lynxy's recent activity
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Comment on Parseword - a delightfully complex word game from Wordle’s creator in ~games
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Comment on Meta to acquire Moltbook, the social network for AI agents in ~tech
lynxy Link ParentThere is no "suddenly"- the links I provided earlier had a distinct focus on security. Yes, I suppose I pulled back from critiquing code "quality / maintainability" because you reasonably pointed...There is no "suddenly"- the links I provided earlier had a distinct focus on security. Yes, I suppose I pulled back from critiquing code "quality / maintainability" because you reasonably pointed out that often large corporate software falls behind on those fronts out of necessity. My experience, in fact, somewhat supports your point.
Except where it comes to security. At the point where the customer can be significantly negatively impacted by your poor implementations, a line should be drawn- and you're wrong when you state only that "you could hack posts on a social network for freaking AI agents". People are genuinely linking (and subsequently leaking the API keys for) other online accounts to this tool. Other aspects of their digital lives. And even worse, when it comes to OpenClaw, they're allowing these tools to run rampant on their own filesystems, or their email accounts, or their finances. It is that serious.
And you can talk about how much money a piece of software has made all you wish. It only serves to prove that you have missed the original point I was making. That these substandard tools are making this money is what frustrates me. But I suppose I'm just being condescending by hoping for a modicum of societal integrity?
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
lynxy Link ParentThe Tracker L1 is a fun little device, though when we were playing with them as we traveled they weren't quite as.. reliable as one would hope. I do wonder if MeshCore would have worked better...The Tracker L1 is a fun little device, though when we were playing with them as we traveled they weren't quite as.. reliable as one would hope. I do wonder if MeshCore would have worked better than Meshtastic? The other issue is that when the device doesn't have a GPS fix it eats the battery at speed, haha.
As for IRC- I briefly ran an Ergo server, and it is light-weight and very clean! I recommend it, if you want to try it out.
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Comment on Meta to acquire Moltbook, the social network for AI agents in ~tech
lynxy (edited )Link ParentYou regularly ship software which is susceptible to prompt injections, or fails to protect critical endpoints, or provides API (edit: sp.) keys over un-authenticated channels? You often forget to...You regularly ship software which is susceptible to prompt injections, or fails to protect critical endpoints, or provides API (edit: sp.) keys over un-authenticated channels? You often forget to secure your databases, leaving them world-accessible?
Shipping code which has low-maintainability, or code which "works well enough", might be excusable (though a disappointing reality), but shipping code that fails to pass the simplest of cybersecurity audits is inexcusable.
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Comment on Meta to acquire Moltbook, the social network for AI agents in ~tech
lynxy Link ParentThe concept is well-outlined in this article which was posted to Tildes mid-February, though it appears to have been removed at some point since. But basically, it's the sort of person who ships...The concept is well-outlined in this article which was posted to Tildes mid-February, though it appears to have been removed at some point since.
But basically, it's the sort of person who ships product-after-product, hoping to make it big. The sort of person who doesn't question if something is possible, they just promise to make it happen anyway (Tesla self driving, perhaps?). The sort of person who does not necessarily have the competence to fulfill the promises they make, so outsources the work (either to another country, or to an LLM).
Agency is important- nothing would get done without it- but the technology sector seems to value agency over competency.
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Comment on Meta to acquire Moltbook, the social network for AI agents in ~tech
lynxy Link ParentI happen to value quality over novelty, and these LLM-regurgitated chunks of unmaintainable code are consistently poor quality. I could write an essay, but if you struggle to see why anybody who...I happen to value quality over novelty, and these LLM-regurgitated chunks of unmaintainable code are consistently poor quality.
I could write an essay, but if you struggle to see why anybody who has worked in the software industry at any point could be upset by current industry trends, that likely says a lot about you. Personally, I could not imagine shipping such a flawed product- and I definitely would not accept money for it. Why are you so defensive about this?
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Comment on Meta to acquire Moltbook, the social network for AI agents in ~tech
lynxy LinkAnd another high agency idiot receives millions of dollars (probably), and validation, as a sacrifice to the hype machine.And another high agency idiot receives millions of dollars (probably), and validation, as a sacrifice to the hype machine.
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Comment on What are people using instead of VS Code? in ~comp
lynxy LinkPrevious discussion can be found here. For what it's worth, I settled on Zed. It fits my needs, runs native, and is only a little unstable. I hope the stability improves as it matures.Previous discussion can be found here.
