ADwS's recent activity
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Comment on Creating an official politics group? in ~tildes
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Creating an official politics group?
So this topic is something that could very easily just be bothering myself, but I figured I’d share before unsubscribing to ~misc. If this is the wrong group, I apologize, please feel free to move...
So this topic is something that could very easily just be bothering myself, but I figured I’d share before unsubscribing to ~misc. If this is the wrong group, I apologize, please feel free to move it to the correct location. I will also preface this by saying I only really view Tildes occasionally, and am not the most active user, so those two things might be contributing to this.
I am wondering if creating an official Politics group would be beneficial to Tildes. I’ve noticed that the majority of recent posts in ~misc is mostly regarding politics. I don’t want to necessarily just unsubscribe from ~misc, in case something non-political and interesting to myself ends up getting put there, but if that’s the solution I’m more than happy to do it.
I just figured that with the amount of activity going on there fairly regularly, either a dedicated ~politics group or a sub group (maybe ~misc.politics or ~news.politics?) would be better? That way other users similar to myself could unsubscribe to that instead of unsubscribing to the much broader ~misc group.
I personally do enjoy the way that Tildes is setup, and don’t see any bad interactions in those posts. It’s definitely more of a personal thing.
That said, I don’t want to make people think that I’m telling them how things should be run, merely throwing my two cents out there, no matter how worthless they are.
Thanks to everyone for posting, and to the mods/admin for keeping everything running smoothly. This really is a solid community!
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Comment on Pittsburgh smokers more inclined to say jagoff than yinz in ~humanities.languages
ADwS Link ParentKind of a reverse to your question, I used to use the word “cuss” instead of curse. I then moved out of a small town a couple of hours west of Philadelphia, and learned that it is not as common of...Kind of a reverse to your question, I used to use the word “cuss” instead of curse. I then moved out of a small town a couple of hours west of Philadelphia, and learned that it is not as common of a term as I thought it was. Other, more cultural things that I’d mention, such as going to local Amish markets, or getting stuck behind a horse drawn buggy for miles at a time, would also get me weird looks.
Closer to the question you were actually asking, I’m (currently) in the Bible Belt, I find Baptist churches on just about every other corner of most streets. Someone once tried giving instructions by saying something along the lines of, “turn left on the street with the church,” while they were riding with me, and I had to have them clarify which of the three that were within eyesight they were referring to. Related: I once said, “you can’t throw a stick ten feet into the air without hitting a religious building down here,” and very few people in the group found it funny.
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Comment on Which anime or manga transcend the boundaries of genre and medium? in ~anime
ADwS Link ParentAlso known as the best film many refuse to ever watch again. Someone described it as a movie where “you wait for the happy part… and then it ends,” and that sums it up perfectly.Also known as the best film many refuse to ever watch again. Someone described it as a movie where “you wait for the happy part… and then it ends,” and that sums it up perfectly.
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Comment on Living day to day with the weight of existing in ~talk
ADwS LinkI just wanted to give a generic update since I’ve found myself a bit busy to respond to everyone individually: First of all, thanks to everyone for their input. I have read every single response...I just wanted to give a generic update since I’ve found myself a bit busy to respond to everyone individually:
First of all, thanks to everyone for their input. I have read every single response in this thread, and the advice and personal experiences have legitimately been fantastic to read. There is comfort in knowing that what I am feeling isn’t new. Even though there’s not a quick or easy fix, it’s nice to have my attention brought to things I did not think of, or to others that I did not give enough of a chance.
I had gone to therapy for about a year between late 2022 and early 2023, and stopped due to a change in jobs and the health insurance situation that it can cause in the states. I plan on going back, this time to a different therapist, once I can find one that doesn’t have a 3-4 month wait.
