bmhatfield's recent activity
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Comment on What do you use for 2fa? in ~tech
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Comment on What do you use for 2fa? in ~tech
bmhatfield LinkI use TOTP integrated into KeePassXC and KeePassium. I don't recommend this path except for the patient and technically inclined, as proper syncing via a cloud service is your responsibility. That...I use TOTP integrated into KeePassXC and KeePassium. I don't recommend this path except for the patient and technically inclined, as proper syncing via a cloud service is your responsibility.
That said, I have used KeePass or a derivative for over 20 years.
In terms of "is it OK to have TOTP in your password manager?", my personal evaluation is that yes, it's fine. Different folks will take different stances on this, but for me, it boils down to the simple threat model of being more concerned about remote breaches or targeted attacks than access to my password manager itself. My KeePass database is double-authenticated and tuned with many rounds of encryption, and all browser integrations are disabled.
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Comment on Heat pumps used to struggle in the cold. Not anymore. in ~enviro
bmhatfield Link ParentThe challenge here that I see folks missing is two fold: When it's very cold, the COP of low-temperature heat-pumps drops significantly, as does the experienced performance (more defrost cycles...The challenge here that I see folks missing is two fold:
- When it's very cold, the COP of low-temperature heat-pumps drops significantly, as does the experienced performance (more defrost cycles leading to cold air intervals inside)
- Electricity is much more expensive than Natural Gas / Propane / Oil in many areas, especially the Northeast US.
Combined, the experienced reality of heatpumps is massive electrical bills in the deep winter, and lack of indoor comfort caused by defrost cycles. For us, our equivalent propane was $200/mo, the electrical cost was $1000+.
So while everything in the article is true - and it's a huge leap that we've moved from "don't work when it's very cold" to "you can depend on only a heat pump year-round" - the experienced reality isn't QUITE what's being sold. Especially not lower energy BILLS, despite there being lower energy USE (theoretically).
EDIT: I'll also clarify that this isn't just my lived experience. There are a number of folks in a group I am in who all switched to heat pumps as their primary heat source around the same time. Nearly all (but not all) experienced the same themes and sticker shock at their electrical bills.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
bmhatfield Link ParentI haven't - I found this when looking for guidance on an Eisenhower biography :-)I haven't - I found this when looking for guidance on an Eisenhower biography :-)
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
bmhatfield LinkEisenhower in War and Peace, Jean Edward Smith About 60% of the way through. I wanted to learn more about Eisenhower after realizing I knew nothing about such a looming figure in American history...Eisenhower in War and Peace, Jean Edward Smith
About 60% of the way through. I wanted to learn more about Eisenhower after realizing I knew nothing about such a looming figure in American history (President, WWII, Interstates, etc, etc), especially given my interest in Band of Brothers, having visited Normandy, etc.
This post gave an overview of different options, and after initially leaning Ambrose due to name recognition, I am glad I gave Smith a try instead.
It has been utterly engaging. The writing is straightforward, it feels neither overly critical nor overly favorable, and the sheer amount of citations and interesting stories is mind-blowing. I've loved every minute of it.
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Comment on Confused about headphone impedance in ~tech
bmhatfield LinkImpedance is a little bit of a tricky concept. The best analogy I have seen is imagine thin string, one end tied to a chain, making one long length. Move the string up and down to create a wave in...Impedance is a little bit of a tricky concept. The best analogy I have seen is imagine thin string, one end tied to a chain, making one long length. Move the string up and down to create a wave in the string. What happens when it meets the chain? What if the overall length was all string - or all chain - instead?
In electricity, that energy has to go somewhere; when there's an impedance mismatch, the energy is typically reflected back to the source.
For audio equipment, you typically want to match impedances: this allows the energy from the source to flow to the destination unimpeded.
However - there is an exception. Sort of. If equipment is impedance matched but power-mismatched (ie, headphones can accept 5w but output from an amp is 200w), all that 200w is going to flow to headphones only able to handle 5w and blow them up.
Avoid this situation by using power-matched and impedance-matched equipment.
47:55 should be a reasonable mismatch. Those headphones don't have a single impedance, anyways. See here: https://reference-audio-analyzer.pro/en/report/hp/akg-k-240-mk2.php#gsc.tab=0
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Comment on Apple on course to break all Web Apps in EU within twenty days in ~tech
bmhatfield Link ParentNo. The issue at hand is the DMA is requiring true alternative browser support on iOS. Correct. The explicit point is that they aren't going to do the engineering work to add support for...You mean web apps which Apple already enforces to be built upon with Safari's Webkit?
No. The issue at hand is the DMA is requiring true alternative browser support on iOS.
So not a web app at all.
Correct. The explicit point is that they aren't going to do the engineering work to add support for non-webkit webapps in iOS.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
bmhatfield Link ParentThank you for linking this to me! I will give it a try again. I had tried similar instructions but found that all binaries open the launcher, even when specifying the more direct non-launcher binary.Thank you for linking this to me! I will give it a try again. I had tried similar instructions but found that all binaries open the launcher, even when specifying the more direct non-launcher binary.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
bmhatfield LinkVideo Game: I aged out of chasing the latest thing some time ago, so I've been playing Civ6 a bit recently. I use it as a way to sink some mindless hours into a game on easy mode (easy modes are...Video Game: I aged out of chasing the latest thing some time ago, so I've been playing Civ6 a bit recently. I use it as a way to sink some mindless hours into a game on easy mode (easy modes are always appreciated), practically treating it as a sandbox rather than a challenge. 2K games really made the launcher/in-game setup stuff more annoying over the past couple years, I'm not sure why they did that.
Board Game: a while ago my wife saw Parks at a game store and picked it up for some friends who made an effort to visit many of the US National Parks. It turns out Parks is actually a great game (7.7 on BGG), a little bit of engine builder meat but generally light enough that this crew (we are not hardcore gamers) can pick it up and enjoy it readily.
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Comment on Can YOU win rock, paper, scissors against Grey? 99.9999999% will fail. in ~science
bmhatfield LinkI don't like that we're calling a tie a failure. Feels like there needs to be a third path :-)I don't like that we're calling a tie a failure. Feels like there needs to be a third path :-)
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Comment on Game Development Post-Unity in ~games
bmhatfield LinkThis is a really informative breakdown aiming to find a substitute for Unity for someone who might have otherwise used Unity.This is a really informative breakdown aiming to find a substitute for Unity for someone who might have otherwise used Unity.
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Game Development Post-Unity
18 votes
Tavis Ormandy is one of the most talented security engineers I have ever come across. You both agree that unique passwords per site is required. He's aware folks disagree with him, but his arguments for why many password managers are not good and do not live up to their security claims still hold water in 2024.