infpossibilityspace's recent activity
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Comment on Resist and Unsubscribe in ~society
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Comment on The downfall of OnePlus will be studied | The "enthusiast brand" arc in ~tech
infpossibilityspace LinkThe problem with pivoting to being mainstream is, while your theoretical demographic gets larger, you're now competing with the brand loyalty that Apple and Samsung have, and people aren't going...The problem with pivoting to being mainstream is, while your theoretical demographic gets larger, you're now competing with the brand loyalty that Apple and Samsung have, and people aren't going to change from what they know because they don't have a reason to.
It's antithetical to the enthusiast trap idea, but I believe if Oneplus had kept catering to the enthusiast, they would naturally become the mass-market option. Every family has the techy person they go to, and if you can prove to them you don't abandon your values, your products will eventually filter through to the general public.
The problem is that takes a very long time and very few companies have the patience to pull it off. The last company to truly make that jump in my opinion is Apple. Distasteful business practices aside (and boy do I have some beef there), through the 90s and early 00s they had a reputation for being easy to use, aesthetically pleasing, and reliable. They were never the cheapest or the first to market with a given product category, but that value commitment made them easy to recommend for techies who knew they wouldn't have to spend hours fixing weird problems for friends and family (I still remember those "I'm a Mac, and I'm a PC" commercials).
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Comment on European electricity review - For the first time the EU produced more electricity from renewables than fossil sources in 2025 in ~enviro
infpossibilityspace Link ParentI'm slightly more optimistic about the use-case of SMRs as a way to fill the baseline electricity demand such as the overnight usage. Surely only consistent alternatives would be geothermal and...I'm slightly more optimistic about the use-case of SMRs as a way to fill the baseline electricity demand such as the overnight usage. Surely only consistent alternatives would be geothermal and hydro, but those are quite location-dependent (and hydro dams have their own issues with habitat destruction).
Maybe a large wind turbine network would be able to compensate for localised dead-spots?Obviously much smarter people than me have thought about how to solve overnight generation, I just don't know what their conclusions are.
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Comment on How have you changed in the last year? What are your goals for this year? in ~life
infpossibilityspace Link ParentThis is one of my projects for the year too! I'm so guilty of leaving problems for my future self rather than dealing with them now. To me it ties in with concepts like self-love and -respect,...The thing I figured out is that if you could do the opposite of that, to have your present self serve and help your future self, so your future self can thank your past self for taking care of it, that you'd be much happier.
This is one of my projects for the year too! I'm so guilty of leaving problems for my future self rather than dealing with them now.
To me it ties in with concepts like self-love and -respect, it's one thing to have care for your family and friends, but it's so much harder when it's directed at yourself.
Best of luck!
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Comment on Post-American internet by Cory Doctorow in ~tech
infpossibilityspace LinkCory Doctorow, the guy who popularised enshittification, discussing an alternative that other countries could take in response to US tariffs. His idea strikes at a core tenet of the DMCA (which...Cory Doctorow, the guy who popularised enshittification, discussing an alternative that other countries could take in response to US tariffs. His idea strikes at a core tenet of the DMCA (which most countries have enacted similar versions of) that prevents circumvention of DRM to repair equipment like hospital ventilators, tractors and computers, and how it could be profitable for small business if it was repealed.
I think the timing of this could turn out to be a masterstroke. The rhetoric around right-to-repair and enshittification has been building for a while and, in my bubble at least, is relatively popular. But public desire doesn't mean jack if there's no avenue for change.
This gives that desire a form. The fallout from US tariffs might be the catalyst for other country leaders to take notice and try something new, having seen that capitulation or retaliatory tariffs don't help or only make their own citizens poorer.
It distils the rhetoric down to something simple you could write on a placard and take to a rally or just message your representative - Repeal the [insert your DMCA equivalent]
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Post-American internet by Cory Doctorow
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Comment on Rapid swings between pro-EV and anti-EV US policies have disrupted long-term planning, forcing Ford, GM, and Stellantis to scramble to reshape their strategy in ~society
infpossibilityspace Link ParentYes, it's basically an i3 REX. Since they stay under a constant load, that is, the load of the alternator, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't need any changeable gearing (CVT or otherwise). EREV...Yes, it's basically an i3 REX.
Since they stay under a constant load, that is, the load of the alternator, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't need any changeable gearing (CVT or otherwise).
EREV engines are also much smaller than conventional engines (the i3 REV had a 650cc scooter engine).
However they would run at a fixed RPM for efficiency, so they would have a constant drone similar to the effect of a CVT.
Also worth noting that fuel degrades over time and stagnant, months-old fuel can damage the engine, so someone who doesn't use all the fuel in a timely manner may need the fuel purging before refilling
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Comment on Rapid swings between pro-EV and anti-EV US policies have disrupted long-term planning, forcing Ford, GM, and Stellantis to scramble to reshape their strategy in ~society
infpossibilityspace Link ParentTo be clear, EREVs are quite different from traditional plug-in hybrids. Essentially the combustion side never drives the wheels, it's only job is to recharge a small battery, which in turn powers...More plug-in hybrids doesn’t seem like a bad thing, particularly if they have decent electric range. Most car trips are short.
