creesch's recent activity
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Comment on Tildes Minecraft: What do you want to see in the next season? in ~games
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Comment on We bought an old house in the Japanese countryside in ~life.home_improvement
creesch LinkNice share! I had been meaning to take a look but kept forgetting. I have been a subscriber to a channel called "Tokyo Llama" which is an Australian guy also restoring an old Japanese house in the...Nice share! I had been meaning to take a look but kept forgetting.
I have been a subscriber to a channel called "Tokyo Llama" which is an Australian guy also restoring an old Japanese house in the country side. I'll have to see how they compare :)
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Comment on r/art subreddit under new management after an artist was banned for mentioning their art prints in ~arts
creesch Link ParentThis does contradict with what you wrote just before this. Also, what is the community here? On subreddits alone there is hardly one singular community. Not to mention the external factors from...Mods should respect the upvotes and downvotes of the community - it does the thinking in a sense when it comes to self-promotion.
This does contradict with what you wrote just before this. Also, what is the community here? On subreddits alone there is hardly one singular community. Not to mention the external factors from r/all and popular (or whatever those feeds might be called these days).
And of course, real objective spam follows the porn heuristic: you know what it is when you see it.
Hard disagree here. Obvious spam will be... well... obvious. People get very creative in their pursuit of self promotion and spam. Not to mention situations where well meaning users post something that in itself is actual spam but they didn't recognize at such. A recent example of this happening on Tildes comes to mind.
So to circle back to
Who has time to philosophize about that?
Good question, but actually being able to think about it and having that time does make for better moderated subreddits. Given the ridiculous amount of time I spend on reddit moderating communities and building mod tooling I also agree that most people shouldn't spend that much time thinking about this. Because it will slowly burn out people and cause all sorts of issues. It's a bit of a chicken and egg problem here, since reddit also isn't inclined to invest more than strictly needed.
But, given that you said that I feel like you should have reached the opposite conclusion from the one you did. As you recognize that, it is actually is a lot more complex than you have time figuring out. Which, to be clear, is fine by me. Recognizing limits and doing the best you can do within those limits is a healthy approach.
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Comment on r/art subreddit under new management after an artist was banned for mentioning their art prints in ~arts
creesch Link ParentOh, to be clear, I have no specific opinion about the subreddit itseld. I left reddit during the api debacle. My comments are based on general experience moderating subs and interactions with...Oh, to be clear, I have no specific opinion about the subreddit itseld. I left reddit during the api debacle. My comments are based on general experience moderating subs and interactions with other mod teams in the past.
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Comment on r/art subreddit under new management after an artist was banned for mentioning their art prints in ~arts
creesch Link ParentTo a degree that works, until you suddenly find multiple accounts posting the same link. Technically no rule is being broken, even if it is clear enough there might be a relation to the accounts....To a degree that works, until you suddenly find multiple accounts posting the same link. Technically no rule is being broken, even if it is clear enough there might be a relation to the accounts.
I suspect that this sort of wack a mole might have lead to the original blanket ban on any sales link.
Also, allowing any kind of self promotion will see an increase in people trying to self promote. You can think something like "voting will sort that out" but that isn't true either. The people that now actively look at new might find it less interesting now because the type of content will change.
To be clear, I not saying it is impossible. But if you don't want to get flooded by people trying to self promote it is going to cost a lot of work and effort.
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Comment on r/art subreddit under new management after an artist was banned for mentioning their art prints in ~arts
creesch LinkI wish the new team luck with this balancing act of self promotion vs spam. Speaking from experience it is a lot tougher than many people realize.I wish the new team luck with this balancing act of self promotion vs spam. Speaking from experience it is a lot tougher than many people realize.
