Rudism's recent activity
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Comment on Catherine O’Hara - legendary actress dead at 71 in ~movies
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Comment on What have you been listening to this week? in ~music
Rudism LinkI was itching for some nostalgic feeling tunes so I started exploring synthwave music for the first time on Bandcamp, here are the ones I nabbed in the same order I got them: Endless Summer (2016)...I was itching for some nostalgic feeling tunes so I started exploring synthwave music for the first time on Bandcamp, here are the ones I nabbed in the same order I got them:
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Endless Summer (2016) by The Midnight - First one I checked out and holy cow it is amazing. Every track is a slam dunk, it was exactly what I was hoping synthwave would be. This whole thing is a mood, I had it on repeat for two days straight while working before I decided I needed to hunt down some more.
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GUNSHIP (2015) by GUNSHIP - Also straight back-to-back bangers. I'm not a music critic so I don't know the right words to use--this one feels a little heavier/crunchier than Endless Summer, less "floaty," but definitely scratches that same 80s-vibes-amplified-beyond-all-reason niche.
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Scandroid (2016) by Scandroid - I'll just be repeating what I said about the other two albums if I try to explain how great this is. I splurged for the physical CD on this one since it was available and I love it so much (nearly went for the vinyl, but cooler heads prevailed).
Some other bands I've seen mentioned in the same breath as these are Kavinsky and Perturbator, so I'll probably check them out some time soon too, but right now it's taking all my willpower to not snatch up the full back catalogs from the three I already mentioned above. Lord have mercy on my wallet.
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Comment on Feeling weird about my career with respect to AI in ~life
Rudism LinkI'm a bit more established in my career at this point--been working as a software engineer since 2003, avoided management tracks like the plague, and currently hold a senior architect position....I'm a bit more established in my career at this point--been working as a software engineer since 2003, avoided management tracks like the plague, and currently hold a senior architect position. I'm in the same boat where I have zero interest in using AI tooling at all, but surrounded by colleagues and managers who are drowning in AI flavor aid.
I think right now we are in a period of unmitigated FOMO, where everyone is trying these things out--throwing Will Smith eating spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks. I suspect they may take some time to shake out, and I can't really predict how prevalent they will be, but I think companies/opportunities that value and hire programmers who reject AI tooling will eventually emerge as an identifiable thing that you can filter for when looking for opportunities. For example I sometimes have to get involved in the hiring process, and right now if I were interviewing a potential candidate who admitted to heavily using AI coding environments or agents it would be a massive red flag to me, because I don't want anyone I have to work with or whose code I have to review to be reliant on these things.
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Comment on Midweek Movie Free Talk in ~movies
Rudism Link ParentIf you want to dip your toes into some more slow-burn horror (I know you said you're not one for horror, but slow-burn horror is easily my favorite thing to watch so I can't help myself), a...If you want to dip your toes into some more slow-burn horror (I know you said you're not one for horror, but slow-burn horror is easily my favorite thing to watch so I can't help myself), a lesser-known one that I recommend is The Blackcoat's Daughter (2015), and another good even lesser lesser-known one is Pyewacket (2017).
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Comment on What small thing made a big impact on you? in ~talk
Rudism Link ParentI have an "overreacting dad" small-thing story, too. I was probably 12 or 13 years old (or in that ballpark), and my parents were having a garage sale. I had a bunch of toys that both me and my...I have an "overreacting dad" small-thing story, too.
I was probably 12 or 13 years old (or in that ballpark), and my parents were having a garage sale. I had a bunch of toys that both me and my younger brother had aged out of, and my parents let me set up my own "booth" in the garage where I would get to keep any of the money from selling those toys. They let me figure out fair prices for each of the toys and put stickers on them.
At some point the dad of some younger kids down the street asked me if I could go any lower on some of the toys--I think he wanted to buy some Fisher Price binoculars plus a couple other things, which would have come out to around $10 total based on sticker prices, and he said he would give me $5 for all of it together. I tried to haggle up but he wouldn't budge, so I said if I don't sell any of that stuff he can have it for that price at the end of the day. He said fine, and to bring it to his house later (he lived like 3 houses away from ours) if I change my mind.
