RadDevon's recent activity
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Comment on What's an atypical thing you do that you'd recommend to others? in ~talk
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Comment on What's an atypical thing you do that you'd recommend to others? in ~talk
RadDevon Link ParentI used to use just whatever. About a year ago, I bought a bunch of Vala Alta linen handkerchiefs. They’re a bit rougher than the old ones but still don’t do anything to my face at all. They just...I used to use just whatever. About a year ago, I bought a bunch of Vala Alta linen handkerchiefs. They’re a bit rougher than the old ones but still don’t do anything to my face at all. They just have a bit rougher feel that gets softer as you wash them… and, yes, I put them through the washer. I skip the dryer though. Linen dries so quickly it wouldn’t be necessary, but I understand it also extends the life.
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Comment on What's an atypical thing you do that you'd recommend to others? in ~talk
RadDevon Link ParentMy original impetus for switching to the handkerchief was environmental. I assumed at the time it would be an inconvenient and inferior alternative in other respects. I was surprised to find I was...My original impetus for switching to the handkerchief was environmental. I assumed at the time it would be an inconvenient and inferior alternative in other respects. I was surprised to find I was totally wrong about that.
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Comment on What's an atypical thing you do that you'd recommend to others? in ~talk
RadDevon LinkI have several, which I guess tells you a lot about me. 😅 Use a handkerchief instead of tissue- This one has been extremely impactful. I used to get all snotty a few times a year, and I would...I have several, which I guess tells you a lot about me. 😅
- Use a handkerchief instead of tissue- This one has been extremely impactful. I used to get all snotty a few times a year, and I would spend a few days blowing my nose hundreds of times. Back in my tissue days besides the obvious disadvantages of having to buy and throw away tons of tissue, I would also completely shred my nose because this is just a rough piece of paper you're grinding into your nose. Doesn't matter what kind of tissue I bought, this would always happen. If I bought the kind with aloe, my nose was shredded and topped with aloe. If the tissue had added moisturizer, my nose was shredded and moisturized. As soon as I switched to handkerchiefs, I no longer had anything to buy or throw away during these bouts, and my nose was just as comfortable as it could be.
- Eat off schedule- I don't even know what a typical eating schedule is anymore. I guess breakfast before 10am, lunch around noon, and then dinner around 6 or 7? Whatever it is, find your own schedule that is offset by a few hours. If you like to eat at restaurants, this means you'll be there either before or after the crowd, which makes for a more pleasant experience in my book. Also, it means you can go do other errands while everyone else is eating, so those errands can get done more easily as well. It can be a little weird socially, but you can always break from your schedule for a day if you want to grab lunch with a friend on their schedule.
- Use a bidet- This one is so commonly parroted nowadays, I feel a little silly including it, but I haven't seen it on anyone else's post. This is typical in Europe but still atypical in the US despite growing popularity.
- Hook up a PC to your TV- I use this for gaming — way better than any console and way more flexible. Most PC games have controller support, but I will still play games with a mouse and keyboard on a lapdesk and have a great time. Beyond gaming, this allows you to ignore your smart TVs garbage surveillance apps (don't even connect the thing to the internet) in favor of a device that will allow you to display almost anything you could want on your TV by using just your web browser, no apps required.
- Live small- The American Dream™️ is all about living big. Big house, big car, big family… but for the right person, living as small as possible can be very gratifying. I grew up in a family that wanted to live big, so I've experienced both modes. I find that life is much simpler now and I feel more free than I ever did living big.
- Live car-free- We've been sold cars as a symbol of freedom, but I've never felt more free than after getting rid of mine. I used to commute about 100 miles a day round-trip to my job, and I lived in a place where there was literally nothing you could do without getting in a car. I moved to a place with decent public transit and didn't take my car with me. I had to give up my ability to go directly to anywhere I want on-demand, but I got so much in return. I no longer have to buy a car, maintain a car, drive a car, worry about a car being stolen, worry about wrecking a car, worry about hurting myself or someone else with a car… When I go somewhere, I either ride a bus, which is awesome because I get to be around other people and I get to do whatever I want while in transit, or I walk which is also cool because I have a real connection with my surroundings, unlike the artificial environment and the speed of a car that separates you from the world.
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Comment on Should I self-host my blog? in ~tech
RadDevon Link ParentActually, that’s very useful to me since I also have no audience and no intention to try to build one! 🤣Actually, that’s very useful to me since I also have no audience and no intention to try to build one! 🤣
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Should I self-host my blog?
