Octofox's recent activity
-
Comment on Reddit moderators will now have to submit a request to switch their subreddit from public to private in ~tech
-
Comment on You should own your games in ~games
Octofox Link ParentThese service games can’t really be meaningfully preserved though. They require servers, a stream of new content, and a large player base. Even if you could get the game and the servers running...These service games can’t really be meaningfully preserved though. They require servers, a stream of new content, and a large player base.
Even if you could get the game and the servers running yourself, it’ll never be the same as if you were playing it in the moment with everyone.
-
Comment on I am sick of "providing feedback" in ~life
Octofox Link ParentLarge corporations genuinely use this feedback as well. Especially for tech, there is very little way to see what people are frustrated by other than just asking them. I work at a medium size tech...Large corporations genuinely use this feedback as well. Especially for tech, there is very little way to see what people are frustrated by other than just asking them.
I work at a medium size tech company and the number of users who had the same complaint is used all the time when prioritising work. “7 users reported the dashboard as being slow” puts it on the list of work to do this sprint rather than something we might get to one day.
-
Comment on 'I was misidentified as shoplifter by facial recognition tech' in ~tech
Octofox Link ParentYou wouldn’t get away with that in Australia.You wouldn’t get away with that in Australia.
-
Comment on 'I was misidentified as shoplifter by facial recognition tech' in ~tech
Octofox Link ParentIs it a lack of training data, or is it just the way light works. Security camera video usually looks pretty poor to begin with, skin tones that reflect less light are going to have less...Is it a lack of training data, or is it just the way light works. Security camera video usually looks pretty poor to begin with, skin tones that reflect less light are going to have less distinguishable features or contrast.
-
Comment on One in four school-starters in England and Wales not toilet-trained, say teachers in ~life
Octofox Link ParentI’ve caught myself doing something similar. I was drawing on paper and instinctively two finger tapped the paper which is the Procreate undo gesture. Makes me wonder if the kids just had a quick...I’ve caught myself doing something similar. I was drawing on paper and instinctively two finger tapped the paper which is the Procreate undo gesture. Makes me wonder if the kids just had a quick “whoops” moment or if they sat there for minutes swiping and getting confused.
-
Comment on Inside Apple Arcade: axed games, declining payouts, disillusioned studios – and an uncertain future in ~games
Octofox Link ParentYeah I tried Apple Arcade and felt the same. This didn’t feel like when you’d pay $8 and get fruit ninja or angry birds. It just felt forced somehow. The games just weren’t fun in a way that’s...Yeah I tried Apple Arcade and felt the same. This didn’t feel like when you’d pay $8 and get fruit ninja or angry birds. It just felt forced somehow. The games just weren’t fun in a way that’s hard to explain.
-
Comment on Those free USB sticks in your drawer are somehow crappier than you thought in ~comp
Octofox Link ParentI’ve no doubt people do this, but I think it’s best to treat them all as junk and always have backups. Then it doesn’t matter if the drive dies or gets lost.I’ve no doubt people do this, but I think it’s best to treat them all as junk and always have backups. Then it doesn’t matter if the drive dies or gets lost.
-
Comment on Those free USB sticks in your drawer are somehow crappier than you thought in ~comp
Octofox Link ParentHave they? Back in the day windows would literally automatically execute a binary the instant you plugged a USB in. These days to replicate something similar you’d have to exploit a known bug in...risks of malware-infected thumb drives have only increased since then
Have they? Back in the day windows would literally automatically execute a binary the instant you plugged a USB in. These days to replicate something similar you’d have to exploit a known bug in the OS. And those are worth so much that it’s almost impossible the average user would ever encounter that kind of attack.
Computing in general seems to be getting consistently more secure every year.
-
Comment on Those free USB sticks in your drawer are somehow crappier than you thought in ~comp
Octofox Link ParentI feel like for most use cases you just don’t need a reliable USB stick. Personally the only use I’ve had for them for a while is loading files on to machines like a 3D printer or playing a video...I feel like for most use cases you just don’t need a reliable USB stick. Personally the only use I’ve had for them for a while is loading files on to machines like a 3D printer or playing a video on a TV where it doesn’t matter if they break. Even if you had a super reliable one, you can still physically lose it.
The only case I can imagine where it matters is something like live recording video to a portable SSD where you really don’t want it to fail before you get home and back it up.
-
Comment on <deleted topic> in ~tech
Octofox LinkEnshitification seems to only really affect free or unsustainable services. It’s the end of the line for “we will grow first and work out a profit model later” There are quite a lot of things...Enshitification seems to only really affect free or unsustainable services. It’s the end of the line for “we will grow first and work out a profit model later”
There are quite a lot of things which have always been sustainable from the start which have only got better over the years. Some personal examples I use being Steam, Google Drive/docs, and iOS.
