arqalite's recent activity
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Comment on What creative projects have you been working on? in ~creative
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Comment on What creative projects have you been working on? in ~creative
arqalite Link ParentGod, my reading comprehension at 12am is not the best - I thought Casey was also in a car, but he's on a motorcycle. Now it makes sense. :)God, my reading comprehension at 12am is not the best - I thought Casey was also in a car, but he's on a motorcycle. Now it makes sense. :)
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Comment on What creative projects have you been working on? in ~creative
arqalite Link ParentThis is cool - is the artwork and music made by you as well? I love these kinds of multi-discipline projects, wish I had the energy to do something similar. I've read all three stories and I like...This is cool - is the artwork and music made by you as well? I love these kinds of multi-discipline projects, wish I had the energy to do something similar.
I've read all three stories and I like the vagueness of it all. The Cube especially made me involuntarily speculate on what it could be (an SCP?).
I was confused about the ending of Abberation though - is the "faceplant" just Casey being launched through the windshield into the car in front of him?
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Comment on What creative projects have you been working on? in ~creative
arqalite LinkI finished another track, and this morning it hit streaming services - here's a link if anyone wants to listen. The title and artwork are AI generated because I don't really care about it at this...I finished another track, and this morning it hit streaming services - here's a link if anyone wants to listen.
The title and artwork are AI generated because I don't really care about it at this stage. I decided the most important thing is to finish music, regardless of quality, and to upload it on streaming services immediately. The worst thing that can happen is that nobody listens to it, but for me it provides a sense of finality so I'll keep doing it from now on.
Last week I tried to play around with hardstyle/hard dance as it's one of my favorite genres, but mixing the kick with the melodic elements feels impossible, so I've been stuck there. I think I'll put that on hold for now, until I gain a better understanding of mixing and EQ. I do want to make a drum and bass track, so I think that's what I'll be doing next (after finishing my university projects).
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Comment on Swedish gaming conglomerate Embracer Group announced plans on Monday to split itself into three distinct games and entertainment companies in ~games
arqalite LinkTIL Exploding Kittens is owned by Asmodee which is owned (right now, not for long) by Embracer. Luckily from Google my understanding is that it's partial ownership, so they're safe even if Asmodee...TIL Exploding Kittens is owned by Asmodee which is owned (right now, not for long) by Embracer. Luckily from Google my understanding is that it's partial ownership, so they're safe even if Asmodee crashes and burns.
Either way, Embracer is a lesson in corporate greed - they wanted everything with no regard for sustainability or feasibility, and now they have to split it up and sell it.
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Comment on New Brexit checks will cause food shortages in UK, importers warn in ~food
arqalite Link ParentYeah, I'm certainly convinced the UK would be treated to the same standards as any other candidate, and the British don't like the idea of that for sure.Yeah, I'm certainly convinced the UK would be treated to the same standards as any other candidate, and the British don't like the idea of that for sure.
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Comment on New Brexit checks will cause food shortages in UK, importers warn in ~food
arqalite (edited )Link ParentI'm also shocked that they still have zero plans of rejoining the EU. I do assume most of the officials who did Brexit are too ashamed/evil to admit they were wrong, so they keep going as-is....I'm also shocked that they still have zero plans of rejoining the EU. I do assume most of the officials who did Brexit are too ashamed/evil to admit they were wrong, so they keep going as-is.
Although I remember the EU being pretty pissed at how the negotiations went down, I'm pretty sure they would accept the UK back anytime.
Here's hoping it happens in 10 years.
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Comment on In Berlin, I experience icks I never thought possible in ~travel
arqalite Link ParentFucking ouch. But to be fair Bucharest is also a land fill of pretentious pricks who think they're the cream of society just because they're the capital city.if Berlin had an open sewer, it would be Germany's Romania.
Fucking ouch.
But to be fair Bucharest is also a land fill of pretentious pricks who think they're the cream of society just because they're the capital city.
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Comment on This month in Servo: tables, WOFF2, Outreachy, and more in ~tech
arqalite Link ParentThey did do that, once Project Quantum was done, development slowed and then they fired the entire Servo team. The Linux Foundation picked up the project, but only managed to secure funding to...They did do that, once Project Quantum was done, development slowed and then they fired the entire Servo team. The Linux Foundation picked up the project, but only managed to secure funding to restart development in 2023.
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Comment on This month in Servo: tables, WOFF2, Outreachy, and more in ~tech
arqalite LinkThere's still a long road ahead before reaching parity with the current engines, but I'm excited to see Servo development pick up the pace. Also I really really want to contribute, but I don't...There's still a long road ahead before reaching parity with the current engines, but I'm excited to see Servo development pick up the pace.
Also I really really want to contribute, but I don't think I can find the time with all my existing projects already. I could build a browser around it for fun though.