Well the garage sale wrapped up that afternoon, and I still hadn't sold the stuff the guy wanted, so I threw it into my wagon and wheeled it over to his house and rang the doorbell. When he answered I said he could have the stuff for $5, and he said now his offer was only $4. I didn't think it was a huge deal--better to get some money instead of be stuck with these baby toys, so I took it.
Well, that night my dad mentioned he saw me wheel some stuff to the neighbor while they were putting away everything from the garage sale and asked what was up with that. I told him about all the stuff I sold for $4, and my dad went nuts, calling me a sucker, telling me I got ripped off, and I shouldn't be so naive. In hindsight he was probably more mad at the other dad than me, but man did that ever sting. I cried myself to sleep that night, vowing to never be taken advantage of ever again. So even to this day that "lesson" sticks with me, and I am extremely stubborn and hard to budge in situations where I think someone is trying to wheel-and-deal me, probably losing out on deals that I really should have taken, just to uphold my principles.
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Comment on What's the benefit of avoiding the debugger? in ~comp
Rudism (edited )LinkI haven't used a debugger since I started using vim to write C# (probably 15 years or so), with the primary driver being that getting netcoredbg (or whatever the Xamarin/Mono equivalent to that...I haven't used a debugger since I started using vim to write C# (probably 15 years or so), with the primary driver being that getting
netcoredbg(or whatever the Xamarin/Mono equivalent to that was back then, if there even was one) to work with vim was a nightmarish hassle, and I didn't want to deal with it. Prior to the switch I used the debugger in Visual Studio a fair amount, so it took a little while to get used to troubleshooting without it, but I feel like all this experience thinking through the code and identifying possible causes and then testing those manually (usually by adding additional debug logging) has made me a far better programmer than I'd be otherwise.Working this way makes debugging feel a lot more like a "science," in the sense that you have to come up with theories and then figure out the most efficient way to prove or disprove them. I think working on and improving that alternate way of approaching problems (what the OP calls "debugging in your mind"), instead of always relying on a debugger to do it for you, is a skill that has much wider benefits across the whole sphere of programming--not just in debugging.
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Comment on Avengers: Doomsday | Fantastic Four and Wakanda teaser in ~movies
Rudism Link ParentAt some point for me, the MCU movies themselves essentially became a high budget TV series that you had to invest in and keep up with every "episode" or miss all kinds of context and references....At some point for me, the MCU movies themselves essentially became a high budget TV series that you had to invest in and keep up with every "episode" or miss all kinds of context and references. Me coming to that realization is when I started to lose interest (probably around Civil War iirc). But I also think that's what makes them so popular with the general public, so I can't really blame them.
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Comment on Looking for audio recording advice in ~hobbies
Rudism LinkOne thing that can help reduce the echo when using a condenser mic like the Blue Yeti without going all out hanging stuff on the walls or sound-proofing your whole recording room is a sound...One thing that can help reduce the echo when using a condenser mic like the Blue Yeti without going all out hanging stuff on the walls or sound-proofing your whole recording room is a sound shield. Basically a padded tri-fold kind of thing that you can set up on the opposite side of the mic from where you're speaking into it to catch and dampen your voice before it has a chance to go echo around your room. You can get mic stands or arms that have them built in (just search sound shield on Amazon to see the kind of things that are out there). They're definitely not perfect--they can be a bit bulky and cumbersome, and you'll likely still catch echo and ambient noise, but in my experience it reduces those enough to make it a lot easier to clean up in post processing and get very clean sounding vocals.
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Comment on What’s a point that you think many people missed? in ~talk
Rudism LinkCaring about personal privacy should be important to everyone, even if you think you "have nothing to hide." The point of protecting and maintaining privacy is not just to hide your own...Caring about personal privacy should be important to everyone, even if you think you "have nothing to hide."
