JCPhoenix's recent activity

  1. Non-Logitech replacement for G502 mouse?

    ~tech Ask (recommendations)
    My G502s are starting to exhibit the dreaded double-click problem. Now they're old -- I think one is around 10yrs old, the other 6-7yrs old -- so I've gotten solid use out of both. And G502s are...

    My G502s are starting to exhibit the dreaded double-click problem. Now they're old -- I think one is around 10yrs old, the other 6-7yrs old -- so I've gotten solid use out of both. And G502s are cheap enough these days (like US$35 on Amazon) that it'd be inexpensive to replace them with new G502s.

    But I'm still annoyed that this is happening. Plus, this isn't my first time having problems with Logitech gaming peripherals. I've had issues with my G305 wireless mouse (dongle stopped working), and I will never buy Logitech gaming keyboards again since replacement keycaps can't be purchased; gotta buy a whole new keyboard. So yeah, trying to avoid Logitech if possible.

    Anyway, I like the G502 because it has multiple buttons, particularly the main thumb button (G6), which I use for PTT on Discord/Teamspeak. I then use the other two thumb buttons (G4/G5) as forward/back in browsers or game bindings (along with G7/G8).

    Any good alternatives? Let's say ≤US$80. Preference is wired, but non-BT wireless is fine, too. If wireless, ideally it'd AA/AAA batteries so I can quickly swap rechargeable batteries. Lastly, I'm right-handed.

    TIA!

    10 votes

  2. Comment on Voyager Technologies CEO says space data center cooling problem still needs to be solved in ~space

    JCPhoenix
    Link Parent
    Until the US Navy and Coast Guard decide to chase down your ship and board it due to "irregularities," then confiscate the ship! I agree that lack of regulation isn't the goal here. But even if it...

    Until the US Navy and Coast Guard decide to chase down your ship and board it due to "irregularities," then confiscate the ship!

    I agree that lack of regulation isn't the goal here. But even if it was, like someone else pointed out, might > law. Quite often.

    3 votes

  3. Comment on US users: how are you watching Olympics coverage? in ~sports

    JCPhoenix
    Link
    Since I wanted to watch the opening ceremony (tape-delayed since I was at work when it was happening live), I ended up just paying for a month of Peacock. Annoying though that I got the top tier...

    Since I wanted to watch the opening ceremony (tape-delayed since I was at work when it was happening live), I ended up just paying for a month of Peacock. Annoying though that I got the top tier "ad-free" subscription, yet there are still ads. Boooo. First time using Peacock.

    That said, there are places on the high seas to watch most of the events. That's how I did it for the Paris Olympics. I don't think I can openly say where to look, but it wouldn't be that hard to find it.

    6 votes

  4. Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime

    JCPhoenix
    Link
    Just finished the second season of Link Click. Which was pretty good. One thing I like about this show, particularly this season, is that it's not afraid to show some uncomfortable scenes. Part of...

    Just finished the second season of Link Click. Which was pretty good. One thing I like about this show, particularly this season, is that it's not afraid to show some uncomfortable scenes. Part of the story arc involves domestic abuse. And it does not hold back. It almost feels like it shows it too much, but I think the point is so that the viewer feels the main characters' emotions, too. So that the viewer is just as mad and angry and disgusted and wanting to do something to stop said abuse as the main characters are.

    The ending is a bit bittersweet, but there is a slight tie to the prequel season, "Bridon Arc." Which I mistakenly watched before S1 and S2. Anyway, I think S3 comes out later this year sometime.

    I'm also watching Gnosia, which is an ongoing show. And since it's ongoing, I'll kinda be vague. Anyway, the latest episode (ep. 16) had me staring at my TV, jaw dropped, though with an eyebrow raised. Not because it was bad, but just because it was totally unexpected. I never played the game; didn't even know it was based on a game until someone here said so. So I went in blind to this show. Regardless, the latest episode was a bit of a mindfuck. I'm really not sure I understand what was revealed and who or what is supposedly controlling poor Yuri (the MC). Hopefully the next episode this weekend gives more info.

