novov's recent activity
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Comment on Stranger accuses gay couple on Amtrak of molesting their own children in ~lgbt
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Comment on The problem with NFTs in ~tech
novov (edited )Link Parent(Note: I haven't finished watching Dan's video so far) The culture and technology aren't coincidental; the culture arises out of the claims and culture set forth by the technology. Even though I...(Note: I haven't finished watching Dan's video so far)
I stopped bothering with the video when it got into literally just talking about how cringey a lot of crypto culture is, which isn't something I disagree with, except for the way it's often used to self-righteously condemn everyone involved with crypto. If one is going to mock lolcows for cringe, don't act like it's a real part of some deep moral crusade against a technology.
The culture and technology aren't coincidental; the culture arises out of the claims and culture set forth by the technology.
I found the first half of the video to contain a passable technical description of cryptocurrency, but told in a way that obfuscates the actual strengths and goals of it, and only ever compares it to over-hyped future visions of it.
Even though I strongly dislike cryptocurrency, I do feel that a lot of mainstream coverage comes from a pretty poor technical background. But so far, I feel Dan is on the money (heh). And I thought this was pretty sympathetic, given what you've saying.
You can make anything sound stupid in that way. There are probably some people who have only heard those over-hyped future visions, who were about to drop a lot of money on a poorly-thought-out investment, and this bit of the video is a needed splash of water in their faces, but to anyone more knowledgeable it elicits a lot of eye rolls.
The issue is that pretty much all of the cryptocurrency "ecosystem" is sustained on that vision. Yes, one could hypothetically have crypto-with-all-of-the-hype-removed, but crypto-with-all-of-the-hype-removed is a small small portion of the whole banana. Even crypto-with-all-of-the-hype-removed relies on the backbone of crypto-that's-ripping-people-off.
Also, cryptocurrency is pretty poor at the things that is used for when you remove the hype, which I suppose is a reason why the hype is so common. Decentralisation via the immutability of the blockchain means little accountability or refunds, unless you basically put the bank back in the equation. Transaction times are poor and the efforts to alleviate them have been very slow off the ground (and due to the nature of the blockchain, will always pale in comparison to centralised currency). The promised liberation from banking just ends up - as Dan said - replacing old money with new money. And the fluctuations in price mean that it is often functionally unusable as a real currency.
I think the part about art thefts is presented misleadingly. He presents the idea that the pro-crypto position is that it's all the artist's fault for not joining the system and mint their own art as NFTs to defend it, but that's completely wrong (there can be multiple NFTs claiming to represent the same thing). I'm critical of the idea that there's real damage happening...
Firstly, there is a huge amount of criticism of RedBubble et al. doing little to remove stolen content off their site; just because one bad thing exists doesn't mean we should let more happen.
You could say "well technically the buyer wouldn't have bought the original work" - a point that accidentally serves to highlight how a lot of NFTs aren't promoted based on quality or perceived merit, but just since they've NFTs - but I imagine that if you were the artist, you may feel differently. It's very easy for someone uninvolved in the situation to say "nbd", especially if they have an incentive to do so, but where do you draw the line? Let's say the thief becomes successful off of your work, while you are struggling to pay your bills - would you be fine with that? Yes, that's hardly a common scenario, but you are basically dismissing the risk by saying "I haven't heard of it". And even if it is pretty much nothing, the emotional effect of some crypto nerds stealing your art does matter on its own; emotion and feelings are a natural and integral part of human behaviour, especially creative behaviour.
(Edit: now that I've watched the appropriate part of the video, I find it hard to believe that 80,000 NFTs - and those are just the ones DeviantArt found - do not represent a significant impact)
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Comment on The unbelievable grimness of /r/HermanCainAward, the subreddit that catalogs anti-vaxxer COVID deaths in ~tech
novov Link ParentIf people are still managing to harass families, then there needs to be more restrictions instated. The Reddit admins made the right call.If people are still managing to harass families, then there needs to be more restrictions instated. The Reddit admins made the right call.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
novov Link ParentWouldn't be surprised if that's due to translation issues, as the game is made by a Chinese team.The story is good, but the dialog is a little off in places.
Wouldn't be surprised if that's due to translation issues, as the game is made by a Chinese team.
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Comment on Dutch cities want to ban property investors in all neighborhoods in ~news
novov Link ParentThe building won't happen though, as the investors can encourage NIMBYs and lobby for property value protectionism. Those who hold assets will naturally try to prevent said assets losing value.The building won't happen though, as the investors can encourage NIMBYs and lobby for property value protectionism. Those who hold assets will naturally try to prevent said assets losing value.