To be clear, EREVs are quite different from traditional plug-in hybrids. Essentially the combustion side never drives the wheels, it's only job is to recharge a small battery, which in turn powers an electric motor to move the vehicle.
It's an interesting balancing act because you replace the cost of a giant battery with a fuel tank which is far more energy-dense (and thus smaller/lighter), but adding the complexity of a combustion engine means you lose the reliability and low maintenance cost of a pure EV.
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Comment on Statement from Mozilla's new CEO in ~tech
infpossibilityspace Link ParentWhat in the USP that keeps people on Chatgpt compared to other LLMs? If OpenAI start charging, why wouldn't their entire user base switch to Claude or Gemini on Mistral? Even if all western AI...People pay for things they really want or find useful when they have no alternative to get it for free
What in the USP that keeps people on Chatgpt compared to other LLMs? If OpenAI start charging, why wouldn't their entire user base switch to Claude or Gemini on Mistral? Even if all western AI companies started charging, there are plenty of excellent Chinese models too. I mean we all remember the panic they had when Deepseek was released and it got there with a fraction of OpenAI's budget.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
infpossibilityspace LinkI have a couple: My non-fiction book is Why We're Getting Poorer by Cahal Moran. It's an economics book that investigates the root of systemic inequality in the world and how we can improve it....I have a couple:
My non-fiction book is Why We're Getting Poorer by Cahal Moran. It's an economics book that investigates the root of systemic inequality in the world and how we can improve it.
He's the person behind the Unlearning Economics YouTube channel and I really like how he discusses nuanced, complex topics without the intimidating jargon that non-economists won't be familiar with, while also humanising it with personality and humour.
My fiction book is going to be Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree. I read the prequel, Bookshops & Bonedust, earlier this year not knowing it was a prequel and I enjoyed it so much I wrote to him to express my joy.
I've just finished Orwell's 1984 and Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 before that so I need something cosy to even the balance.
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Comment on The woman on a mission to photograph every species of hummingbird in the world in ~hobbies
infpossibilityspace LinkI really hope she binds them into a book when she's done, I'd buy o a copy and stare at it for hours. Even better if it includes facts with each one!I really hope she binds them into a book when she's done, I'd buy o a copy and stare at it for hours. Even better if it includes facts with each one!
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Comment on Why humanity needs a Lunar seed vault in ~space
infpossibilityspace Link ParentI think the question behind ideas like this - Should we have a backup of Svalbard because climate change is putting Svalbard in danger? - is the wrong question to ask. It's a problem of...I think the question behind ideas like this - Should we have a backup of Svalbard because climate change is putting Svalbard in danger? - is the wrong question to ask. It's a problem of opportunity cost.
The article doesn't give any timescales, but realistically something like this is going to take at least a decade to build and hundreds of millions of <insert currency> (Svalbard took 4 years and $9 million and it's not going to be less). That's a lot of time and money that could go towards fixing the core issue instead.
That someone can win a presidency partly based on the promise of less renewable energy (or at least in spite it) shows we haven't even convinced the general public that climate change is a problem. Let alone make reasonable progress to solving it. I don't see how this helps in that fight.
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Comment on Why humanity needs a Lunar seed vault in ~space
infpossibilityspace (edited )Link ParentAccording to this article, if we're on track to hit 2C of warming, the Earth would be back to the average temperature of the Pliocene era about 3-5 million years ago (for context, it's estimated...According to this article, if we're on track to hit 2C of warming, the Earth would be back to the average temperature of the Pliocene era about 3-5 million years ago (for context, it's estimated the earliest humans emerged around 300k years ago).
Checking the vault website it doesn't say anything about having recovered seeds which grew that long ago (happy to be wrong about this). Isn't it a bit of a guess to assume any of our current samples could survive climates like that?
https://earth.org/data_visualization/a-brief-history-of-co2/
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Comment on Why humanity needs a Lunar seed vault in ~space
infpossibilityspace LinkI'm struggling to understand the climate catastrophe use-case. If global warming occurs to such an extent that Svalbard is lost and we have to resort to the moon vault, wouldn't it be likely that...I'm struggling to understand the climate catastrophe use-case.
If global warming occurs to such an extent that Svalbard is lost and we have to resort to the moon vault, wouldn't it be likely that the seeds will find their previous habitat now inhospitable?
Even if they're planted in cooler climates, the weather patterns will be different too. Maybe the only way they'd survive is in a tightly controlled greenhouse which is going to be energy intensive and pricey, and therefore not suitable at scale.
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Comment on Windows: Linux GPU gaming benchmarks on Bazzite in ~games
infpossibilityspace Link ParentIt'll be interesting to see what else they do to improve their drivers. I think we'll see a lot of devs start optimising their games for AMD since that's what the steam machine uses, not to...It'll be interesting to see what else they do to improve their drivers.
