Requirement's recent activity
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Comment on Googlebook revealed and ready for pre-order in ~tech
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Comment on Googlebook revealed and ready for pre-order in ~tech
Requirement Link ParentI see the vision that Google has. They want to replicate the "Apple ecosystem" and try and take part of that pie. The first problem is that they have tried this a dozen times and just can't do it....I see the vision that Google has. They want to replicate the "Apple ecosystem" and try and take part of that pie.
The first problem is that they have tried this a dozen times and just can't do it.- A half dozen text/chat/video apps have come from and have been subsequently killed by Google. Near zero adoption of any of them other than Messages, the stock texting app.
- How many piece of hardware has Google released that could be part of an ecosystem? Right now you could get a Pixel phone, Pixel watch, Pixel tablet, and a Pixel book. But they don't really play all that well together. Google seems to be under the impression that just one more piece of hardware will solve this instead of just correcting their fractured, disjointed ecosystem.
- Their internal incentives double-down on that institutional ADHD by incentivizing people to jump to whatever the next project is instead of supporting any existing product. The money, internal fame, and internal power are all wrapped up in producing the next "thing"... literally any "thing" instead of continuing support or producing a good thing.
I'm not an Apple guy and I find their operating system to be confusing but I occasionally have to use a Mac <Whatever Model> at work or watch someone use a Mac Book, iPhone, and Mac <whatever they call their desktops now> and it's apparent how much more strategic Apple is at keeping their ecosystem functioning.
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Comment on Googlebook revealed and ready for pre-order in ~tech
Requirement Link ParentI already responded to you once, so this feels a little superfluous but anyway: There are tons of useful android apps! I already have two devices that run them. Why would I want an expensive third...I already responded to you once, so this feels a little superfluous but anyway:
There are tons of useful android apps! I already have two devices that run them. Why would I want an expensive third device that has the same limitations as my phone?
And even if they make good on all ten years of updates, that doesn't mean that it's ten years of meaningful updates. It could just as easily be "minor security patch" for 8 of those ten years. Or Google could do right like it did for it's Pixel Tablet owners (all dozens of them!). But also they discontinued the tablet which feels kind of incongruous. Google's gotta keep us guessing, never let us predict their next move. -
Comment on Googlebook revealed and ready for pre-order in ~tech
Requirement Link ParentI think the thing is that chromebooks are really useful. Time and again Google itself tries (or incentivizes a partner to try... Looking at you Acer Expertbook) high end chromebooks and for a...I think the thing is that chromebooks are really useful. Time and again Google itself tries (or incentivizes a partner to try... Looking at you Acer Expertbook) high end chromebooks and for a multitude of reasons, there's just not appetite for it.
Whether it's reputation or reality, ChromeOS isn't seen as useful, or maybe rather more useful, on higher end hardware. Is ChromeOS really all most people need for their computing? Yeah, just look at how many people only do "computer" tasks on their phones. Most things are web-based now, which Google is right on about can easily be started on a phone and moved to a laptop but that doesn't require good hardware or a premium price-tag. (Whether or not we'll ever see non-premium price tags again is a different discussion.) -
Comment on Tildes Book Club - Future in ~books
Requirement Link ParentI have fallen out of the reading pattern for this last round. Life just got a bit busy and there weren't many standout books for my interests (which, is totally fine, I've read plenty of books...I have fallen out of the reading pattern for this last round. Life just got a bit busy and there weren't many standout books for my interests (which, is totally fine, I've read plenty of books that weren't the most directly appealing for book clubs, Tildes' included!) I have also just had a rough year of reading personally, with a single book just crashing my reading enthusiasm for some reason.
All that being said, I think the monthly cadence is just kind of intense. I think that bi-monthly or quarterly might be more appealing to more people. Or what do I know, maybe that's not enough momentum and people fall off? Regardless, it does seem like overall participation has fallen off. Like uaeaaie pointed out though, maybe 4-5 isn't an unrealistic number. I don't have the time today but it would be interesting to see if it's the same 4-5 users or if there's any rotation in users. I suspect it's mostly the same...
I would be on board for another round, but that might just be optimism speaking. I certainly don't have the time to invest in leading the club, even if I would like to. -
Comment on My polish costs nothing in ~tech
Requirement Link ParentI strongly agree that it depends a lot on the job one is applying for. On the applicant, I softly agree. I think I have the opposite struggle when it comes to cover letters (and the application...I strongly agree that it depends a lot on the job one is applying for. On the applicant, I softly agree.
I think I have the opposite struggle when it comes to cover letters (and the application process as a whole). They feel the opposite of humanizing to me. I am stuck selling myself with no external feedback, trying to adhere to social constructs I barely know and certainly don't understand. I too really struggle with formality and much of the unspoken rules of office culture and, to me, the application process is the first hurdle of that labyrinth. Especially when applying to larger institutions where the hiring managers and coworkers may never see the cover letter.