Regarding other changes I have made, I recently started using even Tildes less, as I feel some of the more “popular” or “active” posts are just making me feel worse regarding my outlook on things. I have also begun to simply log what I do each day in my journal and then give my thoughts on it the day after instead of doing both in the moment. I think that giving myself even just that 12-24 hour between logging actions and giving commentary has made me feel less required to analyze every action (or inaction) I take.
I know that everything is a process, and I’m not expecting immediate results, but knowing where to start, and being made aware of some of the preconceptions I have, seems to already have put me in a better place to work on myself mentally.
I once again want to thank everyone for their input, and I am sorry if I didn’t respond to you. I can only say that your words are not being taken for granted.
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Comment on Living day to day with the weight of existing in ~talk
ADwS Link ParentI feel like this is a fair assessment. I was definitely working to get to where I am now. I had a specific idea in mind, and I feel like I have achieved it, either through luck, or determination,...I feel like this is a fair assessment. I was definitely working to get to where I am now. I had a specific idea in mind, and I feel like I have achieved it, either through luck, or determination, or whatever mix of the two you'd like to attribute it to.
My two issues with setting future goals are: Firstly, I don't know what to work towards? And, secondly, do I just want to keep setting new goals for the sake of having something to work towards? Is that all I am meant to do? Roll the ball up the mountain, let it roll back down, and repeat?
I want to be clear, this is just my initial reaction, but I will definitely reflect on it and try and figure out why the reasons behind my reactions to it are they way that they are. I appreciate the help.
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Comment on Denis Villeneuve hates dialogue in film in ~movies
ADwS Link ParentI think I agree with this take, to an extent. I look at the difference between Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, and I think that the biggest difference is how visual Better Call Saul is. There...I think I agree with this take, to an extent. I look at the difference between Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, and I think that the biggest difference is how visual Better Call Saul is. There are many moments of silent contemplation, the pauses after someone says something and the other character needs think about it, the beautiful visuals of the city, or desert, an icecream cone, or blue flower, that convey more than a line of dialogue ever could.
But then I also recognize that the dialogue delivered needs to be carefully crafted in such a way to allow for those moments to occur naturally.
It is definitely a balancing act of visuals to dialogue to music and even sounds effects. It's why I admire movies and television so much. The number of variables that go into it is astounding. You could get 100 different directors and each one would give you a different cut of the same script. And the director (while being super influential) is only a single variable.
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Living day to day with the weight of existing
I have no idea how to word this, as every similar post that I've seen has had an obvious cause, in some way shape or form. I, on the other hand, feel pretty shitty even writing this up know that...
I have no idea how to word this, as every similar post that I've seen has had an obvious cause, in some way shape or form. I, on the other hand, feel pretty shitty even writing this up know that others have actual problems that I am taking that visibility from.
When I wake up, I get to go to work a job that mentally stimulates me, teaches me new things (both in terms of a legacy system and in terms of new technology), and lets me work from home 3/5 days a week. On top of that, I have a very solid housing situation where I don't need to worry about rent being raised. I have a (reliable) car that only needs routine maintanence, and has very good MPG. I have a dog that I love, and would easily die for without a second thought. I have family living nearby, that, while we don't agree religiously or politically most times, can all get along and enjoy holidays or get togethers.
And yet, feel like I lied about my life just now.
When I wake up, the first thought isn't that my dog is waking me up to go out, it is the feeling of the weight that merely existing seems to put on me. As I just stated earlier, my job is not the cause of stress, neither is housing, nor food, nor family. I have no reason to feel the way that I do.
I've recently (in the last 6 months) started journaling, and the main theme that I have found is that I am constantly thankful for having everything that I do. And yet, tomorrow, when I open my eyes, either due to the alarm, or due to my dog waking me up to go outside, I will have a weight laying over my chest that I can only attribute to the fact that I still exist.
I try to ignore the news (while staying informed enough to vote properly on candidates), I don't use social media except for Tildes and to share the once a week or two photo on Instagram, and I am both active physically, and creatively. None of this seems to remove the weight. I feel like I am either wasting my existence when I am consuming media, wasting my time attempting to create when others have voices or messages with stronger meaning, or wasting other's time when I hang around them.
