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    1. Multi-format text editor with chain-of-command processing

      A while back I developed a desktop-based text editor (Scrivenvar) that uses the Chain-of-Responsibility design pattern to help me author fairly involved text documents. The editor's high-level...

      A while back I developed a desktop-based text editor (Scrivenvar) that uses the Chain-of-Responsibility design pattern to help me author fairly involved text documents. The editor's high-level architecture resembles the following diagram:

      https://i.imgur.com/8IMpAkN.png

      Am I reinventing the wheel here? Are there any modern, cross-platform, liberal open-source (LGPL, MIT, Apache 2), text editor frameworks (such as xi or Visual Studio Code), that would enable (re)development of such a tool?

      Scrivenvar is written in Java, but to my chagrin, Java 9+ no longer bundles JavaFX. The text editor was based on MarkdownWriterFX, itself based on JavaFX. This means there's no easy upgrade path, so I'm looking to rebuild the editor either as a cross-platform desktop application or as a web application.

      8 votes
    2. Suggest me an anime - just finished Dr. Stone

      I just finished the first and (for now) only season of Dr. Stone. I loved it. It's definitely a shounen, but interesting characters and the whole science plot makes it a good watch for adults. I...

      I just finished the first and (for now) only season of Dr. Stone. I loved it. It's definitely a shounen, but interesting characters and the whole science plot makes it a good watch for adults.

      I like the idea of learning interesting stuff through anime.

      I like shounen with a twist — the typical juvenile stuff usually bores me to no end (the last one I gave up was My Hero Academia). And seinen is usually too serious and dry for my taste. I guess I'm hard to please!

      I also like:

      • Death Note (pretty smart with a great premise)
      • Overlord (now I know VR fantasy is a whole sub-genre, but at the time it was new and awesome for me)
      • Code Geass (a tad too political for my taste, but a great main character)
      • Fullmetal Alchemist (the first one)
      • Mob Psycho 100 - one of my recent favorites
      • One Punch Man
      • Netflix's Castlevania (not actually anime but whatever — great anime-like cartoon)

      I dislike:

      • Fillers and useless scenes (like on Attack on Titan)
      • Pure Drama / Pure Romance
      6 votes
    3. Smartphones that make good use of physical buttons

      I miss buttons on devices. They are durable, reliable, repairable and nice to press. I can find their position without looking, and they work more consistently in different apps. I probably don't...

      I miss buttons on devices. They are durable, reliable, repairable and nice to press. I can find their position without looking, and they work more consistently in different apps.

      I probably don't need something with a physical QWERTY keyboard, since screen real state might be an issue. And it would have to be an actually viable smartphone, not something from a bygone era (I don't care about camera). But I want (a lot!) more buttons, preferably configurable, with support for custom keybindings, macros, etc.

      What are some good options?

      15 votes
    4. Changing e-mail and cleaning up my Internet presence

      I'm trying to clean up my internet presence and move away from at least Facebook and Google. I've come a long way with deleting my Facebook and it's now basically an empty shell for messaging....

      I'm trying to clean up my internet presence and move away from at least Facebook and Google. I've come a long way with deleting my Facebook and it's now basically an empty shell for messaging. I've installed Signal and will start the grooming process with my friends and family now. If you have some solid arguments for the change regular ol' folks can understand please share them with me because as we all know "privacy" just isn't enough.

      Next phase is the big one...Google or basically G-mail.

      1. Is there any way to get an complete overview of where you've used your e-mail for a service online?

      2. What e-mail would you recommend?
      2a. I'm OK with paying a bit for overall quality, security and equally important UX!
      2b. I don't use any other relevant Google products like Drive etc. It's just regular e-mail and sign in credentials for other services I basically need

      3. I use a Mac, iPhone and iCloud. Is iCloud a problem? IF this needs to change it HAS to be an "easy" switch and not like setting up a server for myself. Because it won't happen and I'm not skilled enough.

      I would very much appreciate your input :)

      EDIT: Thank you all for your thorough comments!

      22 votes
    5. I've received a school project where I need to read a book but I've never really wanted to read a book and don't know many books at all. What book should I read?

      People like me are why I believe the slippery slope is a fact, not a fallacy... I'm asking this in the context of a school project mainly because of 2 things: 1: 2 of the questions of the project...

      People like me are why I believe the slippery slope is a fact, not a fallacy...

      I'm asking this in the context of a school project mainly because of 2 things:

      1: 2 of the questions of the project are about main and secondary characters and their physical and psychological characteristics, so the book is gonna require those unless I'm misinterpreting those questions.

      2: The project is for March 12th so something like 1984 with 300+ pages is probably too long. (Although there are probably many technicalities to blur this, like how much text there is in a page and the actual amount of pages I can read in a given time and how much time can I dedicate to reading the damn book.)

      19 votes
    6. Help me find a "quote of the day" sort of app

      In the simplest terms, I suppose what I'm looking for is just a "quote of the day" generator. Albeit, one that I can put my own quotes into. I have what I jokingly refer to as an "operating...

      In the simplest terms, I suppose what I'm looking for is just a "quote of the day" generator. Albeit, one that I can put my own quotes into.

      I have what I jokingly refer to as an "operating manual". Essentially it's just a constantly-updated evernote that contains rules for how I want to live (eg. "No drinking alone"), reminders about myself (eg. "You always feel better after exercising"), and my philosophy about aspects of life (eg. "In the news media, misery and controversy sell better than joy and harmony").

      I'd like to be able to receive bits of this "wisdom" throughout my day, ideally by way of some sort of notification on my phone. Does any such app/service exist? Bonus points for one that is open source and cross-platform!

      10 votes
    7. Are there any other sites similar to this one?

