Fiachra's recent activity
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Comment on YouTube mobile app has deeply hidden the subscription feed in ~tech
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Comment on Supermarkets freezers across Europe hit by second suspected cyber-attack in ~tech
Fiachra Link ParentI remember watching gameplay footage of Watch Dogs, people wirelessly hacking traffic lights and electronic doors, and thinking how stupid it was that everything electronic in this world would be...I remember watching gameplay footage of Watch Dogs, people wirelessly hacking traffic lights and electronic doors, and thinking how stupid it was that everything electronic in this world would be network accessible. Now people's smart beds are being bricked and half of Europe's freezers were taken out by a Russian cyber op. The only thing I don't think is network accessible yet are those fecking traffic lights.
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Comment on Supermarkets freezers across Europe hit by second suspected cyber-attack in ~tech
Fiachra LinkI had never considered that supermarkets would be using app-controlled freezers and thermostats. Doesn't seem worth the extra cost to a famously slim-margin business, but clearly it made sense at...I had never considered that supermarkets would be using app-controlled freezers and thermostats. Doesn't seem worth the extra cost to a famously slim-margin business, but clearly it made sense at the time.
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Comment on Anthropic's financials are surprisingly strong in ~tech
Fiachra Link ParentIt's not unreasonable for certain practices to be made illegal if they cause huge bubbles that destabilise the entire economy. Many such policies tend to come in after large crashes. My...It's not unreasonable for certain practices to be made illegal if they cause huge bubbles that destabilise the entire economy. Many such policies tend to come in after large crashes.
My understanding is that circular financing of this kind was borderline illegal after a previous crash (I think dot-com?), but the recent years of deregulation saw to that.
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Comment on Why is this fingerprinting script creating bioweapons? in ~comp
Fiachra LinkThis makes me imagine a future where AIs can do any coding a human can, but humans are still required for certain tasks because they're the only ones not bound by safeguards. And every novel has...This makes me imagine a future where AIs can do any coding a human can, but humans are still required for certain tasks because they're the only ones not bound by safeguards.
And every novel has to involve biowarfare and tianeman square throughout, to prove an AI didn't write it.
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Comment on I bought the $100,000 Amazon Rivian van you’re not supposed to own in ~engineering
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Comment on Contender for the most non-viable startup: Reflect Orbital in ~tech
Fiachra Link ParentThe absolute worst was that fucking bullshit solar roadways thing that somehow managed to become a meme in a non-derogatory way.The absolute worst was that fucking bullshit solar roadways thing that somehow managed to become a meme in a non-derogatory way.
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Comment on I can kinda see why social media sites use divisive topics to solicit engagement in ~tech
Fiachra LinkAnd so many people will recognise this and think they can fight it by using social media in a different way instead of unplugging from the rage slop before it degrades your brain function. This is...And so many people will recognise this and think they can fight it by using social media in a different way instead of unplugging from the rage slop before it degrades your brain function.
This is my customary time to recommend the book Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport. It's not about giving up social media, it's about getting your use of it under control so that it aligns with your goals and intentions for it, instead of the compulsive way we all use it now.
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Comment on Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of October 19 in ~society
Fiachra Link ParentThe current president of Ireland was a dark horse candidate who only* won because her opponent's negative campaign strategy was incredibly unpopular with everyone. There were many reasons but this...The current president of Ireland was a dark horse candidate who only* won because her opponent's negative campaign strategy was incredibly unpopular with everyone.
- There were many reasons but this was the final link in the chain
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Comment on Robert E. Hall and Michael Woodford awarded 2026 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences for developing economic models that help governments and central banks respond to booms and recessions in ~finance
Fiachra Link ParentSurely you can fault them for couping with the name of a dead guy.Surely you can fault them for couping with the name of a dead guy.
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Comment on Robert E. Hall and Michael Woodford awarded 2026 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences for developing economic models that help governments and central banks respond to booms and recessions in ~finance
Fiachra Link ParentAh you have to admit it's pretty slimy to name it so that people confuse it with the prizes that Alfred Nobel founded in his will.Ah you have to admit it's pretty slimy to name it so that people confuse it with the prizes that Alfred Nobel founded in his will.
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Comment on Keeping up a blogging habit while being a dad in ~life.men
Fiachra Link ParentHeavily disagree with (1) and to prove it I'm sitting next to my second born who was just born ten hours ago.Heavily disagree with (1) and to prove it I'm sitting next to my second born who was just born ten hours ago.
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Comment on What single episode of a show would you recommend as a standalone? in ~tv
Fiachra LinkSometimes Stargate SG-1 would take a break from the wider plot and do an episode that could have worked as a standalone sci-fi movie. S02E16 "A Matter of Time" A military base is connected via...Sometimes Stargate SG-1 would take a break from the wider plot and do an episode that could have worked as a standalone sci-fi movie.