The point of protecting and maintaining privacy is not just to hide your own criminal/embarrassing actions, it's about protecting yourself from the potential actions of others in power who might abuse and weaponize their access to your information against you.
I often feel like trying to explain this to a lot of people (across the whole spectrum of tech-savviness) is like talking to a brick wall.
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Comment on Doppi, the nicest player for your music files in ~tech
Rudism LinkIf anyone reading this thread is disappointed that the mentioned app is iOS only and wants an Android recommendation, the one I use and recommend is PowerAmp. Very pretty, highly functional, good...If anyone reading this thread is disappointed that the mentioned app is iOS only and wants an Android recommendation, the one I use and recommend is PowerAmp. Very pretty, highly functional, good out of the box but also customizable, and has an option to purchase it direct from the programmer and use it on devices without Google Play.
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Comment on The "why does this movie exist" scene in ~movies
Rudism Link ParentI tend to agree with you that the plots of most movies are boring/predictable/samey, but I still watch and enjoy them because I enjoy experiencing the craft behind the films--visual world...I tend to agree with you that the plots of most movies are boring/predictable/samey, but I still watch and enjoy them because I enjoy experiencing the craft behind the films--visual world building, composition of scenes, camerawork, performances and choices by actors. I still get bored by movies, but it happens more with stuff like the MCU where there's no real artistic direction other than make them as bland looking as possible and have 50% of it be CGI instead of real people on screen. Give me a movie with a generic or boring plot, but from a great director with a great cast and crew, and I probably won't even notice.
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Comment on Pebble Round 2 announced in ~tech
Rudism Link ParentYeah I'd be interested to hear your opinion on its quality after you try it out.Yeah I'd be interested to hear your opinion on its quality after you try it out.
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Comment on Doppi, the nicest player for your music files in ~tech
Rudism LinkI'm curious, does anyone actually use the subscription option for apps that also offer a one-time price? I've never really understood the appeal, or why someone would choose that option. I imagine...It is paid, with a subscription option (USD 1.69/month) and a lifetime license (USD 16.99).
I'm curious, does anyone actually use the subscription option for apps that also offer a one-time price? I've never really understood the appeal, or why someone would choose that option. I imagine that someone who owns an iPhone is probably not in a position that they couldn't afford the $15 difference, and presumably someone who wants to shell out for an app would, in their mind, expect to be using it longer than 10 months and realize they'd be saving money by avoiding an ongoing subscription. Is it because iOS does not have a good trial or refund policy, so you'd treat the subscription as sort of a paid trial period before either cancelling or buying the app? Or is there some other justification that I'm blind to?
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Comment on Pebble Round 2 announced in ~tech
Rudism Link ParentI'll also throw my hat in as a satisfied Pebble 2 Duo user for a few months now. I don't use a smart phone so it's in airplane mode 99% of the time--the things I use it for are the vibrating smart...I'll also throw my hat in as a satisfied Pebble 2 Duo user for a few months now. I don't use a smart phone so it's in airplane mode 99% of the time--the things I use it for are the vibrating smart alarm, a tea timer, and an app I wrote for it that lets me define on-watch repeating reminders using crontab-like syntax for stuff like taking meds, changing air filters, birthdays I don't want to forget, stuff like that. I think I probably have to charge it a couple times per month, so not really something I've had to think or worry about.
What watch band(s) do you use with yours? I've been meaning to look into replacements but not looking forward to sifting through the dozens of brands/options (in the past for my non-smartwatches I usually go with cheap nato straps, but don't want to cover up the sensors on this one).
