cqns's recent activity
-
Comment on What workplace absurdity are you forced to live with? in ~life
-
Comment on The weirdest computer that has ever lived (ASUS V500MV Mini Tower) in ~comp
cqns (edited )Link ParentDue to (gestures vaguely), I'm somewhat glad for the SODIMM-level pricing. I need both my kidneys. For the ODD, there hasn't been a single PC I've bought since...there hasn't been a single PC I've...Due to (gestures vaguely), I'm somewhat glad for the SODIMM-level pricing. I need both my kidneys.
For the ODD, there hasn't been a single PC I've bought since...there hasn't been a single PC I've bought that doesn't have an ODD, so the lack of one doesn't sit well with me. Granted, I do have a Slimline to USB, but there's a cutout specific for that within the chassis, so I figure I might as well fit one in there anyway. Finding that specific part with that specific plastic piece that covers the front is the idea.
-
Comment on The weirdest computer that has ever lived (ASUS V500MV Mini Tower) in ~comp
cqns Link ParentIn all accounts, I do enjoy the desk space I get from the form factor. My 4K LG has built-in stereo speakers over HDMI, but if I ever wanted to, the Mini Tower does have ports for stereo/line-in/mic.In all accounts, I do enjoy the desk space I get from the form factor. My 4K LG has built-in stereo speakers over HDMI, but if I ever wanted to, the Mini Tower does have ports for stereo/line-in/mic.
-
Comment on The weirdest computer that has ever lived (ASUS V500MV Mini Tower) in ~comp
cqns (edited )LinkHey, cqns - tildes here! Recently, I decided to spend just a few hundred short of one grand to replace my mediocre aging touchscreen HP AIO for the ASUS V500MV Mini Tower (hereby now referred to...Hey, cqns - tildes here!
Recently, I decided to spend just a few hundred short of one grand to replace my mediocre aging touchscreen HP AIO for the ASUS V500MV Mini Tower (hereby now referred to as the "Mini Tower") and the general consensus I've been reading on the device, the same device that I'm typing all of this on, is that this Mini Tower is "cursed". The more I'm reading into it, the more I'm inclined to agree.
The Mini Tower is upgradable with the graphics card going as high as an RTX 4060 TI (supposedly), that's sold separately. Sitting easy with the stock 16x2 SODIMM (weird, right?) RAM in the mean time. Processor being a 13th Gen Intel i7-13620H x 10, which is a step up from the AMD Ryzen 3 I had on the mediocre AIO. While I do have the savings to tank the RTX purchase, that isn't immediate priority. What's been eating at my dreams is the lack of an optical drive (and by extension, the SD card reader), which is mainly the reason I stuck with the mediocre AIO for so long, as it had a built-in one. Although the specific listing on the ASUS website for this line of mini towers do cite that the ODD (optical disk drive from here on) is "optional", on the Mini Tower I have, there seems to be...space for one, but the chassis for it has been soldered to the inside of the case and it can't be removed by conventional means. I had to wrestle with the darn thing to remove the punch-out plating from the inside as well as remove the plastic cover on the front of the case, both done successfully. Same thing for the card reader.
I do have three shucked slim ODDs from laptops (confirmed as operational via slimline SATA to USB), which I thought could fit into the chassis, but they could not. The soldered insert does not provide enough room for the ODD to go through. Therein lies the rub, because there are similarly related ASUS Mini Towers out there that do come with the ODD built in already, but it is a hassle to try and pinpoint any information. The best I've narrowed it down to thus far is in this video, where the D500MER has an ODD: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eqTiTzQWVo , but I can't seem to discern any parts number for that specific ODD. The case looks very similar to the V500MV, which is what I'm trying to convey.
I'm bad with outros and conclusions, so if anybody out there has an idea of what TF I should do about this strange situation, throw me a bone thanks.
EDIT: To those of yinz who want to see the Cursed Machination, here you go:
Mobo: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Y3nFnDDdWgF_n2sBm9nGLIe_jupeapTG/view?usp=sharing
Chassis: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1q0rbZd5efzYfIUjo6j-A711_UkZw8hF_/view?usp=sharing
I am aware that, most likely, this ODD will need power, and I assume that's what the 4-pin Molex is for, after I connect the Slimline SATA to the ODD and the other SATA end to that on the mobo... -
The weirdest computer that has ever lived (ASUS V500MV Mini Tower)
11 votes -
Comment on How to write a short story in five sentences in ~creative
cqns LinkTried my hand at it. The guide is essentially for writers who have some semblance of a plot in their heads and struggle to put pen to paper. I don't really have that issue as I use my phone notes...Tried my hand at it. The guide is essentially for writers who have some semblance of a plot in their heads and struggle to put pen to paper. I don't really have that issue as I use my phone notes to type out whatever comes to mind, but this was a neat exercise.
