BossHogg2020's recent activity
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Comment on Unpopular opinion: Wikipedia's old look was much better than the new one in ~tech
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Comment on Unpopular opinion: Wikipedia's old look was much better than the new one in ~tech
BossHogg2020 Link ParentExcept that it doesn't work on old browsers like my main browser on my main computer. :-( I can click it all I want, to no avail. Also I experience a slowly growing number of small glitches here...But I do like the content navigation on the left sidebar always being there! That's definitely a nice feature.
Except that it doesn't work on old browsers like my main browser on my main computer. :-(
I can click it all I want, to no avail. Also I experience a slowly growing number of small glitches here and there from time to time.
I would have expected that Wikipedia would be THE site, if there remained only one, that goes to any lengths to be compatible with all possible devices and browsers in the world. I was very disappointed to be proven wrong. In fact I feel this disappointment stronger than my annoyance at non-working (for me) features.
Apparently its devs have the same mentality as those in other places (not enough concern with avoiding to break stuff that already worked, or implementing new stuff in the most portable way), and succumb to the same trends with the same consequences. I had believed that they would care more.
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Comment on So you think you know C? in ~comp
BossHogg2020 Link ParentMost of the cases shown there are just about using types which are defined as being at least N bits long. So you know it is sufficient to hold the numbers you want it to hold, and as you don't...What was the reasoning behind allowing all of these things to be implementation-specific?
Most of the cases shown there are just about using types which are defined as being at least N bits long. So you know it is sufficient to hold the numbers you want it to hold, and as you don't want to bother knowing for which architectures a small type is good fit and for which architectures the smallest type is not such a good fit because it differs from the 'natural' type which is longer and memory accesses have to be aligned on that longer type anyway, you let the platform compiler use a longer type than strictly needed if it wants to, instead of writing complicated and fragile Makefiles or preprocessor macros yourself.
But if you wish, you can as well use types which are defined as having an exact length:
int32_t,uint16_t, etc. It has been standardised in C99, thus for 20 years. -
Comment on <deleted topic> in ~comp
BossHogg2020 Link ParentNo, you need not. Unless you are a typist / a data entry clerk / a [LANGUAGE] writer, the time spent typing is completely minor compared to the total time you spend working on a computer or next...I really do need to learn touch typing...
No, you need not.
Unless you are a typist / a data entry clerk / a [LANGUAGE] writer, the time spent typing is completely minor compared to the total time you spend working on a computer or next to it. Thus at the end of the day the gain is very small. It is even smaller considering that, often, you need to stop to think of what you are going to type next, anyway. Oh, and considering how fast touch typists wear out the backspace key, the benefit is smaller again ;-)
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~comp
BossHogg2020 Link ParentIf I remember correctly, it is not a matter of algorithm, but the moderators are pushing up a few articles, and pushing down a few others. I see no problem with them pushing up articles (it's some...If I remember correctly, it is not a matter of algorithm, but the moderators are pushing up a few articles, and pushing down a few others. I see no problem with them pushing up articles (it's some kind of editorialist choice) but I find it super weird when an article is pushed down to page 3 and I cannot find it again.
Then there's flagging, but I don't know how it works and what its effects are.
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Comment on Inexperienced Programming Question in ~comp
BossHogg2020 LinkWhenever I hear "text file", "text processing", "text manipulation", I am tempted to answer Perl! because that's right where it shines. However, in this case, your need for processing/manipulation...Whenever I hear "text file", "text processing", "text manipulation", I am tempted to answer
Perl! because that's right where it shines.However, in this case, your need for processing/manipulation seems super basic, so a lot of languages match the need, and I'd answer: any language which has a good reliable library to read Excel files (to save the small pain of exporting to CSV). And since you have no coding experience, I will not try to recommend against the most common given proposition (
Python) :-) -
Comment on <deleted topic> in ~talk
BossHogg2020 LinkI've been unemployed for the last 5 years and probably won't work again. However, when I was working, I was doing electronic design or software programming/testing. So I guess that's tech, even if...I've been unemployed for the last 5 years and probably won't work again.
