• Activity
  • Votes
  • Comments
  • New
  • All activity
  • Showing only topics with the tag "ask". Back to normal view
    1. MLS Week 9: All Matches Discussion

      DC United @ Columbus Montreal @ New England LA Galaxy @ MNUFC San Jose @ Seattle Orlando @ NYCFC Portland Timbers @ Toronto San Jose @ FC Dallas Philadelphia @ Vancouver Colorado @ Atlanta FC...

      DC United @ Columbus
      Montreal @ New England
      LA Galaxy @ MNUFC
      San Jose @ Seattle
      Orlando @ NYCFC
      Portland Timbers @ Toronto
      San Jose @ FC Dallas
      Philadelphia @ Vancouver
      Colorado @ Atlanta
      FC Cincinnati @ NYRB
      Columbus @ Houston
      New England @ Sporting Kansas City
      Chicago @ Montreal
      DC United @ MNUFC
      LAFC @ Seattle
      Real Salt Lake @ LA Galaxy

      6 votes
    2. Is it OK to scrape Tildes?

      I wanted to keep the title---and the question, for that matter---generic, but my use case is that I want to make a backup of my posts on Tildes, and I'd fancy automating that with a script that...

      I wanted to keep the title---and the question, for that matter---generic, but my use case is that I want to make a backup of my posts on Tildes, and I'd fancy automating that with a script that curls up my user page and downloads fresh stuff from there periodically. So for my personal case, the question is that is this allowed / welcome practice?

      The generic question is that is it welcome to scrape Tildes' public pages, in general?

      19 votes
    3. What creative projects are you working on?

      it has not been about a month since the last thread, but it would probably be more convenient to just do these threads on the first day of each month instead of in the middle of the month and...

      it has not been about a month since the last thread, but it would probably be more convenient to just do these threads on the first day of each month instead of in the middle of the month and waiting for another twenty or so days to get on that track is ridiculous, so i'm going to just start this one now and then do the next one on may 1st. anyways, we're back again! here you can share/provide updates on some of the projects that you're working on. they can be of any kind--digital, physical, work related, passion project, whatever. pretty straightforward, i think.

      20 votes
    4. What have you been listening to this week?

      What have you been listening to this week? You don't need to do a 6000 word review if you don't want to, but please write something! If you've just picked up some music, please update on that as...

      What have you been listening to this week? You don't need to do a 6000 word review if you don't want to, but please write something! If you've just picked up some music, please update on that as well, we'd love to see your hauls :)

      Feel free to give recs or discuss anything about each others' listening habits.

      You can make a chart if you use last.fm:

      http://www.tapmusic.net/lastfm/

      Remember that linking directly to your image will update with your future listening, make sure to reupload to somewhere like imgur if you'd like it to remain what you have at the time of posting.

      19 votes
    5. Can you access university libraries in your country w/o an affiliation to the university?

      In Turkey, where I live, almost all universities restrict access to staff and students (only their own students if not a graduate student); the only exception I can find is the Koç University...

      In Turkey, where I live, almost all universities restrict access to staff and students (only their own students if not a graduate student); the only exception I can find is the Koç University where paid membership is open to public. I've researched in the past and found that major universities around the world---i.e. Italy, France, UK, US; selection factor being the languages I can read---seem to allow the public to access in one way or another (article, in Turkish, with results). But I wonder how accurate my reading is with the reality, and thus I'm asking this question.

      So, as a plain citizen w/o any current affiliation to any educational institutions, can you access university libraries where you live? Does it matter if you have certain diplomas or affiliations? How easy it is?

      10 votes
    6. Tildistas, do you read or have you read any webcomics?

      as an offshoot of this topic, i'm interested to see if any of you folks read/were previously big into webcomics. the last time we apparently had this question was about ten months ago and...

      as an offshoot of this topic, i'm interested to see if any of you folks read/were previously big into webcomics. the last time we apparently had this question was about ten months ago and obviously the site's grown quite a bit since then, so i'm sure there will be plenty of new answers.

      20 votes
    7. At what point will technology be sufficient for exact local time everywhere?

      It’s a thought I’ve had mulling around for a while now. I’m wondering will a point ever come when we return to completely accurate local time; each village, town and city operating on a local time...

      It’s a thought I’ve had mulling around for a while now. I’m wondering will a point ever come when we return to completely accurate local time; each village, town and city operating on a local time synced with the sunrise/sunset—noon truly means the solar noon—with technology as the interface.

