lynxy's recent activity
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Comment on Never forgive them - On digital platforms vs users in ~tech
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
lynxy Link ParentI love that idea! Having put an amount of thought, recently, into the pros and cons of collecting physical media, as opposed to purely digital, it seems that this could be a fun idea to retain an...I love that idea! Having put an amount of thought, recently, into the pros and cons of collecting physical media, as opposed to purely digital, it seems that this could be a fun idea to retain an amount of functionality for Blu-Ray boxes which you have in both physical and digital. NFC chips linking to items on media on a Plex / Jellyfin instance could be quite simple to set up, and quite fun to use :)
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
lynxy LinkMy quest to assemble a 48TB RAID 5 array was briefly sidetracked when the system I was building the array on developed an un-ignorable amount of instability, and after checking components one by...My quest to assemble a 48TB RAID 5 array was briefly sidetracked when the system I was building the array on developed an un-ignorable amount of instability, and after checking components one by one, I've come to the conclusion that disabling XMP is enough to fix the problem. I'm not satisfied with this as a solution- the RAM is perfectly fine. I've tested two sets of 3600MHz DDR4 ram and the issue occurs with both. The system has run perfectly well with XMP enabled for three or more years, and I've made no egregious changes to it that might justify such a change in behaviour. We have had a dodgy breaker flip a couple of times recently, as well as a rack-mount audio interface biting the dust in an attention-grabbing way. It's possible something in the power circuitry has expired and the RAM isn't being supplied with enough voltage to run overclocked, or maybe the IMC in the Ryzen chip has degraded to the point at which it can't keep up. Whatever it is, I've not the patience to diagnose it further, and I've got a few days of array building to do. When that's done I can get back to collecting Linux ISOs!
We're looking at purchasing a recent Samsung display, and setting up a nice media watching space in what little room we have. It'd be nice to have friends over to watch things on a big screen, with nice audio. The only problem is that the Samsung devices don't appear to support Dolby Vision- a licensing dispute (if you call an unwillingness to pay as a dispute!). I'm going to be looking into a workflow to remux Dolby Vision content into the moderately more open and friendly HDR10+ standard. The tools are out there- and I'm sure MakeMKV isn't the only viable solution. A new and shiny TV seems like a good excuse to start collecting in a higher quality, and I don't mind ripping physical media myself :)
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
lynxy LinkI've been experimenting with smart-home setups these past couple of month- we have a range of Ikea Zigbee compatible bulbs and remotes, a Raspberry Pi 5 with Sonoff Zigbee controller, and a number...I've been experimenting with smart-home setups these past couple of month- we have a range of Ikea Zigbee compatible bulbs and remotes, a Raspberry Pi 5 with Sonoff Zigbee controller, and a number of other Sonoff smart sensors and such that we're trying out. The majority of the Zigbee communication is being bridged to the controller through Zigbee2MQTT, which has been almost flawless so far. Apart from a few issues when it comes to binding remotes that like to enter deep-sleep modes, the bridge has worked very well, it's HomeAssistant where the problems lie. It never keeps sync with the network state, it's overly convoluted and for all of the extra nonsense it has, the configurability is still poor. It doesn't help that Zigbee devices often have limitations when it comes to modifying parameters (brightness, colour temperature) when they're toggled off (but still powered!).
As a result, I'm writing my own Python-based automation system, with minimal dependencies, and I'm really enjoying it a lot more than I ever did HomeAssistant. I'm enjoying the simplicity of it. It's called "hab", and it mostly handles customisable bindings for switches, sensors, remotes, and lights- with more conditionals. The flexibility of the resulting system should be much better than that of purely using native Zigbee bindings, without being a behemoth of unnecessary code. The big problem that I am trying to solve is in sunrise / sunset re-configuring of lights and scenes. The solution appears to be to write automations which only change the parameters of devices which are currently toggled on, then catch any future remote / switch actions and adjust the target device / scene as necessary. With the use of smart switches like the Sonoff ZBMINIR2, the system will still be able to fail-dumb if the controller is ever knocked out, which is quite important to me.
