annual fee, so you’ve got nothing to lose. Later If you’re looking for a way to streamline your posting schedule as well as visually imagine your content before it goes live, there’s no better tool out there than Later. Later gives you a variety of cool features like advanced Instagram post scheduling, a visual schedule planner, user-generated content finder, linkin.bio, among others. Through their post scheduling and visual planner, you can make sure your content always gets to your followers right on time, looking its best. Later does have a free option, but depending on your needs, it might be worth it to opt for one of their monthly plans. The good news is that you have choices. Iconosquare The most popular analytics service in the market, Iconosquare can take you to the next level in terms of understanding your Instagram account and performance. Using their service, you can see easy-to-understand visual reports of many different actionable Instagram performance metrics. Iconosquare offers a more streamlined view of your performance than Instagram insights, so if you need to reconsider your content and , Iconosquare can take you there. hashtag strategy Types of Instagram Growth Services Now that we know about the best Instagram growth services and tools to use, let’s take a look at all of the available options out there on the market so you can have a clear picture of what exists beyond this list. Instagram Bots Instagram bots were the most recent trend in Instagram growth; while it has a pretty successful run, and automation services were heavily targeted by Instagram, with most of the top automation services being forced to shut down either due to issues with Instagram or lack of results. Instagram bots Instagram automation was challenged by Instagram because they were producing engagements and follows in such high numbers that it overwhelmed the platform and its users, negatively affecting the user experience. Due to this, Instagram set limits on how bots and third parties could engage with the platform. While you may still see a few Instagram bots and automation services out there, they don’t typically work to bring you the results you need because they are not able to operate at full service. Many of these services over-promise results and fail to deliver, inevitably causing problems for them and their clients. In today’s Instagram climate, Instagram bots are not the most effective Instagram growth option. Purchased Follower Packages Probably one of the worst decisions you can make for your Instagram, purchased follower packages basically deliver followers to your Instagram. Most will drip them on over a period of a few days so that Instagram doesn’t flag you, but it does little to make up for their offerings. While most will claim to have high-quality followers, the simple reality is that you simply can’t buy real and engaged Instagram followers. When they say high quality, it means they look real. They’re not. In the past, your Instagram follower count was the biggest indicator of success, but these days a huge emphasis is put on engagement. Since these followers won’t engage at all, they’ll only end up harming your account. All in all, there’s really no good reason why you should buy packages of Instagram followers, as they aren’t going to help you reach your Instagram goals. Organic Manual Instagram Growth Services Organic Instagram growth services are meant to use engagements to help you gain real followers that actually care about your content. As you can see, this is the result that everyone hopes for, and only through targeting and interaction can a growth service achieve it for you. Services like Growthoid and Growthsilo will be able to help bring real followers to your account, and they don’t pretend to bring in thousands a month. They’re realistic about what organic growth is, and work with you to ensure that you get the best and most effective results. If you’re going to hire a growth service, make sure they operate according to organic growth standards. How to Make Instagram Growth Services Work for You Instagram growth services, even the best ones, do their part by generating interest around your account and bringing real users to check you out. Just because you’re paying for a growth service doesn’t mean your work is over, however— help them help you. What you do with your account has a big impact on your results. Here are a few things you can do to help make sure you get the best results from your Instagram growth service: Know your target audience: if you don’t provide proper targets, you’re bound to be disappointed by what you receive. Know who is in your target audience, what the best hashtags are, location and gender information, as well as similar accounts that you’d like to mirror. Partner with your growth service to help if you feel lost. Targets matter a lot. Optimize your content: offering run-of-the-mill content isn’t going to help you much. Find ways to set yourself apart, be creative, be authentic, show a clear and reflective brand image, and take advantage of all the features on Instagram. The better your content, the more successful your growth service. Post consistently: If you’re not actively posting on Instagram, your profile will look inconsistent and ill-maintained. In order to get best results, make sure that you have a strong content posting strategy as well as a schedule that is optimized for maximum reach. Don’t neglect posting to frequently as well, as followers take notice of this when they come across your account. Instagram stories Conclusion on Instagram Growth Services All in all, choosing the right Instagram growth service can save you an immense amount of time and worry in terms of interacting with users in your target audience, therefore helping to grow your Instagram follower count. We know that having a healthy follower base as well as engagement ratio is the key to Instagram success, so after you choose one of these awesome Instagram growth services, don’t forget to implement the other tools and tips to make sure you get the most out of your Instagram growth service investment!

