SaltSong's recent activity
-
Comment on Back to cash: life without money in your pocket is not the utopia Sweden hoped in ~finance
-
Comment on It is as if you were on your phone in ~tech
-
Comment on Back to cash: life without money in your pocket is not the utopia Sweden hoped in ~finance
SaltSong LinkFor all the ways that war advances technology, in a lot of ways, it really sets back any kind of progress towards cooperation, and making things easier.For all the ways that war advances technology, in a lot of ways, it really sets back any kind of progress towards cooperation, and making things easier.
-
Comment on An appeal to the community for non-algorithmic recommendations in ~talk
SaltSong Link ParentJust so. I also think that as critical part of it is being able to attack the idea without attacking the viewer. Keeps them from getting defensive, which usually prevents assimilating new data.Just so. I also think that as critical part of it is being able to attack the idea without attacking the viewer. Keeps them from getting defensive, which usually prevents assimilating new data.
-
Comment on An appeal to the community for non-algorithmic recommendations in ~talk
SaltSong Link ParentAmusingly, he often uses non-humans to discuss the human condition. This is, in my opinion, mostly the task of science fiction, but it works here, too.Amusingly, he often uses non-humans to discuss the human condition.
This is, in my opinion, mostly the task of science fiction, but it works here, too.
-
Comment on An appeal to the community for non-algorithmic recommendations in ~talk
SaltSong Link ParentOh, absolutely. The first few books area good, but some of the characters are not the same as they are a few books in. Same for the general tone of the books. For a while, he was doing direct...Oh, absolutely. The first few books area good, but some of the characters are not the same as they are a few books in. Same for the general tone of the books. For a while, he was doing direct parody of the fantasy genre. After a few books, he found his own voice, and the combination of comedy and philosophy is delightful.
-
Comment on An appeal to the community for non-algorithmic recommendations in ~talk
SaltSong LinkThe books I always, always recommend to everyone is the Discworld series. I also recommend skipping the first three or four books, because Pratchet took a few volumes to come to terms with his...The books I always, always recommend to everyone is the Discworld series. I also recommend skipping the first three or four books, because Pratchet took a few volumes to come to terms with his material.
We have flowcharts. I recommend "Men at Arms" for a starting point, if you like detective novels.
-
Comment on US Department of Justice again files demand to break up Google’s search monopoly in ~tech
SaltSong Link ParentDefault, yes, but it's easy enough to change that. Firefox doesn't fight me on it. Maybe my opinion is influenced because I am reasonably tech savvy. And if you are referring to speech patterns,...Default, yes, but it's easy enough to change that. Firefox doesn't fight me on it. Maybe my opinion is influenced because I am reasonably tech savvy.
And if you are referring to speech patterns, that's a consequence of the monopoly, not a cause of it. I suppose you could argue that it's a self-reinforcing cycle, but I'm not sure how we would go about stopping it, and I'm pretty sure I would not want to use it as a criteria for if a monopoly needs to be broken up.
-
Comment on US Department of Justice again files demand to break up Google’s search monopoly in ~tech
SaltSong Link ParentRight, monopoly based on consumer preference. These days, people are migrating away from them, to an extent. It's easy to ditch them, for most people.Right, monopoly based on consumer preference.
These days, people are migrating away from them, to an extent. It's easy to ditch them, for most people.
-
Comment on US Department of Justice again files demand to break up Google’s search monopoly in ~tech
SaltSong LinkAm not a layer. But in my mind, at least, it's hard to call Google a search monopoly, because there are a fair few competitors, and it would require almost no effort to set up another one. It's...Am not a layer.
But in my mind, at least, it's hard to call Google a search monopoly, because there are a fair few competitors, and it would require almost no effort to set up another one. It's not like telephone companies, or airlines, or something.
Gaining market share would be another trick entirely, but I don't think that's the question. Article says they are paying to have Google search included on devices. I don't see that as a problem, unless there's more to it. Paying to exclude others, that would be a problem. Paying to be the forced default, that would also be a problem.
I just don't see them as a monopoly, the same way I saw Microsoft twenty years ago.
-
Comment on Digg is relaunching under Kevin Rose and Alexis Ohanian in ~tech
SaltSong Link ParentI haven't abandoned reddit yet, simply because I don't have an alternative. I like this place, but it's slow, and doesn't have some of the communities I'm interested in. In time, I hope. I tried...I haven't abandoned reddit yet, simply because I don't have an alternative. I like this place, but it's slow, and doesn't have some of the communities I'm interested in. In time, I hope.