For what it's worth, I settled on Zed. It fits my needs, runs native, and is only a little unstable. I hope the stability improves as it matures.
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
lynxy Link ParentIf I manage to reach a satisfactory point, I will definitely try to remember to post some pictures! If it works out, I should probably document the process, release the print files, etc. Blender...If I manage to reach a satisfactory point, I will definitely try to remember to post some pictures! If it works out, I should probably document the process, release the print files, etc. Blender is certainly a bit of a challenge for this sort of modelling, I think, but it should be capable enough- we will see ;)
I appreciate the interest so very much.
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
lynxy LinkGoing to straight-up out myself as a furry, or at least "furry-adjacent", with this one, but my current project (in-between lamenting quite how many of the available units in my masters programme...Going to straight-up out myself as a furry, or at least "furry-adjacent", with this one, but my current project (in-between lamenting quite how many of the available units in my masters programme are AI-oriented this year) involves ongoing research on designing and building a protogen head. For anyone that has no idea what this is, think Daft Punk helmet. Translucent visor, LED matrix displays, except a bit more.. furry.
The thing is- most everyone who builds a protogen head works off of one of the few existing "kits", which means that they mostly look the same. Even makers who build these things to sell generally use these same kits.
And these kits have some.. questionable design decisions. The primary issue I wish to solve is one of comfort. Most of the popular models for head designs seem to revolve around a 3D printed "bucket", which is supposed to be filled with padding. This feels like both a waste of plastic, but also a potential issue for ventilation & cooling. I'm also not convinced that what is essentially a DIY helmet is going to be particularly comfortable over long periods.
The idea that I am currently testing is to hijack the billions of dollars that the technology sector has invested into research into comfortably mounting heavy things to faces- VR. If I can mate a spare Valve Index face gasket to some form of third-party headstrap, perhaps one with an integrated battery for both counterweight, and power for the LED matrixes (matrices?), I can solve multiple problems in one fell swoop. Additionally, with the use of the Valve Index gasket, which is attached using four magnets on struts, I will be able to pull out the face padding and wash it when needed.
I've performed two test prints- the first, blocky and easy to print, but ugly as sin. The second is a more organic shape, and it seems to work as I hoped! Without the rest of the protogen head, the whole contraption is a little back-heavy, but this is perfect as it gives me plenty of weight to play with. Onto this inner frame I should be able to mount additional hardware- cameras for eye & mouth tracking, pillars to which I can attach the protogen mask and visor holder itself, potentially even some form of video passthrough rig if I can find an old VR headset to cannibalise. If I can design the whole thing to be modular, I can iterate on each part of the project individually, and hopefully overcome my perfectionism-induced procrastination problems.
I am struggling quite a lot with toplogy, if I am honest. I'm using Blender, because learning a CAD program is not something I want to do right now, and it's also probably a little bit of a personal philosophy thing. I'm still not convinced by any of the open CAD solutions, and I refuse to learn any tool that isn't open. I'm relatively technically proficient with blender, but organic modelling and complex topology handling still somewhat escapes me.
Anyway, there don't seem to be many spaces to talk about this specific project online, except one Telegram group which isn't very active, and when I created a Telegram account recently it was banned within half an hour despite me not even doing anything (no, not even messaging a user or joining a group- just instantly banned for no given reason).
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Comment on Sony pulls back from PlayStation games on PC in ~games
lynxy Link ParentExisting computers won't just pop out of existence? The potential market of people who play on PC remains huge, and it's not like consoles don't use RAM. They will jump in price just as all other...Existing computers won't just pop out of existence? The potential market of people who play on PC remains huge, and it's not like consoles don't use RAM. They will jump in price just as all other hardware does.
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
lynxy Link ParentI entirely understand the need for CAD tools, but for the longest time the CAD space has felt like it's dragging behind other industries when it comes to good software practices. There are...I entirely understand the need for CAD tools, but for the longest time the CAD space has felt like it's dragging behind other industries when it comes to good software practices. There are definitely some impressive tools out there built by large companies- car companies, engineering, etc- but the CAD capability is the only bit worth talking about, perhaps out of necessity. System support, openness, documentation, and price are all severely suffering.
I've tried out a few of the open offerings and the verdict always seems to be "interesting, but not ready yet". Combined with the steep learning curve that CAD requires, and I have found that I have just stuck with Blender for my 3D modelling / printing needs.