Top 5 Instagram Growth Services

Create your first escrow smart contract on the Stellar network. Before reading this tutorial, you should have a basic understanding of how Stellar works and how to create a simple account on the test network. Take a look at my in this series to get you updated. previous article This article will explain to you how to develop an escrow smart contract using Stellar Lumens. I will as well highlight some extra features like retrieving a balance and a clean history log. Extra note: This article is part of the Blockchaingers series . Together with TheLedger, we have won the ‘Digital Nations Infrastructure’ track at the largest blockchain hackathon. You can find out more about our idea here . Escrow smart contracts on the Stellar testnet are part of this prototype. Use Case Description We have two identities: a house and a contractor. The house can pay a contractor for delivering house related services like a check-up of your central heating. Once the house and contractor agree to deliver a service, the house will deposit the agreed amount (in XLM) into the escrow smart contract. Once the job is done, both the house and contractor have to sign to release the funds. Preparation First, we need a new, empty account on the testnet. Let’s create one. const newKey = Stellar.Keypair.random(); const transaction = new Stellar.TransactionBuilder(ownerAccount).addOperation(Stellar.Operation.createAccount({destination: escrowPubKey,startingBalance: '2.5000000'})).build(); transaction.sign(ownerKeypair); return StellarConfig.server.submitTransaction(transaction); We still have to define an owner account who is responsible for creating the escrow but is not able to perform any actions with it. We use a config file for retrieving our server, this piece of code is the same as: which creates a new connection with the Stellar testnet. new Stellar.Server('https://horizon-testnet.stellar.org'); Probably, you wonder why I’m sending 2.5 XLM to the escrow? Stellar reequires that each account has a starting balance of 1 XLM. In addition, we are adding two more signers besides the random escrow signer. For each signer you add to the contract, you have to top up the starting balance with 0.5 XLM. So, … 3 x 0.5 (signers) + 1 (base balance) = 2.5 Additional info can be found in the Stellar . documentation Building Stellar Escrow Transaction Let’s retrieve the escrow account, const escrowAccount = StellarConfig.server.loadAccount(pubKey); and build the escrow transaction. let transaction = new Stellar.TransactionBuilder(escrowAccount).addOperation(Stellar.Operation.setOptions({signer: {ed25519PublicKey: houseKeypair.publicKey(),weight: 1}})).addOperation(Stellar.Operation.setOptions({masterWeight: 0,lowThreshold: 2,medThreshold: 2,highThreshold: 2,signer: {ed25519PublicKey: contractorKeypair.publicKey(),weight: 1}})).build(); As you can see, we’ve added two signers to the escrow contract. We give both signers equal voting power (1) and set the threshold to two. Because we are not giving the escrow account itself an explicit weight, this is set to zero. This means both the house and contractor have to sign to release the funds, not the escrow owner. You can see an example of an escrow smart contract transaction creation . here Stellar Escrow Contract At last, we need to sign (with the random keypair) and send the transaction to the network. transaction.sign(newKey);await StellarConfig.server.submitTransaction(transaction); Ideally, the house sends the agreed amount to the escrow smart contract. The code for sending the top up transaction looks like this. memo = Stellar.Memo.text('Pay: House to Contractor');return new Stellar.TransactionBuilder(<source-account>, { memo }).addOperation(Stellar.Operation.payment({<destination-pub-key>,asset: Stellar.Asset.native(),<amount> })).build(); Release Funds Releasing the funds is actually very simple. You create a new transfer transaction from the escrow account to the contractor. The only difference here is that both the house and contractor have to sign with their keypair. transaction.sign(houseKeyPair);transaction.sign(contractorKeyPair); Additional Operations Retrieve History For Account This will give you a list of all payments a certain account has executed. We remove the first result (with ) from the array as that’s the account creation transaction (a 0 XLM payment to itself). shift() async retrievePayments(pubKey:string) {let account = await this.loadAccountAsync(pubKey);let payments = await axios.get(`${StellarConfig.baseUrl}/accounts/${account.accountId()}/payments`); let paymentRecords = payments.data._embedded.records;paymentRecords.shift(); return paymentRecords.map(record => {return {id: record.transaction_hash,from: record.from,to: record.to,amount: record.amount};});} You can use the HTTP API endpoint to retrieve this in your web browser as well. You’ll get something like: /accounts/<account-ID>/payments One payment object (history) for an account. Get Account Balance To retrieve the XLM balance of an account, you just have to load (retrieve) the account based on its public key. As an account can have multiple balances (native XLM and other coins deployed on the Stellar network), we will only look for the native balance. async getBalance(pubKey) {const account = await StellarConfig.server.loadAccount(pubKey);let balance; account.balances.forEach((balanceObject) => {if (balanceObject.asset_type === 'native') {balance = balanceObject.balance;}}); return balance; } Source: https://www.in3dc.com What to read next Exploring Stellar Lumens | Introduction Development Tutorial Builders of the Decentralized Web: 10 Of The Most Innovative Technologies The tech-stack to win the worlds biggest blockchain hackathon of 2018!

