Matthias720's recent activity
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Comment on When did you realize you were different? in ~talk
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Comment on What anime scenes are most memorable to you? in ~anime
Matthias720 Link ParentThat's a good choice. Also: "Ed-ward...." :'(That's a good choice. Also: "Ed-ward...." :'(
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Comment on When did you realize you were different? in ~talk
Matthias720 LinkSecond grade. My parents had raised me on adult-level English; no baby talk whatsoever. My second grade teacher, who had previously taught sixth grade, told my parents that my vocabulary was...Second grade.
My parents had raised me on adult-level English; no baby talk whatsoever. My second grade teacher, who had previously taught sixth grade, told my parents that my vocabulary was beyond her ability to quantify. That was likely why that, while my classmates were mostly still learning how to read more than simple sentences, I was already on chapter books. That one parent-teacher conference unintentionally framed the next 10-15 years of my life
I struggled to find people my own age that I could relate to. I could converse easily with people old enough to be my grandparents, or would be seen as cool by those younger than me, because I would stop and actually listen to them. However, looking back now, I can count on one hand the number of people my own age I could really consider to be a true friend, and I'm fortunate to still be in contact with my best friend from school.
Now, just because I could easily talk to adults that doesn't mean that all academics were a walk in the park, far from it. But, I believe that because my parents instilled in me a love of knowledge and learning, that was what made me too "different" for my peers. I mean, I read the dictionary and encyclopedia for fun; not many kids I knew did that.
One particular instance stands out from (if I remember correctly) fifth grade. One of my classmates, in a moment of frustration, asked me "Man, what do you gotta use such big words for?" I could only shrug and say something like "This is just how I talk." It wasn't just the way I spoke, but I hadn't realized that some of my peers couldn't actually understand a portion of what I was saying.
In the end though, I don't regret the way I was raised. Sure, I was one of the more lonely kids, but I still managed to make friends here and there. I can look back on my childhood and say with certainty that whatever I lost was more than made up for by the things I managed to learn as a kid by truly listening to the adults in my life.
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Comment on What are some good, non-microtransaction riddled mobile games? in ~games
Matthias720 Link ParentSimon Tatham's puzzles has been a staple on my mobile devices since the days of the Palm Pilot. Simple and straightforward, with no frills whatsoever. Purely puzzles. Also available for PC.Simon Tatham's puzzles has been a staple on my mobile devices since the days of the Palm Pilot. Simple and straightforward, with no frills whatsoever. Purely puzzles. Also available for PC.
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Comment on What are some good, non-microtransaction riddled mobile games? in ~games
Matthias720 LinkCrying Suns It's a sci-fi space roguelike with tactical grid-based combat. Only available on tablet, if I recall. Lots of different play styles supported, with several factions to unlock. 4/5 starsCrying Suns
It's a sci-fi space roguelike with tactical grid-based combat. Only available on tablet, if I recall. Lots of different play styles supported, with several factions to unlock. 4/5 stars
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Comment on Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte turns twenty, beloved by millions and despised by some in ~food
Matthias720 Link ParentFor me, I don't like pretty much anything pumpkin spice. It does absolutely nothing for me. While I don't hate it, I do find myself very annoyed with the constant seasonal advertisements for...For me, I don't like pretty much anything pumpkin spice. It does absolutely nothing for me. While I don't hate it, I do find myself very annoyed with the constant seasonal advertisements for pumpkin spice this, or seasonal pumpkin spice that crowding out most of the other other normal products. For me, it's like commercials for local car dealerships; some are just okay, while others are "where's the remote I need to change the channel". I would be way more indifferent about pumpkin spice if I didn't feel like it demanded so much of my attention, despite me not caring for it in the slightest.
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Comment on What's your favorite episode from Avatar: The Last Airbender? in ~tv
Matthias720 LinkEvery episode except The Great Divide. Such a disappointment!Every episode except The Great Divide. Such a disappointment!
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Comment on Language is a poor heuristic for intelligence in ~comp
Matthias720 Link ParentIf you look the history of AI, you'll see that repeated frequently, even back in the early days. It was supposed that computers would be able to easily analyze pictures to distinguish the contents...If you look the history of AI, you'll see that repeated frequently, even back in the early days. It was supposed that computers would be able to easily analyze pictures to distinguish the contents of an image. However, this has only been a realized technology since after the turn of the millennium, as it isn't as easy as early computer scientists thought it would be. They hadn't realized how hard the thing they wanted to do was until they actually tried to do it. In that same way, as modern computer science advances, each hurdle crossed only expands our understanding of just how much we don't know. Sure, technology like ChatGPT would have been considered magic 100 years ago, but it still doesn't equate to anything close to what the human brain is capable of. It is a steadily advancing field though, and surely we will reach true AI some day.
