Octofox's recent activity
-
Comment on Commodore Callback flip phone in ~tech
-
Comment on Commodore Callback flip phone in ~tech
Octofox Link ParentPeople used to call each other to communicate that kind of thing. I think we lost something important when people stopped talking to each other.People used to call each other to communicate that kind of thing. I think we lost something important when people stopped talking to each other.
-
Comment on Commodore Callback flip phone in ~tech
Octofox Link ParentThis is exactly the kind of communication I'm fine with being laptop only. When I'm out of the house I need time critical messages from my friends/family only. When I'm at home on my laptop I have...This is exactly the kind of communication I'm fine with being laptop only. When I'm out of the house I need time critical messages from my friends/family only. When I'm at home on my laptop I have time to discuss things with strangers on forums.
This product might not appeal to you, but I quite like the idea of a phone that lets me do the stuff I absolutely need like call my friends or book an uber, but removes everything I don't need.
-
Comment on Commodore Callback flip phone in ~tech
Octofox Link ParentDoes anyone actually communicate on Twitter or Instagram? Maybe in the old days but now I just see people scrolling mindless short form video and ragebait political posts. People communicate on...Does anyone actually communicate on Twitter or Instagram? Maybe in the old days but now I just see people scrolling mindless short form video and ragebait political posts. People communicate on instant messaging apps now.
-
Comment on So I fell for a phishing in ~comp
Octofox Link ParentThis is a big part of why tech companies have been pushing Passkeys, they physically prevent you from falling for phishing attacks.This is a big part of why tech companies have been pushing Passkeys, they physically prevent you from falling for phishing attacks.
-
Comment on Smartphones arrived just before the US fertility rate plunged. One study says it’s a direct cause. in ~health
Octofox Link ParentI think it's probably easy entertainment + freedom of choice. Previously you had the whole of society and your family nagging you endlessly if you didn't have kids and it was just seen as the...I think it's probably easy entertainment + freedom of choice. Previously you had the whole of society and your family nagging you endlessly if you didn't have kids and it was just seen as the thing you had to do like getting a job and moving out of your parents house. Now no one nags you, you have plenty of other things to do, and not having kids means you get to live the good life with a better house and more holidays.
The other stuff like economic situation probably doesn't help but I feel like it's a minor part compared to the uncomfortable primary reasons.
-
Comment on Smartphones arrived just before the US fertility rate plunged. One study says it’s a direct cause. in ~health
Octofox Link ParentThe problem is the demographic imbalance is going to create serious issues for society. When there are far more old people requiring care than there are young people working, all welfare systems...The problem is the demographic imbalance is going to create serious issues for society. When there are far more old people requiring care than there are young people working, all welfare systems and the economy implode. And it's not an issue of just the current economic system or capitalism, it's right down to the fundamentals, you can't have more people needing care than people to care for them. And all the money and investments in the world you saved up before retirement won't solve that.
If it was a very slow decline it would be perfectly manageable, but we are looking at an unstoppable plummet.
-
Comment on Smartphones arrived just before the US fertility rate plunged. One study says it’s a direct cause. in ~health
Octofox Link ParentI think these are both related. Social media exploded when you could access it all day everywhere in an instant. We simply couldn't have had these levels of scrolling if you had to use your laptop.social media really exploded at the same time that the iPhone launched
I think these are both related. Social media exploded when you could access it all day everywhere in an instant. We simply couldn't have had these levels of scrolling if you had to use your laptop.
-
Comment on Arch User Repository compromised, 1500+ packages affected in ~tech
Octofox Link ParentIt looks like this exploit wasn't particularly complex, the AUR just lets anyone take over a package without active maintainers. Someone, perhaps with a simple script could have taken over all...It looks like this exploit wasn't particularly complex, the AUR just lets anyone take over a package without active maintainers. Someone, perhaps with a simple script could have taken over all these inactive packages and automated adding the malware dependency to them.
-
Comment on Arch User Repository compromised, 1500+ packages affected in ~tech
Octofox Link ParentWe need secure OS design that protects the users important data even in the case of malicious software running. Sandboxing applications is absolutely essential. Currently the security model of...We need secure OS design that protects the users important data even in the case of malicious software running. Sandboxing applications is absolutely essential.
Currently the security model of Linux relies on the user auditing every line of code running on their computer, which is impossible so no one does it.
-
Comment on Arch User Repository compromised, 1500+ packages affected in ~tech
Octofox Link ParentIt’s larger than just the AUR, the way the average person uses Linux is deeply insecure, half the projects advise you to pipe curl to bash to install. Distros are built on a security model which...It’s larger than just the AUR, the way the average person uses Linux is deeply insecure, half the projects advise you to pipe curl to bash to install. Distros are built on a security model which hasn’t been useful since the 90s.