I have no right to complain about my life. Hell, two years ago I would have killed for what I have now. And, yet, I feel like I am wasting what I have been given. I am legitimately happiest sitting out in my backyard with my dog, either sipping a beer or just watching the stars. The issue is, that when I do, a weight slowly lays itself over me, one that I do not know the cause of, or reason for. A weight that I cannot shake, and can only attribute to simply existing.
I would like so very much, even temporarily, to remove it.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
ADwS Link ParentThat's fair. I remember hating the batmobile because unlike the gliding, it was forced and restricted your movement. Currently, I haven't hit a point where I'm going "why did they do this?"......That's fair. I remember hating the batmobile because unlike the gliding, it was forced and restricted your movement. Currently, I haven't hit a point where I'm going "why did they do this?"... yet... but that's because I remembered one specific spot which was a massive cause of frustration my first playthrough and was able to breeze right through it now that I knew what to do.
I'm hoping that Arkham Knight has a "glow up" and that my initial feelings about it were simply because I was expecting what Arkham City did to Arkham Asylum all over again. At the moment, new things are irritating me though, and old things, while not AS irritating, still remain. If I had to give ratings to each game, just based off of their first hour, I would say:
- Arkham Asylum - 9
- Arkham City - 10
- Arkham Knight - 8
At the 3 hour mark, it looks more like this:
- Arkham Asylum - 8
- Arkham City - 10
- Arkham Knight - 6
My complaints in my previous comment were legitimately everything I had issue with in Arkham City. And I can confidently say that "cliche" dialogue is something I just expect with superheroes haha. Arkham Knight feels like I am Batman... in the sense that it just feels like a job... I am constantly going through the motions. Fight, talk, increase in story tension, get new ability, tutorial on ability, repeat.
The first two games felt like metroidvanias, while Knight feels like a 3rd person adventure game in the style of (the new) God of War, without the same dynamic storytelling.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
ADwS LinkI've been working my way through replaying all of the Arkham Games. I beat Asylum and City, and am now working on Knight. The last time I played Arkham Asylum and City was back on my PS3, and,...I've been working my way through replaying all of the Arkham Games. I beat Asylum and City, and am now working on Knight. The last time I played Arkham Asylum and City was back on my PS3, and, while I remember enjoying both, I also remember not enjoying Aslylum nearly as much as City. At the time, the size of City was incredible, and it made Asylum feel tiny in comparison. Now, though, as I replay them, I realize that my enjoyment and appreciation of Asylum has gone up considerably, and my "rose-tinted glasses" seem to have fallen off for City.
Akham Asylum - The game that really popularized the "rhythm-based" combat system that even games today continue to use. (I'm looking at you Spider-man.) Immediately two things jumped out to me: the short time it took to get to controlling Batman, the well done exposition in the intro that tells you everything you need to know to really get started, and the art style that oozes personality. Even though Arkham Asylum released in 2009, I feel like it still holds up today purely on art style alone. The facial animations are a bit weak and textures at times a little low resolution, but the style makes up for that easily. It also merges gameplay with graphical fidelity. I always knew when I needed to look at something or go somewhere. It was obvious thanks to careful placement and skillful design. Overall, I would say I loved my revisit to this game. The PS3/XBox 360 era really was a magical time (if you ignore the brown color palette that almost every game loved using).
Arkham City - Two things jumped out to me regarding my first 30 minutes: First, the intro from booting the game up to taking control of Bruce was done amazingly. The white title card was chef's kiss. Second: The whole scene with Catwoman, Two Face, and Batman felt like a nonstop cliche/one liner barrage. Every line felt like it was forcing in a pun. The rest of the game is fantastic, though. Ignoring some very specific moments in the story that felt... rushed? Or just done too quickly? I don't know. There were two specific moments that simply felt like more setup was needed, or more backstory given. I know the story behind Talia, but every interaction with her felt like I had to just assume that the history was there, instead of it actually being there. I think it might actually be an issue with the pacing of City. Gameplay wise, it works fantastically, and that should be the goal of a game in my opinion. But storywise? It is just non-stop adding more and more tension. I still enjoyed Arkham City, but I can confidently say that it is not as "perfect" as I once thought. I would still give it a stupidly high rating, but there are definitely some cracks there.