When applying for smaller companies, I start to see the use of a cover letter much more. I also generally already have a relationship with individuals at the company and... well... my personality can tend to precede me, so they generally already know some of my intangibles. -
Comment on My polish costs nothing in ~tech
Requirement Link ParentYou're one of the good ones! My wife is asked to write letters of recommendation a few times a year and she also thoughtfully writes a letter tailored to the person and position, and even...You're one of the good ones! My wife is asked to write letters of recommendation a few times a year and she also thoughtfully writes a letter tailored to the person and position, and even researches the company a bit to make sure she's really tailoring it well. Like you, it usually takes up a half-day of her time. She's a saint.
But I also think in the era of AI, it's a tough exercise to continue. In a lot of ways I feel like the AI boom is an extension of a "fine is good enough" mentality (rather than the producer of said mindset) and both sides, HR and Applicant, are living that ethos. It sucks that AI can write a cover letter that is "good enough" in seconds because the HR's AI is just pulling buzzwords out of the cover letter. Obviously, I think this is experience is different across career levels but being on the more entry-level side is exhausting. -
Comment on My polish costs nothing in ~tech
Requirement Link ParentThe examples you gave are things that I have a hard relationship with. They are both things that I think AI has allowed me to do better. They are also both things that I assign no value other than...The examples you gave are things that I have a hard relationship with. They are both things that I think AI has allowed me to do better. They are also both things that I assign no value other than the vestigial relationship we have with them and job searching. Every person I knew who wrote recommendation letters 10+ years ago just had a form letter they filled in and most job applicants had the same with a cover letter. Perhaps at the higher levels of a career these things become more important but even the HR reps I know didn't really value a cover letter. We're probably entering an end-phase of the war of job applications where HR has been using AI to sort applicants and applicants are using AI to try and get selected. Cynically, it is highlighting that the system was always kind of dumb.
I feel the same about references for most jobs. You should be able to find three people to lie for you. But that starts getting more off-topic. -
Comment on Tildes Gardening Group: Week 13/7/26 in ~hobbies
Requirement Link ParentFor whatever it's worth, I think the birds are solidly gardening related. One of the benefits I get from gardening is being more in-tune with the flora and fauna of my neighborhood (for better or...For whatever it's worth, I think the birds are solidly gardening related. One of the benefits I get from gardening is being more in-tune with the flora and fauna of my neighborhood (for better or worse... I'm looking at you deer who eat the tips of every plant!). The inclusion of the birds into your daily routine is a nice reminder that there is more to the wildlife of our neighborhoods than just humans and pets. And I love watching all the animals grow up. I also feel the same bittersweet melancholy when they are grown.
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Comment on Tildes Gardening Group: Week 13/7/26 in ~hobbies
Requirement LinkMy garden is in a weird place this year. It's another year where I'm not sure if I'll be living in the current place for another year, so I didn't go super hard on fixing up the beds and doing...My garden is in a weird place this year. It's another year where I'm not sure if I'll be living in the current place for another year, so I didn't go super hard on fixing up the beds and doing soil restoration etc. I've grown tired of leaving incredible gardening spaces for other people!
We've been going through a heat wave and it has been both helping and hurting the garden. My tomatoes have liked a lot of the heat and are starting to get tall, starting to bush out a bit. I grow all heirlooms, so I don't generally start getting harvestable fruits until August, so the green tomatoes currently on the vine are just pieces of excitement. My pepper plants don't seem to know what to do this year. Some of them are thriving in the heat, some of them are stunted in the heat, some of them are fruiting more than I expected. I'll see how it plays out but I'm thinking I might not get the size of pepper harvest I was hoping for. To the disappointment of many, my hot sauce batch might be lean this year. This is also the first year I tried over-wintering pepper plants. So I have some very nice, very dead pepper plants in my garden.
My cucumbers look like shit. My zucchini aren't producing. Somehow my beans aren't doing well this year. Oh well. -
Comment on Tildes Book Club - Have you started A Psalm for the Wild Built by Becky Chambers? in ~books
Requirement LinkI'm finally back in! (kind of..) I read Psalm for the Wild Built last year, as well as the sequel. I'll have to do a quick skim recap to refresh myself on some of the story points, but I look...I'm finally back in! (kind of..)