      Hacker news and lobsters pop up in these threads as answers pretty quickly but I find them to be too tech focused, not subdivided into communities, which reinforces these few focuses and make...

      Hacker news and lobsters pop up in these threads as answers pretty quickly but I find them to be too tech focused, not subdivided into communities, which reinforces these few focuses and make finding large amounts of related content hard. Also the lack of delineation between responses makes the discussion difficult to follow. (At least to me.)

      So basically I'm looking for sites that:

      • Have some sort of subdivision of their content

      • Aren't very focused on any one thing

      • Have some sort of thread subdivision

      • Value good discussion

      So does anyone have any sites?

      8 votes
    8. Openish-world, Mystery, Walking Simulator recommendations?

      My wife and I enjoy playing mystery walking simulators together and have been looking for more-- Steam's recommendation engine is pretty terrible in finding others or lesser-known titles, so I...

      My wife and I enjoy playing mystery walking simulators together and have been looking for more-- Steam's recommendation engine is pretty terrible in finding others or lesser-known titles, so I thought I'd ask around for what others play! They don't have to be full-on walking simulators, just games where dying is rare/not a big component of the experience (looking at you, Visage!), and the rest of the game is all about solving a mystery/thriller of some sort. Preferably first-person games with realistic-enough graphics.

      Ones we've played so far and have loved are:

      • Dead Secret
      • Gone Home (loose fit)
      • The Painscreek Killings (really loved this one)
      • The Vanishing of Ethan Carter

      Ones I've got in my queue:

      • Anna
      • Bohemian Killing
      • Dead Secret 2
      • Return of Obra Dinn

      I've also played What Remains of Edith Finch, Dear Esther, Firewatch, and some others-- but those didn't really have a big enough mystery component to them (to be clear I liked them, they just didn’t have a dark/thriller vibe to em).

      Any other suggestions?

      20 votes
    9. Does anyone know of any good budgeting tools?

      I've realized over the past few hours that I've spent an absurd amount of money relative to my income over the last few days, and I think that starting to budget would probably be a very good...

      I've realized over the past few hours that I've spent an absurd amount of money relative to my income over the last few days, and I think that starting to budget would probably be a very good thing for me. Does anyone know of any good tools for keeping and managing a personal budget?

      11 votes
    10. Where to start with Mozart?

      Reading the excellent "Cave in the Snow", a biography of Tenzin Palmo, I learned of her love for Mozart and it got me thinking. For whatever reason my classical knowledge is limited, mostly...

      Reading the excellent "Cave in the Snow", a biography of Tenzin Palmo, I learned of her love for Mozart and it got me thinking. For whatever reason my classical knowledge is limited, mostly leaning towards more experimental contemporary composers (Cage, Pärt, Reich etc) and so I know very little about what you might call the classical heavyweights (Mozart, Chopin, Bach). With that said, where is best to start with Mozart?

      9 votes
    11. Good domain registrars?

      Looking to pick up a domain name for a personal site and was wondering if anyone could recommend a good registrar. The whole domain name industry always feels more than a bit shady, so I'm wary of...

      Looking to pick up a domain name for a personal site and was wondering if anyone could recommend a good registrar. The whole domain name industry always feels more than a bit shady, so I'm wary of most of the providers.

      31 votes
    12. Let's share recipes!

      With Pepperplate.com moving their service to an overpriced subscription (queue the exodus), I've been moving some key recipes over to Paprika¹, I figured it'd be a good time to ask for some decent...

      With Pepperplate.com moving their service to an overpriced subscription (queue the exodus), I've been moving some key recipes over to Paprika¹, I figured it'd be a good time to ask for some decent recipes.

      Tuck your recipe and method in a <details> with a good <summary> so the thread is easy to browse.

      I'll get us started!

      Coconut-Braised Chicken with Chorizo and Potatoes This comes from [Food and Wine Magazine](https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/coconut-braised-chicken-chorizo-and-potatoes)

      INGREDIENTS

      Chicken

      • 2 tablespoons canola oil
      • 6 whole chicken legs (2 pounds)
      • Kosher salt
      • Pepper
      • 1/2 pound fresh Mexican chorizo
      • 1 onion, thinly sliced
      • 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
      • 1 garlic clove, minced
      • 1 dried chile de árbol, broken in half
      • 3 cups unsweetened coconut milk
      • 1 pound baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
      • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
      • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

      Gremolata

      • 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro, plus sprigs
      • 7 coffee beans, finely crushed (1/2 teaspoon)
      • 2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest

      METHOD

      Make the chicken

      • Preheat the oven to 425°. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Working in 2 batches, brown the chicken over moderate heat, turning occasionally, about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer the chicken to a large plate. Add the chorizo and onion to the casserole and cook, stirring to break up the meat, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ginger, garlic and chile and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the coconut milk, potatoes and chicken to the casserole and bring to a simmer. Cover and braise in the oven for about 1 hour, until the chicken is cooked through. Stir in the lime juice and butter and season with salt.

      Make the Gremolata

      • In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Make sure the cilantro and lime zest is fairly dry, but not dehydrated.

      Plating

      • Spoon the braised chicken and potatoes into shallow bowls. Garnish with the gremolata 
and cilantro sprigs and serve with lime wedges.
      Gordon Ramsay's Stupid Simple Broccoli Soup

      INGREDIENTS

      • 1 large or two medium broccoli clusters (as fresh as possible)
      • Salt (3 tsp.)
      • Ground Black Pepper (4-5 turns on the grind wheel)
      • Water
      • Olive Oil
      • Goat Cheese (2 slices per bowl, preferably 'ashed')
      • Walnuts (about 5 per bowl)

      METHOD

      Cutting the Cheese

      • You will want to slice your goat cheese at this point
      • Dip the knife into the boiling hot water before each slice for even smooth cuts. Cut two slices of goat cheese per bowl being served. I like them about 5mm or so thick.
      • After cutting, use the hot smooth side of your knife to smooth one side of the cheese slices for appearance.

