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A video renderer is software that processes a video file and sends it sequentially to the video display controller card for display on a computer screen. An example of a video renderer, is the VMR-7 that was used by Microsoft's DirectShow. An example of a UNIX video renderer is the one container within GStreamer. Commonly used video renderers are: Enhanced Video Renderer VMR9 Renderless Haali's Video Renderer Madvr Video Renderer JRVR, a part of JRiver Media Center
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A communications system is a collection of individual telecommunications networks systems, relay stations, tributary stations, and terminal equipment usually capable of interconnection and interoperation to form an integrated whole. Communication systems allow the transfer of information from one place to another or from one device to another through a specified channel or medium. The components of a communications system serve a common purpose, are technically compatible, use common procedures, respond to controls, and operate in union. In the structure of a communication system, the transmitter first converts the data received from the source into a light signal and transmits it through the medium to the destination of the receiver. The receiver connected at the receiving end converts it to digital data, maintaining certain protocols e.g. FTP, ISP assigned protocols etc. Telecommunications is a method of communication (e.g., for sports broadcasting, mass media, journalism, etc.). Communication is the act of conveying intended meanings from one entity or group to another through the use of mutually understood signs and semiotic rules. == Types == === By media === An optical communication system is any form of communications system that uses light as the transmission medium. Equipment consists of a transmitter, which encodes a message into an optical signal, a communication channel, which carries the signal to its destination, and a receiver, which reproduces the message from the received optical signal. Fiber-optic communication systems transmit information from one place to another by sending light through an optical fiber. The light forms a carrier signal that is modulated to carry information. A radio communication system is composed of several communications subsystems that give exterior communications capabilities. A radio communication system comprises a transmitting conductor in which electrical oscillations or currents are produced and which is arranged to cause such currents or oscillations to be propagated through the free space medium from one point to another remote therefrom and a receiving conductor at such distant point adapted to be excited by the oscillations or currents propagated from the transmitter. Power-line communication systems operate by impressing a modulated carrier signal on power wires. Different types of power-line communications use different frequency bands, depending on the signal transmission characteristics of the power wiring used. Since the power wiring system was originally intended for transmission of AC power, the power wire circuits have only a limited ability to carry higher frequencies. The propagation problem is a limiting factor for each type of power line communications. === By technology === A duplex communication system is a system composed of two connected parties or devices which can communicate with one another in both directions. The term duplex is used when describing communication between two parties or devices. Duplex systems are employed in nearly all communications networks, either to allow for a communication "two-way street" between two connected parties or to provide a "reverse path" for the monitoring and remote adjustment of equipment in the field. An antenna is basically a small length of a conductor that is used to radiate or receive electromagnetic waves. It acts as a conversion device. At the transmitting end it converts high frequency current into electromagnetic waves. At the receiving end it transforms electromagnetic waves into electrical signals that is fed into the input of the receiver. several types of antenna are used in communication. Examples of communications subsystems include the Defense Communications System (DCS). === Examples: by technology === Telephone Mobile phone Tablet computer Television Telegraph Edison Telegraph TV cable Computer === By application area === The term transmission system is used in the telecommunications industry to emphasize the intermediate media, protocols, and equipment in the circuit, rather than particular end-user applications. A tactical communications system is a communications system that (a) is used within, or in direct support of tactical forces (b) is designed to meet the requirements of changing tactical situations and varying environmental conditions, (c) provides securable communications, such as voice, data, and video, among mobile users to facilitate command and control within, and in support of, tactical forces, and (d) usually requires extremely short installation times, usually on the order of hours, in order to meet the requirements of frequent relocation. An Emergency communication system is any system (typically computer based) that is organized for the primary purpose of supporting the two way communication of emergency messages between both individuals and groups of individuals. These systems are commonly designed to integrate the cross-communication of messages between are variety of communication technologies. An Automatic call distributor (ACD) is a communication system that automatically queues, assigns and connects callers to handlers. This is used often in customer service (such as for product or service complaints), ordering by telephone (such as in a ticket office), or coordination services (such as in air traffic control). A Voice Communication Control System (VCCS) is essentially an ACD with characteristics that make it more adapted to use in critical situations (no waiting for dial tone, or lengthy recorded announcements, radio and telephone lines equally easily connected to, individual lines immediately accessible etc..) == Key components == =
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Bainu ("how are you?") is a Chinese social networking website written in the Mongolian language. As of 2020 it had about 400,000 users, concentrated in Inner Mongolia. == Core features and positioning == Language and Cultural Characteristics Bainu is based on Traditional Mongolian Script and supports social interactions in the Mongolian language, including various message formats such as text, voice, images, and video. This design aims to preserve and promote Mongolian language and culture, particularly appealing to users in Inner Mongolia and other Mongolian-populated areas. Social Features Instant Messaging: Supports one-on-one private chats and group chats. Users can create interest-based groups or join local communities. Life Sharing: Through the "Chomorlig" feature (similar to Moments or a dynamic feed), users can share daily highlights to enhance community interaction. Location-Based Socializing: Recommends nearby users based on location, making it easier to connect with Mongolian friends in the same city or neighboring regions. Multilingual Support The app interface is available in English, Mongolian, and Simplified Chinese. == Technical Features and User Experience == Cross-Platform Compatibility Supports iPhone, iPad, Mac (with M1 chip or above), and Apple Vision Pro devices, covering users across the Apple ecosystem. Pricing Model Free download and basic features are available. Premium services (e.g., ad-free experience, extended social functions) require a subscription, with pricing options including $0.99/month, $2.99/quarter, and $6.99/year. User Feedback Positive Reviews: Some users praise it as the "best Mongolian-language chat app," recognizing its cultural value and social convenience. Negative Feedback: Reports of app crashes and technical issues, with some users calling for improved stability (e.g., frequent crashes in the iOS version). == Privacy and Data Policy == Bainu collects user data such as location, contact information, and device identifiers, which are linked to user identities. Additionally, user behavior may be tracked through third-party services, raising some privacy concerns. == Current Development and Challenges == User Base As of 2020, Bainu had approximately 400,000 users, primarily concentrated in Inner Mongolia. Policy Impact It was reported by Voice of America (VOA) that the Chinese authorities blocked Bainu on 23 August 2020 in order to prohibit Mongolians from discussing the issue of the authorities’ implementation of "bilingual education" in elementary schools. But now, in 2025, this software is completely available for download and use. see:https://bainu.com/
