SunSpotter's recent activity
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Comment on A hacker's arrest reveals Microsoft can track users via a Windows device ID in ~tech
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Comment on A hacker's arrest reveals Microsoft can track users via a Windows device ID in ~tech
SunSpotter Link ParentIs it? I know of some software in my personal life that doesn’t run well on Linux but…I have felt zero pressure to actually use a Windows VM specifically for gaming. Wine/Proton are not emulators,...the most reliable way to game on Linux is to have it spoof or emulate Windows
Is it? I know of some software in my personal life that doesn’t run well on Linux but…I have felt zero pressure to actually use a Windows VM specifically for gaming. Wine/Proton are not emulators, they’re more like translators. Think of it as talking to the software you want to run in its native language so everything works smoothly. And I have yet to find a single Windows game I actually want to play that I wasn’t able fiddle with and get working under Proton.
Software as a whole is more of a mixed bag. There’s some things I’ve just had to let go, or resort to using an inferior Linux native alternative. But it’s honestly not worth dedicating the system resources to a VM.
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Comment on US President Donald Trump says he will impose fifty percent tariffs on Canadian goods in thirty days in ~society
SunSpotter LinkWhat this article doesn’t explain is that Trump is pursuing new tariffs under a different legal framework, specifically Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act. Which allows him to set tariffs against...What this article doesn’t explain is that Trump is pursuing new tariffs under a different legal framework, specifically Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act. Which allows him to set tariffs against unreasonable/hostile nations. Which is a fucking joke considering we’re talking about Canada here. Not to mention, tariffs are extremely unpopular with the electorate. AND, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Trumps power to whimsically create, change and remove IEEEPA tariffs, which became a disaster for the U.S. Treasury. There is no guarantee it won’t happen again.
However in my mind, it doesn’t matter whether he will actually do it or get away with it. It’s absolutely outrageous that the media is not tearing him a new one over this. I don’t care how much he whines and complains and threatens how unfair he gets treated, this behavior should not be entertained. The universal response should be “why does the president keep enacting these terrible policies, is he senile? Is he corrupt?” The administration needs to understand this is not helpful nor is it something we want, and I cannot fathom how this is not a unified position across America in a time of sky high cost of living increases year after year.
Our media has completely failed us.
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Comment on What's a game you're dying to play that doesn't exist? in ~games
SunSpotter Link ParentI enjoy it, though I’m also a long time player of the franchise. They’ve been consistently improving the game year after year and the universe feels pretty alive at this point. It’s not the same...I enjoy it, though I’m also a long time player of the franchise. They’ve been consistently improving the game year after year and the universe feels pretty alive at this point. It’s not the same as multiplayer, granted, but there’s plenty of universe to explore and interact with, plus a few quest lines that keep things fresh for a while.
I do know someone is working on a multiplayer mod, but it’s pretty early development so it’ll be a while before anything comes of that.
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Comment on What's a game you're dying to play that doesn't exist? in ~games
SunSpotter Link ParentAh got it, I knew there had to be something I was missing. Would you say X4 scratches a comparable itch? I’m tempted to give Freelancer a try myself, though at this point I’m not sure I know...Ah got it, I knew there had to be something I was missing. Would you say X4 scratches a comparable itch? I’m tempted to give Freelancer a try myself, though at this point I’m not sure I know enough people willing to play it with me to get the full experience.
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Comment on What's a game you're dying to play that doesn't exist? in ~games
SunSpotter Link ParentI’m seeing a lot of discussion about this game, particularly with people comparing it to Star Citizen or NMS or other popular space sims, which yeah don’t really seem similar. But is there...I’m seeing a lot of discussion about this game, particularly with people comparing it to Star Citizen or NMS or other popular space sims, which yeah don’t really seem similar.
But is there anything that sets it apart from X4 by Egosoft? Everything I’m seeing about this game sounds exactly like X4, to such an extent that if you just blanked out Freelancer and told me to fill in the blank, I’d guess X4 or one of the earlier entries in it’s franchise.
It ain’t a perfect game, but it seems like it checks all the boxes? Anyone have experience playing both that can tell me what I’m missing?
