Wes's recent activity
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Comment on Nominations Thread - Tildes Book Club in ~books
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Comment on Nominations Thread - Tildes Book Club in ~books
Wes Link ParentHyperion is high up on my reading list, so I'd definitely be down for this one. 500 pages seems like a reasonable amount, if a little on the larger side. And though it has sequels, I believe it...Hyperion is high up on my reading list, so I'd definitely be down for this one. 500 pages seems like a reasonable amount, if a little on the larger side. And though it has sequels, I believe it can mostly stand alone? Or perhaps it's best as a duology, with the Endymion books being separate.
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Comment on Vivaldi 7.0 has been released in ~tech
Wes Link ParentBear in mind that was eleven years ago. We've seen major developments in layout technologies like flex and grid, changes to CSS parsing rules, new functions, selectors, and modern APIs like...Bear in mind that was eleven years ago. We've seen major developments in layout technologies like flex and grid, changes to CSS parsing rules, new functions, selectors, and modern APIs like Houdini. From a web design perspective, they're completely different layout engines nowadays.
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Comment on Everything I built with Claude Artifacts this week in ~comp
Wes Link ParentPaul Kinlan wrote about this idea as well. Where simple apps become so easy and free to throw together, it's almost not worth the time to polish them up and release them properly. It's easier to...Paul Kinlan wrote about this idea as well. Where simple apps become so easy and free to throw together, it's almost not worth the time to polish them up and release them properly. It's easier to just regenerate them if you ever need something similar again.
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Comment on Tildes Book Club October Progress check in - How are you doing with Kindred? in ~books
Wes Link ParentThank you for the recommendation! Even when it makes for tough reads, I do appreciate having more opportunities to learn about the kinds of challenges people have (and still do) face. I read...Thank you for the recommendation! Even when it makes for tough reads, I do appreciate having more opportunities to learn about the kinds of challenges people have (and still do) face.
I read through some of the non-spoilered reviews on GoodReads, and a handful mentioned "some of the best written aliens in literature". Dang if that doesn't sell me on it, too. I love a well-written alien.
Sneaky Octavia, pulling me in with scifi just to hit me in the face with human realities.
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Comment on ChatGPT will happily write you a thinly disguised horoscope in ~tech
Wes Link ParentIt's true that LLMs work off a clean slate unless using something like RAG to fill the context window. However, it's worth pointing out that this isn't actually the kind of question an LLM can...Also, I asked it whether it has access to chat history outside of the Memory feature and it truthfully said it doesn't.
It's true that LLMs work off a clean slate unless using something like RAG to fill the context window. However, it's worth pointing out that this isn't actually the kind of question an LLM can answer accurately. They don't understand their own nature, and can't answer questions about how they work. They can only really guess in this case.
Of course it's possible there may be enough information online that it could still infer the right answer from recent training data. There's enough research published on the technology now that it could probably answer some questions about how LLMs work. But it can't answer questions about itself in the same way a person can.
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Comment on Tildes Book Club October Progress check in - How are you doing with Kindred? in ~books
Wes LinkI got over-excited and read this one a couple months ago. I really enjoyed it though, and think it'll be a good book for discussion. I'll not go into any specifics just yet, but it offered a...I got over-excited and read this one a couple months ago. I really enjoyed it though, and think it'll be a good book for discussion. I'll not go into any specifics just yet, but it offered a unique perspective I'd not been able to experience myself before, and I think that helped me better understand it. I'd love to see more picks in that vein for Book Club.
Hope everyone else is enjoying it too, and looking forward to the discussion thread.
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Comment on How a break-up of Google could transform tech in ~tech
Wes Link ParentFrom what I recall, Opera replaced Presto a few years before they were acquired. Even then, it took considerable resources to maintain a layout engine.From what I recall, Opera replaced Presto a few years before they were acquired. Even then, it took considerable resources to maintain a layout engine.
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Comment on Using winutil or MicroWin to disable Windows Recall is breaking File Explorer in ~tech
Wes Link ParentDid you buy a "Copilot+" PC? Only those specific ARM-based machines will even support Recall. The majority of users will not have the option, unless support expands to x86 PCs in the future.Did you buy a "Copilot+" PC? Only those specific ARM-based machines will even support Recall. The majority of users will not have the option, unless support expands to x86 PCs in the future.
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Comment on Using winutil or MicroWin to disable Windows Recall is breaking File Explorer in ~tech
Wes LinkThis is silly. You don't disable a feature by ripping out code at random and seeing what breaks. You do it by uninstalling it in the Optional Features settings menu. That works fine, and is what...This is silly. You don't disable a feature by ripping out code at random and seeing what breaks. You do it by uninstalling it in the Optional Features settings menu. That works fine, and is what Microsoft recommends to uninstall Recall.
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Comment on US DOJ indicates it’s considering Google breakup following monopoly ruling in ~tech
Wes Link ParentIn your opinion, what monetization model make the most sense for an independent web browser? I've reviewed every option I could think of, but I don't love any of them. The first way is include...- Exemplary
In your opinion, what monetization model make the most sense for an independent web browser? I've reviewed every option I could think of, but I don't love any of them.
