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How to Run LLM Locally on Your Computer with LM Studio

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Original Source: https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/run-llm-locally-lm-studio/

Running Large Language Models (LLMs) like Llama-3 or Phi-3 typically requires cloud resources and a complicated setup. LM Studio changes this by providing a desktop app that lets you run these models directly on your local computer.

It is compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux, and its friendly GUI makes it easier to run LLMs, even for people who aren’t familiar with technical setups. It’s also a great option for privacy because all queries, chats, and data inputs are processed locally without any data being sent to the cloud.

Let’s see how it works.

System Requirements

To run LLM models smoothly on your device, make sure your setup meets these requirements:

PC (Windows/Linux): A processor supporting AVX2 (standard on newer PCs) and an NVIDIA or AMD GPU.
macOS: Requires Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3). Intel-based Macs are not supported.
Memory: At least 16 GB RAM is ideal, though 8 GB may work if you use smaller models and context sizes.
Internet: A stable connection is recommended for downloading models.

Installation

To get started, download LM Studio for your platform.

LM Studio download page with platform selection options

After downloading, follow the installation steps to launch the app. You’ll see a familiar chat interface with a text box, similar to most AI chat applications, as shown below:

LM Studio chat interface screen

Before you can start using it, you need to download and load a model.

What is a Model?

A model in this context is a pre-trained algorithm that can perform a variety of natural language processing tasks. The model is trained on a large dataset of text and learns to predict the next word in a sentence, enabling it to generate coherent and relevant text based on your input.

There are many different models available, each with specific strengths. Some models are better at generating creative text, while others excel at factual information or shorter responses.

For example, models like GPT-3, Llama-3, and Phi-3 generate creative and engaging text, while Yi Coder is trained on code and is better at generating code snippets.

Load a Model

LM Studio supports a variety of models, including GPT-3, Llama-3, Phi-3, and more. You can easily download models from the “Discover” section in the sidebar. Here, you will see a list of available models, their parameter sizes, and their specializations.

Select a model based on your needs. For example, if you want to generate creative text, download a model like Llama-3. If you need code snippets, try Yi Coder. Larger models require more resources, so choose a smaller model if your computer has limited power.

In this example, I’ll download Llama-3 with 8B parameters. Once you click the download button, the model will begin downloading.

LM Studio discover models section with model options

After downloading, load the model by clicking on the “Load Model” button in the “Chat” section and selecting the model you downloaded.

LM Studio load model interface

Once the model is loaded, start using it to generate text. Simply type your input in the text box and press enter. It can handle facts or general knowledge and is useful for creative writing, brainstorming, or generating ideas.

LM Studio chat response example
Chat with Documents

Since version 0.3, LM Studio offers a Chat with Documents feature, allowing you to upload a document to the conversation. This is useful for generating text based on a specific document or providing extra context to the model.

For example, I’ll upload the Romeo and Juliet book from Project Gutenberg and ask a couple of questions.

Who are the main characters in the story?
What is the main conflict in the story?

LM Studio will gather information from the document and provide answers to your questions.

LM Studio document chat feature example with Romeo and Juliet text

Currently, this feature is experimental, meaning it may not always work perfectly. Providing as much context in your query as possible—specific terms, ideas, and expected content—will increase the chances of accurate responses. Experimentation will help you find what works best.

Overall, I’m happy with the results so far. It can answer questions accurately.

Wrapping Up

LM Studio is a valuable tool for running LLM models locally on your computer, and we’ve explored some features like using it as a chat assistant and summarizing documents. These features can boost productivity and creativity. If you’re a developer, LM Studio can also run models specifically tuned for generating code.

The post How to Run LLM Locally on Your Computer with LM Studio appeared first on Hongkiat.

15 Best New Fonts, October 2024

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Original Source: https://webdesignerdepot.com/best-fonts-october-2024/

GT Flaire

GT Flaire aims to translate the bold expressive curves of calligraphy into digital form. It blends profesionalism with a lively, playful style to bridge the gap between business and creativity. It’s an excellent choice for corporations hoping to create a more relaxed brand image.