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Comment on Cloud hosting in EU in ~comp
creesch LinkCodeberg is based in Germany and pretty neat. It is based on Forgejo which you can also self host if you want. -
Comment on Cloud hosting in EU in ~comp
creesch Link ParentOracle is a US based company. Depending on the reasons for OP to want it to be based in Europe that might not cut it. Simply due to the fact that the CLOUD act is a thing.Oracle is a US based company. Depending on the reasons for OP to want it to be based in Europe that might not cut it. Simply due to the fact that the CLOUD act is a thing.
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Comment on Building the perfect Linux PC with Linus Torvalds in ~tech
creesch Link ParentNo problem, after posting it finished watching it and it was truly worth it. Great little insights and good humor imho.No problem, after posting it finished watching it and it was truly worth it. Great little insights and good humor imho.
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Comment on Building the perfect Linux PC with Linus Torvalds in ~tech
creesch (edited )LinkDisclaimer, haven't fully watched the video yet but am really enjoying it so far. LTT (Linus Tech Tips) had Linus Torvalds over as a guest. The title doesn't quite cover it though, as it is...Disclaimer, haven't fully watched the video yet but am really enjoying it so far. LTT (Linus Tech Tips) had Linus Torvalds over as a guest. The title doesn't quite cover it though, as it is effectively an hour long interview.
Considering the frequent Linux topics popping up on Tildes I figure some of you will also enjoy this video.
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Building the perfect Linux PC with Linus Torvalds
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Comment on Battlefield 6 developer issues report on kernel-level anti-cheat, citing success in ~games
creesch Link ParentHonestly, I think we are just having two different discussions here. In the basis I am not disagreeing with you, I just also can see that the way they present numbers is very colored. As I also...Honestly, I think we are just having two different discussions here. In the basis I am not disagreeing with you, I just also can see that the way they present numbers is very colored. As I also said, that might mean nothing but it is good to be aware of companies being creative with numbers and how they present arguments.
I'll now bow out of this talk as I think this
And you advocate for critical thinking
and this
There's being critical at sources and then there's sticking your head in the sand.
Is uncalled for.
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Comment on Battlefield 6 developer issues report on kernel-level anti-cheat, citing success in ~games
creesch Link ParentFunnily enough, that graph proofs they have caught fewer cheaters. Not necessarily that there are fewer cheaters in the game. Having said that, companies operating in the same market often face...Funnily enough, that graph proofs they have caught fewer cheaters. Not necessarily that there are fewer cheaters in the game. Having said that, companies operating in the same market often face similar decisions with similar financial incentives. It isn't surprising that they will frequently choose the same approach.
The only people who can refute that it is necessary are the same people who have a financial incentive to not refute it. That does create a bit of a chicken and egg problem. Since we as a consumer can't really prove it either way.
What I as a consumer can do is look at articles like the one from EA and Riot and notice how they are being cheeky with graphs and numbers. These clear shenanigans can mean multiple things. It can simply be that they are being lazy in their presenting, it can also mean that in a different context they paint a slightly less clear-cut picture.
Either way, I do firmly believe at being critical towards any sources you are presented. Not just in this specific context, but overall. -
Comment on Battlefield 6 developer issues report on kernel-level anti-cheat, citing success in ~games
creesch Link ParentTo be clear, I'm not arguing that server-side alone would be sufficient, or that client-side anti-cheat doesn't add value. I am full agreement that it likely has to come from both. So I am really...To be clear, I'm not arguing that server-side alone would be sufficient, or that client-side anti-cheat doesn't add value.
I am full agreement that it likely has to come from both. So I am really not disagreeing with that as a base concept.
What I am however questioning is where the balance truly should be and that when we look for an answer trusting what EA has to say about this should come with a healthy dose of skeptisism.When a company rolls out something as invasive as kernel-level anti-cheat, I think it's reasonable to ask: "Was this truly necessary, or was it chosen because robust server-side detection would eat into margins?" "
Basically, I am talking about corporate decision making, not about whether client-side detection works.And to bring it in this specific context. When I look at how EA presents their data I see a few very obvious things. Graphs with unlabeled axes, percentage improvements without baselines and no comparisons to alternatives.