I'd love to hear how you get along with Plasticity. It's not one of the offerings I've heard much about yet! I've got a project at the moment that, while entirely technically possible in Blender, would benefit from more CAD-like tooling.
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Comment on Rob Grant, co-creator of Red Dwarf, dead at 70 in ~tv
lynxy Link ParentAh, I think it was the this video? I'll be honest, I didn't end up watching the entire thing, but the gist seems to be the usual "producers wanted the clout of known names but did not want to...Ah, I think it was the this video? I'll be honest, I didn't end up watching the entire thing, but the gist seems to be the usual "producers wanted the clout of known names but did not want to listen to any advice" spiel.
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Comment on Rob Grant, co-creator of Red Dwarf, dead at 70 in ~tv
lynxy LinkI was just watching a piece yesterday on how poorly Grant and Naylor were treated by the production of the American pilot, and this came as a complete shock. What a loss for British comedy.I was just watching a piece yesterday on how poorly Grant and Naylor were treated by the production of the American pilot, and this came as a complete shock. What a loss for British comedy.
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Comment on Why doesn’t Anthropic use Claude to make a good Claude desktop app? in ~tech
lynxy Link ParentYeah, Electron is great for portable code- just ask the Discord devs.Yeah, Electron is great for portable code- just ask the Discord devs.
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Comment on Why doesn’t Anthropic use Claude to make a good Claude desktop app? in ~tech
lynxy LinkThe simple answer is because it can't, and the current architecture will probably never be able to. Sure, you can churn out a few Python scripts, but so can anybody with a year or two of...The simple answer is because it can't, and the current architecture will probably never be able to. Sure, you can churn out a few Python scripts, but so can anybody with a year or two of programming experience. I wish we'd all stop entertaining the hype-men and push back. I hate this timeline.
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Comment on James Van Der Beek, the ‘Dawson’s Creek’ star who later mocked his own hunky persona, has died at 48 in ~tv
lynxy Link ParentI only really know him as the voice of Pazu in the English dub of Ghibli's Laputa. But not having watched much of the content he helped create doesn't lessen the loss. Fuck cancer.I only really know him as the voice of Pazu in the English dub of Ghibli's Laputa.
But not having watched much of the content he helped create doesn't lessen the loss. Fuck cancer.
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
lynxy LinkI've been modelling and printing cases for a handful of Wio Tracker L1 nodes, which I couldn't get at short notice with case/battery included, and figured (Thanos meme) that I could do it myself....I've been modelling and printing cases for a handful of Wio Tracker L1 nodes, which I couldn't get at short notice with case/battery included, and figured (Thanos meme) that I could do it myself. Unfortunately this was delayed by a day or two after the print head thermistor in my CoreOne copped it, but I should have all cases printed in time for the upcoming con. I want to see how resilient they are with a couple of thousand people nearby. The cases took only a couple of iterations to "work", but I've since printed so many iterations trying to get it as thin as possible with the (admittedly bulky) 2000mah batteries I have, as well as to perfect the button-feel.
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Comment on I tried making homemade Whoppers | Claire Recreates in ~food
lynxy LinkHow do Whoppers differ from the British Malteser, and why is it advertised as the "original malted milk ball" when they're newer than the latter? I'm glad Clair is still presenting what she cares...How do Whoppers differ from the British Malteser, and why is it advertised as the "original malted milk ball" when they're newer than the latter?
I'm glad Clair is still presenting what she cares about post the Bon Appetite scandal. It's such a shame that a channel which had so many fun hosts turned out to be so shitty in management.
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Comment on Ian McKellen does relevant Shakespeare on Stephen Colbert in ~society
lynxy Link ParentIt's a brilliant and moving performance on a topic that is now, as ever, so relevant. Though I have to wonder what good words will do but pull at the hearts of those who already agree? Especially...It's a brilliant and moving performance on a topic that is now, as ever, so relevant.
Though I have to wonder what good words will do but pull at the hearts of those who already agree?
Especially on a topic such as immigration, in which those who are so easily tricked into thinking it the cause of all their problems also happen to be those for whom the education systems seem to have fallen short.
I don't see your garden variety bigot or xenophobe listening with rapt attention to such relatively complex speech as Shakespeare, but maybe I am only pessimistic. Perhapse from the mouth of one so widely loved, so large in pop-culture, it might demand more attention?
This is a clean little game- and a lot of fun to figure out. It feels like cryptic crossword! The ability to tap around and experiment helps you learn the different functions, which is one of the reasons I never much got into cryptics. I might keep an eye on this.