Macha's recent activity
-
Comment on Something big is happening in ~tech
-
Comment on Discord will require a face scan or ID for full access next month in ~tech
Macha Link ParentIt's not "not being friended by strangers" it's "strangers friend requests go into a other folder" which they will be accustomed to looking in as so will their initial friend requests from their...It's not "not being friended by strangers" it's "strangers friend requests go into a other folder" which they will be accustomed to looking in as so will their initial friend requests from their friends.
-
Comment on Discord will require a face scan or ID for full access next month in ~tech
Macha Link ParentIn 7 years, they might have incrementally moved to just outright asking to know your ID and keep it on file with the way some of these regulations are trending. :(In 7 years, they might have incrementally moved to just outright asking to know your ID and keep it on file with the way some of these regulations are trending. :(
-
Comment on Something big is happening in ~tech
Macha Link ParentI'm not a founder of an AI startup, have generally felt that its been a waste of time for a long time, but I think this latest round of models (Claude 4.5 family especially) and Claude Code and...I'm not a founder of an AI startup, have generally felt that its been a waste of time for a long time, but I think this latest round of models (Claude 4.5 family especially) and Claude Code and inspired tools have been kind of the "ok, fine I'll use it in the day job" moment for me.
I'll copy my comment from another site on how I've felt about various tool and model combinations:
ChatGPT 3.5/4 (2023-2024): The chat interface was verbose and clunky and it was just... wrong... like 70+% of the time. Not worth using.
CoPilot autocomplete and Gitlab Duo and Junie (late 2024-early 2025): Wayyy too aggressive at guessing exactly what I wasn't doing and hijacked my tab complete when pre-LLM type-tetris autocomplete was just more reliable.
Copilot Edit/early Cursor (early 2025): Ok, I can sort of see uses here but god is picking the right files all the time such a pain as it really means I need to have figured out what I wanted to do in such detail already that what was even the point? Also the models at that time just quickly descended into incoherency after like three prompts, if it went off track good luck ever correcting it.
Copilot Agent mode / Cursor (late 2025): Ok, great, if the scope is narrowly scoped, and I'm either going to write the tests for it or it's refactoring existing code it could do something. Like something mechanical like the library has a migration where we need to replace the use of methods A/B/C and replace them with a different combination of X/Y/Z. great, it can do that. Or like CRUD controller #341. I mean, sure, if my boss is going to pay for it, but not life changing.
Zed Agent mode / Cursor agent mode / Claude code (early 2026): Finally something where I can like describe the architecture and requirements of a feature, let it code, review that code, give it written instructions on how to clean it up / refactor / missing tests, and iterate.
But that was like 2 years of "really it's better and revolutionary now" before it actually got there. Now maybe in some languages or problem domains, it was useful for people earlier but I can understand people who don't care about "but it works now" when they're hearing it for the sixth time.
And I mean, what one hand gives the other takes away. I have a decent amount of new work dealing with MRs from my coworkers where they just grabbed the requirements from a stakeholder, shoved it into Claude or Cursor and it passed the existing tests and it's shipped without much understanding. When they wrote them themselves, they tested it more and were more prepared to support it in production...
-
Comment on Discord will require a face scan or ID for full access next month in ~tech
Macha (edited )Link ParentI’d expect the opposite honestly - I think that’s more a fig leaf to try reduce negative feedback like when reddit promised to explore custom css on new reddit. Especially given that I expect...I’d expect the opposite honestly - I think that’s more a fig leaf to try reduce negative feedback like when reddit promised to explore custom css on new reddit. Especially given that I expect people who do not choose to share their activity with discord are overrepresented here
-
Comment on Looking for a particular kind of computer speaker in ~tech
Macha LinkLogitech Z150? https://www.logitech.com/en-eu/shop/p/z150-compact-stereo-speakers.980-000814 -
Comment on Hair loss open discussion in ~talk
Macha LinkMy father and all but one of his brothers had quite pronounced hair loss by their early 30s so I always assumed it was prey inevitable for me. On that side it’s pretty much just my grandad and...My father and all but one of his brothers had quite pronounced hair loss by their early 30s so I always assumed it was prey inevitable for me. On that side it’s pretty much just my grandad and that one uncle who dodged it. But nearing my mid 30s and no signs yet, while my younger sibling is starting to see the signs (though even for them they’ve outlasted my fathers generation). Maybe I’ve dodged it temporarily, maybe I’ve lucked out and will follow my grandfather.
