gil's recent activity

  1. Comment on Data brokers know everything about you (ft. Yael Grauer) in ~tech

    gil
    Link Parent
    Always wondered how big this issue is outside of US. I imagine this is completely illegal in Europe, I think I receive significantly less spam after GDPR. But a few years back recruiters would...

    Always wondered how big this issue is outside of US. I imagine this is completely illegal in Europe, I think I receive significantly less spam after GDPR. But a few years back recruiters would call me a lot and one told me they got my number from one of these brokers that offered a way of matching data with LinkedIn profiles.

    4 votes

  2. Comment on Travel essentials: eight items to pack for your next trip – and what to leave at home in ~travel

    gil
    (edited )
    Link
    Some of my favorite "hacks": MINIX NEO P3 100W Turbo for charging all my devices. It's tiny, no need for travel adapter, and 100W is enough power for everything, including a Notebook via USB-C....

    Some of my favorite "hacks":

    • MINIX NEO P3 100W Turbo for charging all my devices. It's tiny, no need for travel adapter, and 100W is enough power for everything, including a Notebook via USB-C.
    • Anker 633 power bank is super convenient, not having to use the cables that tangle and often break. Just a bit heavy, so consider a lighter one if you don't need all the 10,000mAh.
    • I have super slim toiletry bag, always ready with the charger, power bank, all cables, pens, old wired earbuds for when I can't use the AirPods Pro 2.
      • Alternatively, an AirFly may also help.
    • I keep carabiners attached to my backpack, you never know when you'll need one. e.g. to hang the backpack, shopping bags, help carrying bags, etc.
    • Packing Cubes may look silly but are life changing, as others mentioned.
    • eSIM from Saily or Airalo (referral link, 3 EUR for both of us), so you already leave the plane with internet.
    • Flighty iPhone app for updates and other useful info. Great app, just wish it was cheaper. I usually go with the free option or buy the weekly subscription and cancel.
    • Travel light. If I got my passport and credit card, most stuff can be arranged later. Stuff like deodorant or toothpaste I can buy when I get to my destination.
    • Edit: One more, keep your phone on “Low Power Mode” while you walk around the city.

  3. Comment on At least 64 killed in Rio's largest police raid on gangs in ~news

    gil
    Link Parent
    Not sure if you're Brazilian, but it's a more complicated matter as @lou also mentioned. All criminal groups have heavy ties to the police in Brazil, so this looks a lot like politics and power...

    Organized crime is a serious scourge on society and the more power they gain, the more extreme measures must be taken to take away their power.

    Not sure if you're Brazilian, but it's a more complicated matter as @lou also mentioned. All criminal groups have heavy ties to the police in Brazil, so this looks a lot like politics and power instead of trying to solve the issue. It's a systemic problem and many powerful people have a lot to lose if this ends, so it never will. And innocent hardworking people always pay the price.

    13 votes

  4. Comment on Forgot Chrome's unusable, any recommendations? in ~tech

    gil
    Link
    If I were not using Firefox, I'd go with Zen Browser. But there's also these cool experimental ones you may wanna play with: Glide is a Firefox fork that let you customize everything with code....

    If I were not using Firefox, I'd go with Zen Browser. But there's also these cool experimental ones you may wanna play with:

    • Glide is a Firefox fork that let you customize everything with code.
    • Nook is Webkit based and tries to be Arc, minus Atlassian.

    And if you need it to be Chromium based, then Vivaldi.

    1 vote

  5. Comment on Forgot Chrome's unusable, any recommendations? in ~tech

  6. Comment on What code editor / IDE do you use (2025)? in ~comp

    gil
    Link Parent
    If you want a quick start into your Neovim journey, you can try LazyVim for a while until you learn stuff and feel more confident to write your own lighter config later.

    If you want a quick start into your Neovim journey, you can try LazyVim for a while until you learn stuff and feel more confident to write your own lighter config later.

  7. What are your favorite casual puzzle games?

    ~games Ask (recommendations)
    Hi! I'm looking for some fun and interesting casual puzzle games. Some of my favorites, in no particular order, are: Sudoku Nonogram - like the recent Every 5x5 Nonogram or Picross. Tetris -...

    Hi! I'm looking for some fun and interesting casual puzzle games. Some of my favorites, in no particular order, are:

    41 votes

  8. Comment on What's a setting that you'd recommend? in ~tech

    gil
    Link
    A few of my favorites for MacOS, run this on terminal: # hold ctrl+cmd to click drag windows defaults write -g NSWindowShouldDragOnGesture -bool true # Finder: Sort folders on top defaults write...

    A few of my favorites for MacOS, run this on terminal:

    # hold ctrl+cmd to click drag windows
defaults write -g NSWindowShouldDragOnGesture -bool true

# Finder: Sort folders on top
defaults write com.apple.finder _FXSortFoldersFirst -bool true

# Allow focusing all fields with Tab
defaults write NSGlobalDomain AppleKeyboardUIMode -int 2

# Dock: No delay and faster animation
defaults write com.apple.dock autohide-delay -float 0
defaults write com.apple.dock autohide-time-modifier -float 0.15

# Accessibility ctrl+scroll to zoom
# ctrl = 1, option = 2, cmd = 4
defaults write com.apple.universalaccess closeViewScrollWheelToggle -bool true
defaults write com.apple.universalaccess closeViewZoomModifier -int 1

    Then killall Dock; killall Finder or restart to be sure.

    6 votes

  9. Comment on <deleted topic> in ~music

    gil
    Link
    If music is her thing, not the record player, you may consider getting her a Yoto Mini. You can buy cards with kids songs, learning content and even stories. You can also buy blank cards and add...

