ibatt's recent activity
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~talk
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Comment on Heat death of the internet in ~tech
ibatt LinkAttachments aren't part of email anymore, good luck with your free OneDrive subscription! UPS never delivers to your door anymore, each time, before the estimated delivery time slot even starts...Your Gmail is approaching storage capacity.
Attachments aren't part of email anymore, good luck with your free OneDrive subscription!
UPS never delivers to your door anymore, each time, before the estimated delivery time slot even starts you get a mail notifying you your parcel can be picked up at a location nearby. The mail also states that a signature and verification by ID are required but you can't remember the last time you were asked for any of those.
Your bank's old card reader broke. In vain you scour their website to find some info about how to replace it. You call and after 45 minutes of mildly irritating muzak a customer service rep tells you you can go swap it for free in an office a couple of miles away. Once you get there it appears to be closed. You ring the bell but nobody answers. You go home. You call again and after 55 minutes of irritating muzak a customer service rep tells you you should've gone during "public" opening hours which is a 3 hour time slot early in the morning on one particular day of the week. You put it off because you still have an app that can identify you and log you in to your online bank account.
Your bank app needs an update. Your phone's memory is insufficient even after you deleted all your whatsapp data. You buy a new phone. You reinstall your banking app. You can't verify your identity because your card reader is broken. You install the identity app, it needs to verify your identity through your banking app.
An automated voice calls you to ask about your recent purchase of 600 euro in bitcoin on coinbase. You get redirected to a human who, in a thick Indian accent, assures you you're talking to Paypall. You're not buying it and hang up.
Your mom calls you for a second opinion, she bought it. You scour her bank's website for a number...
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Comment on Jeannie Robertson - I'm a Man Youse Don't Meet Every Day (2014) in ~music
ibatt Link ParentThat's awesome. I like these random tidbits of obscure knowledge people bring back after chasing down a rabbit hole. Thank you for sharing, this brightened my day!That's awesome. I like these random tidbits of obscure knowledge people bring back after chasing down a rabbit hole. Thank you for sharing, this brightened my day!
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Comment on Windows95man – No Rules! (2024) in ~music
ibatt Link ParentI admit I watched the whole thing only because of the Windows 95 reference and am utterly disappointed. I'll have to watch some old Steve Ballmer vids now to make up for the lack of M$ shenanigans...I admit I watched the whole thing only because of the Windows 95 reference and am utterly disappointed.
I'll have to watch some old Steve Ballmer vids now to make up for the lack of M$ shenanigans...
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Comment on Russia State Duma to prepare statement to US Congress and German parliament regarding Belgorod plane crash in ~transport
ibatt LinkThere're some MH17 sleuths who could definitely help with that."The speaker also said that Russia needs to “figure out which missiles and launchers were used” at the moment of the plane crash."
There're some MH17 sleuths who could definitely help with that.
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Comment on VA hospital's IT snafu blamed on cat's keyboard surfing in ~comp
ibatt Link ParentTotally legit I reckon. Them cats don't get keyboards. Stretching and sprawling until they unintentionally keep pressing F11 or F12 or trigger caret browsing or sticky keys. Mute then raise the...Totally legit I reckon.
Them cats don't get keyboards.
Stretching and sprawling until they unintentionally keep pressing F11 or F12 or trigger caret browsing or sticky keys. Mute then raise the volume to 11, open nth instances of Calculator then unmute and stare accusingly at the poor human frantically trying to lower the volume after a cut short visit to the lavatory...
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Comment on What is a simple tech tip that changed how you use your computer or other devices in a significant way? in ~tech
ibatt Link ParentYou can also use ctrl+shift+r to refresh a page without cached files. ctrl+r or F5 simply refreshes and reloads already cached files.You can also use
ctrl+shift+rto refresh a page without cached files.ctrl+rorF5simply refreshes and reloads already cached files. -
Comment on DisplayPort: A better video interface in ~tech
ibatt Link ParentAdd cable quality to that little list. VESA has a handy website that lists DisplayPort certified products. Any products not listed in that database might not be as good as they claim to be. Unlike...The monitor and graphics drivers are the first places to look for a solution to this kind of problem.
Add cable quality to that little list.
VESA has a handy website that lists DisplayPort certified products. Any products not listed in that database might not be as good as they claim to be.