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Comment on For those who didn't know, find what you want to watch and for how much on services! (justwatch.com) in ~movies
SunSpotter Link ParentWould you be willing to expand on what some of the tools you use are (or maybe just a guide if you’re not)? I’ve been out of the game for a while, so I admit I struggle sometimes when I try to...Would you be willing to expand on what some of the tools you use are (or maybe just a guide if you’re not)? I’ve been out of the game for a while, so I admit I struggle sometimes when I try to pirate something.
I maintain an up to date torrent client, partially just because not everything that gets downloaded as a torrent is pirated content. But beyond that, I’m at a loss. I don’t even know what sites are considered reputable in terms of torrents these days, or even if that’s still considered the best way to get pirated content.
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Comment on For those who didn't know, find what you want to watch and for how much on services! (justwatch.com) in ~movies
SunSpotter Link ParentWent down a rabbit hole of watching pre-Hays Code Halloween movies last month, and a few other early Halloween movies that established later tropes. Some of them don’t even exist on a streaming...Went down a rabbit hole of watching pre-Hays Code Halloween movies last month, and a few other early Halloween movies that established later tropes. Some of them don’t even exist on a streaming service at the moment. Others demand $20 to stream a nearly 100 year old movie, which just seems absurd to me. So I gave up and just started pirating everything that wasn’t searchable on my smart TV.
My general philosophy is that I’ll use piracy when it’s the only practical option, or when paying would require me give money to a company I’m boycotting. Otherwise, if I can stream something for a reasonable price, I will. For me, as just a casual and occasional traveler of the high seas, it’s not worth the effort otherwise.
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Comment on Amazon ordered to pay $20K after British Columbia customer says package never arrived in ~tech
SunSpotter Link ParentIt’s only happened to me twice. Once my package got lost in the warehouse and never even made it to me. Just vanished into the void as far as I can tell. Fortunately Amazon was pretty forgiving of...It’s only happened to me twice. Once my package got lost in the warehouse and never even made it to me. Just vanished into the void as far as I can tell. Fortunately Amazon was pretty forgiving of that, since they couldn’t confirm on their end if it was delivered or not.
The second time it happened was through FedEx and was a very clear case of the driver stealing the package. I had it delivered to a UPS store with cameras and staff on site, yet no cameras spotted the driver arriving at the delivery time and no one by the name of Steve or whoever they said it was handed off to worked there or at any of the adjacent businesses.
FedEx still fought the claim tooth and nail since it was “delivered”. Unfortunately, I honestly don’t have a good resolution to that story. I ended up pawning it off to the merchant who issued me a refund and fought FedEx on their end.
My point being, it does happen. I live in a relatively quiet part of Southern California, nowhere particularly noteworthy in terms of crime. I would agree three in a year is suspicious, but it could be a similar case to what happened to me: a rather bold (or stupid) delivery driver marking packages as “delivered” in order to steal them.
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Comment on What ridiculous thing would you spend billions on? in ~talk
SunSpotter Link ParentThis is my pick too, but in order to make it as ridiculous and wasteful as possible, I plan to make my personal space station in the likeness of my own head like I’m some kind of Bond villain.This is my pick too, but in order to make it as ridiculous and wasteful as possible, I plan to make my personal space station in the likeness of my own head like I’m some kind of Bond villain.
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Comment on Proton batteries - new still-in-the-lab batteries that use hydrogen ions instead of lithium ions (also a different anode/cathode) in ~tech
SunSpotter Link ParentIf I had to guess, most companies are laser focused on being competitive/cutting edge in a very much still emerging and highly competitive market. So for anything that moves, they aren’t willing...If I had to guess, most companies are laser focused on being competitive/cutting edge in a very much still emerging and highly competitive market. So for anything that moves, they aren’t willing to take risks or sacrifice energy density.
But for anything stationary, where weight and volume aren’t a concern, even sodium ion is overkill. Just build a giant thermal battery and fill it with soapstone, granite or something similar that’s going to have good thermal mass. This is perfect for grid scale solar since it’s cheap, can be easily scaled and doesn’t use any specialized materials for the battery itself.
Sodium ion then, has to compete in a sort of in-between niche that doesn’t need to be cutting edge or save on weight, but also doesn’t have the freedom to be as big and heavy as thermal storage. And while I’m sure there is a market there, it’s going to be more limited, which restricts the amount of research and development goings towards the technology.