GT Flaire
Paramount Rounded

Paramount Rounded is a humanist-geometric typeface blending neo-futuristic style with geometric traditions. Featuring versatile alternates, it adapts from sleek spaceship branding to everyday packaging. Also available in a regular, non-rounded version, Paramount Rounded is a great option for branding.

Paramount Rounded
Wulkan

Wulkan was designed a decade ago when the designer needed an expressive serif, couldn’t find one, and ended up creating his own. It started out as a display font; the latest iteration is a complete redesign that includes text and heading variations, new weights, and variable font options.

Wulkan
Groutpix

Groutpix is an extreme pixel-based font that references the graphics in dance music. It works best in small doses, with wide letter-spacing. It would be an excellent logo font for the right combination of letters.

Groutpix
Callas

Callas is a high-contrast typeface with a fresh, lively appearance, blending classic forma with the elegance of modernist styles. Its design is distinguished and crisp, offering a clean look with a hint of extravagance, ideal for refined yet expressive typography.

Callas
Gelatic

Gelatic is a vibrant display sans with a sunny outlook. The playful, positive shapes are ideal for relaxed, friendly logotypes. There are six styles and a variable font option for flexibility.

Gelatic
Zybo Pop

Zybo Pop is a playful, bubble-style graffiti font that delivers a bold, confident aesthetic to any project. It‘s amazing that a style that dates back to the late 1970s can still feel fresh and young, but it does. It’s a great choice for editorials, posters, and lifestyle branding.

Zybo Pop
RT Dromo

RT Dromo is a geometric sans that was inspired by vintage 1980s concert tickets. It combines robust, functional shapes with contemporary digital aesthetics for a balanced, retro-charm. It’s available in 16 fonts across four weights, including italics and monospace styles.

RT Dromo
Aukio

Aukio, which means “square” in Finnish, is a high-contrast display typeface inspired by Nordic calligraphy. Its angular, squarish forms blend traditional humanistic shapes with a digital approach, creating a contemporary design suited for striking titles.

Aukio
Apex Bound

Apex Bound is an graffiti font with Solid, Outline, Inner Shadow and Extrude styles that allow you to create depth, volume and definition for dynamic street art-style typography.

Apex Bound
Melun

Melun is a geometric sans-serif with retro flair. It comes in three distinct styles: Normal, High, and Display, each with a range of different weights and accompany italics. It has a futuristic quality that makes it excellent for posters and editorial work.

Melun
Editora

Editora is a modern take on neoclassical styles. Designed for editorial design where elegance is required. Editora has 18 styles, with a range of weights, making it as practical as it is charming.

Editora
Julia

Julia is a cursive font that blends elegance, fluidity, and readability. Its refined loops, swashes and clean forms create a modern take on a classic look. It’s currently only available in a Light weight, but more weights are on the way.

Julia
Pulso

Pulso is one of DSType’s Next Fonts project — essentially beta releases of upcoming fonts. Designed for demanding display conditions, from screens to print, Pulso features three weights plus italics, and large text versions. Pulso will be finalised in 2025 with full language support but you can get early access now.

Pulso
Fox Gavin

Fox Gavin is a playful font that’s excellent for children’s branding. It comes in four styles for layering and is perfect for display type, logos, T-shirts, and any time you need an eye-catching, friendly typeface.

Fox Gavin

Graphic Hunters: Pushing the Boundaries of Sports Visual Identity

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Original Source: https://abduzeedo.com/graphic-hunters-pushing-boundaries-sports-visual-identity

Graphic Hunters: Pushing the Boundaries of Sports Visual Identity
Graphic Hunters: Pushing the Boundaries of Sports Visual Identity

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Explore how Graphic Hunters’ visual identity redefines sports branding through innovative design inspired by fashion and art.

