Auk's recent activity
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Comment on Perhaps I should write worse? in ~talk
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Comment on 'Consider Phlebas' series set at Amazon from Charles Yu and Chloé Zhao in ~tv
Auk Link ParentI'm another who would agree it's different to the rest of the books. I have read it but never really got into the story, I'd consider it something to read after getting interested in the series...I'm another who would agree it's different to the rest of the books. I have read it but never really got into the story, I'd consider it something to read after getting interested in the series rather than the book to start with.
I would suggest reading the next one (Player of Games) and see if that catches your interest more. You won't lose context from skipping Consider Phlebas - not only are the books in this series largely standalone but Consider Phlebas is set considerably before the other books so things have changed anyway.
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Comment on What are some traditional internet forums that you still use? in ~tech
Auk LinkI keep an eye on two forums with a focus on Australian content, namely Whirlpool (technology/IT discussion spreading out into some more general sections over the years) and Netrider (primarily...I keep an eye on two forums with a focus on Australian content, namely Whirlpool (technology/IT discussion spreading out into some more general sections over the years) and Netrider (primarily motorcycling related topics). Both have managed to keep a decent amount of activity despite the fall of forums as a whole, and unlike facebook/discord both have produced a lot of searchable useful information over their time (which is how I came across these sites). I think the web design of Whirlpool is also worth noting, as it has to my relief resisted the calls for flashy features and kept to usable minimalism over what is now decades.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~tv
Auk LinkPoor form going straight to criticising the casting due to their skin colour and gender, that doesn't make me look upon the author favourably. The actor does seem pretty generic looking which I...But without putting too fine a point on it, he’s a white dude in a role that absolutely does not require a white dude.
Poor form going straight to criticising the casting due to their skin colour and gender, that doesn't make me look upon the author favourably.
The actor does seem pretty generic looking which I think is suitable for the role - Murderbot would be miscast IMO with distinctive features or anything that'd make them stand out in a crowd (when wearing clothes of course). I personally had the impression of a more androgynous look but I guess I can live with that.
I wouldn't hold high hopes for an adaption getting things right though given I rarely like TV/movie adaptions of books. Good Omens is about the only recent one I can think of that I actually liked and even that wasn't quite at the level of the book, while I either didn't get into or actively disliked the adaptions of The Expanse, Jack Reacher, and Wheel of Time despite liking the books (these three I gave up either at or before the end of the first season).
I would agree with the sentiment mentioned elsewhere in this thread that adapting these books is going to be hard due to internal monologue not translating well to screen, given how much it occurs that will be a challenge akin to trying to adapt footnote humour to the screen (i.e. hard to do at all let alone well).
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Comment on What chemicals/substances do you keep at home? And what do you do with them? in ~life.home_improvement
Auk LinkI've got a bunch around the place, primarily related to my vehicles or tools. I don't keep track of exactly what exists in the shed but a general idea is as follows: Motor oils - collection of...I've got a bunch around the place, primarily related to my vehicles or tools. I don't keep track of exactly what exists in the shed but a general idea is as follows:
- Motor oils - collection of various grades for my bikes and cars
- Specialty oils - gear oils, fork oils, some air tool oil
- Lubricants - greases of various types (e.g. high temp, rubber, copper, white lithium), chain lube, some light machine oil, WD-40, silicone spray, PTFE spray, graphite powder (the last two in particular are good for locks and other things where you don't want sticky oil to attract dust).
- Thread locker - the anti-lubricant, very handy when dealing with bikes that like to vibrate bolts out
- Spray paints of various colours - primarily leftovers from painting stuff I've made, some cold gal for reducing rust
- Solvents - methylated spirits, kerosene, acetone, degreaser, brake/electrical/carburettor cleaner, isopropyl alcohol
- Petrol - straight and two stroke mix for the bikes, lawnmower, and whipper snipper
- Sticky stuff - cyanoacrylate glue, two part epoxy glue, a tube or two of silicone and/or construction glue
- Cylinder of MIG gas - one of the only things that gets special treatment in that it's chained to the MIG welder to keep it upright and stop a potential tipover -> impromptu rocket situation
- Photographic chemicals - I haven't touched these in a while but I still have a bit of black and white developer and fixer around.