    My confusion aside, I do think the latest episode was visually well-done. I think it did capture the spirit and emotions of what Yuri was experiencing and feeling.

    3 votes

  5. Comment on Do you have your invite request email? Post it and let's find out what drives people to want to be a part of Tildes. in ~tildes

    JCPhoenix
    Link
    I think I just commented in the r/tildes thread. Either that, or PM'd someone who mentioned Tildes on reddit and said they were willing to send invitations.

    I think I just commented in the r/tildes thread. Either that, or PM'd someone who mentioned Tildes on reddit and said they were willing to send invitations.

    20 votes

  6. Comment on No-baggage field report: Full circle (2010) in ~travel

    JCPhoenix
    Link
    And I thought "Onebaggers" who go on multi-week/month international trips with nothing more than a ~28-35L backpack were crazy (and impressive)! For me, even a long weekend trip often has me with...

    And I thought "Onebaggers" who go on multi-week/month international trips with nothing more than a ~28-35L backpack were crazy (and impressive)!

    For me, even a long weekend trip often has me with my 28L backpack bursting at the seams. Or if not that, a ~20L backpack and my smallest carry-on-size rollerbag. So to go bagless for six weeks across five continents is something else entirely. Not saying I'd even want to do that, but I definitely want to get better at packing lighter.

    2 votes

  7. Comment on Microsoft has killed widgets six times. Here's why they keep coming back. in ~tech

    JCPhoenix
    (edited )
    Link Parent
    This is a good point. On Windows, I tend to have various programs maximized. And even if they're not, I'll sometimes tile multiple windows that do cover the whole desktop. But on Mac, I don't do...

    This is a good point. On Windows, I tend to have various programs maximized. And even if they're not, I'll sometimes tile multiple windows that do cover the whole desktop.

    But on Mac, I don't do that. Programs are rarely maximized/full-screened. I use multiple desktops a lot more, meaning there's always some space to the see the desktop. And I regularly use that one gesture to "sweep" all open windows out of the way temporarily to grab or look for something on the desktop. But even then, I rarely look at widgets. Maybe it's just a matter of finding the right widgets though.

    2 votes

  8. Comment on Microsoft has killed widgets six times. Here's why they keep coming back. in ~tech

    JCPhoenix
    Link
    I've tried various widgets on Windows out over the years, but I personally haven't found great use. Maybe the "post-it note" widget could be helpful, but a thousand unsaved tabs in Sublime Text...

    Microsoft has been trying to solve the same UX problem since 1997: how to surface live information without making you launch an app. They've shipped six different implementations across nearly 30 years. Each one died from a different fundamental flaw - performance, security, screen space, privacy, engagement. And each death triggered the same reflex: containment.

    I've tried various widgets on Windows out over the years, but I personally haven't found great use. Maybe the "post-it note" widget could be helpful, but a thousand unsaved tabs in Sublime Text works just as well, if not better!

    Even when that third-party desktop customization app, Rainmeter, was popular (maybe it's still popular?), I gave it a try for a few things, but largely found it more work than it was worth. And none of the information was ever really that helpful to constantly see at a glance. On my iPhone, I use two widgets regularly: my weather app's and the built-in battery widget for AirPods and my Apple Watch. That's it. On my MBP, I've recently added a few widgets...and, once again, I don't look at them. They just clutter the desktop.

    So it's interesting to see how often Microsoft has giveth and taketh away when it comes to widgets. Especially because I don't see many people using them. Do you all use widgets and find them helpful? Is there one iteration on Windows' widgets that you liked and used a lot?

    15 votes

  10. Comment on I'm back in ~talk

    JCPhoenix
    Link Parent
    100%. Luckily, I haven't seen that in awhile. Though Idk if we've gotten a big influx of users in awhile, either. Which is cool. I think organic growth that's more like a trickle or steady stream,...

    100%. Luckily, I haven't seen that in awhile. Though Idk if we've gotten a big influx of users in awhile, either. Which is cool. I think organic growth that's more like a trickle or steady stream, is better than a whole explosion of users at once. Especially for a smaller community like this.