This reads more like marketing, rather than evidence.
That doesn't mean they are wrong. But it does mean I strongly believe we should not take their word for it that this level of invasiveness was the only viable path.The analogy of the lock actually can illustrate the point. Yes, locks help even though they are imperfect. But, if my landlord wanted to install a lock that required my fingerpints and a retinal scan, I'd really wnat some evidence that a regular deadbolt wasn't good enough first.
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Comment on Battlefield 6 developer issues report on kernel-level anti-cheat, citing success in ~games
creesch Link ParentI don't think there are any examples around, but that also ties into the question I asked in my comment As I said already, I am absolutely confident in stating that client-side cheat detection is...I don't think there are any examples around, but that also ties into the question I asked in my comment
I am just not sure if it is necessary, or as I speculated in that previous discussion, a financial choice as it is cheaper than doing so on server level. Maybe more importantly, if it is a financial choice rather than a technical one. Are we talking about it cutting in the profit margins or being so much more expensive that it really is impractical?
As I said already, I am absolutely confident in stating that client-side cheat detection is cheaper in many ways. Specifically compute costs as anything done on the server side is at the expense of EA where anything on the client side is billed towards the customer (hardware investment, power bill, all that sort of stuff).
At the same time, it seems impossible to me that they are not doing anything server side. No sane game developer who truly cares about this sort of stuff should actually operate on 100% trusted client network model. Actual detection should also still be done on the server side of things, you should never trust the client. Never trusting the client is a paradigm that is widely accepted across the IT industry, not just games.
With kernel level anti-cheat it does strike me an awful lot at trying to make the client still trustworthy through all means possible. So it seems to me that they are trying to do as much as possible on the client side of things, even though we know it shouldn't be trusted. Which either means that expanding server side detection isn't feasible, or that it would be more expensive (and some flavors in between those two). In a lot of the discourse around this subject, I am missing this context. Specifically, when the communication comes from EA and such.
The fact that it is missing and that they are heavily focussing on the successes. Combined with their very creative presentation of numbers is something I think people should be at least aware of. Even more so considering how invasive kernel level anti cheat is.
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Comment on Battlefield 6 developer issues report on kernel-level anti-cheat, citing success in ~games
creesch Link ParentSure, I am not doubting it is effective. It also isn't what I am arguing about.Personally, as a player I think it’s incredibly obvious it’s effective.
Sure, I am not doubting it is effective. It also isn't what I am arguing about.
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Comment on Battlefield 6 developer issues report on kernel-level anti-cheat, citing success in ~games
creesch Link ParentThere was actually an interesting discussion about that in this thread about that. At least, I think it is interesting certainly in the context of the conclusion you are drawing now. I am sure...kernel level anti-cheats makes me think that against persistent for-profit cheat developers, these measures have become necessary.
There was actually an interesting discussion about that in this thread about that. At least, I think it is interesting certainly in the context of the conclusion you are drawing now. I am sure that client kernel level anti-cheat is more effective compared to regular client level anti-cheat.
I am just not sure if it is necessary, or as I speculated in that previous discussion, a financial choice as it is cheaper than doing so on server level. Maybe more importantly, if it is a financial choice rather than a technical one. Are we talking about it cutting in the profit margins or being so much more expensive that it really is impractical?
Of course, companies will be heavily invested in painting a picture that the solution they have chosen is the correct one. So reports like the one you posted should be seen in that light. So they will be creative in their presentation. For example, in this twitter post they are not actually comparing it to previous solutions at all. They do link to a previous article. Where they mention
Last Fall, we introduced new features to EA Javelin Anticheat and rolled them out to Battlefield 2042, which resulted in that Match Infection Rate being roughly cut in half.