      The Soup

      • Your broccoli is finished cooking when you can pierce it with little or no effort. Remove the stock pan from the stove burner.

      DO NOT POUR THE WATER OUT!

      • Use a slotted spoon to add broccoli to a blender but be careful because it's boiling hot!
      • Pour enough of the water left over from cooking the broccoli to fill the blender half way.
      • Add a pinch (or more) of salt.
      • Use several pulses on your blender to break the broccoli up and then puree for several seconds.

      Plating

      • Add five walnuts to the bottom of a shallow bowl and then place pieces of goat cheese on top of them.
      • Pour soup into shallow bowl around the cheese, not on it. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and serve at once!
      Miso-Squash Soup with Sesame-Ginger Apples This is from [SeriousEats](https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2015/10/miso-squash-soup-recipe.html) and is another super simple soup that is always a hit.

      INGREDIENTS

      • 1 1/2 quarts plus 2 cups water, divided, plus more as needed
      • 1/2 ounce kombu (approximately a 4- by 6-inch piece; see note)
      • 1/2 ounce grated bonito flakes (about 3 cups; see note)
      • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, divided
      • 1 leek, white and light green parts only, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
      • 2 medium carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
      • 2 medium cloves garlic, sliced
      • 2 (1 1/2-inch) knobs ginger, 1 knob peeled and thinly sliced, 1 knob peeled and finely grated, divided
      • 1 (2-pound) squash, such as kuri, kabocha, or butternut, peeled, seeded, and diced
      • 2 tablespoons white or red miso paste
      • 1 tablespoon fresh juice from 1 lemon
      • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
      • Pinch sugar, if needed
      • 1 large crisp apple, such as Fuji, peeled, cored, and diced
      • 1 large or 2 medium scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced on the bias
      • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
      • 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
      • 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
      • Shichimi togarashi, optional

      METHOD

      • Combine 1 1/2 quarts water, kombu, and bonito flakes in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a bare simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool for 5 minutes, then strain through a fine-mesh strainer. Discard solids and set dashi aside.
      • In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add leek, carrot, garlic, and sliced ginger. Cook, stirring, until vegetables are glistening and just starting to turn tender, about 4 minutes.
      • Add squash and pour just enough dashi on top to cover vegetables. Bring to a simmer and cook until vegetables are fully tender, about 30 minutes. Using a standing blender or immersion blender, and working in batches if necessary, blend soup until very smooth. Blend in miso and lemon juice.
      • Return soup to pot and thin with enough water to reach a pourable, silky-smooth consistency. Season with salt, add sugar to taste, and keep warm.
      • Meanwhile, fill a medium bowl with 2 cups water and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Add diced apple and let soak for 10 minutes. Drain apple well, then return to bowl. Toss with grated ginger, scallions, toasted sesame seeds, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and remaining 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. Season with salt, if needed.
      • To serve, ladle hot soup into bowls and top with the apple-scallion salad. Garnish with shichimi togarashi, if desired.

      ¹Paprika is an overpriced recipe organizer -- paprikaapp.com -- it's okay, but also kind of lame.

      16 votes
    13. International alternatives...

      I've recently realised I read a lot of American literature. I'd like to broaden my horizons so I'm wondering for fun if anyone out there can suggest an international (i.e non-US) counterpart for...

      I've recently realised I read a lot of American literature. I'd like to broaden my horizons so I'm wondering for fun if anyone out there can suggest an international (i.e non-US) counterpart for any of the following or just general non-US recommendations?

      • Denis Johnson
      • David Foster Wallace
      • Flannery O'Conner
      • Carson McCullers
      8 votes
    14. How do you find flights?

      Planes may soon be a thing of the past, for now they're still sometimes hard to replace. I used to rely on Hipmunk for finding flights, but sadly, they recently shut down. So I was wondering, what...

      Planes may soon be a thing of the past, for now they're still sometimes hard to replace.

      I used to rely on Hipmunk for finding flights, but sadly, they recently shut down. So I was wondering, what do people on tildes use to find flights? Any tool/website you're happy with?

      9 votes
    15. Looking for a (new) odd news podcast

      Some months ago, I found Weekly Weird News, a roundup of strange news from around the internet. I recently depleted their backstock, and find myself wanting. Now, I know there's no shortage of...

      Some months ago, I found Weekly Weird News, a roundup of strange news from around the internet. I recently depleted their backstock, and find myself wanting. Now, I know there's no shortage of weird, odd, bizarre, and strange in our world. Just as I know there's no shortage of people willing to talk about it. But, I'm having difficulty finding "current" weirdness. Oh sure, there's podcasts to be found talking about the weirdness surrounding this murder in 1952, or that rural happening in 1991, but so far, I haven't found another that scratches that "that seriously happened recently?" itch.

      Does anyone have any suggestions, or am I doomed to dripfeed?

      4 votes
    16. No-money fun ideas?

      Spouse and I were on a weekend drive-and-walkaround today, and discussing ways to save money on house renovations. We've kept running into things like, "yeah, two arthritic 50-somethings are...

      Spouse and I were on a weekend drive-and-walkaround today, and discussing ways to save money on house renovations. We've kept running into things like, "yeah, two arthritic 50-somethings are really going to DIY sheetrocking a ceiling...nope."