Stellar Escrow Smart Contract Development

Today, I got the opportunity to explore the of Stellar Lumens and make an . I guess I can finally cross that off my bucket list! The goal of this article is to push a simple transaction to the Stellar network. As I couldn’t find much technical ‘how-to’ information on Stellar, I decided to do it the old way: ! technical side analysis of the pros/cons RTFM Understanding Stellar It would be nuts to immediately dive into the code, therefore I found this high-level architectural overview guide on the Stellar . website API: Horizon All interactions with the Stellar network happen through , a RESTful HTTP API server. It allows developers to submit transactions, check account’s balance, and subscribe to events. You can use Horizon through your web browser, a command line tool like cURL, or the Stellar SDK which is the easiest solution. The Stellar SDK is available for . There are also community-maintained SDKs for . Horizon JavaScript , Java and Go Python, C#, and Ruby Stellar Core The Stellar Core is the backbone of the Stellar network, every Horizon server connects with it. The Stellar Core is responsible for validating transactions and reaching consensus. The core is run by a bunch of individuals creating a decentralized network. Each transaction on the network costs a small fee: 100 stroops (equal to 0.00001 XLM). The should prevent bad entities from spamming the network. _Stellar Consensus Protocol (SCP)_SCP opts for safety over liveness — in the event of partition or misbehaving nodes, it halts the progress of the network until consensus can be reached. You can find more information on the protocol in their . whitepaper It is possible to become part of the network by running a Stellar Core instance. Such an instance can be easily set up with . Run Stellar Core with Docker stellar/quickstart docker image _Testnet_Luckily, Stellar provides a testnet for development purpose. Information can be found . here Let’s code Stellar : Basic knowledge of JavaScript, Express, and Async/Await. Prerequisites : Create two accounts on the testnet, fill the accounts with testnet tokens and transfer some random amount from one account to the other. At last, we want to be able to retrieve the transaction with the transaction explorer. In general, this Stellar coding tutorial teaches you the basics to get started with Stellar development. Goal Can be found , which makes following the tutorial easier. A complete snippet of the code is as well added at the bottom of the blog. Full working code: here Create Accounts The Stellar JavaScript SDK is the most stable SDK among the ones offered. You can easily install this package with npm: . npm i -S stellar-sdk We tell our Stellar SDK to use the testnet server URL: const server = new Stellar.Server('https://horizon-testnet.stellar.org')Stellar.Network.useTestNetwork() We are ready to create two random accounts. The Stellar SDK offers a function to randomly create a keypair without seed. let pairA = Stellar.Keypair.random()let pairB = Stellar.Keypair.random() This keypair contains a function to retrieve the public key and secret . pair.publicKey() pair.secret() Next, I’ve defined a route to initialize both accounts. In this function, we will create our wallet/account based on our public key and request the to send us 10.000 testnet Lumens on both accounts. I’m using the npm package for sending the request to the Horizon testnet API as this works well with async/await. We pass the public key from our first keypair via a query string. stellar friendbot request-promise await rp.get({uri: 'https://horizon-testnet.stellar.org/friendbot',qs: { addr: pairA.publicKey() },json: true}) The account is created now, but we don’t have the account object in our app. So, let’s retrieve this. accountB = await server.loadAccount(pairB.publicKey()) It’s now possible to check whether we got some Stellar Lumens on our account. accountA.balances.forEach((balance) => {console.log('Type:', balance.asset_type, ', Balance:', balance.balance)}) We repeat this code for as well in order to retrieve . pairB accountB Transfer Stellar Lumens A transaction can consist of multiple operations chained to the which creates the (multi-)transaction. To keep things simple, we will just transfer a small amount of testnet Lumens. We define the public key of as the destination. The amount transferred is equal to . The StellarSDK requires the amount parameter should be stated to seven decimal places. TransactionBuider pairB 30.0000001 const transaction = new Stellar.TransactionBuilder(accountA).addOperation(Stellar.Operation.payment({destination: pairB.publicKey(),asset: Stellar.Asset.native(),amount: '30.0000001'})).build() Cool, the transaction is ready to be signed by the initiator of the transfer — . Ok, now send this to the Horizon network: transaction.sign(pairA) const transactionResult = await server.submitTransaction(transaction) Retrieve History Code below will return only one transaction per ‘history page’. You can use the function on the ‘history page’ object to retrieve the next transaction in the history for an account. next() let historyPage = await server.transactions().forAccount(accountA.accountId()).call() We want to print the details of the operations in the transaction (which is XDR encoded). Let’s decode to base64 and loop over the transaction’s operations to print all sent amounts. let txDetails = Stellar.xdr.TransactionEnvelope.fromXDR(historyPage.records[1].envelope_xdr, 'base64') txDetails._attributes.tx._attributes.operations.map(operation => console.log(`Transferred amount:${operation._attributes.body._value._attributes.amount.low} XLM`)) At last, let’s retrieve the next ‘history page’. historyPage = await historyPage.next() That’s it? Yes, surprised? Did you know You can explore the transaction on the network — . The link is returned in the parameter: . example transactionResult