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    1. New label suggestion: a removable "One-sided" label that gradually reduces the comment's visibility

      ~tildes Ask
      I'm posting this as a new topic because it's long. This idea came out of thinking of a response to @TaylorSwiftsPickles ' suggestion to have a "Misinformation" label. I agree that misinformation...

      I'm posting this as a new topic because it's long. This idea came out of thinking of a response to @TaylorSwiftsPickles ' suggestion to have a "Misinformation" label. I agree that misinformation is a problem on Tildes and that the playing field is often unfairly set for the ones trying to rectify it, due to how the site works.

      On the other hand, like some already said in the comments, such a label could be easily abused because it would be a frictionless way to make someone else do a lot of work. Showing the validity of some piece of information requires digging up sources and those sources can usually be endlessly contested, no matter how good they are.

      sidenote Personally I've sometimes chosen to let things slide rather than give sources because the source would have been in my own language and I've made a decision long ago to not disclose my nationality - this is because it's a small group of people and my job is almost unique among that group.

      Another issue is that most people who spread misinformation, just like @TaylorSwiftsPickles said, are in fact not aware of doing so. They believe they're just teaching others the correct information. If it would be a lot of work on their part to ingest opposing material and then a lot of emotional work to allow their worldview to change (a process that for some people will cause physical pain), there isn't much hope to make real difference, save for some exceptionally adept people who've grown used to this process - but those people are usually not the ones spreding misinformation because they've already checked themselves before hitting "post topic".

      tangent Most of the people I know who are able to do this kind of shifting quickly are underprivileged one way or another. I had to learn to do it because if I hadn't learned to see the world from the oppressors' perspective and adapt my behaviour to it when necessary, my chances of surviving (let alone thriving) would have been considerably weaker.

      Most people who represent the majority and haven't fully grasped their own privilege haven't had to learn to think outside of their own perspective. It's not an easy thing to learn and it's not realistic to expect them to learn it simply because someone pointed out their misinformed idea online. Most will simply say "No, you're wrong because the majority opinion is on my side". That's easy and efficient and doesn't lead to negative payoff for them, so that's what tends to happen (in most cases, not all).

      When a misinformed view happens to be the majority view on Tildes, a label like this will more likely burden the people trying to rectify it than those holding the view. That's unless we expect the admin and moderators to evaulate every case individually and be diligent and objective enough to accurately gauge all or at least most of them. Being that we are all humans, it's a big ask.

      Which brings me to ask what kind of label would enable the misinformed person to proactively perform a sanity check on their own post/comment, without introducing hostility. I believe that failing to consider alternative perspectives is a major factor in adopting and spreading misinformation. I am assuming that most people here on Tildes would agree with the principle that an idea that takes into account diverse opinions and experiences is better considered than one speaking from a single perspective only.

      Therefore I propose a label that could be used to point out when someone's comment is clearly overlooking information that would be readily available if only they cared to consider other people and different points of view. It would then fall on the person who made a one-sided comment to further educate themselves if they so wish. They could perform an online search or ask for more information on Tildes (but no one would be obligated to give it). I think it would be ideal if the label could be later removed, in case sufficient edits were made to the labelled comment.

      Evaluating whether a text is one-sided is usually easier than deciding whether or not it is misinformation, so this label wouldn't be as easy to abuse. People can detect its misuse simply by looking at the text itself, without having to read a bunch of additional material. It's also easier for the person who made the comment to try to broaden their perspective. Not everyone will want to do so, of course, but at least those who are unintentionally appearing obtuse will have a chance to do better.

      Finally, in terms of design, I wouldn't want the label to be eye-catching like the "Exemplary" label. Rather, it could appear as normal text with a normal background, perhaps a tad smaller size and in brackets. If more than one such label was given to the same comment, it could affect the text colour of the whole comment, making it gradually more and more faint. In other words the label would reduce the visual weight of the comment while still keeping it readable.

      21 votes

    2. Choosing a printer

      ~tech Ask (recommendations)
      Hello, I have decided to get myself a laser printer. My intentions are to have a working printer occasionally. So sometimes I will print a lot, but then it can be left unused for a couple of years...

      Hello,

      I have decided to get myself a laser printer.

      My intentions are to have a working printer occasionally. So sometimes I will print a lot, but then it can be left unused for a couple of years and I want it to be usable in the instant I want it without having to go and get new whatever.