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Comment on Nationalism, explained in ~humanities
lynxy Link ParentI suppose the issue is largely with the title, which I understand. It feels like a misleading way of leading into making a point- like clickbait. I do note that the title on the video itself has...I suppose the issue is largely with the title, which I understand. It feels like a misleading way of leading into making a point- like clickbait. I do note that the title on the video itself has now been changed from "Countries aren't real" to "Nationalism, Explained", which is a much better way to indicate the content of the video.
Stating only that "countries aren't real" because they're, like many things, a social construct, seems to dismiss the problems and limitations that come with the invention of such constructs. Yes, countries may be intangible, only a part of our social architecture, but that does not mean they do not have a very real effect on our lives.
As a side-note, I guess I also understand the potentially salty reading of the original comment. I, perhaps too, have been fighting with the seemingly arbitrary limitations that these borders enact on us. -
Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
lynxy Link ParentI have been experimenting with Home Assistant for the past week or so, using the Zigbee2MQTT bridge and Mosquitto as the broker for a number of IKEA smart home devices- mostly bulbs. In my...I have been experimenting with Home Assistant for the past week or so, using the Zigbee2MQTT bridge and Mosquitto as the broker for a number of IKEA smart home devices- mostly bulbs. In my experience so far, the bridge has been the most reliable component of this set-up, and the Home Assistant ecosystem and apps themselves are messy and unreliable.
The primary impression I get of Home Assistant is that a lot of effort has been made to extend configurability of the whole system via the YAML or GUI, without actually considering the most common uses of such a system. The very basics- binding remotes to devices- can be achieved outside of the Home Assistant sandbox, and more reliably at that (direct Zigbee bindings and groups are both quicker and better-synced than in Home Assistant). Cleverly automating a particular action across a selection of remotes / sensors and bulbs becomes a convoluted pain unless you wish to run yet another integration to achieve the same result (the big one is changing of bulb colours / temperatures depending on time-of-day).
At this point I'd feel more comfortable writing an MQTT capable Python script which performs this task directly through Zigee2MQTT bridge than through the Home Assistant configurator- but I do understand that not everybody is willing to learn how to write Python to run a smart home.
I don't know; obviously it's all personal preference and use-case, but I'm not sure it's the solution for me.
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Comment on Intuit asked us to delete part of this Decoder episode in ~finance
lynxy LinkIt could be that my initial instinct is to negatively interpret any comments made by people such as the CEO of a company like Intuit, but it strikes me that to argue that your business practices...It could be that my initial instinct is to negatively interpret any comments made by people such as the CEO of a company like Intuit, but it strikes me that to argue that your business practices are acceptable because there are viable, or "formidable" as Goodarzi phrases it, competitors in the scene and then immediately follow that argument up with an admission that you bought the main competitor is a little lacking in self-awareness. To then suggest the idea that the United States Government building a solution, a "competitor to corporate offerings", is a waste of time, and taxpayer money, because Intuit's software already exists feels particularly shitty.
Goodarzi's answers are lacking in any admission of guilt, like any good corporate figurehead's comments should be, and entirely deflective- answering the question about dark design patterns with a two paragraph long and aggravatingly generic spiel about "always trying to improve as a company".
On the one hand it's good to see a news outlet refusing to bend and releasing parts of an interview that the interviewee or a representative of the interviewee would not like made public, but on the other hand- why do we continue to play this game? Why do we continue to sit awful people down for a talk, tentatively accuse them of malicious (or at least self-serving) behaviour, and then print their HR approved word-salad responses?
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Comment on US judge rules Google must give rival third-party app stores access to the full catalog of Google Play apps — and distribute third-party stores in ~tech
lynxy Link ParentThe Google Play store might be awash with all sorts of low-effort and / or malicious entries but that doesn't, to me, indicate that a higher barrier to entry (such as absurd developer fees,...The Google Play store might be awash with all sorts of low-effort and / or malicious entries but that doesn't, to me, indicate that a higher barrier to entry (such as absurd developer fees, certification requirements, and such) is necessary. In fact, too much of a push in that direction seems to be putting off the kind of developer that actually contributes well to the store (see iA writer- https://www.androidpolice.com/popular-writing-app-goes-offline-on-android-after-struggles-with-google/).