transactionResult._links.transaction.href The metadata about the transaction is stored in the which is a standard data serialization format. You can deserialize it . XDR format here You can look up all transactions for a public key like . here The Stellar Analysis Pros Stellar is a payment engine, focused on asset movement where other blockchains may focus on the logic of the program itself. Stellar and Ripple are dealing with how your money is traded and sent, this is a more particular purpose. Stellar is easy to integrate for any web developer without knowing too much about blockchain. Perfect for payments / cross-currency / cross-border payments. Fast, cheap and easy to setup your own federated network: This is due to the consensus algorithm that does not use proof of work, but their custom . Stellar Consensus Protocol Very cheap fees: 0.00001 XLM per operation. A single transaction can contain multiple operations, so the fee doesn’t depend on the amount transferred. Cons Privacy — Every transaction can be found and read with a blockchain explorer. Important standards missing like payments links (still in development) that slow down the adoption. Payment links would handle the click on the link prompting the user for payment which is crucial for e-commerce. For now, you need to manually copy paste address, transaction memo and amount where Bitcoin has a one-click and approve payment option. It’s hard to determine if this is a : Stellar is not really using the concept smart contracts (it’s not Turing complete). It works for few popular use cases like escrow, time bounded and atomic transactions. However, standards can be extended for more use cases, but it will never get to the point of ‘Write your own DApp’. That’s ok as it makes Stellar optimized for this specific purpose of asset transfer, instead of being bloated by people’s fantasies. pro/con Stellar succeeded in removing the blockchain knowledge barrier even though it’s a blockchain payment provider. — Michiel Mulders Resources to become a Stellar expert Full code for this example on . Github Horizon API . docs Testnet . explorer Getting started code examples , and (react). here here here Check the of the Stellar network. status Interested in starting your own blockchain project, but don’t know how? Do you need help starting your token sale or having one audited? Get in touch with TheLedger . Full code : snippet

Exploring Stellar Lumens — Development Tutorial

I just completed the at this week. It was intense, and there were plenty of moments of self-doubt and anxiety. But it has also been one of the most empowering and formative experiences of my life. Here is a bit of what I’ve learned from my experience. Grace Hopper Program Fullstack Academy 1. You can learn a LOT in a short amount of time, given the proper guidance. Before joining the program, I was to code by myself on and off for a few months. I would have a few short bursts where I would study daily, only to lose momentum when work or life got in the way. Then I would have to play catch-up trying to remember what I had forgotten during the gaps. I would beat myself up about it, thinking that it was my laziness that prevented me from making progress. learning The truth is, there’s a reason why teachers are so important. Learning to code is HARD, especially when you are working full-time, and when you are cobbling together a curriculum for yourself from free online resources. Codecademy was great for a gentle introduction to HTML and CSS, but going from their tutorials to building and deploying a responsive website was a big leap. And as a complete novice, it is also hard to know what to focus your studies on, and in what sequence. I wasted a lot of time switching between tutorials, unsure of what would be the “best” resource. Originally Hyperbole and A Half Ultimately, what got me on the right track was . Their curriculum’s emphasis on building projects was exactly what I needed; I finally began learning JavaScript in a way I found fun and rewarding. freeCodeCamp FreeCodeCamp helped me get to a point where I was ready to leave my job and dedicate myself to learning full-time. I considered continuing to study independently, but ultimately I decided to attend a bootcamp for two reasons: 1. Accelerate my learning so that I can jumpstart my dream career and 2. Be in a supportive community of like-minded individuals. Of course you can achieve these things through self-study, but again, it is more challenging. And I was able to attend a bootcamp with limited risk thanks to Grace Hopper’s deferred tuition model. programming The pacing of Grace Hopper/Fullstack Academy’s curriculum was daunting — in week one we dove straight into prototypal inheritance in JavaScript, and by the midway point of the program, we built web apps using Express, PostgreSQL, Sequelize, React, react-redux, and webpack. But it was all possible thanks to the focused curriculum and the tremendous support of the instructors. They set the bar high, but helped students every step of the way to get there. 2. Community is essential to learning and success. Studying in the mornings and evenings before and after work was rewarding but lonely. On the other hand, being at Grace Hopper was kind of like an extreme version of nerd-camp. Everyone was passionate about programming, regularly sacrificing evenings and weekends for study, and we got to know each other very well after spending 8+ hour days with each other 5 days a week. This was exactly what I wanted — people who I could share my frustrations and my victories with, people with diverse backgrounds looking to make a change in their lives, people who genuinely care about what they do and the impact they are making on the world. I was lucky to be part of a cohort of fierce, funny, weird, and authentic individuals, and studying with them gave me the motivation to work harder and believe that I could become a programmer. I made friendships