Great! They even provide a nice graph with it! But, hold on a second, they never mention what the rate was. And that nice graph, the Y axis, isn't labeled either. So, effectively, we can't draw any conclusions out of it.
This is a perfect example again of something I mentioned in a different context a while ago.
In dutch we have this saying that fits perfectly on a lot of reporting Bloomberg does.
Wij van Wc-eend adviseren Wc-eend
Wc-eend (literal toilet-duck) is a producer of toilet cleaning products and this was an actual slogan of theirs starting from the 80s. It translates as
We from Wc-eend advice Wc-eend
And it basically has become the standard saying used when experts recommend their own product or interests. Something I feel like is applicable here.
Again, this is one of those areas where I feel it is extremely important to be aware of the source author. Which is not to say they are wrong, but it is very clear that it is colored in their favor.
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Comment on Windows: Linux GPU gaming benchmarks on Bazzite in ~games
creesch (edited )Link ParentDisclaimer, I don't have a strong opinion on where cheat detection should be done. But, I did see some of your points and feel like I can respond to those from a more general perspective. For...Disclaimer, I don't have a strong opinion on where cheat detection should be done. But, I did see some of your points and feel like I can respond to those from a more general perspective.
The idea that every single live service developer decided that they could do server-side detection, but instead decide to invest time, money, and serious reputational damage on creating a kernel-level anti cheat does not add up to me. I do not see why a game developer would go this route, if another route existed.
For starters, it isn't developers making these calls. Companies (management) are deciding on this and they often decides things not purely on technical merits.
From that perspective there are a variety of potential reasons for this.
One of them is the same reason why on the web these days, websites are so front-end heavy. A lot of the modern frameworks are doing client side rendering and generation of all sorts of things. This offloads a lot of the server side requirements to the clients, which at scale can be a huge cost saving.
In a similar sense, expanding anti-cheat detection on the server means that you need to maintain a lot more of the game state and situation on the server. Not only that, you need to then also do a lot of extra calculations on the server as well.In addition to that, from a cynical cost benefit calculation, kernel level anti-cheat is currently accepted enough to just invest in that area. Combined with the fact that I believe it likely also is cheaper, I think the risk for reputation damage is something most companies are willing to accept.
In fact, the comment you linked on reddit basically states the same thing but framed slightly different. The comment might be right that at is not feasible to keep everything server-side from a cost perspective. Or it simply might be a way of saying "it could be done, but nobody wants to cut in the margins because of it".
I should also note that this comment is over 8 years old. It merely comments on the state back then. I am not entirely sure if Valve actually invested all that much in anti-cheat detection since then. Again, a bit cynical, but it just needs to be "good enough" for people to not walk away from the game.Also, don't discount inertia in big companies to simply keep doing things that they are already doing. Moving everything server side requires different expertise which needs to be built up. Not just about server side cheat detection, but also net code and all that.
Companies, even if willing, are slow to adjust in these areas. Going back to the cynical cost benefit calculation, the "solution" they currently invested in is accepted by most customers and sales don't seem to hurt. -
Comment on Fifty Shades of OOP in ~comp
creesch Link ParentOnce or twice per month people accidentally start a conversation :POnce or twice per month people accidentally start a conversation :P
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Comment on Fifty Shades of OOP in ~comp
creesch Link ParentShould is a big word, but I find it a nice addition sometimes. As troberston says, it certainly beats the complete dumpster fire that is HN comments. If you want an invite send me a DM with an...Should is a big word, but I find it a nice addition sometimes. As troberston says, it certainly beats the complete dumpster fire that is HN comments. If you want an invite send me a DM with an email address.
edit:
They also have an IRC channel (yes, IRC) on libera.chat which sometimes has some neat talk going on. If you happen to join there, there is also a #tildes channel on the same server where we idle for the sake of nostalgia with a bunch of us :P
Should be good, I should finally have enough time again to pay attention to the chat mod in the weeks before. So that should be at least one mod taken care off.