LetterCounter's recent activity
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Comment on What does the word "cancelled" mean to you? in ~talk
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Comment on I now think a heretical form of Christianity might be true in ~humanities
LetterCounter LinkThe reason I am no longer a Christian is because I finally realized that the evidence that I used to believe without question does not stand up to being questioned. Fine tuning is a silly...The reason I am no longer a Christian is because I finally realized that the evidence that I used to believe without question does not stand up to being questioned.
Fine tuning is a silly argument. The conditions for our form of life exist, therefore it's not surprising that our form of life can exist. The fact that it does is not proof of something non-natural.
Finally, I will believe in a god when I have good evidence of it. Until then, wishful thinking and a desire for community are not enough of a reason to believe in it.
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Comment on A message to our community: Unity is canceling the Runtime Fee in ~games
LetterCounter Link ParentI disagree, but as a game dev, I have a lot of mixed feelings. I still think that as a company, unity is not putting the devs first. But this whole situation has forced them to realize that they...I disagree, but as a game dev, I have a lot of mixed feelings.
I still think that as a company, unity is not putting the devs first. But this whole situation has forced them to realize that they don't have as strong of a hold on the market as they thought.
Many high-visibility indie devs have jumped to Godot and aren't looking back. I still enjoy Unity's tools et but I'm being very cautious. In the past, I would have flatly assumed every new project would be Unity. Now, I've officially changed that so that each project will be a new assessment of every tool available.
With new leadership, and with such a sudden reversal of their sudden fee announcement, I have seen some shift back to their indie developers' best interests. If that continues in that direction, I will continue to lean towards Unity, since I know it so well.
That said, I'm always watching Godot's updates closely and will continue to learn it so that it will be easier to switch if a new project comes up that would be serviced well by it.
My advice to all other game devs is the same I gave when this whole situation first came up: use the right tool for each job and don't become trapped into one ecosystem. Your flexibility in engine choice will only help you as a dev.
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Comment on United States postal service debuts long-awaited new mail truck in ~transport
LetterCounter Link ParentExactly! Form follows function is a generally good design principle and it seems to apply here. It makes me happy!Exactly! Form follows function is a generally good design principle and it seems to apply here. It makes me happy!
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Comment on United States postal service debuts long-awaited new mail truck in ~transport
LetterCounter Link ParentAgreed! I nearly laughed out loud when I saw it. However, these vehicles seem purposefully designed for their function. The tall windows and oversized doors seem perfect for safety, visibility,...Agreed! I nearly laughed out loud when I saw it. However, these vehicles seem purposefully designed for their function. The tall windows and oversized doors seem perfect for safety, visibility, and ease of delivery.
Basically, if it helps mail carriers out, the goofiness will be unique and endearing. I can't wait till they come to my area!
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Comment on James Earl Jones, authoritative actor and voice of Darth Vader, dies at 93 in ~movies
LetterCounter LinkOh boy, this one hurts. He's the voice of my childhood and always seemed like such a kind man. I hope his family and friends find moments of solace and true comfort during this time.Oh boy, this one hurts. He's the voice of my childhood and always seemed like such a kind man. I hope his family and friends find moments of solace and true comfort during this time.
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Comment on How CrowdStrike stopped everything. “The failures cascaded as dependent systems crashed, halting operations across multiple sectors." in ~tech
LetterCounter LinkThe article mentions that less than 1% of windows installations were affected, but I think the more important metric is what percent of people were affected. 1% of machines represents a far larger...The article mentions that less than 1% of windows installations were affected, but I think the more important metric is what percent of people were affected. 1% of machines represents a far larger number of people, as much critical infrastructure was impacted. For every one computer tied to a 911 call center, how many people could not receive timely medical care. Were there any deaths that happened as a result? What about the hospitals impacted? Was patient care impacted long term?
If 1% of machines were affected, but these were core components in society, then CS needs to be held accountable for such a non-standard and negligent problem.
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Comment on Emacs Writing Studio — A comprehensive guide for writers seeking to streamline their workflow using Emacs in ~comp
LetterCounter LinkI looked through the Github version of the book because, while this does interest me, I had a bad feeling. Sure enough, chapter 3 (the first real chapter after both the introduction and why emacs...I looked through the Github version of the book because, while this does interest me, I had a bad feeling.
Sure enough, chapter 3 (the first real chapter after both the introduction and why emacs chapters) starts by info dumping about buffers, then moves on to several keyboard shortcuts using shortened terminology for each.
Sure, I can get behind "C" standing for "Control", but "M" standing for "Alt"? Then this paragragh, which got me to stop reading altogether:
Each modifier key has an abbreviation, as shown in table tab-modifier-keys. You can combine modifier keys, occasionally leading to awkward combinations, such as C-M-S-a (Control, Alt and Shift a), which requires the nimble fingers of a sleight-of-hand artist to execute smoothly. The shift modifier is usually not indicated because C-M-A is the same as C-M-S-a. The escape key can also act as a modifier key. Pressing escape once is the same as holding the meta key. So typing <esc>-x is the same as M-x.
