Tum's recent activity
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Comment on Ukrainians contemplate the once unthinkable: Losing the war with Russia in ~misc
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Comment on Ukrainians contemplate the once unthinkable: Losing the war with Russia in ~misc
Tum Link ParentThe problem at the moment doesn't seem to be money, it's specific weapons and ammunition. Europe is giving Ukraine just about everything that isn't required for the bare minimum to defend...The problem at the moment doesn't seem to be money, it's specific weapons and ammunition. Europe is giving Ukraine just about everything that isn't required for the bare minimum to defend themselves. Germany is giving most of their air defence, many air forces are giving F16's and Gripens and they're so desperate for artillery shells that they're starting a fund to collectively buy it from abroad.
At the moment they've reached the limit of their existing stockpiles and production capacity. Areas where they can scale up production is in modifying old weapons with cheap technology like drones and glide bombs, but this takes time and innovation.
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Comment on Fortress Europe isn’t working – Europe needs a workable migration strategy. Instead it’s attacking asylum seekers to placate the right. in ~misc
Tum LinkHere is the press release from the European Commission if you're interested. Also note that Europe plans to work with countries of origin to prevent smugglers from sending people to begin with....Here is the press release from the European Commission if you're interested. Also note that Europe plans to work with countries of origin to prevent smugglers from sending people to begin with. This isn't just about dangerous boat crossings.
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Comment on German state ditches Microsoft for Linux and LibreOffice in ~tech
Tum (edited )LinkNot entirely true. If you're making a commercial agreement the parties are bound by contract (or statute, if you legislate). I think the main benefit of open source is the ability to customise it...As The Document Foundation, the organization backing LibreOffice, put it, "The term digital sovereignty is very important here. If a public administration uses proprietary, closed software that can't be studied or modified, it is very difficult to know what happens to users' data."
Not entirely true. If you're making a commercial agreement the parties are bound by contract (or statute, if you legislate). I think the main benefit of open source is the ability to customise it to your needs should you ever need to without having to make another commercial agreement. This is basically what copy-left contracts are doing: ensuring that - no matter what - you have the right to read and modify the code.
edit: to be clear, I'm not saying either open source or proprietary source are better in all situations. When you buy software you're paying for someone else's development (which, if they have a lot of customers, can be considerable). If you're open source you either developing/extending it yourself or pay a vendor (like RedHat) to do it on your behalf.
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Comment on Steam Spring Sale suggestions in ~games
Tum Link ParentMaybe Borderlands 2 or Borderlands 3?Maybe Borderlands 2 or Borderlands 3?
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Comment on Steam Spring Sale suggestions in ~games
Tum Link ParentHaha, sorry, it's been a very hot summer down under here! Changed!Haha, sorry, it's been a very hot summer down under here! Changed!
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Steam Spring Sale suggestions
Steam Sale time again! Post any amazing games or hidden gems you think others would like. I'll start: Mr Shifty is an amazing 2d top-down that's crazy fun (especially for its price!). I'm about to...
Steam Sale time again! Post any amazing games or hidden gems you think others would like. I'll start: Mr Shifty is an amazing 2d top-down that's crazy fun (especially for its price!). I'm about to get a SteamDeck, so am hunting these style of games in particular.
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Comment on Volodymyr Zelenskyy in bind over how to draft more troops as Russian forces advance in ~news
Tum LinkProbably a problem made even more difficult given the disparity in artillery and shells - both in the amount available and their attritional effect on the battlefield.Probably a problem made even more difficult given the disparity in artillery and shells - both in the amount available and their attritional effect on the battlefield.
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Comment on Forget technocrats - let's get some realitycrats in ~misc
Tum (edited )LinkI disagree: opening up the Italian Rail System to private competition has been a success. The formula seems to be: the state owns and maintains the lines, but there is open competition between...Trains aren't well suited to competitive pressures.
I disagree: opening up the Italian Rail System to private competition has been a success. The formula seems to be: the state owns and maintains the lines, but there is open competition between operators; who each have the same base cost, so innovate to drive down prices and improve customer experience. This has led to lower fairs and more frequent trains, all while the operators also turn a profit.
The choice isn't simply public or private; it's a regulated market, where state ownership of the underlying infrastructure provides a level playing field for operators to compete on.
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Comment on The US right’s underestimated brain in ~misc
Tum Link ParentHow do you feel about recent student debt cancellation or subsidies for household adoption of clean energy? More broadly, investment in semiconductors and infrastructure along with the inflation...How do you feel about recent student debt cancellation or subsidies for household adoption of clean energy?
More broadly, investment in semiconductors and infrastructure along with the inflation reduction act are intended to provide a broader economic and manufacturing base that should hopefully support American jobs.
Yeah, the healthcare system isn’t ideal, but fixing it - when there are so many stake holders with financial interests - is no easy task. At least the poor have (somewhat expensive) coverage now, although there is definitely room for improvement.