I think we'll see a lot of devs start optimising their games for AMD since that's what the steam machine uses, not to mention Valve has a vested interest in pushing for AMD, as does AMD themselves.
Meanwhile only Nvidia will be really pushing to improve Nvidia stuff.
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Comment on The platonic case against AI slop in ~tech
infpossibilityspace LinkI'm always impressed with Palladium articles. If we think of the work we create as pointing towards it's platonic ideal, then we shouldn't passively accept any creation that fails in progressing...I'm always impressed with Palladium articles.
If we think of the work we create as pointing towards it's platonic ideal, then we shouldn't passively accept any creation that fails in progressing towards it.
I just watched the anime film Blue Giant, which explores a love of jazz, and the main character's motivation for pursuing it is to use music to express themself to the world as richly as possible. The platonic musical form of their personhood, in a way.
That's a powerful concept for a piece of art to handle, and I think a non-curated AI work would miss the nuance and come off as trite or cliché.
I feel like we've lost or forgotten something in having ethics be stereotyped and politicised. There's a quote from I think Feynman who, when reflecting on his involvement in creating the atomic bomb, said that physics gives you the keys to knowledge, but philosophy guides you in which doors to use them on. The parallels with misused technology are pretty clear I hope.
I want to believe we're starting to realise that with AI stuff, but it's so hard to tell with everyone in their own media bubbles and seeing how much money is still being invested in it.
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Comment on US Federal Aviation Administration reducing air traffic by 10% across forty ‘high-volume’ markets during government shutdown in ~transport
infpossibilityspace Link ParentMaybe I'm too cynical, but I can't help feel that this is part of the reason why Republicans aren't trying harder to resolve the shutdown. If ATCs end up being paid for by the airports, why does...They are requesting the ability to use airport revenues to pay ATC. A very interesting legal situation that I feel is not limited just to the legal language regarding how airports spend money.
Maybe I'm too cynical, but I can't help feel that this is part of the reason why Republicans aren't trying harder to resolve the shutdown. If ATCs end up being paid for by the airports, why does the government need to resume paying them after it's running again? It's an invisible forced privatisation.
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Comment on Millennials: How do you feel about nostalgia pandering? in ~talk
infpossibilityspace LinkI understand it from a business perspective since we're in the prime earning years of our lives, but I don't care about what earns money for them. Thankfully I've managed to escape most of it by...I understand it from a business perspective since we're in the prime earning years of our lives, but I don't care about what earns money for them. Thankfully I've managed to escape most of it by virtue of pop culture never really appealing to me, then and now.
When it comes to bands reuniting, I actually don't mind it that much since I never got to see them live and music is a big part of my life, but I definitely agree with you that being forward looking is interesting.
Finding a path away from pop culture has been way more gratifying in the long run too. Sure I don't get a lot of references, but I've found so much thoughtful art that I never would have otherwise.
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Comment on How industrial slaughter became the blueprint for modern capitalism in ~finance
infpossibilityspace Link ParentBoth things can be true, there was definitely room for moderation. It was a farce how meat workers' health was treated during this time and the government could have mandated additional safety...But in reality the food supply is really, really important. And do you know what's even more important than the supply of a particular category of food we all could live without if we had to? Confidence in the food supply. That's non negotiable. People who were irrationally buying out the dried pasta aisle needed stability more than they needed chicken.
Both things can be true, there was definitely room for moderation. It was a farce how meat workers' health was treated during this time and the government could have mandated additional safety requirements like reduced headcount, increased distance and slower line speeds.
John Oliver did a piece on meatpacking workers that's worth checking out.The author could have spent more time on making this a bit more nuanced, but they're illustrating out how meat is so engrained in western culture that we consider a lack of meat disastrous when vegetables/lentils/beans are still plentiful.
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Comment on There’s a reason US electricity prices are rising. And it’s not data centers. in ~enviro
infpossibilityspace LinkI think not enough emphasis is given to companies' negligence of replacing and upgrading old infrastructure. This could have been done gradually and continually to amortize the cost over a longer...At the same time, U.S. utilities haven’t been on top of replacing power poles and lines in the past, and are now trying to catch up. According to another report from Brattle, utilities are already spending more than $10 billion a year replacing aging transmission lines.
I think not enough emphasis is given to companies' negligence of replacing and upgrading old infrastructure.
This could have been done gradually and continually to amortize the cost over a longer period of time, but that would have gotten in the way of immediate profits.
Instead they're having to upgrade everything at once which is obviously going to be more expensive.
He's said on a recent podcast this isn't necessarily aimed at people who don't have or can't afford alternatives. He's also said this isn't designed to be a long-term thing, his reasoning/hope is if enough people do it for a month or two, their CEOs will notice and they have the ear of Trump.
Moodys claims the 10% of earners account for almost 50% of discretionary consumer spending in the US right now. Those are people who could very easily cut/replace a few services and barely notice a difference in their quality of life.