Tiraon's recent activity
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Comment on What we talk about when we talk about sideloading in ~tech
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Comment on What we talk about when we talk about sideloading in ~tech
Tiraon LinkMobile phones have already been incredibly successful in normalizing that the expensively bought device you use to organize your entire life does not belong to you but to the manufacturer, and in...Mobile phones have already been incredibly successful in normalizing that the expensively bought device you use to organize your entire life does not belong to you but to the manufacturer, and in the case of Android also a random third party that managed to position itself incredibly well since inception.
Root is basically taboo from what I can tell, even though standard Linux manages to make it work perfectly well. Root effectively means that the final authority over the device is the end user instead of the sw maker, that is all.
Loading different software from the stock nag/ad/bloat/telemetryware is also discouraged massively and not very common.
So now there is likely to be forced control over what sw the end user can run and it is honestly not that big of a leap.This is the result of computer literacy being critically low and basically seen as a nerd thing when it is critically important to the long term personal and societal prospects because of the massive importance of computers. If the end user does not care someone else will be really glad to as we are seeing real time.
It is basically impossible to get standard users to care. I assume because the effect is insufficiently visible to the here and now so can this latest restriction even do that?
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Comment on Microsoft's ambitious new Xbox: Your entire Xbox console library, the full power of Windows PC gaming, and no multiplayer paywall in ~games
Tiraon LinkDepending on the details this might not actually be awful but it is to be seen. Biggest cost of consoles is the opportunity cost, they are solid mid range pcs when they come out except the company...Depending on the details this might not actually be awful but it is to be seen.
Biggest cost of consoles is the opportunity cost, they are solid mid range pcs when they come out except the company says no so they can only be used in very limited ways to consume content.
This essentialy being a prebuilt computer with preloaded os and some default sw could eliminate that cost and make it easier to transition away from the console experience if desired.
But it remains seen if it will be locked in some way, as in S mode or similar. Since it will have proprietary components the upgrade potential and Linux compatibility might not be very good.
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Comment on Looking for low-cost ways to replace industrially processed foods in ~food
Tiraon Link ParentI think that example got a bit away here. I don't consider juicing fruit but it was what I thought a good example for the degrees of effort involved in doing things yourself. Mainly I drink tea,...I think that example got a bit away here. I don't consider juicing fruit but it was what I thought a good example for the degrees of effort involved in doing things yourself.
Mainly I drink tea, water, mineral water and coffee which I should moderate a lot more actually.
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Comment on Looking for low-cost ways to replace industrially processed foods in ~food
Tiraon Link ParentShould I switch to coca cola then? Fruit juice serves for me the niche of cold sweetened drink. I may reevaluate that based also on your other comment here but I don't feel my usage is high enough...Should I switch to coca cola then? Fruit juice serves for me the niche of cold sweetened drink. I may reevaluate that based also on your other comment here but I don't feel my usage is high enough to do much of anything.
Maybe that example was not the best chosen but yours among other comments here are useful even despite the poor example.
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Comment on Looking for low-cost ways to replace industrially processed foods in ~food
Tiraon Link ParentTo be honest I used it as a shorthand and use it as heuristic rather than some hard rule. Not all processed food is bad but the likelihood is higher. It could be better than homemade but that is...To be honest I used it as a shorthand and use it as heuristic rather than some hard rule.
Not all processed food is bad but the likelihood is higher. It could be better than homemade but that is not what it is optimized to do.
I am simply tired of having to go out of my way to avoid various foods rich in sugar, marketing and addiction optimization.
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Comment on Looking for low-cost ways to replace industrially processed foods in ~food
Tiraon Link ParentWhat I mean is basicaly the number and quality of steps that the final product is removed from something grown. I really don't know how to say it better then the example I gave, sorry. Generally...What I mean is basicaly the number and quality of steps that the final product is removed from something grown.
I really don't know how to say it better then the example I gave, sorry. Generally less sugars, less white bread etc.
Basically I am looking for tips to do that while keeping the costs down.
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Looking for low-cost ways to replace industrially processed foods
A prototypical example of what I am looking for would be fruit juice. Where I am at the only options for something that isn't orange or apple are overpriced lemonades with about thirty to fifty...
A prototypical example of what I am looking for would be fruit juice. Where I am at the only options for something that isn't orange or apple are overpriced lemonades with about thirty to fifty percent fruit content and truly expensive 100% ones.
Usually I simply buy the expensive ones and add 1-2 parts water ending up with better tasting juice at same or less cost.
Another step would be squeezing fresh fruit yourself but that adds time, space, complexity and money costs.
What things can be done in a typical kitchen without buying additional single purpose appliances? Sufficiently multipurpose ones or small tools are fine. Basically I want to reduce the number of steps in which the food is industrially processed.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Tiraon LinkI replayed Colony Ship now that it has been finished a while. There are things to like here but also design decisions that I personally disagree with. They however added difficulty options which...I replayed Colony Ship now that it has been finished a while. There are things to like here but also design decisions that I personally disagree with. They however added difficulty options which is good and mitigates some of the problems I had with it originally.