      I'm guessing nearly all Tilders have gone through times when they didn't have much, if any, disposable income, or had to squeeze budgets to save for big expenses.

      So what do you enjoy doing for entertainment that costs little or nothing beyond what you'd ordinarily spend for basic living expenses?

      I know we used to do things like gathering people for potluck, cheap jug wine, and chatter, but we're still building a circle of friends and acquaintances, and don't have space for entertaining yet! Walks in the woods, reading, volunteering, and watching movies, are pretty much givens, but happy to hear your thoughts.

      25 votes
    17. Let's talk about humorous podcasts

      Hey there people! Seeing how last post I could find on the topic was posted almost one year ago and how my question is a bit more specific, I thought a new one could be worthwhile. Admittedly, I...

      Hey there people!

      Seeing how last post I could find on the topic was posted almost one year ago and how my question is a bit more specific, I thought a new one could be worthwhile.

      Admittedly, I am not an assiduous podcast listener - what I'm mostly looking for is a show to 'scratch the itch' every once in a while which features good chemistry between its hosts, exploring whatever topic with humorous tones; bonus points if said topic is interesting.

      To exemplify, some of the best podcasts I can think of on the spot are How did This Get Made (I can particularly recommend the episode dedicated to Mr. Nanny), or How to Fuck Up an Airport.

      The first one is a serie that analyze extremely poor or obscure movies, while the second one unveils the debacle surrounding the 20 year old (and still aging) Berlin Brandenburg Airport project; I know this last one might sounds boring, but it's a baffling and hilarious journey - surely and by far my favorite Podcast.

      TL;DR
      So yeah, what are your most entertaining, hilarious, and generally fun podcasts?

      25 votes
    18. Indie Games and Developers

      This year I wanted to make a point to support and follow more indie game developers. I thought I'd post this topic to spread some love. Let's share indie game projects and developers that we are...

      This year I wanted to make a point to support and follow more indie game developers. I thought I'd post this topic to spread some love. Let's share indie game projects and developers that we are currently following to help them get some more exposure. Here are a few from my end:

      Pizza Tower:

      https://pizzatowerguy.itch.io/

      The demo feels so good to play. Controls are really tight and art/animation is really charming albeit eye-straining on higher resolution.

      Guinea Pig Parkour:

      https://twitter.com/GPigParkour
      This game is not as far along as Pizza Tower, but the game-play footage looks superb. Seems like a taxing process considering the level of polish being demonstrated. Looking through GPigParkour's twitter, apparently this is something that they have been working on since 2016.

      Headcannon (Stealth):

      http://www.headcannon.com/vertebreaker.html

      You probably know Headcannon as the development team behind Sonic Mania. Despite the amazing job they did on Sonic Mania they don't receive much of anything for their hard work. The only pay from Sega that they received was the commission to create Sonic Mania and don't receive any revenue from sales. A recent kickstarter for the game Vertebreaker had be be cancelled because they were unable to raise enough funds for it. The founder and head of Headcannon Stealth goes into detail about this in the linked video. I highly recommend you check them out and donate to their Patreon if you can. They certainly have the talent and know how to create some cool ass games.

      13 votes
    19. Use this, not that: Positive swaps for the New Year

      This is a bit of a sibling topic to the one about changing habits for 2020. Rather than looking at habits specifically, I want to look at "swaps" that people can make. What's something someone...

      This is a bit of a sibling topic to the one about changing habits for 2020. Rather than looking at habits specifically, I want to look at "swaps" that people can make.

      What's something someone could change out for a better alternative?

      A swap should be recommended if it is,

      • more ethical,
      • more sustainable,
      • heathier,
      • or just overall better in an individual or collective way.

      Importantly: the swap should be both feasible and sensical, and should be something that is relatively easy to do. This isn't about making huge lifestyle changes but about taking what we're already doing and making it better.

      Please give your reasoning for your swap, as well as any important caveats. Mentioning specific brands/companies is fine if that's an important part of the swap. Also, swaps can be for anything so don't feel limited to consumer products. Feel free to give good food/service/app/software/store swaps as well!

      See my post below for an example, if the setup I've given here is unclear!

      54 votes
    20. Books and long-reads on technology history

      I like reading about the development process of technology products (software and otherwise), even when I don't understand the tech bits. Maybe due to their open nature, it is not hard to find...

      I like reading about the development process of technology products (software and otherwise), even when I don't understand the tech bits.

      Maybe due to their open nature, it is not hard to find detailed articles, mailing list answers, and interviews that go deep about FOSS. But I also have an interest in massively successful/unsuccessful products with large, rich and sometimes convoluted creation process. So things link Linux, Windows (all versions), Mac OS, the iPhone, iOS, Android, etc.

      My interest is not necessarily in biographies or accounts that deify so-called technology geniuses, but rather in narratives that don't shy from the nitty-gritty details of the technical/creative processes while also addressing the human/personal side of things.

      It also doesn't need to be educational at all, I just realized these stories are enjoyable reads.

      Any suggestions? ;)

      6 votes
    21. What authors do you recommend on the basis of writing style?

      I'm in the middle of writing my thesis and I've been (re)reading some excellent, unconventional style guides (The Sense of Style by Stephen Pinker and Stylish Academic Writing by Helen Sword). I'm...

      I'm in the middle of writing my thesis and I've been (re)reading some excellent, unconventional style guides (The Sense of Style by Stephen Pinker and Stylish Academic Writing by Helen Sword). I'm also rereading Thank You for Arguing by Jay Heinrichs, which is less about style but is essentially a guide for effective communication.