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Comment on Car maintenance/replacement advice in ~transport
Auk Link ParentAre you sure it's a low oil level sensor and not a low oil pressure sensor? Only some cars have the former but basically everything has the latter (and looking at one owners manual for a 2014 CRV...Are you sure it's a low oil level sensor and not a low oil pressure sensor? Only some cars have the former but basically everything has the latter (and looking at one owners manual for a 2014 CRV I only see mention of a low oil pressure warning).
The practical difference between the two is that with a low oil level warning you can generally assume you're safe to drive to somewhere to get the oil topped up, but if you see a low oil pressure warning you need to pull over immediately and turn the car off before doing anything else - if you're lucky you can get the engine stopped fast enough to avoid major damage.
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Comment on Cheaper ways to heat a log cabin workshop (UK) in ~life.home_improvement
Auk LinkAre you trying to keep the contents of the workshop warm or make it more comfortable for a person inside the room? I'm assuming the latter so would recommend getting something that puts out...Are you trying to keep the contents of the workshop warm or make it more comfortable for a person inside the room? I'm assuming the latter so would recommend getting something that puts out radiant heat and placing it near where she is going to be working. I'm thinking an overhead radiant heater would probably work best for a workshop (these are more commonly advertised for use outside on a verandah or BBQ area), even the heat lamp style ones aimed at bathroom usage would help.
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Comment on What to snack on (other than slices of parmesan) in ~food
Auk Link ParentHow about pickled onions? Different texture to olives but hit a lot of the same taste buttons IMO, and they also go well with cheese.How about pickled onions? Different texture to olives but hit a lot of the same taste buttons IMO, and they also go well with cheese.
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Comment on A Master and Commander prequel film is in development in ~movies
Auk Link ParentThe books (it's a long series) are worth reading, I would recommend them. I will note that the movie is a bit of an amalgamation of several books, so don't go in expecting to find all the plot you...The books (it's a long series) are worth reading, I would recommend them.
I will note that the movie is a bit of an amalgamation of several books, so don't go in expecting to find all the plot you know in either of the two books whose titles got put together for the movie. You will however recognise various characters and sections the movie drew upon.
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Comment on Looking for a Switch game thats fun but requires little commitment in ~games
Auk LinkI'm going to suggest Super Smash Bros playing bots (starting at low level) or World of Light. You can get a couple of matches in each day with that level of time ability, and while you can spend a...I'm going to suggest Super Smash Bros playing bots (starting at low level) or World of Light. You can get a couple of matches in each day with that level of time ability, and while you can spend a lot of time honing your abilities and getting really good at the game the basic idea is simple and it doesn't take long to get good enough to play casually. You can also play humans and the system should adjust to give you opponents at similar skill level - I'm just suggesting bot opponents to maximise your ability to just turn off and walk away when you need to.
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Comment on Lefties of Tildes: what are some items where the left handed version is most necessary? in ~life
Auk Link ParentAgreed, there's an awful lot of serrated or single bevel knives which won't cut straight easily in the left hand. I find this more annoying than using right hand scissors (which I don't find a...Agreed, there's an awful lot of serrated or single bevel knives which won't cut straight easily in the left hand. I find this more annoying than using right hand scissors (which I don't find a real issue unless using for long periods) and can definitely recommend double bevelled edges or checking which side the bevel is on when looking for knives.
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Comment on What vegetable are you? in ~food
Auk LinkI got onion initially, while some of it fits extraverted is definitely not a word I (or others) am likely to use to describe me. I tried again changing a couple of answers which I figured might... -
Comment on What small questions do you have that aren’t worth a full topic on their own? in ~talk
Auk Link ParentGreen, but specifically dark green like the various shades of British Racing Green or Land Rover Deep Bronze Green.Green, but specifically dark green like the various shades of British Racing Green or Land Rover Deep Bronze Green.