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Comment on $30K Ford electric vehicle truck due in 2027 with much-simpler production process in ~transport
SunSpotter Link ParentTrucks are inherently inefficient, and towing doubly so. The only difference with gas is that in most of the country, gas stations are still more plentiful than high speed (100kw+) L3 charging...Trucks are inherently inefficient, and towing doubly so. The only difference with gas is that in most of the country, gas stations are still more plentiful than high speed (100kw+) L3 charging stations, and most EV trucks still have much longer recharging times compared to the refueling time of an ICE truck.
But there are definitely people who do it anyways. What I’ve seen some people do is tow to a campground, stay there overnight and charge, then stop at another campground 100 miles or so later, repeating as necessary to get to their actual destination. Just kind of taking it slow and enjoying the journey, which doesn’t sound terrible tbh. I’ve also seen people tow short distance or light loads (like a jetski) just fine and charge whenever they get the opportunity.
But anyone looking to tow long distance the way you would tow with an ICE vehicle is going to have a bad time. That’s true of almost any EV truck, except possibly the Silverado EV, and even then you’d still need to plan your trip carefully.
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Comment on $30K Ford electric vehicle truck due in 2027 with much-simpler production process in ~transport
SunSpotter Link ParentIt’s small, but it exists. Ford really sold these as “exactly like an F-150, but electric” and plenty of people, even boomers bought them in California because electricity is cheaper than gas and...I don’t know how wide the intersection between "wants a big giant inefficient truck" and "wants an EV" actualy is
It’s small, but it exists. Ford really sold these as “exactly like an F-150, but electric” and plenty of people, even boomers bought them in California because electricity is cheaper than gas and they could get rebates+incentives on them. Buuuut…
"What was the secret, actually trying for once?"
Well, let’s just say I hope that’s what they tried because it’s clear Ford didn’t care about or understand what people want in an EV when they designed that truck. It has, as you pointed out terrible efficiency, and low range, but also long charging times. So a bunch of people sold them back within a year or so of purchase, creating a large secondhand market.
So the market for them was and probably still is basically “cheap pickup I can haul my tools in and charge at the worksite”. If your commute distance is low enough or you’re onsite long enough, even L1 charging is fine.
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Comment on What are your AI-generated guilty pleasures? in ~tech
SunSpotter Link ParentI worry what this will do to the job market. I feel like it’s expected that applicants will embellish the truth a little bit, especially if it’s an entry-ish level job that would be difficult to...I sat in on a job seeking class the other day where the instructor essentially told people to lie on their resumes using Copilot.
I worry what this will do to the job market. I feel like it’s expected that applicants will embellish the truth a little bit, especially if it’s an entry-ish level job that would be difficult to gain prior experience in. But even still…
How the heck is anyone who is actually competent or experienced supposed to stand out when everyone (according to their resume…) is a perfect fit for the role and can back up their claims with an AI generated list of talking points and made up accomplishments?
The job market is already tough right now, and while some companies will inevitably figure out good methods to weed out AI resumes, I don’t have high hopes for the average hiring manager. If AI continues evolving, smaller and mid sized companies may not even be able to keep up with whatever best practices get discovered.
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Comment on Electric vehicle owners - what advice do you have from experience for a new user? in ~transport
SunSpotter Link ParentThis isn't the first time I've heard this, but it is strange to me because I live in Southern California and we have yet to buck most of our slower L3 stations. I'd always kind of assumed that...This isn't the first time I've heard this, but it is strange to me because I live in Southern California and we have yet to buck most of our slower L3 stations. I'd always kind of assumed that with the number of EVs in my area that we would see more infrastructure development than most places, but it seems non-Tesla charging is lagging in my local area.
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Comment on Electric vehicle owners - what advice do you have from experience for a new user? in ~transport
SunSpotter Link ParentOn the topic of L3 charging, when you do need to fast charge, I would recommend looking specifically for chargers in the 50-65kw range. The Bolt 2LT has a max charge rate of 55kw anyways, so you...On the topic of L3 charging, when you do need to fast charge, I would recommend looking specifically for chargers in the 50-65kw range. The Bolt 2LT has a max charge rate of 55kw anyways, so you aren't missing out on a faster charging experience. But what you will miss out on, is the line of people waiting to charge at most stations faster than 100kw. By contrast, I've never had to wait for a 50kw station in my local area.