Annaliese Graham, Precinct 9's most capable forensics analyst, awakens from a deep slumber, finding herself within the confines of a white room, contained in a straight-jacket.
The specialists within the psychiatric facility do not have a name for her distinct condition, penning it down as some spectrum of transient auditory hallucination via the result of a mental breakdown some forty-eight hours ago.
Annaliese, however, argues that she is completely in her right mind, despite what the specialists believe. The internal voices she hears merely suggest directives or transmit information, but she is adamant that she has her volition intact and can go back to work.
A strange letter is delivered to her cell one day, from the "Society of Anomaly Archivists", a place that neither she, nor anyone else in the facility has ever heard of before. Even stranger, she is released on the same day she received the letter, tasked to go to some remote address, greeted by a mysterious benefactor.
Annaliese, alongside this benefactor, who seems to know more than they initially let on, comes to terms with the nature of her mysterious condition and the greater scope of the Society of Anomaly Archivists at large, knowing that she would have to work clandestine, leaving her old life behind and turning a new leaf under the code name "Anagram".
-
Comment on Any obscure songs you'd like to share? in ~music
cqns LinkI'm a dirty reposter. Reposting this comment I made not too long ago... I'm currently in the midst of a situation extra-ordinary. The YouTube algorithm likes to, sometimes, throw really small...I'm a dirty reposter. Reposting this comment I made not too long ago...
I'm currently in the midst of a situation extra-ordinary. The YouTube algorithm likes to, sometimes, throw really small artists in my direction. It takes a while to find out more info about them, but eventually, I am able to...with the exception of this one: "Disfunction". They've got two full albums, "Remains of the Day (2011)" and "My World Now (2014?)", and...that's pretty much it. Can't seem to find any information about them anywhere else, not even on Discogs, which is my saving grace for these sorts of things. Of course, on "Remains of the Day", one of their tracks was used in a Ram Ranch bit, but I already know that...
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nHi_hX2X6Y8ngEeqaBgEMZAhNIpj9owiI
Post-Listen Edit: RotD was fairly well produced...I...can't say the same unfortunately about the second one. Despite MWN releasing in 2014, the specific album seems a bit too garageband-y for my tastes. The mixing was really dry, the singer, whoever they are, was seemingly slightly off-key throughout the entire thing, and there was one song in there that, although I found it funny, kinda just was a bit too unsavory for my liking. I'm not entirely sure still about this band's story, maybe there was a mix-up and their first album was indeed MWN, but man...if it wasn't...good god, they either (a) downsized their gear, (b) gave up on mixing, or worst come to worst, (c) lost a band member or several. Who knows, really?
-
Comment on My parent is a bad person [rant] in ~life
cqns Link ParentI know it's not my place (and why'd he ("I") even comment anyway), but I think the orange alien site is probably not a place you would want to entertain for your own mental wellbeing. It's...I know it's not my place (and why'd he ("I") even comment anyway), but I think the orange alien site is probably not a place you would want to entertain for your own mental wellbeing. It's basically turned into "who can make the snappiest joke on time" over the years. I used to moderate for a large sub some time ago and the user base gradually shifted into "Missed Connections" from Craigslist. Originally, the sub was supposed to be a venting forum.
-
Comment on Tildes Survey #10: How often do you visit/read Tildes? (Results) in ~talk
cqns Link ParentAtticus Dover Filomen was this niche proto-sci-fi writer I studied when I was doing my undergrad some time ago. My local library - obviously - didn't have it, so I had to have an Interlibrary Loan...Atticus Dover Filomen was this niche proto-sci-fi writer I studied when I was doing my undergrad some time ago. My local library - obviously - didn't have it, so I had to have an Interlibrary Loan on order. Figured I'd put something actually true instead of blowing hot air like I am normally inclined to do with these free response questions. Testing response length and all.
-
Comment on How much of an echo chamber is Reddit/the internet, really? in ~tech
cqns Link ParentI try my best to counter this by remembering that this is not the Orange Alien Site and most people here actually do put effort in their commentary instead of vapid one-offs. I go as far to assume...I try my best to counter this by remembering that this is not the Orange Alien Site and most people here actually do put effort in their commentary instead of vapid one-offs. I go as far to assume that this place assumes good will of its users and, more often than not, I feel like I get way more higher quality answers than I ever will on the Orange Alien Site. I mean, some time ago, I asked for a really niche map thing and one person went out of their way to program something specifically for this issue I've been having. I cloned the source code in case of internet collapse, I'd still be able to do what I do. I ain't finding none of that good will on the Orange Alien Site. I feel like I'm disparately giving the site way too much credit by using proper nouns. It's just the orange alien site to me now.
