delphi's recent activity
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Comment on What are your personal crackpot conspiracy theories about the world right now? in ~talk
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Comment on If you let AI do your writing, I will come to your house and kill you in ~tech
delphi Link ParentThere's nothing wrong with Canva, and even the issues I have with it are nowhere near as foundational as I do with AI, but it's just... it's like a microwave meal. Alton Brown (TV chef) said in an...There's nothing wrong with Canva, and even the issues I have with it are nowhere near as foundational as I do with AI, but it's just... it's like a microwave meal. Alton Brown (TV chef) said in an interview that sometimes he'd just walk out of the grocery store mid-shop because he sees what crap the other people buy that don't have his sensibilities. With Canva I feel very similar. With not much more effort, you could make a really nice poster, learn a new skill in the process, but instead you make the graphics equivalent of microwaved Salisbury Steak. It's kinda offensive to me, but I can't fault anyone for using it.
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Comment on If you let AI do your writing, I will come to your house and kill you in ~tech
delphi Link ParentNot really, no. I'm not that mad about it. 80% of text on the internet, probably more, is just digital shipping foam to keep the bits from rattling around on the datacenter hard drives. I really...Not really, no. I'm not that mad about it. 80% of text on the internet, probably more, is just digital shipping foam to keep the bits from rattling around on the datacenter hard drives. I really could not care less about people doing copywriting for their job or social media captions with AI or whatever. I am the last person to give those categories of - really, I struggle to call it 'writing' - a fair chance.
I do worry though when someone makes something they're meant to be proud of, nominally, like handmade trinkets or art, and then use AI to write the product listings and Canva for the graphics. That gets to me a bit, personally, as an artist? Like, if I care about this, I'd do it myself. But hey, free country. Do what you want, I guess.
Wholly agree on the problem about creative writing though. If you mean to make a point, then I'd like you to present that point, because if you can't be bothered to write it, I can't be bothered to read it.
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Comment on If you let AI do your writing, I will come to your house and kill you in ~tech
delphi Link ParentTo me it's also not very funny? Like, either they don't, in which case they're empty threats and they're making a fool of themselves, or they do, in which case there's now evidence of intent, and...To me it's also not very funny? Like, either they don't, in which case they're empty threats and they're making a fool of themselves, or they do, in which case there's now evidence of intent, and I kind of fail to see the comedy in either one. I get the message, but it's just... not very funny. Idk
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Comment on If you let AI do your writing, I will come to your house and kill you in ~tech
delphi Link ParentI don't care to debate the point of it's good or bad, but I will say that we've had that from humans since time immemorial. Fanfiction is plentiful, made by real humans, and oftentimes better than...I don't care to debate the point of it's good or bad, but I will say that we've had that from humans since time immemorial. Fanfiction is plentiful, made by real humans, and oftentimes better than the source material if the fan-author just really deeply cares about the subject matter. Let's not act like this application of "Creativity" broadly would be a new one.
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Comment on If you let AI do your writing, I will come to your house and kill you in ~tech
delphi (edited )LinkI am personally just as tired of the screeds as I am of the AI slop the systems churn out. Yes. You're absolutely right, as they say. This is an opinion that's very palatable right now - with AI...I am personally just as tired of the screeds as I am of the AI slop the systems churn out. Yes. You're absolutely right, as they say. This is an opinion that's very palatable right now - with AI polling lower than ICE in the United States - and everything Sam says in the article is somewhere on the spectrum from understandable to self-evident. I get it. I truly, wholly, fully, entirely, completely get it.
But like, the genie's out of the bottle now. If I could reverse the GPT revolution I'd do it in a heartbeat, no question about that, but is there anything in this essay that's more substantial than the (ironically) easily reproducible anger from having the thing you care about be suddenly placed in the hands of capitalist assholes who aren't in the least bit snobbish about the quality of the output?
And more importantly to me - where does the anger even come from? I'm a writer too, I also don't like how my craft is being abstracted away and being turned into meaningless garbage that serves a purpose than exists as art, but now more than ever it is TRIVIAL for us "real artists" to outperform LLMs in the realm of creativity, because since that's something the machines are lacking and are making no in-roads on. I say, let them.
If you type "write me a story about a talking dog" or "write copy for my cosmetics brand" into the box and uncritically accept the output, you were neither an artist nor a person who appreciates the arts, evidently. The exact same thing happened with what I like to call "layman's tools", like CapCut, Canva, Adobe Express and so on that enabled people with little taste or skill to create superficially passable graphics (I'm a graphic designer, so this is my area of expertise, and it happened mainly during the early months of the pandemic).
And while I'll look for any excuse to beat someone refusing to engage with art and culture with a crowbar, this is really just striking me as masturbatory preaching to a choir that could have synthesised every single word in this essay for themselves, because they already believe it.