that I will cherish for years to come. 3. Don’t underestimate the value of self-care and work-life balance. Photo by at Lesly B. Juarez Unsplash The best code I wrote during the program happened when I was well-rested and energized. This sounds like a no-brainer, but is easy to forget with all the assignments, tests, and my sometimes obsessive perfectionism. I grew up being the A+ student in the classroom, so it was hard accepting that during the program, I might not fully grasp a concept until several workshops later (which is actually just a few days to a week — eons in bootcamp time!). In the end I had to learn to trust the process, and pry myself away from code to live other parts of my life. Going on long walks, having dinners with friends and family, and playing video games provided much needed decompression time. I can’t count the number of times I struggled with code at night, only to wake up the next day and immediately figure out the solution, all thanks to getting a good night’s rest. 4. You cannot be an effective programmer if you cannot communicate your ideas. I know that without attending bootcamp, I would not have gotten nearly as much experience talking about computer programming concepts. The curriculum requires that students pair-program nearly every single day, as well as give three presentations — a technical lecture, a short presentation of our hackathon project, and a group presentation of our capstone project on Fullstack Academy’s Demo Day Live. I remember on the first day of bootcamp, I had the most difficult time pair programming. I had never before articulated my thought process, so I struggled grasping for the right vocabulary to describe what I wanted to do. And in the presence of another person I had only just met, I was afraid of being judged for having a “dumb” idea. But in the end, I grew to love pair-programming. When you gel with your partner, it is one of the best ways to learn. You come up with more ideas when tackling a complex problem, and you can take breaks exercising different parts of your brain when you switch between driver and navigator roles. I’ve learned so much from my partners, and shared my knowledge with others too, which has been a major confidence-booster. I’m now a firm believer that teaching is the best way to learn. If you can’t explain a concept to someone else, that’s a pretty good indicator you don’t fully understand the concept yourself. And being a programmer is more than just writing code — if you can’t articulate your ideas, there’s no way you can truly participate in the developer community. 5. Don’t get down about gender bias — fight! Photo by at Jon Tyson Unsplash Both the Grace Hopper and Fullstack Academy cohorts (which follow the same schedule and curriculum) had several presentations about the challenges female and minority developers face in the industry today. This included a talk about unconscious bias by our instructors as well as several guest speakers coming in to share their experiences. For me and my all-female cohort, this was downright depressing. After all, we had all decided to transition to new careers and were working hard to complete a demanding bootcamp curriculum — to be faced with the stark reality that after overcoming this first obstacle, we would likely have to deal with the much more daunting challenge of unconscious bias for the rest of our careers, was tough. But I’ve come to realize that I can’t afford to be depressed or avoid thinking about this issue. I need to face it head on because the tech industry needs more women speaking up and paving the way for other tech “out-groups” to succeed. Putting my personal journey in this context has helped fuel my drive and ambition. I also can’t thank my classmates enough. These brilliant women served as my daily inspiration, and they created a safe, supportive environment to grow. In the past, I had just assumed that I wasn’t smart or analytical enough to do something like computer science. But being part of this amazing class, and finding myself do just as well as the men completing the same curriculum, has forever changed the way I think about my own potential. 6. Imposter syndrome doesn’t go away. Even though I know how to build a web app from the ground up, the title “software engineer” still doesn’t feel right. There’s a part of me that fears people seeing it on my business card, looking at me and what I’ve built, and thinking, “Boy, that’s a load of bull****.” And a part of me knows it’s irrational. I learned how to build a 2D platformer in Phaser.js over a weekend, how to write a program in Elm (also over a weekend), and create a React Native + Firebase mobile app with geolocation over 2.5 weeks with my teammates, but I still question my ability to learn new technologies. What I tell myself now is that, while that little nagging voice may never go away, I can quell it just enough to get things done. I’ve noticed that my moments of panic, when I feel like I know nothing, have been getting shorter and shorter every time I approach a new project. I try to look back at the last time I felt inadequate, and remember that it always worked out far better than I thought it would. Or, you know, just rewatch this video: The biggest comfort though, has been knowing that I’m not alone in this journey. The individuals I’ve met through bootcamp and online have been amazingly open, kind and collaborative. Nearly everyone could relate to imposter syndrome, and readily shared words of encouragement. I started learning to code to solve problems, but now I realize that I want to stay to be a part of this thriving community of makers and learners. I hope you found this article useful. If you’re an aspiring developer and want to chat, or if you’d just like to get in touch, feel free to message me on Twitter @stellasighs. I’m now currently on the lookout for new opportunities as a software engineer. Thanks for reading!