      My question is are there any considerations besides the printer being listed at https://openprinting.github.io/printers that I should make?

      I will not hunt down the most open (as in copyleft/libre soft- & hardware) printer but would not mind it being open.

      More importantly is the expectation that I could find new toners (I think that's the word for "ink" in laser printers) in 5 years.

      I don't really want color, but if it isn't that big of a difference I might as well.

      (I could change my mind to get a different kind of printer, but you'd have to be really convincing.)

      22 votes

    7. Tildes Minecraft Weekly

      ~games Text 263 words
      Server host: tildes.nore.gg (Running Java 26.2) Verification site: https://tildes.nore.gg BlueMap: https://tildes.nore.gg/map/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TildesMC Plugins and Data Packs Data...

      Server host: tildes.nore.gg (Running Java 26.2)
      Verification site: https://tildes.nore.gg
      BlueMap: https://tildes.nore.gg/map/
      Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TildesMC

      Plugins and Data Packs Data Packs:
      • Age Lock [Vanilla Tweaks]
      • Armor Statues [Vanilla Tweaks]
      • Bat Membranes [Vanilla Tweaks]
      • Cauldron Concrete [Vanilla Tweaks]
      • Cauldron Mud [Vanilla Tweaks]
      • Custom Nether Portals [Vanilla Tweaks]
      • Husks Drop Sand [Vanilla Tweaks]
      • Mini Blocks [Vanilla Tweaks]
      • More Mob Heads [Vanilla Tweaks]
      • Nullscape - End terrain upgrade
      • Player Head Drops [Vanilla Tweaks]
      • Renewable Dragon Stuff
      • Silence Mobs [Vanilla Tweaks]
      • Terralith - Overworld terrain upgrade
      • Wandering Trades [Vanilla Tweaks]

      Plugins:

      • BlueMap - Provides a live 3D rendering of the game world
      • Clickable Links - Makes http URLs in chat clickable (only for registered players)
      • CoreProtect - Records all block/container/mob changes (Anyone can look up changes with /co inspect)
      • DebugStick - Gives the ability to craft debug sticks in survival
      • EasyArmorStands - GUI for editing armor stands
      • GSit - Sit on stairs/slabs!
      • Hexnicks - Enables Tildes usernames to be displayed
      • hsrails - Allows for 4x speed rail travel
      • LuckPerms - Locks down unregistered users
      • Otherside - Fix for mob farms involving Nether portals
      • Rapid Leaf Decay - Increases the speed of leaf decay by 10x
      • WorldEdit - Used for occasional admin stuff
      • WorldGuard - Prevents unregistered users from changing anything in the world

      The server operates on a soft whitelist. Anyone can log in and walk around, but you need a Tildes account to gain build access.

      We recommend you install our mod web-chat so that you can chat while in your web browser. It turns the server into an old-school chat room.

      <- Previous Thread

      17 votes

    9. D6 TTRPG suggestions

      ~games.tabletop Ask (recommendations)
      I have a group of work friends where we were playing D&D 5e (pretty infrequently) for a year and a half. We've been on a long hiatus from TTRPGs since last year after a couple problems with the...

      I have a group of work friends where we were playing D&D 5e (pretty infrequently) for a year and a half. We've been on a long hiatus from TTRPGs since last year after a couple problems with the game came to surface that some of them didn't like. One of which is the 5e gameplay. Out of the 3 players, none had any hands on play experience with any TTRPG. I had extensive experience with 5e so naturally I was the GM and it was the simplest way to jump in a play with my solid grasp of the rules. One player in particular did not have experience with games (table top or video games) beyond a few simple card games and classic games like chess and was more there to be happy to socialize and have fun with a story. She had a lot of trouble grasping the rules and feeling comfortable with polyhedral dice sets. The other issue was mainly the infrequency of playing and the players remembering the story and previous sessions, so that isn't really related to the system.

      Having said all of that, several months later that less familiar with games player came to me and said one of her main issues was she would get stressed when told to roll, then blanking on which dice is which and what she is rolling for. She thinks a big fix to this is playing a game "like" D&D 5e with story and socializing (a TTRPG), but with "normal" dice (D6's). Until then I had given up on the idea of a TTRPG with them but that reinvigorated me. I wanted to find a game that is D6's only, with simple enough rules for those inexperienced, but preferably with some numbers, crunch, and customizable characters to satisfy those with more gaming experience. Do any come to mind as favorites of yours that you'd suggest?