Arkham Knight - I don't have as much to say here, as I'm only 3 hours in. I can confidently say that this game is what made me hate the way dialogue is done in the whole series. The "I need to make a call, so I have to stand still, or only walk around aimlessly for however long" really makes me appreciate Spider-man's improvements to dynamic dialogue. I wish I could fly around while having these conversations. Being forced to sit through dialogue after dialogue just to hear "We have to stop Scarecrow" being repeated is killing me. I would say 30-40 minutes of my 3 hours have been simply sitting motionless while dialogue occurs. I understand that setup needs to be done for the story, but both Arkham Asylum and City knew to step aside (at least initially) to let you have some fun. I hate fighting one group of guys guys, then being stopped to hear four lines of dialogue, rinse, and repeat. I know that's the "formula" of Asylum and City as well, but it felt like the ratio of doing nothing and actually playing the game was better. On the positive side? Wow this game still looks amazing. I cannot believe it came out nearly a decade ago. It was the game that made me excited for the possible graphics of future PS4 and XBox One games, and I don't think a single other game got near this level of fidelity until Red Dead 2.
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Comment on Kagi Smallweb [a website where each visit shows a random indie/small website, e.g. personal blogs] in ~tech
ADwS (edited )Link ParentDepending on how the key is generated and given out, it can easily be anonymized in a way that is not linked to an existing user. Once the user signs in, a token could be generated by a hash based...Depending on how the key is generated and given out, it can easily be anonymized in a way that is not linked to an existing user. Once the user signs in, a token could be generated by a hash based on Date/time/username/etc. and then easily have been stored in database table that simply stores: TOKEN, PAY_STATUS, SEARCHES_LEFT, and EXPIRATION_DATE, without linking that token/key back to the user. When a user does a search, check if the provided token is in the table and not yet expired, and then provide results if so. Otherwise, require authentication again.
I'm not saying it is done this way in Kagi's case, I'm just saying requiring a sign in does not mean that once your authenticated you're not anonymized. Anonymous authentication has been a thing for a long time.
I agree, thought, it is better to be on the safe side and assume everything is linked to you. I am personally operating under the assumption that it would make less financial sense risking their privacy oriented focus by storing information that, if ever used or found out about, would completely destroy the driving force of its users.
EDIT: forgot to add the SEARCHES_LEFT column name to my example
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Comment on Kagi Smallweb [a website where each visit shows a random indie/small website, e.g. personal blogs] in ~tech
ADwS Link ParentThere are numerous ways to operate an application (such as a search engine) in a way that authenticates you as simply a paying or non-paying user, then generate a key that pretty much anonymously...There are numerous ways to operate an application (such as a search engine) in a way that authenticates you as simply a paying or non-paying user, then generate a key that pretty much anonymously says, "Hey, I am a paying user, here's my key," without knowing who the person with the key would be specifically. I am overly simplifying the actual implementation, but the idea is still the same.
Also, would you prefer trusting a company that claims to not store this information ever, or a company that makes all of its money by literally storing as much of that information as possible?
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Comment on Kagi Smallweb [a website where each visit shows a random indie/small website, e.g. personal blogs] in ~tech
ADwS Link ParentKagi search, at least for me, functions as good, if not better, than I remember Google back in the pre-2010 days. When I search something, and I know what I am looking for, it 90% of the time the...Kagi search, at least for me, functions as good, if not better, than I remember Google back in the pre-2010 days. When I search something, and I know what I am looking for, it 90% of the time the first link, 9% the first 3, and the remaining 1% is on the first page. I have yet to search for something and not get exactly what I am looking for on the first page (although I only switched within the last month). If I don't know exactly what I am looking, like if I have a programming issue or if I am trying to figure out an error, the results are 50% the first link, 30% the first 3, 10% the first page, and 10% I need to simply reword my question (literally no different than the way I use Google).