I've gone down the rabbit hole of self-hosting, and I'm wondering if I should try self-hosting my blog. The blog is currently on Netlify. I've left it there because I figure their infrastructure...
I've gone down the rabbit hole of self-hosting, and I'm wondering if I should try self-hosting my blog. The blog is currently on Netlify. I've left it there because I figure their infrastructure is much better than mine... but part of that is a CDN, and, despite the performance benefits, I'm not thrilled about the privacy implications of subjecting my users to that. I'm torn on that point.
That said, I'm on cable internet, so my upstream is abysmal. My site is mostly text and the site is low traffic, so maybe it's not a problem. What do you think? What are some of the implications of self-hosting the blog that I'm not considering?
Edit: Wanted to clarify a couple of things I realize weren't clear in my original posting. I'm already self-hosting a few dozen services from home on my own hardware. Port 80 and 443 both work, and I'm already running a Caddy reverse proxy to proxy to the other services. My question is less about whether self-hosting is a good idea and whether I should be keeping my blog on Netlify for the reasons above. My biggest concerns are the privacy implications of keeping with Netlify and their CDN vs. the performance implications of losing the CDN and serving via a ~30Mbps upstream connection.
Thank you for all the comments so far!
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Comment on How the heck do you go about moving cross country? in ~life
RadDevon LinkI've made two cross-country moves in the last 8 years. It's challenging, but it can be done. In my experience, a lot of apartments will not care if you can put some amount of money into an escrow...I've made two cross-country moves in the last 8 years. It's challenging, but it can be done.
In my experience, a lot of apartments will not care if you can put some amount of money into an escrow if you don't have income. All they care about is income. I'm sure you can find smaller mom & pop landlords who would be fine with it, but big corporate landlords may be off the table for you.
The problem with finding housing is going to be that it seems you're wanting to do a lot of your research remotely. That's possible, but for the most part only with the big corporate landlords if you want to "tour" remotely with more fidelity than a few photos on a web site. These landlords spring for fancy 3D tours you can "walk" through virtually, which do a much better job than photos of giving you a sense of the space. These apartments are going to be the more expensive ones and likely the ones with more stringent requirements for things like income.
Do you do work that would allow you to work remotely? If so, I would consider focusing on finding an employer who will either allow you to move and work remotely or one who is already remote to you and doesn't care about your location. I think this could grease the wheels quite a bit and make things easier for you.
I'll also echo the advice of others to visit in person. In both of my moves, I spent some time in the destination touring apartments and getting a feel for various neighborhoods in person. Apart from the difficulty of getting a sense for a space without being in it, you'll have an emotional reaction that you absolutely can't predict by looking at virtual tours and Google Street View. Those emotions about your new place are pretty important.
Alternatively, you could just do as much research as you can online and try to find a one-year lease that will qualify you with only your year of pre-paid rent. Look at that year as your time to feel out your new place and find a more permanent home — although, as others have noted don't get too comfortable anywhere you like on the west coast unless you have a capacity to grow your income significantly each year to match rising rents. Bet on 10% or greater increases each year in popular cities.
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Comment on What is the best or recommended way to integrate my Windows 10 and Linux computers through the local network? in ~tech
RadDevon LinkI’ve been using SFTP and it works well enough, but I just installed Samba on my home server and I’m liking that experience even better. It lets me share locations out and access them through the...I’ve been using SFTP and it works well enough, but I just installed Samba on my home server and I’m liking that experience even better. It lets me share locations out and access them through the file management app on any of my desktop OSes. I leave my storage connected up to my server at all times and then just access it on other computers via Samba.
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Comment on Humble Choice - April 2024 in ~games
RadDevon Link ParentSeems like intentionally leaking a lineup of games that was dramatically better than what they ended up offering would be counterproductive to them. That leads me to doubt that as the explanation…...Seems like intentionally leaking a lineup of games that was dramatically better than what they ended up offering would be counterproductive to them. That leads me to doubt that as the explanation… but then companies have screwed up many times worse than that before so anything is possible!
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Comment on What are some of your favorite PlayStation 1 games? Any odd or unique ones worth playing? in ~games
RadDevon Link ParentIf you end up enjoying Parappa, check out Um Jammer Lammy too.If you end up enjoying Parappa, check out Um Jammer Lammy too.
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Comment on With Yuzu and Citra gone, why is Dolphin seemingly unaffected? in ~games
RadDevon Link ParentMy understanding is the only reason Citra came down is that it was being developed by the same group as Yuzu. Seems like maybe Nintendo just rolled it into the settlement because it was...My understanding is the only reason Citra came down is that it was being developed by the same group as Yuzu. Seems like maybe Nintendo just rolled it into the settlement because it was convenient. I believe Yuzu was their target though.