      TL;DR suggest your favorite D6 only games. Preferably simple on the surface for the inexperienced, but enough numbers and customizable characters underneath to satisfy more experienced gamers.

      13 votes

    12. Defective D&D magic items

      ~games.tabletop Ask
      A while back I had an idea for some D&D magic items that were, in a shop keep's words, "Greatly discounted due to minor defects". The general idea was that these items would be a gamble to use...

      A while back I had an idea for some D&D magic items that were, in a shop keep's words, "Greatly discounted due to minor defects". The general idea was that these items would be a gamble to use each time, sometimes offering great benefits, sometimes offering catastrophic backfires, but all at a greatly discounted price any adventurer could afford. With my most recent addition (the Potion of Prior Authorization), it occurred to me that it could be fun to share my list here, for feedback and other potential additions to it. My hope is that the next time it's my turn to run a campaign, I can offer these items to my players.

      Weapons and Armor

      Broken Throwing Axe of Recall

      Weapon (Handaxe), Uncommon

      A heavy, pitted handaxe wrapped in frayed leather straps.

      • The Gamble: You can throw this axe at a target within range (20/60 ft). Immediately after the attack resolves (hit or miss), roll a d6:
        • 1–3 (The Pull): The axe locks in space and violently pulls you to its location, leaving you landing adjacent to the axe (or target) and knocking you prone if you travel more than 15 feet.
        • 4–6 (The Return): The axe flies straight back into your open hand.
      Shield of "Tag, You're It"

      Armor (Shield), Rare

      A beautifully polished steel shield painted with a vibrant red-and-white bullseye.

      • The Gamble: Grants +2 AC. When a ranged attack misses you, you can use your Reaction to attempt to deflect the projectile. Roll a d4:
        • 1: The projectile is redirected directly at you, automatically hitting for normal damage.
        • 2–3 (Random Target): The projectile is redirected at a random creature within 15 feet (excluding you). Roll randomly among all valid creatures in range (friends, foes, or innocent bystanders). The original attacker makes a new attack roll against that target's AC.
        • 4: You perfectly direct the projectile back at the original attacker, dealing maximum weapon damage on a hit.
      Dagger of the Overzealous Assassin

      Weapon (Dagger), Rare (Requires Attunement)

      A sleek, razor-sharp obsidian dagger that whispers encouraging murder tips to its wielder.

      • The Gamble: When you hit a creature with an attack using this dagger, you can declare an Overzealous Strike to deal maximum weapon damage plus an extra 3d6 Necrotic damage.
      • The Catch: The dagger demands follow-through. Immediately after resolving the attack, you must use your reaction to move adjacent to the next closest creature (friend, foe, or bystander) and make a melee attack against them. If no other creature is within reach, you must stab yourself.
      Helm of the Backseat Driver

      Wondrous Item, Uncommon (Requires Attunement)

      A sturdy iron helmet imbued with the spirit of a long-dead, incredibly critical dwarf adventurer named Barnaby.

      • The Gamble: While worn, the helm grants a +2 bonus to AC and Advantage on Initiative rolls (as Barnaby yells warning signs).
      • The Catch: You have Disadvantage on Stealth checks and Concentration checks. Barnaby never stops giving loud tactical feedback ("Watch the flank! No, your OTHER left!"). If you ignore his advice during combat, Barnaby pouts: the AC bonus drops to +0 until the start of your next turn.

      Wands, Rings & Cloaks

      Wand of Aggressive Empathy

      Wand, Rare (Requires Attunement by a Spellcaster)

      A twisted birch wand that vibrates with intense emotional resonance. Has 3 charges (regains 1d3 charges at dawn).

      • The Gamble: When casting a healing spell through the wand, spend 1 charge. The target receives maximum possible healing for that spell slot.
      • The Catch: The exact amount of HP restored is instantly dealt as Psychic Damage to a random creature within 50 feet (ally, enemy, or bystander--excluding the target and caster) as they are overwhelmed by the target's previous pain.
      Cloak of Screaming Invisibility

      Wondrous Item, Very Rare

      A magnificent crimson velvet cloak that smells faintly of throat lozenges.