Really the advice should be to stay away from the AUR because it’s fundamentally insecure, rather than telling people to review every build script which people just won’t do.
If Linux distros want to be actually secure in the modern day they need to assume the user isn’t auditing every line of code they run and should contain malware so it doesn’t have the ability to steal data from other apps.
-
Comment on Arch User Repository compromised, 1500+ packages affected in ~tech
Octofox LinkI’ve long since been bothered by these blame deflections in the tech world. No one is reading the source for everything they install the same way no one is reading the full terms and conditions...- Exemplary
The only secure way to use the Arch User Repository is by reviewing every PKGBUILD.
I’ve long since been bothered by these blame deflections in the tech world. No one is reading the source for everything they install the same way no one is reading the full terms and conditions for every service they use. But whenever something goes wrong the blame deflection happens and it’s the users fault for not doing the impossible to avoid it.
Realistically we need systematic protections and checks rather than loading all the responsibility on to the user. Programs should be sandboxed as much as possible, all package maintainers should require checks and 2FA, etc. Programs should be given secure storage vaults they can drop things like auth tokens in where other programs can’t read them.
-
Comment on The boy that cried Mythos in ~comp
Octofox Link ParentPossibly if some higher level abstraction becomes reliable enough. Similar to how binaries are disposable and rewritten constantly. Not that I think AI programming is at this level. But it’s not...Possibly if some higher level abstraction becomes reliable enough. Similar to how binaries are disposable and rewritten constantly.
Not that I think AI programming is at this level. But it’s not an unprecedented change for something we did by hand to become automatically generated.
-
Comment on Apple set to become third-biggest laptop maker this year in ~tech
Octofox Link ParentThe competition for laptops has also been shipping sub standard defective junk for so long that I basically expect a windows laptop to have the hinges snap, have problems sleeping, and multiple...The competition for laptops has also been shipping sub standard defective junk for so long that I basically expect a windows laptop to have the hinges snap, have problems sleeping, and multiple other defects. Meanwhile Apple has maintained an incredible level of polish and quality.
The Neo feels like they kept the quality exactly the same but just removed the extra stuff not everyone needs.
-
Comment on I don’t know if my software engineering job will still exist in ten years in ~comp
Octofox Link ParentYep, right now, high quality outputs rely on high quality steering. What I can get the tools to do is significantly better than what a non technical manager could get them to do. But who knows how...Yep, right now, high quality outputs rely on high quality steering. What I can get the tools to do is significantly better than what a non technical manager could get them to do.
But who knows how long that will be true for. It might always be true, it might not be true in a few years time. Impossible to make a call when everything depends on the development of something that doesn’t exist yet and might not even be possible.
-
Comment on I don’t know if my software engineering job will still exist in ten years in ~comp
Octofox Link ParentIt’s impossible to make predictions without knowing what the future developments are. If AI coding stuck as it is now then everything is quite safe if a little different. If it gets much better...It’s impossible to make predictions without knowing what the future developments are. If AI coding stuck as it is now then everything is quite safe if a little different. If it gets much better than it might be all over. It’s still too early to call.
-
Comment on Hot take: movies suck because there is no rental market in ~movies
Octofox Link ParentYou are pirating like the 2010s. I don’t watch tv or movies, but my housemates just use this TV app on the chromecast where you just search the name of what you want to watch and it will stream...You are pirating like the 2010s. I don’t watch tv or movies, but my housemates just use this TV app on the chromecast where you just search the name of what you want to watch and it will stream the torrent live without any messing around.
-
Comment on When the Swedish town of Kallinge discovered their drinking water contained extremely high levels of PFAS, they had no idea what it would mean for their health and their children's future in ~enviro
Octofox LinkI’ve been using a countertop reverse osmosis water filter. They are fairly affordable and proven effective for filtering PFAS as well as a ton of other things. No doubt there’s still plenty in...I’ve been using a countertop reverse osmosis water filter. They are fairly affordable and proven effective for filtering PFAS as well as a ton of other things.
No doubt there’s still plenty in food and other sources, but it seems like a no brainer to at least filter it from my water.
-
Comment on What are some words or usage that became more prominent in 2024, either in your life or in general? in ~talk
Octofox Link ParentCooked has been used for ages to refer to someone who’s brain has been cooked by drugs.Cooked has been used for ages to refer to someone who’s brain has been cooked by drugs.
-
Comment on What are some words or usage that became more prominent in 2024, either in your life or in general? in ~talk
Octofox Link ParentIt’s been diluted (enshitified?) to the point it gets used to mean a software product that costs money.It’s been diluted (enshitified?) to the point it gets used to mean a software product that costs money.
Maybe, but you can still call people and I've found none of my friends mind if it's time critical / somewhat important. Having access to IM apps means you can read incoming messages, and if you have a lot to say back and it can't wait until you get to a laptop, you have the option to call the person or leave a voice message