Crespyl's recent activity
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Comment on US Federal Communications Commission approves test of space mirror to light night sky despite outcry in ~space
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Comment on Babylon 5 S01E18: "A Voice in the Wilderness" - Episode Discussion in ~tv
Crespyl LinkOoh a two-parter! This is another of those cases where Sinclair, as the station commander, seems a little too happy to jump into dangerous situations full of unknowns. It's fun seeing Ivanova and...Ooh a two-parter! This is another of those cases where Sinclair, as the station commander, seems a little too happy to jump into dangerous situations full of unknowns. It's fun seeing Ivanova and Sinclair get some adventuring time together.
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Comment on What have you been listening to this week? in ~music
Crespyl LinkPhideaux's new album, AutoMoto Animus is here! It seems like it's only up on Bandcamp at the moment, hopefully it'll get a Spotify/Youtube release soon so more people can hear it. I've been a big...Phideaux's new album, AutoMoto Animus is here! It seems like it's only up on Bandcamp at the moment, hopefully it'll get a Spotify/Youtube release soon so more people can hear it.
I've been a big fan ever since I came across Phideaux years ago with Doomsday Afternoon and Infernal, and so far I'm quite liking the new album too. Not quite as much of an instant favorite, but still quite good.
If you like progressive rock, electronic/synth, and a little bit of pop-rock for good measure, it's worth checking out. Maybe check out Doomsday Afternoon if you don't want to wait for the new album to get a wider release.
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Comment on What AI does to the minds of novice coders in ~comp
Crespyl Link ParentI also learned Java (from a book) with Notepad, but for me the benefit wasn't about Notepad per se, but more in using the command line javac/jar etc directly and not having that stuff hidden...I also learned Java (from a book) with Notepad, but for me the benefit wasn't about Notepad per se, but more in using the command line
javac/jaretc directly and not having that stuff hidden behind the magic buttons in an IDE. I think if I'd used an IDE from the start, I would've had a harder time understanding things like the classpath, jar structure, and compilation workflow; and I also would've taken a lot longer to get comfortable with the command line environment and missed some of those benefits.Now I live in Emacs and use the command line for all sorts of things, but at this point it's a matter of preference, I can still hop to an IDE if that's where the best tooling is for whatever I'm working with.
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Comment on Nvidia announces liquid cooling system that promises to reduce electricity consumption and cut water use by up to 100% in ~tech
Crespyl Link ParentOn the gripping hand...On the gripping hand...
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Comment on Doctor Who Christmas Special cancelled, show put out to competitive tender in ~tv
Crespyl Link ParentIt's a real hoopy frood who knows where their towel is!Always carry your towel
It's a real hoopy frood who knows where their towel is!
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Comment on Write your own virtual machine in ~comp
Crespyl LinkI'm definitely saving this for later. VMs are an interest of mine, and I always love working on them. Wastl's Synacore puzzle and his 2019(?) Advent of Code Intcode problems were some of the most...I'm definitely saving this for later. VMs are an interest of mine, and I always love working on them. Wastl's Synacore puzzle and his 2019(?) Advent of Code Intcode problems were some of the most fun I've ever had programming.
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Comment on What are your gaming idiosyncracies? in ~games
Crespyl Link ParentOn jumping, I have a similar feeling, and something of a theory. Jumping (and crouching) is, when implemented, usually one of the more immediate responsive things you can do in a game. It's an...On jumping, I have a similar feeling, and something of a theory.
Jumping (and crouching) is, when implemented, usually one of the more immediate responsive things you can do in a game. It's an avenue for player self-expression and communication between otherwise mute players, and it doesn't necessarily need to serve any immediate gameplay function to do those things.
Even if you can't jump high enough to get over that fence, it feels good to hit the button and immediately have your character on screen react, especially if your friends can see you jumping and do it too.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Crespyl LinkFound Returnal on a decent Steam sale, and went ahead and picked it up. It's an interesting blend of third person action and bullet hell, with some roguelite elements. There's a bit of character...Found Returnal on a decent Steam sale, and went ahead and picked it up. It's an interesting blend of third person action and bullet hell, with some roguelite elements.
There's a bit of character narrative that seems like it's being slowly drip-fed, the old house and astronaut are interesting teases.
I'm only a couple hours in so far (reached Phrike once but haven't beat him yet) and I'm finding it enjoyable.
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Comment on Website showing spuriously correlated affects in ~science
Crespyl Link<offtopic-noise> I'm reasonably confident that it ought to be "effects" here, since the correlations are between things happening. As posted ("Website showing spuriously correlated affects" ...?),...<offtopic-noise>I'm reasonably confident that it ought to be "effects" here, since the correlations are between things happening. As posted ("Website showing spuriously correlated affects" ...?), this title feels incomplete; the reader is left wondering "what is affected by these spurious correlations?"
Just one of my pet peeves.
Perhaps better yet would be to just replace it with "statistics," eg. "Website showing spuriously correlated statistics."
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Comment on Is AI profitable yet? in ~tech
Crespyl Link ParentWell, NVidia's technically using it in a few places, but the big reason is that they're the ones selling shovels in the gold rush, not that they've found some motherload AI application that people...Well, NVidia's technically using it in a few places, but the big reason is that they're the ones selling shovels in the gold rush, not that they've found some motherload AI application that people will actually pay for.
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Comment on Babylon 5 S01E13: "Signs and Portents" - Episode Discussion in ~tv
Crespyl LinkI can see why this episode is so well liked. It's got a good mix of humor (I loved the bit at the elevator), excitement, and spooky implications for the future. I think this is about the point I...I can see why this episode is so well liked. It's got a good mix of humor (I loved the bit at the elevator), excitement, and spooky implications for the future.