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Comment on Can hydrogen help the world reach net zero? in ~enviro
Tum Link ParentI'm also sceptical about using hydrogen for long-haul travel: there just isn't enough energy density. But for short-haul flights it might make sense. There are infrastructure problems that could...I used to think hydrogen planes made sense, and they still might be an option simply by default, but realistically they make no sense in the short or long term.
I'm also sceptical about using hydrogen for long-haul travel: there just isn't enough energy density. But for short-haul flights it might make sense. There are infrastructure problems that could be solved using short-haul hydrogen flights: mountainous regions such as Norway or New Zealand come to mind, where building tunnels and roads to service low population regions doesn't make economic sense.
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Comment on Can hydrogen help the world reach net zero? in ~enviro
Tum LinkThis video was released 7 months ago, but nicely summarises the future potential production and use of emission free hydrogen. While it is clear that if you can use electricity, you should, some...This video was released 7 months ago, but nicely summarises the future potential production and use of emission free hydrogen. While it is clear that if you can use electricity, you should, some industries are difficult to electrify (such as steel and energy dense applications such as aviation), and for these hydrogen might be the answer.
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Can hydrogen help the world reach net zero?
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Comment on Five of the best Terry Pratchett books and suggestions for how to read Pratchett's work in ~books
Tum LinkSmall Gods Thief of Time Night Watch Going Postal Making Money Of the 5, I think Small Gods is my favourite. That and Thief of Time are interesting takes on interesting concepts, and the Moist...Small Gods
Thief of Time
Night Watch
Going Postal
Making MoneyOf the 5, I think Small Gods is my favourite. That and Thief of Time are interesting takes on interesting concepts, and the Moist books are a great take on the nature of currency and money. Obviously the characters in all 5 are incredibly funny and interesting; but you can expect that as standard for Terry Pratchett.
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Comment on Age verification is incompatible with the internet in ~tech
Tum Link ParentI'd also like to add that the internet isn't one homogeneous entity, and age verification can't only be applied to users: some sites do (and could) require upload verification and these can be...I'd also like to add that the internet isn't one homogeneous entity, and age verification can't only be applied to users: some sites do (and could) require upload verification and these can be grouped by the products they sell or provide; much as we regulate the non-online economy.
Many of the proposals I've seen so far use blunt instruments which place a large burden on the user to verify their identity rather than to ensure what they access is appropriate to their circumstance (i.e. age-related material) or is legally sourced on upload.
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Comment on If you came into a lot of money, what would be the indulgent thing you would buy? in ~talk
Tum LinkA manual BMW Z4. While there are more expensive cars, I really like the aesthetics and engineering.A manual BMW Z4. While there are more expensive cars, I really like the aesthetics and engineering.
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Comment on 40% of US electricity is now emissions-free in ~enviro
Tum Link ParentWhile it's true that Nuclear physics is complicated, the fundamentals of nuclear waste are more accessible than you might think: Here is a video from an energy professor talking about the waste...While it's true that Nuclear physics is complicated, the fundamentals of nuclear waste are more accessible than you might think: Here is a video from an energy professor talking about the waste products and their storage.
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Comment on What is a classical music piece you like? And why? in ~music
Tum LinkRachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 3 and Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No 1; in particular these versions played by Martha Argerich. I like the underlying melody and the emphasis and colour Argerich uses...Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 3 and Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No 1; in particular these versions played by Martha Argerich. I like the underlying melody and the emphasis and colour Argerich uses with the orchestra.
I'm a sucker for the romantics, and these Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov pieces are my favourites.
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Comment on Hamas using Gaza hospitals as military positions, Israel claims as it presents new evidence in ~news
Tum Link ParentWow man, that source was terrifying! Please be careful, though. Evil acts committed by one side shouldn't justify evil acts committed by the other. If a choice is made for 'the lesser evil', it's...Hamas forces used the abandoned areas of al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City, including the outpatients’ clinic area, to detain, interrogate, torture and otherwise ill-treat suspects, even as other parts of the hospital continued to function as a medical centre.
Wow man, that source was terrifying! Please be careful, though. Evil acts committed by one side shouldn't justify evil acts committed by the other. If a choice is made for 'the lesser evil', it's justification should be made crystal clear.
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Comment on Hamas using Gaza hospitals as military positions, Israel claims as it presents new evidence in ~news
Tum Link ParentEven if you are correct - that all civilians have already left - bombing a military hospital is still a dubious call. If they get there and Hamas does indeed try to fight back, Israel would then...Even if you are correct - that all civilians have already left - bombing a military hospital is still a dubious call. If they get there and Hamas does indeed try to fight back, Israel would then have concrete evidence to justify further action.
If you only care about Ukraine having the equipment to defend itself then what really matters in this case is having the weapons and ammunition to hold out long enough for industrial capacity to increase to the amount required for that defence. This isn't a request for unlimited support into the indefinite future, it's a request to bridge the gap until Europe has that capacity. This is Europe's hour of need, and it's not simply money that is needed.