DynamoSunshirt's recent activity
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Comment on US$ 30 million to reinvent the wheel (Bluesky vs. Mastodon) in ~tech
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Comment on The day Google killed the Pixel 4a in ~tech
DynamoSunshirt Link ParentLikewise. I keep considering going to dumbphone or pseudo-dumbphone route with something like the Titan Pocket or one of the e-ink phones, but security updates hold me back. Then, of course, I...Likewise. I keep considering going to dumbphone or pseudo-dumbphone route with something like the Titan Pocket or one of the e-ink phones, but security updates hold me back.
Then, of course, I look at the phone store in the Google Fi store and I realise it's actually cheaper to buy a brand new Google Pixel 9 with $800 of subsidies than just buy the $300 simple phone I want. And then I get decision paralysis and kick my 4a down the road another few months.
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Comment on The day Google killed the Pixel 4a in ~tech
DynamoSunshirt Link ParentSee the update on the linked post, but unfortunately it looks like the update can still come through with this setup! You can at least hide the OS update notification in Google Play Services...See the update on the linked post, but unfortunately it looks like the update can still come through with this setup! You can at least hide the OS update notification in Google Play Services notification settings, if your parents don't see (and click on) the notification, it shouldn't install even if it does update.
You can also block the update via nextDNS or pi hole DNS blocking (or potentially in your parents router?) but unless you use an always-on VPN it could still sneak through the cellular network. Better to hide OS update notifications to keep it from ever installing. And while you're at it you can disable some other spammy Google notifications.
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Comment on The day Google killed the Pixel 4a in ~tech
DynamoSunshirt Link ParentTo be fair, they met the (ludicrously minimal) software support commitment they made for the Pixels 1-5a. They actually decided to give the Pixels 6(a) (Pro) an extra coupl of years of security...To be fair, they met the (ludicrously minimal) software support commitment they made for the Pixels 1-5a. They actually decided to give the Pixels 6(a) (Pro) an extra coupl of years of security updates over the original commitment, presumably because they were already committed to supporting the 7(a) (Pro) for that time period and the hardware was mostly the same.
I do hear you on Apple, though. I got an original SE back in 2016 and used it for 7 years until early 2023. And it still gets some minimal security updates. Unfortunately apps dropped the supported version of iOS in 2023, and even before then stopped testing on the 4" screen size. But I still think that was a good support period.
At least Samsung, Google, and Fairphone are pushing support out to 5-7 years of security (sometimes OS) updates now. And the EU is forcing 5 years for security updates legally for phones released after June 2025 in the EU, I believe. I hope brands like Sony and OnePlus get their act together with support periods and update timeliness instead of forcing consumers to test them legally, but that EU protection is IMO exactly what governments should be doing to help the little people.
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Comment on Recommend your social/softer science fiction books in ~books
DynamoSunshirt Link ParentAnd I just found out today that an Apple TV+ show has been in the works for a couple of years, and will likely debut this year or next!And I just found out today that an Apple TV+ show has been in the works for a couple of years, and will likely debut this year or next!
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Comment on Recommend your social/softer science fiction books in ~books
DynamoSunshirt LinkI found Murderbot Diaries very similar to Becky Chambers' Wayfarers series. Well worth your time, if you haven't read it yet. And the books are all short and digestible, much like Chambers' work.I found Murderbot Diaries very similar to Becky Chambers' Wayfarers series. Well worth your time, if you haven't read it yet. And the books are all short and digestible, much like Chambers' work.
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Comment on The trouble with Elon Musk in ~tech
DynamoSunshirt Link ParentI have seen quite a few people dramatically transform into monsters as they grow increasingly addicted to big social media (Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, mostly). I can only guess that it's a...I have seen quite a few people dramatically transform into monsters as they grow increasingly addicted to big social media (Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, mostly). I can only guess that it's a result of algorithmic bubbles, having never gone through the same experience.
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Comment on After almost a century, the bike valve is finally getting an update in ~engineering
DynamoSunshirt Link ParentAha, thanks for clearing that up. I've somehow wound up in the Presta world for some time now, and Schraders have failed me a couple of times in annoying ways, so I've probably judged them...Aha, thanks for clearing that up. I've somehow wound up in the Presta world for some time now, and Schraders have failed me a couple of times in annoying ways, so I've probably judged them unfairly. Good to know that both have removable cores!
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Comment on After almost a century, the bike valve is finally getting an update in ~engineering
DynamoSunshirt Link ParentPresta is pretty popular among the more expensive side of bikes. IIRC you essentially need to use Presta to go tubeless because you can remove Presta cores -- I've never seen a Schrader valve with...Presta is pretty popular among the more expensive side of bikes. IIRC you essentially need to use Presta to go tubeless because you can remove Presta cores -- I've never seen a Schrader valve with a removable core, so it would be really hard to 'top off' your sealant with that kind of valve.
In my personal experience, Presta seems to hold air better than Schrader. But it doesn't matter that much.