I have wanted to move away from Google Search (I already am shifting away from all Google services, but gmail specifically is a task that is taking longer than I want) for years. I tried DuckDuckGo, Brave, Bing (not that it's any better than Google in a privacy sense) and even others like MetaGer. None of them really competed in terms of performance to Google. Then I tried Kagi, and have seen just how good search engines can be (even in this post AI generated content world).
I love it, as I can block, lower, or boost certain domains in my personal search results. I never get stupid Pinterest links flooding my search results anymore, Wikipedia is now one of my highest results most of the time, and the number of times I have come across actual human run blogs has increased tenfold.
Paying for a search engine is still weird to me, but I feel like I am finally getting a more refined product that the industry has let stagnate for at least a decade.
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Comment on What Is A Secure Note-Taking App? in ~comp
ADwS Link ParentIT department doesn’t want to have to police it I believe, so they simply disabled the ability to install applications outside of their whitelisted ones. There is already a policy in place where...IT department doesn’t want to have to police it I believe, so they simply disabled the ability to install applications outside of their whitelisted ones. There is already a policy in place where any sensitive information cannot be handled outside of dedicated channels. I use it for short meeting notes to keep track of things to follow up on, or if I get a solution to a problem while at home.
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Comment on What Is A Secure Note-Taking App? in ~comp
ADwS Link ParentI might try this out when I have the time. Mobile UI is a major nice to have, but at least if it’s usable to jot stuff down it might be able to suit my needs. Thanks for the recommendation!I might try this out when I have the time. Mobile UI is a major nice to have, but at least if it’s usable to jot stuff down it might be able to suit my needs. Thanks for the recommendation!
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Comment on What Is A Secure Note-Taking App? in ~comp
ADwS Link ParentThe only downside to obsidian, is the fact that you need to install a client to use it. I personally work in an industry where that’s not possible on my work machine, but using something like...The only downside to obsidian, is the fact that you need to install a client to use it. I personally work in an industry where that’s not possible on my work machine, but using something like Notesnook or Evernote’s web UI was permitted. Something to keep in mind depending on use case.
Please do let me know if that has changed recently, because I really did enjoy Obsidian outside of that one issue. I’d even be okay with paying for sync again if it meant I could use a web app when required.
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Comment on What Is A Secure Note-Taking App? in ~comp
ADwS Link ParentAs someone who has tried Notesnook, Obsidian (paid), standard notes, apple notes, Evernote, Joplin, Notion, and OneNote, my vote would be for Notesnook. It’s super easy to get started, the...As someone who has tried Notesnook, Obsidian (paid), standard notes, apple notes, Evernote, Joplin, Notion, and OneNote, my vote would be for Notesnook.
It’s super easy to get started, the developers have followed their roadmap and continue to improve it as u/drannex has said, and the self hosting option should be coming (soon). I’ve been happier with Notesnook than any other app in my list in terms of security and interface combined. Some apps might “look” or “feel” better to use, and some apps (when using a custom setup) might be more secure, but no app is as high in terms of combination of both functional and secure as Notesnook seems.
I have had issues with Notesnook before (specifically an issue where I couldn’t enter the 2FA code because of a UI bug on my phone, but that has been fixed, and outside of that, it is great.
I love Notesnook’s themeing, sharing of notes as webpages, and its snappy load times. Once they improve hashtag search and allow nested notebooks, I’ll be ecstatic.
