balooga's recent activity
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Comment on GPT-4o in ~tech
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Comment on Two pizzas for me - What is this article trying to say? in ~tech
balooga Link ParentNot gonna lie, I’ve been tempted to try it. But that whole morality thing keeps spoiling my fun!Not gonna lie, I’ve been tempted to try it. But that whole morality thing keeps spoiling my fun!
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Comment on GPT-4o in ~tech
balooga LinkI wish OpenAI's branding wasn't so imprecise. I have a paid ChatGPT account and I'm able to select "ChatGPT 4o" as the model, but the experience looks about identical to ChatGPT 4. It is...I wish OpenAI's branding wasn't so imprecise. I have a paid ChatGPT account and I'm able to select "ChatGPT 4o" as the model, but the experience looks about identical to ChatGPT 4. It is noticeably faster. I haven't done a deep dive yet on the quality of the output; I'm largely interested in coding assistance and I doubt the multimodal emphasis will help with that, I'm a bit concerned it could actually be weaker in that area. There's no audio/video input so I can't do anything like what's shown in the demos. So... it's cool that I guess I can use the model today but what I have access to feels wholly different from the sizzle reel.
From a tech standpoint this (the demos, not what's up on ChatGPT right now) feels like a major breakthrough. People have been comparing it to Her and that seems fair. As a human though, I don't think I'll have much tolerance for the personality and voices they've given it. Too bubbly and eager to pepper in one-liners, and at the same time so corporate vanilla. If I'm going to be having long conversations with an AI in the future, it'll need to come off a little more phlegmatic or risk being just exhaustingly tryhard. I guess this is officially the uncanny valley of voice synthesis.
Also the response time is super fast, but still slow enough that interruption seems to be a frequent occurrence. Looks like it handles that about as gracefully as one would hope, but on a more reflexive level I really bristle at crosstalk. I don't want that to become the norm.
It does feel like we're on the cusp of some pretty radical changes in the way we use our technology. Five years ago I would've never guessed this was coming so quickly. The demo where they put two AIs side-by-side to have a CSR conversation gave me shivers, though I'm not sure if they were good shivers or bad shivers.
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Comment on Generative AI for Krita in ~tech
balooga LinkI had never heard of Krita before but I've been a GIMP user for many, many years. Anyone familiar enough with the two to do a comparison?I had never heard of Krita before but I've been a GIMP user for many, many years. Anyone familiar enough with the two to do a comparison?
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Comment on Classic ’90s Halo precursor FPS launches on Steam for free in ~games
balooga LinkI don’t… think… this is news? I’ve had the free Aleph One versions of Marathon 1, 2, and Infinity for ages. Is what’s on Steam any different? I’m guessing it’s just more visible to regular folks...I don’t… think… this is news? I’ve had the free Aleph One versions of Marathon 1, 2, and Infinity for ages. Is what’s on Steam any different? I’m guessing it’s just more visible to regular folks now, whereas before fans had to go looking for it specifically.
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Comment on EA is looking at putting in-game ads in AAA games — 'We'll be very thoughtful as we move into that,' says CEO in ~games
balooga Link ParentIn Burnout Paradise's defense, apart from silly conceits to add stunt jumps and shortcuts all over the place, the game world is meant to be a realistic depiction of American roadways. Which, in...In Burnout Paradise's defense, apart from silly conceits to add stunt jumps and shortcuts all over the place, the game world is meant to be a realistic depiction of American roadways. Which, in real life, have billboards all over the place. I think putting them in the game adds verisimilitude, and it would've been a bit uncanny if they weren't there. Maybe it helps that "Find and smash all 100 billboards" is a collectable goal and it's actually fun since they're all set up as puzzles that you have to figure out. (Though none of the collectible billboards are the ones with real ads on them).
I would have been a lot more annoyed if ads were strewn all over the menus, loading screens, and between songs on the in-game radio. The approach they used is unobtrusive. Actually until now I didn't even realize the billboards in-game were for real things, they seem pretty bland and are for things I don't recognize. But I was a latecomer to the game, aka after the Obama election, so by the time I played those ads had been pulled. Maybe all the real ads were by then, leaving just placeholders? I'm not sure. I think if they had big brand logos I know I would've been more annoyed. There's definitely a gradient of acceptability.
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Comment on Musi’s free music streaming app is a hit with thrifty teens. The app claims to tap content on YouTube, but some in the music industry question the legitimacy of that model. in ~music
balooga Link ParentI get it, but I file this squarely under “not my problem.” It’s YouTube’s business to secure its revenue stream, not mine — and the social contract you mention doesn’t exist. People put billboards...I get it, but I file this squarely under “not my problem.” It’s YouTube’s business to secure its revenue stream, not mine — and the social contract you mention doesn’t exist. People put billboards up on the side of the highway, but that doesn’t mean anyone is obligated to look at them.
If YouTube is going to run a publicly available media server, then they get to control that server. And I on the other hand get to control the client that connects to it, on my hardware that I own. They don’t get to dictate to me how I use my computer. Since the dawn of the internet there has been a cat-and-mouse game between those who believe information wants to be free, and those who keep trying increasingly convoluted and legislation-backed ways to lock it down.