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Comment on The coming enshittification of US public libraries in ~books
Matthias720 Link ParentI see why you are saying what you are, but I have to disagree on one point in particular. Public libraries do not inherently produce secular and intelligent people. I have worked for over five...- Exemplary
I see why you are saying what you are, but I have to disagree on one point in particular. Public libraries do not inherently produce secular and intelligent people. I have worked for over five years in a public library shelving materials, and I have heard and seen things that have lead me to the conclusion that the public library is a tool that is only as good as the person who wields it.
I can walk into a library and find books that do not reflect facts or reality. "Then why are they in the library?" you might ask. Because there is a public demand for it. Librarians are not and should not be the arbiters of what is factually correct; they are there to help people find the answers they are looking for, and those answers aren't always right. I've heard it said, and I agree, if you don't find something offensive at your local library then it isn't a good library. Discourse only happens when opposing ideas are introduced.
Speaking only of my own library, I have seen books promoting unproven health fads, "medical" treatments that are more snake oil than anything else. various political pundits' pet theories on why the world is terrible, self-help books like The Secret which promote some truly out there claims about how reality works, and books about extra terrestrials from the 80's that still circulate for some reason. I find all of these to be incorrect and inaccurate, but I know why we have them. In the same way that there are books in the collection that I love, I acknowledge that there's likely at least one person out there would probably find fault with them. They have as much right to read what they want to as I have to read what I want. People are people, and people make mistakes.
I get what you're going for, and I feel you, but public libraries aren't going to fix society by simply existing. Public libraries are simply the starting point for societal change. Get the tools that you need from your local library and use them to teach the people around you. So yes, get out there and lobby for your libraries. Get them all the funding they can. And most importantly, USE your library. Funding is based on things like circulation numbers, program attendance statistics, and daily visitors counts. The more you use your library, the more it will grow.
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Comment on Icono: A universal language that shows what it says in ~humanities.languages
Matthias720 Link ParentWell, looking at some of the proposed pictograms they seem pretty straightforward, at least until two or three start getting strung together. That's where my brain starts to get a bit wobbly.Well, looking at some of the proposed pictograms they seem pretty straightforward, at least until two or three start getting strung together. That's where my brain starts to get a bit wobbly.
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Comment on Three Cheers for Tildes (Android version) is open for alpha testing on the Google Play Store in ~tildes
Matthias720 LinkYo! I have been waiting for this to happen and it finally has! I'm super stoked to see this come to fruition, and I am excited to see how even this basic alpha will improve my community...Yo! I have been waiting for this to happen and it finally has! I'm super stoked to see this come to fruition, and I am excited to see how even this basic alpha will improve my community interaction. Thank you SO much!
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Comment on Icono: A universal language that shows what it says in ~humanities.languages
Matthias720 LinkInteresting concept, though I'm not sure my letter-focused brain could switch to reading pictograms.Interesting concept, though I'm not sure my letter-focused brain could switch to reading pictograms.
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Comment on The ESRB wants to start using facial recognition to check people's ages in ~games
Matthias720 LinkYet another invasion of privacy that seems entirely motivated on removing the average person's ability to just live their life. At this point, I'm waiting to hear that I'm only allowed to buy...Yet another invasion of privacy that seems entirely motivated on removing the average person's ability to just live their life. At this point, I'm waiting to hear that I'm only allowed to buy brands X, Y, and Z. UGH!
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Comment on Edgedancer - By Brandon Sanderson - Discussion in ~books
Matthias720 LinkNale's realization of what he had become is moving, but the thing that really got me was Lift hugging him. He had been hunting her since page 1 and yet she found it within herself to treat him...- Exemplary
Nale's realization of what he had become is moving, but the thing that really got me was Lift hugging him. He had been hunting her since page 1 and yet she found it within herself to treat him compassionately. We need more of that the world, in general, but these days especially..
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Comment on What are some hilarious moments you have experienced in games? in ~games
Matthias720 LinkWhile playing the prologue for Shadows Over Loathing for the first time, I encountered a farmer named Chekov who was getting ready to move out of his house. As you poke around the place, you see a...While playing the prologue for Shadows Over Loathing for the first time, I encountered a farmer named Chekov who was getting ready to move out of his house. As you poke around the place, you see a rifle mounted over the fireplace. When you ask him about it, he tells you that it isn't for now, but for later (ie: Chekov's Gun). Now, I haven't finished the game yet, so I don't know if it comes back later, but regardless, the joke is hilarious!