The first way is include advertisements in the browser itself, as Opera once did. Unfortunately, on the web, ads seem like the only model that has proven to work consistently. I can't imagine that sponsorships and product integrations alone could ever pay for the number of engineers working on the project. And I feel they'd be hard pressed to get people to pay for, or donate monthly for a product that previously was completely free.
Auctioning off the default search engine would also no longer be allowed, due to the antitrust rulings discussed in the article. That's been the only way Mozilla has been able to stay alive thus far. They've been trying to find a new business model for years, but every time they try something: Pocket, Cliqz, sponsored links - their userbase chastises them for it, or flocks to the latest fork of Firefox/Chromium.
Honestly, I'm worried about who's going to pay for all this engineering talent. If users aren't willing to, will web browser teams be stripped down and run as skeleton crews? Will we see a sharp decline in new features, standards work, and security fixes?
Micropayments are conceptually a good idea, but there's no real infrastructure to support them. Transaction fees make them a non-starter, and while cryptocurrency was once touted as a solution to this problem, their use as a speculation investment vehicle has made them completely useless for actual utility. Besides, what would you pay for? Time spent browsing?
I could maybe see browser vendors selling a "Pro" plan, with features such as remote syncing, backing up profile data, or an integrated VPN. Maybe they could also create a storefront for paid extensions and take a cut of each one. That adds infrastructure costs, but at least it gets money flowing. Somehow, they would need to commercialize the browser.
One darker possibility is selling browsing data. Credit card companies have been freely selling access to user's purchasing habits for years. Selling access to anonymized web trends could be one approach to shoring up the lost funds. It might be enough to maintain a small team of developers anyway.
The only other approach I can think of is nationalization. To be adopted by a government and paid for through taxes. It sounds crazy, but the web browser is the most important software installed on any computer. Governments do sometimes take over important utilities like water, electricity, or transportation, and I think the browser could qualify. Might we one day see a world where different governments maintain their own forks of Chromium or Firefox?
So I don't really know where this path might lead. It's difficult to say because we've never really seen browser compete in a real market before. They've always been propped up by another company or revenue stream. And unfortunately when there's no magnanimous benefactor to bankroll the project, they often don't survive. Servo was a promising rewrite but couldn't find its funding, and Opera couldn't cut the mustard and was bought by a Chinese consortium.
It seems like Apple is poised to gain the most here, since Safari will continue to receive the full support of a 3.4 trillion dollar company, while Chrome and Firefox may need to begin fighting for table scraps.
Anyway, I often see people quick to argue for breaking companies up, but I rarely see the consideration of what happens afterwards. I think these are important questions though, and should be considered in evaluating if a breakup would ultimately prove to be a public good or harm.
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Comment on [SOLVED] Looking for help linking to a specific comment on Reddit in ~tech
Wes (edited )Link ParentYou can also append ?context=n to the URL to include some preceding comments, where n is the number of ancestors to include. The permalinked comment will remain highlighted. This is sometimes...- Exemplary
You can also append
?context=nto the URL to include some preceding comments, where n is the number of ancestors to include. The permalinked comment will remain highlighted. This is sometimes useful for showing the full context of a conversation, while still putting emphasis on a lower comment. -
Comment on Use plain text email in ~tech
Wes Link ParentThey used to, but in 2013 they began proxying images instead to prevent "email opening" actions being tracked. You can still switch to an "ask to show images" setting instead, though. I don't know...which Gmail does by default, IIRC
They used to, but in 2013 they began proxying images instead to prevent "email opening" actions being tracked. You can still switch to an "ask to show images" setting instead, though.
I don't know how or if they handle checking if an address is real. It's possible Gmail simply proxies all images, even for fake addresses. However I suspect that Gmail (and all other providers) will still return an error code if you try emailing an address that doesn't exist. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. People mistype email addresses all the time, and the sender knowing they need to fix the issue could help prevent a lot of miscommunications.
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Comment on Humble Choice - October 2024 in ~games
Wes Link ParentThere's no catch. The games are (almost) always delivered as Steam keys, which yes you will keep indefinitely. Just be mindful that the service itself is billed as a subscription, so if you don't...There's no catch. The games are (almost) always delivered as Steam keys, which yes you will keep indefinitely. Just be mindful that the service itself is billed as a subscription, so if you don't want to auto-renew you'll need to cancel the sub, or remember to "pause" it every month.
I think most people prefer to keep their accounts in a cancelled state, and then opt back in whenever they're interested in a month, and then cancel again. Without the active subscription, you do lose out on a couple perks, including a growing discount through Humble's regular storefront. But it's just a tradeoff of those perks versus the peace of mind of not having to remember an auto-renewing subscription.
Lately Humble have been revealing 1 game in advance to build hype, and the rest are revealed on the first Tuesday of each month. The subscription is automatically billed on the last Tuesday of the month. Although if you're purchasing from a new account/inactive subscription, you'll be charged immediately.