This sounds pretty radical in 2024 but I’ll continue to say it even as the Overton window slides further away from me. I think it’s inevitable that the pendulum will swing back, eventually. The ultimate destination of the DRM mindset can only be an anti-human corporate dystopia. It’s unsustainable.
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Comment on Musi’s free music streaming app is a hit with thrifty teens. The app claims to tap content on YouTube, but some in the music industry question the legitimacy of that model. in ~music
balooga LinkI’ve never heard of Musi but it sounds like a brilliant idea. I’ve replaced all of my YouTube activity with FreeTube, a desktop app that scrapes the site to bypass ads and all the other crap that...I’ve never heard of Musi but it sounds like a brilliant idea. I’ve replaced all of my YouTube activity with FreeTube, a desktop app that scrapes the site to bypass ads and all the other crap that riddles the YT platform. It’s a glorious, streamlined alternative viewing experience.
I don’t see how what Musi’s doing is any different. There’s a ton of music available for free on YouTube, and I could use FreeTube to approximate Musi’s functionality too, but it doesn’t have a music-specific UI which is where the real value is. As far as I’m concerned, if YT is going to serve free content, it’s our right as users to consume it in whatever way we see fit. I have zero problem with stripping out user-hostile bloat on the client side.
Obviously, I recognize that the people who make the rules don’t think like me. These decisions always favor big business and bolster their IP protections. So now that the media (and RIAA + YT) have set their gaze on Musi, I’m certain its days are numbered.
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Comment on Behold, the $400 red pineapple in ~food
balooga Link ParentAnother story that came to mind for me is Cory Doctorow’s novella “Unauthorized Bread”, from the Radicalized Anthology. It’s about refugees jailbreaking their appliances to circumvent DRM and...Another story that came to mind for me is Cory Doctorow’s novella “Unauthorized Bread”, from the Radicalized Anthology. It’s about refugees jailbreaking their appliances to circumvent DRM and vendor lock-in.
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Comment on Expanding upon other peoples' thoughts in discussions in ~talk
balooga LinkSome of this probably depends on the kind of work you’re doing and the purpose of the meeting, but generally speaking I’d rather the silence be broken by a question than a fluff statement. Instead...Some of this probably depends on the kind of work you’re doing and the purpose of the meeting, but generally speaking I’d rather the silence be broken by a question than a fluff statement. Instead of echoing what someone else said, try to find something to ask about it. This could be in the form of…
- Requesting clarification on an ambiguous detail about the idea
- Trying to poke holes in the idea (constructively, playing devil’s advocate)
- Asking someone else who hasn’t spoken in a while, by name, what they think of the idea
This approach signals curiosity, not just engagement, and it can help strengthen whatever it is the team is planning together. I’m mainly thinking of work scenarios where you’re architecting stuff, as my background is in software development. It might not go over as well in D&D, which is more akin to improv and benefits from a “yes, and” mindset. Asking too many questions there is likely to annoy the DM and other players.
As an aside…
it's kind of annoying to see a mute icon pop up when it's supposed to be an active conversation
I’d posit that modern Zoom etiquette calls for everyone to be muted whenever they are not actively speaking. This reduces the likelihood of unexpected background sounds breaking in through someone’s hot mic, disrupting the meeting. It also removes any general ambient noise, producing a more focused aural space. In my experience, when everyone but the speaker remains muted, just the act of seeing that icon disappear from someone’s tile can signal that they have something to say, approximating a nonverbal cue we have in face-to-face conversations but not online. This can help minimize crosstalk if people are paying attention to it.
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Comment on Behold, the $400 red pineapple in ~food
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Comment on Remnants of a legendary typeface have been rescued from the River Thames in ~design
balooga LinkThat’s a much larger dump than the headline suggested at first read. I don't know much about traditional letterpress or how publishing houses collected and organized their typefaces but I wouldn’t...Green managed to recover a total of 151 sorts (the name for individual pieces of type) out of a possible 500,000.
That’s a much larger dump than the headline suggested at first read. I don't know much about traditional letterpress or how publishing houses collected and organized their typefaces but I wouldn’t have expected a set to contain so many pieces. I was picturing one guy emptying out a banker’s box of letterforms into the river; this sounds like a truckful (wagonful?) that would have required a team of people to unload. Assuming that 500k figure is correct.
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Comment on Microsoft readies new AI model to compete with Google, OpenAI in ~tech
balooga LinkI thought MS had a special partnership with OpenAI? Seems strange to me that they would be competing directly now.I thought MS had a special partnership with OpenAI? Seems strange to me that they would be competing directly now.
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Comment on Big data reveals true climate impact of worldwide air travel in ~transport
balooga Link ParentI doubt it's physically possible to achieve the kind of speeds on water that can be reached by air. Even if super-fast (and also somehow efficient) passenger ships could be engineered, they're not...I doubt it's physically possible to achieve the kind of speeds on water that can be reached by air. Even if super-fast (and also somehow efficient) passenger ships could be engineered, they're not gonna get someone from NYC to London in 7 hours. And they'd do nothing to reduce air travel over land, for routes unserviceable by sea. I don't think anyone's going to be willing to give up fast air travel in the 21st century; there's going to have to be an aviation innovation.