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Comment on YouTube is testing a three-strikes policy for ad blocking in ~tech
Matthias720 Link ParentEverything you have said is correct and I won't dispute it. However, there is an element that must also be considered; the continued decrease in the quality of service that YouTube provides. Back...Everything you have said is correct and I won't dispute it. However, there is an element that must also be considered; the continued decrease in the quality of service that YouTube provides. Back in the days of yore, you'd watch an ad or two every few videos you watched. Now, it seems like you not only have ads before and after every video you watch, but also at least one or two in the middle, if the video is long enough. YouTube is following in the direct footsteps of cable TV, changing itself to generate more profit while undercutting the very premise that brought initial adopters to the platform in the first place. Is it wrong for YouTube to do this? No. Will it tick off many of their users? Yes. Are these people justified in bypassing the parts they don't like? Well, that's the key question, alongside whether enough people will be upset by this to hurt YouTube's bottom line. I'd wager the bean-counters have crunched the numbers and decided that there is more money to be gained by going in this direction.
Again though, there's something to be said about the decrease in YouTube's overall quality. As Gabe Newell stated:
“One thing that we have learned is that piracy is not a pricing issue. It’s a service issue,” explained Newell during his time on stage at the Washington Technology Industry Association's (WTIA) Tech NW conference. “The easiest way to stop piracy is not by putting antipiracy technology to work. It’s by giving those people a service that’s better than what they’re receiving from the pirates.”
I think this quote encapsulates the core of why the majority of people who ad block on YouTube do so; it's not because they're gleefully "sticking it to the man" or simply "looking out for number one", but rather they feel as though there are unnecessary obstacles being placed between them and the videos they want to watch. There's no real control over how your YouTube experience is monetized. I don't believe I can truly select to not see automotive ads, political ads, or ads for anything that I don't want or care about. Speaking personally, if I'm trying to fall asleep to an ASMR video, only to be jolted awake by a super loud ad, I feel a certain level of justification for resenting the current YouTube monetization system.
In the end, the real issue is that someone high up in YouTube or Google decided that a sacrifice in service quality was worth alienating a portion of their userbase. So, it's obvious that those people would be mad about this. Perhaps this is the time to call out the corporation for dictating the terms without offering any kind of reasonable alternative solution with any level of transparency.
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Comment on Minecraft Wiki strongly considering moving away from Fandom in ~games
Matthias720 Link ParentThe Homestar Runner Wiki is one of the most extensive I've ever seen. The wiki is so good, that the creators themselves have used it for things they have forgotten, and even made references to it...The Homestar Runner Wiki is one of the most extensive I've ever seen. The wiki is so good, that the creators themselves have used it for things they have forgotten, and even made references to it in official content. Also, a friend of mine, who is blind, is able to partake in the fandom due to how good the descriptions and transcription are. You just don't see that level of commitment to detail very much, and especially not from anything on Fandom.
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Comment on What game(s) do you love that you never see brought up in conversation? in ~games
Matthias720 Link ParentOh man! Awesomenauts is a gem that got mined part way out of the rock but was never fully excavated. Really takes the core concepts of the MOBA and makes it something that is just fun. Though I...Oh man! Awesomenauts is a gem that got mined part way out of the rock but was never fully excavated. Really takes the core concepts of the MOBA and makes it something that is just fun. Though I can't really talk, as I have variously mained Yuri, Scoop, Skree, and Yoolip, so my variety of "fun" iis generally making the other team miserable. I think my favorite memory of the game has to be ending up solo-queuing against SlowWolf, Weazel, and FourCourtJester (I hope I spelled those correctly), three well-known (at the time) members of the Awesomenauts community. My team got trounced, but the experience was a ton of fun!
Last thing I'll bring up is that the OST still rocks, even today. Each character theme, killing spree, and level song has so much personality to it, that I'll sometimes just put the whole thing on shuffle while I do whatever. My favorite track is One Happy Galaxy, for what it's worth.
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Comment on Have you or anyone in your family ever won anything? in ~talk
Matthias720 LinkI have won a couple of small contests. I got a t-shirt from a now-defunct web store (Game Music Bundle), and I won a satchel and pen from a contest Rubik's (as in Cube). Nothing too flashy, but...I have won a couple of small contests. I got a t-shirt from a now-defunct web store (Game Music Bundle), and I won a satchel and pen from a contest Rubik's (as in Cube). Nothing too flashy, but fun nonetheless!
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Comment on Google seems to be running OCR on photos in my Gmail. Is this happening to you too? in ~tech
Matthias720 Link ParentAgreed. But knowing Google, they'd likely do it anyway, without consent.Agreed. But knowing Google, they'd likely do it anyway, without consent.
Sounds like you managed to find a way to utilize your abilities to your advantage. I had a different experience, as my parents pulled me out of the school system so they could better focus on my academic strengths and weaknesses via homeschooling. Now, make of homeschooling as a whole as you will, but my overall experiences were positive, and I think I did better at home than I would have done in public school. Plus, we we're itching to get away from the school district anyway. They were, and still are, utterly incompetent. As an example, they literally misspelled by dad's name on official school-related mail until just before we withdrew from the system. I don't trust them 20+ years later. Glad you had it better though. Mutual respect sounds nice. I admit I'm a little jealous of it.