infpossibilityspace's recent activity
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Comment on Guiding principles for the years to come in ~health.mental
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Comment on Declassified US CIA guide to sabotaging fascism is suddenly viral. The e-book is now one of the most popular books online. in ~society
infpossibilityspace (edited )LinkThe final paragraph of this article is deliciously sarcastic. There are citations linked for each claim too.The final paragraph of this article is deliciously sarcastic. There are citations linked for each claim too.
It is impossible to say why this book is currently going viral at this moment in time and why it may feel particularly relevant to a workforce of millions of people who have suddenly been asked to agree to be “loyal” and work under the quasi leadership of the world’s richest man, have been asked to take a buyout that may or may not exist, have had their jobs repeatedly denigrated and threatened, have suddenly been required to return to office, have been prevented from spending money, have had to turn off critical functions that help people, and have been asked to destroy years worth of work and to rid their workplaces of DEI programs.
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Comment on Senior US official to exit after rift with Elon Musk allies over payment system in ~society
infpossibilityspace Maybe I'm too cynical, but my first thought was having direct access to the payment system would also make it easier to skim money off the top and line your pockets...Maybe I'm too cynical, but my first thought was having direct access to the payment system would also make it easier to skim money off the top and line your pockets...
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Comment on AI is creating a generation of illiterate programmers in ~tech
infpossibilityspace (edited )Link ParentTheir current architecture requires lots of examples to train well, not just the source code/documentation. They need to scrape/steal from Github and StackOverflow to be good. It's why these...Their current architecture requires lots of examples to train well, not just the source code/documentation. They need to scrape/steal from Github and StackOverflow to be good.
It's why these models are great for popular languages like Python, Rust, C++ and probably not so good at things like COBOL and FORTRAN.
Maybe there will be some change in training methods which allows them to be trained on less data, but AFAIK that's not the case right now
synthesize contextual, semantic meaning that wasn’t explicitly pre-baked into the training corpus.
I'm curious how you know this? I wasn't aware of any company making their training data public?
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Comment on AI is creating a generation of illiterate programmers in ~tech
infpossibilityspace Remember the joke that if Stackoverflow died, most programmers wouldn't be able to fix their code? Now LLMs are building an even greater dependence while also killing forums so you have fewer...Remember the joke that if Stackoverflow died, most programmers wouldn't be able to fix their code? Now LLMs are building an even greater dependence while also killing forums so you have fewer places to go when it's offline.
Humans are inherently lazy, and thinking is hard. LLMs allow you to trade mental effort for a paid service.
Our world relies on people with deep knowledge, but their numbers are small which makes their institutions fragile. We should be building deep knowledge wherever we can.
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Comment on Two hundred UK companies sign up for permanent four-day working week in ~life
infpossibilityspace (edited )Link ParentIt's certainly good, but you're still working the full 40 hours. I'm not sure I could keep any sort of productivity going for those last two hours either, I'm pretty spent by the end of a normal...It's certainly good, but you're still working the full 40 hours. I'm not sure I could keep any sort of productivity going for those last two hours either, I'm pretty spent by the end of a normal day...
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Comment on Should leftists in the US be armed? in ~society
infpossibilityspace Guns aren't legal where I live, but I don't think owning a gun works to reverse the trend towards fascism. Most people don't write to their representatives, go to bill hearings or protests -All of...Guns aren't legal where I live, but I don't think owning a gun works to reverse the trend towards fascism.
Most people don't write to their representatives, go to bill hearings or protests -All of which are less stressful, less dangerous, and imo more effective than shooting someone you disagree with (up to a certain point, which I really hope hasn't been crossed).
Not to mention the financial cost of buying equipment/training, and the mental burden of ending another humans life.
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Comment on Two hundred UK companies sign up for permanent four-day working week in ~life
infpossibilityspace Their gold (32hrs) and silver (35hrs) ratings both claim zero loss of pay, so presumably all of these companies are seeing the productivity benefits. A full-time job in the UK is 40 total hours (8...Their gold (32hrs) and silver (35hrs) ratings both claim zero loss of pay, so presumably all of these companies are seeing the productivity benefits.
