kollkana's recent activity

  1. Comment on Dungeons & Dragons shows that modish guff doesn’t serve diversity and inclusion in ~games.tabletop

    kollkana
    Link Parent
    That still breaks down when comparing PCs to each other. Maybe a gnome is the top 0.001% for strength, but then a dragonborn in the same party physically can't be that exceptional even if it would...

    That still breaks down when comparing PCs to each other. Maybe a gnome is the top 0.001% for strength, but then a dragonborn in the same party physically can't be that exceptional even if it would make sense with their class and background.

    2 votes
  2. Comment on Honey did nothing wrong in ~tech

    kollkana
    Link Parent
    That's still not how most software works, given how things seem to have shifted to EULAs being presented when the software is run rather than during the installation. And given how devices come...

    That's still not how most software works, given how things seem to have shifted to EULAs being presented when the software is run rather than during the installation. And given how devices come preinstalled with all kinds of rubbish that it's impossible to remove without advanced technical knowledge (i.e. knowing how to identify a safe alternative OS to install and get it working), I don't think it's a reasonable stance.

    3 votes
  3. Comment on Honey did nothing wrong in ~tech

    kollkana
    Link Parent
    That doesn't change the required message. If it runs automatically then the user isn't choosing when to engage, the only option to not "use the service" is to not install the extension.

    That doesn't change the required message. If it runs automatically then the user isn't choosing when to engage, the only option to not "use the service" is to not install the extension.

    1 vote
  4. Comment on Honey did nothing wrong in ~tech

    kollkana
    Link Parent
    A reasonable interpretation of "using our service when making a purchase" would be if Honey actually does something of benefit to the end user, though, such as supplying a coupon. When the...

    A reasonable interpretation of "using our service when making a purchase" would be if Honey actually does something of benefit to the end user, though, such as supplying a coupon.

    When the extension advertises itself as an automatic check and just dismissing the prompt that it found nothing is enough to change the affiliate information, that message would need to be that installing the extension at all means they extract revenue from potentially every purchase.

    1 vote
  5. Comment on Honey did nothing wrong in ~tech

    kollkana
    Link Parent
    That's definitely a case of familiarity with the industry colouring your view. Your average internet user probably isn't going to know that injecting affiliate codes is even a thing, much less...

    That's definitely a case of familiarity with the industry colouring your view. Your average internet user probably isn't going to know that injecting affiliate codes is even a thing, much less consider it obvious that that's what Honey is doing.

    5 votes
  6. Comment on Is it just me or has advertising lost the plot entirely? in ~life

    kollkana
    Link Parent
    I understand appreciating the recommendations algorithm - Netflix knows me very well by now and their tailored recommendations are part of the service. Being a closed platform there's already a...

    I understand appreciating the recommendations algorithm - Netflix knows me very well by now and their tailored recommendations are part of the service. Being a closed platform there's already a baseline level of curation, and recommendations build on that to deliver what I want when I sit down to watch something: entertainment I will enjoy.

    I don't understand feeling the same way about advertising from companies where there's no existing relationship and thus no reason to trust their claims. Though I do tend to the more anti-consumption side of the scale, so anything encouraging me to buy something, especially something new, is fighting an uphill battle to begin with.

    3 votes
  7. Comment on How do you decide when to buy a book? in ~books

    kollkana
    Link
    I tend to do more re-reading than new reading just in general, so usually I buy a book when I want to read it again and I don't already own it. Always physical copies, though usually secondhand. I...

    I tend to do more re-reading than new reading just in general, so usually I buy a book when I want to read it again and I don't already own it. Always physical copies, though usually secondhand. I really tried to get into ebooks, but reading from a screen - even an e-ink screen - just doesn't hold my attention the same way for some reason.

    4 votes
  8. Comment on Exposing the Honey influencer scam in ~tech

    kollkana
    Link Parent
    Yeah, that was my assumption, as well as assuming that they probably wouldn't be straight-up lying about finding you "the best possible deals". Like, I assumed it'd give you the best deal that...

    Yeah, that was my assumption, as well as assuming that they probably wouldn't be straight-up lying about finding you "the best possible deals". Like, I assumed it'd give you the best deal that could be easily found, not deliberately exclude better deals that could be googled up and then use that end-user assumption as a selling point to businesses...

    Not that I ever signed up, I don't shop online enough to make the tracking worth it to me.

    15 votes
  9. Comment on Tenant unions are coming. US landlords aren't ready. in ~life

    kollkana
    Link Parent
    That's how leasehold properties work in England. You "own" the property (usually a flat, usually with a normal mortgage), but still pay (usually miniscule) rent to the freeholder. Except a few...

    That's how leasehold properties work in England. You "own" the property (usually a flat, usually with a normal mortgage), but still pay (usually miniscule) rent to the freeholder.

    Except a few years back there was a heap of new-build houses where they sold them leasehold with the promise that buyers could buy the freehold later, then the developers sold off the freehold to shitty companies who jacked up the rent and refused to sell, trapping the homeowners/tenants.

    No way I'd trust a government not to do the same as soon as they need to find some quick cash.

    6 votes
  10. Comment on How to make friends as an adult in ~life

    kollkana
    Link Parent
    I think one of my chief frustrations about trying to form adult friendships has just clicked. Forming friendships will obviously require effort, but the requirement to "be the change" is more than...