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Comment on Ferrari unveils its first all-electric car, the four-door Luce in ~transport
delphi LinkI will risk a controversial opinion and say that I really like the Luce's design. In and Out. Yes, it may not be in line with the platonic ideal of "Ferrari", but neither is making an electric...I will risk a controversial opinion and say that I really like the Luce's design. In and Out. Yes, it may not be in line with the platonic ideal of "Ferrari", but neither is making an electric supercar. The interior is beautiful, probably the best modern car interior I've ever seen, and the outside is modern and charming. I really dig the duotone look, and the silhouette from above.
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Comment on 007 First Light fans are requesting refunds after learning about Denuvo DRM addition ahead of launch in ~games
delphi Link ParentThere'd be a whole can of worms about preloading data to your computer and then legally not being able to touch it until you buy a license, and if I was on the side of the games companies here,...There'd be a whole can of worms about preloading data to your computer and then legally not being able to touch it until you buy a license, and if I was on the side of the games companies here, I'd be concerned about cracking, reverse-engineering and exploits as well.
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Comment on Asteroid Drift - help me playtest my first serious game! in ~games
delphi LinkI answered your feedback form, but I'd like to present it here too: It wasn't immediately obvious to me that the game wanted me to drift the ship, rather than shoot and avoid the asteroids. Only...I answered your feedback form, but I'd like to present it here too: It wasn't immediately obvious to me that the game wanted me to drift the ship, rather than shoot and avoid the asteroids. Only when I was hit by one and didn't die it occurred to me that I was meant to drift around them. If the asteroids aren't enemies, then why do I have a gun? They didn't have a hood-mounted machine gun in Initial D either. Instead, maybe have the ship bounce off the asteroids, which breaks the current combo like in Forza Horizon.
The ship's controls feel good, but with only two axes (speed and rotation) it can hardly be called drifting. Real drifting of a motor vehicle requires a differential lock that allows both wheels to spin at the same speed regardless of their position, sending the car into a controlled partial spin (the oversteering that you see in drifting). I'd love to see a creative approach as to how this could be handled with a rear-drive spaceship, because as of now, you're not really drifting but just oversteering.
It also means that in microgravity, you can't cancel that oversteering without significant compensation. You'd have to turn into the opposite direction and fire a reverse or RCS thruster. I know what you're trying to do - you want to slingshot around asteroids, and in the relevant literature this is called "fuckin' sick, bro", but it's not really drifting as you've presented it if there's no source of friction. That friction can come from the ground with a car, but can also come from grazing the atmosphere, a magnetic medium, or gravity from, say, a bunch of asteroids.
The aesthetic is fine, I quite like Asteroids and really enjoy games that ape its aesthetic like Utopia Must Fall, so this is an easy win for me.
Looking forward to seeing this game evolve!
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Comment on ‘Michael’ passes $700 million worldwide at box office in ~movies
delphi Link ParentMichael Jackson is Pop, not Rock'n'Roll, maybe you're thinking of ElvisMichael Jackson is Pop, not Rock'n'Roll, maybe you're thinking of Elvis
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Comment on ‘Michael’ passes $700 million worldwide at box office in ~movies
delphi Link ParentIt's about Michael Jackson. Opinions are mixed on the quality, but it's for sure very popularIt's about Michael Jackson. Opinions are mixed on the quality, but it's for sure very popular
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Comment on Energy supplier abandons Lake Tahoe residents to serve data centers in ~tech
delphi Link ParentThis move has been planned since 2009 and was extended several times up to 2025, it has nothing to do with datacentres or the AI gold rush. Infrastructure decisions of this magnitude aren't made...This move has been planned since 2009 and was extended several times up to 2025, it has nothing to do with datacentres or the AI gold rush. Infrastructure decisions of this magnitude aren't made on a dime
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Comment on Google Chrome silently installs a 4 GB AI model on your device without consent in ~tech
delphi LinkI can't imagine it's without consent. Like, sure, maybe without what we, the nerds with strong opinions, would call consent, but there's DEFINITELY a provision somewhere in the EULA that they're...I can't imagine it's without consent. Like, sure, maybe without what we, the nerds with strong opinions, would call consent, but there's DEFINITELY a provision somewhere in the EULA that they're allowed to do this.
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Comment on We must keep age verification from killing anonymity online in ~tech
delphi Link ParentI was surprised too, but more about the automated aspect than the self-checkout. I guess there are attendants around, albeit one per six check stands instead of two per one.I was surprised too, but more about the automated aspect than the self-checkout. I guess there are attendants around, albeit one per six check stands instead of two per one.