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Comment on What creative projects have you been working on? in ~creative
arqalite (edited )LinkI've been interested in music production for about 10 years now. I've had a productive phase at the start where I've written a handful of (bad) songs, and it was fun. But once I got serious about...I've been interested in music production for about 10 years now. I've had a productive phase at the start where I've written a handful of (bad) songs, and it was fun. But once I got serious about it and I started learning more, I entered the "dip" phase and nothing sounded good enough, no matter how hard I tried. Learning new stuff felt pointless since I wasn't able to make full advantage of it in a song that people would want to listen to.
It's been well over 5 years since I last started seriously making a song, much less finishing it. I made a track in Bitwig Studio last year but it was just a bass and drums copy pasted for 2 minutes, can't call it serious.
Two weeks ago, I had some sort of creative urge to just make music, coupled with the epiphany that I should maybe just allow myself to suck at music and stop giving a fuck about quality and perfectionism.
I finished my (almost) fully FOSS setup (everything is open-source and/or public domain, except Reaper, my DAW) and got to work.
And I did it! I made a new song! It's a melodic house track, built on piano chords and a pluck melody that's a touch melancholic.
It's trash and doesn't sound nearly as good as I would have wanted it to, but I still kinda like it, even though its flaws are obvious. Mixing is terrible, I wasn't able to make a good transition from intro to chorus so the drums just kick in suddenly, and the second half is a blatant copy-paste with some vocal effects added in at -20dB volume to pretend like I did something lmao.The problem - I'm terrified of sharing it with anyone. Not even my partner has heard it yet. Don't think he will any time soon.
However, I took the decision to send it to a distributor (Anti-Joy if anyone is interested) so it gets published on all platforms, mostly to get the hang of the distribution process, and to properly reference it against my Spotify playlist so I can figure out what I should focus on when mastering my tracks.
It also provides closure, as it went from idea to "release" and once it's on Spotify I can consider it done forever and move on to a new song. I just wish I didn't need to attach my full name to it - my distributor requires I provide my full legal name in case I ever get royalties (nope, lmao).
Now I'm working on something completely different, a drum & bass track, but I can't really figure out the drop. I have the first 8 bars of it, but I can't extend it to 16 since duplicating it won't work, I have the bass playing some sort of transition notes at the start before the actual rhythm, and duplicating it sounds bad, but removing it in the second part sounds repetitive and boring. I'll spend some more time on it, hopefully I do get to finish a second track these days.
EDIT: Oh god, it's live on some platforms already, Spotify included. I feel great, and on Spotify the song doesn't sound so bad, seems like I got the mastering right at least (too bad the mixing sucks).
Sooo, I guess, here's the link? https://tunelink.co/axis-noir/morgana-1
I'm still scared of what people will think, but maybe this is a start to get past that fear. Here's to more songs, and continual self-improvement until I can be proud of my own work.
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Comment on Backdoor in upstream libxz targeting sshd in ~comp
arqalite Link ParentFeelings can play a part of it, especially for projects that never left the unpaid/hobby phase (like xz itself!). You don't want to see it end, so you'd rather pass the baton to someone else. A...Feelings can play a part of it, especially for projects that never left the unpaid/hobby phase (like xz itself!). You don't want to see it end, so you'd rather pass the baton to someone else.
A fork feels like a new project, even if it's the same codebase.
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Comment on Iowa hospital IT systems architect used a fake identity for thirty-five years in ~life
arqalite Link ParentSunken cost fallacy? Once he got the momentum going, he maybe thought it wasn't worth reverting to his old name and just kept going? Just speculating.Sunken cost fallacy? Once he got the momentum going, he maybe thought it wasn't worth reverting to his old name and just kept going? Just speculating.
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Comment on Will the Apple antitrust case affect your phone’s security? in ~tech
arqalite Link ParentThat's completely fair, and it's undeniable that the market around tech has always gravitated towards closed, tightly integrated products. However the PC is a good example of how openness and...That's completely fair, and it's undeniable that the market around tech has always gravitated towards closed, tightly integrated products.
However the PC is a good example of how openness and standardization can create a lot of opportunity for competition and can create a market - and maybe we should strive to push all technology towards that, instead of away from it. Just because it was an anomaly, doesn't mean it wasn't amazing.
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Comment on Will the Apple antitrust case affect your phone’s security? in ~tech
arqalite Link ParentPiracy debate aside - I was shocked to learn how many people refused to install Vanced because it was a hassle. I did an experiment with my family and friends (except those that had Premium). Mind...Piracy debate aside - I was shocked to learn how many people refused to install Vanced because it was a hassle. I did an experiment with my family and friends (except those that had Premium).
Mind you, this was a one-time process back when Vanced was in its prime and still a thing. You'd just install Vanced Manager, install Vanced and microG from there, and you're good to go.