Yeah. That works way better.
-
Comment on Watch baseball games in realtime in 8-bit view in ~sports.baseball
cqns Link Parent"...and in a far-off place somewhere, beyond the bleeding edge of the simulacra, there the old era remains, behind the line of demarcation. It is there that the corpus of ingenuity stands as a..."...and in a far-off place somewhere, beyond the bleeding edge of the simulacra, there the old era remains, behind the line of demarcation. It is there that the corpus of ingenuity stands as a tower, weathered but still standing, amidst the tides of the great firmament. The deftness of the masons' handiwork is strained into every minute detail. Eager and willing hands adorned it with pride thereafter. In the genesis, the seed of doubt was a natural harvest, yielding an eclectic residue of humanity.
Now, what is to be said of the Machinist's nature, who, by meager exertion of thought, effortlessly evokes the veneer of these manifestations wrought by the masons of yesteryear? Though it may be cleansed and immaculately varnished, the Machinist, even in all of his great powers, possesses none of these things, for within him there is no ghost."
-
Comment on Watch baseball games in realtime in 8-bit view in ~sports.baseball
cqns Link Parent"We live in a society." That's all I'll say for that. I had a big ol' rant prepared for my ire of ai, but (1) I'm pretty sure people here know my stance on it already and (2) the people really..."We live in a society."
That's all I'll say for that. I had a big ol' rant prepared for my ire of ai, but (1) I'm pretty sure people here know my stance on it already and (2) the people really just don't care because they're not aware of the extent ai is in general. If they did, this post wouldn't exist.
-
Comment on Watch baseball games in realtime in 8-bit view in ~sports.baseball
cqns LinkWebsite being advertised looks hella ai-generated...Website being advertised looks hella ai-generated...
-
Comment on Tildes Survey #9: How optimistic are you about the future? (Results) in ~talk
cqns LinkMy answers: "Very optimistic" and "Neutral". Given the state of the Western world, pretty weird answers, right? I answer these on a metric of stoic pragmatism, a modality that has kept my sanity...My answers: "Very optimistic" and "Neutral". Given the state of the Western world, pretty weird answers, right? I answer these on a metric of stoic pragmatism, a modality that has kept my sanity relatively intact for the past several years, and as such, I measure these solely on my own terms at how I see things for myself. State of the world is absolute dogwater, but I don't let myself lose sleep over it. That would be a waste of resources when I could be doing something, anything large or small, to better myself. In ten years, I'll be nearly pushing forty, and I know I've got plenty of years ahead of me, so I just take it one day at a time, because "this too shall pass".
So then, if all that's the case, why "Neutral" for question two? I can't predict the future. I don't know where I'll be for certain in the next six months, most likely doing the same thing I've been doing for the last six, and the six before that, and the six before even that. You get used to the routine. I would post relevant song lyrics I made some time ago that encapsulates this feeling, but...I don't want to get my comment removed!
-
Comment on <deleted topic> in ~comp
cqns LinkThe obvious, OBVIOUS takeaway, etc, etc, etc. I could've predicted (pun not intentional) where this was ultimately going. The moment that LLMs are no longer wanted by the masses is the moment...The reassuring takeaway is that such a model can never replace a human tech writer, only augment them. The fine-tuned models have the same lack of judgement as their non-tuned siblings, and they need abundant steering. Fabrice will have to wait.
The obvious, OBVIOUS takeaway, etc, etc, etc. I could've predicted (pun not intentional) where this was ultimately going. The moment that LLMs are no longer wanted by the masses is the moment where we're collectively going to have a new renaissance period. I could only hope this is sooner than later.
-
Comment on <deleted topic> in ~tech
cqns LinkNothing good about this. Just makes browser bloat even more of an issue, especially with folks - such as myself - that keep a dozen or so tabs on the wayside just in case. So glad I don't update...Nothing good about this. Just makes browser bloat even more of an issue, especially with folks - such as myself - that keep a dozen or so tabs on the wayside just in case. So glad I don't update anything. I don't feel the need to.
-
Comment on What have you been listening to this week? in ~music
cqns (edited )LinkI'm currently in the midst of a situation extra-ordinary. The YouTube algorithm likes to, sometimes, throw really small artists in my direction. It takes a while to find out more info about them,...I'm currently in the midst of a situation extra-ordinary. The YouTube algorithm likes to, sometimes, throw really small artists in my direction. It takes a while to find out more info about them, but eventually, I am able to...with the exception of this one: "Disfunction". They've got two full albums, "Remains of the Day (2011)" and "My World Now (2014?)", and...that's pretty much it. Can't seem to find any information about them anywhere else, not even on Discogs, which is my saving grace for these sorts of things. Of course, on "Remains of the Day", one of their tracks was used in a Ram Ranch bit, but I already know that...