A full-time job in the UK is 40 total hours (8 hour days of 7.5 hrs work + 30 min paid lunch break), so silver is 4 slightly longer days and gold is 4 normal days.
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Comment on Two hundred UK companies sign up for permanent four-day working week in ~life
infpossibilityspace (edited )LinkSearchable list of companies available here: https://www.4dayweek.co.uk/employers The question I have is, given the choice to move to an employer with more free time or higher salary, how many...Searchable list of companies available here:
https://www.4dayweek.co.uk/employers
The question I have is, given the choice to move to an employer with more free time or higher salary, how many people will seek out the former?
And I wonder what the crossover point between them is - like at what salary do most people decide that free time is more valuable to them.
If there was a cybersecurity company in that list I would be incredibly tempted. I'm a stone throw from buying a house and I'd be happy to maintain my current standard of living after that.
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Comment on Seeking advice as a Frontend web developer in ~comp
infpossibilityspace Write notes! There's no glory to keeping everything in your head :)I have the weekend to put all of my thoughts into more work-friendly words. I just don't want to word vomit or like you said, make my feelings his responsibility.
Write notes! There's no glory to keeping everything in your head :)
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Comment on US President Donald Trump to issue executive orders to end birthright citizenship, limit gender identity — incoming official in ~lgbt
infpossibilityspace DW just released a pretty good documentary on this, they traced it back to the Newt Gingrich in the 80s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrhREluLdBsHow the fuck did the United States go from its first black president to Fascism?
DW just released a pretty good documentary on this, they traced it back to the Newt Gingrich in the 80s
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Comment on Considerations on rent control in ~finance
infpossibilityspace Then I don't see what you have to worry about? A well written law should barely be noticeable for responsible landlords - it's to protect renters from the predatory ones who charge as much as they...He kept rent affordable and ensured the stock was well maintained
Then I don't see what you have to worry about? A well written law should barely be noticeable for responsible landlords - it's to protect renters from the predatory ones who charge as much as they can get away with.
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Comment on Donald Trump says he'll 'likely' give TikTok a ninety-day extension to avoid US ban in ~tech
infpossibilityspace That seems like a big if to me, I'm not in the US so my reading is probably wrong, but... I thought it can only be invoked if it's within 270 days of the law passing, which ends on Sunday - so it...Assuming the 90 day extension is valid,
That seems like a big if to me, I'm not in the US so my reading is probably wrong, but...
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I thought it can only be invoked if it's within 270 days of the law passing, which ends on Sunday - so it doesn't seem like Trump can extend it when he takes office on Monday?
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What is the significant evidence that progress has been made towards divestiture? I'm not aware of anything from Bytedance saying they're in negotiations?
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Comment on Why I make smart devices dumber: a privacy advocate's reflection in ~tech
infpossibilityspace Very good point and everyone will have their own point on that simplicity-capability spectrum. I'm not suggesting my position is superior, if you have use-cases that would never have been served...If you were someone who had mobility issues, would it still be no big deal to vacuum? I’ve never tried to vacuum while using crotches or a wheelchair, but I doubt it’s trivial. Everyone not in that situation is a broken bone away from easy things becoming hard.
Very good point and everyone will have their own point on that simplicity-capability spectrum. I'm not suggesting my position is superior, if you have use-cases that would never have been served before and solving it outweighs the downsides - that's undeniably a good thing.
From my interactions in Tildes, it's clear that most people here do think carefully about tradeoffs, so in that sense I have less reason to be concerned - I'm happy to be wrong/less skeptical that there are more thoughtful people out there :)
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Comment on Why I make smart devices dumber: a privacy advocate's reflection in ~tech
infpossibilityspace On the subject of smart devices, is anyone here actively resisting the lure of them? I'll concede some are genuinely useful (e.g Thermostats), but by and large I don't need the time saving of...On the subject of smart devices, is anyone here actively resisting the lure of them?
I'll concede some are genuinely useful (e.g
Thermostats), but by and large I don't need the time saving of vacuuming a little less frequently or having my lights on a timer so I don't have to flick a switch.Not to mention the additional cost, ewaste when it breaks, or being one update away from being borked/a security hazard.
