infpossibilityspace's recent activity
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Comment on An open letter to the University of California Regents requesting that standardized testing be re-introduced into admissions, >200 UC Professors signatures in ~humanities
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Comment on An open letter to the University of California Regents requesting that standardized testing be re-introduced into admissions, >200 UC Professors signatures in ~humanities
infpossibilityspace (edited )LinkI've seen many articles from university professors pointing out the declining numeracy and literacy skills in new students and how it's impacting their classes, and seeing this signed by so many...I've seen many articles from university professors pointing out the declining numeracy and literacy skills in new students and how it's impacting their classes, and seeing this signed by so many validates those concerns.
I'm in favour of these tests in theory, while I can't comment on the fairness/equity of how they're administered, I do think it's reasonable to expect prospective students to have a strong foundation before starting the course. It also provides a balance against the output of the mandatory school system and pushes students to take their classes more seriously if they want a higher education.
In the UK we have a "Foundation year" system where students who didn't do so well at school, or mature students who need it, can brush up their knowledge prior to the start of the main course with everyone else. Something similar would probably work in the US too?
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Comment on Battery costs just plunged 70% — this changes everything in ~enviro
infpossibilityspace Link ParentIt's cheaper than ever, but it's still going to take a decade (minimum) to pay for itself in pure electricity savings, possibly closer to 15-20 years. But you do get other benefits - it increases...It's cheaper than ever, but it's still going to take a decade (minimum) to pay for itself in pure electricity savings, possibly closer to 15-20 years.
But you do get other benefits - it increases the value of your home, so even if you don't live there long enough to earn back the investment through energy savings, you might come out on top after you sell it (though this is a gamble on future house prices in your area).
Energy price swings will affect you less. Topical relevance aside, it's possible this may be less relevant as we transition further towards grid-scale renewables (or more relevant due to global warming?).
The batteries can help in a power cut (depending on size) and also help charge an electric car, if you have/plan to get one.
So there are plenty of reasons to get it, but there's also so much investment in battery technology and manufacturing right now, it may become even cheaper and more efficient if you wait a bit longer.
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Comment on From neat lawns to wild havens: how No Mow May is transforming England’s gardens in ~enviro
infpossibilityspace Link ParentIf you want to go to the next level, look into native perennial wildflower seeds (or an annual/perennial mix), it's about £10 for a bag of seeds and once it's sown you just cut it twice a year and...If you want to go to the next level, look into native perennial wildflower seeds (or an annual/perennial mix), it's about £10 for a bag of seeds and once it's sown you just cut it twice a year and you've got a beautiful wildflower garden.
It's a little preparation for the initial sowing but it's literally a one-time job.
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Comment on How to find (a) new music (community)? in ~music
infpossibilityspace Link ParentKEXP is my favourite way to find new music, I'd also shout out BBC Radio 6 live and Tiny Desk performances. There are some great music discussion podcasts too, I really enjoy James Acaster's...KEXP is my favourite way to find new music, I'd also shout out BBC Radio 6 live and Tiny Desk performances. There are some great music discussion podcasts too, I really enjoy James Acaster's Perfect Sounds, Sticky Notes, and The Soundtrack Show
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Comment on Ageless Linux emerges to protest OS-level age verification laws in ~tech
infpossibilityspace Link ParentOh, I stand corrected! Thanks!Oh, I stand corrected! Thanks!
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Comment on Ageless Linux emerges to protest OS-level age verification laws in ~tech
infpossibilityspace Link ParentFrom the ageless Linux page (admittedly I switched from AG to the police): Unless the law makes the distinction between knowingly and unknowingly incorrect data, then wouldn't the distributor...From the ageless Linux page (admittedly I switched from AG to the police):
The enforcement mechanism is the point. AB 1043 does not need to result in a single fine to achieve its purpose. The mere existence of potential liability — $7,500 per affected child, enforced at the sole discretion of the Attorney General — creates legal risk for anyone distributing an operating system without the resources to build an age verification infrastructure.
Unless the law makes the distinction between knowingly and unknowingly incorrect data, then wouldn't the distributor would be liable if the age is wrong for any reason? Happy to be wrong about this.
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Comment on Ageless Linux emerges to protest OS-level age verification laws in ~tech
infpossibilityspace Link ParentIt's the "verification" part. The way the law is written means the OS vendor is liable if the police discover <18s have been lying about their age, which means they're incentivised to actually...It's the "verification" part.
The way the law is written means the OS vendor is liable if the police discover <18s have been lying about their age, which means they're incentivised to actually verify your age.
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Comment on Ageless Linux emerges to protest OS-level age verification laws in ~tech
infpossibilityspace Link ParentI don't think websites should be in the business of age verification either, exactly for the risk of data leaks. The safest way to store data is to never obtain it to begin with. And if you want...I don't think websites should be in the business of age verification either, exactly for the risk of data leaks. The safest way to store data is to never obtain it to begin with.