      In reading these books and applying their teachings to my writing, I've been reinvigorated with a passion for writing, namely for the craftsmanship of prose. All three books analyze excerpts from examples of great (and sometimes poor) writing. But, I'm now looking for a more immersive experience in good (i.e. stylish, evocative, concise etc.) writing in the hopes that, with my newly refined perspective and sensitivity, I can improve my own writing even more. Good writers read good writing.

      Now, starting new books now won't help my current cause (my thesis) but my academic career will call for much more writing in the future. And I'm hoping that maybe the suggestions I get here will help me prioritize my current queue of books and articles—I know they're all great books but I'd like to read the ones with better writing, first.

      So, I would love some recommendations on authors who you would consider as masters of writing. It can be either books or articles. Preferably non-fiction and modern (20 years?), only because fiction and older books have different standards (FWIW I love old-school sci-fi, but that's definitely not the style I'm after). My current shortcut is to read basically any "longread" on WIRED, as most of the time they are high quality and often explain complex topics.

      Any other resources are also welcome! Though maybe no more style guides...

      12 votes
    22. Recommend me a song based just on one line (or couplet) in its lyrics

      I'm interested in finding more great songwriters across different genres and I want to defeat my own bias, so don't tell me the artist or genre (or maybe put it in <details> tags). Here are a few...

      I'm interested in finding more great songwriters across different genres and I want to defeat my own bias, so don't tell me the artist or genre (or maybe put it in <details> tags).

      Here are a few of mine -

       

      Emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds

      Song infoBob Marley - Redemption Song

      If you're really as tough as your defenses, you'd let them fall

      Song infoJimmy Eat World - Stop

      Tried to deceive me, you only deceived you; what you thought was invisible was only see-through

      Song infoOne Be Lo - Decepticons

      I said, "If you won't save me, please don't waste my time"

      Song infoOasis - Falling Down

      Emotional luggage, nothing of it, I don't check bags; I just carry on, leave that bullshit in the past

      Song infoCurren$y - Airborne Aquarium

      Nothing no scary like a gunman voice when people beg a gunman think twice, and him say no

      Song infoDamian "Junior Gong" Marley - Gunman World (Is It Worth It?)

      To turn your sick soul inside out - so that the world, so that the world can watch you die

      Song infoGil Scott-Heron - Home Is Where the Hatred Is

       

      Coincidentally, not all those songs are necessarily at the top of my recommends, but they are the first memorable one-liners that came to mind. I won't mind if your picks aren't the greatest songs of all time either if the line still hits.

      21 votes
    23. Suggestions for a Starter Synth?

      I feel like I have gotten as far as I can playing around with my keyboard and LMMS, so I was wondering if anyone here has any recommendations for a synth that I could start out with. As much as I...

      I feel like I have gotten as far as I can playing around with my keyboard and LMMS, so I was wondering if anyone here has any recommendations for a synth that I could start out with. As much as I really want to buy a OP-1 or OP-Z I don't think I can justify it just yet. I would like something in the style of the OP-1 or OP-Z, i.e. quite small, with they keys laid out like a piano, and controls for modifying the sound on the synth, although it doesn't need an included sequencer. I'm also pretty open to drum machine ideas, just have never really played around with them at all. My budget is like $200 max.

      10 votes
    24. Wearable sleep trackers - recommendations?

      Is there a good smartwatch/simile that monitors sleep and has excellent battery life (measured in weeks not hours)? I use the Withings (ex-Nokia) Steel HR, but it … kinda sucks. The bluetooth...

      Is there a good smartwatch/simile that monitors sleep and has excellent battery life (measured in weeks not hours)?

      I use the Withings (ex-Nokia) Steel HR, but it … kinda sucks. The bluetooth pairings very often lose sleep data, it's very inaccurate, the reporting sucks for non-24s, and the leather bracelet is of very poor quality, keeps breaking.

      I really don't care for the fitness/step tracking which, as someone else here put it, thinks typing on a keyboard or eating is a step.

      I also briefly tried an Oura (https://ouraring.com/), but I never got it to work and had to send it back.

      I also don't care much for any of those "sleep quality" trackers that try to detect if I snore and what not. I can do sleep studies in my own time, I just want to have accurate stats on whether and when I am asleep.

      6 votes
    25. What are your favorite Instant Pot/pressure cooker recipes?

      My husband and I are looking to do more with our Instant Pot in the coming year. The last thread we had on this topic was from 2018, so I figure we could use an update. What are your favorite...

      My husband and I are looking to do more with our Instant Pot in the coming year. The last thread we had on this topic was from 2018, so I figure we could use an update.

      • What are your favorite Instant Pot/pressure cooker recipes?

      Please link to the full recipe if possible!

      12 votes
    26. Are there any personalized recommendation engines/sites that you trust?

      In the 2000s I used to use a service called last.fm (originally called Audioscrobbler) that would track the music I listened to and give me recommendations based on that. It was able to give me...

      In the 2000s I used to use a service called last.fm (originally called Audioscrobbler) that would track the music I listened to and give me recommendations based on that. It was able to give me some really great personalized suggestions, but that came at the expense of me handing over significant amounts of personal data.

      In prioritizing privacy, I feel like I've stepped away from a lot of the big recommendation engines because they're tied to data-hungry companies I am in the process of disengaging with (e.g. Goodreads is owned by Amazon). I can still find stuff I like, but it's often the result of manual searching that turns up popular recommendations that work for me, rather than less well-known or acutely relevant things. last.fm was good at giving me less "obvious" recommendations and would find music I was unlikely to find on my own. I want that, but for all of my media: books, movies, etc.

      There's a second concern in that I also feel like I can't trust platforms like Netflix, who seem to prioritize their content over that of other studios. Their recommendations feel weighted in their favor, not mine.