      Is it possible? would we even want it, would it matter? Do we have to wait for brain chips to make a time conversion seamless?

      11 votes
    8. I have a basic and possibly uninformed question about the event horizon of a black hole

      It is my understanding that if you are looking at an object falling into a black hole from a remote viewpoint, then the object will appear to take “forever” to complete the fall into the black...

      It is my understanding that if you are looking at an object falling into a black hole from a remote viewpoint, then the object will appear to take “forever” to complete the fall into the black hole. The object is effectively frozen in time at the black hole’s event horizon, from the remote viewer’s POV.

      Is this the correct interpretation so far? If so, let’s remember that.

      It is also my understanding that a black hole can increase in mass as it captures new objects. The mass does increase from an external viewpoint. Is this accurate?

      If I understand known science on the above points, then the paradox I see here is that while the visual information is frozen in time from the external POV, the mass of the black hole does increase from the external POV. So is this where the Holographic Principle comes in? Or is there another explanation here, or am I off-base entirely?

      Or is it just that the accretion disk gains mass and black holes never increase in mass from an external POV, after they are initially formed?

      Is this known?

      Please either attempt to answer my tortured question, or point me to material that might lead me ask a better question.

      Thanks!

      13 votes
    9. What is your top 1 song?

      For me it is Holy Wars by Megadeth. The entire album really, but this song just blows everything away. It will never be surpassed. Tornado of Souls is right up there, but i have to choose just one...

      For me it is Holy Wars by Megadeth.

      The entire album really, but this song just blows everything away. It will never be surpassed.

      Tornado of Souls is right up there, but i have to choose just one so...

      24 votes
    10. What have you been listening to this week?

      What have you been listening to this week? You don't need to do a 6000 word review if you don't want to, but please write something! If you've just picked up some music, please update on that as...

      What have you been listening to this week? You don't need to do a 6000 word review if you don't want to, but please write something! If you've just picked up some music, please update on that as well, we'd love to see your hauls :)

      Feel free to give recs or discuss anything about each others' listening habits.

      You can make a chart if you use last.fm:

      http://www.tapmusic.net/lastfm/

      Remember that linking directly to your image will update with your future listening, make sure to reupload to somewhere like imgur if you'd like it to remain what you have at the time of posting.

      14 votes
    11. Music Makers?

      Hello, Music Makers. What are you all working on? Any pieces/tracks you've created that you're particularly proud of? Any part of your process that warrants special mention? Any part of your...

      Hello, Music Makers.

      What are you all working on? Any pieces/tracks you've created that you're particularly proud of? Any part of your process that warrants special mention? Any part of your process that is particularly dull?

      Let it rip.

      10 votes
    12. What have you been watching/reading this week? (Anime/Manga)

      Sorry about being a day late, also covering Whom again this week. 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...

      Sorry about being a day late, also covering Whom again this week.

      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
    13. Is Tildes 18+?

      I was thinking about posting this to ~news, but suddenly I've realised that I don't know if the word “fuck”, or any of the Seven Dirty Words, are allowed in titles. Is Tildes adults-only? Should...

      I was thinking about posting this to ~news, but suddenly I've realised that I don't know if the word “fuck”, or any of the Seven Dirty Words, are allowed in titles. Is Tildes adults-only? Should people write something like “f***” in titles instead?

      11 votes
    14. Does an author's identity, personal experiences, or beliefs impact your appreciation for their work?

      This recent topic has me thinking. On one hand, you have the whole "Death of the Author" idea that divorces the writer from their work. This makes a lot of sense, and allows for creative works of...

      This recent topic has me thinking.

      On one hand, you have the whole "Death of the Author" idea that divorces the writer from their work. This makes a lot of sense, and allows for creative works of fiction to exist entirely as fictions.

      On the other hand, you have the #OwnVoices movement which specifically prioritizes the identity of the author as a method of affirming their work. This makes a lot of sense too, befitting the longstanding principle of "nothing about us without us." Who better to write a fictionalized experience than someone who has gone through a real-life parallel?

      Then you have authors whose personal beliefs and experiences may or may not texture their work for readers. Orson Scott Card is commonly brought up in discussions like these on account of his views and public comments on homosexuality. William S. Burroughs famously shot his own wife. I can certainly see how those would be hard things to look past.

      With all this in mind, does the author matter to you when you read (particularly works of fiction)? Does knowing about them enhance/detract from your reading experience?

