DrStone's recent activity
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Comment on What's a product or service that you use but don't want to pay for and why? in ~life
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Comment on Microsoft is plugging more holes that let you use Windows 11 without an online account in ~tech
DrStone Link ParentI believe there's an implicit "for the daily-driver personal/work desktop envrionment" in this context.I believe there's an implicit "for the daily-driver personal/work desktop envrionment" in this context.
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Comment on America's dumbest crop: grass in ~enviro
DrStone Link ParentThere generally needs to be a harvest/collection and sale/use, not just any cultivated or intentionally grown plant, for it to be a "crop". I suppose grass grown specifically to be harvested and...There generally needs to be a harvest/collection and sale/use, not just any cultivated or intentionally grown plant, for it to be a "crop". I suppose grass grown specifically to be harvested and resold for transplant as sod would count.
A crop is a plant that can be grown and harvested extensively for profit or subsistence. In other words, a crop is a plant or plant product that is grown for a specific purpose such as food, fibre, or fuel.
Wiktionary (1)
(agriculture) A plant, grown for it, or its fruits or seeds, to be harvested as food, livestock fodder or fuel or for any other economic purpose.
Merriam Webster Dictionary (2.a.1)
a plant or animal or plant or animal product that can be grown and harvested extensively for profit or subsistence
(the total amount collected of) a plant such as a grain, fruit, or vegetable grown in large amounts
a plant or plant product that can be grown and harvested extensively for profit or subsistence.
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Comment on Travel essentials: eight items to pack for your next trip – and what to leave at home in ~travel
DrStone Link ParentHow has your experience been with laundry sheets? When I first heard about them they seemed like a great idea, but the third-party reviews and tests that I could find found their cleaning ability...How has your experience been with laundry sheets? When I first heard about them they seemed like a great idea, but the third-party reviews and tests that I could find found their cleaning ability is somewhere between mediocre and no better than plain water.
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Comment on Updates to Xbox Game Pass: Introducing Essential, Premium, and Ultimate plans in ~games
DrStone Link ParentThe tildes code downloads site favicons so they can be served from the Tildes server. Could be for performance and/or privacy reasons. Once the icon is downloaded for a particular domain, it skips...The tildes code downloads site favicons so they can be served from the Tildes server. Could be for performance and/or privacy reasons. Once the icon is downloaded for a particular domain, it skips downloading it again, so it won't get any changes after the first download.
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Comment on Updates to Xbox Game Pass: Introducing Essential, Premium, and Ultimate plans in ~games
DrStone Link Parent@ShroudedScribe mentioned Rent-a-Center, which can be used by people that can't afford an upfront cost, but it's often used across the financial spectrum for limited-time use. I've never used...@ShroudedScribe mentioned Rent-a-Center, which can be used by people that can't afford an upfront cost, but it's often used across the financial spectrum for limited-time use. I've never used their service, but I know plenty of people who have at least once rented the biggest TV in stock along with a couple of recliners for a week(end) when it's their turn to host the Superbowl watch party. It's like $20 per chair and $30-$40 for the TV, maybe $200 all-in. Could they afford to purchase everything outright? Sure, without too much burden. But why would they? Almost nobody needs four recliners year round (upwards of $1k each), and not everyone wants an 80" TV at $1-2k for a bit of network tv before bed.
The same applies to these digital subscription services (video streaming, game library, cloud gaming, etc.). They can be be more expensive than outright purchases when subscribed indefinitely, but if you only subscribe during school holidays or for a month or two each year when the content you're super interested in releases, it makes sense.
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Comment on Hot take: 4:3 > 16:9 in ~tv
DrStone LinkFirst and foremost, I agree with @granfdad that the intended aspect ratio is paramount. When everything is framed with a particular aspect ratio in mind, it's no surprise that late stage changes...First and foremost, I agree with @granfdad that the intended aspect ratio is paramount. When everything is framed with a particular aspect ratio in mind, it's no surprise that late stage changes to that will at best be lackluster if it doesn't outright ruin the shot. Any older media framed and released in 4:3 needs to remain in 4:3.
I'd say in general, though I can and do thoroughly enjoy media in any aspect ratio, I prefer wide aspect ratios a default. They fit and better fill our natural field of view, wider than it is tall. It also lends itself well to larger home and theater screens; it's easier to take in an entire wide aspect image with peripheral vision than it is a 4:3 which may need some vertical scanning. This, to me, feels more immersive and less like I'm looking at a flat screen or through a window.