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Comment on Donald Trump says he’s pursuing 100% tariffs on movies produced outside US, calling runaway production “a national security threat” in ~society
SunSpotter Link ParentHonestly, one of the biggest problems with Trumps character. Between the constant narcissistic posturing no matter the absurdity, and his own genuine lack of intelligence, it's difficult to tell...Honestly, one of the biggest problems with Trumps character. Between the constant narcissistic posturing no matter the absurdity, and his own genuine lack of intelligence, it's difficult to tell how much his age is affecting him. Logically, it's had some affect, considering he doesn't take care of himself and has a history of drug use. But we likely won't know the extent until he gets to a point where he can't even string one of his spaghetti run-on sentences together.
That being said, I can't believe so many people are fooled by a person for whom this is even an issue.
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Comment on Are gas stations beginning to shut down yet, as part of the broader shift to electric vehicles? in ~transport
SunSpotter Link ParentI think they're replacing Shell Recharge with Shell Fuel right? The last time I tried to use one of their L3 chargers back in November or so, both apps sort of tried to work, but errored out....I think they're replacing Shell Recharge with Shell Fuel right? The last time I tried to use one of their L3 chargers back in November or so, both apps sort of tried to work, but errored out. Ultimately, I think the hardware was at fault, but the fact it wasn't clear which app I was supposed to use combined with vague unhelpful error messages lead me to stay there trying to charge in the cold for longer than I would have otherwise. Based on that and a few other personal experiences, I could absolutely believe they just don't really know what their doing.
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Comment on Are gas stations beginning to shut down yet, as part of the broader shift to electric vehicles? in ~transport
SunSpotter LinkTo me, Shell closing gas stations signals that they might be pulling back from consumer refueling stations in general. I say this because they completely pulled out of the Hydrogen refueling...To me, Shell closing gas stations signals that they might be pulling back from consumer refueling stations in general. I say this because they completely pulled out of the Hydrogen refueling network in California just last year. Then more recently, they dropped out of the 3rd party EV charging market (basically an arrangement where the infrastructure itself isn't necessarily owned by Shell, but operates using their software for a cut of the profit). In fact, despite the article I've linked saying they would keep the service running until the end of April, I know from experience they've already shut the service off because I routinely use a couple stations near my workplace that were affected.
So I'm unconvinced that they're doing this to "better meet customer needs when it comes to EVs". I suppose if you give them the benefit of the doubt, you might be able to infer that their plan is to focus on Shell owned L3 EV charging and cut back on everything else. But even that seems dubious. The couple times I had to rely on their L3 stations, have been some of my worst public charging experiences, to the point I now just filter them out when looking for a place to charge. It's not the people, wait time or locations, its their buggy software and hardware.
I'm not sure what conclusion to draw from this, other than it could be Shell is being less than forthcoming about what their actual plans/goals are. Maybe Shell isn't feeling great about it's own finances and is looking to cut costs?
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Comment on British man's tattoo wrongly linked to Venezuelan gang in US government document in ~society
SunSpotter Link ParentI’m betting he already put down a lot of money for the trip, and is being told he can’t get any/part of it back. At the very least, I could understand his motivations if that’s the case. Otherwise...I’m betting he already put down a lot of money for the trip, and is being told he can’t get any/part of it back. At the very least, I could understand his motivations if that’s the case. Otherwise it’s completely baffling and unconscionable; dude has a family and absolutely no guarantee he will be treated fairly.
I mean, it’s literally one of THE tattoos they use to screen for gang members, and the DHS pretty much just doubled down when questioned about it. There’s a zero percent chance the guy just rolls right on through customs without issue.
Honestly I actually prefer CachyOS Proton. You don’t actually need CachyOS to use it either! I have it running on my SteamDeck and use it as a fallback option for games that have issues or are “unsupported” on SteamOS.
I still technically have a Windows partition as well but it’s been months since I booted into it. I only really keep it around because it has some expensive software I got for free in College years ago. Feels like a waste to just delete $$$, so it sits there gathering virtual cobwebs lol.