Pistos's recent activity
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Comment on How a flawed idea is teaching millions of kids to be poor readers in ~science
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Comment on I think nobody wants AI in Firefox, Mozilla in ~tech
Pistos (edited )Link ParentI skimmed some comments (here), and I think the common sentiment is that those people (commenting) are upset that Firefox is spending time, energy, money on AI-related anything, when they could be...I skimmed some comments (here), and I think the common sentiment is that those people (commenting) are upset that Firefox is spending time, energy, money on AI-related anything, when they could be working on other issues or features that are more important to them. Also: the assumption among them is that most Firefox users don't want AI, and so, in adding AI-related stuff, they might be repelling and squandering what little browser market share they have.
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Comment on Matching mouse dpi and acceleration across Mac and Linux? in ~tech
Pistos Link ParentHm. Sounds like you might be in a tough spot, then. Even if you get a mouse that has its own internal configuration (so it goes with you as you change computers), AFAIK, the OS/DE will also have...Hm. Sounds like you might be in a tough spot, then. Even if you get a mouse that has its own internal configuration (so it goes with you as you change computers), AFAIK, the OS/DE will also have its own settings that compound with the mouse's sensitivity, so you're going to have to set them at some point, I would expect. But, are you sure it's not fine-grained enough? My current KDE pointer speed value is "0.12", and it goes up and down in 0.01 increments. The difference between 0.11 and 0.14 was noticeable, but just barely.
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Comment on Matching mouse dpi and acceleration across Mac and Linux? in ~tech
Pistos Link ParentI see a slider for pointer speed here in KDE mouse settings. In my experience, it provides fine-grained control. Can't speak to Gnome, though.I see a slider for pointer speed here in KDE mouse settings. In my experience, it provides fine-grained control. Can't speak to Gnome, though.
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Comment on Matching mouse dpi and acceleration across Mac and Linux? in ~tech
Pistos LinkThere should be desktop-environment-level settings for this? Like, in KDE and Gnome. Also: some mice (pricier ones, of course) have an on-mouse DPI-changing button which can be configured. e.g....There should be desktop-environment-level settings for this? Like, in KDE and Gnome. Also: some mice (pricier ones, of course) have an on-mouse DPI-changing button which can be configured.
e.g. KDE docs
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Comment on Pennies are being canceled and the US Mint won't make any more. What does that mean? in ~finance
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Comment on Save Point: A game deal roundup for the week of November 9 in ~games
Pistos LinkKingdom Come: Deliverance II Royal Edition (bundle) was just released. About 40% off regular price for base game and all DLC. Also released was a so-called Saga Bundle, which includes both KCD1...Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Royal Edition (bundle) was just released. About 40% off regular price for base game and all DLC.
Also released was a so-called Saga Bundle, which includes both KCD1 and KCD2, and all DLC for both.
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Comment on How has AI positively impacted your life? in ~tech
Pistos LinkI use AI every day, maybe 1 or 2 hours a day in the aggregate. In my case, I mainly use Claude, with smatterings of ChatGPT usage, but I'm not really married to any service just yet. I never would...I use AI every day, maybe 1 or 2 hours a day in the aggregate. In my case, I mainly use Claude, with smatterings of ChatGPT usage, but I'm not really married to any service just yet. I never would have thought that I'd become this avid a user, but, that's how it's turned out.
My main use case is helping with foreign language self study (Korean, in my case). Secondarily, it's been useful for just learning beginner-level stuff about a variety of topics. It's helped with gardening, and indoor plant care, plumbing, and cooking. I've done several other things with it, though, ranging from finding English synonyms, to researching tech purchases, to getting an overview of some new software engineering domain. I have had mixed results trying to use AI to help ("help") code, so I don't often turn to it for that. My main problem is it takes too much conversation to finally come up with a working solution or conclusion, and it's especially bad when you have to debug what it gives you, and you keep pointing out issues here and there (who should be helping whom in this interaction?).
I'm also impressed with what it can "see" when you upload pictures. It's identified (or guessed at) insects and plants, and judged plant health. It also seems to have very good OCR, so snapping pics of signs, etc. in the world around you is easy for it to read and help you with.
AI is also good at producing text things given some constraints. For example, I have provided my current Korean vocabulary, and it's able to generate graded reading that is at my level (or slightly beyond, if I ask it); or relate new learning material to stuff I already know.
For me, a big thing about these AIs is that you can go back and forth in a conversation to refine your needs vs what it's giving you; or to drill down and improve your understanding of something; or to ask questions for clarification or further education. It's almost like having a teacher or tutor on hand -- though, of course, with the caveat that you need to stay guarded with your trust, and double check things as needed.
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Comment on How has AI positively impacted your life? in ~tech
Pistos Link ParentI've done a similar workflow by just snapping a regular pic with my phone, and uploading it in the basic Claude or ChatGPT web UI. It's identified (well, taken good guesses at) insects and plants,...I've done a similar workflow by just snapping a regular pic with my phone, and uploading it in the basic Claude or ChatGPT web UI. It's identified (well, taken good guesses at) insects and plants, especially when you give some text context (like how big the spider was in inches, etc.). It's also made judgements on plant health.