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A magnetoquasistatic field is a class of electromagnetic field in which a slowly oscillating magnetic field is dominant. A magnetoquasistatic field is typically generated by low-frequency induction from a magnetic dipole or a current loop. The magnetic near-field of such an emitter behaves differently from the more commonly used far-field electromagnetic radiation. At low frequencies the rate of change of the instantaneous field strength with each cycle is relatively slow, giving rise to the name "magneto-quasistatic". The near field or quasistatic region typically extends no more than a wavelength from the antenna, and within this region the electric and magnetic fields are approximately decoupled. Weakly conducting non-magnetic bodies, including the human body and many mineral rocks, are effectively transparent to magnetoquasistatic fields, allowing for the transmission and reception of signals through such obstacles. Also, long-wavelength (i.e. low-frequency) signals are better able to propagate round corners than shorter-wave signals. Communication therefore need not be line-of-sight. The communication range of such signals depends on both the wavelength and the electromagnetic properties of the intervening medium at the chosen frequency, and is typically limited to a few tens of meters. == Physical principles == The laws of primary interest are Ampère's circuital law (with the displacement current density neglected) and the magnetic flux continuity law. These laws have associated with them continuity conditions at interfaces. In the absence of magnetizable materials, these laws determine the magnetic field intensity H given its source, the current density J. H is not everywhere irrotational. However, it is solenoidal everywhere. == Equipment design == A typical antenna comprises a 50-turn coil around a polyoxymethylene tube with diameter 16.5 cm, driven by a class E oscillator circuit. Such a device is readily portable when powered by batteries. Similarly, a typical receiver consist of an active receiving loop with diameter of one meter, an ultra-low-noise amplifier, and a band-pass filter. In operation the oscillator drives current through the transmitting loop to create an oscillating magnetic field. This field induces a voltage in the receiving loop, which is then amplified. Because the quasistatic region is defined within one wavelength of the electromagnetic source, emitters are limited to a frequency range between about 1 kHz and 1 MHz. Reducing the oscillating frequency increases the wavelength and hence the range of the quasistatic region, but reduces the induced voltage in the receiving loops which worsens the signal-to-noise ratio. In experiments carried out by the Carnegie Institute of Technology, the maximum range reported by was 50 meters. == Applications == === Resonant inductive coupling === In resonant coupling, the source and receiver are tuned to resonate at the same frequency and are given similar impedances. This allows power as well as information to flow from the source to the receiver. Such coupling via the magnetoquasistatic field is called resonant inductive coupling and can be used for wireless energy transfer. Applications include induction cooking, induction charging of batteries and some kinds of RFID tag. === Communications === Conventional electromagnetic communication signals cannot pass through the ground. Most mineral rock is neither electrically conducting nor magnetic, allowing magnetic fields to penetrate. Magnetoquasistatic systems have been successfully used for underground wireless communication, both surface-to-underground and between underground parties. At extremely low frequencies, below about 1 kHz, the wavelength is long enough for long-distance communication, although at a slow data rate. Such systems have been installed in submarines, with the local antenna comprising a wire up to several kilometers in length and trailed behind the vessel when at or near the surface. === Position and orientation tracking === Wireless position tracking is being increasingly used in applications such as navigation, security, and asset tracking. Conventional position tracking devices use high frequencies or microwaves, including global positioning systems (GPS), ultra-wide band (UWB) systems, and radio frequency identification systems (RFID), but these systems can easily be blocked by obstacles in their path. Magnetoquasistatic positioning takes advantage of the fact that the fields are largely undisturbed when in the presence of human beings and physical structures, and can be used for both position and orientation tracking for ranges up to 50 meters. To accurately determine the orientation and position of a dipole/emitter, allowance must be made not only for the field pattern generated by the emitter, but also for the eddy-currents they induce in the earth, which create secondary fields detectable by the receivers. By using complex image theory to correct this field generation from earth, and by using frequencies on the order of a few hundred kilohertz to obtain the required signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), it is possible to analyze the position of the dipole through azimuthal orientation, θ {\displaystyle \theta } , and inclination orientation, ϕ {\displaystyle \phi } . A Disney research team has used this technology to effectively determine the position and orientation of an American football, something not traceable through conventional wave propagation techniques due to human body obstruction. They inserted an oscillator-driven coil, around the diameter of the center of the ball, to generate the magnetoquasistatic field. The signal was able to pass undisturbed through multiple players.
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SmartQVT is a unmaintained (since 2013) full Java open-source implementation of the QTV-Operational language which is dedicated to express model-to-model transformations. This tool compiles QVT transformations into Java programs to be able to run QVT transformations. The compiled Java programs are EMF-based applications. It is provided as Eclipse plug-ins running on top of the EMF metamodeling framework and is licensed under EPL. == Components == SmartQVT contains 3 main components: a code editor: this component helps the user to write QVT code by highlighting key words. a parser: this component converts QVT code files into model representations of the QVT programs (abstract syntax). a compiler: this component converts model representations of the QVT program into executable Java programs.
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HtmlUnit is a headless web browser written in Java. It allows high-level manipulation of websites from other Java code, including filling and submitting forms and clicking hyperlinks. It also provides access to the structure and the details within received web pages. HtmlUnit emulates parts of browser behaviour including the lower-level aspects of TCP/IP and HTTP. A sequence such as getPage(url), getLinkWith("Click here"), click() allows a user to navigate through hypertext and obtain web pages that include HTML, JavaScript, Ajax and cookies. This headless browser can deal with HTTPS security, basic HTTP authentication, automatic page redirection and other HTTP headers. It allows Java test code to examine returned pages either as text, an XML DOM, or as collections of forms, tables, and links. The goal is to simulate real browsers; namely Chrome, Firefox and Edge. The most common use of HtmlUnit is test automation of web pages, but sometimes it can be used for web scraping, or downloading website content. == Benefits == Provides high-level API, taking away lower-level details away from the user. Compared to other WebDriver implementations, HtmlUnitDriver is the fastest to implement. It can be configured to simulate a specific browser. == Drawbacks == Element layout and rendering can not be tested. The JavaScript support is not complete, which is one of the areas of ongoing enhancements. == Used technologies == W3C DOM HTTP connection, using Apache HttpComponents JavaScript, using forked Rhino HTML Parsing, NekoHTML CSS: using CSS Parser XPath support, using Xalan == Libraries using HtmlUnit == Selenium WebDriver Spring MVC Test Framework Google Web Toolkit tests WebTest Wetator