-
Comment on Steam Hardware: Launch timing and other FAQs in ~games
Macha (edited )Link ParentLet's spec out an equivalent machine: CPU: "Zen 4 6C/12T CPU up to 4.8ghz": Ryzen 7500F, $159 GPU: "AMD RDNA3 28CUs with 8GB VRAM": RX 7600, $275 RAM: "16GB DDR5": Patriot 2x8GB kit, $200 Storage:...Let's spec out an equivalent machine:
CPU: "Zen 4 6C/12T CPU up to 4.8ghz": Ryzen 7500F, $159
GPU: "AMD RDNA3 28CUs with 8GB VRAM": RX 7600, $275
RAM: "16GB DDR5": Patriot 2x8GB kit, $200
Storage: "512GB NVMe SSD": This no-name 512GB NVMe SSD, $80So we're at $700 for just the core components.
But of course we're not done yet.
Motherboard: AsRock B650M, $125
PSU: No name 700W PSU, $40
Case: No name mATX case, $60So that's $935 for an equivalent build, minimum. And to be clear, I wouldn't buy that case, PSU or SSD personally and would expect that the Steam Machine's are better than what I got by sorting price lowest to highest on NewEgg
-
Comment on Any software engineers considering a career switch due to AI? in ~comp
Macha Link ParentIf you lay people off with a clear signal that "fuck you, were moving all the jobs to India" then you may also lose the people you still want to keep (even temporarily) if they see which way the...If you lay people off with a clear signal that "fuck you, were moving all the jobs to India" then you may also lose the people you still want to keep (even temporarily) if they see which way the wind is blowing. Similarly, if people had been overworking themselves because they feel they would be rewarded for "giving 110%" then that may also discourage that. On the other hand, maybe the execs want to make their employees feel under threat and they have fewer options to make it easier to take unpopular actions like RTO or reduced bonuses. That's all to say that there's a messaging game about how you present layoffs to the remaining employees too.
-
Comment on The downfall of OnePlus will be studied | The "enthusiast brand" arc in ~tech
Macha Link ParentI think the decrease in traffic to XDA has three parts: As with many forums, it’s had to deal with being displaced by social media and Reddit A lot of the demand for custom ROMs used to be just...I think the decrease in traffic to XDA has three parts:
- As with many forums, it’s had to deal with being displaced by social media and Reddit
- A lot of the demand for custom ROMs used to be just how bad manufacturer UIs and update lifecycles were. Stock Android or whatever comes on your phone is a lot more usable than it was in the gingerbread days
- Installing custom ROMs is much more inconvenient these days. The security improvements, while good, does mean that it’s much harder to get a custom ROM on a device by an uncooperative manufacturer and restrictions like the play integrity stuff means you might get locked out of banking if you do.
The same is also somewhat true on the iOS side. If you look at the three reasons I jailbroke my iPod touch 2G back in the day, they were UI tweaks, emulators and piracy. A lot of the most useful UI tweaks are base features now (like a notification drawer and quick controls), they are better platforms for playing classic games on now (switch and steam deck) and I have enough money that I don’t bother with piracy.
-
Comment on The downfall of OnePlus will be studied | The "enthusiast brand" arc in ~tech
Macha Link ParentI have a framework that’s taken serious damage. I put it in a backpack, forgot to close the backpack, and so ended up throwing the laptop across the room and denting it and damaging the keyboard...I have a framework that’s taken serious damage. I put it in a backpack, forgot to close the backpack, and so ended up throwing the laptop across the room and denting it and damaging the keyboard when I swung the backpack onto my back.
A Mac or similar premium laptop would have required either replacement of the entire laptop, or at least enough that it would appear new to an observer, and so you wouldn’t observe it in its damaged state
-
Comment on UK retailer GAME closes all standalone stores as it enters administration in ~games
Macha (edited )Link ParentGamestop absorbed everything in the early 2010s and then bailed out of Ireland during Covid, which means the best retailer of new games and new games hardware is Smyths, a national toy store...Gamestop absorbed everything in the early 2010s and then bailed out of Ireland during Covid, which means the best retailer of new games and new games hardware is Smyths, a national toy store chain. Tesco also often has stuff in their bigger stores. CeX is also here, but only as a seller of used electronics and games, and that is obviously a problem for them now that the new retailers are out, because where else do used products come from? You can see it a bit in that their PS5 shelves have been cut back and so by stock it goes: PS4, Switch, Xbox 360, 3DS, PS5, and then the combined Xbox One/Xbox Series shelf.