It is a party or solo RPG with some free choice about how to navigate the encounters. Both non combat and combat playthroughs are possible which is nice.
The tone of the setting is very cynical and I would say nihilistic. It also has a can't do attitude on societal level which I personally don't find very enlightening or helpful.
Related to that is the choice of faction design. Here they are more like a bunch of flaws in a trenchcoat instead of something where you as a player pick based on both flaws and strengths of the faction(this is incidentally also why I didn't even finish Elex since I refused to join any faction there).
The story is also very linear for the developer with main differences being how you do something for who and what optional objectives you can get rather than more extensive branching.
It can also be seen that a lot of care went into the design and balancing but they chose to balance it right to the edge. Both in encounter design and in the skill check based interactions but it is a main area where the difficulty options can moderate the experience based on player preference.
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Comment on How I reversed Amazon's Kindle web obfuscation because their app sucked in ~tech
Tiraon LinkAmazon goes very hard on drm on ebooks generally, including their ebook readers. If this method of getting the books from web works well enough I expect it to get patched out. Personally I view it...Amazon goes very hard on drm on ebooks generally, including their ebook readers. If this method of getting the books from web works well enough I expect it to get patched out.
Personally I view it this way. If I prefered their ereaders(I don't) or didn't consider mobile or desktop a painfully inferior reading experience(I do) they actually provide a solid service. Except that by using it I would lock myself and pay into a system that will get worse on the timescale of years at best. For bonus points they also unilateraly control the so called purchases.
Further pain point is that specifically Kindle that enforces exlusivity is the only option used by most self published authors.
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Comment on Microsoft debuts Copilot Actions for agentic AI-driven Windows tasks in ~tech
Tiraon LinkAlso worth a mention is the linked https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/trust-center/security/secure-future-initiative. Its the first time I am reading about this but apparently it was launched in 2023.Also worth a mention is the linked https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/trust-center/security/secure-future-initiative. Its the first time I am reading about this but apparently it was launched in 2023.
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Microsoft debuts Copilot Actions for agentic AI-driven Windows tasks
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Microsoft warns that Windows 10 reaches end of support today
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Tiraon LinkI finished a Nier Automata I mentioned here a few moths back and I remain ambivalent about the game. The story and the various perception twists it takes the player through during the various...I finished a Nier Automata I mentioned here a few moths back and I remain ambivalent about the game.
The story and the various perception twists it takes the player through during the various stages of the game is exceptional, but only in the medium not in the wider body of fiction. In my opinion it then fails to be actually good game and so it drags on. As I went through the story I was mostly tired of the gameplay and so it failed to make me very interested.
Also personally I had a large problem with the ridiculous anime like breakdown of 9s. Sometimes less is more and sometimes less is simply better. Generally lot of the elements were unnecessarily garish and absurd.
I think that if it was just very slightly different it could have been one of my all time favorite games but as it is my main impression of it is just mediocre.
The intro made a massive negative impression that never went away. If the game absolutely has to have a long unskipable part right at the beginning that has to be completed without saving then at absolute bare minimum remove any unnecessary portion of it, don't introduce three sequential boss fights.
I don't consider the various camera angle induced gameplay changes bad necessarily but they were far too frequent and far too abrupt. I think more moderation would have served better here.
I actually think the added perspectives on the same events in the second playthrough were neat but again the simple fact of the second playthrough absolutely made the game worse. The third one was not so bad since it was sufficiently different but the first two were effectively identical bar a few differences.
I am not actually sure what changes could be made here to have the same impact. But adding the perspective in the first one would make the game shorter and more concise even if it had negative effect on the overall atmosphere. Perhaps revisiting the battle sites later could have some of the impact.
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Comment on Synology caves, walks back some drive restrictions on upcoming NAS models in ~tech
Tiraon LinkThis is inherent property of closed systems. The only restriction on these kinds of moves is legislation and public perception among their market segment. They decided to walk back some but not...This is inherent property of closed systems. The only restriction on these kinds of moves is legislation and public perception among their market segment.
They decided to walk back some but not all restrictions on some but not all of their models and can change that unilateraly at any time.
Forcing the use of only brand approved consumables and parts is a very common strategy. What is surprising is this apparently generated enough backlash to partly reverse it.
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Comment on Microsoft is plugging more holes that let you use Windows 11 without an online account in ~tech
Tiraon Link ParentI won't as it is in the personal direction of someone to decide what os to use and what their needs are. Personally I can only share my opinion. As another comment pointed out the not ready part...I won't as it is in the personal direction of someone to decide what os to use and what their needs are. Personally I can only share my opinion.
As another comment pointed out the not ready part is not something that Linux can influence. It is also something that only applies to specific workflows.
It is the general unwilingness of hw and sw vendors to support Linux, or to open source their binary blobs or to closely follow standards. That will not change until there is higher adoption of Linux. Either by individuals or as we are seeing at some places, public institutions. My guess is it would take about 8% marketshare on desktop for a more visible change.