I'm reminded of the Star Trek episode where it's discovered that the technology that enables FTL travel (and the rich intragalactic culture that ensued) is actually damaging space and putting worlds at risk. Picard quote:
I spent the better part of my life exploring space. I've charted new worlds, I've met dozens of new species, and I believe that these were all valuable ends in themselves. Now it seems that… all this while, I was helping to damage the thing that I hold most dear.
Hey, I'm not the only one to shoehorn in Trek deep cuts around here lately!
Unfortunately for the real world, we can't just retcon that problem away like Trek did. The problem necessitates a solution. High-speed rail could be a decent alternative for land-based travel. But it would require an astronomical investment in infrastructure that doesn't really seem achievable in today's political climate. Seems like we've painted ourselves into a corner here. Of course we're just looking at one facet of the climate-change fractal, which seems to be repeating that same narrative in every possible sector these days.
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Comment on The biggest box office bombs of 2023; Disney leads with four entries in ~movies
balooga Link ParentI don’t understand why people give Temple so much crap. Criticisms about its racist stereotypes are valid, and I agree with those, but it feels like even beyond that the consensus has shifted...I don’t understand why people give Temple so much crap. Criticisms about its racist stereotypes are valid, and I agree with those, but it feels like even beyond that the consensus has shifted toward it being just a bad movie. And I disagree, I think it’s a ton of fun with great set pieces and action sequences, and loads of funny and memorable moments. I actually prefer it to Raiders!
But Crusade is the very best, hands down.
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Comment on Is TV advertising still relevant? Does anybody under 60 even watch traditional TV anymore? in ~tv
balooga LinkMy household went streaming-only more than a decade ago. It’s all my kids know. On the rare occasions they encounter cable TV, the experience is so lackluster they view it as a quaint novelty....My household went streaming-only more than a decade ago. It’s all my kids know. On the rare occasions they encounter cable TV, the experience is so lackluster they view it as a quaint novelty. Between the atrocious picture quality (why do so many channels look like horribly compressed 480p?), the mind-numbing LOUD ads every few minutes, and the overwhelming glut of generic channels that still manage to have nothing interesting to watch, cable isn’t exactly converting any of us to its benefits. I can’t picture my kids giving it a second thought once they’re grown.
I grew up with cable and the decline is palpable. The last time I was on vacation and had cable TV in the room, it was such a depressing hellscape I was more entertained just turning it off and staring at the wall.
To the topic at hand (advertising) I’m the last person to defend any form of it. I exert a tremendous effort just to keep ads out of every corner of my life. But I will say at least the ads of my youth — in the ‘90s — were subversive and fun. When I do see what’s being pushed these days it’s incredibly milquetoast. Just bland and soulless. I’m on the fence about whether that’s actually a step backward for consumers, at least it’s more honest now I guess.
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Comment on The California man who hid for six months in a secret room inside Circuit City in ~life
balooga Link ParentThis happened in 2004, and even then that particular location had already been permanently closed.This happened in 2004, and even then that particular location had already been permanently closed.
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Comment on Google lays off hundreds of ‘Core’ employees, moves some positions to India and Mexico in ~tech
balooga Link ParentThe irony being that in the long run, that’s gonna make the line go down hard. And stay down. Why is it that these idiot MBAs are blind to anything beyond the immediate short term? They’re...The irony being that in the long run, that’s gonna make the line go down hard. And stay down.
Why is it that these idiot MBAs are blind to anything beyond the immediate short term? They’re sabotaging their own companies.
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Comment on What's the deal with the popcorn button? in ~food
balooga Link Parent"Popping" back into this thread to echo the thanks. I picked up a Whirley-Pop, Flavacol, and some specialty popping oil and OMG my popcorn is so good now. I'm enjoying a bowl as I type this, and I..."Popping" back into this thread to echo the thanks. I picked up a Whirley-Pop, Flavacol, and some specialty popping oil and OMG my popcorn is so good now. I'm enjoying a bowl as I type this, and I just realized I never voiced my appreciation here. That random comment of your is legit one of my favorite moments in Tildes history.
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Comment on I made a mistake, I started using Reddit again in ~talk
balooga Link ParentGood callout. This definitely seems like a case of a mod blindly trusting a tool with little regard for how it works or how false positives might arise.Good callout. This definitely seems like a case of a mod blindly trusting a tool with little regard for how it works or how false positives might arise.
I like Pi too, as a conversational AI. It lacks a lot of the utility that ChatGPT has but the voices and personality are very good. Though it’s worth noting that the GPT-4o demos show a lot of vocal flexibility that Pi doesn’t have: adjusting speed, pitch, emotional inflection, whispering, singing, harmonizing, etc. It wasn’t perfect but Pi is quite one-dimensional in comparison. That said, I think I still prefer Pi’s default tone.