I read Psalm for the Wild Built last year, as well as the sequel. I'll have to do a quick skim recap to refresh myself on some of the story points, but I look forward to the discussion! -
Comment on ‘The Batman Part II’ flies to early 2028; J.J. Abrams’ Glen Powell and Jenna Ortega pic ‘The Great Beyond’ heads to fall 2027 in ~movies
Requirement Link ParentI really agree that it's a waste of a good actor. They had the opportunity to have a Nolan/Bale-level run with Pattinson. While The Batman isn't my favorite Batman media, it was a refreshing take...I really agree that it's a waste of a good actor. They had the opportunity to have a Nolan/Bale-level run with Pattinson. While The Batman isn't my favorite Batman media, it was a refreshing take and absolutely dripping with character. Pattinson made a good Batman (in that world) and the rest of the casting was equally good if not better. How do you age up Batman/Bruce Wayne by a decade and still have the story make sense?
Don't get me wrong, I think Pattinson would make a superb "old man bat" as well. I just don't know how you get there. -
Comment on Recommendations for e-ink tablets? in ~tech
Requirement LinkFor a slightly different suggestion: It might be worth looking into the TCL Nxtpaper line of tablets. They aren't eink but they screens are spectacular with a nice textured surface and a few...For a slightly different suggestion:
It might be worth looking into the TCL Nxtpaper line of tablets. They aren't eink but they screens are spectacular with a nice textured surface and a few settings to turn them black and white or low-saturation. More enjoyable to read on than a regular LCD screen, less enjoyable than an eink but it solves a number of the eink issues, such as refresh rate and I've had some issues with PDFs/more niche files on eink.
The battery life is not as good as a eink reader but is still decent enough to last a couple days for me. -
Comment on The one-and-done pen? in ~hobbies
Requirement Link ParentI second the LTT Scribedriver. I bought one around launch and it's been going strong for a few years now. I know a lot of pen people look down at it as there are nicer pens out there. I find, when...I second the LTT Scribedriver. I bought one around launch and it's been going strong for a few years now. I know a lot of pen people look down at it as there are nicer pens out there. I find, when pressed for recommendations, they usually suggest a pen far more expensive or far less expensive. For whatever it's worth, the Scribedriver sits in a price bucket where there's not a ton of competition, certainly not at the quality and not using a bolt action mechanism (which is a stellar fidget toy and less abrasive to others' ears than clicky pens).
If you keep an eye out, LTT does a few sales a year where you can at least get a bit of a discount or free shipping. -
Comment on Tildes Gardening Group: Week 18/5/26 in ~hobbies
Requirement LinkIt's finally consistently warm enough here in Midwest America that I can get my plants in the ground.... the only problem is that now I don't have enough time to get them in there! I sense some...It's finally consistently warm enough here in Midwest America that I can get my plants in the ground.... the only problem is that now I don't have enough time to get them in there! I sense some night-planting in my future.
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Comment on What do folks carry in their hiking/backpacking/camping first aid kits these days? in ~hobbies
Requirement Link ParentMy only problem with tourniquets is the cost of decent ones. I suppose there is not price on surviving but at $50+ a pop it starts feeling a bit expensive.My only problem with tourniquets is the cost of decent ones. I suppose there is not price on surviving but at $50+ a pop it starts feeling a bit expensive.
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Comment on What do folks carry in their hiking/backpacking/camping first aid kits these days? in ~hobbies
Requirement Link ParentI wonder if there is a survivorship bias of some sort in the idea that a first aid kit ha never significantly affected the outcome of a situation. I imagine those stories just make bad stories. "I...I wonder if there is a survivorship bias of some sort in the idea that a first aid kit ha never significantly affected the outcome of a situation. I imagine those stories just make bad stories. "I fell and cut myself badly. I patched it up and hobbled out" isn't nearly as compelling a story as "I fell down and cut myself. I had to drag myself to freedom while bears circled."
That being said I hold two somewhat opposing beliefs:- You should always carry a first aid kit.
- You probably don't really need that much in a first aid kit.
I generally hike a few hundred miles a year and really almost never use my first aid kit. I still prefer having it on me just in case though. About a decade ago I really sat down and looked at both my first aid skills and the likely events that could occur and really pared down my kit substantially. I also took a first aid course around that time that included a bit where the instructor put fake blood on your hand and handed you a first aid kit. You know what's absolutely useless? Bandaids. By the time you get it open and ready to apply, the bandaid is trash. Same is true for about 60% of store-bought first aid kits. Once I started thinking about what would actually work, what I would have likely access to "in the field", and what could be used in multiple ways I ended up with a very slim first aid kit.
From memory:- Pain killers (both tylenol and asprin)
- anti diarrhea pills
- iodine tabs for water treatment (or wound treatment I guess if things got real bad. I know it's not the right choice but, that's what emergencies are.)
- a small handful of alcohol wipes
- 4x4 gauze. Like 8 of them.