      • The Gamble: You build up an "invisibility bank" by screaming at the absolute top of your lungs. For every 1 second (or 1 full round) you spend screaming out loud, you gain 10 seconds (or 10 rounds / 1 minute) of total Invisibility.
        • Attacking or casting spells does not break this invisibility.
      • The Catch: The screaming can be heard up to 300 feet away, instantly alerting the entire area to your presence before you go stealthy. While screaming to store up time, you cannot make Stealth checks or cast spells with Verbal (V) components.
      Ring of the Overconfident Gambler

      Ring, Rare

      A flashy gold band set with a single spinning die where the gem should be.

      • The Gamble: Before rolling a d20 for an Attack, Ability Check, or Save, you can call out a range of 3 numbers (e.g., "14, 15, or 16!").
        • If the die lands on ANY of your called numbers: It counts as an automatic Natural 20 (Critical Hit / Highest Success).
        • If it lands on ANY other number: It counts as an automatic Natural 1 (Critical Fail).
      Ring of the Dramatic Entrance

      Ring, Uncommon

      A flashy ring adorned with a polished ruby that sparkles a bit too brightly under ambient light.

      • The Gamble: Whenever you enter a room or combat encounter, you can trigger a flash mob of illusionary fanfare (pyrotechnics, trumpet blasts, and a choir shouting your name). Roll a d6:
        • 1–3 (The Hecklers): The illusion fails embarrassingly--a lone slide whistle plays as a phantom crowd boos. You take 1d4 Psychic damage and have Disadvantage on your first attack or initiative check.
        • 4–6 (Main Character Energy): All enemies within 30 feet who can see or hear you must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom save or be Stunned until the start of their next turn out of sheer awe.

      Footwear & Accessories

      Boots of the Nudist's Escape

      Wondrous Item, Uncommon

      Light leather boots with wing patterns stitched on the sides.

      • The Gamble: Allows the wearer to cast Misty Step up to 2 times per day as a bonus action.
      • The Catch: The teleportation magic only transports organic material and the boots themselves. Every stitch of clothing, set of armor, backpack, weapon, and gold purse stays behind in a tidy, disappointed pile right where you were standing.
      Boots of Unpredictable Friction

      Wondrous Item, Uncommon

      Boots made of polished glass soles that constantly alter their texture.

      • The Gamble: As a bonus action, click your heels together to cast Expeditious Retreat (allowing you to Dash as a bonus action).
      • The Catch: When the spell ends, roll a d20:
        • Even: The soles become hyper-adhesive. Your movement speed drops to 0 until the end of your next turn.
        • Odd: The soles lose all friction. You immediately slide 15 feet in a random direction and fall Prone.
      Bag of Withholding

      Wondrous Item, Uncommon

      Acts like a standard Bag of Holding, but suffers from severe separation anxiety.

      • The Gamble: Reaching in to grab an item requires an action and a DC 12 check:
        • Strength (Athletics): Ripping the item out by force.
        • Charisma (Persuasion): Coaxing the bag into letting go.
      • The Outcome:
        • Success: You pull the item out cleanly.
        • Failure: The bag snaps shut, dealing Bludgeoning Damage. It refuses to open for anyone until the start of your next turn.
      Mirror of Honest Feedback

      Wondrous Item, Rare

      A handheld silver mirror that speaks in an insufferably smug voice.

      • The Gamble: As an action, hold the mirror up to an enemy within 30 feet to deliver a devastating personal critique. The target makes a DC 14 Charisma Save:
        • Failure: Target takes 4d6 Psychic damage and is Frightened of you for 1 minute as its self-esteem crumbles.
        • Success: The mirror turns to you instead, roasting your life choices. You take 2d6 Psychic damage and have Disadvantage on your next attack roll.
      Feather of Uncontrolled Flight

      Wondrous Item, Uncommon

      A bright peacock feather that twitches nervously when held.

      • The Gamble: As an action, hold the feather above your head to gain a Fly Speed of 60 ft for 1 minute (no concentration required).
      • The Catch: You can only fly in a straight line at full speed each turn. You cannot stop midway unless you hit a solid object (taking 1d6 Bludgeoning damage per 10 feet traveled). Changing direction requires your action and a DC 13 Strength (Athletics) check to manually shift your momentum.

      Consumables & Scrolls

      Potion of Prior Authorization

      Potion, Uncommon
      A colorless liquid that, for unknown reasons, appears jet black when inside of any container. Has a surprisingly bitter taste.