There have been a handful films and shows that have used varying aspect ratios. It can feel gimmicky sometimes, but can be impactful when when used with care. Different ratios for time periods, for controlling the scale of different scenes, for subtly highlighting character growth and realizations. This seems like a worthwhile approach to explore so that the aspect ratio can become another tool rather than a fixed constraint (which, to be fair, can also be creatively useful)
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Comment on Introducing Kagi News in ~tech
DrStone Link ParentI think this is why [Country] category is all in [Country language]. Category requirements Gathering 25 good news sources for a country and having them all in the same language means they'll...I think this is why [Country] category is all in [Country language].
Category requirementsWe require at least 25 feeds for a category in order to surface it in Kagi News. [...] The feeds should be using the same language.
Gathering 25 good news sources for a country and having them all in the same language means they'll probably be in that country's language. The only way to meet that requirement with English might be limiting the pool to country's news sources with official English translations and global English news organizations reporting on that country. It would be nice if they had a translation layer to remove that requirement, or expanded it to "25 feeds for a category in a particular language" so a category could have more than one language supported.
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Comment on NET Dollar by Cloudflare in ~finance
DrStone Link ParentHandling foreign transactions seems to vary by issuer (and maybe even by card). I've got one where both the bank and the card are really focused on US-only usage which triggers fraud detection...Handling foreign transactions seems to vary by issuer (and maybe even by card). I've got one where both the bank and the card are really focused on US-only usage which triggers fraud detection when used abroad by default. I can submit a form ahead of time saying "I'll be traveling to X between Y and Z" and then I'll get smooth usage. I've got another card from a US-based bank geared for travel – no ftx fees, travel related points, etc. – and that one typically just works anywhere by default for normal payments.
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Comment on What's a setting that you'd recommend? in ~tech
DrStone Link ParentWhat is DNS? If all you have is a business name and the phone book doesn't have the number for it, then you can't make the call. Similarly, when an app is trying to load an ad from...The Domain Name System (DNS) is the phonebook of the Internet. Humans access information online through domain names, like nytimes.com or espn.com. Web browsers interact through Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. DNS translates domain names to IP addresses so browsers can load Internet resources.
Each device connected to the Internet has a unique IP address which other machines use to find the device. DNS servers eliminate the need for humans to memorize IP addresses such as 192.168.1.1 (in IPv4), or more complex newer alphanumeric IP addresses such as 2400:cb00:2048:1::c629:d7a2 (in IPv6).
If all you have is a business name and the phone book doesn't have the number for it, then you can't make the call. Similarly, when an app is trying to load an ad from
some-ad-service.comand the DNS doesn't know its IP (intentionally for ones likeadblock.dns.mullvad.net), then the app can't make the call. It's not bulletproof, though. As @fuzzy mentioned, some sites get around it by serving the ads from the same domain; any DNS is going to give the IP foryoutube.comfor obvious reasons, but that means when ads also come fromyoutube.comthe IP is known and the ads can load. -
Comment on Shopify, pulling strings at Ruby Central, forces Bundler and RubyGems takeover in ~comp
DrStone Link ParentI’ve enjoyed working with Scala. JVM, support for both OOP and functional programming, great type system, all of the boilerplate that Lombok looks to handle taken care of, easy interoperability...I’ve enjoyed working with Scala. JVM, support for both OOP and functional programming, great type system, all of the boilerplate that Lombok looks to handle taken care of, easy interoperability with the full Java ecosystem on top of its own.
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Comment on What's a setting that you'd recommend? in ~tech
DrStone (edited )Link ParentAuto-brightness is one of the first things I turn off on a new tv/monitor. I find it very distracting having the brightness noticeably jump around as the displayed content's brightness changes,...Auto-brightness is one of the first things I turn off on a new tv/monitor. I find it very distracting having the brightness noticeably jump around as the displayed content's brightness changes, even at the lowest/mildest setting. I do spend time "calibrating" baseline brightness and other settings (just by eye and RTings guide, no calibration equipment)
Phone auto-brightness seems to just be based on ambient lighting (or it's much better / more subtle than TVs if it's signal based), so I usually leave that one on. It occasionally settles on an absolutely stupid brightness for no clear reason and I have to adjust manually, but overall its worth it there.