The games will vary in quality, although this month is particularly good, in my opinion. I'm definitely interested in Remnant II since I enjoyed the first quite a bit. Jusant from DON'T NOD also looks great.
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Comment on Announcing Tildes' Make Something Month (Timasomo) for 2024! in ~tildes
Wes Link ParentSounds a little bit like the Metaverse meets the Dead Internet Theory. I like it! It feels like a great setting to explore some of the questions about where we're headed technologically, and if...Sounds a little bit like the Metaverse meets the Dead Internet Theory. I like it! It feels like a great setting to explore some of the questions about where we're headed technologically, and if there is a meaningful difference between a natural person and a close facsimile.
Hope you're able to find your start and get the story rolling. Please share when you're ready to!
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Comment on Tildes Book Club discussion - This is How You Lose the Time War by El - Mohtar and Gladstone in ~books
Wes Link ParentI actually haven't. I'd definitely be willing to watch this in movie form instead of book form though, so thanks for suggesting it! Loving how many recommendations this comment has already...I actually haven't. I'd definitely be willing to watch this in movie form instead of book form though, so thanks for suggesting it!
Loving how many recommendations this comment has already generated. Thanks everyone!
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Comment on Tildes Book Club discussion - This is How You Lose the Time War by El - Mohtar and Gladstone in ~books
Wes Link ParentThat's very well said. I had similar thoughts when reading the novel, but couldn't put it quite so eloquently. How well can you really get to know somebody through grand gestures? A love based...That's very well said. I had similar thoughts when reading the novel, but couldn't put it quite so eloquently. How well can you really get to know somebody through grand gestures? A love based entirely on demonstrations of affection seems, honestly, quite fragile and hollow. Real compatibility can only be tested through time meaningfully spent together.
Perhaps that doesn't meet the romantic notions of love, though, and I recognize that this is first and foremost a romance novel. Certainly, "young love" is often described as hopeless, intense, and without reason. Though it's hard for me to view Red and Blue as so young and naive as to meet that description, particularly as they were trusted warriors of their respective clans. But maybe that is the point. Maybe the naive trust they put in each other is meant to contrast against the cold, calculating, unloving nature of their war. Maybe naivete and love are intrinsically linked in this way.
Do I really buy that? Not really. But I'm willing to allow it for the sake of the story.
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Comment on Tildes Book Club discussion - This is How You Lose the Time War by El - Mohtar and Gladstone in ~books
Wes Link ParentThat sounds really neat, and reviews online all agree that it's a very unique and interesting series. So thanks for the rec, it's officially backlogged! There's a character in the Dune series that...That sounds really neat, and reviews online all agree that it's a very unique and interesting series. So thanks for the rec, it's officially backlogged! There's a character in the Dune series that goes through a similar process. It seems like a very clever way to get exposition on the differences of each era through a familiar lens.
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Comment on Tildes Book Club discussion - This is How You Lose the Time War by El - Mohtar and Gladstone in ~books
Wes Link ParentThank you for the recommendations. I'm looking into Some Desperate Glory now. I've watched the first two Terminators, and definitely enjoyed them. I wasn't so into the franchise to also watch the...Thank you for the recommendations. I'm looking into Some Desperate Glory now.
I've watched the first two Terminators, and definitely enjoyed them. I wasn't so into the franchise to also watch the associated TV show but I have to admit to being a huge Summer Glau fan. So good recs, thanks!
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Comment on Tildes Book Club discussion - This is How You Lose the Time War by El - Mohtar and Gladstone in ~books
Wes Link ParentI also went in knowing nothing, but knew I was intrigued by the idea of a "time war". It seems like a really fun scifi concept to explore. In the end it wasn't really a scifi book though, and the...I also went in knowing nothing, but knew I was intrigued by the idea of a "time war". It seems like a really fun scifi concept to explore. In the end it wasn't really a scifi book though, and the time war was mostly just a thematic backdrop for the character focus. And that's totally fine. I think I assumed too much from the title, and that's on me.
It does leave me wanting for an actual time war story though. Imagine, future civilizations using their advanced technologies to manipulate the past. Their ancestors getting wise to it, and leaving traps through time to fight back. Weaponized time capsules! Political espionage! Sexy aliens! Intrigue!
If anyone has any recommendations for something like that, I'm all ears! The closest I can think of is the show Travelers, which was actually pretty good.
Elder Race by Adrian Tchaikovsky. I believe this was nominated in a previous thread, but I'd like to throw it back in the ring for consideration. It's a recent novel published in 2021, a Hugo nominee, and just 201 pages. Content is a mix of scifi and fantasy with pretty positive reviews. Seems like it could be a good fit.
Way Station by Clifford D. Simak, another short novel at short at just 210 pages. Written in 1963, it won the Hugo and many other awards. I don't know much about it! It could be interesting to read some early-era scifi, though.
Diaspora by Greg Egan, a hard scifi novel from 1997. A little longer at 443 pages, it plays with transhumanism and other futuristic ideas. Despite being a little older now, it seems less pulpy than its compatriots.