Unlike some others in this thread, I had quite a few "wake-up" issues with my HDMI-connected screens. I usually buy extra cables because those provided by the screen manufacturer are often too short. So I guess I bought the wrong ones... They weren't cheap and I felt ripped off.
When I upgraded my screens last year I checked the certified DisplayPort products list and made sure the cables I bought were listed there. They also cost a pretty penny but I've had no issues whatsoever thus far (either connected through a dock or connected directly) so at least I feel a bit less ripped off and have slightly fewer daily first-world problems.
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Comment on Reddit is Fun, Apollo, BaconReader, and other third-party Reddit apps have officially shut down in ~tech
ibatt Link ParentMy tiny 2.4k sub was blacked out since the 12th, isn't on that list either and somehow got that first automated nastygram. (I made it public again just before I removed myself as mod a couple of...My tiny 2.4k sub was blacked out since the 12th, isn't on that list either and somehow got that first automated nastygram. (I made it public again just before I removed myself as mod a couple of hours ago.)
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Comment on Does anyone read a weekly printed news publication? If so, which and why? in ~talk
ibatt Link ParentThat's very relatable. My country has a few very upstanding, intelligent newspapers. They have driven and incorruptible journalists who sink their teeth in the dealings of sleazy politicians, tax...That's very relatable. My country has a few very upstanding, intelligent newspapers. They have driven and incorruptible journalists who sink their teeth in the dealings of sleazy politicians, tax fraud cases (like Panama & Pandora papers), organized crime (Sky ECC) and a lot of local political scandals and lawsuits that I'm not going to elaborate on. I buy them in print now and again to offset my 12ft.io usage.
I recently renewed my subscription to a newspaper that somehow holds a middle ground between quality journalism and utter, facebook-like, gossip. They have a bunch of local journalists and have excellent regional coverage. Apart from gossip and entertainment, they also write about what was decided in the last municipal council, roadworks, occasional happenstances or grievances amongst the local population and info about businesses opening or closing.
Lacking facebook, after hearing a loud bang or a bunch of sirens or, you know, anything out of the ordinary, my local newspaper often tells me the who, what and (sometimes) why before my facebook-enabled friends can bring me up to par with what (people on facebook told them) is really happening.
I should probably spend more money on quality journalism but regional news outlets are invaluable too.
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Comment on Is there any book that you keep trying but can not get through? in ~books
ibatt Link ParentThe Silmarillion is such a convoluted book that rattles off a bunch of historical events, accompanied by a seemingly endless genealogy of its most prominent protagonists. I've tried reading it...The Silmarillion is such a convoluted book that rattles off a bunch of historical events, accompanied by a seemingly endless genealogy of its most prominent protagonists. I've tried reading it multiple times, but never could make it more than halfway through.
Because of this thread I pulled out my copy and browsed through it briefly. It's
so boringtoo much. I really want to trudge through it one day just because I'm a huge fan of LotR and The Hobbit. Maybe I should try reading it in smaller portions, one chapter at a time, like you said. -
Comment on What is one food item that you absolutely hated initially but it slowly grew on you? in ~food
ibatt Link ParentYour assumption is spot on and very similar to the experiences of other people commenting here with regards to boiled vegetables. The broccoli served back home was cooked to death and reduced to a...Your assumption is spot on and very similar to the experiences of other people commenting here with regards to boiled vegetables. The broccoli served back home was cooked to death and reduced to a grimy pile of tasteless drab. Brussels sprouts, leeks and chicory too, but somehow broccoli was the worst thing you could put on my plate back then. After realizing broccoli should be a bit crunchy it turned into one of my favorite foods.
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Comment on What is one food item that you absolutely hated initially but it slowly grew on you? in ~food
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Comment on What have your experiences been with losing interest in video games as you get older? in ~games
ibatt Link ParentAnno 1800 so needs this. The game has grown so massive it's impossible to keep up with what you're doing, especially when you're playing sporadically with weeks of inactivity in between sessions.Anno 1800 so needs this. The game has grown so massive it's impossible to keep up with what you're doing, especially when you're playing sporadically with weeks of inactivity in between sessions.
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Comment on Any ThinkPad enthusiasts here? in ~tech
ibatt Link ParentI'm in the same boat as @brogeroni, my daily driver (for work) is a T480s with an i7 that dual boots Windows and Ubuntu but the small company I work for is using Office365 with a significant...I'm in the same boat as @brogeroni, my daily driver (for work) is a T480s with an i7 that dual boots Windows and Ubuntu but the small company I work for is using Office365 with a significant amount of custom VBA code so: Windows is mandatory. It holds up pretty well but can be a bit slow at times.