Here’s what I learned from 700+ hours in a coding bootcamp

Outbound links are one of the most underrated and undervalued link building tactics in the content marketing and on-page optimization industry. As an SEO expert, you must be aware that the links pointing to your site can be an important signal for Google to recognise the relevancy of your content. However, not many are aware that links going out from a page can also play a vital role in improving your ranking on search pages and attracting more visitors to your website. If you are new to SEO marketing or looking for ways to learn more about outbound links to improve your SEO strategies for 2022, then you have landed in the right place. In this article, we will walk you through some of the vital information and facts that will help you get a better understanding of outbound link tactics and ways you can improve your SEO strategies.
Let us begin this article by understanding what are outbound links? What are outbound links? Outbound links are links that point from your website to another often called external links. In other words, it is the link from your website to a different website. These links are often used within the content to add more context and to link your readers to another source that helps them gather additional and more information to their queries or the topic at hand. Outbound links are generally used by writers to back up information in their articles and link out the authoritative sources. It is important to note that outbound links are not the same as internal links. Internal links are known as the links that exist between two pages on the same website. This way readers can go from one page to another on your website with the help of internal links. These links are often used to improve rankings, organic visibility, build topical authority and distribute page rank. Whereas external links or outbound links help your readers to travel from one website to another with just a click. If you are new to SEO marketing or don’t know the ways how you can add outbound links to your website in an effective way then you must consider hiring services from a genuine and reliable SEO agency in Australia. Why are outbound links important? Outbound marketing can be one of the greatest ways of improving your ranking and attracting more customers all over the internet. It allows you to expand your reach to all kinds of customers online and increase your brand awareness on digital platforms. It is proven that outbound links also helps to get a place in featured snippet. Many informative blogs aware companies about the techniques, how to get in featured snippet position. That is complete an another thing lets focus on the reasons, why to include outbound links into your contents. Here are some essential reasons why you should include outbound links to your website. Increases popularity Google often tends to give higher rankings to pages with greater relevance levels. Outbound links are a great metric for determining the popularity levels of your website or improving the rankings on the search pages. In other words, the more links a webpage receives from other sources or web pages, the more popular it appears. Improves relevance Search engines tend to show pages more often that provide additional and relevant information to their users. Therefore when you include links you are indirectly helping users gather more information on the internet. This improves the relevancy levels of your page content and improves ranking at the same time. Builds a good reputation Outbound links can also help you build a good reputation on the internet. Web pages with no outbound links are considered spam or dead ends. This can make your website appear unhelpful and leave negative impacts on your website. Outbound links help your page appear as a more authoritative source and boost your reputation to the next level. Boots value With the help of outbound links, you can improve the experience of your readers and build a good image in their minds. This way if any users need additional information on a certain topic will always consider visiting your page to gather the same. Ultimately users will keep coming back to your website in search of quality and reliable information. It is always a wise decision to seek help from experts for your SEO strategies, especially if this is your first time implementing marketing tactics to your website.

What are Outbound Links and Why are They Important for SEO?