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nHi_hX2X6Y8ngEeqaBgEMZAhNIpj9owiI
Post-Listen Edit: RotD was fairly well produced...I...can't say the same unfortunately about the second one. Despite MWN releasing in 2014, the specific album seems a bit too garageband-y for my tastes. The mixing was really dry, the singer, whoever they are, was seemingly slightly off-key throughout the entire thing, and there was one song in there that, although I found it funny, kinda just was a bit too unsavory for my liking. I'm not entirely sure still about this band's story, maybe there was a mix-up and their first album was indeed MWN, but man...if it wasn't...good god, they either (a) downsized their gear, (b) gave up on mixing, or worst come to worst, (c) lost a band member or several. Who knows, really?
-
Comment on If you let AI do your writing, I will come to your house and kill you in ~tech
cqns Link ParentAbsolutely hard disagree. LLMs are a bane against knowledge itself. It ain't no "Roko's Basilisk", ain't no "Terminator 9,000" (don't know what it's actually called, never watched the movies), and...[, b]ut what they speak is the language of angels[...]
Absolutely hard disagree. LLMs are a bane against knowledge itself. It ain't no "Roko's Basilisk", ain't no "Terminator 9,000" (don't know what it's actually called, never watched the movies), and definitely ain't got the chops to be compared to anything considered a holy being, because at the most basest level, from my crude crude understanding of how LLMs work in general, it gets trained on stuff humans have already written and the result amalgamate is the lowest common factor of similarities, giving the output just this really painfully dry formulaic cadence that gets on my nerves every time I see it out in the wild, and yet, people still have no idea it's not some sort of garbage-laden I/O text. They don't know and I'm tired of pointing it out to people, because it makes me sound like some sort of conspiracy theorist.
-
Comment on What creative projects have you been working on? in ~creative
cqns LinkRecently, I've gotten back to my roots with a high school project that I've never really finished, despite being graduated from college for several years now. Long story short, it was originally...Recently, I've gotten back to my roots with a high school project that I've never really finished, despite being graduated from college for several years now.
Long story short, it was originally intended to be an April Fools' Day prank essay to my AP English Composition teacher musing about the woes of the AP exam and how it is a general detriment to the conscious mind...except...I never really finished it in the classical sense.
Flash forward eleven years, and this magnum opus of mine (actually, magnum stercus nuntius at this point) is a whopping 145 pages long akin to the likes of the late D. F. Wallace and Mark Z. Danielewski. To give you a glimpse of just what this actually contains, here's a select few title headers for your general amusement:
"Pale Blue Dot Analysis Essay", "What Does It Mean To Own Something: Part 2", "The Part Where We Time Travel Into The Future To Sanction The Entirety of Mars For Some Reason".
-
Comment on Tildes Survey #6: Vote for the next four surveys we do! (Results) in ~talk
cqns Link Parent"Oh, to be borne blind, to have mine own memory of that moment exiled by some deft party's handiwork from within me, to unsee what I have doth seen!""Oh, to be borne blind, to have mine own memory of that moment exiled by some deft party's handiwork from within me, to unsee what I have doth seen!"
Some time ago, I used to work for my city's government. I was a "page", working in a library setting for around a decade. I knew a majority of system processes and the inner workings of circulation procedures, yet, there was a hard stop one day to "cross-training" and our entire ILS was switched over the course of several months. When the dust finally settled, I found that there had been changes to how Pages could access the ILS, and we could no longer do anything regarding circulation. The only things we could do was only check in items, do item look-ups, collect "Count As Used" items, couldn't do anything regarding checking out books to customers, placing holds, or even make new library card entries. We, Pages, were collectively asked to stop answering phone calls due to some information leaks from other libraries' Pages.
Still, sometimes, staff have to leave the desk for whatever reasons they have and it just so happens that a Page is called to "hold the desk" until they come back. When a customer comes up to us, we can only help them out with very limited questions, but I was so jaded at that point that I usually ended up saying stuff along the lines of "I can check in stuff for you, tell you where things are, but other than that, I'm just a figurehead. Between you and I, admin doesn't want us pages to do anything outside the job description for some reason, sorry." One guy, I recall, said in response "well, why are you even here if you can't do anything"?. My response was "I'm fiscally trapped here until I finish community college. I'm not even studying to be a librarian.". He took it in good humor, thankfully. A minor thing I also remember was "15 minute breaks if you work less than six hours." I constantly tested that one routinely. My best time was around thirty minutes.
Edit: changed [the] -> [to] in Paragraph 2.