      • The Gamble: As an action, you drink this potion to submit a preemptive claim for emergency medical coverage. The coverage remains active for 1 hour. If you are reduced to 0 Hit Points while the claim is active, you do not immediately fall unconscious; instead, you immediately roll a d20 to process your claim:
        • 1 (Claim Denied -- Pre-Existing Condition): Your claim is flatly rejected. You fall unconscious as normal and immediately suffer 1 automatic Death Saving Throw failure due to processing delays.
        • 2–10 (Claim Denied -- Out-of-Network): Your claim is denied on the grounds that the damage type, enemy, or environment was non-covered or out-of-network. Nothing happens, and you fall unconscious at 0 HP as normal.
        • 11–19 (Claim Approved -- Subject to Deductible): Your claim is approved! You immediately regain 50% of your maximum Hit Points. However, to cover your deductible, you instantly lose gold equal to Your Character Level multiplied by 10 (or your highest remaining spell slot if you are broke).
        • 20 (In-Network Miracle): Fully covered with zero copay. You immediately regain 50% of your maximum Hit Points and gain Advantage on your next roll out of sheer bureaucratic relief.
      • The Fine Print: If you have taken damage from the same type of creature earlier in the day, the DM may rule the damage a "pre-existing condition," imposing Disadvantage on your claim roll.
      Potion of Delayed Reparations

      Potion, Uncommon

      A bright pink, fizzy liquid that tastes like strawberry soda and impending doom.

      • The Gamble: Drinking this potion instantly heals you for 4d8+4 HP.
      • The Catch: At a time to be determined by the DM, between now and 1d4 hours later, a spectral glowing fist materializes out of thin air and punches you square in the jaw. You take 2d8 Bludgeoning Damage, and must pass a DC 12 Constitution Save or be stunned for 1 round.
      Potion of Schrödinger’s Healing

      Potion, Rare

      A murky gray liquid locked inside a completely opaque lead flask.

      • The Gamble: Upon drinking, the DM rolls 4d4 for healing, but does not reveal the total to you. Your HP on your character sheet does not change.
      • The Outcome: The healing exists in quantum superposition. The exact moment you take damage that would drop you to 0 HP, the potion's health retroactively triggers 1 microsecond before damage is applied, potentially saving your life (or leaving you dead if the roll was too low).
      Scroll of Almost Fireball

      Scroll, Uncommon

      A scorched leather parchment that smells faintly of sugar and lemon juice.

      • The Gamble: Casts a 3rd-level Fireball spell (20 foot radius, range 150 ft).
      • The Catch: Instead of fire, the point of impact explodes with billions of aggressive Fire Ants.
        • Creatures in the area take 8d6 Piercing/Acid Damage (Halved on DC 14 Dexterity save).
        • The area becomes Difficult Terrain for 1 minute. Anyone starting their turn in the zone takes 2d6 Acid damage and must pass a DC 12 Constitution save or suffer Disadvantage on attack rolls due to ants crawling in their clothing.
      Scroll of Summon Bear (Subjective)

      Scroll, Uncommon

      A scroll bearing a crude drawing of a furry creature. The definition of "Bear" is left up to cosmic interpretation.

      • The Gamble: You cast the scroll to summon a creature for 1 hour. Roll a d4:
        1. The Ursine: A standard, extremely territorial Polar Bear. It attacks the nearest creature every turn (friend or foe).
        2. The Huntsman: A large, hairy, and very flamboyant Human Barbarian named Barry appears. He speaks with a booming voice, has a glorious handlebar mustache, gives great fashion advice. Barry wields a great axe (1d12 damage). He will defend you as long as you regularly compliment his mustache.
        3. The Softie: A tiny, mundane Koala. It has 3 HP and 0 attacks. Whoever carries it gains Advantage on Wisdom saves and immunity to being Frightened because it is absurdly calming to hold.
        4. The Drop Bear: A carnivorous Koala lands on the head of your target, dealing 3d6 Slashing Damage and blinding them until they spend an action to pull it off.
      44 votes

    14. Any other tenure-track faculty on Tildes?

      ~talk Ask (advice)
      I've got a "holy grail" TT faculty position at an R1 university, but I'm seriously considering leaving academia. It's a fit issue, and I've had a major mental health development that has...

