first-must-burn's recent activity
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Comment on Tutankhamun archaeological records go online in new searchable archive in ~humanities.history
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Comment on The truth about AI (specifically LLM powered AI) in ~tech
first-must-burn LinkI finally started using it about a year and a half ago because I realized, whether or not it is a good idea, I at least needed to engage with it and learn its limitations if I was going to stay...I finally started using it about a year and a half ago because I realized, whether or not it is a good idea, I at least needed to engage with it and learn its limitations if I was going to stay relevant.
Every day countless developers try using AI for something that it's actually good at and they have the, as yet nameless but novel, realization that "holy shit this changes everything".
I'd temper this by saying that my reaction is more like, "holy shit, it was surprisingly good in this one interaction." I find its behavior very inconsistent/unstable, and something that worked once won't necessarily work the second time, or you can even get away from the good behavior later in the same session.
The place where it really shines for me is in breadth tasks - if I need to delve into yet another AWS service that's brand new to me, I can generate a list of 5-10 requirements asking the AI to build the module, and I'll get a reasonable starting place to
- see how the library works for my use case[1]
- get all the boilerplate / setup stuff
- get a reasonable start on processing the output.
However, I know that the output will be architecturally bankrupt, so I'll need to restructure and refactor the code to make it reasonably maintainable. Sometimes I do this by prompting, sometimes manually, depending on how bad it is and how the AI seems to be feeling that session. I think architecture/big picture is where humans are going to continue to shine, because we can process and hold patterns that far exceed the AI context windows.
[1] - Except when it hallucinates a method that doesn't exist in the library at all.
The other win using AI is the auto complete picking up patterns in rote tasks. If I have to go through and change all my
camelCasetosnake_case, it will pick up on that pattern and start auto-suggesting it.And he's familiar with this process, he has the expertise to look at the resulting documents and say "yeah this is exactly what the state is looking for".
This should be the actual headline to all AI use. If and only if you can validate the outputs, feel free to use AI. Once you can't, you're out on a limb, sawing between you and the tree.
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Comment on Releasing CORE One CAD files under the new Open Community License (OCL) in ~tech
first-must-burn LinkWhile nothing is perfect, I'm happy to see Josef Prusa do the hard work of fighting for open ideals in a race-to-the-bottom-and-clone-the-shit-out-of-everything world. I've been fortunate to be...While nothing is perfect, I'm happy to see Josef Prusa do the hard work of fighting for open ideals in a race-to-the-bottom-and-clone-the-shit-out-of-everything world. I've been fortunate to be able to pay the premium for Prusa machines and enjoy the open/repairable/upgradable designs while still having a reliable machine
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Comment on Pedagogy recommendations in ~humanities
first-must-burn LinkA neat article. I particularly liked the humming strategy. Buried in that section is the fact that the Internet Engineering Task Force uses humming for establishing consensus, as described in the...A neat article. I particularly liked the humming strategy. Buried in that section is the fact that the Internet Engineering Task Force uses humming for establishing consensus, as described in the RFC linked from the original article.
However, the RFC is about the process of reaching rough consensus which is much more than just humming. I'm very glad to have found it, because I think it describes strategies that could be useful even in small teams when it comes to establishing technical direction or making decisions.
Generally speaking the choice between several courses of action is probably a trade-off between avoiding certain kinds of risks. We know from research that people tend to underestimate risks they haven't seen and overestimate risks that they have seen.
Putting that in concrete terms: if you've run into difficulties scaling relational databases you might argue strongly for NoSQL type storage, and if you run into problems with data schema consistency you might argue strongly for relational databases. The reality is that most problems can be solved with either option, and the talent or art of engineering is figuring out the best one for the constraints of the problem at hand.
Of course everyone has a subjective bias based on their experiences. But I've seen engineers in particular have a blind spot where they see their opinions as objective and have difficulty hearing or believing something that conflicts with their experience or their biases.
The art of building consensus is necessary for something like the IETF or the United Nations but I feel like it's undervalued and the corporate world. Of course we do reach consensus or perhaps a decision-maker has "final say". But many of the design meetings that I've been in would have benefited from everyone on the team thinking about the problem and this way.
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Comment on The gift card accountability sink in ~finance
first-must-burn Link ParentOooh, this is brilliant. I have a family member who farms credit card/bank account rewards as a hobby. Passing this along to her.Oooh, this is brilliant. I have a family member who farms credit card/bank account rewards as a hobby. Passing this along to her.
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Comment on What are some of your "life hacks" you use regularly? in ~talk
first-must-burn LinkIf you find zoom 1-1 zoom meetings stressful, make the window smaller on the screen. If you were meeting in person, the person you're talking to would be at least 5-6 feet away. But when their...If you find zoom 1-1 zoom meetings stressful, make the window smaller on the screen. If you were meeting in person, the person you're talking to would be at least 5-6 feet away. But when their face is giant on the screen, that's basically the equivalent of sitting nose to nose with them, which most of us find deeply uncomfortable.
Also, once you're sure your camera is set correctly, turn off your own zoom image or cover it with a sticky note if you don't have that option. We can't normally see ourselves, so it just makes us self conscious. Whatever things you normally do would be fine in an in-person meeting when you can't see yourself.