    9 votes

  11. Comment on Geologists may have solved mystery of Green River's 'uphill' route in ~science

    JCPhoenix
    Link Parent
    Hey you're back! I hadn't see your username in awhile. Yeah that checks out. I do think looking at the map makes it look misleading, too. But I think that's my expectation; it's what I'm seeing in...

    Hey you're back! I hadn't see your username in awhile.

    Yeah that checks out. I do think looking at the map makes it look misleading, too. But I think that's my expectation; it's what I'm seeing in my head. When I hear "cuts through the mountains," I'm thinking it goes like right through them. Of course, just because the river doesn't go through the "main" part of the range, where the highest peaks are, that doesn't mean the area it flows through isn't still part of the Uinta Mountains, even if it is lower relative to the main body of the range.

    All this talk about Utah's geography makes me miss it. Been a long time since I've been through that part of the state.

    2 votes

  12. Comment on SpaceX is acquiring xAI in ~space

    JCPhoenix
    Link Parent
    The US alone is a big place. And there are always places and people who are willing to take some paltry handouts (or maybe its the other way around, giving tax incentives) and the promise of jobs...

    they can't build them on Earth for a reasonable amount of money.

    The US alone is a big place. And there are always places and people who are willing to take some paltry handouts (or maybe its the other way around, giving tax incentives) and the promise of jobs (however few) or whatever, even if electricity costs skyrocket. Maybe places like Northern Virginia are getting fed up with data centers, but other places are still willing to host them.

    5 votes

  13. Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games

    JCPhoenix
    Link
    I thought I was gonna take a break from mystery/detective games...Nope, just continued onto the next one. Which is Nina Aquila: Legal Eagle, Season One. It's an RPG Maker-based (or if not actually...

    I thought I was gonna take a break from mystery/detective games...Nope, just continued onto the next one.

    Which is Nina Aquila: Legal Eagle, Season One. It's an RPG Maker-based (or if not actually made in RPG Maker, definitely made to look like it) indie game very much in the vein of Ace Attorney. But two of the three cases have their own little minigames to shake things up, such as a Pokemon-esque battle system in one case, then in another, a "turn-based streetcar racing" minigame. I like that the creator has tried to make their entry into this genre their own, adding in their own flavor.

    The setting is great, the characters are fun and funny, and the backstory underneath it all definitely has me intrigued. I also like that the game doesn't take itself too seriously. Like it here's to be a good time. Like Ace Attorney. I've played some of these detective games where it's all super serious. That's fine; I just think they're more enjoyable when there's some levity and humor to it all.

    The cases and court battles aren't at all difficult. In fact, there's a lot of prompting the player when a witness says something contradictory ("Huh, that sounded strange...does that match with the evidence?"). Unlike Ace Attorney games, Nina Aquila wants to tell a story first and foremost.

    Anyway, I finished it last night and started up the fourth case -- which is a separate game altogether -- Nina Aquila: Legal Eagle, Chapter IV today. I imagine I can finish that up tonight or by tomorrow. The mystery/detective marathon continues 🕵🏽‍♂️

    6 votes

  14. Comment on I'm back in ~talk

    JCPhoenix
    Link
    Welcome back. Definitely more lively around here than before. A lot of people came in the aftermath of the reddit's "APIgate" in mid 2023. But otherwise, Tildes still Tilde-ing. Anything in...

    Welcome back. Definitely more lively around here than before. A lot of people came in the aftermath of the reddit's "APIgate" in mid 2023. But otherwise, Tildes still Tilde-ing.

    Anything in particular you're looking for?

    11 votes

  15. Comment on Geologists may have solved mystery of Green River's 'uphill' route in ~science

    JCPhoenix
    Link
    Huh, little confused here. Because I was looking at Google Maps and noticed that the Green River does appear to flow around the Uinta Mountains. Even Wikipedia's description of the river's course...

    Huh, little confused here. Because I was looking at Google Maps and noticed that the Green River does appear to flow around the Uinta Mountains.