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Comment on What small questions do you have that aren’t worth a full topic on their own? in ~talk
Auk Link ParentIf I didn't urgently need to be anywhere I'd probably chuck his spare in the car, drive to the nearby town, and reinflate it with the servo air pump before taking it back. This has multiple...If I didn't urgently need to be anywhere I'd probably chuck his spare in the car, drive to the nearby town, and reinflate it with the servo air pump before taking it back. This has multiple benefits:
- Saves on spending anything more than the fuel/time
- You don't have to try and find a pump to buy at night in a possibly unfamiliar town
- The tyre will be inflated to a proper pressure. You can't trust someone without tools or a spare to do this right, particularly since the first tyre probably blew that badly due to them driving with it flat.
- If it turns out to be some pelican filming a prank video or a weird scam involving multiple people buying him pumps then either they get nothing but some free air or you get a free wheel if he's disappeared on your return.
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Comment on Tildes Minecraft Survival Weekly in ~games
Auk Link ParentYes, the path leading towards the jungle from town and its associated bridge(s) is stuff I built. I'm fine with people linking into it or modifying the materials/route, as long as some path in...Yes, the path leading towards the jungle from town and its associated bridge(s) is stuff I built. I'm fine with people linking into it or modifying the materials/route, as long as some path in that general direction remains all is good.
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Comment on What things do you have are surprisingly good / handy? in ~life
Auk Link ParentHave you tried one of the good quality multitools (e.g. one of the full size Leathermans)? The cheap multitools tend to be horrid to use but a good one gives you tools that can actually be usable....Have you tried one of the good quality multitools (e.g. one of the full size Leathermans)? The cheap multitools tend to be horrid to use but a good one gives you tools that can actually be usable. They are inherently a compromise tool but having something capable of doing the job already in your pocket instead of walking all the way across the building to get your toolbox (or potentially not having the tool at all if your proper ones are off site) has made my life so much easier over the years.
The Wave+ I have gets particular points in my book for having knives that are made of decent steel, good sized pliers that you can actually put a fair amount of force into, and bit drivers that both have interchangeable bits (and therefore can be replaced when worn) and are mounted in a location that allows you to undo screws without hating life.
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Comment on Tildes Minecraft Survival Weekly in ~games
Auk Link ParentYes, that was one I built. Thanks for connecting it in, I got that far and wasn't sure as to the best way to link in so hoped it would make sense as someone expanded in the area.Yes, that was one I built. Thanks for connecting it in, I got that far and wasn't sure as to the best way to link in so hoped it would make sense as someone expanded in the area.
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Comment on Tildes Minecraft Survival Weekly Thread in ~games
Auk Link ParentWith the observers you can at least reduce requirements by accepting some inefficiency and only observing a subsection of plants, for example I've built a mini bamboo farm with 8 bamboo plants...With the observers you can at least reduce requirements by accepting some inefficiency and only observing a subsection of plants, for example I've built a mini bamboo farm with 8 bamboo plants harvested when one of the plants reaches an observer. The bamboo grows at different rates so some will not be at max height when cut this way, but in a larger farm sharing the observer signal (potentially across much larger numbers of plants) would mean significantly less quartz is required to build it.
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Comment on Tildes Minecraft server usernames in ~games
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Comment on Tildes Minecraft Survival - Countdown and launch day in ~games
Auk Link ParentI had a bit of a hop around there this arvo and I'm thinking something like this seems like it'd work as a general junction idea, that point seems like a logical place for a path heading to your...I had a bit of a hop around there this arvo and I'm thinking something like this seems like it'd work as a general junction idea, that point seems like a logical place for a path heading to your house to cross the river and from there's it's pretty much a straight shot east to the village.
Possibly a bit too subtle for an indicator as I didn't notice this upon first reading or even when I scanned back through after reaching your last paragraph. What I did notice first up was that you used an em dash instead of a hyphen, but that's more a sign of someone who cares about punctuation than foreignness.