MimicSquid's recent activity
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Comment on AI is creating a generation of illiterate programmers in ~tech
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Comment on AI is creating a generation of illiterate programmers in ~tech
MimicSquid Among programmers, there was an trend of people wanting to talk in order to talk through a problem they had, but by the time they had laid out the problem clearly enough to get useful feedback...Among programmers, there was an trend of people wanting to talk in order to talk through a problem they had, but by the time they had laid out the problem clearly enough to get useful feedback from someone who didn't know anything about it they had solved the problem themselves. At about the same time, having various stylized rubber ducks around your cubicle was an amusing thing, and so "rubber ducking" was the process of using the rubber duck as the person you explain it to prior to roping in another living person who may not actually be necessary once you've properly defined the situation.
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Comment on Wayne June, famed narrator of the Darkest Dungeon games, has died in ~games
MimicSquid I'm sure there's some appropriate quote about death, but nothing is coming to mind.I'm sure there's some appropriate quote about death, but nothing is coming to mind.
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Comment on AI is creating a generation of illiterate programmers in ~tech
MimicSquid I would say that "robbing you of your ability to learn" is absolutely on the list. If you're used to asking a question and getting an answer without any fuss, you may not have the mental library...I would say that "robbing you of your ability to learn" is absolutely on the list. If you're used to asking a question and getting an answer without any fuss, you may not have the mental library of other resources to fall back on. And then you're finding yourself in the position of trusting a Google search to turn up something useful.
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Comment on AI is creating a generation of illiterate programmers in ~tech
MimicSquid Four years ago, the bookkeeping tools were only good at the simplest problems. They're better now. Whether the same timeframe will apply to software development or not, the general arc is the...Four years ago, the bookkeeping tools were only good at the simplest problems. They're better now. Whether the same timeframe will apply to software development or not, the general arc is the same. The fundamentals of training a skilled populace haven't failed... yet.
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Comment on AI is creating a generation of illiterate programmers in ~tech
MimicSquid Almost exactly 4 years ago here on Tildes, I was saying this about bookkeeping. As automation advances, the amount of training it takes a person to compete with an automated system continues to...Almost exactly 4 years ago here on Tildes, I was saying this about bookkeeping. As automation advances, the amount of training it takes a person to compete with an automated system continues to rise, until there's not enough useful lifespan for a worker to recoup the cost of the required education. Less than a decade ago, people were still saying to switch to being a programmer to have a good life, and now that's fading as an opportunity too. What hope do people have of making long term plans when everything is changing so quickly?
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Comment on Restaurants close across China in ~food
MimicSquid In older US cities there are still sandwich counter places now and again, but you're right that they're much more rare. They really flourish in places with really high population density, and the...In older US cities there are still sandwich counter places now and again, but you're right that they're much more rare. They really flourish in places with really high population density, and the US rarely qualifies.
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Comment on A surprising immigration raid in Kern County foreshadows what awaits farmworkers and businesses in ~society
MimicSquid Thank you for the thoughtful piercing of the "economic" argument. Fae put it well. It's not an argument that speaks to me, but it's the only one I can think of to reach "across the aisle". I don't...Thank you for the thoughtful piercing of the "economic" argument. Fae put it well. It's not an argument that speaks to me, but it's the only one I can think of to reach "across the aisle". I don't feel at all attacked, as my personal feelings are solidly in the bleeding heart camp. I laid out two arguments I think of as the core ones for immigration from the right and the left to skewer the idea that these sorts of raids are in the best interests of anyone who doesn't just want a minority to demonize and torture. Whether you care about them as people or care about them as cheap economic output, these raids are a bad choice.
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Comment on AI video editing helpers are changing my life in ~creative
MimicSquid If someone is using AI art, the possibility of them using AI in other ways is higher. If they're using AI to write the script, the likelihood of inaccuracies is higher than otherwise. Thus, AI art...If someone is using AI art, the possibility of them using AI in other ways is higher. If they're using AI to write the script, the likelihood of inaccuracies is higher than otherwise. Thus, AI art casts a shadow of doubt across the face of the whole production.
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Comment on China's new stealth aircraft - "J-36" and the challenge to US air power (with Justin Bronk) in ~misc
MimicSquid Funnily enough, his gaming content came first. He did what he thought at the time was going to be a one-shot commentary on Ukraine, and it blew up.Funnily enough, his gaming content came first. He did what he thought at the time was going to be a one-shot commentary on Ukraine, and it blew up.
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Comment on A beskirted trip to Ikea in ~life.men
MimicSquid I swear by linen clothing. I'm happier in cooler weather than anyone I share space with, and linen is absolutely the way to go.I swear by linen clothing. I'm happier in cooler weather than anyone I share space with, and linen is absolutely the way to go.
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Comment on China's new stealth aircraft - "J-36" and the challenge to US air power (with Justin Bronk) in ~misc
MimicSquid He works for the Australian military in some capacity. He's mentioned in a couple of his videos that he had to get permission to run the channel and give the presentations he does, and explicitly...He works for the Australian military in some capacity. He's mentioned in a couple of his videos that he had to get permission to run the channel and give the presentations he does, and explicitly made clear that he would never be able to comment on the Australian military beyond offhand comments about what is publicly known.