-
Comment on SpaceX is acquiring xAI in ~space
Macha LinkThis is interesting in the sense that SpaceX is the one of Musk's businesses that has been most successful at insulating itself from Musk, whereas Twitter and xAI have been pretty much personal...This is interesting in the sense that SpaceX is the one of Musk's businesses that has been most successful at insulating itself from Musk, whereas Twitter and xAI have been pretty much personal fiefdoms.
-
Comment on Wired vs. wireless mouse and keyboard? in ~tech
Macha LinkWired keyboard, wireless mouse. The keyboard doesn't move so there's no downside to it being wired and I can type fast enough to case problems for wireless keyboards (e.g. lol -> llo...Wired keyboard, wireless mouse.
The keyboard doesn't move so there's no downside to it being wired and I can type fast enough to case problems for wireless keyboards (e.g. lol -> llo transcribing).
The mouse does move and the wire is a hindrance for that. In addition it tends to move continuously rather than discrete steps which reduces the penalty for lag.
-
Comment on You are being misled about renewable energy technology in ~enviro
Macha Link ParentIt’s probably worth mentioning that two big reasons to continue to include wind in the mix despite the economic strides solar has made: It works at night, reducing the need for fossil fuels during...Briefly mentions wind just to acknowledge it exists and covers that it's better than other energy sources but not quite as good as solar as there is more maintenance and ongoing costs involved.
It’s probably worth mentioning that two big reasons to continue to include wind in the mix despite the economic strides solar has made:
- It works at night, reducing the need for fossil fuels during the winter
- In a lot of climates, the peak times for wind generation are times when solar is at offpeak (e.g. dark cloudy days are often windy) which reduces the need for top up gas power
-
Comment on Tildes Minecraft Weekly in ~games
Macha LinkHey, just a heads up since I kind of disappeared - I do intend to return, just been pretty busy IRL. Thought I should mention it as I do have an unfinished build in TildestownHey, just a heads up since I kind of disappeared - I do intend to return, just been pretty busy IRL. Thought I should mention it as I do have an unfinished build in Tildestown
-
Comment on As Hitman 3 turns five years old, we surely have enough hindsight to declare it – this is one of the greatest of all time, right? in ~games
Macha Link ParentThey've simplified it somewhat with: WoA Part One - Hitman 1 WoA: Base games of 1, 2, 3 WoA Deluxe: base games + pre-merger dlcs Dlc can be bought individually also The before picture was way more...They've simplified it somewhat with:
WoA Part One - Hitman 1
WoA: Base games of 1, 2, 3
WoA Deluxe: base games + pre-merger dlcsDlc can be bought individually also
The before picture was way more complicated
-
Comment on Cory Doctorow | AI companies will fail. We can salvage something from the wreckage. in ~tech
Macha Link ParentI think the reason that often ends up being the standard is that's what the most prolific boosters (especially on linkedin) claim it be capable of.I think the reason that often ends up being the standard is that's what the most prolific boosters (especially on linkedin) claim it be capable of.
-
Comment on Is it possible to live without WhatsApp? in ~tech
Macha (edited )Link ParentWhere are you from? Whatsapp here has subsumed local facebook groups, SMS, and communication with local small businesses/contractors. It's definitely the main communication method here in Ireland....I never had WhatsApp and I don't miss it.
Where are you from? Whatsapp here has subsumed local facebook groups, SMS, and communication with local small businesses/contractors. It's definitely the main communication method here in Ireland.
Discord is used by gamers and other late millenial/early gen z hobby groups.
Telegram is used by eastern europeans, furries, sellers of TV piracy devices and drug dealers.
Signal is used by tech workers and drug dealers.
Your tech illiterate grandma might still be on Facebook, but even she's probably been set up on Whatsapp by now.
-
Comment on Tildes Minecraft Weekly in ~games
Macha Link ParentAh, a lot of browsers, like Firefox or mobile Safari will try https first and since your site(/your web host?) responds on port 443, they’ll then expect the cert to be valid. The reason I...Ah, a lot of browsers, like Firefox or mobile Safari will try https first and since your site(/your web host?) responds on port 443, they’ll then expect the cert to be valid. The reason I commented is I got an error when I clicked your link because of that
Here's one plausible way
And there's your enshittified AI that goes backwards