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Digital history is the use of digital media to further historical analysis, presentation, and research. It is a branch of the digital humanities and an extension of quantitative history, cliometrics, and computing. Digital history is commonly known as digital public history, concerned primarily with engaging online audiences with historical content, or digital research methods, that further academic research. Digital history outputs include: digital archives, online presentations, data and information visualizations, interactive maps, timelines, audio files, and virtual worlds. These outputs are designed to enhance accessibility to users, facilitating engagement with historical content. Recent digital history projects focus on creativity, collaboration, and technical innovation, text mining, corpus linguistics, network analysis, 3D modeling, and big data analysis. By utilizing these resources, the user can rapidly develop new analyses that can link to, extend, and bring to life existing histories. == History == Rooted in earlier social science history work, particularly around the history of enslavement in the United States, early digital history in the 1960s and 70s focused on using computers to conduct quantitative analyses, primarily of demographic and social history data - censuses, election returns, city directories, and other tabular or countable data. - with the aim of producing defensible research findings These early computers could be programmed to conduct statistical analyses of these records, creating tallies, or seeking trends across records. This research into historical demography was rooted in the rise of social history as a field of historical interest. The historians involved in this work sought to quantify past societies, to come to new conclusions about communities and population. Computers proved capable tools for that type of work. By the late 1970s younger historians turned to cultural studies, most of these studies involved online databases that were checked by Professionals in Great Britain about once a year. The outpouring of quantitative studies by established scholars continued. Since then, quantitative history and cliometrics have been used primarily by historically minded economists and political scientists. In the late 1980s quantifiers founded the Association for History and Computing. This movement provided some of the impetus for the rise of digital history in the 1990s. The more recent roots of digital history were in software rather than online networks. In 1982, the Library of Congress embarked on its Optical Disk Pilot Project, which placed text and images from its collection on to laserdiscs and CD-ROMs. The library started offering online exhibits in 1992 when it launched Selected Civil War Photographs. In 1993, Roy Rosenzweig, along with Steve Brier and Josh Brown, produced their award-winning CD-ROM Who Built America? From the Centennial Exposition of 1876 to the Great War of 1914, designed for Apple, Inc. that integrated images, text, film and sound clips, displayed in a visual interface that supported a text narrative. Among the earliest online digital history projects were The Heritage Project of the University of Kansas, and medieval historian Dr. Lynn Nelson's World History Index and History Central Catalogue. Another was The Valley of the Shadow, conceived in 1991 by current University of Richmond professor of humanities and president emeritus, Edward L. Ayers, who was then at the University of Virginia. The Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities (IATH) at the University of Virginia adopted the Valley Project and partnered with IBM to collect and transcribe historical sources into digital files. The project collected data related to Augusta County in Virginia and Franklin County in Pennsylvania during the American Civil War. In 1996, William G. Thomas III joined Ayers on the Valley Project. Together, they produced an online article entitled "The Differences Slavery Made: A Close Analysis of Two American Communities," which also appeared in The American Historical Review in 2003. A CD-ROM also accompanied the Valley Project, published by W. W. Norton and Company in 2000. Rosenzweig, who died October 11, 2007, founded the Center for History and New Media (CHNM) at George Mason University in 1994. Today, CHNM boasts several digital tools available to historians, such as Zotero, Omeka or Tropy. In 1997, Ayers and Thomas used the term "digital history" when they proposed and founded the Virginia Center for Digital History (VCDH) at the University of Virginia, the earliest center devoted exclusively to history. Several other institutions promoting digital history include the Center for Humane Arts, Letters, and Social Sciences Online (MATRIX) at Michigan State University, Maryland's Institute for Technology in the Humanities, and the Center for Digital Research in the Humanities at the University of Nebraska. In 2004, Emory University launched Southern Spaces, a "peer-reviewed Internet journal and scholarly forum" examining the history of the South. == Applications == There are many potential benefits to the use of digital history when combined with traditional historical methods. Some of these applications include: Combining traditional historical methods and new research methods in order to come to new conclusions. Using different tools to extract and analyse larger amounts of data that would not be manageable otherwise. Create models and maps of data extracted to create a visualisation of the data. Data extracted and analysed can be placed alongside existing historiography to increase combined historical knowledge. By adding new research methods to existing historical method, historians can benefit greatly from the ability to work with larger amounts of data and develop new interpretations from this. == Notable Projects == The collaborative nature of most digital history endeavors has meant that the discipline has developed primarily at institutions with the resources to sponsor content research and technical innovation. Two of the first centers, George Mason University's Center for History and New Media and the Virginia Center for Digital History at the University of Virginia have been among the leaders in the development of digital history projects and the education of digital historians. Some of the noteworthy projects emerging from these pioneering centers are The Geography of Slavery, The Texas Slavery Project, and The Countryside Transformed at VCDH and Liberty, Equality, Fraternity: Exploring the French Revolution and The Lost Museum at the CHNM. In each of these projects, mediated archives holding multiple types of sources are combined with digital tools to analyze and illuminate an historical question to a varying degree; this integration of content and tools with analysis is one of the hallmarks of digital history—projects move beyond archives or collections and into scholarly analysis and the use of digital tools to develop that analysis. The differences between the ways projects incorporate these integrations are a measure of the development of the field and point to the ongoing debates over what digital history can and should be. While many of the projects at VCDH, CHNM, and other university's centers have been geared towards academics and post-secondary education, the University of Victoria (British Columbia), in conjunction with the Université de Sherbrooke and the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, has created as series of projects for all ages, "Great Unsolved Mysteries in Canadian History." Laden with instructional aids, this site asks teachers to introduce students to historical research methods to help them develop analytical skills and a sense of the complexities of their national history. Issues of race, religion, and gender are addressed in carefully constructed modules that cover incidents in Canadian history from Viking exploration through the 1920s. One of the original co-creators of the project, John Lutz has also developed Victoria's Victoria with the University of Victoria and Malaspina University-College. In addition to Ayers, Thomas, Lutz, and Rosenzweig, numerous other individual scholars work with digital history techniques and have made and/or continue to make important contributions to the field. Robert Darnton's 2000 article, "An Early Information Society: News and the Media in Eighteenth-Century Paris" was supplemented with electronic resources and is an early model of the discussions around digital history and its future in the humanities. One of the first major digital projects to be reviewed by the American Historical Review (AHR) was Philip Ethington's "Los Angeles and the Problem of Urban Historical Knowledge"—a multimedia exploration of changes to Los Angeles' physical profile over the course of several decades. In this essay, he also expresses his beliefs that historians have major power in
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jQuery is a JavaScript library designed to simplify HTML DOM tree traversal and manipulation, as well as event handling, CSS animations, and Ajax. It is free, open-source software using the permissive MIT License. As of August 2022, jQuery is used by 77% of the 10 million most popular websites. Web analysis indicates that it is the most widely deployed JavaScript library by a large margin, having at least three to four times more usage than any other JavaScript library. jQuery's syntax is designed to make it easier to navigate a document, select DOM elements, create animations, handle events, and develop Ajax applications. jQuery also provides capabilities for developers to create plug-ins on top of the JavaScript library. This enables developers to create abstractions for low-level interaction and animation, advanced effects and high-level, theme-able widgets. The modular approach to the jQuery library allows the creation of powerful dynamic web pages and Web applications. The set of jQuery core features—DOM element selections, traversal, and manipulation—enabled by its selector engine (named "Sizzle" from v1.3), created a new "programming style", fusing algorithms and DOM data structures. This style influenced the architecture of other JavaScript frameworks like YUI v3 and Dojo, later stimulating the creation of the standard Selectors API. Microsoft and Nokia bundle jQuery on their platforms. Microsoft includes it with Visual Studio for use within Microsoft's ASP.NET AJAX and ASP.NET MVC frameworks while Nokia has