Graphic Hunters, a Dutch studio dedicated to sports branding, isn’t playing by the typical design rulebook. Instead, their newly crafted visual identity steps outside the confines of traditional sports aesthetics, introducing elements drawn from fashion and high design. The result is a high-impact, versatile identity that positions Graphic Hunters as a creative club worth joining—whether as a client or a collaborator.

A New Playbook for Sports Branding

At the heart of Graphic Hunters’ approach is the idea that the sports industry deserves a more refined and exclusive visual experience. This belief is woven into every part of their branding, which Monga Design and Vogau led with a clear vision. The goal was to create a system that balances functionality with creative exploration, breaking conventions while still delivering practical, adaptable solutions for various applications.

This innovative take on visual identity isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s a strategy aimed at redefining the brand’s place in the market. Graphic Hunters has always described itself as a team hungry for new challenges, and now, their brand identity reflects that spirit. The new look aims to make the studio stand out in the sports arena and beyond, appealing to clients and team members who value originality and impact.

Graphic Hunters’ identity combines familiar elements from the sports world—like motion and heat—with unexpected treatments. The design team drew inspiration from fashion and abstract art to create a visual language that transcends typical sports branding. This cross-pollination of ideas manifests in several core elements:

1. Typographic Experimentation: Instead of relying on traditional sports typefaces, the team played with a variety of fonts that feel bold and contemporary. Typography serves as both structure and disruption, bringing energy to each layout.

2. Photographic Treatments: The identity includes photographs that have been creatively manipulated, breaking up the grid and adding an element of surprise. This technique turns static images into dynamic design features, echoing the constant motion of sports.

3. Grid System and Stickers: To keep the brand’s applications cohesive yet flexible, a structured grid underpins the design. However, this is cleverly offset by playful elements like stickers and graphical interventions, which keep the brand feeling fresh and exciting.

One of the biggest challenges was making the visual system adaptable yet creatively open. Sports branding often leans into themes of power and motion, but Graphic Hunters wanted to do more. The result is a brand that’s equally at home on a team jersey or a digital campaign, seamlessly moving between refined, impactful moments and bold, playful expressions. This adaptability speaks to the studio’s ethos of being a “creative club,” where everyone is encouraged to push the boundaries.

Another essential aspect was research. The design team explored references beyond the sports realm, looking at high fashion and experimental graphic design. This broader inspiration palette allowed Graphic Hunters to create something genuinely unique for the industry. The identity’s experimental typography and abstract motifs capture the feeling of heat and energy—core elements of sports—while grounding them in a sophisticated design language.

Elevating Sports Design Beyond the Field

By combining these unexpected references with a strong foundation of sports elements, Graphic Hunters has crafted a visual identity that is both striking and functional. It stands as a testament to the idea that sports design can be more than bold fonts and action shots. It can be a narrative of innovation and exclusivity, appealing to an audience that appreciates both the adrenaline of sports and the sophistication of high design.

Graphic Hunters’ reimagined branding proves that sports-focused design can be just as experimental and refined as any high-fashion brand. It’s a visual identity that elevates the sports studio into a space where design meets performance, art meets action, and innovation becomes the new norm. As the brand continues to grow, this identity will serve as a powerful statement of their ambition: to bring high-impact, original design to the world of sports, one project at a time.

Branding and visual identity artifacts

Image from the Graphic Hunters: Pushing the Boundaries of Sports Visual Identity article on AbduzeedoImage from the Graphic Hunters: Pushing the Boundaries of Sports Visual Identity article on AbduzeedoImage from the Graphic Hunters: Pushing the Boundaries of Sports Visual Identity article on AbduzeedoImage from the Graphic Hunters: Pushing the Boundaries of Sports Visual Identity article on AbduzeedoImage from the Graphic Hunters: Pushing the Boundaries of Sports Visual Identity article on AbduzeedoImage from the Graphic Hunters: Pushing the Boundaries of Sports Visual Identity article on AbduzeedoImage from the Graphic Hunters: Pushing the Boundaries of Sports Visual Identity article on Abduzeedo

