Oxalis's recent activity
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Comment on What kind of game is FBC: Firebreak? Preview for the first-person co-op sci-fi horror shooter from Remedy Entertainment. in ~games
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Comment on Libby on a phone -> Kindle Paperwhite without WiFi. Possible in ~comp
Oxalis Linkhttps://help.libbyapp.com/en-us/6059.htm?tocpath=Home%7CDevices%252C%20compatibility%252C%20and%20syncing%7C_____3 Kindle isn't listed as a supported device though:...Kindle isn't listed as a supported device though: https://helpx.adobe.com/digital-editions/kb/digital-editions-supported-devices.html
At this point, just checkout the book on the phone and then download the title from a shadow library. The library will still get the checkout data and in the end, you're still abiding by the limited-availability of the library system. Just be sure to delete the file when your lease ends.
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Comment on Refurbished Playdate for $179, new price at $229 after March 25th in ~games
Oxalis LinkI love the industrial and UI design of the little thing, the crank is cute, the existing games are quirky, the development challenge of making games for it (low CPU + large memory) makes it really...I love the industrial and UI design of the little thing, the crank is cute, the existing games are quirky, the development challenge of making games for it (low CPU + large memory) makes it really intriguing as a software developer, but damn I can't go back to a LCD handheld without a backlight.
It sucked with the gameboy and it still sucks now. If I got one, I'd probably only used it tethered to a PC running the screen mirroring feature.
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Comment on A history of the San Francisco bouncy ball TV ad in ~tv
Oxalis LinkI remember coming across this ad on one of those web 1.0 tastemaker blogs like boingboing/Colossal/NotCot. It's a kid's daydream come true in brilliant slow-motion with lots of little vignettes of...I remember coming across this ad on one of those web 1.0 tastemaker blogs like boingboing/Colossal/NotCot. It's a kid's daydream come true in brilliant slow-motion with lots of little vignettes of reaction from people, things, and critters.
It was also the first time I heard anything from The Knife (of course this is a cover, but I liked it enough to hunt out the original and buy the LP "Deep Cuts" on CD at my local mall)
Also worth checking out the other practical-effect orgy of color that Sony commissioned for the same campaign that "involved covering an apartment complex in Toryglen, Glasgow, Scotland with 70,000 liters of paint using air cannons and explosive charges": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MY0bxhbPi3Q
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Comment on Canadian VPS providers? in ~comp
Oxalis Link ParentI'll admit that I didn't do any deep checks aside from "do they have their headquarters in a Canadian address". Looking at accuris, things seem a big suspect. They stopped payment for their lease...I'll admit that I didn't do any deep checks aside from "do they have their headquarters in a Canadian address".
Looking at accuris, things seem a big suspect. They stopped payment for their lease in a Ottawa data center which left VPS and colocated hardware installs in limbo. https://lowendtalk.com/discussion/198221/accuris-hosting-ottawa-location-down-since-september-25
The other one seems fine from what I can tell in "low end talk" forum threads - https://duckduckgo.com/?q=servarica+site%3Alowendtalk.com&t=ffab&df=y&ia=web
But in any case, I'd go with the other options offered in this thread. Anecdotal experiences from Tildes users is worth more than the rabble on LET.
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Comment on Canadian VPS providers? in ~comp
Oxalis LinkBack before switching to static-sites + github/render.com for blog hosting, I used to hunt around on https://lowendbox.com/tag/canada/ for VPS providers running decent deals. The forum is also...Back before switching to static-sites + github/render.com for blog hosting, I used to hunt around on https://lowendbox.com/tag/canada/ for VPS providers running decent deals. The forum is also pretty useful for reviews once you find a provider.
Giving the Canada page a once-over, there aren't any live deals but it does list a couple CA-based providers:
https://accurishosting.ca/vps
https://servarica.com/all-offers/Good luck!
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Comment on A daily tea routine partially protects people from heavy metals, study finds in ~food
Oxalis Link ParentAnother option for tea infusing is to get a french press. They're made for coffee but work perfectly well for loose leaf teas. Here's the one I have, it's been a workhorse every winter for like a...Another option for tea infusing is to get a french press. They're made for coffee but work perfectly well for loose leaf teas. Here's the one I have, it's been a workhorse every winter for like a decade now and can be fully disassembled for deep cleaning when it needs it - https://www.bodum.com/us/en/1928-16us4-chambord
Some people swear by putting the leaves on top of the filter so that you can pull them out of the water instead of pressing them down to a small area at the bottom. It's a clever idea that does work but it depends on the shape of the lid; some presses have flat tops that don't create an enclosed space at the top when you pull the press all the way up. So keep that in mind!
