Monthly Archives: September 2020

Blockchain: Beyond the Basics – Security Boulevard

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Beyond the basic blockchain

The core blockchain protocol implements a distributed ledger capable of performing cryptocurrency transfers. Smart contract platforms add additional functionality by running programs on top of the blockchain.

However, distributed ledger technology is not limited to the traditional blockchain or smart contract platform. Distributed ledgers can run on alternative architectures, support second-layer protocols and use advanced cryptography to provide additional functionality and guarantees.

Blockchain is the most common and widely-known architecture for implementing distributed ledgers. However, other protocols and distributed ledger architectures also exist. These alternative ledger architectures are often designed to address limitations of blockchain-based ledgers, such as limited transaction speeds and scalability.

A DAG is a graph with two main properties:

DAGs can also be used to implement a distributed ledger. An example of a leading DAG-based blockchain is IOTA and its Tangle.

Without blocks, DAG-based ledgers have to implement consensus in different ways. The security of these ledgers is heavily dependent upon the details of these consensus algorithms.

Sidechains take the blockchain as a basis and build on it. Sidechains are implemented using pegging.

Pegged sidechains are two independent blockchains that support cross-chain swaps. Users can send cryptocurrency to a set address on one chain and release cryptocurrency on the other. This provides the ability to take advantage of different features on different chains.

Sidechains are built out of completely independent blockchains that are linked in some way. Each blockchain has the same security concerns as a traditional blockchain, but (Read more...)

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Blockchain: Beyond the Basics - Security Boulevard

Top Tips On How To Build Your Own Chat App – Techiexpert.com – TechiExpert.com

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From Whatsapp to Viber, Chat apps have become extremely popular in the last few years. Today, just about every person that owns a mobile phone is using some instant-messaging app. If you are interested in building a chat app, you may want to create a standalone app or adding the app to an existing service or product.

The recommended approach to launching your chat app involves first launching its MVP, which stands for Minimal Viable Product. Whatsapp used this method, presenting the most important features to attract the interest of users. From here, you can continue to develop the app by capitalizing on the feedback from users. In this way, it becomes easier to follow a confident and careful path to build your chat app, lower the initial development costs, and learn more about your impression on the market.

When using Whatsapp as an example, this is one of the instant messaging apps that allow an exchange of video, audio messages, and text between multiple users or two users. This application uses XMPP (Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol). This is a completely decentralized protocol that makes WhatsApp extremely secure. If you use chat API from CometChat, all you have to do is configure it and start using it in your app. Chat APIs and SDKs are compatible with the different operating systems and easy to work with. With time they also get upgraded through which you have access to new features.

Like other app types, it is possible to create your chat app using a set of basic features. Here is a list of the functionality that should be included in the app.

Authorization is the first step involved in creating a chat app. There are different sign-up features you can choose. Some of these examples include authorization via the phone number, email, or social media. You can choose only to support one of these authorizations. However, it makes much more sense not to limit your users to just one authorization method. It is advisable to create your chat app to support all the options allowing your users to select the most convenient method for them.

If you would like to create a chat app that will not annoy your users, this a feature you should include. Importing contacts should happen automatically. Your chat app should include a function that scans the contact in the users contact book, followed by importing these to a server.

Another feature that you may want to include when building your messaging app is to allow users to automatically view their contacts using the messaging app already and who they can contact through this app. You can also ask your developer to allow your users to easily import their contacts from other platforms such as social media.

It is not possible to build a chat app without a messaging feature. This is the main part of any messenger application. Implementing a messaging feature will depend on the architecture type that you have decided to use.

Client-Server Messenger Application Vs. Server-Based Chat App

This is an app that will store all the messages onto a server. If you have chosen this chat type, keep in mind that every interaction between the server and users must occur via the HTTPS protocol, and they must be encrypted using an SSL certificate.

Since these are the type of applications that require interaction with servers, it becomes necessary to ensure the pulling interval is minimal. This interval should be around 1-2 seconds. This is among the methods used on how to create a chat app that allows for instant messaging that occurs between users.

These are applications that can also feature added layers of protection. An example of this is cryptography that encrypts every message sent from a server to a recipient.

These are the apps that do not use a server for storing messages. When users send messages, they are authenticated by a central server and then encrypted using what is known as an Asymmetric Cryptography Algorithm, which is also known as public-key cryptography. Messages are delivered to recipients through a wireless mesh network.

When considering how to create a chat or messaging app that users will enjoy, you may want to implement this option. A file-sharing feature allows your users to exchange videos, images, documents, and other content types with others.

You can implement this feature in two different ways. The first is to allow users to send files or content from internal storage or a gallery. The second way is to allow users to take videos or photos directly from your app, allowing them to instantly send these captured moments to a friend or family member.

The features mentioned above are essential for any chatting app. Your app can also include enhanced features that will allow for advanced possibilities.