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Comment on What are some of your "life hacks" you use regularly? in ~talk
first-must-burn Link ParentNot only one kind of socks, but one kind of underwear, undershirts, jeans. When they are worn out, replace the whole batch with all new, so I never have a mix of old and new.Not only one kind of socks, but one kind of underwear, undershirts, jeans. When they are worn out, replace the whole batch with all new, so I never have a mix of old and new.
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Comment on What are some of your "life hacks" you use regularly? in ~talk
first-must-burn Link ParentSomething I read about the coin toss is that when you make the coin toss, you'll either be happy or disappointed with the outcome, and that helps you know which thing you really wanted.Something I read about the coin toss is that when you make the coin toss, you'll either be happy or disappointed with the outcome, and that helps you know which thing you really wanted.
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Comment on What are some of your "life hacks" you use regularly? in ~talk
first-must-burn Link ParentThe headphones I use for working have a feature where they turn themselves off automatically if you take them off for too long. Since the passive sound isolation is pretty good, sometimes I won't...The headphones I use for working have a feature where they turn themselves off automatically if you take them off for too long. Since the passive sound isolation is pretty good, sometimes I won't notice until I join a zoom meeting and look like an idiot from 2018 who has never used Zoom because I can't hear anything.
So I vibe coded a service for my linux computer that looks for new zoom windows and then pops up a notification if my headphones are not connected. There are still reasons I look like an idiot, but I've pruned the tree by one.
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
first-must-burn Link ParentIt appears beancount supports encrypted files.It appears beancount supports encrypted files.
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Comment on How Wall Street ruined the Roomba and then blamed Lina Khan in ~tech
first-must-burn LinkA million years ago (maybe 5-10), I was briefly involved in a safety assessment for a robot vacuum (not this company). When assessing, we found they had no mechanism to detect negative obstacles....A million years ago (maybe 5-10), I was briefly involved in a safety assessment for a robot vacuum (not this company). When assessing, we found they had no mechanism to detect negative obstacles. They said they didn't think they needed one. I said, "What about stairs and balconies with horizontal railings? If you drop this on someone, it would be pretty severe." .... Crickets .... Also no answer when we asked about eye safety rating for the laser emitters they has chosen.
The main objective seemed to be to complete the software in time for it to be loaded in the factory before they needed to be shipped from Asia in order to get units in stores for the holiday season. I think they were expecting the assessment to be largely a formality, but when it wasn't, we were dropped from the project.
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Comment on Offbeat Fridays – The thread where offbeat headlines become front page news in ~news
first-must-burn Link ParentI need to get in an argument so I can tell someone to go get fucked in the neck by a kākāpō.I need to get in an argument so I can tell someone to go get fucked in the neck by a kākāpō.
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Comment on What creative projects have you been working on? in ~creative
first-must-burn Link ParentLooks neat! I was curious what glue you're using? It looks nice and thick. I usually glue PLA parts with CA glue, but I wouldn't trust it to hold the hand the way you glued it into the sleeve on...Looks neat! I was curious what glue you're using? It looks nice and thick. I usually glue PLA parts with CA glue, but I wouldn't trust it to hold the hand the way you glued it into the sleeve on the ghost face model.
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Comment on Gift recommendations in ~life
first-must-burn Link ParentMy next replacement is probably coming around in the spring, so I will give them a try. Full disclosure: notwithstanding my previous comments, I did get these animal paw socks (~$5 US per pair) as...My next replacement is probably coming around in the spring, so I will give them a try.
Full disclosure: notwithstanding my previous comments, I did get these animal paw socks (~$5 US per pair) as kind if a gag gift stocking stuffer.
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Comment on Gift recommendations in ~life
first-must-burn Link ParentInteresting. I might be the exception. I have exactly two kinds of socks: tall socks for boots and short socks for other shoes. Within their type, they are all identical. When I need new socks, I...Except for socks,
Interesting. I might be the exception. I have exactly two kinds of socks: tall socks for boots and short socks for other shoes. Within their type, they are all identical. When I need new socks, I completely replace them all at once. Someone giving me random socks would really mess with my system.
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Comment on Gift recommendations in ~life
first-must-burn Link ParentI'd just be careful about upgrading any jewelry ;) One of the challenges I have with upgrades, or even getting a "nice" variety of something, is that spending more money is not (always) correlated...I'd just be careful about upgrading any jewelry ;)
One of the challenges I have with upgrades, or even getting a "nice" variety of something, is that spending more money is not (always) correlated with quality, brand quality for most brands really ebbs and flows, and finding reliable, unbiased reviews is increasingly hard. Even when I do find a useful review, there's so much turnover that the items may no longer be available. I hit this latter problem with Consumer Reports all the time.
I really liked the heyday of the Wirecutter, before they got bought by the NYT. I could just go and buy their recommendation and not be too fussed about it. These days it feels like a part time job.