-
Comment on US grocery stores should cut prices as costs ease, Joe Biden White House says in ~food
Octofox Link ParentIt would seem that way. Restaurants are notoriously risky businesses that very often shut down from financial trouble.It would seem that way. Restaurants are notoriously risky businesses that very often shut down from financial trouble.
-
Comment on US grocery stores should cut prices as costs ease, Joe Biden White House says in ~food
Octofox Link ParentThere was a time where avocados were reasonably expensive in Australia. Then all the farmers planted a bunch of trees to cash in on it. Now they are so overproduced that they are dirt cheap in...There was a time where avocados were reasonably expensive in Australia. Then all the farmers planted a bunch of trees to cash in on it. Now they are so overproduced that they are dirt cheap in supermarkets.
-
Comment on Bluesky Social is now open to the public in ~tech
Octofox Link ParentUsually the throwaway numbers are detectable and just get rejected by the platform. The easiest way to get new numbers is to just buy a month of an eSIM plan and sign up. But when it costs $10...Usually the throwaway numbers are detectable and just get rejected by the platform. The easiest way to get new numbers is to just buy a month of an eSIM plan and sign up. But when it costs $10 every time you want to troll someone, the trolling stops pretty soon.
-
Comment on Bluesky Social is now open to the public in ~tech
Octofox (edited )Link ParentThe lack of instances makes it work much better. You just sign up like a normal account. You don't have to find an instance that has signups open. You don't have any drama about instances shutting...The lack of instances makes it work much better. You just sign up like a normal account. You don't have to find an instance that has signups open. You don't have any drama about instances shutting down or having unhinged admins.
Realistically I don't see the benefit in having all social media connected up in one homogeneous blob. I'm perfectly happy to visit different sites/apps for different kinds of content and discussion. I don't need to subscribe to hacker news threads through the same app I share art on. Or see twitter arguments next to serious discussion.
-
Comment on Bluesky Social is now open to the public in ~tech
Octofox Link ParentPhone number requirements are basically required for social media these days. If you don't collect a phone number, bans and blocks are entirely useless. Realistically, if you are that concerned...Phone number requirements are basically required for social media these days. If you don't collect a phone number, bans and blocks are entirely useless.
Realistically, if you are that concerned about your privacy, a public social media account probably isn't what you want anyway.
-
Comment on An instant fake ID factory - An underground website called OnlyFake is claiming to use “neural networks” to generate realistic looking photos of fake IDs for just $15 in ~tech
Octofox Link ParentI’d be surprised if they don’t have a system that actually verifies the ID details with a government database.I’d be surprised if they don’t have a system that actually verifies the ID details with a government database.
-
Comment on Why do recipe writers lie about how long it takes to caramelize onions? in ~food
Octofox Link ParentSeems like there is quite a lot of entertainment media that’s means to feel educational or useful. People who want to watch cooking or DIY videos but don’t actually care about following along. So...Seems like there is quite a lot of entertainment media that’s means to feel educational or useful. People who want to watch cooking or DIY videos but don’t actually care about following along.
So it’s just easier and more effective to make up fake content for them.
-
Comment on Why we can’t build family-sized apartments in North America in ~design
Octofox LinkI’m not convinced that central hallways and fire escape stairs are to blame. I’ve seen plenty of 3-4 bedroom layouts with this central hallway design. They just wrap around the corner or even two...I’m not convinced that central hallways and fire escape stairs are to blame. I’ve seen plenty of 3-4 bedroom layouts with this central hallway design. They just wrap around the corner or even two corners.
I’m not familiar with the US market but the article diagrams look exactly like Australian builds as well. From what I see, family sized apartments do exist, the problem is they cost exactly the same as a house further out. And when given the option, most buyers end up buying the house over the apartment.
Australia and the US are similar in that land is not really that constrained. It only becomes constrained if you want to live really inner city which just tends to be younger people who like to socialise a lot. So not the family house buyer type. People also seem to have this idea that apartments should be much cheaper than houses, but the reality is they cost a lot more to build so you are only saving on the land component. And if you are willing to live further out, the land component isn’t that much.
-
Comment on Elon Musk's Neuralink implants brain chip in first human in ~health
Octofox Link ParentOr when most of the workforce has it and unless you have a chip in your brain, you can’t possibly compete with people that do.Or when most of the workforce has it and unless you have a chip in your brain, you can’t possibly compete with people that do.
Reddit seems to have done fine lately. There are enough people willing to do it for free.
Though I have noticed that most reports actually get handled by paid moderators from Reddit. Anything related to hate/harrassment/illegal content goes to paid Reddit staff, while sub mods seem to be mostly there to maintain content quality and character now.