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Any friendly entrepreneurship communities that aren't rotten with the whole "grindset," hustle culture stuff?
I've always been interested in entrepreneurship, and I think I want to get serious about doing something. I checked out the Millionaire Fastlane forums, and it's just completely saturated with the...
I've always been interested in entrepreneurship, and I think I want to get serious about doing something. I checked out the Millionaire Fastlane forums, and it's just completely saturated with the whole "grindset" BS. I tried reading a couple of threads, and my eyes almost rolled out of my head. 🙄
I've also hung around on the entrepreneur subreddit, and it just seems like a bunch of people without much experience trading unproven advice and people trying to sell courses.
Does anyone know of a better community? I'd like to find some friendly, welcoming adults with actual experience to talk with. Are entrepreneurship and hustle culture always a package deal?
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Comment on Steam Spring Sale suggestions in ~games
RadDevon LinkJust started Judgment, but it seems like a steal at about $16 (or even cheaper from some other stores). I also found this little game called Incarnation for $2.40. It feels like both an incredible...Just started Judgment, but it seems like a steal at about $16 (or even cheaper from some other stores).
I also found this little game called Incarnation for $2.40. It feels like both an incredible game and a course in game design rolled into one. So many great ideas stuffed into one little game with beautiful pixel art as the cherry on top! It has the familiar roguelike structure, except that you start with all the powers and choose one to lose after completing each level. The goal is to give up all your powers and become mortal again. Controlled exclusively with the mouse. It's not like anything else I've played… and I could say that after each level because it's basically a new game each time since the powers you lose profoundly change the way the game plays.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
RadDevon LinkJust got Book of Demons: Hellcard, and it's been a blast puzzling through it with a friend. It's a deck building roguelike card battler in the style of Slay the Spire but designed with cooperative...Just got Book of Demons: Hellcard, and it's been a blast puzzling through it with a friend. It's a deck building roguelike card battler in the style of Slay the Spire but designed with cooperative play in mind (up to 3 players). It's playable single-player, but you end up actually playing multiple decks and I find the analysis paralysis far more destructive to the experience in that scenario.
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Comment on Reducing the friction of publishing online? in ~tech
RadDevon Link ParentYeah, I get that. I'm kinda caught between these two sides right now. I don't really want to just tinker with the tech, but I do want some of the features only that approach offers. The reason I'm...Yeah, I get that. I'm kinda caught between these two sides right now. I don't really want to just tinker with the tech, but I do want some of the features only that approach offers. The reason I'm here posting is that it doesn't seem like it has to be this way… but maybe it just is, for now, at least.
Still hopeful someone will come along and say, "Oh, you just need to install ______."
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Comment on There has never been a better time to game on Linux in ~games
RadDevon LinkI got a new desktop computer a few months back and was determined to run Linux on it. I loaded it up and booted it… before I learned that Linux doesn't support HDR — at least, not without jumping...I got a new desktop computer a few months back and was determined to run Linux on it. I loaded it up and booted it… before I learned that Linux doesn't support HDR — at least, not without jumping through a bunch of hoops I'm not really prepared to jump through. If I didn't know about HDR or my display didn't support it, I'd probably be running it right now.
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Reducing the friction of publishing online?
I'm looking for ways to make it easier to publish on my personal blog. I've had WordPress blogs in the past, and I find that they set up a constant grind of upgrading — upgrading core, upgrading...
I'm looking for ways to make it easier to publish on my personal blog. I've had WordPress blogs in the past, and I find that they set up a constant grind of upgrading — upgrading core, upgrading plugins, reconfiguring the upgraded components, fixing the things the upgrades break...
It was stealing too much of the little time I have to devote to my blog. So, when I built my current blog, I built in on a static site generator (11ty). It took longer to set up than just writing HTML and CSS, but it does make it a bit quicker to get something up since it will build pages from markdown, and it doesn't require a ton of upgrading every time I want to sit down and write something. Sure, I could upgrade a library or two each time I sit down with it, but it's just spitting out HTML so I don't really need to.
That said, it's still more friction than I want. I'm currently obsessed with mmm.page. I love the playful UI. I love the design language it encourages. I love how it makes the tech get out of the way and puts you closer to getting your content out. That said, there are several things I don't love:
- It's not accessible. I can't pick which elements to use. I can't write alt text for images.
- It's not open source. This means a lot of things. It means when the developer loses interest, it will die. It means we can't evaluate it. It means we can't self-host it. Speaking of these...
