JackKerouacsLiver's recent activity
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~tildes
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~tildes
JackKerouacsLiver (edited )Link ParentThe demographics here still feel very homogenous. I don't know what the most recent user survey/census has said, but I recall this site being dominated by white, male, software engineer/computer...The demographics here still feel very homogenous.
I don't know what the most recent user survey/census has said, but I recall this site being dominated by white, male, software engineer/computer science/IT professionals. Which, there is nothing wrong with being that, but it makes all the conversations very one-note (and there is a tendency to talk outside wheelhouses with unearned expertise and authority).
My wife, who is not male or a software engineer, etc., tried to get into this website as well, but often felt like she was being talked down to or excluded. Her expertise and degrees are actually in a lot of topics people like to talk about here, like psychology and mental health. Yet, when she commented, it often didn't fit the preconceptions of those here. At best, her input was often ignored, and at worst, even outright dismissed and admonished. It made it not fun for her to comment here; even I felt frustrated on her behalf.
I hate to say it, but that's the reputation that engineering/computer science often carries—stereotypically arrogant and dismissive. I'm not accusing anyone specifically of this, but the tonality of conversations here has a tendency to ebb that way.
In terms of diversifying this community, the invite system might be part of the issue. People are quite likely to invite others who are more like themselves. At which point, those who do not fit this mould are either not invited at all, or don't feel welcome when they arrive.
I gave up on trying to frequent and participate here. Perhaps I'll try again if there is a surge of new users, but it is hard to not feel put off from my initial experiences.
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Comment on Ray tracing, VRS, and DLSS in id Tech 6 and Wolfenstein: Youngblood in ~games
JackKerouacsLiver Link ParentI can understand the complaint, because often this is what ends up happening! However, I really just take these extra light (and reflection) effects as being another tool in the artists toolbox....It seem like they all add so much more visual clutter and movement to the scenes, which can make the actual gameplay relevant elements in them harder to track with your eyes.
I can understand the complaint, because often this is what ends up happening! However, I really just take these extra light (and reflection) effects as being another tool in the artists toolbox. In essence, these effects are based off phenomena that we witness in real life, especially when it comes to film. To which, it has been up to the cinematographer to balance these effects such that they do not overwhelm the viewer. (Just as an example, JJ Abrams often gets criticized for an over-usage of lens flares!)
We have arrived at a point where graphics capabilities in games are demanding that same level of care given from a director of photography in film. For me, as someone who makes video game levels as a hobby, that's pretty exciting!
Also worth noting, the developers are retro-actively applying these effects where they did not exist originally. The designers of these levels made the game without it being blasted with ray-traced reflections/refractions, and it was their intention to make it look visually appealing without them applied. By ham-fistedly shoving these effects in, it easily becomes a distraction. It would be reasonable to assume that if these effects were available at the time that the game was originally being built, that they would be integrated into the visuals more naturally.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~tech
JackKerouacsLiver Link ParentAs I said, you can opt out of sending that data. (For that matter, the new Windows 10 installer gives you this as a privacy option during the install. It is also an option under the general...Oh, well. If my privacy is being invaded to make it easier for other people to type...
As I said, you can opt out of sending that data. (For that matter, the new Windows 10 installer gives you this as a privacy option during the install. It is also an option under the general privacy settings.) Granted, I do admit, it should have been opt in, instead of opt out.
And, everything I researched at the time said that there were some monitoring functions in Windows 10 which could not be deactivated at all - not even by people with expertise in this area (unlike me).
There were a lot of warranted concerns upon the release of Windows 10 about privacy infringement and transparency regarding the data that is collected. Unfortunately, it took Microsoft until 2017 to begin addressing these concerns.
Things are improving. Microsoft started publishing reports on what telemetry it collects. They also released the diagnostic data viewer that shows you everything that is collected. The privacy dashboard has been redesigned to give more clear/greater control.
I cannot really comment on the exact functions you are worried about being monitored, as I don't know which ones they are.
I mean, you can claim Microsoft are doing all of this in bad faith, and it means nothing as long as they ultimately hold control and can 'break in' whenever they want. To which, I guess that means you are going to have to trust a commercial entity to not take malicious actions against you or take advantage of you. Granted, that was true of Windows 7 as well.
If all of that seems too dismal, then there's always Linux! (I'd recommend some variant of Linux Mint if you want something that has been tried, tested, and feels similar to Windows.)
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~tech
JackKerouacsLiver Link ParentWhile technically true, I think it is worth mentioning that it is logging typing data for the sake of autocompletion, spelling correction, or word-prediction, much in the same way your average...I don't want an operating system with a built-in key-logger.