    Even Wikipedia's description of the river's course in Utah, mentions it goes around the Uintas:

    South of the [Flaming Gorge] dam, it is forced to turn sharply eastward by the uplift of the Uinta Mountains, looping around the eastern tip of the range as it travels from Utah into northwestern Colorado and through Browns Park before turning west and then south into Dinosaur National Monument, where it passes through the Canyon of the Lodore (otherwise known as the Gates of Lodore) and is joined by the Yampa River at Steamboat Rock. It turns westward back into Utah along the southern edge of the Uintas in Whirlpool Canyon. In Utah, it meanders southwest across the Yampa Plateau and through the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation and the Ouray National Wildlife Refuge.

    But hey I'm no geologist. Either way, fascinating stuff!

    4 votes

  16. Comment on What are some of your recent "little" failures? in ~talk

    JCPhoenix
    Link
    Yesterday, I went out to dinner with a coworker and his wife. Given that we still have tons of snow and ice piled up everywhere after a snowstorm last weekend, I opted not to drive. I wasn't sure...

    Yesterday, I went out to dinner with a coworker and his wife. Given that we still have tons of snow and ice piled up everywhere after a snowstorm last weekend, I opted not to drive. I wasn't sure if I'd find parking, since the restaurant is in a more residential area. Plus, I was planning to have a few cocktails since my coworker said they were excellent. Which was true!

    Anyway, since the restaurant was only a few miles away, I was planning to take public transit. But my timing was off. Or maybe Google Maps' was; not sure. When I looked at Google Maps again before I was about to leave, it all of sudden said I'd get there like 15-20min late. So ended up taking an Uber.

    It wasn't super expensive -- about a $10 fare + tip -- but it was still more than the <$3.00 it'd have been had I taken public transit. Oh well.

    6 votes

  17. Comment on ‘ICE Out’ strike and protests: what to know about demonstrations across the US in ~society

    JCPhoenix
    Link Parent
    And to me, that's too far away. Sure, the administration and ICE seem to be backing off for now, but that can change at any moment, especially once full government funding is agreed to (FWIW, I...

    And to me, that's too far away. Sure, the administration and ICE seem to be backing off for now, but that can change at any moment, especially once full government funding is agreed to (FWIW, I think there will be a relatively brief partial shutdown). Will we see more Americans -- people, period; Americans or not -- brutalized or even murdered in the streets before March?

    I think those who are against ICE and CBP and the administration's actions need to capitalize on the anger now. There even seem to be pockets of 2A supporters, who might've supported ICE and CBP's action otherwise (though not necessarily), who are pissed, as well. There's no guarantee those people will be mad in two months. Plus, two months with this administration might as well be two years, with the way it generates controversies left and right, flooding the zone and all that.

    So to me, it makes sense to strike while the iron is hot. Not saying don't hold the March 28th No Kings protest, but I think we need more than a handful of major nationwide protests every year.

    11 votes

  18. Comment on Elon Musk says Tesla ending Models S and X production in ~transport

    JCPhoenix
    Link Parent
    That'll be a trim level for Optimus. The 3rd Generation Optimus S-EX model. With a name like that, Tesla might not be able to keep up with the demand!

    That'll be a trim level for Optimus. The 3rd Generation Optimus S-EX model.

    With a name like that, Tesla might not be able to keep up with the demand!

    4 votes

  19. Comment on USB-C PD all the things! in ~tech

    JCPhoenix
    Link
    Brief (6min) video by Jeff Geerling on a neat piece of gadgetry. It's essentially a universal barrel connector adapter kit, but uses USB-C instead of a standard wall plug. The barrels can be...

    Brief (6min) video by Jeff Geerling on a neat piece of gadgetry. It's essentially a universal barrel connector adapter kit, but uses USB-C instead of a standard wall plug. The barrels can be swapped out, and the adapter can be programmed through a simple web app to change the voltage. Think it goes up 48V @ 5A.

    Though my main concern would be the fact that the web app isn't local. What happens if the company stops supporting this thing? Or they go under? Or they get enshittified and start charging for access? I'd want to have the ability to change the adapter voltage locally.

    Still might pick up this kit. Would be a nice tool to have around the house for my homelab shenanigans. I've definitely had to order a barrel connector AC adapter for a device, without even know if the device still worked!

    12 votes