S02E16 "A Matter of Time" A military base is connected via wormhole to a planet falling into a black hole, causing increasingly drastic levels of time dilation as they race to cut the connection. A very compelling and well written depiction of a physics concept.
S09E12 "Collateral Damage" A team of explorers visits a civilization with the technology to implant memories, then one of them is seemingly framed for a murder. But of course, he remembers doing it. Can he prove it's an implanted memory?
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Comment on ‘Digger’ majorly bombs with $8 million opening weekend, ‘Verity’ scores $32 million debut in ~movies
Fiachra LinkYeah I'm not surprised. YouTube has been forcing the trailer down my throat every five minutes and yet I somehow don't have the first clue what it's about or what tone it's going for. They managed...Yeah I'm not surprised. YouTube has been forcing the trailer down my throat every five minutes and yet I somehow don't have the first clue what it's about or what tone it's going for. They managed to communicate nothing but a grating obnoxiousness.
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Comment on Digital Detox (formerly Screenless Day) discussion: October 2026 in ~life
Fiachra (edited )LinkI've had a lot of success with what I call "sunsetting" my social media. This means that instead of outright quitting, I'll keep my current use as is but turn down any chance to maintain it: Don't...I've had a lot of success with what I call "sunsetting" my social media. This means that instead of outright quitting, I'll keep my current use as is but turn down any chance to maintain it: Don't follow or subscribe to any new accounts, if my feed gets really bad don't take action to fix it, and above all don't join any new platforms that scratch the same itch. Just let it wither gradually.
A few years back my pc broke for a few weeks and I just... never logged back in to my Twitter account. I already had the app removed from my phone so the chain was broken. Two months ago I had a persistent crashing issue with my game of Arc Raiders, so instead of searching for a fix, I replaced it in my evening chill out time with: sitting on my porch reading a book. It was a huge breakthrough for me that was only possible because most of my brain rot practices had gradually died off one by one since 2020.
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Comment on How has your career changed you? in ~life
Fiachra LinkI was somewhat shy, a little quiet, bad at making conversation. Then I worked a year and a half at a call centre. Permanently changed an until-then fundamental part of my personality.I was somewhat shy, a little quiet, bad at making conversation. Then I worked a year and a half at a call centre. Permanently changed an until-then fundamental part of my personality.
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Comment on Someone ‘torturing’ LLMs in a robot prison has triggered the dumbest debate in AI yet in ~tech
Fiachra LinkI'm disappointed they referred to it as AI Saw when Reverse Roko's Basilisk was the logical choice.I'm disappointed they referred to it as AI Saw when Reverse Roko's Basilisk was the logical choice.
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Comment on I don’t feel like I’m a creative person. How could I fix that and get ideas? in ~creative
Fiachra LinkEnjoy existing creative works and form opinions on them. Discuss them with others, and learn about others' opinions. Be sensitive about parts that you find notably good or bad, think about aspects...Enjoy existing creative works and form opinions on them. Discuss them with others, and learn about others' opinions. Be sensitive about parts that you find notably good or bad, think about aspects of the work that you would do different, ask what-ifs.
Try to produce your own creative work exploring some of the opinions and what-ifs you've thought of. Reconcile yourself with the fact that it'll be bad at first. Practice. Practice in a way that the process is enjoyable.
Cultivate diverse interests. Things that have nothing to do with each other. This will develop a more holistic way of looking at things, and potentially will allow you to abstract a concept from one subject and place it into a completely unrelated one, synthesising a whole new idea or perspective.
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Comment on Tennessee governor halts executions, Christa Pike in hospital following two failed lethal injection doses after US Supreme Court overturns last-minute stay of execution, all on the same day in ~society
Fiachra LinkI'm blown away by the timescale here - she's being executed in 2026 for a murder that happened in 1995? Obviously you want to let them exhaust every right to appeal etc. but does that really take...I'm blown away by the timescale here - she's being executed in 2026 for a murder that happened in 1995? Obviously you want to let them exhaust every right to appeal etc. but does that really take 31 years? And right up until the final hour judges are placing and overturning stays. The years of uncertainty must be torture.
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Comment on Jon Watts is our ‘Star Wars: Episode X’ director in ~movies
Fiachra Link ParentI think it might actually be interesting for a franchise to make multiple branching sequels instead of the usual meandering sequential series.I think it might actually be interesting for a franchise to make multiple branching sequels instead of the usual meandering sequential series.
YouTube has increasingly been daring me to uninstall it for the last few years. The app opens to a blank screen because I have Watch History turned off. Fine. Then two adds play before every single video regardless of length. Then three, half of them for outright scams. Then they put an ad in my subscription feed. This new change in the sub feed button wouldn't be as bad if it didn't break frequently and force me to restart the app.