However, when I was working, I was doing electronic design or software programming/testing. So I guess that's tech, even if it was not in the sense of Silicon Valley / web / startup bullshit.
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Comment on Vetting new users in ~tildes
BossHogg2020 Link ParentWhy don't you just create a new alt every week or so? It is absolutely horrible to try to read and make sense of threads where messages are missing because someone deleted them. Even worse when...Why don't you just create a new alt every week or so?
It is absolutely horrible to try to read and make sense of threads where messages are missing because someone deleted them. Even worse when you are looking for information and the precious information seems to lie in the missing message. It also infuriating in subs like programming subs when a few people spend a lot of time (sometimes many hours of their free time) explaining something to an OP, correcting his programs, guiding him, and then the OP uses a deleter to destroy his post and comments. It really drives me nuts.
I never delete anything I wrote, even if it is a complete mistake, even if it is ridiculous, even if it is pure crap I regret to have written. It is a matter of respect for the readers, and at the same time a matter of taking responsibility for the shit I have said.
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Comment on Thoughts on a ~comp survey of some sort? in ~comp
BossHogg2020 LinkBe prepared for your first survey to have many flaws and get much criticism. It is always like that. And then you can launch an improved version (the real one) a month or two after the first one...Be prepared for your first survey to have many flaws and get much criticism. It is always like that. And then you can launch an improved version (the real one) a month or two after the first one (the more or less dummy one).
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Comment on What about AZERTY users? in ~talk
BossHogg2020 LinkThere IS a tilde on French AZERTY keyboards. It is located on « é 2 » key and accessible with AltGr, and I can guarantee it has been there for at least 30 years. You are alone on that one,...There IS a tilde on French AZERTY keyboards. It is located on « é 2 » key and accessible with AltGr, and I can guarantee it has been there for at least 30 years.
You are alone on that one, Belgium! :-D
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Comment on Hey ~comp, what's your current project? in ~comp
BossHogg2020 LinkI am making a Tk wrapper for C. I've always wondered why there wasn't any; there are a few famous ones for interpreted languages (Perl, Python, Ruby), there a few not so famous for compiled...I am making a Tk wrapper for C. I've always wondered why there wasn't any; there are a few famous ones for interpreted languages (Perl, Python, Ruby), there a few not so famous for compiled languages, but not for C (and nobody uses the Tcl/Tk C API).
If anyone is interested, abandon all hopes: I never finish any personal project :-D
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Comment on Suggestion: a 3rd way of posting, besides 'self post' and straight link: link with context in ~tildes
BossHogg2020 Link ParentI am not sure any more... what difference do you make between a 'sticky' and your 'first comment'? For me, when I say a sticky, I mean a comment that always remains in upper position, near the...I am not sure any more... what difference do you make between a 'sticky' and your 'first comment'? For me, when I say a sticky, I mean a comment that always remains in upper position, near the title / link.
This special OP comment should have those qualities : always at the top near the title/link. Now, whether it bears the name 'sticky' (because a Reddit' sticky' happens to have those qualities and can thus be used for this feature) or a special new name for a slightly different function, does not really matter.
If OP just wants to add a regular comment, well, he would just add a regular comment that would be positioned like any other comment; the purpose is different.
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Comment on Suggestion: a 3rd way of posting, besides 'self post' and straight link: link with context in ~tildes
BossHogg2020 Link ParentBut then you lose some user interface advantages for the lurker, as I said there: Your suggestions look fine to me, they allow to achieve the same goals as mine.I think in that case, it might be worth considering not allowing link posts at all, but only text posts, and posters can put the link at the top of the text.
But then you lose some user interface advantages for the lurker, as I said there:
4. Doing the previous 1-2-3 points, without giving up the advantages of straight link: being still able for the readers to click and jump to the link straight from the group post list, possible thumbnail/preview/embedded display;
Your suggestions look fine to me, they allow to achieve the same goals as mine.