      15 votes
    15. MLS Week 8: All Matches Discussion

      LAFC @ Vancouver RSL @ FC Cincinnati MNUFC @ Toronto FC Houston @ LA Galaxy Colorado @ Chicago Montreal @ Philadelphia Vancouver @ Orlando FC Dallas @ Atlanta Portland @ Columbus NYRB @ New...

      LAFC @ Vancouver
      RSL @ FC Cincinnati
      MNUFC @ Toronto FC
      Houston @ LA Galaxy
      Colorado @ Chicago
      Montreal @ Philadelphia
      Vancouver @ Orlando
      FC Dallas @ Atlanta
      Portland @ Columbus
      NYRB @ New England
      SKC @ San Jose
      NYCFC @ DC United
      Seattle @ LAFC

      8 votes
    16. Light themes or Dark themes?

      Traditionally I've used dark themes for everything I could on all of my devices, as I found it easier on the eyes when I'd usually use my computer (evening - night). Recently, I made the switch...

      Traditionally I've used dark themes for everything I could on all of my devices, as I found it easier on the eyes when I'd usually use my computer (evening - night). Recently, I made the switch back to light stuff as I've been using my computer more for notes and assignments I'd normally hand-write, and I find I get drowsy less and have an easier time using the computer in a bright room than before - I just switched my theme on a whim one morning, so I wasn't expecting that at all!

      So now I'm rethinking all my previous bias about dark themes being 'better' regardless of the situation, and I'm curious if anyone here had any thoughts and/or could point me to some reading on the subject (the subject being the effects of light/dark colours in work or concentration). It's something I realize now might be fairly important, as I'm looking at my screen for most of the day, but never really gave much thought before outside of tracking down the 'Dark' theme switch.

      34 votes
    17. What (if anything) do you support through Patreon?

      It's been asked a couple of times before, but not particularly recently (last was in August I think!). So who or what do you support on Patreon, and why? I currently pay for two podcasts: Let's...

      It's been asked a couple of times before, but not particularly recently (last was in August I think!). So who or what do you support on Patreon, and why?

      I currently pay for two podcasts: Let's Know Things, and The Film Reroll.
      Let's Know Things is a podcast made by Colin Wright, who if you've seen the Minimalists documentary on Netflix you may be familiar with. It's a great weekly podcast that picks apart a recent article, adds a load of context to the subject, and extrapolates from it somewhat. It's always insightful, and I've learned a load that I never thought I would from it.
      The Film Reroll is probably my favourite podcast right now. The basic premise is that a group of people take the plot of a movie, and turn it into an RPG (using GURPS). So instead of normal improv where they can just do something, they have to roll dice to see if they actually succeed at doing it. It invariably ends up going completely off the rails, and is always hilarious. Highlights include the Speed episode where they catch the mastermind before he has a chance to plant the bomb on the bus, and Jumanji, where the dice rolls for the board game go so well that they beat it before things have a chance to go dreadfully wrong.

      It's not through Patreon, but I also make a monthly contribution towards this website called wikipedia. It's pretty wild: an online encyclopaedia where anyone can view, submit, or edit the information, for free. It's got a page on just about anything you can think of, and whilst it's not perfect, it can be a fantastic jumping off point for learning about a subject, and going deeper via the sources. I believe it to be one of the pinnacles of online achievements, and I use it easily twice a week directly (and more indirectly, every time I get instant answers from Google).

      So what do you support via Patreon (or other means)?

      EDIT: A followup question. Does the amount that a creator on Patreon is already receiving have any bearing on your decision to contribute?

      19 votes
    18. Nootropics & Student

      What do you guys think about nootropics for Uni student, is it safe, efficiency and helpful especially for normal people? Did you tried any of them ? And what is your opinion? I'm interested in...

      What do you guys think about nootropics for Uni student, is it safe, efficiency and helpful especially for normal people? Did you tried any of them ? And what is your opinion?

      I'm interested in mood/motivation & memory drugs.

      I have done a bit reswarch over internet, but I'm not sure about what I did read.
      And sorry I don't know if this post should be here or in ~envo

      7 votes
    19. Do you enjoy programming outside of work?

      I have found this to be a semi controversial topic. Its almost becoming a required point for getting a new job to have open source work that you can show. Some people just enjoy working on...