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Comment on We must keep age verification from killing anonymity online in ~tech
delphi Link ParentThat model works fine for buying booze because you, y'know, are buying booze. You're acquiring a physical object. Having to go somewhere, in person, just to verify your access to a service would...That model works fine for buying booze because you, y'know, are buying booze. You're acquiring a physical object. Having to go somewhere, in person, just to verify your access to a service would be a huge source of friction, enough that people wouldn't want to do it.
Plus, why should stores bother? There's no money in this. You just get non-customers into your store that don't buy anything and are probably pissed off that this is necessary at all.
I hate the age verification scheme too, but this would arguably be the worst way of doing it. And let's not leave it merely implied - very quickly this would be outsourced to startups that offer an appliance or a verification machine at the gas station so that no workers need to be involved, and those will absolutely store your ID after scanning. I could be wrong here, but I'm not. It's already happened. My local (German!) grocery store has started rolling out little phone-looking attachments to self-checkout kiosks that verify your age for 18+ items, with a truly horrifying privacy policy, that of course... no one reads.
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Comment on Where can I find the best lanyard? in ~life.style
delphi Link ParentSorry, should have been more clear. Yes, I guess I just need some way to keep all my things together and tie a ribbon loop to it. I'll check out Nite-Ize, thanksSorry, should have been more clear. Yes, I guess I just need some way to keep all my things together and tie a ribbon loop to it. I'll check out Nite-Ize, thanks
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Where can I find the best lanyard?
I really don't know where to put this, so feel free to move, but I have this issue. I carry a LOT of shit on my keychain. Two sets of keys of four each, a SIM removal tool, a tiny retractable box...
I really don't know where to put this, so feel free to move, but I have this issue. I carry a LOT of shit on my keychain. Two sets of keys of four each, a SIM removal tool, a tiny retractable box cutter, a USB drive full of installer ISOs (you never know), an AirTag, a CPU with a hole punched through, a 3D printed whistle, and that may very well grow.
Now the problem I have is that the lanyard that I currently have has, over time, widened the gap on the karabiner to the point that I'll regularly lose a key ring in my pocket when pulling it out. Nothing major's happened yet, but it's a matter of time.
So, clearly, I need a better one. A higher quality one. But going on the eTailers of today I really only get garbage. A pack of 20! For ten bucks! Well, thanks, but we all know they'll suck. And frankly, I really don't know how to get my hands on a high quality one. I bet they're out there, I'm sure, but where do I look? What's good, what's bad? I really don't need the high-end climbing gear, or do I? Is my key lanyard a candidate for buy it for life, and if so, am I ready for that commitment?
Looking for any and all advice on this.
PS: I don't wear the lanyard. I'm one of those assholes that puts the active end in my pocket and lets the lanyard itself dangle out.
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Comment on "Why was I invited to Beast Studios?" - A comprehensive investigative analysis of YouTube's biggest channel in ~tech
delphi Link ParentI hope that's what they're doing, especially with how dark it's in that sound stage and you'd kind of have to be binning down, but considering how incompetent they've been I have little hope. The...I hope that's what they're doing, especially with how dark it's in that sound stage and you'd kind of have to be binning down, but considering how incompetent they've been I have little hope. The "Two Drink Limit" sign in the editing bay is also telling a different story.
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Comment on "Why was I invited to Beast Studios?" - A comprehensive investigative analysis of YouTube's biggest channel in ~tech
delphi LinkThe biggest indictment of the entire operation to me was using an Alexa 65 as an A camera for a game show that is 95% B-roll by volume. That camera shoots in 2.4 x 1 by default, he's not even...The biggest indictment of the entire operation to me was using an Alexa 65 as an A camera for a game show that is 95% B-roll by volume.
That camera shoots in 2.4 x 1 by default, he's not even using most of that sensor when shooting in 16:9-style 4K (which you wouldn't do, but he's been shown to be incompetent in everything else, so I can only assume).
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Comment on Brave Origin (Nightly), a paid, bloat-free version of Brave in ~tech
delphi LinkObligatory reminder that the Brave company is the brainchild of Brendan Eich, inventor of JavaScript and the largest homophobe in Silicon Valley, to the point where Mozilla fired him for this....Obligatory reminder that the Brave company is the brainchild of Brendan Eich, inventor of JavaScript and the largest homophobe in Silicon Valley, to the point where Mozilla fired him for this.
Obligatory secondary reminder that Brave Browser includes a cryptocurrency mechanism that rewards you with tokens upon viewing ads shown to you on your new tab page.
I can’t imagine why anyone in their right mind would pay money for this. I haven’t the least bit of interest in this.
I'm convinced that those one-time codes that Apple generates when you log in on a new device are not random. There has to be a file somewhere on Apple's servers that has a list of acceptable, aesthetically pleasing codes. 545860? Absolutely that one's in there. But 115167? Not a chance
Btw excellent use of the
hats.tinfoiltag