A number of modifications to the way permissions are requested and partitioned in Android in the last few years have improved the safety of the app ecosystem and there is definitely a large selection of developers / publishers with reasonable reputation and history in the space. As long as one is sensible and at least a little proactive in researching the apps they install there is unlikely to be any issue.
Personally, as somebody who refuses to use any Google service I can get away with, including using a de-Googled LineageOS device, I welcome any changes that attempt to reverse the increasingly walled-garden approach that Google is taking. If I can fetch the small handful of Google provided apps that I still use (such as banking apps) without having to fetch them in increasingly convoluted ways, I'll be a lot more satisfied with my mobile devices.
It feels at times like Google have been watching Apple's fight and taking notes on what they themselves can get away with. Apple attempts to game the rules at every step, and the consequences aren't enough to dissuade that behavior.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
lynxy LinkI'm currently taking a break from hard science-fiction like Greg Egan's 'Diaspora' and Vernor Vinge's 'A Fire Upon the Deep' to read a little of Ursula K. Le Guin's work- namely 'The Left Hand of...I'm currently taking a break from hard science-fiction like Greg Egan's 'Diaspora' and Vernor Vinge's 'A Fire Upon the Deep' to read a little of Ursula K. Le Guin's work- namely 'The Left Hand of Darkness' (which I loved immensely), and 'The Dispossessed'. It's still science fiction in many ways, but the focus is more on society than technology.
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Comment on Inside Iron Mountain: It’s time to talk about hard drives in ~tech
lynxy LinkI have been under the impression for years that it was generally accepted that hard drives are not a particularly stable data storage format for long-term. Decades seems to be the best you can...I have been under the impression for years that it was generally accepted that hard drives are not a particularly stable data storage format for long-term. Decades seems to be the best you can reliably hope for, and one would think that files such as these, or, rather, services such as these, would be rated for much longer than that. It strikes me that this article feels like it's announcing this as if a revelation, as if new information, though I could be reading the wrong tone from it.
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Comment on The Grand Tour: One For The Road | Teaser trailer in ~tv
lynxy LinkThey have now released an official trailer- I usually don't care much for the steady churn of teaser to trailer to release, trying to drum up hype. But in-case anyone does-...They have now released an official trailer- I usually don't care much for the steady churn of teaser to trailer to release, trying to drum up hype. But in-case anyone does-
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Comment on The Grand Tour: One For The Road | Teaser trailer in ~tv
lynxy LinkA teaser for the final episode of The Grand Tour. Having spent 22 years making a loosely car-themed show as a trio, the production company has been shuttered and the final episode releases on the...A teaser for the final episode of The Grand Tour. Having spent 22 years making a loosely car-themed show as a trio, the production company has been shuttered and the final episode releases on the 13th of September on Amazon Prime.
Having watched Top Gear & The Grand Tour for most of my life, this is quite a moment. All three are likely to continue producing their own content on their own platforms- maybe I'll finally get around to watching Clarkson's farm?
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The Grand Tour: One For The Road | Teaser trailer
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Comment on Webcam recommendations? in ~tech
lynxy Link ParentYup! Quite a similar setup in a number of ways. I grabbed a second-hand Sony A7iv off of WillHaben for my hobby photography, and as you say- you can connect it through the USB C port and pipe...Yup! Quite a similar setup in a number of ways. I grabbed a second-hand Sony A7iv off of WillHaben for my hobby photography, and as you say- you can connect it through the USB C port and pipe video directly over, even on Linux. Faster rated USB C cables can actually manage above 720p, though I've found higher data throughput results in higher latency. As for a lens, a generic Sigma 24-70mm works fine. Max aperture at 2.8 which gives a shallow enough DoF for me.
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Comment on Webcam recommendations? in ~tech
lynxy Link ParentI have similar and can agree- unless you're vlogging or streaming (and even if you are!), this line of Logitech devices is the standard and will work fine for a reasonable price. I remember that...I have similar and can agree- unless you're vlogging or streaming (and even if you are!), this line of Logitech devices is the standard and will work fine for a reasonable price. I remember that the price of these increased by a shocking amount at the start of the pandemic due to increased demand, but it looks like they're back to normal at this point!
If at any time I need something with more clarity / higher frame rate I usually hook my digital mirrorless camera up, but that's very rare.