      I have found this to be a semi controversial topic. Its almost becoming a required point for getting a new job to have open source work that you can show. Some people just enjoy working on programming side projects and others don't want to do any more after they leave the office.

      Whats your opinion on this? Do you work on any side projects? Do you think its reasonable for interviewers to look for open source work when hiring?

      16 votes
    20. Which smartphone and carrier are you using? (USA only)

      For the past five or so years I've been using prepaid mvno carriers (in the us btw) and buying my own phone. It's somewhat of a frustrating experience trying to figure out which phones will...

      For the past five or so years I've been using prepaid mvno carriers (in the us btw) and buying my own phone. It's somewhat of a frustrating experience trying to figure out which phones will actually work with which carrier. There's a lot of very attractivly priced phones from Chinese companies that unfortunately just don't support the u.s. LTE bands that i need. Im not really the kind of person who wants to buy a $600+ flagship and carrier offerings are generally abysmal and overpriced.
      I also don't feel like I have very many options for carriers as I Live in a fairly rural area where t-mobile gets fairly spotty coverage. I have seen compelling options for Verizon if I wanted 4+ lines (it's only me and the wife right now, so that doesn't help us much) .
      I'm definitely jealous of people in Europe and parts of Asia when it comes to cellphone and internet options.

      16 votes
    21. Does anyone have any experience in renting their home out and being a landlord?

      I am helping my parents rent out their place in Seattle. I posted it on Zillow, we got tons of traffics and interest. I now need to get the rental agreement in order. Does anyone have an informed...

      I am helping my parents rent out their place in Seattle. I posted it on Zillow, we got tons of traffics and interest. I now need to get the rental agreement in order.

      Does anyone have an informed opinion on where to get the agreement template from? I see at least 2 good options, please help me choose.

      1. Legal Zoom ($29)
      2. eForms (Free)
      7 votes
    22. What were the best recent suspense/horror movies you watched?

      I'm in search for new ones to watch, but can't seem to find anything. I'm curious about what they are going to do with the new Child's Play reboot. Anyway, the ones i liked so far: Hereditary...

      I'm in search for new ones to watch, but can't seem to find anything. I'm curious about what they are going to do with the new Child's Play reboot.

      Anyway, the ones i liked so far:

      • Hereditary
      • Suspiria
      • The Ritual
      • Halloween
      • The Clovehitch Killer
      • The Void
      • Gerald’s Game
      • It
      • Get Out
      7 votes
    23. Do not bump topics from offtopic comments?

      Should offtopic comments bump up topics? IMO, offtopic discussion is not “real” discussion. Seeing a topic at top with 7 new comments only to discover that all of it is offtopic, meta discussion,...

      Should offtopic comments bump up topics? IMO, offtopic discussion is not “real” discussion. Seeing a topic at top with 7 new comments only to discover that all of it is offtopic, meta discussion, is annoying and disappointing.

      As an example, there is one topic on the front page (don’t want to link it), that was bumped by the biggest offtopic discussion I’ve seen on Tildes so far. The discussion itself is not wrong, and is quite interesting, but it’s not about the post. The comment chain should IMO either be in it’s own topic, or not bump the topic up.

      11 votes
    24. What have you been watching/reading this week? (Anime/Manga)

      Covering for Whom as she's busy today. 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...

      Covering for Whom as she's busy today.

      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!

      5 votes
    25. What are you playing this week?

      Inspired by @Whom's music and anime threads What have you been playing to this week? You don't need to be playing the latest games, nor do you have to write gigantic essays. This is just a space...

      Inspired by @Whom's music and anime threads

      What have you been playing to this week? You don't need to be playing the latest games, nor do you have to write gigantic essays. This is just a space to talk games!

      Feel free to give recommendations, thoughts, opinions. Chat about playstyles and habits! Reminisce about games and mechanics long gone, or coming back!

      20 votes
    26. What are you reading these days? #17

      What are you reading currently? Fiction or non-fiction, any genre, any language! Tell us what you're reading, and talk a bit about it. Past weeks: Week #1 · Week #2 · Week #3 · Week #4 · Week #5 ·...

      What are you reading currently? Fiction or non-fiction, any genre, any language! Tell us what you're reading, and talk a bit about it.

      Past weeks: Week #1 · Week #2 · Week #3 · Week #4 · Week #5 · Week #6 · Week #7 · Week #8 · Week #9 · Week #10 · Week #11 · Week #12 · Week #13 · Week #14 · Week #15 · Week #16

      26 votes
    27. What are the arguments against letting user data be collected?