Image from the Graphic Hunters: Pushing the Boundaries of Sports Visual Identity article on AbduzeedoImage from the Graphic Hunters: Pushing the Boundaries of Sports Visual Identity article on AbduzeedoImage from the Graphic Hunters: Pushing the Boundaries of Sports Visual Identity article on Abduzeedo

Credits

Authors: Monga Design, Vogau and Clint Studio
Visual identity: Monga Design (Mateus Yuzo, Michel Refatti) and Vogau (Carlos Eduardo Marin, Gabriela Colebrusco Peres)
Motion: Clint Studio (Bruno Vitalino, Danilo Coelho, Gustavo Brazzalle, Lucas José Galego, Luciano Burger

A Deep Dive into Building Enterprise grade Generative AI Solutions

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Original Source: https://www.sitepoint.com/building-enterprise-grade-generative-ai-solutions/?utm_source=rss

Read A Deep Dive into Building Enterprise grade Generative AI Solutions and learn AI with SitePoint. Our web development and design tutorials, courses, and books will teach you HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, Python, and more.

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A Deep Dive into Building Enterprise grade Generative AI Solutions
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Prodigi vs Printify: Comparing Features, Pricing, and More

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Original Source: https://ecommerce-platforms.com/articles/prodigi-vs-printify

After testing both platforms extensively myself, I think Printify is the best choice overall. It offers access to more unique products (like custom coffee), advanced AI-powered design tools, and a huge range of integration options.

Prodigi does have its benefits though, from it’s easy to use interface, to its affordable pricing, and eco-friendly approach to production.

So, how do you make the right choice? This complete comparison guide will tell you everything you need to know.

The Quick Verdict

Printify beat Prodigi in most of the tests I conducted. It has stronger design tools (including an AI image generator), more unique product options, more printing options, and gives you access to a wider range of sales channels.

There’s even a free pop-up store tool.

Prodigi does excel in some areas, though. It offers access to very cost-effective products, is extremely easy to use, and specializes in sustainable print on demand.

Prodigi Pros and Cons

Pros:

Strong commitment to sustainable production and fulfillment

Over 500,000 customizable products

Easy-to-use interface (ideal for beginners)

Fast production times (24-48 hours for most products)

Straightforward mockup generator

Cons:

The design tools are relatively basic

No premium plans with extra perks

Fewer sales channels

Printify Pros and Cons

Pros:

Lots of unique products, including beauty items and coffee

Integrations with dozens of sales channels

Huge range of global manufacturers

Great AI-powered design tools

Various branding and customization options

Free pop-up store creator

Cons:

Product pricing and quality can vary

Some manufacturers have slower production times

Prodigi vs Printify: Core Features

On the surface, Prodigi and Printify seem pretty similar. They both give you instant access to hundreds of customizable products, design tools, mockup generators, and global fulfillment services.

They also both integrate with ecommerce platforms and marketplaces (though Printify has more options to choose from).

However, I noticed some key differences when testing these platforms myself.

Product Variety and Quality

Let’s start with one of the most important factors to consider when choosing a POD platform – the products.

Prodigi seems to offer more customizable products than Printify, telling companies they can add designs to over 500,000 different items. But there aren’t many unique options to choose from.

Printify gives you more than 900 products to customize, including options you won’t find anywhere else, like branded coffee and cosmetics.

Prodigi also doesn’t seem to have as many advanced printing options, like all-over-print and sublimation – while Printify does.

One other point to note is that Prodigi specializes in sustainable and eco-friendly printing and production.

They source sustainable materials, and work with local distribution companies to minimize your carbon footprint.

However, the same could be said for Printify. They also offer sustainable products, and work with suppliers worldwide.

From a product quality perspective, both companies have their pros and cons. They both follow strict quality assurance measures and use cutting-edge technology, alongside high quality materials.

However, Prodigi has earned a few negative reviews for its printing clarity in the past.

Printify, on the other hand, does have a reasonably good reputation, but since the company outsources printing to hundreds of different global manufacturers, it’s difficult to know exactly what you’re going to get.