If you are searching for the easiest solution on how to create a chat app that users are going to love, there are no silver bullets. It is advisable not to duplicate features used by the most popular and trending chatting apps. Instead, try creating unique user experiences by offering exclusive and uncommon features that may appeal to your users.

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Top Tips On How To Build Your Own Chat App - Techiexpert.com - TechiExpert.com

Hedging Risk in DeFi Through Real Assets Is The Next Step In DeFi’s Development, According the Founder Of MakerDAO… – TheTradable

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The DeFi explosion has generated various assets that can scale the collateral portfolio. All this will help to drive secure coins out and ensure strong stability costs.

Main risks of DeFi ecosystems

The main problem with DeFi is that funds don't have a real value, in terms of the fact that there is no real-world object behind them. The whole ecosystem boils down to the fact that some wrappers are changed to other more secure wrappers with more liquidity.

The founder of MakerDAO, Rune Christensen,believes that the next stage in the development of DeFi will be the introduction of real-world assets as collateral and hedging position risks.

The Advantages of such Hedging

Real estate is considered to have a more stable price model than other assets. Moreover, real estate has a clear link in space and in a materialized form. Tokenization of real-world objects will lead to faster and more flexible management of rating positions in the DeFi ecosystem.

Rune offers a broad system of real estate assets that are located in different jurisdictions. This should be created in case the government of one of the countries where the property is located imposes a moratorium on the use of real estate as collateral and tokenization.

But the tokenization of real assets in the blockchain is not a new development. Right now there is an immovable boom and in the world of cryptography, that is taking shape. The Sandbox is one of the blockchain games most exciting in the future.The Winklevoss brothers also said that it was time for DeFi to flourish.

A famous billionaire and a cryptoinvestor thinks the DeFi sector is far more developed and real than it was in 2017.

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Hedging Risk in DeFi Through Real Assets Is The Next Step In DeFi's Development, According the Founder Of MakerDAO... - TheTradable

Julian Assange of WikiLeaks at "very high" risk of suicide attempt if U.S. extradition bid successful, psychiatrist tells court – CBS News

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London WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange complained of hearing imaginary voices and music while detained in a high-security British prison, a psychiatrist who has interviewed him told his extradition hearing on Tuesday. Michael Kopelman, a psychiatrist who has interviewed Assange around 20 times, said the former hacker would be a "very high" suicide risk if he were extradited to the United States for leaking military secrets.

He cited as evidence Assange's "severe depression" and "psychotic symptoms," which included auditory hallucinations while in solitary confinement in his cell at the high-security Belmarsh Prison in southwest London.

Kopelman told the Old Bailey court in central London that Assange said he hallucinated music and voices saying "you are dust, you are dead, we are coming to get you".

Assange's suicidal impulses "arise out of clinical factors... but it is the imminence of extradition that will trigger the attempt," he added, warning "he will deteriorate substantially" if extradited.

Assange's partner Stella Moris has previously said she feared he would take his own life, leaving their two young sons without a father.

James Lewis, representing the U.S. government, quizzed Kopelman over the veracity of some of Assange's claims, suggesting he may have made them up.

Assange faces 18 charges under the U.S. Espionage Act relating to the 2010 release by WikiLeaks of 500,000 secret files detailing aspects of U.S. military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Washington claims he helped intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to steal the documents before exposing confidential sources around the world.

If convicted, Assange who has been held at Belmarsh for the last 16 months could be jailed for up to 175 years.

U.S. authorities recently laid out new evidence, alleging that Assange and others at the whistleblowing site recruited hackers.

The extradition hearing is the latest in a series of legal battles faced by Assange since the leaks a decade ago.

In 2010, he faced allegations of sexual assault and rape in Sweden, which he denied.

He was in Britain at the time but dodged an attempt to extradite him to Sweden by claiming political asylum in Ecuador's embassy in London.

For seven years he lived in a small apartment in the embassy, but after a change of government in Ecuador, Quito lost patience with its guest and turned him over to British police in April 2019.

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Julian Assange of WikiLeaks at "very high" risk of suicide attempt if U.S. extradition bid successful, psychiatrist tells court - CBS News

The true cost of resistance: Consider what happened to Julian Assange and Roger Hallam – Salon

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Two of the rebels I admire most,Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks publisher, andRoger Hallam, the co-founder of Extinction Rebellion, are in jail in Britain. That should not be surprising. You can measure the effectiveness of resistance by the fury of the response. Julian courageously exposed the lies, deceit, war crimes and corruption of the ruling imperial elites. Roger has helped organized the largest acts of mass civil disobedience in British history, shutting down parts of London for weeks, in a bid to wrest power from a ruling class that has done nothing, and will do nothing, to halt the climate emergency and our death march to mass extinction.