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Comment on Toyota reduces price of new hydrogen car in California to just over $15,000 — with $15,000 of free fuel in ~transport
MimicSquid I'm trying to be charitable, but I'm not sure you've thought through the distance between Australia and Japan? The cost for an undersea pipeline is currently $7.65 million/mile, and the distance...I'm trying to be charitable, but I'm not sure you've thought through the distance between Australia and Japan? The cost for an undersea pipeline is currently $7.65 million/mile, and the distance (in a straight line, not taking into account borders, islands, whatever) is 4,204 miles. That's a touch over 32 billion for the pipeline, assuming no other costs or difficulties. That could pay for a lot of new electrical generation infrastructure closer to home.
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Comment on A surprising immigration raid in Kern County foreshadows what awaits farmworkers and businesses in ~society
MimicSquid Benefiting from and having a vested interest in it being the way it is are not the same. There are various systems that would be better for them than the current system, so it's hard to say that...Benefiting from and having a vested interest in it being the way it is are not the same. There are various systems that would be better for them than the current system, so it's hard to say that this is the system that the immigrants have a vested interest in.
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Comment on A surprising immigration raid in Kern County foreshadows what awaits farmworkers and businesses in ~society
MimicSquid There's a lot of identification fraud that the employer isn't motivated to examine too closely. If someone shows up with an ID and social security number for the job, and you can enter those...There's a lot of identification fraud that the employer isn't motivated to examine too closely. If someone shows up with an ID and social security number for the job, and you can enter those documents into your system, that resolves your obligation as an employer. Maybe if you cared you could find out that "Robert Martinez" is actually retired and living in Maryland, but then you'd have to replace the new employee you just hired. And if you never look, you aren't knowingly breaking the law. And then if you are caught you can take a plea deal for way less than the cost of doing everything aboveboard, and carry on.
This is standard in construction and agriculture pretty much across the nation. Immigrants are the backbone of our economy, even when many people don't want to admit it.
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Comment on A surprising immigration raid in Kern County foreshadows what awaits farmworkers and businesses in ~society
MimicSquid I'm in California, and there's been work being done on the front of my office building by a number of very pleasant people who don't seem to speak much English. (hard nosed economic version) What...I'm in California, and there's been work being done on the front of my office building by a number of very pleasant people who don't seem to speak much English.
(hard nosed economic version) What is the point of deporting them? To have a labor pool even less capable of keeping up with demand? Wait times for construction work are already painful, and will only get worse as the rebuilding from the LA fires gets going. This hurts the workers, and it hurts the people who need workers. Why is the government getting in the way of the free market?
(bleeding heart moral version) What is the point of deporting them? To take their efforts to come to a better place and, in turn, make it better with their efforts and throw them in the trash? This wave of immigration, like so many waves before them, are bringing the strivers and dreamers of the world to our doorstep. To make America great is to accept all those who strive and dream of a better tomorrow, and raise them up as we were raised up. They should be ashamed.
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Comment on Supercentenarian and remarkable age records exhibit patterns indicative of clerical errors and pension fraud in ~health
MimicSquid It's ok. You did good.It's ok. You did good.
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Comment on Are LLMs making Stack Overflow irrelevant? in ~tech
MimicSquid Absolutely, you've put your finger on it. And it would have been better for the author to admit that there are no answers yet, rather than putting a fig leaf of unwarranted optimism over the warty...I don’t think our poor author has any solutions, because I’m not sure there are any. People, as in, a majority of questioners, will have to realize it for themselves for meaningful change to occur.
Absolutely, you've put your finger on it. And it would have been better for the author to admit that there are no answers yet, rather than putting a fig leaf of unwarranted optimism over the warty truth of the matter.
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Comment on Are LLMs making Stack Overflow irrelevant? in ~tech
MimicSquid The data is compelling, the conclusions basically absent. "How will we resolve the challenges of LLMs destroying the systems they're using to give good answers and the low-level jobs that lead to...The data is compelling, the conclusions basically absent. "How will we resolve the challenges of LLMs destroying the systems they're using to give good answers and the low-level jobs that lead to skilled people? Maybe they'll just get so good that we won't have to worry about it!"
No. Bad author! No cookie! Do you want to be replaced by an LLM? Because this is how you get replaced by an LLM.
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Comment on Considerations on rent control in ~finance
MimicSquid Rent control might help keep the price of housing from rising too much in that sort of situation.Rent control might help keep the price of housing from rising too much in that sort of situation.
I have a little teddy bear I was given as a kid that fills the same role. When I was working with my mother, she would often interrupt my tasks to talk through problems that she could have solved herself through rubber ducking. So I made a little sign that says "ask the bear" and stitched it to its paws. It sat on her desk for a number of years, helping her work through problems and also letting me get my work done. It's been my most steadfast coworker.