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Comment on Gift recommendations in ~life
first-must-burn Link ParentIn addition to all your questions, I'll say that what's comfortable on the ear is very personal and subjective, so I'd consider making sure they can return/exchange whatever you choose. You might...In addition to all your questions, I'll say that what's comfortable on the ear is very personal and subjective, so I'd consider making sure they can return/exchange whatever you choose. You might pick a great piece of tech that just doesn't suit / fit one person's ears or preferences.
Is the mic adequate? I see it filters out sound (AI filtering I think?), does that work well?
I have used it for phone calls and video conferencing with my phone and had no trouble being heard or understood.
I talked with my therapist from my basement workshop today while the 3D printer, the washer, and the heater were all running. She never had to ask me to repeat myself, and we conducted our call as we usually would on my larger videoconferencing setup (with more expensive headphones in a quieter environment).
This is all in contrast to my old Dime 3's where I literally had to switch to speakerphone to be understood at all on a call, otherwise people would think I dropped the call. I'm very satisfied with the overall performance of the sound core headphones' mic.
Do you have to install an app to use this headset?
The app lets you configure the button presses and the EQ and configure them to pair to a second device, but they will pair like any bluetooth headset without the app.
Is it user friendly (one friend is not much of a tech user)?
I've owned a ton of bluetooth headsets/earbuds and these are as friendly as any of them, but the person has to turn bluetooth on and go through the pairing process, something my 70-ish mom, for example, can't really manage.
These connect reliably once paired. They stay off in their case (some I've had would come loose from their contacts in the case and then pair while in my pocket/backpack, stealing audio from whatever I was doing).
I've never purchased or owned a wireless headset. Are there privacy concerns, especially with the AI features (I see Anker partnered with Microsoft). I'm just worried it would be sending all the conversations back for AI training, but that's probably just me being paranoid as I'm a cable user for my headphones/mics etc.
There are paranoid caveats to everything I've written below, but my general take is that if one owns a smartphone, uses wifi, and interacts with the internet, adding wireless headphones is not a huge additional risk unless they are an attractive target for targeted expert hacking, in which case they are probably aware of these risks or have expert guidance about them.
More detail related to wireless bluetooth headphones in general:
Since they are wireless, there's some privacy risk over wired, obviously, but I'd say they are minimal. This is an informed but not expert take: bluetooth is like wifi in the sense that they are mature, reasonably secure wireless protocols that encrypt your data (the voice stream) in transit. Do attacks exist? Yes. But they are high sophistication attacks that are not w concern for most people.
As for anker/microsoft recording all your conversations:
The bluetooth signal range is about 10m, so any recording/phoning home would have to happen on the device they are connected to. If one trusts the OS's privacy controls, they all provide reasonable restrictions on what can record and when. It's possible some app could be recording and phoning home, but I don't have any particular concern that is happening with the anker app, which is the only addition that would raise the risk using these over someone's baseline setup.
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Comment on Anyone know of any good way to transfer Apple Music playlists onto a hard drive? in ~tech
first-must-burn LinkI'm sorry for your loss I don't have much experience with macs, but this page says you can use apple's privacy and data tools to transfer playlists to youtube music. Once there, if you make the...I'm sorry for your loss
I don't have much experience with macs, but this page says you can use apple's privacy and data tools to transfer playlists to youtube music. Once there, if you make the playlist public, you should be able to download all the songs with ytdl (by supplying the playlist url to the cki tool. While this is not legal, and the quality may vary, you'll at least have a durable offline copy. -
Comment on Tildes Book Club 2025 retrospective in ~books
first-must-burn LinkI had previously read The Ministry for the Future and A People's Future of the United States, but the only book I made it through on the list this year was Cat's Cradle. I'm grateful for the...I had previously read The Ministry for the Future and A People's Future of the United States, but the only book I made it through on the list this year was Cat's Cradle. I'm grateful for the opportunity because Vonnegut had always been on my "get around to it eventually" list. And I got a new sticker for my water bottle out of it.
Honestly, this year was crazy for me on a personal level. I'm starting a new job in January that includes a 25ish minute (each way) commute, so I'm hoping to do more audiobooks in that time in the coming year and to be able to participate more fully.
I'm grateful for the thoughtful folks here and around Tildes at large, and grateful for folks like @boxer_dogs_dance and @wes for leading the admin charge.
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Comment on Gift recommendations in ~life
first-must-burn Link ParentIn the koozy department, I was just watching a video where he showcased this vacuum insulated koozy ($12 US). He does a test showing it takes 6 hours for the temperature to drop 10 degrees (vs 30...In the koozy department, I was just watching a video where he showcased this vacuum insulated koozy ($12 US). He does a test showing it takes 6 hours for the temperature to drop 10 degrees (vs 30 min without). Of course, it won't fold flat, so it might not be ideal for all use cases, but one of my favorite things about my vacuum insulated contigo water bottle is that I can go to bed with the water bottle, and the water is still cool in the morning when I wake up.
Shout out to David Macaulay for the graphic novel "Motel of the Mysteries", a send up of archaeology where people in a post-cataclysm north america unearth a motel from our modern era. This leads them to deep insights about our religious and burial practices. The name of the motel is the:
Toot'n'c'mon Motel