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Comment on Hands-on: Frame by Brilliant Labs is a disappointing stepping stone to something better in ~tech
lynxy LinkI have been holding out for an actual review of these things and the results aren't unexpected. I spent some time in the Brilliant Labs Discord server, too, and most of the actual material that...I have been holding out for an actual review of these things and the results aren't unexpected. I spent some time in the Brilliant Labs Discord server, too, and most of the actual material that was posted by anyone official was a perfect example of attempting to mislead in order to increase hype.
A lot of the original marketing imagery showed off capability that I'm just not certain these will ever have. And that's just when it comes to the display technology chosen. The AI never interested me at all- anyone these days can shove an LLM in a box. I can install Ollama on a Raspberry Pi- does that get me a few millions from an ignorant VC or two?
I'll keep an eye on where the developer community takes this product. As they claim, both the hardware and software stack are open source, though software is always going to be easier to homebrew.
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
lynxy Link ParentIf you don't mind my curiosity- what are you converting from? Another framework stack, or vanilla js/css?If you don't mind my curiosity- what are you converting from? Another framework stack, or vanilla js/css?
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Comment on antediluvian in ~creative
lynxy Linka trunk, returned to earth. branches gouge the ground. where once a giant stood, the remnants can be found. a stench of amber lifeblood, that soon begins to fade, as lumber is removed, in lieu of...a trunk, returned to earth.
branches gouge the ground.
where once a giant stood,
the remnants can be found.a stench of amber lifeblood,
that soon begins to fade,
as lumber is removed,
in lieu of concrete paved.the rains no more are slowed by leaves,
by canopy of ancients.blackened tarmac won't preserve
this sundered dirt foundation. -
Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
lynxy LinkIn an attempt to look more hirable in the Austrian tech sector (and therefore achieve a work Visa so I can actually live with my partner), I've been playing around with spinning up Kubernetes (K3S...In an attempt to look more hirable in the Austrian tech sector (and therefore achieve a work Visa so I can actually live with my partner), I've been playing around with spinning up Kubernetes (K3S on a set of spare RPI5 devices) instances- a tool that I've never really had cause to use in any real capacity as my primary experience in DevOps is largely personal projects. This is limited to plenty of self-hosting, Bash & Python scripting, Linux system administration and network configuration.
Unfortunately I'm finding the excess of weirdly named tools that the industry fixates on a little overwhelming, as well as the collection of paradigms that everybody appears to be obsessed with at the moment. Kubernetes, Docker, Jenkins, Terraform, Tailwind, Angular, Infrastructure as Code, etc. It feels like everybody is just ticking boxes and making stack acronyms (stackronyms?) instead of writing any actual solutions themselves. This is completely at-odds to my approach to computers (as an example, I'm perfectly happy writing a basic WebGL renderer from scratch using vanilla JS in ~26kB of code).
I'm hesitant to jump back into typical software engineering, which is closer to my industry experience, but I'm also struggling to convince anybody that the experience that I do have is worth enough (the games industry doesn't really seem to be taken seriously by the rest of the tech sector). There also aren't a large amount of games companies in Vienna, and the games industry as a whole is not particularly healthy right now.
I guess this is less of a "what am I doing with technology right now" and more of a slightly disillusioned rant about my current situation. Maybe I'll go back to university and get a Masters?
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Comment on UK becomes first country to outlaw easily guessable default passwords on connected devices in ~society
lynxy LinkFinally, what feels like a sort-of-sane take from the British government regarding laws on technology usage. I'm more used to the neolithic suggestions of someone whose main exposure to computers...Finally, what feels like a sort-of-sane take from the British government regarding laws on technology usage. I'm more used to the neolithic suggestions of someone whose main exposure to computers is the smart TV they struggle to turn on and the ever-worsening Facebook user experience.
It's neat what a few rules can do to significantly increase the security of even single-factor password authentication- namely a modicum of password complexity combined with limiting concurrent sign-in attempts.
The author takes a lot of words to make a relatively simple point, but they are not wrong. The incentive structures for anybody who wishes to provide a product or service online do not favour the consumer.
The point made is only slightly hampered by the article itself attempting to prompt me at least four times to provide my email so that they might contribute to the feed of unwanted spam that they lament.