The US immigration system is frustrating! After all the tax and tuition and a great job offer, you can still get kicked out of the country without a winning lottery in the H1-B process. Yes, we can have our fingers crossed for Donald Trump. But I will say, it is better if we hold our own future in hand. Here is a little bit about me… By now, I am sure you should be convinced that moving to another English-speaking immigration country is really a legitimate alternative if you do not get the H1-B (or if you up to an adventure). It can take a lot of work, but it will be worth it. In the end, remember to give it a clap if you find this article helpful. It will allow people to see it and use this resource. Best of luck! Sources US immigration visa category distribution yearly report https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-statistics/annual-reports.html International migrant population 1950–2015 https://www.migrationpolicy.org/programs/data-hub/international-migration-statistics United Kingdom immigration visa distribution, 2016 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-july-to-september-2015/list-of-tables Canadian immigration visa distribution, 2016 https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/annual-report-parliament-immigration-2016.html Australia immigration visa distribution https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/ReportsandPublications/Documents/annual-reports/DIBP-Annual-Report-2014-15-optimised.pdf Liveability ranking and overview January 2008 https://store.eiu.com/article.aspx?productid=475217632 Average vacation days by country http://www.vpcalendar.net/average-vacation-days-by-country.html Average monthly disposable salary by country/Averge rent for inside city center one bedroom http://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/stats Cost of living index by country https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/rankings_by_country.jsp United States work visa qualifications and waiting time http://www.immi-usa.com/immigration/employment-green-card/ https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/employment-based-immigrant-visas.html United Kingdom work visa qualifications and waiting time http://www.ukpermits.com/visa-types/tier-2 Canada work visa qualifications and waiting time https://www.canadianvisaexpert.com/visa-types/ https://www.canadavisa.com/canadian-immigration-application-processing-times.html https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-processing-times.html Australia work visa qualifications and waiting time http://visacorp.com.au/australian-skilled-visas.html http://www.thamesmigration.com/australia-visa-application-processing-times-2017/

If not a US H1-B, how about one in Canada, Australia or the UK?

By Danielle MacInnes from Unsplash To start off, internship hunting is not easy. Being a good designer does not mean you will get an internship easily. As many put it, you have to be there at the right place and the right time. But after almost 30 rounds of interviews with 18 companies for my internship hunting, I realize there are lessons I learned that can help others to increase the chance to get an offer. Start Early and Apply to More One common mistake I see people make is to postpone putting together a portfolio. . Waiting to hear back usually takes at least a month. You will have enough time to iterate on your portfolio so do not wait on launching your “perfect” portfolio. Instead, put something together early and get feedback and iterate on it. Your portfolio is a product design project on its own I find to get an interview. The reason is simple. Most career fairs on campus do not get you access to the design recruiter. The chance to get your info passed along is probably lower than the chance the design recruiter sees your resume from the pool. online application to be the most effective way . At the end of the day, designers are judged heavily by their portfolios. If your work simply does not reach the bar, your connection cannot help you. On top of that, most companies have a particular type of designers they hire (which is sad). For example, Google prefers designers who have a long structured process in their designs while Facebook prefers designers who have stronger visual skills. If you are not the designer the company is looking for, you also get cut. Personal connections do help but not as much as you think The Phone Screen The first round of the interview is usually a phone screen. Some companies will let the a designer to directly talk to you. In that case, you are in luck. Normally a recruiter will conduct the screening. . The most common question you get in any interview. The best way to answer this question is to talk in two sections. Tell me about yourself Your past experiences that relate to the job Something that makes the interviewer remember you As a junior designer, your ability to execute design is the most important thing and your experiences prove that. So talk about your experiences first but do expand beyond what is said in your resume. Then tell them something unique about yourself. It can be how you get into design. It can be an extracurricular you are doing. It can be a hobby of yours. Pay attention to how the interviewer react to it. If they keep silent, cut this part shorter. If they seem interested, you can talk more. This part is just an add-on to leave a good impression so no need to finish all your script you have in your head. I also list I get from a phone screen below. If you have an answer to each question below, you are well prepared! some common questions How do you get into design? What are your design career goals? What are your strengths and weaknesses as a designer? What are you trying to get out of this internship? What kind of design projects interest you? Why do you want to work here? When it is your turn to ask questions, a general tip will be try to . Feel free to stalk him or her on social media to see if there is anything interesting you find and ask. ask something about the interviewer The phone interview sometimes includes a walkthrough of one project**.