Ephemere's recent activity
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
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Comment on 'Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan' movie review by Roger Ebert & Gene Siskel (1982) in ~movies
Ephemere Link ParentWhat do you think of the Undiscovered Country? That one is rather my favorite, though obviously it shares a great deal in common with Wrath of Khan via the director. It also has the advantage of...What do you think of the Undiscovered Country? That one is rather my favorite, though obviously it shares a great deal in common with Wrath of Khan via the director. It also has the advantage of allowing Spock to be the captain for much of the movie which highlights how funny and good of a leader he can be (When written by Nicholas Meyer, of course.)
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Comment on Brannon Braga calls for longer Star Trek seasons in ~tv
Ephemere Link ParentI agree completely. One thing I noticed with New Trek, is that everything seems to be much, much faster paced than it used to be. Of course, this economy of time is pretty common to all media...I agree completely. One thing I noticed with New Trek, is that everything seems to be much, much faster paced than it used to be. Of course, this economy of time is pretty common to all media these days, but many of my favorite moments in TNG were the quiet ones, in which characters had a conversation about what was happening to them. As a fan, I would certainly enjoy it if they amortized their sets over a longer time and allowed us to just exist with these characters. (Disclaimer, haven't seen all of SNW or the last season of Picard, maybe they slowed down, but I doubt it)
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Comment on 'Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale' review: Change is afoot (again) in ~movies
Ephemere Link ParentI’m afraid the movie is probably not a good entry point into the series. It’s an ensemble show with a large number of characters, and the movie is mostly about them showing appreciation for each...I’m afraid the movie is probably not a good entry point into the series. It’s an ensemble show with a large number of characters, and the movie is mostly about them showing appreciation for each other as a number of characters retire. There is some conflict to the plot, but it’s mostly resolved without too much fuss.
That said, you wouldn’t have any trouble following what was going on. You might understand the nuances of the characters interactions, but the big picture of who they are and what they are doing should be clear enough.
As my one line review, I quite enjoyed the film but I also watched the series and the other two films. Downton Abbey is fun. It’s ahistorical in that our aristocratic heroes show contemporary values throughout, by and large it’s a fun show to inhabit.
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Comment on Midnight Horde | Official announcement trailer in ~games
Ephemere Link ParentThey had me at 'next level vampire survivor.' That really worked as an advertisement.They had me at 'next level vampire survivor.' That really worked as an advertisement.
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Comment on Ed Zitron: How to argue with an AI booster in ~tech
Ephemere LinkI think this is the crux - the article isn't aimed at someone who uses LLMs or other transformer based tools on the regular, but rather a 'booster' Otherwise the 'It doesn't work' rhetoric seems...I think this is the crux - the article isn't aimed at someone who uses LLMs or other transformer based tools on the regular, but rather a 'booster'
So, an AI booster is not, in many cases, an actual fan of artificial intelligence. People like Simon Willison or Max Woolf who actually work with LLMs on a daily basis don’t see the need to repeatedly harass everybody, or talk down to them about their unwillingness to pledge allegiance to the graveyard smash of generative AI. In fact, the closer I’ve found somebody to actually building things with LLMs, the less likely they are to emphatically argue that I’m missing out by not doing so myself.
No, the AI booster is symbolically aligned with generative AI. They are fans in the same way that somebody is a fan of a sports team, their houses emblazoned with every possible piece of tat they can find, their Sundays living and dying by the success of the team, except even fans of the Dallas Cowboys have a tighter grasp on reality.
Otherwise the 'It doesn't work' rhetoric seems so strange to me. Yes, the predictions of future performance are quite extreme. But these systems are doing useful work for me on the regular (Agentic search, summarization, captioning, as a programming assistant).
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Comment on The era of the business idiot in ~tech
Ephemere LinkThis one struck me as a little harsh - Why not? We don’t always have someone who has just listened to the thing to chat with it about, or on the same time schedule. Sure, you’re talking to a...This one struck me as a little harsh -
Podcasts are not there "to be chatted about" with an AI.
Why not? We don’t always have someone who has just listened to the thing to chat with it about, or on the same time schedule. Sure, you’re talking to a prism, but eh.
Edit: Didn’t realize it was Ed Zitron at first.
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Comment on What lesser-known alternative would you recommend as a substitute for something more popular? in ~talk
Ephemere Link ParentWith regards to GIMP, does the non-distructive editing feature make a huge difference to your workflow? I've been using the undo command for years, and while I imagine this might make it so that...With regards to GIMP, does the non-distructive editing feature make a huge difference to your workflow? I've been using the undo command for years, and while I imagine this might make it so that you have to undo less often it seems to be not entirely different. Or am I missing the whole concept?
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Comment on Recommended podcasts by experts in their fields? in ~talk
Ephemere (edited )LinkI've really enjoyed Matt Levine and Katie Greifeld's Money Stuff podcast. They're both cheerleaders for financialized capitalism but in a more grounded and reasonable way and are very good at...I've really enjoyed Matt Levine and Katie Greifeld's Money Stuff podcast. They're both cheerleaders for financialized capitalism but in a more grounded and reasonable way and are very good at explaining interesting quirks about how things should versus do work. I very much enjoy the columns as well, the podcast tends to cover different topics though there is some overlap.