      What I want is an impartial recommendation engine that gives me high quality personalized suggestions without a huge privacy cost.1 Is this a pipe dream, or are there examples of this kind of thing out there?


      1. I don't mind handing over some of my specific interest data in order to get good recommendations for myself and help a site's algorithms cater to others, as I get that's how these things work. I just don't like the idea of my interests being even more data for a company that already has thousands of intimate data points on me.

      18 votes
    27. What are some good idle/incremental games?

      I get heavily into Universal Paperclips about a year ago, it really just scratched a particular itch in my mind. It was particularly nice to be able to play it at work and not need to worry about...

      I get heavily into Universal Paperclips about a year ago, it really just scratched a particular itch in my mind. It was particularly nice to be able to play it at work and not need to worry about it being open 100% of the time!

      What are your recommendations for similar idle/incremental games?

      22 votes
    28. What's good to air fry or dehydrate?

      For Christmas, I got the household a toaster oven with air fryer. We have so far done french fries and brussels sprouts, both of which turned out great. I'm curious what else I can air fry? Any...

      For Christmas, I got the household a toaster oven with air fryer. We have so far done french fries and brussels sprouts, both of which turned out great. I'm curious what else I can air fry? Any favorite recipes?

      It also has a dehydrate feature and we've done apple slices and strawberry slices. They also turned out pretty good. (I think I needed to leave them in for maybe an extra hour or two because they weren't quite crisp.)

      9 votes
    29. Choosing a new printer

      I'm thinking about getting a new printer. My needs are basically to print out textual documents 2-3 times per month from macOS. I don't need to print photos. I will not buy an inkjet because of...

      I'm thinking about getting a new printer. My needs are basically to print out textual documents 2-3 times per month from macOS. I don't need to print photos. I will not buy an inkjet because of the outrageous price of the ink. I would like to have fax support (my spouse sees a lot of doctors and they still use fax machines a lot, and we're not comfortable sending personal medical info via a fax service on the web), and it would be nice if we could also scan documents. So I'm thinking a multi-function device.

      We currently have a Brother 7840W MFC with print, fax, copy, and scan. It's over 10 years old (maybe 15?) and I dislike it. It's been slowly losing functionality over the past 5+ years. The WiFi went out, but I was able to connect it via wired ethernet to a computer and share it from there. The drivers insist that there's a paper jam, but there isn't and it prints just fine (but sounds like some of the internal mechanical components are going to die any day now.) The UI of the printer is awful. I recall having to use the phone pad to enter my WiFi password, and it was like texting on a Motorola StarTAC. (Like if you want the letter "C" press the number "2" three times, etc.) The drivers and related software don't work like normal macOS software. (Disclosure: I also once wrote a scanner driver for Brother and it was horrible, but they shipped it, so I'm not real comfortable putting their software on my computer. But that was 25 years ago, so maybe they're better now?)

      I've heard horrible things about the drivers and software of most other major printer makers - HP, Epson, Lexmark, etc. I'm guessing what I'm looking for doesn't exist, but I just want a multi-function device in as small a package as is reasonable, and with a UI on the device and software that doesn't suck and that won't die on me in < 5 years. Does such a thing exist?

      17 votes
    30. Purchasing an astrophotography mount

      I do some astrophotography for fun in my spare time. I'd like to get into doing deep sky photography. In order to do that, I need a moving mount that can keep the camera aligned with the stars for...

      I do some astrophotography for fun in my spare time. I'd like to get into doing deep sky photography. In order to do that, I need a moving mount that can keep the camera aligned with the stars for minutes to hours at a time. I'll be using (at least initially) a Canon 7D (original version) with Canon lenses rather than a telescope. I currently have a 200mm lens with 2x extender, which makes it 600mm equivalent on that body.

      I'd like to know if others here have ever done this and what type of hardware they've used for the motor and mount? Prices seem to be all over the place and options vary greatly on different devices. For example, I see the following:

      Sky-watcher EQM-35 - $623.00US - Seems pretty full-featured for the price, as it includes tripod, motorized mount, alignment scope, and database of astronomical objects.
      Celestron Advanced VX Computerized Mount - $899.00US - Seems very similar to the above, but does not include a scope, but is ~$250 more
      Orion AstroView EQ Mount & EQ-3M Motor Drive Kit - $269.99US - Like the first one, but without the scope and holds less weight, and no database of objects to look at

      I get the difference in price between the first and last, but not the middle one.

      In any event, curious if anyone has used any of the above or any others and what their thoughts are on the quality of different brands, and anything I should be looking for or avoiding.

      7 votes
    31. Top Movies of the 2010s

      The end of the year has me in a movie-watching mood and I want to add the best of the best into my queue for the next few weeks. Similar to games of the decades, what are your movies of the...

      The end of the year has me in a movie-watching mood and I want to add the best of the best into my queue for the next few weeks. Similar to games of the decades, what are your movies of the decades and why?

      22 votes
    32. What are some games like VA-11 HALL-A and Read Only Memories : 2064?

      I played VA-11 HALL-A quite a while ago and recently played ROM 2064. Both have similar aesthetics, sound, themes although they have different mechanics. I really liked how ROM had voice acting...

      I played VA-11 HALL-A quite a while ago and recently played ROM 2064. Both have similar aesthetics, sound, themes although they have different mechanics. I really liked how ROM had voice acting too which is a shame to say is not the case of VA-11 HALL-A but I still quite enjoyed both. 2064 perhaps more since it felt more engaged but perhaps that's just memory tricking me.

      I know there's N1RV Ann-A and ROM Neurodriver coming in 2020 but well, after that, I'll still have nothing so, what games have you played which are similar?

      PS : Have a happy new year and hope I've not posted in the wrong place, I'm not sure if it would've fit in the recurring topic.