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Comment on Proton exits Mastodon with updated account bio pointing to Reddit in ~tech
Oxalis Link ParentYou're totally right. There is a lot of people using mastodon et al the same way they'd use any other social media site. That said, when I look at the federated firehose I tend to see more...You're totally right. There is a lot of people using mastodon et al the same way they'd use any other social media site.
That said, when I look at the federated firehose I tend to see more representation of alt-artists, queer community members, and people that are deep inside FOSS tech rather than Debbie The Baker, Worldstar drama mongers, or Brand #5. Plus I've never seen a social platform that's trigger-aware enough to make content-warnings for photos with eye contact a normal thing.
This is also my personal take from the last time I took a peek at the raw feed sometime in early 2024, of course a glance today is very different due to bombastic current events. Maybe the fediverse has suffered its Eternal September sometime in the last 6-8 months due to X/Instagram enshittification?
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Comment on Proton exits Mastodon with updated account bio pointing to Reddit in ~tech
Oxalis LinkI'm not too concerned with a company's PR account leaving the weird and nerdy world of ActivityPub federation. Even though you'd think that it aligns with their pro-freedom image. I'm wondering if...I'm not too concerned with a company's PR account leaving the weird and nerdy world of ActivityPub federation. Even though you'd think that it aligns with their pro-freedom image. I'm wondering if this is due to the lack of mastodon support in marketing tools like HootSuite.
That said, I'm okay with self-hostable social media staying small and and human-focused in the same vein as IRC and non-p2p USENET newsgroups.
Everyone-screaming-for-attention-in-a-big-room style sites like facebook and twitter are a net negative in my book.
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Comment on The 88x31 GIF Collection in ~tech
Oxalis LinkFor an extra dose of nostalgia, here's an article about Nokia-era wallpapers: https://www.itsnicethat.com/features/ra-bear-adam-griffiths-mobile-mania-graphic-design-publication-210721 The...For an extra dose of nostalgia, here's an article about Nokia-era wallpapers: https://www.itsnicethat.com/features/ra-bear-adam-griffiths-mobile-mania-graphic-design-publication-210721
The examples are weirdly resampled but you get the idea.
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Comment on The BBC’s library of classic sci-fi sounds is now available to sample in ~tech
Oxalis LinkThe progenitors of much of the modern soundscape and tools/workflows all producers take for granted. As someone that enjoys being wrapped up in warm analog and reverb-drenched nostalgia, I find a...The progenitors of much of the modern soundscape and tools/workflows all producers take for granted. As someone that enjoys being wrapped up in warm analog and reverb-drenched nostalgia, I find a lot of my album acquisitions have thematic ties back to The Workshop.
I'd love to just wander through the samples but I don't really have any hope of doing music production, my attempts over the years have always ended in frustration. I can understand the price and the licensing that drives it, I just hope it goes down a bit next Black Friday before I ponder a splurge.
For people wanting to hear more, they released an album back in 1975 that's full of fun things: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pAWJYx24gc&list=PLRiipkN4nZRNcfgDgCqL3uQpDlU5Lv_OC
And if you enjoy the sound, check out many of the artists on the Ghost Box label for modern takes on the style: https://www.ghostbox.co.uk/catalogue (clicking on an album will give you a selection of tracks to listen to in full)
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Comment on “Torrenting from a corporate laptop doesn’t feel right”: Meta emails unsealed in ~tech
Oxalis LinkInteresting that there's this assumed standard that downloading is no sin compared to seeding/sharing it back. I wonder if there's case law regarding this? I guess illegally downloading media to...Interesting that there's this assumed standard that downloading is no sin compared to seeding/sharing it back. I wonder if there's case law regarding this?
I guess illegally downloading media to transform them without rightsholder consent into an infinity scalable for-profit venture is totally cool and "fair use" now, says Meta in their official defense.
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Comment on Pharrell Williams, Michel Gondry scrap their movie musical at Universal in postproduction in ~movies
Oxalis LinkAlways sad to see a project get killed. This would have been the first feature film in English from Gondry since 2011. That said, I've always felt that Gondry's cleverness and ideas don't hold up...Always sad to see a project get killed. This would have been the first feature film in English from Gondry since 2011.
That said, I've always felt that Gondry's cleverness and ideas don't hold up to a long runtimes. Shorts, music videos, and little clips are where his creativity shines.
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Comment on Inside Iceland's futuristic farm growing algae for food – Vaxa Technologies has developed a system that harnesses energy from the nearby geothermal power plant in ~food
Oxalis LinkHas anyone here actually used spirulina as a food source or additive in their diet?Has anyone here actually used spirulina as a food source or additive in their diet?