      It's obviously bad when "real" data like full names and credit card info leaks, but most data companies collect is probably email address and some anonymous things like which buttons and when the...

      It's obviously bad when "real" data like full names and credit card info leaks, but most data companies collect is probably email address and some anonymous things like which buttons and when the user clicked.

      Nevertheless, such data collection, tracking and telemetry is considered quite bad among power users. I don't support those practices either. But I'm struggling to consolidate my arguments agaist data collection. The one I'm confident about is effects on performance and battery life on mobile devices, but why else it's bad I'm not sure.

      What are your arguments? Why is it bad when a company X knows what anonymous user Y did and made money on that info? What's the good response to anyone who asks why I'm doing the "privacy things"?

      20 votes
    28. MLS Week 7: All Matches Discussion

      Vancouver @ Chicago Columbus @ Montreal San Jose @ Houston Toronto @ Seattle NYCFC @ MNUFC Atlanta @ New England Portland @ FC Dallas Orlando @ Real Salt Lake DC United @ Colorado Philadelphia @...

      Vancouver @ Chicago
      Columbus @ Montreal
      San Jose @ Houston
      Toronto @ Seattle
      NYCFC @ MNUFC
      Atlanta @ New England
      Portland @ FC Dallas
      Orlando @ Real Salt Lake
      DC United @ Colorado
      Philadelphia @ LA Galaxy
      FC Cincinnati @ LAFC
      NYRB @ Sportland Kansas City

      6 votes
    29. Suggestion for users: avoiding excessive use of acronyms

      The internet slang is full of acronyms. Some are harmless and well known, such as "lol" or "IMHO", but others not so much. Tildes is explicit by design, with a preference for clear text labels...

      The internet slang is full of acronyms. Some are harmless and well known, such as "lol" or "IMHO", but others not so much. Tildes is explicit by design, with a preference for clear text labels instead of icons. In my opinion, that's a great design choice, and maybe we should take inspiration from that in our communications. On Reddit, it's common to find obscure acronyms. Some subs require glossaries to understand their particular lingo. Sometimes this is necessary, but, in excess, acronyms can be annoying and even excluding, especially for non-native speakers. Because there are situations in which the use of acronyms is required, I don't think there should be a rule on the matter. That's merely a suggestion. What you lovely Tilda Swintons™ think about it?

      22 votes
    30. Favorite homebrew console applications/games

      What is your favorite homebrew console application/game? A really cool thing I saw recently was someone moved the dsi version of flipnote to a 3ds and connected it to an unofficial server to...

      What is your favorite homebrew console application/game? A really cool thing I saw recently was someone moved the dsi version of flipnote to a 3ds and connected it to an unofficial server to continue using it like when the servers were still online. Another cool thing was DS linux, I never managed to get it working but as part of the install process it removed the health and safety warning screen which is kinda neat.

      8 votes
    31. Have any "under the radar" type regional recipes you can share?

      I'll start: Hessian 'Tater soup. Maybe not very exciting, but I just love the stuff. Start off with a diced onion and about 1 - 1.5 kg of peeled, sliced potatoes. Throw into a big pot on high heat...

      I'll start: Hessian 'Tater soup. Maybe not very exciting, but I just love the stuff.

      Start off with a diced onion and about 1 - 1.5 kg of peeled, sliced potatoes. Throw into a big pot on high heat with some oil and let it develop some color. Meanwhile, get peeling and chopping on this stuff - carrots, celery root, leek, parsley, parsley root. Amounts as desired, but I like to use a lot of parsley - root or leafs. If your taters get enough color, cover with water and add the rest of the veggies. All that in place, cook until soft. Blend. Add 200ml of sour cream and season with nutmeg, pepper and salt. Consistency should be thick, maybe slightly chunky.

      When serving, fry up a few slices of old sausage to throw in there. This one is a traditional north hessian sausage, but any only lightly spiced and smoked, coarse ground, fatty hard sausage will do. Add a sprig of parsley if you feel like upping the presentation.

      24 votes
    32. Shuffle your entire music library, then tell me about the first five tracks that come up

      I thought it might be cool to get a random slice of people's music libraries, musical knowledge, and how they relate to songs that aren't necessarily standouts or favorites. Don't worry about the...

      I thought it might be cool to get a random slice of people's music libraries, musical knowledge, and how they relate to songs that aren't necessarily standouts or favorites. Don't worry about the five tracks being a representative sample of your tastes or anything--I just think it's a fun exercise!