The governing elites, when truly threatened, turn the rule of law into farce. Dissent becomes treason. They use the state mechanisms of control intelligence agencies, police, courts, black propaganda and a compliant press that acts as their echo chamber, along with the jails and prisons not only to marginalize and isolate rebels, but to psychologically and physically destroy them. The list of rebels silenced or killed by ruling elites runs in a direct line from Socrates to the Haitian resistance leader Toussaint L'Ouverture, who led the only successful slave revolt in human history and died in a frigid French prison cell of malnutrition and exhaustion, to the imprisonment of socialist Eugene V. Debs, whose health was also broken in a federal prison. Rebel leaders from the 1960s, includingMumia Abu-Jamal,Sundiata Acoli, Kojo Bomani Sababu, Mutulu Shakur andLeonard Peltier, remain, decades later, in U.S. prisons. Muslim activists, including those who led the charityThe Holy Land FoundationandSyed Fahad Hashmi, were arrested, often at the request of the Israeli government, after the hysteria following 9/11, and given tawdry show trials. They also remain incarcerated.

Resistance, genuine resistance, exacts a very, very high price. Those in power drop even the pretense of justice when they face an existential threat. Most rebels, like Ernesto "Che" Guevara, and the tens of thousands of rebels the U.S. has had kidnapped, disappeared and brutally tortured and killed throughout American history, end up as martyrs.

Once a rebel is caged, the state uses its absolute control and array of dark arts to break them. Julian, whose extradition hearing is underway in London, and who spent seven years trapped as a political prisoner in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, is taken from his cell in the high security Belmarsh Prison at 5a.m. He is handcuffed, put in holding cells, stripped naked and X-rayed. He is transported an hour and a half each way to court in a police van that resembles a dog cage on wheels. He is held in a glass box at the back of court during the proceedings, often unable to consult with his lawyers. He has difficulty hearing the proceedings. He is routinely denied access to the documents in his case and is openly taunted in court by the judge.

It does not matter that Julian, who is being prosecuted under the 1917 Espionage Act, is not a U.S. citizen. It does not matter that WikiLeaks, which he founded and publishes, is not a U.S.-based publication. The ominous message the U.S. government is sending is clear: No matter who or where you are, if you expose the inner workings of empire you will be hunted down, kidnapped and brought to the U.S. to be tried as a spy and imprisoned for life. The empire intends to beunaccountable, untouchable and unexamined.

The U.S. created in the so-called "war on terror" parallel legal and penal codes to railroad dissidents and rebels into prison. These rebels are held in prolonged solitary confinement, creating deep psychological distress. They are prosecuted under special administrative measures, known as SAMs, to prevent or severely restrict communication with other prisoners, attorneys, family members, the media and people outside the jail. They are denied access to the news and other reading material. They are barred from participating in educational and religious activities in the prison. They are subject to 24-hour electronic monitoring and 23-hour lockdown. They must shower and go to the bathroom on camera. They are permitted to write one letter a week to a single member of their family, but cannot use more than three pieces of paper. They often have no access to fresh air and must take the one hour of recreation in a cage that looks like a giant hamster wheel.

The U.S. has set up a segregated facility, the Communication Management Unit, at the federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana. Nearly all the inmates transferred to Terre Haute are Muslims. A second facility has been set up at Marion, Illinois, where the inmates again are mostly Muslim but also include a sprinkling of animal rights and environmental activists. Their sentences are arbitrarily lengthened by "terrorism enhancements" under the Patriot Act. Amnesty International has called the Marion prison facility "inhumane." All calls and mail although communication customarily is off-limits to prison officials are monitored in these two Communication Management Units. Communication among prisoners is required to be only in English. The highest-level "terrorists" are housed at the Penitentiary Administrative Maximum Facility, known as Supermax, in Florence, Colorado, where prisoners have almost no human interaction, physical exercise or mental stimulation. It is Guantnamo-like conditions in colder weather.

Julian is already very fragile. His psychological and physical distress include dramatic weight loss, severe respiratory problems, joint problems, dental decay, chronic anxiety, intense, constant stress resulting in an inability to relax or focus, and episodes of mental confusion. These symptoms indicate, as Nils Melzer, the UNspecial rapporteur on torture who met and examined Julian in prison has stated, that he is suffering from prolonged psychological torture.

If Julian is extradited to the U.S. to face 17 charges under the Espionage Act, each carrying a potential 10-year sentence, which appears likely, he will continue to be psychologically and physically abused to break him. He will be tried in the burlesque of a kangaroo court with "secret" evidence, familiar to Black and Muslim radicals as well as rebels such as Jeremy Hammond, sentenced to 10 years in prison for hacking into the computers and making public the emails of a private security firm that works on behalf of the government, including the Department of Homeland Security, and corporations such as Dow Chemical.

