0xSim's recent activity

  1. Comment on Character.AI faces US lawsuit after teen's suicide in ~tech

    0xSim
    Link Parent
    About as bright as any unhealthy coping mechanism.

    In the article, this chatbot appeared to be the one bright spot of the boy's life.

    About as bright as any unhealthy coping mechanism.

    7 votes
  2. Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games

    0xSim
    Link Parent
    I played a ED a few hours, restarted a save more than once, and never had a binding issue with the controller. The default bindings were enough for all most common tasks, and I actually found them...

    I played a ED a few hours, restarted a save more than once, and never had a binding issue with the controller.

    The default bindings were enough for all most common tasks, and I actually found them quite smart in their use of combinations to map different actions on the same button. Though I admit that a few keyboard bindings are necessary once you're getting more confortable, a controller is enough 95% of the time.

  3. Comment on Nintendo Switch Online Playtest Program is a new multiplayer game in ~games

    0xSim
    Link Parent
    I don't know about Japanese companies in general, but Nintendo is very infamous for their outdated views, techs, and "features" about online games.

    I don't know about Japanese companies in general, but Nintendo is very infamous for their outdated views, techs, and "features" about online games.

    5 votes
  4. Comment on Meta fires staff for abusing $25 meal credits in ~tech

    0xSim
    Link
    In several European countries - at least Belgium and France that I know of -, we have "chèque-repas" or "tickets restaurant" ("meal vouchers" basically), that have a legal framework around them. I...

    In several European countries - at least Belgium and France that I know of -, we have "chèque-repas" or "tickets restaurant" ("meal vouchers" basically), that have a legal framework around them. I have a special card that is topped up every month with the equivalent of x€ for each day I work, and I can use this card to buy lunch or groceries in most shops and many restaurants. I think it's even more restricted in France, you can only buy lunch in a radius of a few kilometers around your place of employment. It's designed to help local businesses.

    Anyway, my point is since there's a legal framework, it only works for food. I think that can be a bit abused, but the blame would be definitely put on the seller, not the customer.

    6 votes
  5. Comment on Kobo for a casual reader in ~books

    0xSim
    Link
    Why would you buy a new device if the one you have is still perfectly serviceable? You're not even using it that much. It reads like you're looking for validation to buy a new toy. I get that,...

    mostly because something with a a USB-C port would be nice to have

    And by casual reader, I mean I read maybe 5-10 books a year, so my Kindle often just sits by my bedside, gathering dust for a spell.

    Why would you buy a new device if the one you have is still perfectly serviceable? You're not even using it that much. It reads like you're looking for validation to buy a new toy. I get that, everyone likes shiny new things, but the honest answer is "no, you don't need a Kobo, your Kindle is still more than fine".

    Edit: if you want to feel good by not giving money to Amazon, Calibre can help you transfer any ebook to/from your Kindle.

    27 votes
  6. Comment on HTML for people in ~tech

    0xSim
    Link Parent
    There's a world of difference between writing HTML - which is literally a plain text that will run in your browser after a double-click - and setting up a full dev environment for, say, Python,...

    There's a world of difference between writing HTML - which is literally a plain text that will run in your browser after a double-click - and setting up a full dev environment for, say, Python, Rust, or PHP.

    If you want to teach people HTML for a day-to-day use, "create a folder and an index.html file" does not prevent anyone getting an "early success". The barrier of entry is definitely NOT higher than "first, create an account on this highly tech-looking site that is clearly made for aspiring developers".

    If creating a folder on your computer is the step that's preventing you to learn HTML, then don't bother.

    9 votes
  7. Comment on Relative installed shady browser extension in ~comp

    0xSim
    Link Parent
    The best thing to do is to correctly read and understand messages that ask you to confirm something, and to not be afraid to just click "No" or "Cancel". But even that is hard to do when...

    The best thing to do is to correctly read and understand messages that ask you to confirm something, and to not be afraid to just click "No" or "Cancel". But even that is hard to do when everything asks you to confirm the most mundane thing, and fatigue sets in.

    That, and obviously to not download & install something that you don't need.

    I'm just bad at helping them protect themselves

    No, it's genuinely hard to navigate the internet while avoiding its many traps, if you're not tech-savvy. That said, a decent adblocker will already remove 90% of the risks.

