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    1. What programming/technical projects have you been working on?

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's...

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's interesting about it? Are you having trouble with anything?

      5 votes
    2. Advice on sharpening skills for career pivot

      After spending a couple years in management I want to get back into more individual contributor roles. It's where I can apply the skills I actually enjoy. Preferably I'd work as a dev or data...

      After spending a couple years in management I want to get back into more individual contributor roles. It's where I can apply the skills I actually enjoy. Preferably I'd work as a dev or data scientist, but what I want is to spend time solving technical/mathematical problems and less herding cats and politicking.

      EDIT: US with ability to relocate; willing to take a paycut.

      Background
      • About 9 years as lead dev in a start up (2004-2013). It was the golden era of 2005 when we started and I got the role strictly on skills I developed as a teenager. The start up failed shortly after I left but an associated passion project has lived on. In this role I built video streaming software client side, server side, web apps, and iOS apps. I used C#, javascript/node, mongodb, redis, SQL, PHP, objective-c, and C++ as well as functioning as sys admin and webmaster. Pretty much solo dev except for a contractor or intern occasionally.
      • Went back to school (homeschooled, no high school so I needed some pieces of paper), BS-MS-PHD, in mathematics (number theory) and published several papers. One of which launched a bit of a cottage industry for my collaborators. I haven't been involved post graduation but get updates when friends see me cited at conferences, etc. Wrote more domain specific stuff (Python, MAGMA, GAP).
      • During my last year of grad school I got very jaded towards the grind I saw before me that more that likely ended with a job at a teaching school making less than I wanted. Pretty much as soon as I made my intentions public covid happened so I was job searching during 2020 while finishing my doctorate.
      • Got my break early 2021, an entry level data analyst role for a major corpo. In this role I had a lot of time to just explore data, find patterns, test out some of the ideas friend in topological data analysis were thinking about, tested early ML models. Pretty much strictly Python and SQL. Went to manager in 2022 and then People Analytics Director in 2023.

      Current plans:

      • Attend more meet ups, there are a couple about an hour south of me. Hoping to build some connections with the local industry.
      • Private server and website stood up, plan to host projects etc here for interested parties.
      • Runs through exercism.io to refresh on some stuff.
      • Find some open source projects to contribute on? There is also a local group of indie game devs, perhaps offer my services where possible.

      So my question to you all is how would you go about sharpening skills and building up a portfolio?

      11 votes
    3. Just bought Philips SHP9500 headphones and am underwhelmed

      I have a KZ ZSN Pro IEM and it's been going strong for 4+ years. I also have a cheap Bluetooth QCY IEM that I use for podcasts and when I don't want wires tangling me. Whenever I change from the...

      I have a KZ ZSN Pro IEM and it's been going strong for 4+ years.

      I also have a cheap Bluetooth QCY IEM that I use for podcasts and when I don't want wires tangling me.

      Whenever I change from the Bluetooth QCY to the wired KZ I am in awe. The KZ ZSN Pro is a blast to listen to. Specially metal. The definition, the sound of the bass drums, everything is clear and powerful.

      So I decided to try some entry level open back headphones and bought the SHP9500 that was cheap on Aliexpress recently. I thought I would find it even better since a lot of people sang it's praise for the price, but I am underwhelmed.

      I find my KZ to have way more definition and power.

      Also I need to up the volume of my smartphone quite a bit compared to the IEMs. It is near max volume.

      Of course they are different beasts and the IEMs are literally inside my head. I don't really know what I expected.

      I'm sure beyerdinamic or other more expensive brands might be better, but I don't feel like going down that path.

      I'm going to keep the SHP9500 for a week more to see if I like it for different situations, but for now I am not amused.

      7 votes
    4. Movie of the Week #31 - The Tree of Life

      Warning: this post may contain spoilers

      So last of the Cannes films this month with The Tree of Life by Terrence Malick from 2011. It won the highest price, Palme d'Or, at the Cannes Festival.

      IMDb
      Letterboxd
      Wikipedia

      Besides any thoughts on this movie, are you familiar with other Terrence Malick movies? Any comments on Cannes films in general?