Am I just out of touch? I like the balance of simplicity vs capability to be favoured in the former, but I feel we've swung way too far in the other direction and we're uncritically adding software bloat to everything.
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Comment on Recommend your social/softer science fiction books in ~books
infpossibilityspace (edited )LinkThe Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers is probably my favourite book. I wrote to her when I first read it and even got a reply! I don't want to say what it's about, but her way of...The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers is probably my favourite book. I wrote to her when I first read it and even got a reply!
I don't want to say what it's about, but her way of writing the characters feels so natural that it didn't feel like reading, it just felt like experiencing a whole new society.
It's the first book in her Wayfarers series, and they're all great, but each can be considered a full story.
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Comment on US Food and Drug Administration to revoke authorization for the use of red no. 3 in food and ingested drugs in ~health
infpossibilityspace Food additives in America are regulated very differently from Europe, and I was shocked when I learned (as a Brit) that the US in so different. Europe operates on a "precautionary principle",...Food additives in America are regulated very differently from Europe, and I was shocked when I learned (as a Brit) that the US in so different.
Europe operates on a "precautionary principle", essentially the safety of an additive must be proven before it can be used, otherwise it's easy to be restricted/banned.
Whereas the US works on a "risk-based approach" where an additive is presumed safe until there is evidence of harm.
That's a huge difference and it makes me wonder what other additives you use there that is causing damage on a barely perceptible level...
This is a simplification and there are other factors, but these are the guiding princples
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Comment on After almost a century, the bike valve is finally getting an update in ~engineering
infpossibilityspace Off topic - This is a big reason why I don't like the direction ebikes are heading in - almost everyone is using it as an opportunity to use more proprietary parts and preventing home repair. Not...Off topic - This is a big reason why I don't like the direction ebikes are heading in - almost everyone is using it as an opportunity to use more proprietary parts and preventing home repair. Not to mention closed-source apps which can lead to problems like the Vanmoof fiasco.
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Comment on After almost a century, the bike valve is finally getting an update in ~engineering
infpossibilityspace These sound nice, but realistically, does saving a few of seconds once every 3 months if/when you get a puncture make that much of a difference? Also what do you mean by more robust? Short of...50% better airflow and a more robust valve are both useful improvements over Presta.
These sound nice, but realistically, does saving a few of seconds once every 3 months if/when you get a puncture make that much of a difference?
Also what do you mean by more robust? Short of purposely bending it off, I have no idea how you'd break one...In reference to your other comment - Yes UDH isn't on every bike, but it's a godsend for small bike makers and repair shops who increasingly don't need to stock dozens of different hangers. I'm not yet seeing the same benefit from these valves, but I'm happy to be proven wrong!
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Comment on US introduces additional export restrictions on AI-chips in ~tech
infpossibilityspace From CptBlueBear's table, Taiwan and South Korea are on the unrestricted list, so that's not a problem. Even if they were Tier-2 countries it likely wouldn't matter. The restriction is for the...From CptBlueBear's table, Taiwan and South Korea are on the unrestricted list, so that's not a problem.
Even if they were Tier-2 countries it likely wouldn't matter. The restriction is for the purchasing of the end-product, not a restriction on manufacturing location. From my (probably wrong) understanding, the product still counts as American even if it's produced abroad, hence why the US has jurisdiction over where they can be exported to.
I have three:
(3) Was probably the easiest to decide upon, all I needed was historical examples like Mathatma Gandhi and MLK Jr and the resolve to stand up for what I believe in. The hard bit was figuring out what to stand for, and (1) and (2) are what I've decided upon so far.
Society cannot exist without trust and cooperation, and they're in short supply right now. Everything from science to food safety requires us to trust and cooperate, but they are being eroded by the selfish and untrustworthy and it brings out the worst in us.
I don't know how to change other people, but if I can be embody / empower people with those two qualities in everything I do, then I'm fighting for a better future in the most fundamental way I can.
It took me the whole of my twenties to settle on these, and maybe they'll change in the future, but for the first time as an adult I'm confident in being me :D