** A trick I learned is to to the interviewer before the call. You will then know for sure whether they will ask you to walk through a project. In addition, your presentation will be more clear because the recruiter will not get lost in all the scrolling up and down on your site. send a separate deck of a project in your portfolio The Portfolio Review I will highly recommend you to do mock interviews for this round with a few friends. to talk about but most companies will probably ask you to go through only 1 project. Prepare for 3 projects Product design includes user research, interaction design, visual design and maybe motion design. You want to make sure the project(s) you show covers all of that. So you want to talk about your research and your . iterations in both interaction design and visual design If you worked with engineering team to ship the design, mention it and . Most companies are looking for a designer who does not just design in la la land. They want to see the candidate understands the full process of the designing and the struggles working with other stakeholders. talk about what compromises you have made Overall, there are 3 big tips: . I think for a lot of the HCI programs that put heavy emphasis on design process, people tend to talk about their research way too much. The interviewer will not critique on your research. You are a designer so you should dedicate most of your time talking about how you design. The goal of your research is to scope the big vague problem into problem statements which you can develop concepts on. So mention the research but try to weave it in the entire presentation instead of dedicating 5 minutes talking about it. Do not talk too much about your research . If you think about it, a person can easily look through your portfolio and see all the steps you have taken. Why do they have to interview you? Because they want to know how you get from point A to point B. Explain that. If you have a storyboard, talk about why you used a storyboard to explore the concept instead of an experience map or personas or sitemaps. If you have personas and a storyboard, talk about what you find from personas made you decide to do a storyboard. If you have a bunch of wireframes, talk about why you go with wireframe A instead of wireframe B. Even if it is just a class project, “my professor told me to do so” is never good enough an answer. Talk about the “why”s . 10 minutes is a long time for a presentation. People start to get tired and their minds wander around. That is why you need a central thread that weaves all the pieces together. I will recommend you to focus on a few problems statements at the beginning of a presentation, and explain how your design solved the problems you have proposed in the end. Other ways include mapping out your design along a journey map or connecting the features back to the value propositions. If you have time, talk about what you learned and what you can do better next time. Make sure you connect the dots The Design Exercise Design exercises can be divided into mostly two types: one as take-home exercise and one as live. Interestingly, I have never gone on site to any of the companies I interviewed. So I apologize if I cannot give you more insights about that. Take-home design exercise If the company recommends to spend 3–4 hours on the exercise, spending 6–8 hours and sometimes more is quite typical. Usually a company is flexible with the format of your deliverable for the design exercise. I will recommend using if you might get cut without presenting your solution. If a call to discuss your design exercise is guaranteed, you have more flexibility. I use a PDF with a inVision link. a draft Medium post The prompt is often vague and it is your job to break it down so you can start designing. Therefore, is the most important part of this whole process. Do what it takes to help you get there. You might have to conduct some user interviews, or do a competitive analysis, draw an experience map etc. The process is usually different for each exercise but once you have the problem statements, you can jump into idea generation without losing focus. defining your problem statements You want to make sure you dedicate a certain amount of time just . The problem statements usually help you generate ideas. There are of course other ways to help facilitate that such as mind mapping, storyboarding or attribute listing. sketching a lot of ideas Then you need to . The way I tackle it is to filter out the high level ideas from my sketches. Then I will compare the benefits and tradeoffs of each idea and make a decision from there. This is the another important moment of the process. The interviewer wants to know why you pick idea A over idea B. compare different options and focus on one direction to further explore Depending on the requirements, you might or might not flesh out a screen or two to high fidelity just to showcase your visual skill. Similar to how you present in a portfolio review, you want to talk about the “why”s throughout your process and connect the dots in the end. And if you care about the offer from this company, make sure you practice presenting your design solution to a friend. Live design exercise Live design exercise is a lot harder than take-home design exercises because you are forced to complete the task in a certain amount of time. The advantage is that you get to ask questions. The process is similar to the take-home ones except that you are mostly working on whiteboard or paper. I guess the biggest warning I can give to people is . I actually get rejected from a company because I overcomplicate hierarchy and visual design in a sketch. do not assume visual does not matter because it is just a sketch In the End Again, internship hunting is not easy. It is physically, emotionally and mentally exhausting. But the good news is, . You will not only learn about the interviewing skills, but also about yourself as a designer and as a person along the way. it is also a humbling, introspective, and eventually rewarding experience I deeply believe everything happens for a reason and we just need to take the lesson. Thank all the people who have pushed you forward including the ones who rejected you. Do not let rejections discourage you! In the end, . Internships and your first job after college is just the start of your career. Big brands are of course nice but they only get you so far in the end. An internship can make you grow as a designer is what you should truly look for! do not compare your offer to someone else’s

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