      The schedule for June is:

      • 3rd: The Wicker Man (1973)
      • 10th: Ravenous (1999)
      • 17th: X (2022)
      • 24th: The Exorcist (1973)
      6 votes
    5. Three Cheers for Tildes: App updates and feedback (May 2024) — Version 1.0 is out for iOS!

      This is a recurring topic for the Three Cheers for Tildes mobile app. I'll summarize the previous month's updates at the start of each topic, so people can read the updates and then hit Ignore if...

      This is a recurring topic for the Three Cheers for Tildes mobile app.

      I'll summarize the previous month's updates at the start of each topic, so people can read the updates and then hit Ignore if they don't care about more frequent updates and user feedback.


      Recently:

      Three Cheers version 1.0 is out for iOS! (May 2, 2024)

      • Submit topics!
      • Added donation option in Settings
      • Share links from other apps to create a Tildes submission
      • Edit topic text
      • Delete topics
      • Fixed bottom tab bar bugs

      Three Cheers is now on the App Store! (As of May 7, 2024.) This enables in-app purchases for donations, as well as installation on older devices that don't support TestFlight, such as iPhone 5s and iPad Air 1st gen.

       

      iOS v1.0.2 (May 29, 2024): Fixed links shared from some apps going into wrong submission form field. Fixed lost spaces when editing a submission tag. Fixed <small> HTML tags in comments. Fixed crash replying in a topic, if visiting that topic from inbox.

      Known Bug in v1.0.0 on iOS: Scroll bugs preventing access to some submission form fields when sharing link from another app. (Fixed in v1.0.1.)

       

      Android v1.0.4 (May 29, 2024): Fixed scroll-to-top button bug. Fixed <small> HTML tags in comments. Fixed unwanted space added when editing submission tags.
      Android v1.0.3 (May 1, 2024): Added username to Submit screen, improved donation animation, fixed Expand all comments bug.
      Android v1.0.2 (Apr 13, 2024): Validate submission tags, fix submit UI bugs, fix comment UI bugs with horizontal rules.
      Android v1.0.1 (Apr 1, 2024): Fixed crashes on home feed

      Three Cheers version 1.0 is out for Android! (Mar 25, 2024)

      • (Same features as 1.0 on iOS)
      • Require minimum Android 7.1.1
      • Fixed refreshing feed after login/logout

      Last month's topic: April 2024

       


      Where to get it

      Android version on Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.talklittle.android.tildes

      iOS version on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/three-cheers-for-tildes/id6470950557

      Join TestFlight for iOS beta testing: https://testflight.apple.com/join/mpVk1qIy

      111 votes
    6. Do you know a lot of weird people to talk about the latest weirdest things you've read?

      Recently, I went to a meetup for a blog I follow. I was expecting and (in part) hoping for it to be really strange. Similarly to this post "Developers Aren't Nerds", I think a part of me held the...

      Recently, I went to a meetup for a blog I follow. I was expecting and (in part) hoping for it to be really strange. Similarly to this post "Developers Aren't Nerds", I think a part of me held the expectation that I really would become an adult who sat around with other people who read something intellectually stimulating and joyfully kind of debated it amongst ourselves. Sort of like being on Tildes or any good forum. And being around these people and the environment was fun-- it was mostly casual, but when it wasn't, I felt challenged and like I was talking about things I cared about. And above all, unlike being online, it still felt human-- there wasn't that weird anxiety of saying something and getting piled on.

      I'm blessed to have a pretty good life, which includes (now) a fairly diverse and broad social life I worked to grow. I believe there is emotional support too (though I have a smaller circle for that). But it feels like we spend more time talking about (their) travel, music festivals, clubbing, whatever. And I know part of the issue is that I don't "get" it (I am an introvert, I like small groups), or I did enough of those experiences and feel sated for the time. But man, would I like to be a little weird and just randomly talk about the random shit my head puts together after reading. (Today, it was global fertility rate projections, sperm counts, IVF. Other times it was blockchain and other architectures I was learning about. Overall, things that are difficult to bring up randomly.)

      Do people have that outlet offline? Where did you find it?

      16 votes
    7. If you had up to US$250 to get one person into a hobby you're interested in, what would you do to get them started?