integrated it into the Web Run-Time widget development platform. == Overview == jQuery, at its core, is a Document Object Model (DOM) manipulation library. The DOM is a tree-structure representation of all the elements of a Web page. jQuery simplifies the syntax for finding, selecting, and manipulating these DOM elements. For example, jQuery can be used for finding an element in the document with a certain property (e.g. all elements with the h1 tag), changing one or more of its attributes (e.g. color, visibility), or making it respond to an event (e.g. a mouse click). jQuery also provides a paradigm for event handling that goes beyond basic DOM element selection and manipulation. The event assignment and the event callback function definition are done in a single step in a single location in the code. jQuery also aims to incorporate other highly used JavaScript functionality (e.g. fade ins and fade outs when hiding elements, animations by manipulating CSS properties). The principles of developing with jQuery are: Separation of JavaScript and HTML: The jQuery library provides simple syntax for adding event handlers to the DOM using JavaScript, rather than adding HTML event attributes to call JavaScript functions. Thus, it encourages developers to completely separate JavaScript code from HTML markup. Brevity and clarity: jQuery promotes brevity and clarity with features like "chainable" functions and shorthand function names. Elimination of cross-browser incompatibilities: The JavaScript engines of different browsers differ slightly so JavaScript code that works for one browser may not work for another. Like other JavaScript toolkits, jQuery handles all these cross-browser inconsistencies and provides a consistent interface that works across different browsers. Extensibility: New events, elements, and methods can be easily added and then reused as a plugin. == History == jQuery was originally created in January 2006 at BarCamp NYC by John Resig, influenced by Dean Edwards' earlier cssQuery library. It is currently maintained by a team of developers led by Timmy Willison (with the jQuery selector engine, Sizzle, being led by Richard Gibson). jQuery was originally licensed under the CC BY-SA 2.5, and relicensed to the MIT License in 2006. At the end of 2006, it was dual-licensed under GPL and MIT licenses. As this led to some confusion, in 2012 the GPL was dropped and is now only licensed under the MIT license. === Popularity === In 2015, jQuery was used on 62.7% of the top 1 million websites (according to BuiltWith), and 17% of all Internet websites. In 2017, jQuery was used on 69.2% of the top 1 million websites (according to Libscore). In 2018, jQuery was used on 78% of the top 1 million websites. In 2019, jQuery was used on 80% of the top 1 million websites (according to BuiltWith), and 74.1% of the top 10 million (per W3Techs). In 2021, jQuery was used on 77.8% of the top 10 million websites (according to W3Techs). == Features == jQuery includes the following features: DOM element selections using the multi-browser open source selector engine Sizzle, a spin-off of the jQuery project DOM manipulation based on CSS selectors that uses elements' names and attributes, such as id and class, as criteria to select nodes in the DOM Events Effects and animations Ajax Deferred and Promise objects to control asynchronous processing JSON parsing Extensibility through plug-ins Utilities, such as feature detection Compatibility methods that are natively available in modern browsers, but need fallbacks for old browsers, such as jQuery.inArray() and jQuery.each(). Cross-browser support === Browser support === jQuery 3.0 and newer supports "current−1 versions" (meaning the current stable version of the browser and the version that preceded it) of Firefox (and ESR), Chrome, Safari, and Edge as well as Internet Explorer 9 and newer. On mobile it supports iOS 7 and newer, and Android 4.0 and newer. == Distribution == The jQuery library is typically distributed as a single JavaScript file that defines all its interfaces, including DOM, Events, and Ajax functions. It can be included within a Web page by linking to a local copy or by linking to one of the many copies available from public servers. jQuery has a content delivery network (CDN) hosted by MaxCDN. Google in Google Hosted Libraries service and Microsoft host the library as well. Example of linking a copy of the library locally (from the same server that hosts the Web page): Example of linking a copy of the library from jQuery's public CDN: == Interface == === Functions === jQuery provides two kinds of functions, static utility functions and jQuery object methods. Each has its own usage style. Both are accessed through jQuery's main identifier: jQuery. This identifier has an alias named $. All functions can be accessed through either of these two names. ==== jQuery methods ==== The jQuery function is a factory for creating a jQuery object that represents one or more DOM nodes. jQuery objects have methods to manipulate these nodes. These methods (sometimes called commands), are chainable as each method also returns a jQuery object. Access to and manipulation of multiple DOM nodes in jQuery typically begins with calling the $ function with a CSS selector string. This returns a jQuery object referencing all the matching elements in the HTML page. $("div.test"), for example, returns a jQuery object with all the div elements that have the class test. This node set can be manipulated by calling methods on the returned jQuery object. ==== Static utilities ==== These are utility functions and do not directly act upon a jQuery object. They are accessed as static methods on the jQuery or $ identifier. For example, $.ajax() is a static method. === No-conflict mode === jQuery provides a $.noConflict() function, which relinquishes control of the $ name. This is useful if jQuery is used on a Web page also linking another library that demands the $ symbol as its identifier. In no-conflict mode, developers can use jQuery as a replacement for $ without losing functionality. === Typical start-point === Typically, jQuery is used by putting initialization code and event handling functions in $(handler). This is triggered by jQuery when the browser has finished constructing the DOM for the current Web page. or Historically, $(document).ready(callback) has been the de facto idiom for running code after the DOM is ready. However, since jQuery 3.0, developers are encouraged to use the much shorter $(handler) signature instead. === Chaining === jQuery object methods typically also return a jQuery object, which enables the use of method chains: This line finds all div elements with class attribute test , then registers an event handler on each element for the "click" event, then adds the class attribute foo to each element. Certain jQuery object methods retrieve specific values (instead of modifying a state). An example of this is the val() method, which returns the current value of a text input element. In these cases, a statement such as $('#user-email').val() cannot be used for chaining as the return value does not reference a jQuery object. === Creating new DOM elements === Besides accessing existing DOM nodes through jQuery, it is also possible to create new DOM nodes, if the string passed as the argument to $() factory looks like HTML. For example, the below code finds an HTML select element, and cr
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NER is one of several formulas for accessing live subtitles in television broadcasts and events that are produced using speech recognition. The three letters stand for number, edit error and recognition error. It has been promoted as an alternative to Word error rate (Word Error Rate) which is a more objective measure. The overall score is calculated as follows: Firstly, the number of edit and recognition errors is deducted from the total number of words in the live subtitles. This number is then divided by the total number of words in the live subtitles and finally multiplied by one hundred. N E R v a l u e = N − E − R N ∗ 100 {\displaystyle NERvalue={\frac {N-E-R}{N}}100} . The acronyms stand for the following: N (number) = total number of words in the live subtitles E (Edit error) = edit error R (Recognition error) = recognition error This measurement process has been used for public television broadcasts in European countries like Italy and Switzerland. One major drawback with NER is that it requires a human assessor to rate errors as either: 1 Minor edition or recognition errors 2 Normal edition or recognition errors 3 Serious errors which are then weighted in the assessment process. This is both subjective, time consuming and costly. Also, NER fails to account for words left out subtitles which is something that does not take account of the D/deaf audience who want verbatim subtitles. As a result, NER cannot accurately reflect the audience's experience of subtitles. Another problem is the inconsistency of human evaluation of subtitles, particularly with live subtitles, where there are differing opinions of the importance of subtitle errors. By way of contrast, Word error rate is an objective measure of subtitle errors, since it measures the textual discrepancy between the subtitles and the speech.