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Comment on Probiotics: hype or helpful? An interview with Professor Jens Walter. in ~health
DrStone Link ParentThat topic gave me pause as well, and I also suspect that we're not getting enough detail and nuance in this limited interview. An "emulsifier" is such a broad category, including "natural"...That topic gave me pause as well, and I also suspect that we're not getting enough detail and nuance in this limited interview. An "emulsifier" is such a broad category, including "natural" sources like mustard and egg yolks, that it almost feels as meaningless to talk about as "[ultra] processed food" without establishing a more narrow definition for discussion.
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Comment on Probiotics: hype or helpful? An interview with Professor Jens Walter. in ~health
DrStone Link ParentYou sound very familiar with this area of study. Do you work in the field? Really interesting about gut bacteria naturally producing antibiotics. It makes sense; evolve ways to knock out...You sound very familiar with this area of study. Do you work in the field?
Really interesting about gut bacteria naturally producing antibiotics. It makes sense; evolve ways to knock out competition so you can better thrive on the limited resources. If this is all happening on its own in our gut, I'm assuming that the antibiotics produced are different enough than the ones we intentionally administer that any resistances built up in the gut naturally don't impact the effectiveness of the medicine?
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Comment on Probiotics: hype or helpful? An interview with Professor Jens Walter. in ~health
DrStone Link ParentMany store-bought fermented foods, like a jar of sauerkraut, have been pasteurized and don't have any live bacteria. Thankfully, most fermented foods are cheap and easy to make at home! Standard...Many store-bought fermented foods, like a jar of sauerkraut, have been pasteurized and don't have any live bacteria. Thankfully, most fermented foods are cheap and easy to make at home! Standard cabbage, salt, a kitchen scale, and a container are all you need to make fantastic sauerkraut. Kombucha just needs a few cheap teabags, some sugar, and a bit of starter liquid from a previous batch (or a scoby) - so much cheaper than the store.
Plus, fermented foods are just plain delicious, regardless of potential health benefits.
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Comment on Probiotics: hype or helpful? An interview with Professor Jens Walter. in ~health
DrStone LinkAnn Reardon of Youtube channel "How To Cook That" interviews Professor Jens Walter, a gut microbiome expert. They talk about the current state of research on the microbiome, its relation to health...Ann Reardon of Youtube channel "How To Cook That" interviews Professor Jens Walter, a gut microbiome expert. They talk about the current state of research on the microbiome, its relation to health outcomes, supplements currently on the market, and influences of diet and lifestyle.
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Probiotics: hype or helpful? An interview with Professor Jens Walter.
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Comment on What is a business/org that is great and ethical in so many aspects that everyone should consider using? in ~life
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Comment on Disabling Auto-Zoom in the YouTube app (iOS) in ~tech
DrStone Link ParentHuh. Mine looks like this I have the zoom setting, but no picture-in-picture. iPhone 11 Pro iOS 18.6.2 YouTube 20.5.32Huh. Mine looks like this
I have the zoom setting, but no picture-in-picture.
iPhone 11 Pro
iOS 18.6.2
YouTube 20.5.32 -
Comment on Disabling Auto-Zoom in the YouTube app (iOS) in ~tech
DrStone LinkClick the “You” in the bottom right. Click the gear icon in the top right. Scroll down to “Video and audio preferences” section, click “Playback”. Turn off “Zoom to fill screen”.Click the “You” in the bottom right.
Click the gear icon in the top right.
Scroll down to “Video and audio preferences” section, click “Playback”.
Turn off “Zoom to fill screen”.
They miss the shared and sharable TV experience. A more limited selection, general availability to anyone with a TV and OTA or basic cable, and common scheduled viewing times that the vast majority of people consumed. "The Office" and "Battlestar Galactica" mentioned were very widely viewed and popular shows, but the one that I usually see highlighted is "LOST" (at least the early seasons). It felt like everyone was not only watching it, but then would want to talk about what happened and their developing theories over the next few days after every episode with everyone they could in school, at the office, even in small talk with strangers. The combination of common availability and common scheduled viewing, plus the week-long wait between episodes for people to really sit with each episode is what made that possible. It doesn't really work when everyone has different services with different catalogs where most new shows release complete seasons in one shot that can be watched or binged without pause at whenever time an individual wants.