Roger is being held inPentonville Prisonin London, which was built in 1842 and is in disrepair. He is charged with breaking bail conditions over an action that saw activists throw paint on the walls of the four major British political parties, as well as conspiracy to cause criminal damage. A Green Party member leaked to the British police a recorded Zoom discussion Roger hadwith three other members of Burning Pink, an anti-political party organized to create citizen assemblies to replace ruling governing bodies, as they discussed upcoming actions. The homes of the four activists on the Zoom meeting along with Roger, they were Blyth Brentnall, Diana Warner, Ferhat Ulusu and Anglican priest Steven Nunn were raided on Aug.25. Their electronic devices were confiscated by police and they were arrested.

Roger is housed in a dirty, vermin-infested cell and denied books and visitors. A vegan, he is forced to live on a diet of cold cereal and bread. On many days there is no hot food served in the prison. Violent altercations within the prison are commonplace. The overcrowded cells often lack lighting and heat. He has no change of clothes and has been unable to wash the clothes he is wearing for weeks. He stuffs bedsheets and paper in the cracks of the door to block mice and cockroaches. The toilet in his cell has no seat, is covered in excrement and does not flush properly. He goes days without access to the outside. His reading glasses are broken. He is waiting on a request for tape to fix them. The COVID-19 pandemic is in the prison. Two of the staff have died from the virus. Roger could be imprisoned in these conditions until February, if he is denied bail in a hearing scheduled for this week.

Roger's arrest came as Extinction Rebellion was planning ablockade of the printing presses of News Corps Printworks, which prints several major British newspapers, including The Times, Sun on Sunday, Sunday Times, The Daily Mail and The London Evening Standard. The blockade took place on Sept.4 to protest the failure of thosenews outlets to accurately report on the climate and ecological emergency. The blockade delayed distribution of the papers by several hours.

"The days of standing up to tyranny have long faded,"Roger writes from prison. "The life-and-death struggle against Hitler and fascism is consigned to the history books. Today's liberal classes believe only in one thing: maintaining their privilege. Their one priority is power. The number one rule is: preserve our careers, our institutions at all cost. The historical rule number one of fighting evil is the willingness to lose your career and to risk the closing down of your institution. The prospect of death and destruction is lost in a postmodernist haze. Leadership has decayed into sitting behind a desk, following public relations protocols (otherwise known as lying). Leading from the front, the first to go to prison Martin Luther King-style died with the passing of the World War II generation."

"The game is up," Roger continued. "The old alliance with the liberal classes is dead. New forms of revolutionary initiative and leadership are rising up. Members of the new political party Burning Pink have thrown paint at the doors of the NGOs and political parties calling for open dialogue and public debate. The response, true to form, has been a lethal and deafening silence. We are now in prison from where I write this article after a Green Party member recorded a Zoom call and passed it to the police. We have not been let out for exercise for the first five days. We have no kettle, no pillows, no visits. But we don't give a shit. We are doing something about Evil."

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The true cost of resistance: Consider what happened to Julian Assange and Roger Hallam - Salon

Protests against the extradition of Julian Assange in Bonn, Germany – DiEM25

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DiEM25 continues to show that democracy is one of its core beliefs by not only covering Julian Assanges extradition trial and pointing out the cases implications for our democracies, but also taking a stand in the streets against this latest attack on the free press by the Trump administration.

As former Brazil President Lula notes, Assanges only crime was exposing war crimes committed by the US military in Iraq and Afghanistan:

No one who believes in democracy can allow someone who provided such an important contribution to the cause of liberty to be punished for doing so. Assange, I repeat, is a champion of democracy and should be released immediately.

John Shipton, Assanges father, spoke about the terrible conditions his son has had to endure during his detention in a recent interview published by the Progressive International; a joint initiative between DiEM25 and the Sanders Institute to form a coalition progressive forces around the world.

The protest took part in front of the citys famous Beethoven monument at noon where multiple people approached our members to find about this attack on the freedom of the press, what has been the response from our governments, and what they could do to help fight this injustice.

One passerby who expressed her support for the release of Julian Assange said she contacted local groups about the extradition trial but was disappointed when she found out they were not taking any actions. After a short discussion with our members, she decided to join us in solidarity (shown in the picture wearing a hat).

One of the organizers of the event, Yunus Arikan, said the following:

Brave whistleblowers and investigative journalists are essential building blocks of our democratic societies. Julian Assange in the world and Myesser Yldz along with OdaTV in Turkey are the best of their classes. And yet, they are both threatened to death, which should be slammed and resisted by all progressives. As the members of the transnational movement DiEM25, I am proud to stand with my comrades in Bonn to call for freedom of Julian Assange, Myesser Yldz and under their name, of all brave whistleblowers and investigative journalists around the world.

Although Julian Assanges trial is a high-profile one with some coverage in the mainstream media, other journalists suffering the same faith barely get any attention. Such is the case of Myesser Yldz, a Turkish journalist, who is currently imprisoned for her investigative work.