Prestas DID confuse me an awful lot when I first got them, though! Unlike Schraders (which I grew up with), you need to twist the valve into the open position (though it won't leak without pressure) before you attach the pump. Otherwise it's impossible to add air!
FWIW an awful lot of modern pumps support both Presta and Schrader, usually with a switch on the pump head. My setup certainly works for both, thougbh I've only ever used the Presta side to help anyone out!
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Comment on After almost a century, the bike valve is finally getting an update in ~engineering
DynamoSunshirt LinkI eagerly await running into someone with these valves on a ride with a flat tire... and then having to explain to them that Big Bike made a new valve standard and my 10 year old pump won't help...I eagerly await running into someone with these valves on a ride with a flat tire... and then having to explain to them that Big Bike made a new valve standard and my 10 year old pump won't help them.
Presta valves work amazingly. I really do not understand the argument for replacing them. The bike industry really loves reinventing new standards that create more problems than they solve.
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Comment on The tsunami of burnout few see in ~health.mental
DynamoSunshirt Link ParentIt probably depends on the product. For fast-moving things like technology, I suspect it makes sense to regulate the ever-changing market. That way, you can benefit from new developments faster....It probably depends on the product.
For fast-moving things like technology, I suspect it makes sense to regulate the ever-changing market. That way, you can benefit from new developments faster.
But once something plateaus, I think we're better off heavily regulating it and perhaps absorbing it into the state before it can enshittify. Water companies, power companies, internet providers, sewer systems, even social media have natural monopoly power and network effects. Once you become a requirement for living a normal life, you lose your right to extract profit, because any user squeezed out by your profit margin will experience undue hardship.
Think of people who try to go without smart phones or the internet today. It's possible, technically. But it is absolutely an undue hardship, and probably creates issues with a lot of employment thanks to 2FA, communication, and plenty of other undocumented soft requirements.
Of course, we also haven't figured out a way to stop people from profiting from the housing market and even basic groceries (eggs, anyone?) while people starve and go without housing in our own country (let alone worldwide). Perhaps once we solve that problem we can apply a solution to more of these life necessities. I suspect the answer is some kind of cooperative nonprofit shared ownership with community stake and enough segmentation that individual communities can cater to their own perferences without breaking the bank. But we'll hwve to make some hard decisions, like cutting off utility service from the most remote, expensive housing, to keep things affordable for everyone.
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Comment on It's time to abandon the cargo cult metaphor in ~science
DynamoSunshirt LinkIronic that the cargo cult metaphor has, in a way, become a cargo cult! People use the term to describe a scenario without thinking of the origin of the term. Digging into the term's origin...Ironic that the cargo cult metaphor has, in a way, become a cargo cult! People use the term to describe a scenario without thinking of the origin of the term. Digging into the term's origin reveals that there very likely never were people practicing the 'cargo cult' religion as Feynman described. Instead, there were just a lot of natives desperately hoping for any way out of colonial oppression, and a lot of false prophets who honestly have a lot in common with US apocalypse cults.
So can I now coin a new 'cargo cult' term that describes people using a term erroneously as a metaphor for a scenario that never existed?
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English grammar book recommendations?
Hi fellow Tilder Staters, I write professionally for my job. I've picked up plenty of tips, tricks, and strategies from mentors and managers over the years. I also have an English degree focused...
Hi fellow Tilder Staters,
I write professionally for my job. I've picked up plenty of tips, tricks, and strategies from mentors and managers over the years.
I also have an English degree focused in literature.
But I've never formally studied grammar or linguistics.
Does anyone have a textbook or theory book that they could recommend in this space? I've tried to look around a bit but nothing has caught my eye, and the subject is dry enough that I don't have the time or energy to invest in one of the boring options.
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Comment on What are your favourite TV shows of all time? in ~tv
DynamoSunshirt Link ParentIf you enjoyed Band of Brothers, have you watched The Pacific? IMO Band of Brothers is slightly better, but it has the advantage of a more familiar story for most Americans. The Pacific really...If you enjoyed Band of Brothers, have you watched The Pacific? IMO Band of Brothers is slightly better, but it has the advantage of a more familiar story for most Americans. The Pacific really captured the pure suffering and horror of the Pacific Theatre in a way that... well, only Band of Brothers had that same impact on me before.
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Comment on The day Google killed the Pixel 4a in ~tech
DynamoSunshirt Link ParentIf you can, see if you can disable automatic updates in Developer Options (a secret Settings section enabled by clicking the version number in System > About 6 times, IIRC). Otherwise you might be...If you can, see if you can disable automatic updates in Developer Options (a secret Settings section enabled by clicking the version number in System > About 6 times, IIRC).
Otherwise you might be buying two new replacement phones soon.