      Also, if you get a bad list of five, it's okay to re-roll.

      35 votes
    33. The idea of being trans has my head in a scramble

      This is going to be a bit of a ramble. I'm not even sure where to even start. Browsing r/egg_irl has me confused. Am I trans? What does it mean for someone currently living as their...

      This is going to be a bit of a ramble.

      I'm not even sure where to even start.

      Browsing r/egg_irl has me confused. Am I trans? What does it mean for someone currently living as their birth-assigned-gender to be trans? Would I be happier as a woman? Or non-binary? I don't feel major bodily disphoria. I don't dislike my body. I am curious what it would be like to have a female body.

      When I was a teenager I read Commitment Hour, by James Alan Gardner. It's about a village where young people switch back and forth every year (go to sleep as one, wake up as another), until they turn twenty and have to choose one or the other. I loved it. I fantasied about what it would be like to quickly switch back and forth. I liked the idea of finding out what it's like to have a female body without having to permanently commit to it. That fantasy has tempered a bit since then, but I wouldn't say it's completely gone.

      I've been growing my hair out, but I've also grown my beard out. Both started as laziness. I didn't feel like bothering to get my hair cut or mess with shaving my face. I hate shaving. Now it's something of a security blanket. I feel exposed without them. Another reason I grew my beard out was because there were a couple of times when I was a teenager that a stranger thought I was a girl and it made me uncomfortable. I grow hardly any chest hair and I like it that way; but I have a lot of leg hair, and I like that too.

      I've never been the macho type or had much use for machoness.

      I don't know If I would like being female, or if I just like the idea of it. There have been other things that I liked the idea of but not the thing itself. How can I respond to others seeing it as a phase if I'm not even sure myself if it's a phase.

      I don't like the social stigma around it. I come from a conservative family. I don't know how they would react. I live in a small predominately Mormon community where everybody knows everybody and gossip runs rampant. I don't know if being female is what I really want, but I at least want the space to experiment and find out.

      I don't know what I want and I hate not knowing. Even deciding whether or not I should even type this out, let alone post it, has been a major mental battle.

      I've been on Tildes a while, but I created a new account because my main account could be connected to my real identity and I'm so not ready for that. Even putting this out there anonymously has me terrified.

      18 votes
    34. What have you been watching/reading this week? (Anime/Manga)

      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!

      12 votes
    35. Input please: How to identify the right IT project stakeholders

      I'd like your input for an article I'm writing. Let’s say you’re starting a new IT project. It could be custom software; perhaps it’s a migration to cloud services; maybe it’s a shiny new IoT...

      I'd like your input for an article I'm writing.

      Let’s say you’re starting a new IT project. It could be custom software; perhaps it’s a migration to cloud services; maybe it’s a shiny new IoT project.

      The point is that you're here to build something great. You’re in charge of the design (or an important part of it), and making sure that the resulting system makes everybody happy.

      How do you make sure that you are interviewing the right people to find out what “make them happy” looks like? What do you do to get input from the people who matter for the project’s success… without inviting so many suggestions that it’s impossible to deliver everything?

      Case in point: Ten years ago I was in charge of an online tech community. The company I worked for hired custom developers to build the software platform, but the developers never talked to me. They interviewed the boss, two levels above me (who just so happened to be the person who signed the checks) even though she had never used this online community or any other. Needless to say, the community software they delivered was horrible, missing basic-to-me features.

      Formally this process would be called “identifying the project stakeholders” or “master the requirements-gathering process” but that seems too corporate-speak. I’m looking for real-world examples of what works and what doesn’t, so I can write a genuinely useful article with practical guidelines.

      Note that this is NOT about the questions to ask those stakeholders; that’s another discussion. Here I am writing merely (merely!) about making sure you are speaking to the people whose input you need.

      My questions:
      • How do you decide which people to ask for input? In what way do you find those people? How do you know when you have everyone you should?
      • How do you decide whom NOT to invite? Where do you draw the line?
      • Tell me about the manner in which you learned that lesson. (The hard way. Anecdotes are good.)
      • If you want to be quoted (it's good for business!) tell me (via PM) how to refer to you in the article: Name, title, company name, short company description, URL.

      7 votes
    36. What have you been listening to this week?

      What have you been listening to this week? You don't need to do a 6000 word review if you don't want to, but please write something! If you've just picked up some music, please update on that as...

