TheMediumJon's recent activity
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Comment on Deciding which version of Minecraft Java to play. (AKA, what's your favourite update?) in ~games
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Comment on What long standalone book is worth its page count? in ~books
TheMediumJon Link ParentDune isn't that long. My edition comes out at 520something pages excluding the appendices. And it definitely is part of a series...Dune isn't that long.
My edition comes out at 520something pages excluding the appendices.And it definitely is part of a series...
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Comment on Will Kurds survive in the new Syria? in ~society
TheMediumJon Link ParentI mean, yes, but also a decade later and with a bunch of steps in the middle, including IIRC creating a Shiite establishment while broadly sidelining Sunnis. I mean, yes, it is a consequence of...The unseating of Sadam gave us ISIS.
I mean, yes, but also a decade later and with a bunch of steps in the middle, including IIRC creating a Shiite establishment while broadly sidelining Sunnis.
I mean, yes, it is a consequence of the US Invasion just as WW2 is a consequence of WW1, but just like in that second example there's a bunch of steps by which that consequence was avoidable.
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Comment on Mozilla begs courts to allow Google search deal for Firefox to continue in ~tech
TheMediumJon Link ParentYepYep
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Comment on Is there a site where I can check if a game has multiple endings or missable stuff without spoilers? in ~games
TheMediumJon Link ParentWhat did they do?What did they do?
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Comment on Mozilla begs courts to allow Google search deal for Firefox to continue in ~tech
TheMediumJon Link ParentWhile I wouldn't be theoretically opposed to it in this instance, "Pay a competitor straight out of your pocket and without having inflicted any damages or such" is kind of... Radical statement...While I wouldn't be theoretically opposed to it in this instance, "Pay a competitor straight out of your pocket and without having inflicted any damages or such" is kind of... Radical statement which I don't expect happening any time soon. And tbh I'm not sure I'd like it as a general principle either.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
TheMediumJon Link ParentI have to definitely second the thoughts re the notes themselves and how the original may have looked (among other things, according to the foreword of either Hunters of Sandworms Frank's original...I have to definitely second the thoughts re the notes themselves and how the original may have looked (among other things, according to the foreword of either Hunters of Sandworms Frank's original plan was for those to be a single book, which Brian and Anderson struggled with; Could Frank have done it, in some form, or would he just have had to expand it as well).
As for the context of the movies:
I have to admit I started reading the entire series for the first time after I watched the first of the Villeneuve movies and then got pulled into reading the first and the entire series. -
Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
TheMediumJon Link ParentI'd say yes. Obviously interpretation and it relies to an extent on how you feel about Frank's last two, two which Brian's two are linked.I'd say yes.
Obviously interpretation and it relies to an extent on how you feel about Frank's last two, two which Brian's two are linked.
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Comment on Elon Musk now says it's 'pointless' to build a $25,000 Tesla for human drivers in ~transport
TheMediumJon Link ParentSadly, you would apparently be surprised.Sadly, you would apparently be surprised.
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Comment on US Election Distractions Thread in ~talk
TheMediumJon Link ParentI was about to comment on an apparent German cognate "Natter", but it would appear those refer to taxonomically distinct snakes, so.... Maybe not actually.this also happened to "adder",
I was about to comment on an apparent German cognate "Natter", but it would appear those refer to taxonomically distinct snakes, so.... Maybe not actually.
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Comment on US Election Distractions Thread in ~talk
TheMediumJon Link ParentAlways had that one as wellAlways had that one as well
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
TheMediumJon Link ParentI have to admit that I actually first watched the 2021 movie, became interested in the world and then found myself deep in the second book when the second movie came out.I have to admit that I actually first watched the 2021 movie, became interested in the world and then found myself deep in the second book when the second movie came out.
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Comment on Morrowind doesn't have any rivers in ~games
TheMediumJon Link ParentAh Valve's HL3 deadlockAh Valve's HL3 deadlock
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Comment on Moldova narrowly votes to secure path toward EU membership after accusing Russia of interference in ~society
TheMediumJon Link ParentThe referendum is on adding a provision about striving to join the EU (or something along those lines) into the constitution.The referendum is on adding a provision about striving to join the EU (or something along those lines) into the constitution.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
TheMediumJon Link ParentNo worries. What I can currently say on the seventh and first third or so of the eighth is that if you didn't enjoy Heretics/Chapterhouse I'd probably not read on (unless you have some strict...No worries.
What I can currently say on the seventh and first third or so of the eighth is that if you didn't enjoy Heretics/Chapterhouse I'd probably not read on (unless you have some strict completionist urge), but if you enjoyed them then it would be worth continuing.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
TheMediumJon Link ParentWell, I'm still reading it, so not sure yet. But I feel like the seventh definitely continued the plotline of the sixth and now the eight does feel like it will (attempt to) reach an overall...Well, I'm still reading it, so not sure yet.
But I feel like the seventh definitely continued the plotline of the sixth and now the eight does feel like it will (attempt to) reach an overall conclusion.
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Comment on Using AI generated code will make you a bad programmer in ~tech
TheMediumJon Link ParentI mean, either the atrophy and tools are both bad or they both aren't really bad, since we both seem to agree on linking the one to the other. Why does it suck, though? Again, my current usage is...My intent there was to demonstrate a concrete example where the atrophy has happened for probably the majority of us already, not to imply that these tools themselves are a bad thing (I don't think they are).
I mean, either the atrophy and tools are both bad or they both aren't really bad, since we both seem to agree on linking the one to the other.