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Bainu ("how are you?") is a Chinese social networking website written in the Mongolian language. As of 2020 it had about 400,000 users, concentrated in Inner Mongolia. == Core features and positioning == Language and Cultural Characteristics Bainu is based on Traditional Mongolian Script and supports social interactions in the Mongolian language, including various message formats such as text, voice, images, and video. This design aims to preserve and promote Mongolian language and culture, particularly appealing to users in Inner Mongolia and other Mongolian-populated areas. Social Features Instant Messaging: Supports one-on-one private chats and group chats. Users can create interest-based groups or join local communities. Life Sharing: Through the "Chomorlig" feature (similar to Moments or a dynamic feed), users can share daily highlights to enhance community interaction. Location-Based Socializing: Recommends nearby users based on location, making it easier to connect with Mongolian friends in the same city or neighboring regions. Multilingual Support The app interface is available in English, Mongolian, and Simplified Chinese. == Technical Features and User Experience == Cross-Platform Compatibility Supports iPhone, iPad, Mac (with M1 chip or above), and Apple Vision Pro devices, covering users across the Apple ecosystem. Pricing Model Free download and basic features are available. Premium services (e.g., ad-free experience, extended social functions) require a subscription, with pricing options including $0.99/month, $2.99/quarter, and $6.99/year. User Feedback Positive Reviews: Some users praise it as the "best Mongolian-language chat app," recognizing its cultural value and social convenience. Negative Feedback: Reports of app crashes and technical issues, with some users calling for improved stability (e.g., frequent crashes in the iOS version). == Privacy and Data Policy == Bainu collects user data such as location, contact information, and device identifiers, which are linked to user identities. Additionally, user behavior may be tracked through third-party services, raising some privacy concerns. == Current Development and Challenges == User Base As of 2020, Bainu had approximately 400,000 users, primarily concentrated in Inner Mongolia. Policy Impact It was reported by Voice of America (VOA) that the Chinese authorities blocked Bainu on 23 August 2020 in order to prohibit Mongolians from discussing the issue of the authorities’ implementation of "bilingual education" in elementary schools. But now, in 2025, this software is completely available for download and use. see:https://bainu.com/
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Alt TikTok (or 2020 Alt) was an online youth subculture and internet community that emerged on TikTok in 2020. Alt TikTok users (also known as alt girls, alt boys, or alt kids) emerged as primarily LGBTQ+ individuals who were in contrast to "Straight TikTok" which was seen as the mainstream and heteronormative side of the platform. The subculture became closely associated with music surrounding the hyperpop scene, particularly 100 gecs and also led to a short-lived fashion style and Internet aesthetic adopted by Generation Z during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Notable artists associated with the movement included Girl in Red, Freddie Dredd, David Shawty, WHOKILLEDXIX, and 645AR. While "alt kid" might imply a general association with traditional alternative fashion, the subculture was more an offshoot of e-girls and e-boys. In 2023, the hashtag #altfashion on TikTok amassed over 1.8 billion views. == History == Around mid-2020, users on TikTok began to group different content on the site into labels like "elite TikTok", "deep TikTok", and "floptok". These categories acted as different "sides of TikTok", deviating from mainstream lip syncing, online trends, and dance videos. Alt TikTok became one of the many subcultural communities to emerge during this period, initially referred to interchangeably with "elite TikTok". The movement quickly identified itself with alternative and queer users, in contrast to "Straight TikTok", also known as the "straight side of TikTok", which was seen as the mainstream and heteronormative side of the platform. Alt TikTok was accompanied by memes with surrealist or supernatural themes (sometimes being described as cursed), such as videos with heavy saturation and humanoid animals. One of the popular videos from Alt TikTok, gaining 18 million likes, shows a llama dancing to a cover of a song from a Russian commercial by the cereal brand Miel Pops, later becoming a viral audio. Some Alt TikTok users personified brands and products in what was referred to as Retail TikTok. In 2020, Rolling Stone described Alt TikTok as "one of the primary countercultures on the app." In 2020, American journalist Taylor Lorenz stated in an article of The New York Times, "Every pop sensation needs its ironic counterpoints. Alt Tiktok gets it done. [...] alt TikTok stars like Mooptopia are mainstays on the more indie side of the app. They aren't the popular crowd, but their cool, quirky content still attracts millions." === Trump rally trolling === In June 2020, alt TikTok and K-pop twitter users coordinated a strategy to ruin a Trump rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. American politician and activist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez later saluted the individuals for their "Trump troll". == Alt subculture == In 2020, Alt TikTok was one of many subcultural communities to emerge on TikTok, alongside Deep TikTok (aka DeepTok) and Flop TikTok (aka Floptok). The alt kid subculture emerged from Alt TikTok primarily among young Gen Z women, influenced by online fashion and aesthetics shaped by e-girls and e-boys. The movement was accelerated by the COVID-19 lockdowns, while the subculture itself stood in opposition to mainstream "Straight TikTok" and the VSCO girl movement, primarily adopting aspects of queer and alternative culture. While the phrase might imply a general association with alternative fashion or alternative culture, it is more accurately understood as a specific internet-driven outgrowth of online aesthetic youth subcultures like e-girls and e-boys. The alt subculture's visual style blended influences from goth, punk, emo, and grunge, often expressed through fashion, music taste, and online presence. === Style and music === The style of alt-girls is reminiscent of a myriad of previous alternative fashion trends, often blending these influences with online aesthetics. In 2020, TikTok alt-girls were teens ranging from ages 13 to 16, who tended to wear friendship bracelets, goth boots, Dr. Martens, bunny and frog hats, piercings, and split-dyed hair, as well as iconography lifted from Monster Energy and Hello Kitty. Some alt-girls displayed a love of cosplay, while drawing from Japanese anime and manga, particularly Danganronpa and Haikyu!!, which originally gained traction on the app through Anime TikTok (aka Anitok). Alt TikTok has been noted for being primarily influenced by queer and alternative culture, positioning itself in contrast to "Straight TikTok", which focused on mainstream dances and music. Alt kids frequently intersected with the e-girls and e-boys subculture, in terms of music, style, visual media, and aesthetics. Several musicians and artists were closely associated with the alt subculture, particularly those in the hyperpop scene, while alt tiktok users became important in the wider popularization of artists like 100 gecs. Notable prominent artists associated with Alt Tiktok included Girl in Red, Freddie Dredd, David Shawty, WHOKILLEDXIX, and 645AR, alongside music by YouTubers turned musicians such as Wilbur Soot's "I'm in Love With an E‐Girl" and Corpse Husband's "E-Girls Are Ruining My Life!". == Legacy == In 2020, Pitchfork claimed Alt TikTok as having an influence on wider music trends, stating: "Alt TikTok's music is now a hot zone for major record labels, pushing it even further into the mainstream". After the COVID-19 lockdowns, Alt TikTok, alongside its subculture, fell out of prominence and was taken over by other Gen Z-related internet aesthetics, developments, and online trends.