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Comment on What's something you're "in too deep" on? in ~talk
Rudism (edited )Link ParentThis sounds incredible--like the realization of a pipe-dream project I've fantasized about many times but don't have the gumption to actually tackle, I'm very envious. The closest I've come to...This sounds incredible--like the realization of a pipe-dream project I've fantasized about many times but don't have the gumption to actually tackle, I'm very envious. The closest I've come to scratching that kind of reliving-media nostalgia itch is to set up a couple radio streams that cycle through old radio shows that I used to listen to while falling asleep when I was younger (mainly Coast to Coast AM from back when Art Bell was the host). I've also set up what at this point is essentially a private old time radio streaming service (it is exposed publicly but I'm probably the only person who uses it). I had a whole suite of scripts that would take OTR episode collections from archive.org and build a database of episode details (air date, episode name, etc.) and organize everything in a clean, consistent manner--I thought that was a lot of work, but what you're describing is next level.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Rudism LinkMostly I've been playing Donkey Kong Bananza since I picked it up around Christmas. It's fun, but not nearly enough to justify the price tag. The digging gimmick lost its novelty after the first...Mostly I've been playing Donkey Kong Bananza since I picked it up around Christmas.
It's fun, but not nearly enough to justify the price tag. The digging gimmick lost its novelty after the first hour or two and now it's pretty repetitive and playing like pretty much any other game of this ilk. Prior to this I figured I'd always do PC gaming + Nintendo for portable/console gaming because I've always enjoyed their exclusives, but this game with the day 1 DLC bringing the price tag up to like $100 has made me deeply regret not picking up a Steam Deck instead of the Switch 2--this will likely be the last console I ever purchase.
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Comment on Amazon to allow EPUB and PDF downloads of DRM-free Kindle titles in ~books
Rudism LinkMaybe they figure they've captured enough of the market as Kindle exclusives that they can finally throw us this bone. Personally I don't really care anymore--if a book is only available through...Maybe they figure they've captured enough of the market as Kindle exclusives that they can finally throw us this bone. Personally I don't really care anymore--if a book is only available through Amazon it's the same as not existing to me, I'll find something else to read.
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Comment on Whatever happened to _____? in ~talk
Rudism Link ParentI'm only in season 2 on my current B5 rewatch, but I'll let you know once I get there.I'm only in season 2 on my current B5 rewatch, but I'll let you know once I get there.
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Comment on Markdown/inline links don't work unless URL starts with http(s) in ~tildes
Rudism Link ParentIn my head I always thought of that syntax as still being a relative url--just relative up one level to the scheme instead of any part of the domain name.In my head I always thought of that syntax as still being a relative url--just relative up one level to the scheme instead of any part of the domain name.
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Comment on Looking for a non-smart watch recommendation in ~tech
Rudism Link ParentI bought a PineTime a while back, and had it working for exactly one day before I unrecoverably bricked it somehow during firmware flashing. So word of advice for anyone who decides to get one:...I bought a PineTime a while back, and had it working for exactly one day before I unrecoverably bricked it somehow during firmware flashing. So word of advice for anyone who decides to get one: resist your tinkerer tendencies as much as possible because software-wise these things can be fragile.
I'm experiencing a bit of a Mandella effect moment here.
There's an old Canadian TV show I loved named Maniac Mansion that aired reruns late at night when I was a kid, and I would have sworn up and down that Catherine O'Hara played the mom on that show. Like I can recall the TV show's intro and specific scenes from episodes, and she's right there in my memory. This goes way back--my whole life, any time I saw Catherine O'Hara in another show or movie I'd think of her as the mom from Maniac Mansion. But looking the show up now it turns out that wasn't her--it was Deborah Theaker, who I don't recognize or remember at all from looking at pictures.
My best guess is that because Joe Flaherty plays the dad in Maniac Mansion I must have somehow gotten my wires crossed between that show and SCTV, but I never really watched much SCTV growing up (it was a bit before my time, I just caught a few episodes here and there), so it's wild to me that my memory got completely rewritten like this. The kicker for me is, even though Catherine O'Hara never appeared on Maniac Mansion at all (though there was some cross-over with other SCTV alums guest starring), the theme song for Maniac Mansion was written by Mary Margaret O'Hara--Catherine's sister! edit--And!! Theaker's Wikipedia page says she was a member of The Second City, although it doesn't seem as though she ever appeared on SCTV.
Can't help but wonder if that other timeline I came from where Catherine O'Hara was the mom in Maniac Mansion is on as dark a path as this one I somehow got stuck in...