      Just a thought exercise to see how you'd go about getting someone started from scratch. The person could be your nephew, a spouse, a coworker, or someone on the internet who needs a new hobby. :)...

      Just a thought exercise to see how you'd go about getting someone started from scratch. The person could be your nephew, a spouse, a coworker, or someone on the internet who needs a new hobby. :) I'm curious how that money would get spent and how that money might spend time. How far would it go? How would you make that time and money count towards a new passion?

      Would you buy someone a small motorcycle? Polaroid camera? Time at a bouldering facility? Would you make/give them a really cool sewing station with a bunch of cubbies? A shoebox full of your MtG cards (just the extras, right?) and a ticket to a convention? A custom printed set of LEGO building instructions and the bricks to go with them? Outsider art to inspire a new style of artist passion?


      If this is a success, I might post again in a month or so with a lower dollar value to challenge folks.

      101 votes
    8. 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.

      5 votes
    9. Will Microsoft want to introduce a subscription fee to their Windows OS in the future?

      Just had a chat with friends about the possibility and how it would likely be introduced. Paraphrased into the following; 2.99$/Month OEM installs have a 2 year license Upgrades are free for the...

      Just had a chat with friends about the possibility and how it would likely be introduced.

      Paraphrased into the following;

      2.99$/Month
      OEM installs have a 2 year license
      Upgrades are free for the first year (from 11 to the new)
      Comes with Office 365 and AI functionality to soften the blow

      What are your thoughts on this?

      30 votes
    10. Does anyone have experience or advice on cutting sugar consumption?

      In the last year I've made significant progress in my relationship with food. A massive part of it was simply cutting down calories and a little more exercise. And so far it's been pretty good....

      In the last year I've made significant progress in my relationship with food. A massive part of it was simply cutting down calories and a little more exercise. And so far it's been pretty good. I'm down around 13kg(30lb), I'm fitting in a lot of my older cloths and issues like back pain and sleep apnea are getting back in line.

      But for a while I've hit a plateau and it's feeling like a bit of a regression. Looks like the big blocker is my sugar consumption. I can stave off the craving for most of the day, but at 2.30pm on the dot I can't help but reach for chocolate, soda or an ice cream. And then I keep reaching for them till the end of the day. It's been getting worse lately and that slipping feeling really sucks.

      I've tried cold turkey, fruits, alternatives, gum and a few other strategies but they all never stick.

      I'm curious if anyone else has managed to make the cut and if there's any tips and tricks that helped keep you consistent. It's one thing to clear out the house, but the stuff seems to be at arms reach at all times. And there's always the weird blackout time between "I should not eat that" and "why the hell did I eat that".

      49 votes
    11. TV Tuesdays Free Talk

      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.

      4 votes
    12. May 2024 Backlog Burner: Week 4 Discussion

      Week 4 has begun! This is the last full week of the Backlog Burner. There are only ten days left in May! Post your current bingo cards. Continue updating us on your games! If you did not...

      Week 4 has begun!

      This is the last full week of the Backlog Burner. There are only ten days left in May!

      Post your current bingo cards.
      Continue updating us on your games!

      If you did not participate in previous weeks but want to start this week, that's fine!
      Reminder: playing bingo is OPTIONAL.

      Quick links:


      Week 3 Recap

      8 participants moved 16 games out of their backlogs!
      There were 0 bingo wins (but we are SO close!).

      • 2 participants played free choice
      • 4 participants played standard bingo cards
      • 2 participants played bingo golf

      One participant played a game they had been putting off for 14 years!

      Thus far, a total of 49 games have been played for the May 2024 Backlog Burner.

      Week 3 Game List:

      Week 2 Recap

      Week 2 Recap

      10 participants moved 18 games out of their backlogs!
      There were 0 bingo wins.

      • 1 participant played free choice
      • 7 participants played standard bingo cards
      • 2 participants played bingo golf

      Thus far, a total of 33 games have been played for the May 2024 Backlog Burner.

      Week 2 Game List:

      Week 1 Recap

      Week 1 Recap

      10 participants played 10 bingo cards and moved 15 games out of their backlogs!
      There were 0 bingo wins.

      Game list:

      14 votes