Look, I consider myself a nerdy computer guy. So does most of my family. I know how to program, use game engines, and can adapt to any software you throw at me. I work with ERP systems daily for a living.
But I can't for the life of me understand why someone would regress to the age of a text-based interface. Modern UI exists for a reason. While this book, and old-school purists, seem to think that modern word processors, research tools, and other applications get in the way of writers, there is something else that gets in the way too: learning how to be creative using tools written before UI design existed as a career.
Programmers are usually not the best at UI design. While they are great at designing systems, like emacs, I do not want to learn the entire mental shift that emacs would require, even if, somehow, it made me more efficient as a writer.
I'm not trying to be overly dramatic, but if the goal of this resource is to onboard existing writers into this ecosystem, I think it will fail. The promise is not attractive enough to justify the effort.
I do hope this guide is useful for others, I just can't see how it would work for me.
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Comment on Why do I get sick every time I visit my parents? in ~health
LetterCounter Link ParentDrinking water you think is contaiminated is a terrible idea. Send some to a lab for testing.Drinking water you think is contaiminated is a terrible idea. Send some to a lab for testing.
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Comment on US FTC bans fake online reviews, inflated social media influence; rule takes effect in October in ~tech
LetterCounter Link ParentThe fine is per instance, so I do wonder if anything could actually change on a massive scale. It would take years for Amazon to clean up their site.The fine is per instance, so I do wonder if anything could actually change on a massive scale. It would take years for Amazon to clean up their site.
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Comment on US FTC bans fake online reviews, inflated social media influence; rule takes effect in October in ~tech
LetterCounter (edited )LinkFake review are already illegal, according to the article. Nothing has stopped waves and waves of fake reviews, especially on Amazon. Nor has this stopped sellers from changing the product...-
Fake review are already illegal, according to the article. Nothing has stopped waves and waves of fake reviews, especially on Amazon. Nor has this stopped sellers from changing the product pictures, title, and description for well reviewed products, while keeping all the positive reviews. This is straight up fraud in my book. Seeing reviews on a hand vac that say, "this is the best dishcloth I ever bought" is infuriating.
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Who bears the burden of "proving" that reviews are AI generated or otherwise fraudulent? Who will actually do that work? One would imagine that the FTC takes on this burden by passing thus ruling, but I imagine their plate is already quite full. Unless they set up a division and start issuing fines left and right, sellers will blame third parties and say they didn't know any better.
I hope this changes the landscape for online selling, but I fear it's too little, too late. It's 2024, these laws should have been brought forward and enforced from day 1 of the internet.
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Comment on Godot 4.3 release - A shared effort in ~games
LetterCounter LinkUnity's mistake has been nothing but positive for Godot. I didn't even know about Godot until then. A viable 3D and 2D alternative to Unity and Unreal is a requirement if we want to see the...Unity's mistake has been nothing but positive for Godot. I didn't even know about Godot until then. A viable 3D and 2D alternative to Unity and Unreal is a requirement if we want to see the industry move forward in a way that benefits game devs of all kinds.
Unity and Unreal hold so much control over the industry and take advantage of their customers because they can. Godot is beginning to change that and I can't wait to see what comes next.
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Comment on Disney+, Hulu, Max bundle now available in ~tv
LetterCounter LinkThe fact that there is no 4k option is a deal breaker for me.The fact that there is no 4k option is a deal breaker for me.
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Comment on Pride Month at Tildes: #5 - Ask almost anything in ~lgbt
LetterCounter Link ParentI'll check it out, thanks! Your last sentence seems to resonate a lot with me, and it puts into words a feeling I've had for a while. I'm not certain what that outcome may be yet, but I feel like...I'll check it out, thanks!
Your last sentence seems to resonate a lot with me, and it puts into words a feeling I've had for a while. I'm not certain what that outcome may be yet, but I feel like I'm increasingly curious about it.
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Comment on ‘Story Of Your Life’ is not a time-travel story (2018) in ~books
LetterCounter Link ParentI'll be the outlier then! I really enjoyed both, but view them as two separate works that express similar themes. I could not choose which I like better.I'll be the outlier then! I really enjoyed both, but view them as two separate works that express similar themes.
I could not choose which I like better.
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Comment on Pride Month at Tildes: #5 - Ask almost anything in ~lgbt
LetterCounter LinkThis is probably way too personal here, but I'm a seemingly straight man in a heterosexual relationship. In the past decade, I've left religion and been in the process of deconstructing my...This is probably way too personal here, but I'm a seemingly straight man in a heterosexual relationship.
In the past decade, I've left religion and been in the process of deconstructing my previous faith, but I find myself continuing to hold biases and "instinctual" reactions when it comes to analyzing my own sexuality.