    I think one of my chief frustrations about trying to form adult friendships has just clicked. Forming friendships will obviously require effort, but the requirement to "be the change" is more than I can manage after consistently spending all my spoons on work, home, and family obligations.

    5 votes
  11. Comment on What does your computer setup look like? in ~tech

    kollkana
    Link
    I'm usually the weirdo on these topics. Both my personal and work laptops are 13" Lenovos, though different models and operating systems. I hate dealing with wires and using multiple monitors, so...

    I'm usually the weirdo on these topics.

    Both my personal and work laptops are 13" Lenovos, though different models and operating systems. I hate dealing with wires and using multiple monitors, so the only peripheral I have is a wireless mouse and the only accessory is a folding stand to angle the keyboard. I work from home 99% of the time as a database/systems developer/vaguely-IT-ish person.

    What makes it slightly comical is that I share a desk/study with my (non-techie, non-WFH) partner who has a gaming PC with an absolutely monstrously large case, a huge primary monitor, and a smaller secondary monitor. So all day I've got my little work setup squeezed around this behemoth that I never touch, sometimes also pulling out my personal laptop to put some TV show on.

    2 votes
  12. Comment on Chatbots urged teen to self-harm, suggested murdering parents, Texas lawsuit says in ~tech

    kollkana
    Link Parent
    And I advocate banning both.

    And I advocate banning both.

  13. Comment on Chatbots urged teen to self-harm, suggested murdering parents, Texas lawsuit says in ~tech

    kollkana
    Link Parent
    If it were banned we would be talking piracy back-channels, though, because of said ban.

    If it were banned we would be talking piracy back-channels, though, because of said ban.

  14. Comment on Chatbots urged teen to self-harm, suggested murdering parents, Texas lawsuit says in ~tech

    kollkana
    Link Parent
    I'm not disputing that local LLMs are non-commercial, I'm disputing that that means there's no point in banning e.g. character.ai. And if the only way to download a local LLM is through the usual...

    I'm not disputing that local LLMs are non-commercial, I'm disputing that that means there's no point in banning e.g. character.ai. And if the only way to download a local LLM is through the usual piracy back-channels, because they have been banned at the commercial level, that instantly impedes the overwhelming majority of users. I just don't think the local-only use-case is the big threat here.

  15. Comment on Chatbots urged teen to self-harm, suggested murdering parents, Texas lawsuit says in ~tech

    kollkana
    Link Parent
    Software being able to be run locally doesn't mean it can't be banned commercially and treated like virus software by security suites. That alone would significantly reduce the harm it's currently...

    Software being able to be run locally doesn't mean it can't be banned commercially and treated like virus software by security suites. That alone would significantly reduce the harm it's currently free to do.

    1 vote
  16. Comment on What short standalone book is worth more than its page count? in ~books

    kollkana
    Link
    One of my favourite books is a novella: All My Friends Are Superheroes by Andrew Kaufman Any description of the plot feels like too much because it handles everything with such a light touch. Tom...

    One of my favourite books is a novella: All My Friends Are Superheroes by Andrew Kaufman

    Any description of the plot feels like too much because it handles everything with such a light touch. Tom is a normal guy living in Toronto, his friends all have mundane "superpowers", and the book is broadly about his relationship with The Perfectionist with asides to illustrate or just describe various other people's "powers". It just has a vaguely surreal yet realistic vibe that I can't adequately put into words.

    2 votes
  17. Comment on Chatbots urged teen to self-harm, suggested murdering parents, Texas lawsuit says in ~tech

    kollkana
    Link Parent
    I vote we start with an outright ban for once and work back from there. If it's then not profitable enough to research and develop for industries that would benefit to fund their use-cases, I...

    I vote we start with an outright ban for once and work back from there. If it's then not profitable enough to research and develop for industries that would benefit to fund their use-cases, I guess we don't need the tech that badly.

    4 votes
  18. Comment on Your partner asks for your phone, you refuse over privacy, they tell you they don't trust you. How do you respond? in ~talk

    kollkana
    Link Parent
    If you hadn't found anything incriminating in her texts or emails, would that have allayed your suspicions?

    If you hadn't found anything incriminating in her texts or emails, would that have allayed your suspicions?

    3 votes
  19. Comment on Your partner asks for your phone, you refuse over privacy, they tell you they don't trust you. How do you respond? in ~talk

    kollkana
    Link Parent
    You may well be right that the battery effect is negligible these days, actually. It wasn't when I developed the habit a decade+ ago, I've also not looked into it since.

    You may well be right that the battery effect is negligible these days, actually. It wasn't when I developed the habit a decade+ ago, I've also not looked into it since.

    2 votes
  20. Comment on Your partner asks for your phone, you refuse over privacy, they tell you they don't trust you. How do you respond? in ~talk

    kollkana
    Link Parent
    I find it odd that people have their phone's location setting turned on at all outside of actively using it for e.g. navigation. Not even particularly for privacy reasons, just sheer battery life.

    I find it odd that people have their phone's location setting turned on at all outside of actively using it for e.g. navigation. Not even particularly for privacy reasons, just sheer battery life.

    5 votes