    Edit: and keep your antivirus enabled. Just use Microsoft Defender that is bundled with Windows, never install a 3rd party antivirus. They're all crap.

    2 votes
  8. Comment on X exempt from gatekeeper obligations in EU's Digital Markets Act in ~tech

    0xSim
    Link Parent
    But not surprising. Public shaming is usually more effective and quicker, and I'd argue a "better" solution when you have to deal with the power imbalance of a customer vs a company.

    It's disturbing how people are encouraged to do that because it genuinely works better than dealing with the company's customer support.

    But not surprising. Public shaming is usually more effective and quicker, and I'd argue a "better" solution when you have to deal with the power imbalance of a customer vs a company.

    1 vote
  9. Comment on Relative installed shady browser extension in ~comp

    0xSim
    Link
    Browser extensions are fairly well sandboxed, I doubt one would be able to install anything (like a keylogger) on the system. Though it's not impossible, but unlikely, that the extension itself...

    Browser extensions are fairly well sandboxed, I doubt one would be able to install anything (like a keylogger) on the system. Though it's not impossible, but unlikely, that the extension itself was keylogging while installed.

    4 votes
  10. Comment on Red Dead Redemption 1 finally gets a PC release date - October 29th, 2024 in ~games

    0xSim
    Link
    Neat, the best of the series (I'll totally die on this hill)

    Neat, the best of the series (I'll totally die on this hill)

    9 votes
  11. Comment on What are your spooky, creepy or unexplained stories? in ~talk

    0xSim
    Link Parent
    That is straight up horror movie material.

    feet walk past that didn't belong to anyone in the house while playing hide and seek under the beds

    That is straight up horror movie material.

    6 votes
  12. Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games

    0xSim
    (edited )
    Link Parent
    I guess it's due to lots of shaders and lights effects, it's a small game but every visual detail is carefully crafted. I just checked, and there are a few in-game options to cap the framerate and...

    I guess it's due to lots of shaders and lights effects, it's a small game but every visual detail is carefully crafted.

    I just checked, and there are a few in-game options to cap the framerate and change the render scaling, so I got it running to a stable 30fps without the Deck sounding like a jet engine. I was also able to reduce the TDP to 10W to make it mostly silent. But again, that's on a half-empty map.

    I also forgot to add that in my previous post, but the game feels like a "minimum viable product", if that makes sense. You can't copy-paste, and you can only select and move a single building at a time (which can be really inconvenient). I'm sure these QoL features will come later as I already got 2 updates in 2 days, but here goes.

    2 votes
  13. Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games

    0xSim
    Link
    I bought two radically different games this week. Tiny Glade More of a toy than a game, it fills the same niche as Townscaper but on a micro scale. The buildable area is rather small, but you can...

    I bought two radically different games this week.

    Tiny Glade

    More of a toy than a game, it fills the same niche as Townscaper but on a micro scale. The buildable area is rather small, but you can cram a lot of tiny details into each building. You're given a few basic tools, and it's up to you to combine them seamlessly. Don't hesitate to take a look at screenshots to get some inspiration, because you can make really complex buildings that don't look possible at all. It's really pleasant to use, and I got lost an afternoon while reproducing a small part of my medieval city.

    It requires a relatively decent PC too. For reference, my Steam Deck struggles to maintain 40fps while the fan is running at max speed, and my map is half empty. Also, as the game only supports mouse+keyboard, it's awkward to use on the Deck.

    Nova Drift

    Shoot enemies, collect xp, gain levels, and stack dozens of modifications for you ship to make it radically different from a game to another. Drone swarms, stealth with slow and powerful blades, classical pew-pews, flak cannon, lasers, burning shields, ramming tank, life drain... Everything goes. It's varied enough to keep things really fresh, and you can even respec to better synergize your weapon, hull, and shield.

    A word of caution though: it looks like a twin-stick shooter, but it's mechanically not. The left joystick is used to orientate your ship (absolutely or relatively), the left trigger is the propulsion, and the right trigger shoots your weapon. The right joystick is functionally useless. It's absolutely weird and looks like a terrible design mistake at first glance, but it's 100% intentional. Mastering your ship's movement is part of the game, and there are several bonuses that affect rotation and propulsion speed, stabilisation, or add a left/right dodge.