In short, even from childhood, I've felt that I don't conform to male stereotypes. Though I'm a very masculine presenting adult in my mid-30s, I have noticed less resistance to the idea that I might not be fully straight.
What resources would help as I look to explore the possibility that my straightness and gender expression are perhaps more conditioned than core to who I am?
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Comment on Louisiana lawmakers approve surgical castration option for those guilty of sex crimes against kids in ~news
LetterCounter LinkI do not have any sympathy for sex offenders. However, violating one person's body because they violated someone else's feels like revenge, not justice. Can we as a society please step back and...I do not have any sympathy for sex offenders. However, violating one person's body because they violated someone else's feels like revenge, not justice.
Can we as a society please step back and think about what the point of the justice system actually is? Violating someone's body can only be done once you sufficiently dehumanized them.
I don't claim to have the right answer, but given the rate of false convictions, the death penalty and other permanent punishments like castration, seem to punish a large number of innocent people just to punish the actually guilty.
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Comment on Games where the campaign serves as the tutorial? in ~games
LetterCounter Link ParentTitanfall 2 is also a great example of one game that is a tutorial of another (Apex Legends). For me I tried Apex when it was first released and was terrible. Only after playing Titanfall 2 did...Titanfall 2 is also a great example of one game that is a tutorial of another (Apex Legends). For me I tried Apex when it was first released and was terrible.
Only after playing Titanfall 2 did something click for me and I was able to return to Apex and start getting better.
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Comment on Why the pandemic probably started in a lab, in five key points in ~science
LetterCounter Link ParentI appreciate your feedback on what I said, and I too understand where you're coming from. I agree that assertions can be the starting point for the beginning of inquiry. However, that's not the...I appreciate your feedback on what I said, and I too understand where you're coming from.
I agree that assertions can be the starting point for the beginning of inquiry. However, that's not the kind I'm talking about and I should have clarified. Many people, especially conspiracy theorists, do not care about the scientific method, nor are they willing to reject their assertions when presented with evidence that contradicts it. Instead they twist what they can, ignore what they can't explain, and turn to personal attacks and accusations of collusion when they are backed into a corner.
My point is that even if something that started as an assertion without evidence is later discovered to be true, the people claiming it to be true had no evidence at the time, and we're therefore lying if they told people that it was true.
There is a huge difference between saying "I think something could be true, so I will look for evidence to confirm or reject that assertion" and saying "this thing is true, and any doubters are in a league against me just because they ask for evidence I can't provide".
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Comment on Why the pandemic probably started in a lab, in five key points in ~science
LetterCounter LinkAssertion without evidence is a lie, even if it turns out to be true in the end. This is how conspiracy theories have always started. Assertion without evidence where someone comes after the...Assertion without evidence is a lie, even if it turns out to be true in the end.
This is how conspiracy theories have always started. Assertion without evidence where someone comes after the assertion to string together various points of data that fit.
I define cancellation as a process of removing a public figure from the public's attention. It typically, if not always, has three stages.
Stage #1: Awareness
Something a public figure has said or done becomes public knowledge. This usually happens due to investigative journalism, the public testimony of one or more witnesses to the speech or action, or a legal action taken by a local or federal agency: aka an arrest. At least one of the three must be present, but all three could happen at the same time or in combination.
Stage #2: Withdrawal of public support
While maybe not the best title, I would categorize the following things under this heading: loss of brand deals, loss of access to media distribution channels such as YouTube, cancellation of in-progress projects by partners, firing from employer or sponsor, and other visible, public, and primarily financial sources of support.
Stage #3: Loss of private support
Usually happens more quickly dependent on the severity of the speech or actions taken, hastened by widely-distributed evidence and proof of bad intent or poor excuses and/or lack of sufficient apologies. This 3rd stage happens internally within the public figure's fan base and is largely a product of each fan's moral compass compared to the degree to which the actions cross the line for them. Peer pressure definitely plays a role here as well when respected fellow fans publicly denounce the public figure.
Additional Notes
Awareness is always a pre-requisite to cancellation, and withdrawal of public and/or private support happens at a variable rate compared to severity.
Public and private support are always tied together, and if the private support continues despite the speech or actions, then public support will only shrink or change hands.
Since public support is generally financial, any loyal fans who are still willing to pay are prime real estate for new or old public support structures to exploit.
No one is truly cancelled who has a supportive fan base after public criticism.
There are ways to mitigate cancellation, once awareness has begun, but if allegations are true or mostly true, public and private support will generally shrink, as casual fans move their attention to someone less troublesome.
In some cases, it must be noted that cancellation is an utterly inappropriate term to use. Specifically when the awareness of speech or actions that would normally cause cancellation brings in even more public or private support because there are enough people and partners who discover the individual because of the extra momentary attention and wish to begin or continue their support because of their newfound awareness.
In this case, it is not cancellation, it is a likely unintentional marketing campaign.