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Comment on Post your setup! in ~comp
BossHogg2020 (edited )Link ParentWell, there is none, so it is super-easy to handle :-D But that implicitly highlights the inverse problem with language with package repositories and managers as side-kicks: it is too easy to add...The reason it works in the C world is because there's a strong culture of implementing stuff yourself - in part because dependancy management pales in comparison to modern languages.
Well, there is none, so it is super-easy to handle :-D
But that implicitly highlights the inverse problem with language with package repositories and managers as side-kicks: it is too easy to add stupid dependencies and the mess starts from there, that's the original sin.
I mean, in the case of Rust/Cargo/crates.io, the language and repository are only something like 3 years old, the language is still a niche (hip, but niche) and yet there are already more than 15,000 packages... This is huge, and is just a beginning; it will soon be larger than the Go repository which is twice as old, it grows much faster than it. The pace this year is over 500 extra new packages per month... I can't see how this is going to turn any better than the other behemoths of package repositories. Same causes, same troubles.
I feel that Rust leaders wish to strike a happy medium between the two worlds, but I fail to see how it will not end in the second world (the world of pip, npm, CPAN, etc.)
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Comment on Suggestion: a 3rd way of posting, besides 'self post' and straight link: link with context in ~tildes
BossHogg2020 Link ParentSo, that would be a 'sticky' comment, right? Good idea.So, that would be a 'sticky' comment, right?
Some groups could require the poster to fill it in, others could make it optional, and it could be considered part of the judging criteria of the submission for purposes of moderation.
Good idea.
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Comment on Suggestion: a 3rd way of posting, besides 'self post' and straight link: link with context in ~tildes
BossHogg2020 Link ParentOK, so I saw a repeated argument: that it would impair the votes, votes that rely on the link content only. I disagree. Votes relying on the link content is how they are supposed to be; but that's...OK, so I saw a repeated argument: that it would impair the votes, votes that rely on the link content only.
I disagree. Votes relying on the link content is how they are supposed to be; but that's not what happens IRL (In Reddit Life). What I see is people voting in function of the link content (a bit) and in function of the intent of the poster (a lot).
And I'd say they/we are rather right in doing so. Except in purely technical subs, there is always an intent motivating the post, and this intent shapes the reading and the comments.
Furthermore, I see more and more (badly) hidden intent; for example my national sub is flooded by right/far-right people posting minor news that happen to involve one migrant, liberal-right/right/far-right people posting obscure twitters of left/far-left parties and individuals (that's also related to the new fad of people posting almost only links to what they hate or want to ridicule, and not to what they like or find interesting).That's why I think 'link with context' would help (a bit) cleaning those behaviours by making them more apparent, less insidious. Then users can more easily decide if they want to caution the poster, and moderators can also declare more easily that enough is enough.
So I think that 'link with context' could have a positive impact on that specific matter, rather than a negative. And since I do not believe that in the present situation people actually vote on the link content as they should, I don't think it can make this problem worse.
NB: I wrote a lot of "I think" and "I believe"; that's because I have no scientific metrics on the present situation, and even less certainty on the future; just personal observations and theories.
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Comment on Suggestion: a 3rd way of posting, besides 'self post' and straight link: link with context in ~tildes
BossHogg2020 Link ParentOh great, I will read those links now. Thanks.Oh great, I will read those links now. Thanks.
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Comment on Post your setup! in ~comp
BossHogg2020 Link Parent(First, I want to state that I am aware that I am probably not in the majority concerning my opinion and choices on these matters, and certainly not in the majority considering the current trend.)...(First, I want to state that I am aware that I am probably not in the majority concerning my opinion and choices on these matters, and certainly not in the majority considering the current trend.)
The Rust ecosystem is small enough that there's never really more than one library to do any given thing anyway (and sometimes there's none at all).
Small, small... I just checked and there are already 16,000 packages on https://crates.io/. For a language/ecosystem/repository so fresh and young, that's already a lot. Already too many, I'd say.
To get reference numbers, that's more than several Linux distributions and in the ballpark of others. Full OSes with applications...
It can't possibly be curated at that pace, there can't possibly be a majority of useful and well-done packages in it.