If you, like us, believe journalists should be protected to do their jobs without state censorship we invite you to stand in solidarity with us by talking about these injustices with your family and friends and by signing this petition. Thank you.

#FreeAssange

In solidarity,

DSC Bonn

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Protests against the extradition of Julian Assange in Bonn, Germany - DiEM25

Why Julian Assange, a Non-US Citizen, Operating Outside the US, Is Being Prosecuted Under the Espionage Act – Consortium News

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Many people ask how can Julian Assange, an Australian whos never operated in the U.S., be prosecuted under the U.S. Espionage Act. Here is the answer.

Territorial ReachThe 1961Amendment That Imperils Assange

By Joe LauriaSpecial to Consortium News

If the original 1917 Espionage Act were still in force, the U.S. government could not have charged WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange under it. The 1917 language of the Act restricted the territory where it could be applied to the United States, its possessions and international waters:

The provisions of this title shall extend to all Territories, possessions, and places subject to the jurisdiction of the United States whether or not continguous thereto, and offenses under this title when committed upon the high seas or elsewhere within the admiralty and maritime jurisdiction of the United States

Scarbeck led by FBI agents.

WikiLeaks publishing operations have never occurred in any of these places. But in 1961 Congressman Richard Poff, after several tries, was able to get the Senate t0 repeal Section 791 that restricted the Act to within the jurisdiction of the United States, on the high seas, and within the United States.

Poff was motivated by the case of Irvin Chambers Scarbeck, a State Department official who was convicted under a different statute, the controversial 1950 Subversive Activities Control Act, or McCarran Act, of passing classified information to the Polish government during the Cold War.

(Congress overrode a veto by President Harry Truman of the McCarran Act. He called the Act the greatest danger to freedom of speech, press, and assembly since theAlien and Sedition Laws of 1798, a mockery of the Bill of Rights and a long step toward totalitarianism. Most of its provisions have been repealed.)

Newspaper account of Scarbeck affair.

Polish security agents had burst into a bedroom in 1959 to photograph Scarbeck in bed with a woman who was not his wife. Showing him the photos, the Polish agents blackmailed Scarbeck: turn over classified documents from the U.S. embassy or the photos would be published and his life ruined. Adultery was seen differently in that era.

Scarbeck then removed the documents from the embassy, which is U.S. territory covered by Espionage Act, and turned them over to the agents on Polish territory, which at the time was not.

Scarbeck was found out, fired, and convicted, but he could not be prosecuted under the Espionage Act because of its then territorial limitations. That set Congressman Poff off on a one-man campaign to extend the reach of the Espionage Act to the entire globe. After three votes the amendment was passed.

The Espionage Act thus became global, ensnaring anyone anywhere in the world into the web of U.S. jurisdiction. After the precedent being set by the Assange prosecution, it means that any journalist, anywhere in the world, who publishes national defense information is not safe from an Espionage Act prosecution.

Joe Lauria is editor-in-chief of Consortium News and a former UN correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, and numerous other newspapers. He was an investigative reporter for the Sunday Times of London and began his professional career as a stringer for The New York Times. He can be reached at joelauria@consortiumnews.com and followed on Twitter @unjoe .

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Why Julian Assange, a Non-US Citizen, Operating Outside the US, Is Being Prosecuted Under the Espionage Act - Consortium News

Choosing the Best Programming Language for Your Native App – Dice Insights

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So you have a great idea for a native app, but youre not sure about how to build it and where to begin on the development side.

One of the first few questions youll need to ask yourself is which programming language is the best fit for what youre trying to build, and whats the best path?

Lets start with the basics. Native apps are those built for a specific OS. For example, take the difference between a mobile webpage you bring up on a browser and an app such as Instagram that you download to your device. Unlike a web app, a native app gives you the ability to send push notifications and quickly share data from one app to another.

These platform-specific apps interact seamlessly with all other facets of a smartphone or other mobile device, allowing the app to instantly interact with the users camera, microphone, or geolocation. The lattermost example benefits the app-maker, allowing them to customize their offerings and rewards based on location while the user can take advantage of nearby deals or storefronts.

Do you value app-speed on the front end? Something easy to manipulate on the back end? Both? As you familiarize yourself with platforms and surface-level programming, the decisions of how, when, and why to use a specific language become more clear.

Knowing which platform to build your native app upon depends on knowing if your user base tends to congregate on iOS, Android, or both. With a great app idea in mind and an understanding of your target market, you can more confidently shop for languages on a given platform. Lets take a look at some of the most popular ones below:

Objective-C, long considered Apples default language, has been going strong since the 1980s. By virtue of being the standard-bearer in iOS for so long, this all-purpose programming language has an extensive library and is known by almost any Apple developer.