      9 votes
    33. Old mobile websites?

      Hey everyone, I'm currently looking for some web 1.0-esque websites, but with the twist of being designed for some ancient smartphones. An example of what I mean would be i.reddit.com , reddit's...

      Hey everyone, I'm currently looking for some web 1.0-esque websites, but with the twist of being designed for some ancient smartphones. An example of what I mean would be i.reddit.com , reddit's original (and still fully functional) mobile implementation, or Twitter's site when you access it without a modern version of Javascript (which reverts to a clone of itself from around ~2012). I understand this is a super niche category and there's hardly any of them left, but if you happen to know of any or stumble upon one, please let me know! Thank you! :)

      24 votes
    34. Anyone has some good recommendations on economics and geopolitics channels?

      So far I know of Economics explained for economics and CaspianReport for geopolitics but neither has really convinced me of their credibility and these 2 subjects seem to be the dark sheep of...

      So far I know of Economics explained for economics and CaspianReport for geopolitics but neither has really convinced me of their credibility and these 2 subjects seem to be the dark sheep of educational content, due to being primarily speculative and subjective in nature and being quite niche for being such general topics.

      7 votes
    35. What are some good questions for self-reflection?

      With the year and decade coming to an end, I wanted to do a self interview/reflection. I'm basically looking for questions that address the past, present and future. Questions that help reflect or...

      With the year and decade coming to an end, I wanted to do a self interview/reflection. I'm basically looking for questions that address the past, present and future. Questions that help reflect or set goals are nice, but anything goes really. This was inspired by Vanity Fair's yearly interview with Billie Eilish, but I also love reflecting on the past and need for structure by setting goals for the future. Plus what better time to do this with the new year and decade coming up?

      What I'd like to do is ask myself these questions on a yearly basis, but this one might be longer as I'd put questions that will address things 5 & 10 years from now.

      13 votes
    36. Brainstorming for a gaming "challenge checklist" for 2020

      I realize this is a little early and that I've been doing a lot on Tildes lately, but I'm really into this idea and I know a lot of people will soon be busy with holiday plans (if they aren't...

      I realize this is a little early and that I've been doing a lot on Tildes lately, but I'm really into this idea and I know a lot of people will soon be busy with holiday plans (if they aren't already). As such, I figured it was better to go ahead and propose this now rather than wait:

      What are challenge lists?

      In reading circles, it's common for sites to put out yearly "challenge checklists". They are lists of different criteria with stuff like "Read a book published in the year you were born" or "Read a book with the name of a country in the title", and the idea is that you try to complete the list over the course of the year. Here are some examples from 2019:

      The Idea

      I think it would be neat if Tildes came up with a gaming version of one of these challenge lists for 2020. Why?

      • It's fun
      • It's great for diving into your backlog (if you have one)
      • It gives you incentive to play games you might otherwise overlook
      • It's fulfilling to work towards a goal
      • I haven't seen a gaming version of this idea before, so we could (maybe) be trailblazers!
      • But mostly it's fun

      The Process

      I was originally considering coming up with my own individual list for myself, but I think it would be neat if we did a community version instead. As such,

      • If you are interested in participating in a 2020 gaming challenge list, let me know in this thread.
      • If you have ideas for criteria for the challenge list, also let me know in this thread.
      • If you have any other thoughts on this setup, let me know.

      This is a brainstorming thread, so feel free to submit any and all ideas you have. Throw everything at the wall. We'll see what sticks afterwards.

      To be clear, the challenges are more about playing certain games than they are about completing specific tasks within games. So "play a game in which you can pet a dog" works, while "pet the dog in Zork II" does not.

      After we finish brainstorming, I will compile all submitted criteria into a poll and we can vote on the ones we most like. Then, after voting, the top [number TBD] entries from the poll will become our challenge list for 2020.

      8 votes
    37. What are some non-sensationalist, analytical true-crime documentaries?

      Partly because of the nature of the subject, most true-crime documentaries tend to emphasize dread. Some of them employ formal devices similar to horror movies, such as ominous soundtracks, dark...

      Partly because of the nature of the subject, most true-crime documentaries tend to emphasize dread. Some of them employ formal devices similar to horror movies, such as ominous soundtracks, dark lightning, and moody camera movements. My interest in the problem of evil is philosophical, and the constant attempts to induce fear are distracting.

      I'm interested in documentaries that are more like case studies, with a clinical, speculative or even scientifical approach to the problem of evil embodied in criminal acts.

      Any suggestions?

      10 votes
    38. Looking for a domain name registrar and a hosting provider for Intergrid

      I will be releasing a beta version of Intergrid in the near future, before New Year. The first thing I need is someone to buy a domain name from. I'm looking for a reasonable yearly price for the...

      I will be releasing a beta version of Intergrid in the near future, before New Year.

      The first thing I need is someone to buy a domain name from.

      I'm looking for a reasonable yearly price for the common generic TLDs ($10~$20), combined with reliability of support.

      The only previous experience I had was with GoDaddy, and I had no issues with them. I have, however, heard stories of terrible support service (which I never used, for lack of need), and I'd rather not support a company of that level of service. (Nevermind that I bear strong dislike for post-service spam.)

      The second thing I need is someone to host it.

      Ideally, I would host it on a personal server, which would probably be a Pi-like platform, because I like the idea of owning the host as far as personal projects are concerned. I have little idea of how viable it is, or whether it's a better option for me than renting server space at the moment.

      Lacking that, I'd like to have a EU-based hosting provider with reasonably-cheap ($10~$15) basic-level plans. Since the beta of Intergrid is local-storage-only, having a database hosted or supplied is not an issue at the moment. Low time-to-connect is important.