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Comment on Announcing Supporters of Chromium-based Browsers in ~tech
Oxalis LinkFantastic, since Google/Chromium Project have been so welcoming of collaboration with the Linux Foundation and seeking non-Alphabet funding then they're implicitly welcoming a forced spin-off of...Fantastic, since Google/Chromium Project have been so welcoming of collaboration with the Linux Foundation and seeking non-Alphabet funding then they're implicitly welcoming a forced spin-off of Chrome from Alphabet as part of their loss in the antitrust ruling.
Now there's no ambiguity of how the project will continue and thrive after being kicked out of Google's clutches!
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Comment on What have you been listening to this week? in ~music
Oxalis (edited )LinkLots of chill out music recently, here are a couple new additions that I feel are worth writing about. This Ascension - Light and Shade (1991) Been exploring the, now diffused into ether,...Lots of chill out music recently, here are a couple new additions that I feel are worth writing about.
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This Ascension - Light and Shade (1991)
Been exploring the, now diffused into ether, sub-genre of "4AD Gothic Rock". This Ascension has been a stand-out act; strong female vocals that effortlessly strut from throaty Grace Slick-esque crooning all the way to sharp operatic highs, backed up by a very 90s palette of hazed out guitar and reverbed drums that feel very content to rest in My Bloody Valentine's gigantic shadow. If you enjoy somber rock best suited for walks among icy chill, this is a nice one to try out. -
Röyksopp - Nebulous Nights ‐ An Ambient Excursion Into Profound Mysteries (2024)
In 2014, the Norwegian kings of "warm" electro released an album called The Inevitable End, announcing that it would be their final LP and for the most part they stuck to that decree, until 2021 rolled around. Instead of gently sliding back into releasing music again, they ended their hiatus by piling three full length LPs (Profound Mysteries I, II and III) on fans in rapid succession. Honestly, it was a lot of music to process and make sense of.
Fast forward to last December when this 3+ hour ambient mix was dropped; taking elements from the entire Profound Mysteries canon and turning it into a very "warm" ambient set that reframes the monolithic project with kind-hearted callbacks and references. It's helped turn a series of albums I didn't quite know what to think of into affectionate favorites.
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Comment on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS is reaching end of standard support soon: April 2025. Plan to upgrade soon! in ~tech
Oxalis LinkIt's worth mentioning that people using Ubuntu LTS on their servers can get Ubuntu Pro for free for personal use. That'll give you 5 more years of security patches and live kernel security...It's worth mentioning that people using Ubuntu LTS on their servers can get Ubuntu Pro for free for personal use. That'll give you 5 more years of security patches and live kernel security upgrades to take the time pressure off.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~tech
Oxalis LinkDead Internet Theory As A Service being trumpeted as a first-class feature from one of the biggies is not something I expected to see this quickly.Dead Internet Theory As A Service being trumpeted as a first-class feature from one of the biggies is not something I expected to see this quickly.
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Comment on Are you lost? in ~games
Oxalis LinkIt was a neat experience to watch this live. The concept of a NPC being a real person is such a powerful thing, I guess that's why games like Journey were so impactful. Another game that pulled...It was a neat experience to watch this live. The concept of a NPC being a real person is such a powerful thing, I guess that's why games like Journey were so impactful.
Another game that pulled this off at a larger scale was the GMod map gm_construct 13 beta. If you have Gmod, try it out https://steamcommunity.com/workshop/filedetails/?id=2553727051
For those that just want to see what the fuss is about:
The main feature of the mod aside from all the spooky stuff
Users of the mod are pooled into lobbies and randomly show up as NPCs in the instances of other users. It's honestly quite creepy to have random people showing up as broken models, doing weird things in your solo/offline game. https://gm13.xalalau.com/wiki/Mingebags -
Comment on Anyone interested in trying out Kagi? in ~tech
Oxalis LinkFor people that have been using Kagi, what's been the killer app so far? Research for things that have fallen out of the zeitgeist? Searches for things that commonly get filtered out of normal...For people that have been using Kagi, what's been the killer app so far? Research for things that have fallen out of the zeitgeist? Searches for things that commonly get filtered out of normal engines thanks to DMCA requests? Media searches for things that aren't AI slop?
I adored the "SCP but written by professionals" aspect of Control. Even though the main storyline was a bit stilted, the creativity of all the Objects of Power and how they were used was really engaging.
I don't expect this game to be the massive, endless cash cow that I can safely assume the suits that pushed for its creation are hoping for but, similar to Fallout 76, there should be enough narrative meat to keep lore nerds like me happy for some time. I'm eagerly awaiting my chance to goof around with some new OoPs with a couple friends. I just hope things aren't too grindy.