      What have you been listening to this week? You don't need to do a 6000 word review if you don't want to, but please write something! If you've just picked up some music, please update on that as well, we'd love to see your hauls :)

      Feel free to give recs or discuss anything about each others' listening habits.

      You can make a chart if you use last.fm:

      http://www.tapmusic.net/lastfm/

      Remember that linking directly to your image will update with your future listening, make sure to reupload to somewhere like imgur if you'd like it to remain what you have at the time of posting.

      13 votes
    37. What are some good entry points for getting into poetry?

      I like the idea of poetry, but I almost never actually read it. My knowledge of the form is pretty much limited to a handful of popular classics that I had to read back in high school; one or two...

      I like the idea of poetry, but I almost never actually read it. My knowledge of the form is pretty much limited to a handful of popular classics that I had to read back in high school; one or two poems each from Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, Langston Hughes, Walt Whitman, and Shakespeare.

      Where do I start if I want to dip my toes into poetic waters? What are some good poems/compilations for poetry novices? I'm particularly interested in modern, contemporary voices, but I'm open to anything.

      19 votes
    38. Risk of Rain 2 thoughts and impressions

      Some of you may have heard that the bright minds behind Risk of Rain have made their next effort with the help of an added dimension. Risk of Rain 2 released on Early Access lately, to many...

      Some of you may have heard that the bright minds behind Risk of Rain have made their next effort with the help of an added dimension. Risk of Rain 2 released on Early Access lately, to many peoples' surprise and joy. I played a decent bit of the original, but never managed to get into it. Something about 2D scrollers like that puts me off hard, but I respected the hell out of the awesome art, fantastic music, and neat synergies/shenanigans throughout the game.

      Risk of Rain 2, so far, has been an absolute blast and I'm super happy for the devs. They received way more support than they initially expected upon launch, and the buy 1 get 1 gift key strategy did wonders for them. I've been steadily playing this game with friends and after the initial Diablo 2 loot stealing shenanigans, we've all managed to memorize items, learn builds, and work out what survivalists we like. This game is a killer time-killer; I've spent what I thought was 10 minutes in one match only to glance at the timer and read that 70 minutes have passed. This game almost feels like it's a finished product, and the devs aren't even done yet. I'm super psyched for all the new stuff we'll get to see and experiment with.

      I'm also curious as to what anyone else thinks. Has anyone played enough to share their opinions? Did anyone not enjoy their time with the game? Please share!

      13 votes
    39. Weekly Language Exchange Thread, Week 2019-W15 (experimental)

      It is Wednesday, my dudes! So why not have some good old foreign-language practice? As an experiment, let's try just that. Start a thread in a language you would like to practice or teach, or...

      It is Wednesday, my dudes! So why not have some good old foreign-language practice? As an
      experiment, let's try just that. Start a thread in a language you would like to practice or teach,
      or reply to an existing one. E.g.

      ## German / Deutsch
      
      Hier sprechen wir Deutsch! Wie geht es Ihnen?
      

      If you want to fix someone's grammar and also reply to them in the same message, I would recommend
      using a horizontal ruler with “* * *”. E.g.:

      I think “sich” should be “ihm”.
      
      * * *
      
      Es tut mir Leid, dass es ihm so schlecht geht.
      
      11 votes
    40. Switching from Win10 to something else: What are my options?

      Win10's issues and walled-in options are driving me nuts lately. I have a variety of software like Illustrator, Photoshop, Blender, Tidal the Office Suite and Solidworks that I use very...

      Win10's issues and walled-in options are driving me nuts lately. I have a variety of software like Illustrator, Photoshop, Blender, Tidal the Office Suite and Solidworks that I use very frequently. I really can't not use those. I'd also like to play Steam games.

      However, I'd like to use a non-bloated and stupid end user-only OS since win10's shenanigans are driving me mad, but I'm not super tech-savy either(though I'm learning).

      Is it feasible to switch over to another OS that offers more freedom in the things I want, but still can run the above programs? If so, which? If not, how should I cope with win10?

      14 votes
    41. Should I go to college for computer science?

      I have an undergrad degree in polisci. I was planning on going to law school, but got rejected everywhere I applied. I am really reconsidering going to law school. Last couple years, I realized...