      12 votes
    39. Tabletop Weekly Discussion #5

      This topic is part of a weekly series where we can talk about board games. Feel free to talk about any aspect of board gaming you'd like. Here are some potential talking points to get you started:...

      This topic is part of a weekly series where we can talk about board games. Feel free to talk about any aspect of board gaming you'd like. Here are some potential talking points to get you started:

      • Are you looking for a recommendation? Tell us a game you'd like, and we'll see if we can think of one that may suit you.
      • Have you tried something new and want to chat about it? Tell us about why you like a particular board game!
      • Did you have a particularly interesting tabletop gaming experience? Tell us about your 9-point swing in Catan, or the time you managed to finish off the entire village in Ultimate Werewolf!
      11 votes
    40. How to find AV hardware for specific requirements?

      Apologies if this belongs in ~tech, that group is more on topic than ~talk but I think it’s for news and links more than open questions. (Edit: Looks like it's been moved to ~comp, I guess that...

      Apologies if this belongs in ~tech, that group is more on topic than ~talk but I think it’s for news and links more than open questions. (Edit: Looks like it's been moved to ~comp, I guess that works too.)

      I’m looking for an HDMI switch. It needs to support at least 4K resolution and have at least 10 input ports. It also needs to have Toslink audio out. Remote control support is a “nice to have” but physical buttons are fine too.

      I’m having trouble locating a product like this online. Not sure if I’m just using the wrong terms or if it doesn’t actually exist. Can any Tildes gearheads give me a pointer here?

      8 votes
    41. What do you gift a couch host?

      In a few days, I’ll be crashing on my friend’s couch for a week. If it matters, I can only buy from retail stores within Hong Kong and hand carry on the subway. Every time I see them, they’re too...

      In a few days, I’ll be crashing on my friend’s couch for a week.

      If it matters, I can only buy from retail stores within Hong Kong and hand carry on the subway. Every time I see them, they’re too quick on the bill, so taking them to eat is out of the question.

      Obvious choices are alcohol or fruit basket. I’m terrible at picking gifts for people, as I’m always worried they’ll be as picky as I am on my purchases.

      What are your go-tos for gifts in this situation?

      11 votes
    42. Latin Music lovers

      Are there tildies that like latin music? I'm just getting back into it after a long excursion into electronic genres. Do you know and want to share with us some favourite tracks? Some of my...

      Are there tildies that like latin music? I'm just getting back into it after a long excursion into electronic genres.

      Do you know and want to share with us some favourite tracks?

      Some of my favourite stuff, from wildly different genres:

      Devine - La Chica Colombiana
      Calypso Rose - Calypso Blues
      Chica Libre - sonido amazonico
      Pericos - Los Pericos
      Tigrillios - Cameleon
      Dinastya Angelito Y Su Sabor Costeño - Con La Botella En La Cabeza
      Mister Cobra - Baila

      I'm looking especially for traditional styles and good cumbia

      6 votes
    43. What are some interesting websites (tech related or not) that I can add to my endless rotation of Reddit, Tildes and Hacker News?

      My online habits are too limited by these three websites. What other aggregators, blogs or websites you suggest for me to open my horizons? Some of my interests: Long-form film criticism (not...

      My online habits are too limited by these three websites. What other aggregators, blogs or websites you suggest for me to open my horizons?

      Some of my interests:

      • Long-form film criticism (not movie news)
      • History of American cinema
      • Urban exploration (sewers, abandoned places, spooky stories)
      • Python
      • Learning techniques
      • Transportation (subways and trains, mostly)
      • True crime
      • Science fiction literature (both new and old)
      • Stand up comedy
      • War history

      I'm particularly uninterested by American or World News.

      I currently am not listening to podcasts because my headphones break every week and I don’t have enough money to buy headphones that will last more than that.

      40 votes
    44. Which games have great communities, and what do you like about them?

      As an outsider some gaming communities can appear incredibly toxic. I'm sure some of that is a deserved reputation, but I'm also aware that maybe there's a bit of generalisation going on, and that...

      As an outsider some gaming communities can appear incredibly toxic. I'm sure some of that is a deserved reputation, but I'm also aware that maybe there's a bit of generalisation going on, and that some communities are lovely but unrecognised.

      So I thought I'd ask Tildes: which gaming communities do you like? And why?

      (As always, feel free to interpret this question how you like. And, again, I suck at tagging so I'm grateful for any tagging edits. I do read those to try to learn.)

      13 votes
    45. I'm seeking recommendations for PC games

      Hello everyone, As I've previously mentionned in a previous comment, I'm getting back into PC gaming after 3 years with a simple laptop. I would be grateful if you could share some...

      Hello everyone,

      As I've previously mentionned in a previous comment, I'm getting back into PC gaming after 3 years with a simple laptop. I would be grateful if you could share some recommendations! Here are a few details that I think can help you:

      • Looking back, the genres I like the most are
        • City-building games (Cities Skylines, SimCity 4, ...Rimworld?)
        • Tactical shooters (Arma 3, Insurgency)
        • First-person role-playing shooters (STALKER, Fallout 4)
        • Atmospheric indie titles (INSIDE, Kentucky Route Zero, Night in the Woods, Oxenfree, What Remains of Edith Finch)
      • I don't tend to like competitive multiplayer games, I get easily frustrated about my lack of skill.
      • I'm mainly aiming to catch up with what I could have missed these last couple of years. But if you think there's an ""older"" title I'd like, tell me anyway.
      • I've already got my eyes on Control, Cyberpunk 2077, Outer Wilds and The Outer Worlds

      Phew! I hope I haven't reduced the list of candidates too much

      11 votes