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Comment on What's an atypical thing you do that you'd recommend to others? in ~talk
Ephemere LinkAs a child, for whatever reason, I was led to believe that the standard way of eating smoked salmon on a bagel was with mayo instead of cream cheese, sometimes with the mayo mixed with horse...As a child, for whatever reason, I was led to believe that the standard way of eating smoked salmon on a bagel was with mayo instead of cream cheese, sometimes with the mayo mixed with horse radish.
My wife has generally reacted to this with horror, but I don't think I'm utterly out to lunch when I say that it tastes pretty good and I think other people might like it. It's a bit mellower flavorwise than using cream cheese in my opinion.
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Comment on Anyone interested in trying out Kagi? (trial giveaway: round #2) in ~tech
Ephemere LinkIf anyone has any more, I'd love to try it as well. Thank you!If anyone has any more, I'd love to try it as well. Thank you!
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Comment on Restaurants recommendations near Times Square in ~travel
Ephemere LinkI quite enjoyed Ellen’s Stardust diner, it’s an (expensive as they go) diner, but the gimmick is that the waitstaff are all aspiring broadway actors who take turns singing. I think in our 45...I quite enjoyed Ellen’s Stardust diner, it’s an (expensive as they go) diner, but the gimmick is that the waitstaff are all aspiring broadway actors who take turns singing. I think in our 45 minute meal they sang maybe ~8 songs. It was pretty fun.
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Comment on Interview with Dungeon Crawler Carl author Matt Dinniman on new book and LitRPG genre in ~books
Ephemere Link ParentMember of the dozen, proud to chime in. That game taught me how to script browsers to get the zubmarine. It's a fond memory.Member of the dozen, proud to chime in. That game taught me how to script browsers to get the zubmarine. It's a fond memory.
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Comment on If you could send someone to any historic moment, who and when? in ~talk
Ephemere LinkThis is less altruistic, but I would send myself back to the city of Rome during the reign of Trajan. No specific goal or anything, I'm just very curious as to what people and the buildings looked...This is less altruistic, but I would send myself back to the city of Rome during the reign of Trajan. No specific goal or anything, I'm just very curious as to what people and the buildings looked like then, and I think I would have an enjoyable time wandering about. Assuming I could, and my presence with all my teeth wasn't immediately suspicious or something.
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Comment on Star Trek live-action comedy series in development in ~tv
Ephemere Link ParentI agree. Even with the focus being pretty tight on the four main characters, I thought Lower Decks had a fun ensemble and would enjoy seeing the other characters get more of the limelight. I...I agree. Even with the focus being pretty tight on the four main characters, I thought Lower Decks had a fun ensemble and would enjoy seeing the other characters get more of the limelight. I especially liked Shaxs and Kayshon.
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Comment on Research paper compares LLM responses based on politeness of requests and finds quality difference in ~tech
Ephemere Link ParentIt’s an interesting topic. I personally feel that we should be polite to our ‘machinery’, essentially for two reasons: I’m of the opinion that some day soon these systems will be essentially our...It’s an interesting topic. I personally feel that we should be polite to our ‘machinery’, essentially for two reasons:
- I’m of the opinion that some day soon these systems will be essentially our fellow sapients, so it will be less jarring to be polite now.
- Conversational machines often serve much the same purpose that service workers do. By being rude to the machines I think we’ll be training ourselves to be rude to people who provide services for us.
I suppose there is also a final:
- Being reflexively polite costs us nothing.
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Comment on What irrational video game requirements do you have? in ~games
Ephemere Link ParentNothing irrational about how you chose to recreate. However to fill in the vast tapestry of human of human experience I routinely drop games to 30 or 20hz, as I prefer the steam deck to be quiet...Nothing irrational about how you chose to recreate. However to fill in the vast tapestry of human of human experience I routinely drop games to 30 or 20hz, as I prefer the steam deck to be quiet and cool to the game running more smoothly.
Being unable to do so would definitely turn me off of a game.
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Comment on Tumblr to begin selling user content to AI generative service companies, opt-out will be per blog in ~tech
Ephemere Link ParentI think it's safe to assume that the body of tumblr posts are already a part of AI training data, just now tumblr gets paid and the openAIs, googles and microsofts of the world get to put an...I think it's safe to assume that the body of tumblr posts are already a part of AI training data, just now tumblr gets paid and the openAIs, googles and microsofts of the world get to put an 'ethically sourced' sticker on the next version of their services.
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Comment on Shell to permanently close all of its hydrogen refuelling stations for cars in California in ~transport
Ephemere Link ParentYou're right that the refueling duration for an electric car these days is less good than that for an ICE engine, but it's not so bad as to outweigh the other advantages, to me at least. I've gone...You're right that the refueling duration for an electric car these days is less good than that for an ICE engine, but it's not so bad as to outweigh the other advantages, to me at least. I've gone on a few long trips in a model 3, indeed you have to stop and wait and that's annoying, but the trip as a whole went just fine.
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Comment on Disco Elysium standalone expansion reportedly cancelled and quarter of staff facing redundancy at ZA/UM in ~games
Ephemere LinkWell, that’s a crying shame. Seems it was rough going but I would have loved to play it.Well, that’s a crying shame. Seems it was rough going but I would have loved to play it.
Ooh, from the gameplay trailer it looks like they fixed my main complaint with the first game (switch version), which was that the art style had all the characters looking aggressively ugly. Otherwise I agree, the game wasn't high art, but it was a fun shooter. Looking forward!