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Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
ADwS LinkI (previous to this week), got into Berzerk. I randomly started reading it when I saw someone share a free website that had all of the issues translated and easily viewable. A couple of weeks...I (previous to this week), got into Berzerk. I randomly started reading it when I saw someone share a free website that had all of the issues translated and easily viewable. A couple of weeks past, and I had finished the Golden Age arc, and realized I needed to read the rest, but wanted to do it properly.
I bought the first 8 Deluxe Edition collections last week. I had read (roughly) the first 4 online, and started where I had left off. I am currently halfway through the 6th book of the collection.
The art, story, world building, characters (mostly), and overall package of everything has been amazing. I go from being disgusted, to intrigued, to surprised, to amazed, all on a regular basis. I can easily see why this is considered one of the best manga ever made. It feels like every single page (no matter how minor) had so much thought and effort put into it. The whole style just oozes with pure passion.
I am enjoying every part of the journey, and am so excited to continue it. I’m taking my time, or at least as well as I can, when I’m not getting sucked into going to the next page to see what happens.
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Comment on Bluesky Social is now open to the public in ~tech
ADwS LinkThe phone number requirement immediately makes this a no-go for me. It’s a hill I will die on. I know many are okay with giving their number, or even suggest using a temporary number, but the fact...The phone number requirement immediately makes this a no-go for me. It’s a hill I will die on. I know many are okay with giving their number, or even suggest using a temporary number, but the fact that phone numbers are typically one per person and easily able to be tracked to the actual owner, I will always refuse to use any service that requires one.
I’ve finally deleted my Reddit account, I’m on the verge of downloading an archive of my Instagram account and deleting that, and I don’t use any other social media (besides Tildes). I tried both Lemmy and Mastodon, and didn’t like either.
I’m not sure if I’ve just grown past the whole social media craze, or if the “enshitification” of every platform is the thing that’s soured me to the whole idea. I guess I’ll just go back to following blogs and RSS feeds…
Time to go back to yelling at clouds.
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
ADwS LinkI'm still working on my other project, but a few days ago I quickly threw together a basic "event" generator tool to aid in playing solo-RPGs. It's just a basic HTML page with some javascript...I'm still working on my other project, but a few days ago I quickly threw together a basic "event" generator tool to aid in playing solo-RPGs. It's just a basic HTML page with some javascript attached that will generate a short prompt string to aid whenever I get some writer's block. I know there are a million and one of these out there, but I threw this together for myself, and it only took 3 or so hours, including the time it took to come up with 15 or so scenarios.
Image of the generator menu: https://i.imgur.com/LISf0B8.jpeg
Image of the log/journal menu: https://i.imgur.com/3iBjEuP.jpegThe nice thing about making this for myself is that I am literally not caring about what features other people might want in such a tool. I am purely thinking through my own workflow, and taking notes on how that workflow could be improved. I already have a plan to add another menu to act as an Oracle, which for those that don't play solo-RPGs, is a tool to decide the answer to yes or no questions.
Technically, the thing is stupid simple and not impressive at all. It is basically just a list of objects defined in a json file. The objects can range from the event that is occurring to locations, items, and characters. Every event can specify which (if any) of those it needs for it to generate. This is to help when I only want events that specify a character, but not an item or location. (There are settings that get turned into a query so that only the events that are wanted will generate.)
The "app" if it can even be called that, then takes this data, chooses an event that satisfies the criteria, generates the needed location, character, and item, if wanted, and spits out a string to the user. It throws that string into a "logbook" or "journal" that keeps track of the type of event that was generated so that event types don't repeat unless no other events fit the criteria.
I purposefully am keeping these prompts vague, as a part of the fun of playing solo-RPGs is being able to fill in gaps so that these prompts can fit into your own story more seamlessly.
Wow. I’m dumb. I didn’t even realize that was an option. Just did that and it immediately solved my issue. I might add some other tags and even resubscribe to ~news now. Thanks so much for the help!
As a side note, should I just delete this topic then, or leave it up as a monument to my inability to find basic things?