Another major benefit of using Objective-C is its stability. Once you develop your app on the language, you wont need to spend lots of time on updates and new versions. Unfortunately,Apple seems to be shifting away from Objective-C. Its performance is a bit limited and does not include the modern features of newer competitors.

If Objective-C represents the present, Swift is certainly the future of iOS. Apple is clearly trying to make Swift its go-to coding language. As more emphasis gets put on Swift, it should be at the top of any conversation when choosing an iOS language. Simply put, Swift is the new and much faster version of Objective-C.

In addition to a faster development process, other pros of using Swift are its easy scalability and a safety system that prevents code crashing. On the flip side, Swift is still a relatively young language, so its library and resources are limited when compared to Objective-C. Another consideration is there are fewer Swift developers out there when compared to its predecessor; however, thats expected to change in the coming years.

This ever-popular language is especially useful for mobile apps that leverage large amounts of data and/or machine learning. Python is able to easily crunch big packages of data and interpret them for developers. Netflix, Reddit, and Facebook are among the big-name users of Python for these exact reasons.

Although Python was originally meant to be a scripting language, it is one of the most popular languages for native app developers because of its ability to handle enormous datasets. Its also preferred for its extensive third-party library options, which give it an advantage over Swift when working on back-end apps. Another benefit of Python is that its easy to understand, so you have a wide base of developers who can utilize it, and it can be integrated with other popular languages such as Java.

In 2012, RubyMotion was released and challenged Objective-Cs stranglehold over iOS mobile app development. By allowing programmers to use Rubys much-beloved language to create native apps, RubyMotion still provides an interesting alternative to the more popular options listed above.

Technically, RubyMotion can be used as a cross-platform language, but it is routinely used for iOS development. Its known for running very fast and giving developers a variety of testing tools. Since RubyMotion is a cross-platform language, one major downside is that once you write your code in Ruby, you will still need to learn the host API, which will be written in Objective-C or Swift.

The official language of Android is also its most popular. Keep in mind that Java is flexible and can be an option if youre ever interested in developing cross-platform apps. For native app developers, it also has plenty of perks. As Androids default language, it has a wide variety of libraries and a good selection of open-source material to work with. It tends to allow for the faster user experience than other Android languages.

Some of the drawbacks of Java include the fact that its a complicated system to learn and not advised for use among novice coders. In addition, doing simple tasks can feel arduous as an excessive amount of code is needed for relatively minor commands. The more code thats written, the more it can then lead to errors.

One of the main alternatives to Java is Kotlin, an open-source language created in 2011. Kotlin can be an attractive choice over Java because the code writing process is easier, resulting in a shorter, more compressed code (making it less likely to produce errors). Kotlin is also flexible and can be easily converted into Java, as it has access to the same libraries.

A downside of Kotlin is that it tends to be slower than Java overall. Additionally, since its one of the newer Android languages, there is limited help from developers and programmers compared to Java.

Though these languages are considered more complicated than others on this list, C/C++ provides a lot of flexibility. Whether youre looking for a low-level program or something more sophisticated like a graphical user interface (GUI), these languages can do the job. As a compiled language, which well talk more about shortly, it is an extremely fast option for native apps. And thanks to its popularity among developers, there is a huge community readily available as well as countless resources via libraries and compilers.

C/C++ should be avoided if working with beginner programmers because of its sheer complexity. For those that have it mastered, there are tons of positives. It also follows a similar syntax to Java, providing some leeway in the learning curve.

Though Android does not support Lua by itself, the language is often converted to the OS by using an Android Software Development Kit (SDK). It is most commonly used for gaming apps and is recognized as a very fast, high-level language that is relatively easy to use.

Another major upside is that it does not take up much memory and can easily be transferred to the C/C++ languages, which is part of what makes it so useful for Android. Since Lua is not super common, it has limited resources and could require more time for developers to script their own code or fix problems.

Microsofts programming language C# is ideal for Windows apps, but its code can be cross-compiled and run on iOS and Android for native apps. This is thanks to Xamarin. Apart from needing just one base code even when used across platforms, another benefit to C# is there arent any lags or issues with speed. For Android, C# is also often simpler to use than Java because of its straightforward syntax.

However, there is a limited pool of resources and knowledgeable developers that work with Xamarin. Additionally, apps built with Xamarin are normally twice the size as your average native app.

Though HTML is normally reserved for web-based applications, its programming language can be transferred to native apps through third-party software (most notably Apache Cordova). This gives you features and the feel of web browsing on an app.

The fifth revision of HTML is easy to use, making it the perfect programming language for beginners. On paper, you should also save on costs, since youre not required to pay royalties and it can be used across devices. However, if you transition HTML coding to both iOS and Android native apps, youll likely need to pay two different programming teams. Also, be mindful of the overreliance on third parties to make sure your native app is working as it should. When errors in the app occur, it takes valuable bandwidth and time to get those corrected.