      I've got a "holy grail" TT faculty position at an R1 university, but I'm seriously considering leaving academia. It's a fit issue, and I've had a major mental health development that has definitely changed the equation for me. I would welcome non-academic or non-TT or non-faculty input as well. It would be an immense life change for me and my family, so I'd like to look at it from all sides, and I think Tildes would be a great place to do that.

      Please let me know if you're interested in a discussion or just give freeform advice. I'll update this post with specific questions if this gets any traction.

      My thanks!

      24 votes

    15. What is your Mandela effect moment?

      ~movies Ask (survey)
      I just rewatched the movie Constantine. It's one of my favorite movies. I can always watch it again. But I'm sure the ending was different. I didn't find any record of an alternate ending online....

      I just rewatched the movie Constantine. It's one of my favorite movies. I can always watch it again. But I'm sure the ending was different. I didn't find any record of an alternate ending online.

      details/spoilers

      At the very end of the movie, he starts chewing a piece of (presumably) nicotine gum, but I'm certain that the ending I've seen before is that he lights a cigarette.

      He spent the whole movie being contrary and a constant asshole to everybody except Rachel Weiss' character (can't blame him). The gum seems totally out of character.

      26 votes

    18. What JavaScript framework should I use?

      ~comp Ask (recommendations)
      Little backstory. I'm the sole developer of delphitools, a collection of free and open source tools for artists, developers and just computer touchers in general. I'm using Next.JS and as such,...

      Little backstory. I'm the sole developer of delphitools, a collection of free and open source tools for artists, developers and just computer touchers in general. I'm using Next.JS and as such, React, but I don't think I like it anymore. DT is a completely offline exported application, and Next is meant for middleware-heavy apps with server layers, which I just don't have. I also just don't get on with React's endless use effect garbage and have little love for TypeScript, and if I'm honest, DT happens to be made like that because I wanted to try the shiny new thing. Now that I have around 60-ish individual micro-apps contained within, I think it's time for a rewrite.

      I'm therefore looking for discussion and insights on what tooling is best for me, on the following grounds:

      1. delphitools is export only. There's no server component and it runs completely in the browser. Server capabilities or middleware are not a concern.
      2. I'm not married to JavaScript as the runtime. It's just what I know best, I've been in the industry for a long time, although I'm more familiar with classic JS, not necessarily the JSX react syntax. I'm confident I could learn something new though.
      3. I'm looking for fast build times, a smart-ish compiler that can ideally hot reload and give me insights into bad practices (Next.JS does this quite well)
      4. As close to bare metal as possible, I can't begin to enumerate the amount of times the NextJS Turbopack auto-caching thing has caused me significant headaches.

      I'm a designer, not a developer, but I can manage my way around. I'm also not opposed to using Agents, but I would like to - if for my own sake more than anything - be able to work without them if need be. Suggesting Ruby that compiles to HTML or some other crazy new pipeline probably won't work.

      Curious to hear your experiences and recommendations. Thanks!

      14 votes

    19. iOS 14 and earlier will seemingly stop getting App Store app updates in 2027

      ~tech Ask
      When uploading an app I got this email: ITMS-90068: MinimumOSVersion too low - This app has a MinimumOSVersion of 13.0. Starting in Spring 2027, all iOS apps must have a MinimumOSVersion of 15.0...

      When uploading an app I got this email:

      ITMS-90068: MinimumOSVersion too low - This app has a MinimumOSVersion of 13.0. Starting in Spring 2027, all iOS apps must have a MinimumOSVersion of 15.0 or later in order to be uploaded to App Store Connect or submitted for distribution.

      These are old iOS versions, so this policy isn't going to affect many people but I thought I'd post anyway. I still have an old iPad with iOS 12 that's usable for reading and media. I think some apps are still supported and getting updates surprisingly. As a dev I still update Three Cheers for Tildes to support iOS 12 and up. No idea if anyone other than me uses that old version though.

      I like supporting the older iOS version because it means I can keep using this old hardware. Also knowing something runs on those old devices with okay performance, means it will be buttery smooth on any moderately recent iPhone/iPad. I mean, I can probably still install apps on it for my own personal use, just not distribute on the App Store.

      On the other hand supporting iOS 12 is just not practical and not really a good use of developer time, so this had to happen at some point.

      25 votes

    21. Help with troubleshooting PC hardware

      ~tech Ask
      Hello Tilderonians, I have inherited a non-functional ~10 year old gaming PC that was previously used as a VR rig for kids. The people who owned said PC had no info on how or why or how long it...