We've had some trouble with E15 Gen 2s dying recently (still under warranty luckily) and we're looking into the next type of laptop to buy. The T-series are a bit above our budget. Most are pretty happy with their E15s, the earlier mentioned problem notwithstanding. I'm a bit reluctant suggesting the Gen4s because of it though.
My little X270 was recently restored to factory default because our supply of spares was depleted (just in case). Since that crisis has been averted I'm planning to throw Archbang at it to tinker with. My old Eee PC (still running Crunchbang) needs an update but I, uh, dropped it and haven't found a decent screen replacement yet :'(
Trying fixing it and getting it up and running again will be my vacation project :)
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Comment on No vehicles in the park in ~tech
ibatt Link ParentAt the start, the author clearly states that you don't have to take into account possible place- or culture-specific laws or regulations. So there's only two things to consider: What is a vehicle:...they all lack context.
At the start, the author clearly states that you don't have to take into account possible place- or culture-specific laws or regulations.
So there's only two things to consider:
- What is a vehicle: A device that transports stuff.
- What are the exact dimensions of the park: In addition to a perimeter, the park must have a height, say: double the height of the highest tree in the park.
According to these definitions, I've only allowed the paper plane, toy car (the very small Matchbox type car), and the kite as they can't transport much. (Some excessive leniency, I know.)
A horse is not a device. So it's excused also.
A plane and the ISS don't enter the park.
All else were denied entrance (by shouting at them from a megaphone on an ivory tower in the middle of, and almost as high as, the park).
I do get the gist of this exercise though. By reading through the comments it's perfectly clear (even though we all have a score of 11%) we have different interpretations of rules and definitions. As such, moderating
onlinecommunities needs a more fluid approach to rules and definitions and a degree of leniency to make up for miscommunication. -
Comment on Lego - what do you do with it afterwards? in ~hobbies
ibatt Link ParentThose old blocks my mom kept from her original sets in the seventies are still being used. They have to carefully be interspersed with newer blocks to maintain the stability of the structure...Those old blocks my mom kept from her original sets in the seventies are still being used. They have to carefully be interspersed with newer blocks to maintain the stability of the structure they're used in but they're still a valuable asset to the collection.
And Meccano, we used to have that at school (late kindergarten?). That's a type of toy I haven't thought about for a long time. Those pulleys and leverages you had to screw together while making due with the limited amount of metal plates you had at hand. That's an itch Lego Technics never scratched for me.
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Comment on Lego - what do you do with it afterwards? in ~hobbies
ibatt Link ParentHah, so spot on, reading through it. Thank you for this! My mother is the main proprietor of our (me and my siblings) Lego collection which also includes her and her siblings collection dating to...Hah, so spot on, reading through it. Thank you for this!
My mother is the main proprietor of our (me and my siblings) Lego collection which also includes her and her siblings collection dating to the 70's of last century. As soon as my nieces and (soon) nephew started to outgrow Duplo she made her spare bedroom a Lego room and the family collection has been significantly growing again as most new sets end up in my mother's apartment anyway (She's the de facto babysitter of the family).
Can't wait to let her read this :)
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Comment on What is your earliest memory of the internet? in ~tech
ibatt LinkFirst experience was early to mid nineties using altavista to maybe find something relevant to my interests under the guise of needing it for some homework at the local library. Due to my mother's...First experience was early to mid nineties using altavista to maybe find something relevant to my interests under the guise of needing it for some homework at the local library.
Due to my mother's job as a researcher we got a 56 kbps dialup at home soon enough. Her home office and 486 computer were located in a quiet corner of our living room and I remember pressing a bunch of pillows on top of that noisy US Robotics modem while logging in on early Sunday mornings trying to connect to the html-(inline CSS)-enabled chatroom at mtve.com.
While chatting we figured out how to change the font to Wingdings, change text color (nothing beats lime) and use sub- and superscript to make your texts really swinging, did I mention: <marquee behavior="alternate">.
Of course things really went downhill when everyone caught on and a bunch of trolls decided to spam chat without closing </> tags turning the whole chatroom in a scrolling, seizure inducing bunch of gibberish. I was 14 and loved it.
Zeus giving you this ability on a whim and Hera or maybe Aphrodite adding the extra benevolence of true love to curb your enthusiasm :)