Its been five years since Facebook released React Native, which immediately stirred up attention for being a new and promising addition to cross-platform coding languages. The framework allows for native apps to be built on both iOS and Android, and is lauded for its short development time. One obvious advantage is that you only need to make code once and then you can use it for both of the major operating systems. Its also usually cheaper to go this route. Since React Native is based on JavaScript, youll likely only need a JavaScript developer to help implement the language.

Since React Native has an excited young community of developers backing it, its soon to have even more tools at its disposal. Naysayers have complained about apparent bugs that hamper navigation and by virtue of it being a cross-platform language, there is the potential for having any custom modules your developers build end up in a variety of codebases.

Googles UI framework Flutter has developed a new multi-platform language known as Dart. As with other cross-platform languages, Darts appeal comes from the ability to use one codebase that works on iOS, Android, and the web. Dart also comes equipped with an expansive core library, and has a number of useful tools like Dev_complier that can speed up the development process.

Dart also receives high marks for being easy to learn, but it still has a small community and has yet to become as competitive as some of its cross-platform rivals.

With all of these choices, it can be daunting to arrive on the correct decision when picking a language for your native app. Here are some things to consider to help guide you to the correct choice.

Coding languages can vary greatly depending on syntax, typing, and level. When looking at the differences in implementation, there are two distinctions to be made: compiled and interpreted languages.

Compiled languages follow a static process where the program is directly converted into code by its target machine. Interpreted languages require a different program to read and carry out code. The approach here is more line-by-line execution, as opposed to compiled languages that have code manually laid out beforehand.

So what does it all mean? Well, it depends on how you look at it and how much experience you have with both platforms. While compiled languages have the luxury of running faster with fewer problems, theyre not always advantageous. Interpreted languages allow developers more freedom, since going line-by-line means code can be modified while running and it offers dynamic typing that compiled languages dont offer.

Some common examples of compiled languages that weve mentioned are C#, Java, Kotlin, Objective-C, and Swift.

For interpreted languages, the most popular codes include Python, Ruby, PHP, and JavaScript.

One of the most important factors when considering which programming language to use for your native app is the number of resources available for each language. When it comes to resources, youre likely looking for two things: First, you want a language with an established community of programmers you can tap into for help. Second, it is important to find a language with an expansive library of open-source solutions so the programmers you hire dont have to reinvent the wheel when working on every update or error.

Languages with a large community of programmers include Python, Java, and C#. Python is revered by both beginners and more experienced programmers because it is simple, yet has a large range of applications. Since Python boasts a wide variety, from popular mobile apps like Instagram to artificial intelligence, there is a high supply of in-demand programmers.

Some notable languages with a voluminous library of solutions include Java and PHP. Java has around 400,000 different libraries and has received high marks for its wide selection of resources for programmers that work most commonly on Android. However, it can be used across other platforms, as well.

Though these languages work for many people, there may be something special youre looking for when building your native app. The beauty of there being hundreds of programming languages on the market means youre certainly not lacking options.

Once youve narrowed down your target platform for your audience and get a feel of how you want your app to perform, the options become more clear. That puts you one step closer to finding the perfect language for your new native app.

Camilo Usuga is the CTO and Head of Product at Talos Digital.

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5 Reasons Python is Still the King of Programming Languages – Dice Insights

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Just about every programming language has an ardent fanbase, and Python is no different. Long an extremely popular generalist language, Python has been establishing new fans in ultra-specialist segmentssuch as data science and machine learning. No wonder it regularly ranks so highly on various most popular language lists, including the TIOBE Index, RedMonk, andStack Overflows annual Developer Survey.

If youre new to programming and wondering whether to prioritize the time to learn Python, heres a brief run-through of what developers and other technologists love about the language, along with some advice about adopting it.

Python is the perfect first programming language for beginners,Sebastian Lutter, CTO at Pixolution, told Dice. It provides a clear and readable syntax that makes it easy to learn the fundamentals of programming and allows you to focus on creating solutions for your problems quickly.

Michal Kowalkowski, CEO of NoSpoilers.ai, agreed: Python is easy to learn, even for complete programming beginners. The syntax is simple, and you can master it in a couple of days. Beginners might feel scared when moving from Python to low-level languages like C++, whereas other programmers who start learning Python immediately see its simplicity.

For beginners, picking up any new programming language can be intimidating at first. But like any popular language, Python has a lot of documentation to help you on your way. For example,Python.orgoffers a handybeginners guide to programming and Python.If youre a visual learner, Microsoft has avideo series,Python for Beginners,with dozens of lessons (most under five minutes in length; none longer than 13 minutes).Once youve mastered some of the basics,avariety of tutorials and books(some of which will cost a monthly fee) can help you adopt the language in the context of data analytics and other fields.