      Hello Tilderonians,

      I have inherited a non-functional ~10 year old gaming PC that was previously used as a VR rig for kids. The people who owned said PC had no info on how or why or how long it had not been working for.

      I got it home, plugged it in, and tried to power it on. Nothing happened.

      I opened it up. With the PSU switched on, there is a red led lit up on the motherboard, an ASUS Pro Gaming Z170i. According to the user manual, this just means the mobo has power and is in standby. There is also a white led lit up on the gpu (a GTX1080) which seems to also indicate simply that it has power.

      I first assumed that the power button built into the case was the issue. I found where it plugged into the mobo and, on advice from the internet, used a screwdriver to jump the pins for the power switch. Nothing happened.

      I then also read online that the PSU fan should spin up when turning it on with nothing plugged in. So I unplugged everything and tried it and nothing happened. I read the LEDs on the hardware could still function even if the PSU was dead, so I decided that was the issue. I ordered a new PSU, same 750 watts. Old one out, new one in, turned it on and again...nothing happened. The fan didn't spin up on the new PSU either. The same LEDs as before came on the mobo and gpu but nothing else.

      At one point I also swapped the single RAM stick with another I had that I knew worked, but that didn't change anything.

      At this point I don't know what to do. Is there a way to test the motherboard? What else could stop the PC from doing anything at all? I've never built a PC before but I've installed/swapped several parts.

      I don't want to spend a ton of money to revive this 10 year old hardware but I was willing to drop ~$60 on a PSU. Please let me know if you have any ideas.

      Thanks for reading.

      14 votes

    23. TV Tuesdays Free Talk

      ~tv Ask (survey)
      Warning: this post may contain spoilers

      Have you watched any TV shows recently you want to discuss? Any shows you want to recommend or are hyped about? Feel free to discuss anything here.

      Please just try to provide fair warning of spoilers if you can.

      3 votes

    30. Sanity check - always-on machine + laptop with remote desktop

      ~tech Ask (advice)
      I'm looking for a new laptop as my current one is falling apart, and one option that seems quite tempting at the moment is getting a desktop machine, leaving it running away in the background, and...

      I'm looking for a new laptop as my current one is falling apart, and one option that seems quite tempting at the moment is getting a desktop machine, leaving it running away in the background, and then accessing it using remote desktop software from a laptop (or even tablet) most of the time. My logic is that I want a fairly decent device for programming on and occasional games, but I also want something portable that I can carry into every room of my flat. I've also been experimenting more with Tailscale and using my laptop as a remote development machine and my phone as a dumb terminal while traveling abroad, and that's worked fairly well, so I'm interested in how far I can take this concept. Plus the idea of also being able to use my main device as a small homelab is kind of appealing as well.

      The plan would be:

      • Framework Desktop sits somewhere at home and is on all the time. My wife has a Framework laptop that she's quite impressed with, I realise the value proposition for desktop computers is less given there's already so much possibility to configure and upgrade, but I've never built a PC myself before and I don't want to complicate this setup too much.
        '* A dumb terminal device that I can carry around with me. For now, that'll probably be my current laptop as long as it lasts, but in the future maybe a cheap Chromebook or even a tablet that I can connect a keyboard and mouse to.
      • Moonlight/Sunshine setup for the remote desktop side of things. From what I can tell, this can stream both individual applications but also the whole desktop, and works with various clients.
      • Tailscale to access all of this outside the home. This is less important but it would be convenient. And if I go down the homelab direction, also for being able to access my self-hosted services remotely or running my personal website off my own hardware.

      Things I'm concerned about:

      • German connection speeds are, broadly speaking, poor, especially with upload speeds. I'm looking at maybe 300M down, 50M up. Inside my local network that won't affect me, but if I did want to take my laptop with me, I don't have a good sense of whether the remote desktop aspect is really feasible.
      • The Framework desktop - I like the company, and I like the idea of a repairable desktop that's still sold as a single unit and not something where I need to buy everything myself. But I also don't have a good sense of how much of a premium I'd be paying here, vs either building something completely from scratch or buying a more typical desktop
      • The laptop would probably live in the living room because that's where all the other technology (in particular the modem) in our house lives. It's fine if it makes a noise while I'm actively using it to watch things, but I'd need it to be very quiet the rest of the time. Framework does sell a fan that is specifically designed to be quiet, but I'm not sure if this is "it's quiet compared to having a normal computer fan on" or "it's quiet compared to having turned all my devices off for the night".