And if you want to protect the kids from bad websites, that's what parental controls are for. If you don't want your kid to see something and talking to them isn't working, push for better parental controls rather than this arbitrary surveillance.
For example the owner of a device could activate "child mode" on an account (without age verification) which changes the user agent on the device to have a child flag, and when you try to access websites and apps the vendor checks for the presence of the flag and disallows access. Then you have a law requiring vendors to check for the flag with strict penalties for non-compliance, pushing the burden onto the companies. I'm sure there are issues with this too, but my point is there are other ways to police access anonymously.
This feels like shooting the messenger to me, there's no burden or punishment for the providers of harmful content with this law.
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Comment on Survey reveals almost 50% of California teachers may quit teaching soon in ~life
infpossibilityspace Link ParentI would caution anyone from going into a profession that relies on people being passionate about their work, particularly for education and other public benefit jobs. On an individual level it's...I would caution anyone from going into a profession that relies on people being passionate about their work, particularly for education and other public benefit jobs. On an individual level it's great! I've personally been on the receiving end of excellent, joyful teachers; but collectively it becomes tempting for higher ups to exploit that passion and not provide a quality learning environment, good pay, and supporting educators in the face of unreasonable criticism.
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Comment on The average US college student is illiterate in ~life
infpossibilityspace Link ParentThat's a good point, a lot of new technology and methods of escapism encourage isolation rather than group enjoyment. It's a mix of stunting social and mental development while providing a...That's a good point, a lot of new technology and methods of escapism encourage isolation rather than group enjoyment. It's a mix of stunting social and mental development while providing a compelling, though shallow, alternative.
Another aspect is the fracturing or lack of people-centered regulation, leading to a loss of agency in daily life. I think everyone is feeling this, I certainly am, but it's probably more damaging if you've never known an alternative. So the temptation to lean into hedonism gets bigger.
All of this might also explain some of the increasing populist/nationalist right among young people; as your world becomes simultaneously smaller and harder to understand, you become more amenable to finger-pointing solutions like blaming other races/cultures.
Happy to hear other perspectives if I've got anything wrong :)
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Comment on The average US college student is illiterate in ~life
infpossibilityspace LinkI've noticed a lot of student apathy in these essays, and I'm curious where it comes from. The addiction to short-form content isn't something I experience, and my friends and coworkers are either...I've noticed a lot of student apathy in these essays, and I'm curious where it comes from. The addiction to short-form content isn't something I experience, and my friends and coworkers are either conscious about it or are older and don't have the habit. I know it's not good but I didn't realise it was this damaging?
My initial thought was a pessimism about their future; entry-level jobs being threatened by AI (whether justified or not), and houses, cars, and childcare are becoming out of reach as wealth concentrates up. The effects of global warming are getting more visible too. I certainly remember worrying about those last two when I was at university in the early 2010s, but I don't think this is the whole story.
There are more legal highs/stimulants since I was at uni, and phone gambling is also new. Again I'm not very knowledgeable about the impact of these on young people other than the potential addictiveness.
I don't blame them for their actions, on some level it must make sense, I'm just not seeing their perspective yet.
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Comment on Messy 2026 F1 cars leave a deeply disturbing impression in ~sports.motorsports
infpossibilityspace Link ParentI'd agree with that, I think fans will sympathetic to slightly slower cars if the benefit is having small, nimble cars that can follow closely and produce great racing.I'd agree with that, I think fans will sympathetic to slightly slower cars if the benefit is having small, nimble cars that can follow closely and produce great racing.
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Comment on Messy 2026 F1 cars leave a deeply disturbing impression in ~sports.motorsports
infpossibilityspace LinkF1 has always been in a strange tug-of-war between driver challenge, engineering innovation, and team costs. There's never been a time when the balance was right, in my opinion. It used to be that...F1 has always been in a strange tug-of-war between driver challenge, engineering innovation, and team costs.
There's never been a time when the balance was right, in my opinion. It used to be that championship points, and therefore prize money, was only awarded down to 6th place (simplified), so most teams actively lost money (until 2002, then awarded down to 8th and now 10th).
It was fine for so long because car development was relatively cheap. But owing to the push of engineering, cars got faster and more costly to develop, risking the death of the sport as it became less viable for a new team to overcome the barrier to entry.
Plus there's the safety aspect - we've long decided (since Clark, Senna and Bianchi) that deaths in F1 aren't acceptable. Drivers understandably want to be challenged to go faster, but that comes with an increased risk of injury.
So the FIA is in a battle it can never win. Slower cars are healthy for the sport in terms of competitiveness and safety, but worse for drivers and spectators who want to see fast, exciting action.