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Comment on How has AI positively impacted your life? in ~tech
Pistos Link ParentDepending on the topic, you can try to double check stuff out on the Internet, hopefully using reliable, authoritative sources. "Why not just go straight to the Internet?" you might ask. Well, it...Depending on the topic, you can try to double check stuff out on the Internet, hopefully using reliable, authoritative sources. "Why not just go straight to the Internet?" you might ask. Well, it sometimes can point you quickly in the right direction(s), or provide jumping points for your further research. You might be able to do the same, but it might take you longer.
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Large US study finds memory decline surge in young people
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Comment on Paid e-mail providers - your experiences, how you use them and how I would use it in ~tech
Pistos Link Parent+1 for Fastmail. Happy user for over a year now. (Formerly self-hosted.) The price is acceptable to me, but that obviously varies from person to person. Things I like about it: easy masked email;...+1 for Fastmail. Happy user for over a year now. (Formerly self-hosted.) The price is acceptable to me, but that obviously varies from person to person.
Things I like about it: easy masked email; can use mail client (instead of web interface); no (known) issues with rejected mail or spam false positives; zero downtime so far. It does the job, and has no annoying UX issues.
I only need and want them for email. Can't speak to calendar or contacts features.
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Comment on Los Angeles Dodgers beat Toronto Blue Jays to win the World Series in ~sports.baseball
Pistos LinkSidebar: How funny was that comebacker to Wrobleski? I mean, what in the heck are the odds of that happening right after a controversial HBP after 2 close up-and-ins. I was laughing out loud a...Sidebar: How funny was that comebacker to Wrobleski? I mean, what in the heck are the odds of that happening right after a controversial HBP after 2 close up-and-ins. I was laughing out loud a whole minute after that.
Anyway, I guess over a billion dollars in star pitching contracts really can buy you victory. Credit to the Dodgers. Jays made it close, but came just short.
Who knows what the Jays roster will be like next year. This is probably as close as Toronto will get in another long period of time. They were the underdogs, and they overachieved this year, but who knows when all the little parts and lucky things will happen all at once again.
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Comment on Cyclist falls down 130-foot ravine in France, survives three days by drinking wine he had in shopping bag in ~life
Pistos Link ParentWell, 2 days without food usually won't kill anyone (can confirm).Well, 2 days without food usually won't kill anyone (can confirm).
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Comment on People with a very good memory: does that make it harder to forgive? in ~talk
Pistos LinkI see what you're getting at, but think about this, too: Forgiving is something you can do without forgetting.I see what you're getting at, but think about this, too: Forgiving is something you can do without forgetting.
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Comment on What indie competitive games do you play? in ~games
Pistos LinkI don't play them any more, but I had fun with this WWI FPS series: https://store.steampowered.com/developer/BlackmillGames Challenging in their own way, and pretty much no fully automatic guns.I don't play them any more, but I had fun with this WWI FPS series:
https://store.steampowered.com/developer/BlackmillGames
Challenging in their own way, and pretty much no fully automatic guns.
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Comment on Announcing the Backlog Burner event for November 2025: Shrink your unplayed games list this coming month! in ~games
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Comment on Struggling in my relationship in ~life
Pistos Link ParentI just want to add to what sparksbet said above. I know you said you've said a lot to your partner already, but in case this would be insightful to you: Speaking from experience, sometimes people...I just want to add to what sparksbet said above. I know you said you've said a lot to your partner already, but in case this would be insightful to you:
Speaking from experience, sometimes people (like me) just don't get it, and don't pick up on clues, can't read the situations -- whatever you want to call it. Then, the other person goes ballistic one day, and only then do people like me see how big of a deal it's been -- but not before the ballistics. I have often thought in my head (and sometimes verbalized -- but that usually just sparks more fire), "I wish I knew. I wish you said it more explicitly." Like, I feel like people like me need an explicit description of where things are headed. Anything like "I am feeling [negative feelings] right now because of [circumstances, state; you keep doing X; you keep ignoring X]. I'm telling you, if things continue like this, in [time frame], I am going to (be furious / leave / take Y action)."
I'm not guaranteeing this will help, but it might. If the other side genuinely cares, they'll take it seriously, and take action, or at least want to fix it, even if they don't know how. And, if they want to, but don't know how, you can offer solutions or plans that you both can agree to.
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Comment on Thieves steal crown jewels in four minutes from Louvre Museum in Paris in ~arts
Pistos (edited )LinkBrings to mind the consideration of whether we should pay attention to such things (or even publish news about them), as the fame (infamy) may fuel and encourage future similar crimes. Similarly,...Brings to mind the consideration of whether we should pay attention to such things (or even publish news about them), as the fame (infamy) may fuel and encourage future similar crimes. Similarly, some argue that mass shooters, etc. should not be named or depicted (face) in news, for similar reasons (though coverage of the tragic events themselves would be acceptable).
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Comment on I could use recommendations for an ultrawide monitor in ~tech
Pistos LinkGiven your expressed feature needs and wants, I'm curious why you require ultra-wide-ness. I would guess that you'll get more quality for the same money by getting a standard 16:9 monitor.Given your expressed feature needs and wants, I'm curious why you require ultra-wide-ness. I would guess that you'll get more quality for the same money by getting a standard 16:9 monitor.
I get your point, but, to be a bit pedantic: Although Korean script (Hangeul) was intended and designed to be very phonetic, in practice in modern Korean, there are a few pronunciation rules that need to be memorized. These rules alter the pronunciation of a given character when it's in certain contexts. e.g. ㄱ would be a "k" sound in word-initial position, but a "g" sound intervocalically.