I’d definitely recommend reading the reviews for each Printify vendor, and ordering samples before you choose your supplier.

Design and Customization Options

As I mentioned above, Printify seems to offer more ways to customize your products, with things like “all-over-print”.

They also give you more ways to showcase your brand on the items you create, with custom tags, packing slips, and other elements. I couldn’t find many branding options on Prodigi.

When it comes to the design experience, there’s no doubt that Printify is the superior platform. While I do like how convenient and straightforward Prodigi’s design tools and mockup generator are, Printify is really on the cutting edge of the POD market.

It offers access to AI-powered image generators, that can create unique graphics for you based on prompts.

Plus, you get access to a huge range of free resources and assets you can add to your designs. Printify’s mockup generator is fantastic too, allowing you to create images of your products in “lifestyle” settings, so they really stand out on your website.

Plus, if you need help with design, Printify offers a range of services, including their “Experts Program”, to help match you to designers and other specialists.

Integrations and Sales Channels

Printify wins again from a sales channel and scalability perspective – hands down. Prodigi does integrate with some of the top platforms, like Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix, Squarespace, BigCommerce, and Etsy.

However, Printify integrates with even more channels. You can connect the platform to your Walmart or Ebay storefront, TikTok Shop, and PrestaShop.

Printify also allows you to sell directly through their platform without using an integration. You can create a Printify pop-up store for free, and share a customized link with your shoppers.

Though this “pop-up store” is pretty basic, it’s a great way to start selling for free, without having to manage all of the headaches of building and managing your own site.

Of course, if you are using the pop-up store service, I’d definitely recommend branching out to a few additional sales channels as soon as possible. That’ll help you build a more memorable brand, and boost your chances of increased sales.

Ease of Use and Customer Support

In my opinion, there’s not a huge amount of difference between Printify and Prodigi when it comes to ease of use.

Both platforms are extremely straightforward and designed for beginners. You’ll have no problem signing up for an account and creating designs.

Printify is a bit more intuitive, with its flexible dashboard for tracking orders, AI capabilities in its design tools, and it’s step-by-step tool tips.

However, since you can do a lot more with Printify than Prodigi, you might spend a little longer learning how everything works.

From a customer support perspective, both companies offer access to tons of self-help resources like videos, blogs, and tutorials.

I do think Printify’s blog page is a lot more impressive, though. Printify also offers direct customer support through chat and email.

The only downside is that the manufacturers you work with through the platform don’t always respond quickly to questions.

Prodigi offers customer support mainly through email, and from what I can tell, you might have to wait a little longer to get a response, particularly during busy periods.

Prodigi vs Printify: Pricing and Fees

Now, let’s look at pricing. First, in terms of product fees, Printify and Prodigi are pretty similar. Both offer access to a range of affordable items, although the pricing can vary on Printify depending on the manufacturer you choose.

Both companies also allow users to get started for free. There are no limitations on the free plans, and you can create as many products as you like.

However, Printify does offer some “premium” plan options, which are worthwhile, in my opinion, for scaling companies.

The Premium plan for $24.99 per month (paid annually), allows you to create up to 10 stores, and gives you up to 20% discounts on all products – which seriously boosts your profit margins.

Plus, there’s an Enterprise plan with bigger discounts for the biggest companies. You can also pay for extra services from Printify, like web design support, and express delivery.

I honestly think the premium plans give Printify an edge over Prodigi, as they can save you a lot of money as you start to sell more products.

Prodigi vs Printify: The Verdict

Simply put, Printify outperforms Prodigi in virtually every area.

While Prodigi does offer some great eco-friendly options for sustainable companies, and access to a wide range of products, it can’t compete with Printify’s amazing design tools, or unique product options.

Printify also gives you more opportunities to sell through various channels (including your own free pop-up shop). Plus, it’s premium plans can help you to save money as your business scales.

The post Prodigi vs Printify: Comparing Features, Pricing, and More appeared first on Ecommerce Platforms.