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Battleboarding, also known as versus debating and "who would win" debating, is an activity that involves discussing and debating around hypothetical fights between individuals; most popularly, fictional characters. These debates are often held in forums, blogs, sites and wikis, known as versus sites or battle boards. Netizens who engage in battleboarding online are often called "battleboarders". The earliest iterations of battleboarding first appeared in various online boards and forums, though its origins can be traced back to magazines, television shows, and comic book letter columns. Eventually, the online activity grew, becoming one of the most popular internet activities today, and spawning many online communities dedicated solely for battleboarding. It soon evolved into its own subculture, and even went on to inspire other media. == History == === Origins === Before the advent of the internet, articles about hypothetical fights were published in magazines. These articles range from topics like sports, comics and anime, such as Black Belt Magazine issue May 1997 which discussed about a hypothetical match between Muhammad Ali and Bruce Lee, and Wizard Magazine #133 which discussed about various hypothetical fights between American comic characters against Japanese anime characters. During that time, many comic book publishers also conceptualized and published "versus" storylines like Batman Versus Predator and Justice League/Avengers. Many films also capitalized on the concept of characters from different franchises fighting each other, such as Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1934), King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962), Freddy vs Jason (2003), and Alien vs. Predator (2004). Another inspiration behind battleboarding were television shows and documentaries whose premise involved hypothetical fights concerning a variety of subjects like zoology, paleontology, and military history. These include shows such as Animal Face-Off (which pitted animals against each other), Deadliest Warrior (which pitted historical warriors, oftentimes from different time periods, against each other), and Jurassic Fight Club (which was about analyzing cases where different types of dinosaurs fought one another). Death Battle, a web series about pitting characters against each other that began in 2010, is a similar show that soon inspired many battleboarding communities and fandoms. Death Battle, as with many other battleboarding series and websites before it, utilised "calcs", which are mathematical equations that try to calculate how strong a character or weapon is. Other popular web series about the subject include Super Power Beat Down and Grudge Match. === Forums and sites === Many internet forums about movies, comics, anime, and video games often held discussions about hypothetical fights between characters from these media. These discussions would be the first iteration of online battleboarding. A notable early battleboarding website was stardestroyer.net (founded 1998), created by Michael Wong. The website focuses in large part on match-ups between the Star Wars and Star Trek franchises, and also includes a forum covering this as well as other more general battleboarding topics, usually related to science fiction and space opera. In addition to the forums, several webpages written by the administrators and contributors were embedded on the site. These attempted to mathematically quantify the capabilities of Star Wars technology and prove their superiority to their Star Trek equivalents, such as Wong's "Star Wars vs Star Trek: Technology Overview" and Brian Young's "Turbolaser Commentaries." stardestroyer.net had a notable impact on early battleboarding culture and also influenced official products. Curtis Saxton, author of several officially-licensed Star Wars technical reference books, thanked Wong, Young, and several other stardestroyer.net contributors by name in the acknowledgements section of Star Wars: Attack of the Clones Incredible Cross-Sections (2002), referring to them as "prominent among the hundreds of people contributing to constructive debates about Star Wars technicalities over the years, resulting in the consensus of conceptual and physical foundations applied in these pages." Saxton's books in the Incredible Cross-Sections series contain specific numbers about the capabilities of Star Wars ships original to these publications and not used in any other official sources. In an interview conducted by TheForce.Net, Saxton claimed to have been offered the job of writing reference books by a DK employee familiar with his "Star Wars Technical Commentaries" webpage (1995–2001), where Saxton attempted to calculate the firepower, speed, and durability of Star Wars spaceships using his background as an astrophysics student. One of the oldest and longest-running battleboarding forum is Comic Vine's "battle forum", whose first post was in 2007. Comic Vine also has one of the largest impacts on battleboarding, creating many common rules and terminologies such as "bloodlusted", "morals are off", "speed equalized", and many others. Another long-running battle forum is a subreddit called r/whowouldwin, where redditors can post and debate fights about real or fictional individuals. Verdicts of these match-ups are often chosen by using evidences of a character's power, weakness, or feat, such as movie clips, comic book panel scans, and excerpts from related literature; all of which are posted and categorized in a separate subreddit called r/respectthreads. Other influential battle forums include Fanverse, where users can post their own calcs about a character's power level. The popularity of battle forums inspired the creation of websites dedicated only for battleboarding. These include The Outskirts Battle Dome, a website that popularized the use of "power levels" in battleboarding; the aforementioned stardestroyer.net; and Space Battles, a website whose forums and threads are filled with posts about hypothetical fights between characters as well as other related topics. Another influential battleboarding site is the now defunct Fact Pile, and its sister site, FactPileTopia. Fact Pile is one of the first battleboarding site that actually listed down and documented winners of their match-ups. The site closed down in 2016 along with its forum, wikia, and YouTube channel. Besides these, blogs about battleboarding were also created, such as dreager1.com. === Wikis === Nowadays, the most popular battleboarding communities can be seen in Fandom, with two of the oldest and most popular being Deadliest Fiction and VS Battles Wiki. Deadliest Fiction is a Deadliest Warrior-inspired fanon created in July 2010 by a group of historians, academics, and pop culture enthusiasts. Being one of the most influential and accurate battleboarding sites around, Deadliest Fiction allows users to create hypothetical match-ups in the form of blogs, where other users can vote and debate around who will win in the comment section. Once a verdict is reached, the site allows the user to create a simulated fanfiction of how the fight would happen. The same year in October, a similar battleboarding site named VS Battles Wiki was created. In the VS Battles Wiki, users can create profiles and power levels of characters, post match-ups in its threads and forums, and list down the winners and losers of these threads in said character profiles. The wiki is considered the most active wiki battleboarding site today, with over 1 million visitors per month. However, throughout the years, the VS Battles Wiki has had its share of controversies, such as alleged inaccuracies in its profiles. There have also been websites and fanfiction wikis inspired by the battleboarding internet show Death Battle. These include the long-running G1 Death Battle Fan Blog, r/deathbattlematchups, and the popular Death Battle Fanon Wiki and DBX Fanon Wiki. Death Battle also released its own dice and card game, complete with rules and effects taken from battleboarding. == Subculture == In its rise in popularity, battleboarding has given birth to a unique online subculture with its own rules, activities, and terminologies. Several of these influences have become present in other online communities and popular media. Some of the common slang and terminologies used in battleboarding subculture includes: Battle Field Removal: Often abbreviated to "BFR", this is a rule that a fight can end if one character is taken out of a battlefield. This rule is used for characters who have the powers to teleport or transport enemies without actually killing them. Battle Royale: A term originating from Comic Vine in which multiple characters are pitted against each other. The name is probably derived from the film Battle Royale or the video game genre of the same name. Bloodlusted: A hypothetical situation wherein the characters are pitted against each other while in a furious, berserker-like state. Calc: These are calculations battl
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FoundationDB is a free and open-source multi-model distributed NoSQL database owned by Apple Inc. with a shared-nothing architecture. The product was designed around a "core" database, with additional features supplied in "layers." The core database exposes an ordered key–value store with transactions. The transactions are able to read or write multiple keys stored on any machine in the cluster while fully supporting ACID properties. Transactions are used to implement a variety of data models via layers. The FoundationDB Alpha program began in January 2012 and concluded on March 4, 2013, with their public Beta release. Their 1.0 version was released for general availability on August 20, 2013. On March 24, 2015, it was reported that Apple has acquired the company. A notice on the FoundationDB web site indicated that the company has "evolved" its mission and would no longer offer downloads of the software. On April 19, 2018, Apple open sourced the software, releasing it under the Apache 2.0 license. == Main features == The main features of FoundationDB include the following: Ordered key–value store In addition to supporting standard key-based reads and writes, the ordering property enables range reads that can efficiently scan large swaths of data. Transactions Transaction processing employs multiversion concurrency control for reads and optimistic concurrency for writes. Transactions can span multiple keys stored on multiple machines. ACID properties FoundationDB guarantees serializable isolation and strong durability via redundant storage on disk before transactions are considered committed. Layers Layers map new data models, APIs, and query languages to the FoundationDB core. They employ FoundationDB's ability to update multiple data elements in a single transaction, ensuring consistency. An example is their SQL layer. Commodity clusters FoundationDB is designed for deployment on distributed clusters of commodity hardware running Linux. Replication FoundationDB stores each piece of data on multiple machines according to a configurable replication factor. Triple replication is the recommended mode for clusters of 5 or more machines. Scalability FoundationDB is designed to support horizontal scaling through the addition of machines to a cluster while automatically handling data replication and partitioning. Systems supported FoundationDB supports packages for Linux, Windows, and macOS. The Linux version supports production clusters, while the Windows and macOS versions support local operation for development purposes. Configurations on Amazon EC2 are also supported. Programming language bindings FoundationDB supports language bindings for Python, Go, Ruby, Node.js, Java, PHP, and C, all of which are made available with the product. == Design limitations == The design of FoundationDB results in several limitations: Long transactions FoundationDB does not support transactions running over five seconds. Large transactions Transaction size cannot exceed 10 MB of total written keys and values. Large keys and values Keys cannot exceed 10 kB in size. Values cannot exceed 100 kB in size. == History == FoundationDB, headquartered in Vienna, Virginia, was started in 2009 by Nick Lavezzo, Dave Rosenthal, and Dave Scherer, drawing on their experience in executive and technology roles at their previous company, Visual Sciences. In March 2015 the FoundationDB Community site was updated to state that the company had changed directions and would no longer be offering downloads of its product. The company was acquired by Apple Inc., which was confirmed March 25, 2015. On April 19, 2018, Apple open sourced the software, releasing it under the Apache 2.0 license.