I tried Mastadon, and it seems too focused on individuals, rather than topics. Possibly, I'm just not using it right.
Discord is not really the same. Too fast, no archives, no focus.
I'd love a good reddit alternative. Plus, I came from Digg. I suppose that to digg I shall return.
-
Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
SaltSong LinkListening to The Black Company series again. Trying to get myself geared up to take another swing at the Russian Revolution history again.Listening to The Black Company series again.
Trying to get myself geared up to take another swing at the Russian Revolution history again.
-
Comment on Your favorite game OSTs in ~games
SaltSong LinkI'm not a big fan of music in game. I know they often work hard on it, but I generally watch TV while playing. That said, I write like the soundtrack to Sunless Seas. It's mostly creepy, nautical,...I'm not a big fan of music in game. I know they often work hard on it, but I generally watch TV while playing.
That said, I write like the soundtrack to Sunless Seas. It's mostly creepy, nautical, and dark.
-
Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
SaltSong LinkI've spent a few weeks trying to find something that scratches my itch, without really knowing what that itch was. I passed through Mirthwood, and Ale and Tale, both of which are good games,...I've spent a few weeks trying to find something that scratches my itch, without really knowing what that itch was. I passed through Mirthwood, and Ale and Tale, both of which are good games, before i settled down in Traveler's Rest.
I saw a review that said It's basically Stardew Valley, only instead of selling stuff to the market, you have to cook food/brew alcohol, are sell it to purple on your tavern, and that's pretty much it. The art is similar, and there is a lot of freedom to do things how you like.
I've been snowed in for two days, right after the weekend, so my tavern is doing great.
-
Comment on Games where the campaign serves as the tutorial? in ~games
SaltSong LinkThe first portal game. They slowly position you to learn new tricks, first by controlling half of the portal, then by letting you do it yourself. Once you have displayed mastery of the portal gun,...The first portal game.
They slowly position you to learn new tricks, first by controlling half of the portal, then by letting you do it yourself. Once you have displayed mastery of the portal gun, things go off the rails.
-
Comment on Microsoft confirms Windows 11 Recall AI hardware requirements in ~tech
SaltSong Link ParentDoes it? I'd say this sounds terrible from the word go.Does it? I'd say this sounds terrible from the word go.
-
Comment on All the good email clients go to hell in ~tech
SaltSong Link ParentI would be surprised if you could link protonmail to anything else, since it's whole thing is encryption and data protection. Involving additional parties is contraindicated.I would be surprised if you could link protonmail to anything else, since it's whole thing is encryption and data protection. Involving additional parties is contraindicated.
-
Comment on Horror fishing game Dredge being adapted for live-action movie in ~movies
SaltSong Link ParentI would imagine that they take the game as a skeleton, bring in the stuff the notes hint at, include shine of the backstory, and they might be able to put something good together.I would imagine that they take the game as a skeleton, bring in the stuff the notes hint at, include shine of the backstory, and they might be able to put something good together.
-
Comment on Many Americans who recently bought guns open to political violence, survey finds in ~society
SaltSong Link ParentThat's certainly true. The people claiming eagerness to defend us from the evil government do seem to be ok with the current brand of evil government.That's certainly true. The people claiming eagerness to defend us from the evil government do seem to be ok with the current brand of evil government.
-
Comment on Many Americans who recently bought guns open to political violence, survey finds in ~society
SaltSong Link ParentThe founders may not have imagined our modern weapons when they wrote the second amendment, but they did expect farmers to have the same guns as the army. The founders also did not imagine email...The founders may not have imagined our modern weapons when they wrote the second amendment, but they did expect farmers to have the same guns as the army.
The founders also did not imagine email when they wrote the fourth amendment
Waco was, what, 100 people? And that lasted a week?
If you want to see how effective the government works be at putting down an actual rebellion, consider the wars we have fought against citizens of their own nation who didn't want us there. We were driven out of Vietnam, and Afghanistan. We were born, as a nation, out of a rebellion. The only time we have ever actually won something like that was the civil war, and it was a bloody, horrifying slog.
I do not want to see a rebellion here, but don't pretend like it would be an automatic win for the government.
And it would be a loss for the whole country, no matter who wins.
that's certainly a consideration, but it's one thing to have a backup system for when the primary fails, and it's something else to not be able to trust the primary system because it's run by a fucking clown parade.