      Does anyone have any experience with this kind of setup, and is this something that would reasonably work, or am I completely missing something obvious that makes this a terrible awful idea that nobody should do?

      Thanks in advance!

      24 votes

    45. The magic is in the language

      ~tech Ask
      In all the hype and debate and excitement and frustration around AI, I think sometimes the fact that we've achieved something really cool gets lost. I want to talk about that a bit, which I'll try...

      In all the hype and debate and excitement and frustration around AI, I think sometimes the fact that we've achieved something really cool gets lost. I want to talk about that a bit, which I'll try to do in a simple way, without too much math or computer science.

      There's a surprising amount of intelligence encoded in applied language. To me that's the most remarkable insight in LLM technology. Except it's not really surprising at all. The whole point of language is to encode intelligence. Communication, at its core, is about sharing intelligence. LLMs agents are a way of turning the intelligence encoded in language, particularly written language, into useful work.

      You might imagine that language is just the starting point when building LLMs. That it gets converted into computer stuff and then it's not language anymore. But in a way it's language all the way down. Distill language into math and then run gradient descent on it and the intelligence (for lack of a better term) bubbles out.

      Forgive that hyperbole, but there is something a little bit magical about it, and the technology is entirely unmagical. The magic is in the language.

      At the core the tech is pretty simple. First you go and get all of the language. Just completely idiotic amounts of applied language. Because there's a threshold: if you don't use enough language you don't get a useful result. The more language you use, assuming it's good quality, the more useful the result.

      After you have all of the language, you convert it into tokens, which are essentially pieces of words represented as numbers. You also compute a compressed version of the relationships between the tokens. The frontier labs don't say how much this costs publicly anymore but it's safe to say hundreds of millions in compute are required for this process. Each time you do it.

      Once you've determined the token relationships, you've pre trained an LLM. You have the initial weights. At this point your LLM can output credible prose pretty reliably when you run inference on the weights. Meaning that you can take a given set of language tokens (a prompt) and determine which token should come next, over and over again, until you have a response. The fluency of the prose can be uncanny, and there are latent tendencies towards useful output, but you can't really do much with it yet.

      The next step, fine tuning, modifies the weights in order to nudge the inference towards useful things like instruction following, tool use and reasoning. Or a simulacrum of reasoning. Fine tuning is a massive, multi step, iterative process that turns your LLM into a useful tool that can do more than output believable prose.

      Something that's really fascinating to me about fine tuning is that what you're training is still the language relationship weights, and what comes out during inference is still language. But now it's language that is more likely to result in useful output and behaviors. Language is the substrate that LLMs reason through. A model that's more likely to infer the words "but what if I look at it another way" is more likely to consider multiple possibilities. A model that reliably infers language around tool use in appropriate situations is an agent. The behavior is encoded in the language.

      After tens of millions in fine tuning costs, assuming you got it right, you have the core of a LLM that can function as an AI agent. You can put it in a harness and ask it to do things in the language of your choice and it will actually be able to do them a shockingly high percentage of the time. It can even do things that weren't explicitly part of the training. That's something which has never happened before outside of science fiction. Until recently it was one of those computer sciencey things that was probably going to happen someday, after we were all dead.

      It sucks that this tech revolution is being driven by the capital class, and that it's happening as a mad dash for market domination and golden IPOs. In a more perfect world technology derived from collective human intelligence would be a public good rather than a profit driver.

      But nevertheless, the ability to imprint some part of human intelligence into an autonomous agent is a remarkable achievement. One that we can't yet see the full size of. And it's possible not because we typed instructions into an interface, but because we've spent centuries encoding our intelligence into language.

      38 votes

    49. What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga)

      ~anime Ask (survey)
      What have you been watching and reading this week? You don't need to give us a whole essay if you don't want to, but please write something! Feel free to talk about something you saw that was...

      What have you been watching and reading this week? You don't need to give us a whole essay if you don't want to, but please write something! Feel free to talk about something you saw that was cool, something that was bad, ask for recommendations, or anything else you can think of.

      If you want to, feel free to find the thing you're talking about and link to its pages on Anilist, MAL, or any other database you use!

      8 votes