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Digital anthropology is the anthropological study of the relationship between humans and digital-era technology. The field is new, and thus has a variety of names with a variety of emphases. These include techno-anthropology, digital ethnography, cyberanthropology, and virtual anthropology. == Definition and scope == Most anthropologists who use the phrase "digital anthropology" are specifically referring to online and Internet technology. The study of humans' relationship to a broader range of technology may fall under other subfields of anthropological study, such as cyborg anthropology. The Digital Anthropology Group (DANG) is classified as an interest group in the American Anthropological Association. DANG's mission includes promoting the use of digital technology as a tool of anthropological research, encouraging anthropologists to share research using digital platforms, and outlining ways for anthropologists to study digital communities. Cyberspace or the "virtual world" itself can serve as a "field" site for anthropologists, allowing the observation, analysis, and interpretation of the sociocultural phenomena springing up and taking place in any interactive space. National and transnational communities, enabled by digital technology, establish a set of social norms, practices, traditions, storied history and associated collective memory, migration periods, internal and external conflicts, potentially subconscious language features and memetic dialects comparable to those of traditional, geographically confined communities. This includes the various communities built around free and open-source software, online platforms such as Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, 4chan and Reddit and their respective sub-sites, and politically motivated groups like Anonymous, WikiLeaks, or the Occupy movement. A number of academic anthropologists have conducted traditional ethnographies of virtual worlds, such as Bonnie Nardi's study of World of Warcraft or Tom Boellstorff's study of Second Life. Academic Gabriella Coleman has done ethnographic work on the Debian software community and the Anonymous hacktivist network. Theorist Nancy Mauro-Flude conducts ethnographic field work on computing arts and computer subcultures such as systerserver.net a part of the communities of feminist web servers and the Feminist Internet network. Eitan Y. Wilf examines the intersection of artists' creativity and digital technology and artificial intelligence. Yongming Zhou studied how in China the internet is used to participate in politics. Eve M. Zucker and colleagues study the shift to digital memorialization of mass atrocities and the emergent role of artificial intelligence in these processes. Victoria Bernal conducted ethnographic research on the themes of nationalism and citizenship among Eritreans participating in online political engagement with their homeland. Anthropological research can help designers adapt and improve technology. Australian anthropologist Genevieve Bell did extensive user experience research at Intel that informed the company's approach to its technology, users, and market. == Methodology == === Digital fieldwork === Many digital anthropologists who study online communities use traditional methods of anthropological research. They participate in online communities in order to learn about their customs and worldviews, and back their observations with private interviews, historical research, and quantitative data. Their product is an ethnography, a qualitative description of their experience and analyses. Other anthropologists and social scientists have conducted research that emphasizes data gathered by websites and servers. However, academics often have trouble accessing user data on the same scale as social media corporations like Facebook and data mining companies like Acxiom. In terms of method, there is a disagreement in whether it is possible to conduct research exclusively online or if research will only be complete when the subjects are studied holistically, both online and offline. Tom Boellstorff, who conducted a three-year research as an avatar in the virtual world Second Life, defends the first approach, stating that it is not just possible, but necessary to engage with subjects “in their own terms”. Others, such as Daniel Miller, have argued that an ethnographic research should not exclude learning about the subject's life outside the internet. === Digital technology as a tool of anthropology === The American Anthropological Association offers an online guide for students using digital technology to store and share data. Data can be uploaded to digital databases to be stored, shared, and interpreted. Text and numerical analysis software can help produce metadata, while a codebook may help organize data. == Ethics == Online fieldwork offers new ethical challenges. According to the American Anthropological Association's ethics guidelines, anthropologists researching a community must make sure that all members of that community know they are being studied and have access to data the anthropologist produces. However, many online communities' interactions are publicly available for anyone to read, and may be preserved online for years. Digital anthropologists debate the extent to which lurking in online communities and sifting through public archives is ethical. The Association also asserts that anthropologists' ability to collect and store data at all is "a privilege", and researchers have an ethical duty to store digital data responsibly. This means protecting the identity of participants, sharing data with other anthropologists, and making backup copies of all data. == Prominent figures == Genevieve Bell is an Australian cultural anthropologist credited for pioneering the User Experience field. During her time working for Intel Corporation, Bell studied how various cultures from around the world interacted with and experienced technology. Researching and improving user experience allows companies and designers to gather data regarding how users utilize their digital products and what requires improvement or expansion. Tom Boellstorff is an anthropologist known for Coming of Age in Second Life: An Anthropologist Explores the Virtually Human where he conducted research on how engaging in virtual worlds affects the player’s sense of self. Gabriella Coleman is an American anthropologist concerned with the politics, ethics, and culture of hacking and online activism. Coleman’s most notable ethnography features the hacktivist collective Anonymous, where she argues that various genres of hacking exist according to the social conditions at play. Coleman is dedicated to making her ethnography accessible to a diverse audience, including academics and non-academics. Diana E. Forsythe was an American anthropologist of science and technology and the author of the essays featured in Studying Those Who Study Us: An Anthropologist in the World of Artificial Intelligence. She asked relevant questions such as how should humans interact with computers and how gender roles are maintained in technology-oriented occupations. Heather Horst is a sociocultural anthropologist interested in the relationship between digital social relations and material culture. Nancy Mauro-Flude is a design anthropologist whose work explores the tacit relations between embodied cognition, computational materiality, maker culture, self-hosted webserver cooperatives, creative practice, and artistic research in digital infrastructure and Internet publishing. Mizuko Ito is a Japanese cultural anthropologist specializing in technology use and the intersection between computers and the social sciences. Her primary interest is in how young people utilize media technology and how it can be used to engage students in education. Daniel Miller is an anthropologist with a concentration in digital anthropology. His research includes the smartphone and perpetual opportunism, the intent and consequences of posting on social media in various geographical locations, and how hospice patients use media to socialize in the last stage of their lives. Mike Wesch is a cultural anthropologist interested in how people share their lives, cultures, and beliefs through digital media.