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Comment on A case for increasing computer literacy (but also a rant) in ~tech
infpossibilityspace Link ParentI think there's a lot of truth to this, and it speaks to the (at least initial) excitement of cheap, hackable computers like the Raspberry Pi. I wasn't around for the BBC Micro or Commodore 64,...I think there's a lot of truth to this, and it speaks to the (at least initial) excitement of cheap, hackable computers like the Raspberry Pi.
I wasn't around for the BBC Micro or Commodore 64, but to your point hackable doesn't equal approachable. A Pi is vastly more intimidating thanks to the complexity of Linux (the kernel has over 40,000,000 lines of code, and god forbid you mess something up and get booted to the grub shell!) even without being a black box. I think those early learning computers had a good balance of basic commands but ability to make fairly complex and freeform programs.
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Comment on A case for increasing computer literacy (but also a rant) in ~tech
infpossibilityspace LinkOn a deeper level, I think we're not as successful in fostering curiosity these days, or at least it's become easier to exist in the world without honing it. The extrinsic motivations you describe...On a deeper level, I think we're not as successful in fostering curiosity these days, or at least it's become easier to exist in the world without honing it.
The extrinsic motivations you describe can be useful to a limited degree, but pushing them can just as easily backfire and build resentment instead.The sw and hw are magic black boxes that cannot be understood so the consensus is to avoid trying to understand even the superficial basics that would be considered trivial even a decade before.
I think examining how we got here is key to this, and there's no simple explanation. For example you could point to the change in entertainment from actively choosing what to do (even which TV channel to watch) to having it decided for you by a company controlled algorithm. Or how it's easy to be ignorant about the inner workings of a computer if your primary device is a phone or tablet and you've never needed to open the file explorer. Individually they're technical and design achievements but together they create a darker mosaic.
And when you are interested in something, finding reliable information has gotten harder. As a younger millennial, I've seen the transition from: "Don't trust things on the Internet, use books", to "Some sources are good", to "Many seemingly good sources are just SEO", and now to "Was this written by an AI? Use books". I'm sure someone older than me will describe an even bigger transition.
So we're in a weird position where a kind of learned helplessness is seeping into general culture, fewer people see the long-term value of good, robust education for example, and it's becoming a battle in those specialist institutions to maintain trust and integrity against the external malaise.
I think there are conflicting incentives at play economically too, where it's easier to make money off passive people who don't have the curiosity and critical thinking to recognise what's happening, but at the same time you need smart and vapid people to build those exploitative systems in exchange for money.
I don't know how to foster curiosity in people other than to share what I find interesting and hope it inspires other people to do the same. I regularly share discoveries in Physics or Medicine or Cybersecurity with my family and friends (whether they read them is a different matter), and write to my representative about things I care about and believe myself to be genuinely knowledgeable in and hope it works in a small way.
Or I've just rambled for a while about something I'm utterly wrong about and I've just wasted your time :)
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Comment on Wired vs. wireless mouse and keyboard? in ~tech
infpossibilityspace LinkOne of the reasons I use wired, mechanical keyboards and mice is repairability and longevity. Keyswitches will eventually wear out (though it takes many years), and being able to swap in a new...One of the reasons I use wired, mechanical keyboards and mice is repairability and longevity. Keyswitches will eventually wear out (though it takes many years), and being able to swap in a new switch in a few minutes is way cheaper than buying new.
Cables can also be replaced if they break and I never need to worry about losing a dongle or a future Bluetooth standards making my stuff obsolete. USB has proven it's longevity - you can adapt a USB 2.0 port to USB-C and it works fine, that's 26 years of compatibility and counting.
If it ain't broke, don't change it.
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Comment on The downfall of OnePlus will be studied | The "enthusiast brand" arc in ~tech
infpossibilityspace (edited )Link ParentYou're right the android enthusiast niche is smaller than it used to be, but I think it's because of how the software is so integral to the experience in a way that's different from the past....You're right the android enthusiast niche is smaller than it used to be, but I think it's because of how the software is so integral to the experience in a way that's different from the past. De-googling a phone makes it harder to do mobile banking, for example (even shopping on my PC sometimes asks me to confirm a purchase via the phone app).
And while there are some companies catering for the niche buyer, like Fairphone aiming for an ethically produced phone, they confusingly don't add a headphone jack despite cabled headphones lasting decades compared to wireless stuff (and no Bluetooth fiddling) which goes against their purported longevity.
I guess that's the double-edged sword of commodification. Paradoxically a more level playing field ripe for disruption, and an entrenched duopoly because people stick to what they know.
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Comment on Resist and Unsubscribe in ~society
infpossibilityspace Link ParentHe'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...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.
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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).
From that link, the additional program is just a summer class, ours is a full academic year and costs the same as one, too. The additional time probably alleviates the burden on professors and students since they're not having to cram before the course starts.
Also, they don't need to accept every student who wants to take the remedial course, they can just say no.