- a partial roll of Leukotape. (To attach gauze to body. Or so much more commonly to cover developing blisters... the stuff is magic for it)
- a few strips of a different tape that flexes a bit differently.
- Razor blade. Mostly to cut the tape.
- Small flashlight (some tiny Olight I got for free that they no longer sell)
- a mini bic lighter
- there might be a fire starter of some sort in there.
- I had individual use hand sanitizer packets but I think I ran out of them.
- If I'm feeling really fancy, I'll throw one of those little roles of Coughlan's toilet paper
I figure I usually don't need a splint, there's probably some sticks around if I am in that dire of need. I figure I don't need a sling because I'm wearing clothes. Similarly, I figure I don't need a ton of gauze because I'm generally wearing a shirt. My goal is to stop the bleed, get to cell service (or hit the satellite transponder). I am not a surgeon, the woods aren't a hospital. Sure it would be really nice to full clean and dress a wound in the back country but I think it's ultimately better to get to a professional as quickly as possible.
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Comment on NHTSA tells US Congress: advanced impaired driving detection tech isn't ready in ~transport
Requirement Link ParentI am old enough to remember the pre-Uber/Lyft days and have worked the service industry for most that time. The advent of ride-share apps significantly decreased the rates of drunk driving...I am old enough to remember the pre-Uber/Lyft days and have worked the service industry for most that time. The advent of ride-share apps significantly decreased the rates of drunk driving [anecdotal] just by the sheer fact that the driver would actually show up. (As an aside, it ironically made it a bit harder as a bartender to bounce someone and call them a ride... you used to be able to call a cab, now you have to pay for the ride yourself.)
I imagine a bus/train/subway system that ran efficiently, effectively, and frequently (and at night...) would have to help. I wonder what the drunk driving rates in, say, New York City are vs. smaller cities without meaningful public transit. -
Comment on What’s something you’re putting up with? in ~talk
Requirement Link ParentTo counter your first point, think of the millimeter waves as hundreds of millions of little hands. The agent, the government, the algorithm, have no need to physically touch you. They have found...To counter your first point, think of the millimeter waves as hundreds of millions of little hands. The agent, the government, the algorithm, have no need to physically touch you. They have found a way around the petty concern of feeling and interpreting and instead produce a millimeter perfect reproduction of your body. They have your nudes and never even bothered to flirt.
Is TSA over-hated? I guess maybe a bit. Certainly at the individual agent level. Most of them are functionally gas station workers with more "responsibility" and a few hundred or thousand less-than-enthused customers. Is TSA, the organization, over-hated? No. The existence of like-organizations globally does not legitimize the TSA. You may also be conflating America's over-influential reach with "the rest of the world agrees."
Were hijackings normal? They were more normal, sure. Were they deadly? Your quote really heavily implies that those 305 hijackings must have been deadly. Surely, the quote wouldn't include that the single-year incidences compared to a five-year period incidences have no fatalities for no reason! There's lies, damn lies, and statistics... and I'm going to be honest, this quote doesn't even fall into statistics.
If anything, the utter lack of fatalities or terrorism-styled events prior to 9/11 would indicate that it wouldn't be a pressing issue to address. Hell, a not insignificant driver of 9/11 conspiracy theories is that the government had to be involved because lethal highjackings were so rare. (In fact, the first death of a passenger in a highjacking in America was caused by an FBI agent.)
To tie the two together, TSA isn't effective at stopping weapons from entering airports in their own tests (90%+ failure rate!) and therefore, likely isn't effectively preventing anything. Instead, it seems that the overwhelming majority of individuals just don't want to do terrorism. In light of that, we decide to erode our privacy, our rights, and spend inordinate amounts on "security." -
Comment on Sony pulls back from PlayStation games on PC in ~games
Requirement Link ParentNotably absent from this whole conversation: Steam is aware that Microsoft controls the platform in a way. They have been aware since Games for Windows - LIVE was introduced that Microsoft really,...Notably absent from this whole conversation: Steam is aware that Microsoft controls the platform in a way. They have been aware since Games for Windows - LIVE was introduced that Microsoft really, really wants in. While Microsoft hasn't been successful yet(shocker, I know), that could change. Hence, Steam started development on SteamOS. While SteamOS isn't a full-fledged operating system yet, Steam has said that the goal is to have it be a full OS and I'm sure Steam is plugging away at it. They see the potential threat on the horizon and are trying to address it at Valve's regular peculiar speed.
A Macbook Neo and an iPhone 17 will set you back around $1200 if you needed to buy both to get into the Apple ecosystem. I'm willing to bet that the experience is worth the ~$200 more that you would pay over buying one of these new Googlebooks.
Or, I agree, an iPad air with a keyboard would probably cover most people.