- Development seems to be slow. There's one item on the roadmap. It was suggested in April. I have a feeling it's not making the money the developer had hoped and they've lost enthusiasm for it.
- We can't self-host it. Now, this means I'm stuck paying $10 a month. Tomorrow, that could go up to $20, and there's nothing I can do about it.
- There's no easily apparent escape hatch. I guess I could just download the pages it wrote and host them elsewhere, but that's probably not ideal. If the developer does decide to close up shop or double the price, I want an easy way to take my site and go somewhere else.
- As far as I can tell, it doesn't support RSS. I am a staunch believer in RSS, and I believe the web sucks without it. I won't want to run a site that doesn't offer it.
All these problems leave me with a web site that provides too much friction and a solution to that problem that leaves many others in its wake. Does anyone know of an alternative that's similar that could address some or most of these issues? I'm a developer and I still would like to be able to publish online without doing developer-y stuff, so it's easy to see how social media has been able to bottle up so much content on the web. I'd love to think there's something that could bring us out of this dystopia... or at least make it easier for me to share a list of the games I've been playing recently. 😅
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Comment on We techies are responsible for "You'll own nothing, and you'll enjoy it." in ~talk
RadDevon LinkI'd guess the question is less often whether someone supports right to repair and more permissive ownership rights in a vacuum and more often whether they are willing to give up their income for...I'd guess the question is less often whether someone supports right to repair and more permissive ownership rights in a vacuum and more often whether they are willing to give up their income for that principle. Right to repair is great, but there probably aren't many who would give up their jobs for it. Unless you can get everyone to unite under this banner at the same time, that's the decision each person will need to make.
This is probably something that needs to be legislated rather than depend on that level of grassroots organization.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
RadDevon LinkAgainst the Storm I used to love city building games. As a kid, I spent probably hundreds of hours playing Sim City for the SNES. As an adult, I get incredibly anxious about the idea of even...Against the Storm
I used to love city building games. As a kid, I spent probably hundreds of hours playing Sim City for the SNES. As an adult, I get incredibly anxious about the idea of even starting a sandbox-style game that I can play forever with no end.
I don't want to play a single game. I like to constantly try new things. Also, I've got shit to do! I can't do today what I did in… I guess 1993, when I was 10-years-old, with Sim City. This game seems to be built to address that specific anxiety I have by dividing a city builder into digestible chunks. It has given me permission to play a city builder by implicitly promising me that a given session will have a beginning and an end and that it will be manageable.
Besides all that, it's expertly crafted. All the pieces fit together so well! I find myself just on the edge of stress, where I'm trying to make sure I get all the resources lined up so I can do what I need to do… but it's not quite stressful. It's just enough pressure to make things interesting.
Shadows of Doubt
I want to like this game so much. Games have two ways of presenting investigation: the character is investigating vs. the player is investigating. The former is extremely common, and the latter is extremely rare. This is an example of the latter. You're not pixel hunting for a pre-ordained object that will unlock the mystery for the character. (Alan Wake 2's "mind place" is more an example of this, where you ostensibly connect-the-dots between pieces of evidence, but those connections are already set in stone and "discovering" them amounts to dragging images to the correct spots on the board.) In Shadows of Doubt, you're finding randomized clues to unlock the mystery for you, the player.
Problem is, I've made two attempts to complete the tutorial mission, and both have ended in bugs. If they can get this figured out, it could be great. For now, it's an exercise in frustration.
The Gunk
This is a really charming and (so far) relaxing game. The characters are well written, and it's been a chill time cleaning up gunk! It's not breaking ground, but I'm still having fun.
Alan Wake 2
Hasn't grabbed me quite the way Control did, but I want to keep playing. They weave FMV into the game in a way that's really cool and compelling. I'm most interested in how it connects to Control and what it does to flesh out the world of that game. So far, it's slightly disappointing for the shallowness of the investigation mentioned above. Incredible to look at though!
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Comment on Game recommendations, specifically in ~games
RadDevon Link ParentI'm guessing you've played Hollow Knight, but if not, it's definitely this. The map maker Cornifer is actually my favorite character in the game because it feels so isolated, except for when you...I'm guessing you've played Hollow Knight, but if not, it's definitely this. The map maker Cornifer is actually my favorite character in the game because it feels so isolated, except for when you hear his humming. Running into him is a fun reprieve from the isolation, but I also enjoy that vibe.
You can’t really “perfect” this, so there’s no sense in trying. Mindfulness around the subject is usually enough to curb the tendency for bigger, better, more. I’d still count that as a win.