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Comment on Microsoft is plugging more holes that let you use Windows 11 without an online account in ~tech
Tiraon LinkThat is what they are going with? Okay. It is certainly another step towards locked down desktop which could possibly be really bad. Though to be honest I am not sure how much impact this specific...While these mechanisms were often used to bypass Microsoft account setup, they also inadvertently skip critical setup screens, potentially causing users to exit OOBE with a device that is not fully configured for use.
That is what they are going with? Okay.
It is certainly another step towards locked down desktop which could possibly be really bad. Though to be honest I am not sure how much impact this specific step will actually have. How large is the overlap between someone technical or privacy conscious enough to skip that step and someone not willing to install an os?
But it will certainly make things more annoying. For me I recently had to replace my previous notebook after only half a year. I could just wipe the disk and reinstall but I usually just shrink the Windows partition in case I need it for something and install another one. If it was not possible to skip account creation from the OOBE I would likely just wipe it. I wonder what would happen if I wanted refund for the Windows license? I imagine no retailer gets all that much of these requests.
Also the plugging holes phrasing really makes it seem like something sketchy instead of using your property without mandatory check in with a random third party.
The best time to install Linux was after Windows 10 released. The next best time was after Windows 11 released and after that the best time is now. I understand people who took a look and decided that their current workload is not compatible but specific workloads are incompatible and dual boot is always an option. I use Windows 11 daily and I must say using it more is not something I would be enthusiastic about. Currently I use Fedora and while I have my problems with it, it really seems like what Windows could have been if it was forced to care about the actual end user.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Tiraon LinkI picked up Avernum Ruined World from Spiderweb and overall I am really of mixed opinion on the game. It is a generally competent old school party based RPG. Story and lore is very passable and...I picked up Avernum Ruined World from Spiderweb and overall I am really of mixed opinion on the game.
It is a generally competent old school party based RPG. Story and lore is very passable and the combat is fine.
Playtime is somewhat freeform in what order the player does things in but areas are effectively level gated even if is not explicit.
Despite being a third entry in a trilogy it is perfectly playable on its own.
Then there are far too many various QoL issues. Especially considering this is seasoned developer reusing the engine for multiple games the various problems simply don't have any place here as far as I am concerned.
Overworld map chunks are too small and honestly not loading more as you pan around the map is an odd decision.
It is far too easy to misclick in combat.
Inventory is a mess. No sorting and five separate inventories is not very nice. Especially considering the amount of junk around, even discounting the literal junk as labeled so by the game.i
Far too many quests give far too vague directions on even things that should be crystal clear, such as who and where to turn it in too.
Pathfinding around hazards is truly bad to nonexistant, creating unecessary micromanagment.
Having an entirely random limit on amount of money allowed and then not even telling the player they reached it is insane.
Whatever is the reason for these, personally I don't consider not having basic QoL features a virtue in any kind of game.
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Comment on Google details Android developer certification requirement, and it’s as bad as we feared in ~tech
Tiraon (edited )Link ParentMost of my usage is navigation, calls, sms, email, very light internet browsing, alarm and whatever is effectively forced on me. Mostly done when walking around since when I am not I have...Most of my usage is navigation, calls, sms, email, very light internet browsing, alarm and whatever is effectively forced on me. Mostly done when walking around since when I am not I have incomparably better options(as a side note I don't think I would be able to downgrade to a phone for more than necessary, the experience is atrocious). That wouldn't carry over to any bigger form factor well.
My thinking right now is that I will either move to Apple, as a single monolithic entity that pays lip service to privacy might be preferable at that point to multiple ones that have no compunction or real need to be selective about forcing any kind of monetization.
Alternatively I might keep around cheapest random g-compliant device to do anything that would be too onerous otherwise and carry around whatever would be least compromises needed phone with whatever the most stable mobile linux distro at the time is.
The few years ago I used PinePhone the daily it was almost as much as I needed. The biggest problems being battery life, random ui problems and stability. Maybe it will get better by then with one device or other.
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Comment on A better way to watch YouTube in ~tech
Tiraon LinkPersonally I effectively gave up on YT what a decade ago by now? I prefer not to exert constant effort simply to not get bombard with designed to be addictive but otherwise low quality content and...Personally I effectively gave up on YT what a decade ago by now?
I prefer not to exert constant effort simply to not get bombard with designed to be addictive but otherwise low quality content and also ads. All determined by entity with orders more magnitude of resources dedicated to get me to watch it.
If something links to interesting video I watch it, otherwise what YT?
For the few video media I watch now I have taken the third option.
There is not many options outside Android/ios. It is also complicated by the combination of everyone wanting the user to use app instead of website and sometimes adding sw integrity checks into them specifically expecting Apple/Google approved device.
Additionally a lot of people seems to want to use mobile for general use which I simply don't understand as the experience ranges from horrible to terrible.
Linux phone(I used PinePhone and I think postmarketOS for about a year) was almost enough for using it daily about three years ago. There were hovewer various sw irritants and the hw was not very good, especially the battery life.
I didn't look into Linux phones lately even though I still have the Pinephone but loaded onto a phone with better hw it would probably be perfectly fine. With the large caveat of Android/ios app lock in with insufficient alternatives.
Right now I am thinking that I might alternatively go to Apple if they maintain their current level of how they treat the user.