While technically true, I think it is worth mentioning that it is logging typing data for the sake of autocompletion, spelling correction, or word-prediction, much in the same way your average cell phone keyboard does. Likewise, this really only applies to a small set of functions related to Cortana and searching from the start menu (and handwriting/touchscreen typing). Further, you can quite easily turn off this functionality. (To which, I have done exactly this myself since I also disabled Cortana and trust my ability to type correctly into a search box.)
I certainly think this is a factor, especially when a platform launches. However, the launch for this website is getting close to five years ago now. At some point, I think there needs to be some reflection on what this platform is, and how to structure it to be more inclusive.
Again, I'm going to say things that seem a bit abrasive towards the community here, but... There is a certain level of pretentiousness in respect to what a "valuable" discussion is. I think that pretentiousness categorically happens in two ways.
1) Certain topics are considered more 'high minded' and worthy of discussion.
2) A comment is more highly rewarded if it is objective and rational, instead of appealing to subjective experiences that evoke emotions.
To help illustrate these, let's drag my wife back into this and our 'not-so-little' dog too. We have a dog that has a plethora of health and behavioural issues. From books, trainers, veterinary behaviourists, specialists, and a fair amount of money too..., we have tried so very, very, hard to help him. Sadly, despite the fact that he is quite large, he finds the world to be a very frightening place. In addition to this, he has a myriad of digestive problems that often leave him feeling upset. We are at a point where there are more good days than bad for him, and the amount of work to achieve that has been nearly unsurmountable.
So my wife is still on Reddit. Her number one use of the website? Puppy subreddits. Not pictures, but the ones oriented towards discussions about dog training and experiences. Our dog can be incredibly frustrating with all his problems, but my wife (and I) love him to death. It takes an emotional toll at times. To that, more often than not, the point of her being on those subreddits isn't to glean new training info, but to look at what other people have dealt with and how they overcame their problems. It gives her emotional reassurance and hope that there is a light at the end of the tunnel where we might be able to help him and get through this. It gives her a place to talk about what she is going through, and maybe even give hope to someone else who might have similar problems as we do.
Is this not inherently valuable? It's a very different discussion than what is often encouraged on Tildes though.
I suppose it just irks me that this type of discussion is mostly ignored or dismissed, almost as if the collective attitude is that we are 'above' it because puppies are just vacuous tripe better left for Facebook. Meanwhile, I'll go into the books "group" on Tildes and people are talking about some comic book as if it is high art. It's almost comical how stereotypical the community is.
If you want to break that stereotype, then you need to break the homogeneity of the community. How are you going to do that? By giving a place for 'different' people to go. And I know you don't mean to slight them by calling them "normies," but that's part the community attitude here. Normies are an 'other' to Tildes, and they need not be. They just need groups that they feel like they can post things in and feel welcomed to.
I look at the list of groups, and it is entirely composed of topics that are general interest or topics that appeal to male-tech-enthusiasts. If I recall correctly, the 2021 census for Tildes said it was approximately 85% men to 15% women, and I doubt it has changed much since then. Nor is it much of a mystery as to why. I know the 'philosophy' of Tildes is that groups will be added as there is demand for them, but all that serves to do is exclude people who have interests in topics that aren't listed.
I'll preface this by saying that no sexism is intended, but I can assure you that there are a number of women who come to this website, look at the list of groups, say "there is nothing here for me" and then leave. Maybe they try again in a couple years, but most probably won't.
To quote Field of Dreams, "If you build it, they will come." Add a "pets" group. Add a "parenting" group. Add a "relationships" group. Women are often the majority in these kinds of boards, and perhaps they would like to talk about these things here on Tildes too. You can add these topics without the website turning into a slew of cat pictures and relationship drama. It will take more work, certainly, but that's what it takes to grow.
To some extent, I wonder if part of the issue is that there is a portion of the community that fears this growth. Some of the more recent posts talk about worries from the influx of new users from Reddit. Will Tildes lose its 'feel'? Will it become less pure? The answer to those questions is that it has to. It has to change in order to grow. If it stays like this it will always be a small community. What that doesn't mean though, is that it will make Tildes less valuable. It simply means that new people are going to arrive, and their values will be different, but we can encourage them all to discuss things in a healthy and constructive way. There is a lot of value in that for everyone.
I have said many critical things here. Perhaps too critical at times. For whomever I may have upset, I apologize pre-emptively. I do not say these things with malice or intention to antagonize anyone or the community. I just think there are a few problems that need to be overcome.