I suppose this is the crux of my opinion (and the reason I wrote the article). I don't disagree in the least that one day it may be more efficient to let an AI assume the role of software engineer to a degree where coding skills become moot. My point is, essentially, that sucks, and I want to wave my fist and complain about it. I'm the horse-and-buggy mechanic crying about the inevitable demise of the craft I've dedicated my career to in response to those darn-tootin' automobiles.
Why does it suck, though?
Again, my current usage is occasional, partial, and in a corporate environment.
I don't mind the current state.
I won't particularly mind the entire profession being replaced (as far as business non-hobby purposes go), since it will happen or not happen in a greater economic context (and all office jobs dying off will give me a bigger headache than merely myself being unemployed, unless all of them are taken care of in which case I won't have much of an issue at all).So what's left? The lost art of coding? Continue to code, nobody's going to stop you from doing so in general, just like there's blacksmiths and charioteers and whatever still around, just not necessarily professionally.
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Comment on Using AI generated code will make you a bad programmer in ~tech
TheMediumJon LinkOn some level I might agree with some of the general premise, but I think this goes far beyond what is reasonable. Here's my thoughts from one read through. I consider that to be a very...On some level I might agree with some of the general premise, but I think this goes far beyond what is reasonable.
Here's my thoughts from one read through.
I don't think I could write a single line in Pascal today that would be syntactically valid, let alone accomplish anything meaningful. Another exercise: Try programming for a day without syntax highlighting or auto-completion, and experience how pathetic you feel without them.
I consider that to be a very likely/true statement. (Not Pascal in my case, but the premise still holds). But unless your conclusion is that we should forego any sort of IDEs beyond basic text editors so that we all may eternally remember all syntax perfectly I don't see what the point of this is.
I do use an IDE which does offer completions of vars and funcs as relevant. Because the cost of me not necessarily remembering by heart each and every standard function for some generic purpose (does this language do strVar.concat(strVar2) or StringClass.concatenate(strVar, strVar2)? Etc) but getting them in near zero time with that IDE completion is worth the trade off of me remembering most of those but then having to look up the edge case or alternate language or whatever.
The same could be argued for things larger in their scale quite easily, imo.
Imagine an exercise equipment manufacturer releases a new "Artificial Strenth" product tomorrow, promising that you can "level up" your lifting and "crush your next workout" with their amazing new Exercise Assistant—a robot that lifts the weights for you. If you started relying on that product, what do you think would happen to your max bench over time?
I find this example also rather silly.
If I'm bench pressing it's with the purpose of building muscle, not lifting the weights.
If my goal was the raising/transporting of weights (the actual fair equivalent of writing code for a given non-educational purpose) then an exo-skeleton or crane or some other tool would absolutely help me achieve that aim in a much more efficient fashion.If my aim is to be the best coder in a theoretical environment, purely training for skill, then yes obviously an AI assistant undermines that - just like an IDE does, except at a different scale.
If I want to be effective at using that code in any non-theoretical environment then it does have its place because it serves as a tool, not as the target.
There is of course the response:
The former are tools with the ultimate goal of helping you to be more efficient and write better code; the latter is a tool with the ultimate goal of completely replacing you.
Maybe
But the issue there would not be the AI deprecating my job, it would be with the system that deprecates my job (and then kicks me out the door with no hesitation).If you want to be anti(-corporate)-capitalism that's absolute a fair case. I might agree with you.
But AI's just a tool there. You might as well argue against the existence of healthcare, as a whole, because in the US it is commonly tied to employer and thus gives them major leverage.
I honestly don't know the answers to these questions, but I also don't want to be the one footing the legal bills when it's time for the courts to answer them. Do you?
This is the first argument here that I considered even moderately compelling.
And the conclusion might very well be to only use it when in a corporate context where I'm covered. (At the very least until sufficient precedent exists ruling one way or the other). But even this isn't really a principal argument, it is a legal one which would need a legal solution (case law or legislation establishing definitely either way).nobody outside of other AI code kiddies are likely to be impressed with you as a programmer
Maybe I am tilting at windmills and authorial intent is entirely different, but I've had modules and systems that included some degrees of AI boilerplate and/or framing both myself and from team-mates. Might be a thing entirely unique to our company, but I've had yet to hear anything re that matter from anybody.
But then I am explicitly not talking about code that is entirely AI generated, but rather only includes such sections. If the intent is for the former then I'd agree, but it doesn't seem so to me...
You Believe We have Entered a New Post-Work Era, and Trust the Corporations to Shepherd Us Into It
I'd like to be, despite it not being so, indeed because of those corporations. But that goes beyond this small slice of the market and their general rise or fall will not be determined by this.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
TheMediumJon LinkSandworms of Dune, the eight novel (the second of the two sequels by Herbert Jr and Anderson).Sandworms of Dune, the eight novel (the second of the two sequels by Herbert Jr and Anderson).
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Comment on You're running for office on a somewhat petty, yet univerally-understood single issue. What is it? in ~talk
TheMediumJon Link ParentI will gladly count my blessings in having provoked a fair folk and having gotten away merely with permanently wet socks. That's also what sandals are for until winter comes.I will gladly count my blessings in having provoked a fair folk and having gotten away merely with permanently wet socks.
That's also what sandals are for until winter comes.
I agree with some of what was said re Minecraft as a medium, except with an entirely opposite conclusion.
I used to be a heavily modded player and last time I tried some of the recent versions I found myself missing varieties of biomes and creatures and other such elements I had gotten used to.
And sadly there's many mods that I remember sort of growing into Minecraft with that stopped updating after some major Minecraft rework some years ago interrupted forge or something.
So it's probably 50/50 between going some years back for a heavier pack or still remaining probably two or so years behind for a less heavy collection.