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Comment on Revisions of ‘hateful conduct’: what users can now say on Meta platforms in ~tech
DynamoSunshirt Link ParentGreat take! I actually just finished reading The Power Broker tonight, and your points about power, money, and yes men certainly resonate with that book in mind. Hopefully they'll follow Moses'...Great take! I actually just finished reading The Power Broker tonight, and your points about power, money, and yes men certainly resonate with that book in mind. Hopefully they'll follow Moses' trajectory and collapse within the next decade now that they're in the yes men phase.
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Comment on Is there any escape from the Spotify syndrome? in ~music
DynamoSunshirt Link ParentI know it feels that way. But unless your artists are getting literally tens of millions of listens they probably care very little about their Spotify income, because it's likely less than they...I know it feels that way. But unless your artists are getting literally tens of millions of listens they probably care very little about their Spotify income, because it's likely less than they get from merch sales at a single concert.
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Comment on The day Google killed the Pixel 4a in ~tech
DynamoSunshirt Link ParentI have no doubt there's some supplier recall deep in the chain. Probably multiple levels of abstraction deep, which is why an issue that hasn't surfaced in reality in 3.5 years for a fairly...I have no doubt there's some supplier recall deep in the chain. Probably multiple levels of abstraction deep, which is why an issue that hasn't surfaced in reality in 3.5 years for a fairly popular phone is being addressed in such a vague, broad way.
I don't think the author is insinuating a data harvesting connection here. Instead, it seems to me like Google is communicating really poorly, destroying a device that functions just fine for most people, and people have a right to be pissed. If they could drop the corpspeak and just tell us the exact issue it would be a lot easier to empathise with google. But when they wreck a phone that a lot of people depend on every day with only two days of warning? If these phones haven't burned down houses in the last 3.5 years, are we really that concerned they're going to start tomorrow?
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Comment on Your favorite game OSTs in ~games
DynamoSunshirt LinkI'm a huge fan of Starbound, Ace Combat (4, 6, and 7 are the best IMO), and Minecraft's soundtracks. Excellent background music for working. I also enjoy a few chiptune and 'fake video game...I'm a huge fan of Starbound, Ace Combat (4, 6, and 7 are the best IMO), and Minecraft's soundtracks. Excellent background music for working.
I also enjoy a few chiptune and 'fake video game soundtracks'; good dog adventure is a personal favorite.
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Comment on Is there any escape from the Spotify syndrome? in ~music
DynamoSunshirt Link ParentFull albums are my preferred method of listening. Unfortunately Spotify pushes playlists so hard that I switched to a personal music collection because listening to albums on Spotify was just...Full albums are my preferred method of listening. Unfortunately Spotify pushes playlists so hard that I switched to a personal music collection because listening to albums on Spotify was just inconvenient enough to make me hate it.
My partner uses Apple Music mainly for discovery. It's a fair bit better than Spotify for managing artists and albums. But still a bit worse than managing your own library.
Excellent point. I agree completely; this argument is fundamentally about choice. My grandma should be able to use Twitter. My weird uncle should be able to use X. My nephew should be able to use Bluesky. And I should be able to use Mastodon. But even more importantly, we should all be able to interact and follow and reply to each other through a common standard! Because they're all at the root level the same.damn.thing.
That's why I use Mastodon. That's why I refuse to use X or Bluesky. Cory Doctorow articulates this well in some recent posts: if the product is entirely controlled by one company, particularly the app experience in thr age of smartphones, you're being held hostage and so is your data. We need interoperable standards so that when Musk buys Twitter and starts pushing his own political agenda we can keep the same identity and follows and followers. That's what Mastodon is all about; the federation isn't the main appeal, it's an implementation detail of the fact that ActivityPub is a standard that gives users freedom to read and write and recommend content however they wish. Exactly like you can do in the real world with a book or an article.
Censorship and moderation is a distraction. If your community shards down to reasonable sizes and a manipulatable algorithm doesn't force-feed 'viral' content to the masses, local communities can self-moderate just fine. The problem comes from scale. Think of it this way: a small town doesn't need a standing police force that patrols the streets aggressively on your typical day. You just need s couple of officers around to respond to calls, anf maybe a tiny bit of proactive policing. But when a total solar eclipse happens and 100x the town's population in tourists shows up in a couple of hours, you damn well better have a bunch of cops to deal with the scaling factor of accidents, troublemakers, and confused tourists who mess up because they don't know the area.
Ghost is starting to take this to an even more interesting level this year, trying to create a one-stop ActivityPub hub in a single (potentially self-hosted) site. That'll let you consume blog posts, microblog posts, image posts, and more (RSS as well, perhaps?) all in a single feed that you run yourself.
RSS and Atom and XMPP and HTTP(S) are the fundamental building blocks of so much on the internet, including these hostage-taking ad-feeding radicalising Skinner boxes we call social media today. We really need a new standard to cover the higher level of abstraction built on top of the existing standards to implement social media. Because interacting with your friends and family online shouldn't (and for the health of society, can't) be middlemanned by a few corrupt billionaires for the sake of profit.