Dave Wade-Stein, senior instructor at DevelopIntelligence, added: Python is pithy. One does not have to write a lot of code to get things done. And as a result, programmers can be more productive in Python compared to languages that require a lot of boilerplate code to perform common tasks. In addition, in the DevOps world, where Python is immensely popular, engineers can automate tasks with fewer lines of code, allowing them to focus on further reducing technical debt.

For developers and engineers who are trying to quickly cycle up new projects, that can make Python a good choice of language. Its also important to pay attention to its speed vis--vis other languages, such as Java;heres a helpful breakdown for you.

Kowalkowski also points to Pythons large developer community, which helps the language thrive: Its a popular language with sources on any question you might have. This makes learning simple and enables users to quickly feel like they can do anything with the right kind of help.

As with any language, a robust community is essential for everything from the development of new features to bug-squishing. There aretons of third-party libraries [in Python]for any use case you can think of, Lutter said. You can solve nearby every problem in Python, and you will find a lot of useful libraries from others working on similar problems that will help you to write easily readable and clean code.

Wade-Stein points to Pythons quarter-million packages onpypi.orgas a big reason why the language is so incredibly popular: Its safe to say packages, which in effect expand Python from its originalraison dtreof text processing and manipulation (it was certainly aPerlcompetitor when it first appeared in 1991) into a full-fledged data science powerhouse, are really the drivers for Pythons current popularity.

Sachin Gupta, CEO and co-founder ofHackerEarth, points to his companys 2020 developer survey,which noted that 55 percent of students know Python.

Python is versatile and constantly reinvents itself, he noted, adding that the language allows developers to keep up with trends without having to relearn everything from scratch. Pythons easy integrations with C, C++, and Java as well as its constant updates, keep developers plugged in and up-to-date.

Modus co-founder and Managing PartnerJay Garciapoints to Stack Overflows 2020 developer survey, which reached a similar conclusion as HackerEarth. According toStack Overflows 2020 annual developer survey, Python is3rd among most loved, and 1st wantedprogramming languages, Garcia said. This all nets out to a swath of free and paid resources to train your team and a robust market of skilled engineers to hire if you need to scale your team.

Garcia makes a great point about Python being a hirable skill, and others agree it can help land you jobs.Kowalkowski points out that the incredibly hot data-science market leans heavily into the language: Data scientists often turn to Python for data-related actions due to the sheer number of useful libraries and open-source content. Artificial intelligence is a hot topic, and, under the hood, it relies on data science.

Python instructorTom Taulliemphasized Pythons relevance to machine learning and A.I. When it comes to A.I., the language of choice is Python, he said. It allows for easy scripting for data science projects, and there is the handling of massive amounts of data.Python also has an extensive ecosystem of add-ons, such as forTensorFlow,PyTorchandKeras.

Finally,Reuben Yonatan, founder and CEO at GetVoIP, noted: Big tech companies such as Google, Uber, and Netflix use the language. As a Python developer, it makes it easier to find a job because big tech companies are always looking to add to their pool of skilled developers. That means smaller companies adopt the language, as well, creating lots of opportunities to not only build new products, but also maintain and improve legacy code.

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Wikipedia: This new look is our first desktop redesign in 10 years – ZDNet

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Wikipedia, the web's 20-year-old crowdsourced encyclopedia, is about to get a new-look desktop interface and its first redesign in a decade.

Launched in January 2001 by Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger, Wikipedia has become an essential resource for knowledge about anything that contributors believe is worth documenting. The site is currently home to 53 million articles across over 300 languages.

The redesign aims to address what the Wikimedia Foundation admits is "clunky" navigation on the site's desktop interface, which makes it difficult for readers and editors to use.

SEE: Guide to Becoming a Digital Transformation Champion (TechRepublic Premium)

Wikimedia hopes the redesign will attract users who've come to the internet in the past decade without alienating existing users. It also wants to provide a less overwhelming experience and a less confusing side menu.

Some of the key Wikipedia design changes coming include a reconfigured logo, a collapsible sidebar, a repositioned search widget, a new user menu, and a link to articles in different languages in the title bar.

To improve page navigation there's also a new table of contents menu that allows users to skip between different aspects of a person's life, subject, thing or event. Wikimedia has published a series of gifs demonstrating the proposed changes.

"If all goes to plan, these improvements will be the default on all wikis by the end of 2021, timed with Wikipedia's 20th birthday celebrations," writes Olga Vasileva, lead product manager at the Wikimedia Foundation.

The first change due is the collapsible sidebar, which allows users to focus on content, as well as highlight key functionality such as the edit and history buttons, language switching and search.

The second change that Wikimedia is planning introduces a maximum line width to make content easier to read.

The first change to Wikipedia will be the collapsible sidebar, which lets users focus on content and highlight key functionality.

Wikimedia is also working on new designs that reconfigure the logo, seen here.

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Wikipedia: This new look is our first desktop redesign in 10 years - ZDNet