    3 votes
  14. Comment on Emmanuel Macron unveils new right-wing French government in ~news

    0xSim
    Link Parent
    I can get behind this logic, but I still find it ridiculous Macron had to do this whole circus to end up at square one (and, again, give even more ground to the far right clowns), and more than...

    I can get behind this logic, but I still find it ridiculous Macron had to do this whole circus to end up at square one (and, again, give even more ground to the far right clowns), and more than anything, that the left isn't represented at all in the government despite being the winning bloc.

    That's what I was saying in my first post: he's technically correct but he's still an ass and a sore loser.

    1 vote
  15. Comment on Emmanuel Macron unveils new right-wing French government in ~news

    0xSim
    Link Parent
    I don't disagree with what you said, but 2 things: Centrists are always closeted right-wingers, but Macron has been out of that closet at least since he's been elected President. His politics have...

    I don't disagree with what you said, but 2 things:

    centrists do always seem to compromise to the right rather than the left

    Centrists are always closeted right-wingers, but Macron has been out of that closet at least since he's been elected President. His politics have always been fully on the right.

    A purely left wing government would not be a reasonable outcome of this election given that the NFP are nowhere near a majority

    But now there's a purely right wing government, how is this a more reasonable outcome? Lucie Castets, the former NFP candidate for Prime Minister, openly said she was open to compromises. We'll never know 🤷‍♂️

    Edit: a proportional representation would be better (though not a panacea, for sure), but that change isn't going to happen.

    7 votes
  16. Comment on Emmanuel Macron unveils new right-wing French government in ~news

    0xSim
    (edited )
    Link Parent
    And so instead of compromising with the left (and the majority of voters), he managed to make another right-wing government. In the end, the assembly dissolution was 100% useless (on top of being...

    This created a very difficult situation for Macron, since as the President it’s his job to appoint a government that can run the country, but since the three major blocs broadly disagree with each other, it was impossible for him to appoint a government that would actually be able to maintain the confidence of parliament and be able to pass any legislation.

    And so instead of compromising with the left (and the majority of voters), he managed to make another right-wing government. In the end, the assembly dissolution was 100% useless (on top of being a total sore loser move), the Left who (barely) won is not even accurately represented in the new government, and people who say "voting is useless" are now correct. Oh and the far-right gained even more ground.

    Edit: yes Macron is "technically correct". That doesn't mean he's right (no pun intended).

    14 votes
  17. Comment on Data center emissions probably 662% higher than big tech claims in ~enviro

    0xSim
    Link Parent
    Thanks for the reference

    Thanks for the reference

    2 votes
  18. Comment on Data center emissions probably 662% higher than big tech claims in ~enviro

    0xSim
    Link
    I made this comment not even a month ago...

    I made this comment not even a month ago...

    I never really tried to understand how carbon emissions are calculated, but I suspect in any case they're estimated with a (very) wide margin, the published numbers are probably the lower end of that margin, and in a few years, we'll begin to understand the reality is actually much higher than the worst estimation.

    6 votes
  19. Comment on The Legend of Zelda: Dungeons of Infinity in ~games

    0xSim
    Link Parent
    Hopefully, someone will make a torrent if (when) Nintendo wakes up and shuts down everything. Tangentially, we know that Discord is kind of ubiquitous today, but don't use it to host anything...

    Hopefully, someone will make a torrent if (when) Nintendo wakes up and shuts down everything.

    Tangentially, we know that Discord is kind of ubiquitous today, but don't use it to host anything remotely illegal. Or at least provide a fallback.

  20. Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games

    0xSim
    Link Parent
    It also plays differently than other similar games like Vampire Survivor or Brotato. Movement and crowd control are more important than raw firepower, and you never feel overpowered. (or maybe I'm...

    Progression feels slower and map or character unlocks seem to be less generous

    It also plays differently than other similar games like Vampire Survivor or Brotato. Movement and crowd control are more important than raw firepower, and you never feel overpowered. (or maybe I'm just not a good player, that's a possibility)

    1 vote