But they thought having ads forever was easier then spending 10 minutes setting it up once, then forgetting about it (maybe once in a while going to Vanced Manager to update).
I never understood why they were so reluctant. I guess I'm a tinkerer, and they just want convenience, and that is perfectly fine.
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Comment on Will the Apple antitrust case affect your phone’s security? in ~tech
arqalite Link ParentIt's ridiculous how nowadays, buying a high-quality dumb TV is a more involved and expensive process than buying a smart TV. You're either looking at wildly expensive gaming monitors, or even more...It's ridiculous how nowadays, buying a high-quality dumb TV is a more involved and expensive process than buying a smart TV.
You're either looking at wildly expensive gaming monitors, or even more wildly expensive digital signage for businesses.
The problem is that ads and brand deals subsidize the cost of making a TV so much, that it's a blatant business mistake not to do it, thus forcing you to make all your TVs "smart". Even if you don't include ads, you still want the money Netflix is willing to pay in order for you to preinstall the app and add a Netflix button to the remote.
Hell, even Google did it with their Chromecast. It runs stock Google TV, with Netflix preinstalled and a dedicated Netflix button on the remote.
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Comment on Why do some people posting ChatGPT answer to the discussion/debate/question? in ~tech
arqalite Link ParentAt least for that, we used to have LMGTFY to make it a little humorous.At least for that, we used to have LMGTFY to make it a little humorous.
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Comment on Will the Apple antitrust case affect your phone’s security? in ~tech
arqalite Link ParentHonestly whenever I hear "a phone is not a computer", it's hard for me to take the rest of the argument in good faith. It just gives the impression that the person saying that has a fundamental...Honestly whenever I hear "a phone is not a computer", it's hard for me to take the rest of the argument in good faith.
It just gives the impression that the person saying that has a fundamental misunderstanding of how technology works, and I'm much less inclined to believe anything they say.
I don't mean it in a bad way, but I don't know how to express it otherwise.
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Comment on Will the Apple antitrust case affect your phone’s security? in ~tech
arqalite (edited )LinkI want to be balanced and reasonable on this, but my personal ethics don't mesh well with that. I'm a strong supporter of the abolition of intellectual property/copyright, and I believe that I...I want to be balanced and reasonable on this, but my personal ethics don't mesh well with that. I'm a strong supporter of the abolition of intellectual property/copyright, and I believe that I should have full control of the devices I buy/own, with zero exceptions.
Thus, I want Apple's walled garden to crumble. I want an open iPhone where I use whatever software I want, and perform whatever hardware modifications I want, whenever I want to.
If someone else doesn't want that, fine, they can buy the iPhone as-is, and enjoy it like that. They can use stock iOS with the App Store. As long as this is what they want to do with their own device, I am supporting their decision.
But they shouldn't have any say on what I do with my device. In the Verge's comment section on anything regarding Apple and regulation you will see people practically saying "I don't want X feature on my device, so you shouldn't have it either", which infuriates me. This attitude of "fuck you, I got mine" gets me often.
Security gets flung around a lot by both sides of the argument, but I feel we're looking in the wrong place. We wouldn't need to rely on a walled garden for security if we taught people to stay safe online. A vast majority of people in the West has access to the internet - virtually zero receive thorough education on how to use it.
Maybe if we considered educating people on safe usage of technology and the internet, and teaching them how to identify scams, maybe we'd see a notable reduction in malware infections and phishing.
If someone intentionally disregards these safe practices (while knowing about them) and gets infected with malware, or scammed, well, that's unfortunate and I wish it wouldn't happen, but it was something they did at their own risk.
We shouldn't limit everyone's potential just to prevent security issues. Instead we should unlock that potential, and work on making sure everyone has the tools and knowledge to be safe and secure while exploring that potential. If someone doesn't want to use those tools, it's their decision, and they should be well aware of the consequences.
I guess I just want to be able to do whatever I want, as long as I'm not hurting anyone, while you also get to do whatever you want, as long as you're not hurting anyone. But unfortunately, as with any other discourse, there are people who want to do whatever they want while preventing others from doing so. My way or the highway.
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Comment on Humble Choice - April 2024 in ~games
arqalite LinkI played about 3 hours of Callisto Protocol (got it for free with PS Plus) and I really liked it. However I found a new obsession shortly after (Wingspan and Lost Ruins of Arnak) so I never came...I played about 3 hours of Callisto Protocol (got it for free with PS Plus) and I really liked it.
However I found a new obsession shortly after (Wingspan and Lost Ruins of Arnak) so I never came back to it. I can't recommend it yet, but it's worth at least checking out.
Hm, in retrospect I do kinda hear it, that's neat. It wasn't my intention (I just found that cool bell-like sound online and played around with it), but I don't mind it one bit. :D