It's not only trendy repositories and package managers like pip and the infamous npm who have this problem of 'too much'. Perl is not trendy at all but CPAN has 200,000 packages... go find something reliable in that mess... Tex is even less trendy but CTAN has more than 5,000 packages, and you are extremely lucky if the 3 ones you want to use are not incompatible with each others.
I don't think there's been any evidence of malware on Cargo, and I believe they have some decent mechanisms in place to prevent typosquatting.
OK, but I guess this tries to mitigate the recent trend of voluntary evil actions. But as far as curation and quality control are concerned, this won't help much. For example, I haven't really heard of malicious packages in CPAN, but it is still a mess. Just because of the numbers.
I'd rather favour a handful of standard and defacto-standard libraries/frameworks, and a certain number of strongly established specialised libraries. Like in the C world or the C++ world, in a way. A limited number (counted in the tens or hundreds of packages) of major projects with a long life time, a possible curation and quality control, and a very limited number of dependencies in each; rather than a mess of tens or hundreds of thousands of packages of very variable quality and support.
You see what I mean?
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Suggestion: a 3rd way of posting, besides 'self post' and straight link: link with context
Hi, One thing I really missed on Reddit was that there were only 2 possible ways of posting : self-post (text) or straight link with nothing else. I would often have an intermediate 3rd way: a...
Hi,
One thing I really missed on Reddit was that there were only 2 possible ways of posting : self-post (text) or straight link with nothing else. I would often have an intermediate 3rd way: a link, but with an associated short text.
Motivations:
- Being able to add some context for the link: where does it come from, why did I post it, what did I post it for, what is special about it, what part of it do I intend to discuss, how does it relate to a personal experience, and so on.
- Adding other links in the text, related to the main link (previous history of the same subject, link in another language / translation, counter opinions, ...).
- Avoiding misinterpretation; do I endorse the link content (in full, part of it?), do I criticize or condemn it?
- Doing the previous 1-2-3 points, without giving up the advantages of straight link: being still able for the readers to click and jump to the link straight from the group post list, possible thumbnail/preview/embedded display; and without resorting to a self-comment which will look awkward and get lost in the other comments after a handful of those comments are made.
In fact, if the goal of Tildes is to force a certain quality of post content and discussion, this mode may eventually be set to replace completely the 'straight link only' posting mode; in that case the following extra motivations come into play.
Extra motivations:
- Mitigate stupid and low effort posts by forcing the poster to explain/describe in at least n character/words his link. If the poster is not able to spend 2 minutes thinking and writing a description, his link is probably not worth the effort of reading.
- Mitigate trolling and malicious posts by forcing the poster to motivate clearly his posts, and not insidiously disguise his intent behind a fake innocence.
The accompanying context text should have a minimum and maximum length, for it should not replace well-developed 'self-posts'.
What do users and admins think about all that posting mode I sorely missed on Reddit?
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Comment on A few Off the Bat Thoughts about the Mechanics in ~tildes
BossHogg2020 Link ParentI think that a technical measure to mitigate this kind of abuse was to allow only something like a max of 3 newsgroups for crosspost without fu2, and 8 with a fu2 (IIRC). As any technical measure,...I think that a technical measure to mitigate this kind of abuse was to allow only something like a max of 3 newsgroups for crosspost without fu2, and 8 with a fu2 (IIRC). As any technical measure, of course it could not eradicate this kind of trolling completely, it just forbid the most abusive ones. Not sure if it was a Usenet-wide rule or just on my hierarchy.
Isn't it the same on old.reddit? It just happens less quickly and less often because there is more width available, I think (and the font is smaller too? Perhaps it it isn't, I am not sure, as I only use old.reddit).
But sometimes I experience troubles with the composition box when replying a deep comment, and I have seen the case where there is hardly more than 1 word displayed per line; I never understood when comments were pushed on another page through 'continue this page' and when they weren't, sometimes it kicks in early for no apparent reason, and sometimes it doesn't kick in despite the comments being squeezed to a width of just a few characters.