I think this is about the point I was at when Netflix dropped the series, so from here out is new material for me. I'm having a lot of fun with the series! :)
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
Crespyl LinkI just finished Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky. I've been looking forward to it for a while, mostly because I love both jumping spiders and high-concept SF. It took me a little bit to...I just finished Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky. I've been looking forward to it for a while, mostly because I love both jumping spiders and high-concept SF.
It took me a little bit to really get stuck in, but the last half/two-thirds or so went by in just a few days, I really enjoyed it. Some of the spiders biotech was a little straining on suspension of disbelief, but the interplay between the ark ship misadventures and the gradual development of spider-society was a lot of fun.
Spider-Spoilers re The Ending
I will say I didn't exactly love that the solution was kind of just "infect the humans with the empathy virus" instead of some more nuanced diplomacy. Viewing it as a transfer of a hard-earned spider Understanding to the human race feels a little better, but still kind of unsatisfying. I'll probably go read the sequel next, as I'm pretty curious what direction the author will take. I did like seeing the cooperative hybrid expedition at the end.
Also Kern's final fate/new existence inside of a programmable ant colony reminded me a bit of Aunt Hillary from Godel, Escher, Bach. I really liked that she was able to come around and finally embrace the spiders, even if they weren't the monkeys she was fixated on for so long.
Kind of reminded me of the Foundation books a little with its big time jumps and following societies rising and falling.
Lots of fun.
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Comment on Babylon 5 S01E10: "Believers" - Episode Discussion in ~tv
Crespyl Link ParentI don't comment often, but I have also been following along (a week behind until a couple days ago!) and have been really enjoying it. I started the first season a few years ago when Netflix had...I don't comment often, but I have also been following along (a week behind until a couple days ago!) and have been really enjoying it. I started the first season a few years ago when Netflix had it, but they dropped it before I got all the way through the season.
You're always one of the first to comment on the episodes, and I always like reading your thoughts.
Here's hoping there's no more weirdness and we get through the whole series!
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Comment on New "old school" gadgets? in ~tech
Crespyl Link ParentI got my own Pebble Time 2 in recently, and also am quite happy with it. It's my first smartwatch, after not being in the market the first time they came around, once I decided I wanted one they'd...I got my own Pebble Time 2 in recently, and also am quite happy with it. It's my first smartwatch, after not being in the market the first time they came around, once I decided I wanted one they'd become hard to get and none of the other options appealed to me.
Battery life has been great, I like the app "Munin - Battery Wisdom" for tracking expected and actual lifetime.
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Comment on Steam Controller 2 sold out in ~games
Crespyl Link ParentI had the same thing happen, kept clicking the button until the error changed. ): Oh well, I guess I just have to wait for the next drop.I had the same thing happen, kept clicking the button until the error changed.
):
Oh well, I guess I just have to wait for the next drop.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
Crespyl (edited )LinkI just finished Blindsight, a hard SF horror novel that explores a lot of ideas around consciousness and what it means to relate to something alien. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it yet;...I just finished Blindsight, a hard SF horror novel that explores a lot of ideas around consciousness and what it means to relate to something alien.
I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it yet; I didn't know much about it going in, not even that it would turn out to be a horror, so that turn and ending surprised me and hit pretty hard. Maybe I shouldn't have been suprised after the vampires showed up. The more it sits with me, the more I like it.
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Comment on Hank Green created an interactive tool that maps Artemis II mission photos and videos against official NASA schedules and telemetry data in ~space
Crespyl LinkThis is pretty cool! It reminds me a lot of the old Apollo 17 in real time site, just without the real time part.This is pretty cool! It reminds me a lot of the old Apollo 17 in real time site, just without the real time part.
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Comment on Requesting resources for learning Ruby in ~comp
Crespyl LinkThere will be much more pragmatic resources in other comments, but if you're feeling a lack of whimsy in your life and also want to learn some Ruby, I must recommend _why's poignant guide. It's...There will be much more pragmatic resources in other comments, but if you're feeling a lack of whimsy in your life and also want to learn some Ruby, I must recommend _why's poignant guide.
It's hard to describe without spoilers, and it's probably not the most efficient way, but it is, IMO, the most fun way to learn Ruby.
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Comment on Very Important People: Boris Tarshkokan in ~tv
Crespyl Link ParentGame Changer is my favorite, and the spin-offs like MSN and Crowd Control are pretty good too. Their cooking show (Gastronauts?) can be fun sometimes. They also recently acquired Don't Hug Me, I'm...Game Changer is my favorite, and the spin-offs like MSN and Crowd Control are pretty good too. Their cooking show (Gastronauts?) can be fun sometimes.
They also recently acquired Don't Hug Me, I'm Scared; both the original shorts and the full length series. They're publishing the series one episode a week, IIRC. DHMIS is a different vibe to the rest of their content, but if you haven't seen it, it's worth checking out the shorts. Very unnerving creepy/comedy sketches based on a kind of childrens TV show.
Even after reading the Reflect Orbital website, it took basically until reading this headline to fully believe that the whole thing wasn't some elaborate joke or hoax. I'd been hearing about them for months now in other places, but always thought it was tongue-in-cheek.
I'm still skeptical that it'll actually work as advertised, I'm not convinced they'll be able to be as tightly focused as they claim to avoid environmental problems. Starlink is bad enough for telescopes, this will be ridiculous.