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A variable- (also changeable-, electronic-, or dynamic-) message sign or message board, often abbreviated VMS, VMB, CMS, or DMS, and in the UK known as a matrix sign, is an electronic traffic sign often used on roadways to give travelers information about special events. Such signs warn of traffic congestion, accidents, incidents such as terrorist attacks, Amber/Silver/Blue Alerts, roadwork zones, or speed limits on a specific highway segment. In urban areas, VMS are used within parking guidance and information systems to guide drivers to available car parking spaces. They may also ask vehicles to take alternative routes, limit travel speed, warn of duration and location of the incidents, inform of the traffic conditions, or display general public safety messages. == History == VMS systems were deployed at least as early as the 1950s on the New Jersey Turnpike. The road's signs of that period, and up to around 2012, were capable of displaying a few messages in neon, all oriented around warning drivers to slow down: "REDUCE SPEED", followed by a warning of either construction, accident, congestion, ice, snow, or fog at a certain distance ahead. The New Jersey Turnpike Authority replaced those signs (along with 1990s-vintage dot-matrix VMS systems along the Garden State Parkway) with more flexible electronic signs between 2010 and 2016. The current VMS systems are largely deployed on freeways, trunk highways, or in work zones. On the interchange of I-5 and SR 120 in San Joaquin County, California, an automated visibility and speed warning system was installed in 1996 to warn traffic of reduced visibility due to fog (where tule fog is a common problem in the winter), and of slow or stopped traffic. Message Signs were deployed in Ontario during the 1990s and are now being upgraded on 400-series highways as well as two pilot secondary highways in northeastern Ontario. == Technologies and types == Early variable message signs included static signs with words that would illuminate (often using neon tubing) indicating the type of incident that occurred, or signs that used rotating prisms (trilons) to change the message being displayed. These were later replaced by dot matrix displays typically using eggcrate, fiber optic, or flip-disc technology, which were capable of displaying a much wider range of messages than earlier static variable message signs. Since the late 1990s, the most common technology used in new installations for variable message signs are LED displays. In recent years, some newer LED variable message signs have the ability to display colored text and graphics. Dot-matrix variable message signs are divided into three subgroups: character matrix, row matrix, and full matrix. In a character matrix VMS, each character is given its own matrix with equal horizontal spacing between them, typically with two or three rows of characters. In a full matrix VMS, the entire sign is a single large dot matrix display, allowing the display of different fonts and graphics. A row matrix VMS is a hybrid of the two types, divided into two or three rows like a character matrix display, except each row is a single long dot matrix display instead of being split per character horizontally. Overhead variable message signs are today available in three form factors: front access, rear access, and walk-in. In a front access variable message sign, maintenance is performed by lifting the sign open from the front. Most smaller VMS are of the front access form factor, and are typically installed today on major arterials. The rear access form factor is similar to the front access form factor, except that maintenance is performed from the rear of the sign, and are commonly used for medium-sized dynamic message signs installed along the roadside of freeways (instead of overhead). The walk-in form factor is a more recent introduction, where maintenance on the sign is performed from the inside of the sign. A key advantage of the walk-in form factor is that lane closures are generally not required to perform maintenance on the sign. Most of the largest VMS units installed today are walk-in units, and are typically installed overhead on freeways. The NJ Turnpike Authority counts five unique types of variable message signs under its jurisdiction, at least one of which has been replaced by newer signs. They are: "REDUCE SPEED" neon signs (1950s-2010, obsolete, have now been replaced). "Changeable message signs" (trilon/ rotating-drum signs that can be used for closing roads or moving traffic to other roadways). Electronic VMS: signs with remotely controlled messages displayed on them; the messages are sent from the State Traffic Management Center, updating the signs automatically. Variable speed limit signs - used for varying the posted speed limits within work zones and in emergencies. Portable VMS: movable "electronic VMS". A portable VMS has much the same characteristics as a fixed electronic VMS, but can be moved from location to location as the need dictates. == Usage == Early models required an operator to be physically present when programming a message, whereas newer models may be reprogrammed remotely via a wired or wireless network or cellphone connection. A complete message on a panel generally includes a problem statement indicating incident, roadwork, stalled vehicle etc.; a location statement indicating where the incident is located; an effect statement indicating lane closure, delay, etc. and an action statement giving suggestion what to do traffic conditions ahead. These signs are also used for Amber alert messages, and in some states, Silver and Blue Alert messages. In some places, VMSes are set up with permanent, semi-static displays indicating predicted travel times to important traffic destinations such as major cities or interchanges along the route of a highway. Typical messages provide the following information: Promotional messages about services provided by a road authority during non-critical hours, such as carpooling efforts, travelers' information stations and 5-1-1 lines Crashes, including vehicle spin-out or rollover Road Works Incidents affecting normal traffic flow in a lane or on shoulders Non-recurring congestion, often a residual effect of cleared crash Closures of an entire road, e.g. over a mountain pass in winter. Exit ramp closures Debris on roadway Vehicle fires Wildfires Short-term maintenance or construction lasting less than three days Pavement failure alerts AMBER, Silver, and Blue Alerts, as well as weather warnings via the warning infrastructure of NOAA Weather Radio's SAME system Travel times Variable speed limits Car park occupancy levels speed sign, for recommending a speed to approach the next traffic light in its green phase. The information comes from a variety of traffic monitoring and surveillance systems. It is expected that by providing real-time information on special events on the oncoming road, VMS can improve motorists' route selection, reduce travel time, mitigate the severity and duration of incidents and improve the performance of the transportation network. === United Kingdom === Do not enter the motorway when the red lamps are flashing in pairs from side to side. On 27 March 1972, the first motorway computer-controlled warning lights in the UK, with 59 miles on the M6 from Broughton, Lancashire to Barthomley, on the Cheshire boundary, and 26 miles on the M62 east of Whitefield, was switched on by Michael Heseltine and Charles Legh Shuldham Cornwall-Legh, 5th Baron Grey of Codnor at the headquarters of Cheshire Constabulary on Nuns Road. It was centred at a police computer centre at Westhoughton, that connected to police stations in Preston and Chester. The Chester site was soon be connected to the M53 and M57. Four other regional computer centres would be opened at Perry Barr near the M6, Scratchwood near the M1, at Hook near the M3, and at Almondsbury near the M4. Most British motorways would be covered by 1975. The system was designed by GEC and had taken five years to design. == Safety messages for drivers == Increasingly, signs have been used to remind drivers to buckle seat belts ("Click It or Ticket"), obey the speed limit, and stay off the road if impaired ("Drive sober or get pulled over"). In a federal study, a slight majority of drivers reported that public safety messages on dynamic message signs impacted their driving behaviors. The Ohio Department of Transportation began using humorous dynamic message signs in 2015, perplexing some drivers. Examples of humorous signs seen in New Jersey, Arizona, Texas, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Iowa, New York, Minnesota and Ohio include: "Hold on to your butts. Help prevent forest fires." "We'll be blunt. Don't drive high." "Visiting in-laws? Slow down, get there late." "Only sparklers should be lit." and “Don’t drive Star Spangled hammered." (for Fourth of July) "Hocus pocus – drive with focus." and "Slow down in work zones - my mummy works here." (f
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