      I have an undergrad degree in polisci. I was planning on going to law school, but got rejected everywhere I applied. I am really reconsidering going to law school. Last couple years, I realized that I have a genuine interest in coding, and I could pursue it as a career. I learned C++ with online tutorials, and I think I am proficient at it, or at least have the potential to be much better.

      Anyway, money is tight, so I would really appreciate any input you have about a career change. Thank you!

      (If this belongs on another sub, please let me know)

      EDIT: I am in the U.S. I can move states if necessary.

      24 votes
    42. If you had to point out a song in a foreign language either for its catchiness or content, what would it be?

      I'd like to hear something different, and am curious about what both the current and past trends have been so anything's welcome really! Honestly it doesn't even have to have any sung parts;...

      I'd like to hear something different, and am curious about what both the current and past trends have been so anything's welcome really!

      Honestly it doesn't even have to have any sung parts; lately I've been getting in Berlin's indigenous techno scene and found myself with lots of remarkable material to listen to.

      Here are a few spotlights of mine:

      • A particularly good DJ session of Dirty Doering. His music is what's really pushed me to dip my toes into the techno scene; went to few of his nights and never regretted it so far.
      • Songs such as Le Temps de la Rentrée by France Gall, La Mer specifically sung by Julio Iglesias and Champs Elysees by Joe Dassin are some of my go tos when I'm cooking something.
      • HaifischNikez Allstar is a really good trashy song, pleasant in its own way in my opinion. Watch it as there's a jumpscare at the beginning of the video.
      • Any song by Caparezza. I won't link a specific one cause they're not exactly "melodic", moreso they are extremely clever in the wordplays he makes in each and every one. If i had to suggest an album of his I'd go for Museica.
      • Heard a number of catchy tunes while visiting Israel but ended up not knowing any specific title cause while there my phone died...

      edit: pointed out jumpscare

      18 votes
    43. Anyone play Tekken?

      I bought Tekken 7 about 6 months ago and have been seriously addicted to it ever since. My friend used to have all the old tekken games when we were really young but back then I just used to mash...

      I bought Tekken 7 about 6 months ago and have been seriously addicted to it ever since. My friend used to have all the old tekken games when we were really young but back then I just used to mash buttons.

      It's a tough game to learn and even play passably but the process of improving is very satisfying. Currently I've got Asuka to Vindicator (2nd yellow rank) and plan on sticking with her until I (eventually) reach high orange/ first red rank. Dabbled a little with Kazumi/Paul but I don't think switching characters is a good idea at this point.

      So do any tildinista's play Tekken?

      6 votes
    44. Home is where the _____ is.

      I’m in the process of moving house. We’ve been visiting the new house over the weekend, but we haven’t moved any furniture in yet. During our errands, my housemate said “let’s go home”, and it...

      I’m in the process of moving house. We’ve been visiting the new house over the weekend, but we haven’t moved any furniture in yet.

      During our errands, my housemate said “let’s go home”, and it took me a moment to realise that he was referring to the new house. He was being slightly facetious, but it made me think. That new house obviously isn’t “home” yet, but when will it be “home”?

      I realised there are two answers for me: a functional one and a psychological one.

      The functional answer for me is “home is where the bed is”. The day after I’ve moved my bed into the new house and have slept there overnight is the day I’ll refer to it as my home (as in “let’s go home”).

      The psychological answer is that it will feel like my home when I’m comfortable walking through the house in the middle of the night in bare feet – when I know the place well enough to walk around in the dark without anything to protect me from danger. I have to have lived in a place for a while for it to feel like home.

      So… what makes a place “home” for you? When you move into a new house or apartment or condo or tent or treehouse, what makes it feel like “home”? What’s that moment when you know that this house is now a home?

      18 votes
    45. What are people's thoughts on CAPITALIZATION in headlines/titles for EMPHASIS?

      One of my favorite YouTube channels, Linus Tech Tips, does this all the time, but I have seen many others doing this as well, and I personally find it rather obnoxious. I understand that it's more...

      One of my favorite YouTube channels, Linus Tech Tips, does this all the time, but I have seen many others doing this as well, and I personally find it rather obnoxious. I understand that it's more effective at getting them views, which they rely on to stay in business... but I see it as just another form of clickbait, and so when I submit LTT videos I tend to remove that capitalization.

      However, are there any cases where capitalization for emphasis is appropriate in a headline/title? And if not, should titles be edited to remove them?

      p.s. Acronyms and Initialisms are obviously different, so let's ignore those and put them in the "clearly acceptable" category.

      19 votes