    If music is her thing, not the record player, you may consider getting her a Yoto Mini. You can buy cards with kids songs, learning content and even stories. You can also buy blank cards and add songs to it or ask grandparents to record a bedtime story themselves, it's a pretty cool device.

  10. Comment on I am new to Mac OS, give me your favorite or preferred settings/ tools! in ~tech

    gil
    Link Parent
    Sorry, I forgot to mention RunCat as another great alternative. That's what I've been using over the past weeks. Just because it's fun :shrug:

    Sorry, I forgot to mention RunCat as another great alternative. That's what I've been using over the past weeks. Just because it's fun :shrug:

    2 votes

  11. Comment on I am new to Mac OS, give me your favorite or preferred settings/ tools! in ~tech

    gil
    Link Parent
    Some good alternatives to the paid ones are Stats instead of iStat Menus and gdu instead of DaisyDisk. If you don't like the terminal, try OmniDiskSweeper instead. All can be installed with Homebrew.

    Some good alternatives to the paid ones are Stats instead of iStat Menus and gdu instead of DaisyDisk. If you don't like the terminal, try OmniDiskSweeper instead. All can be installed with Homebrew.

    3 votes

  12. Comment on What are your AI-generated guilty pleasures? in ~tech

    gil
    Link Parent
    I'm sorry to hear that. Reading it now, looks like I was being sarcastic, but I do feel guilty for that and other reasons when I use AI :/

    I'm sorry to hear that. Reading it now, looks like I was being sarcastic, but I do feel guilty for that and other reasons when I use AI :/

  13. What are your AI-generated guilty pleasures?

    ~tech Ask (survey)
    Most people here dislike AI, more specifically LLM generated content, for reasons such as environmental impact, stealing people's work, etc. Despite that, is there anything that you enjoy? I've...

    Most people here dislike AI, more specifically LLM generated content, for reasons such as environmental impact, stealing people's work, etc. Despite that, is there anything that you enjoy?

    I've been listening to this artist's music for a while. It's mostly video game music "re-imagined by AI" into City Pop and other styles. Artist says they use AI to generate samples, then do the rest of the work like any producer would. I have no idea if it's true or not, but I gotta admit that most of it is really good.

    Today I also watched some "AI ASMR" videos out of curiosity. It's stupid, I know. But watching a knife cut glass can be so damn satisfying. I'm sorry, planet.

    45 votes

  14. Comment on What media have you found that teaches something in a fun or unique way? in ~life

    gil
    Link
    Since you mentioned the work out manga, there's also this one called Stretch, it's slice-of-life story with some stretching tips you can apply to yourself. XKCD books are pretty good, like "Thing...
    3 votes

  15. Comment on What media have you found that teaches something in a fun or unique way? in ~life

    gil
    Link Parent
    Back then, Bezos had $185 Billion and it was shocking. He now has $201 Billion and Musk $386 Billion !!! That's the $185 Billion Bezos had PLUS $201 Billion he now has. This is absolutely insane.

    Back then, Bezos had $185 Billion and it was shocking. He now has $201 Billion and Musk $386 Billion !!! That's the $185 Billion Bezos had PLUS $201 Billion he now has. This is absolutely insane.

    1 vote

  16. Comment on All four major web browsers are about to lose 80% of their funding in ~tech

    gil
    Link Parent
    That's true, but https://ladybird.org/ is kind of proving that you don't need to support 100% of everything to have something usable. So my hope is that if a project like this can exist, maybe...

    The economics for developing another browser engine don't pencil out. There are many web APIs to implement in order for an alternative to be minimally functional in displaying modern web content.

    That's true, but https://ladybird.org/ is kind of proving that you don't need to support 100% of everything to have something usable. So my hope is that if a project like this can exist, maybe Mozilla also can? With user support instead of the mistake they made of relying on Google so much and all other bad decisions their leadership make.

    9 votes

  17. Comment on Weapons | Teaser in ~movies

    gil
    Link
    Oh wow, this gave me goosebumps! Great teaser, don't show much, but crazy how they can freak you out just by having kids running with arms open instead of normal or walking weird as they usually do.

    Oh wow, this gave me goosebumps! Great teaser, don't show much, but crazy how they can freak you out just by having kids running with arms open instead of normal or walking weird as they usually do.

    2 votes

  18. Comment on Bluesky’s quest to build nontoxic social media in ~tech

    gil
    Link Parent
    IMHO, Mastodon was designed to solve many of these concerns. There's no "chaotic, always moving newsfeed", likes don't mater, you can't quote someone else's post, etc. There's also a fork called...

    IMHO, Mastodon was designed to solve many of these concerns. There's no "chaotic, always moving newsfeed", likes don't mater, you can't quote someone else's post, etc. There's also a fork called hometown that allows longer posts if that's your thing.

    For me, the main issue is having a single place where everyone is there and we expect that they'll all behave. I don't think anyone figured out yet a way of moderating at this scale.

    The coolest part of Mastodon for me is that it feels like a small community where you can get to know each other, like Tildes, but you can still talk to the outside World. Assuming you find a cool community and don't just join the official one.

    2 votes

  19. Comment on The Tiny Soapbox: a platform for small, low-stakes rants in ~talk

    gil
    Link Parent
    Yeah, but I mean, it's a combination of things. I got myself an expensive laser printer and all. Still, from time to time I can't connect to it over WiFi and have to restart and pray for the...

    Yeah, but I mean, it's a combination of things. I got myself an expensive laser printer and all. Still, from time to time I can't connect to it over WiFi and have to restart and pray for the Printing Gods. Even the super expensive ones $10k+ you find at the office have this kind of problems we thought would be solved at this point.

  20. Comment on The Tiny Soapbox: a platform for small, low-stakes rants in ~talk

    gil
    Link
    It's 2025, why can't we have printers that work well?

    It's 2025, why can't we have printers that work well?

    10 votes