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Comment on Elon Musk says Tesla is working on humanoid robots in ~tech
novov Link ParentIt's not the first time Elon has made promises wildly out of step with the current state of technology.It's not the first time Elon has made promises wildly out of step with the current state of technology.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~tech
novov Link ParentMany governments are working towards this goal to some extent, with consistent design standards and technologies. For instance - although many of the individual sites are still outdated and crappy...Many governments are working towards this goal to some extent, with consistent design standards and technologies. For instance - although many of the individual sites are still outdated and crappy - we have https://www.govt.nz in my country. Of course, it is mired in all the usual bureaucracy and inefficiency, but the impetus is there.
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Comment on The current affairs at Current Affairs is that everyone has been fired in ~news
novov Link ParentThe generally accepted definition of socialism is a system where the "workers control the means of production". Most socialists, including Robinson in the past, have interpreted this to mean a...The generally accepted definition of socialism is a system where the "workers control the means of production". Most socialists, including Robinson in the past, have interpreted this to mean a fully democratic workplace. This is is hardly the left eating itself, or some new crazy frustration; this is Robinson going against basic socialist principles that have been established by Marx and others.
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Comment on Zoom to pay $85M for lying about encryption and sending data to Facebook and Google in ~tech
novov LinkIf they've lying about encryption, what else is being hidden under the curtain? I don't think I can exactly trust them after this...If they've lying about encryption, what else is being hidden under the curtain? I don't think I can exactly trust them after this...
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~talk
novov Link ParentI would argue that those with immense wealth aren't part of the solution though, but a problem. Yes, Gates forked over a small percentage of his wealth to eliminate polio. But his foundation is...I would argue that those with immense wealth aren't part of the solution though, but a problem. Yes, Gates forked over a small percentage of his wealth to eliminate polio. But his foundation is not an unalloyed positive, and there is no rule of nature saying that only people like Gates can solve these problems. Under their watch, power has dissipated from government - which for all its flaws is accountable and somewhat democratic - and shifted it to an undemocratic cadre of individuals with little accountability or oversight; it's not a good idea to have societal machinery rely on so few. All people have their biases and blind spots; something that democracy is designed to mitigate. Even if they start with good intentions, it's a well-known fact that power corrupts.
It also matters on a societal level. The impoverished and disempowered have few paths to success in today's world, because the metaphorical big fish take up the whole pond. Bezos and Musk wouldn't be so rich if Amazon and Tesla treated their workers more fairly - workers whose contribution is definitely not reflected by their slice of the pie. And due to Gates, one company has an effective monopoly on desktop computing operating systems, and almost had one on the web.
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Comment on Feature request: Ability to ping a comment author about spelling mistakes in ~tildes
novov LinkPersonally, I'd appreciate corrections, but I imagine others may see the feature as annoying.Personally, I'd appreciate corrections, but I imagine others may see the feature as annoying.
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Comment on Xenia, the forgotten trans Linux mascot in ~tech
novov Link ParentAlso, Linus just has a soft spot for penguins. He jocularly stated that he got "penguinitis" after being bitten in Australia.Also, Linus just has a soft spot for penguins. He jocularly stated that he got "penguinitis" after being bitten in Australia.
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Comment on Baba Is You | Mobile release trailer in ~games
novov Link ParentAgreed. Played a bit of Baba a while back and it seems like a perfect game to play on the go.Agreed. Played a bit of Baba a while back and it seems like a perfect game to play on the go.
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Comment on Near, the author of bsnes and higan, has died in ~games
novov (edited )LinkSad for so much potential to be thrown away. It cannot be understated how impressive Near's body of work was, and they seemed like a stand-up person as well. Given the nature of the perpetrators,...Sad for so much potential to be thrown away. It cannot be understated how impressive Near's body of work was, and they seemed like a stand-up person as well.
Given the nature of the perpetrators, unfortunately it's completely unsurprising that they'd do that. KiwiFarms is consistently underreported for the damage they do, and they should get far more media attention. Like usual, the marginalised and vulnerable don't get the voice they deserve.
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Comment on Reddit introduces CryptoSnoos NFTs in ~tech
novov Link ParentSeems to be standard-issue for most social platforms these days to put mobile first. Makes sense, as they have the most users, but it still feels kinda shitty. At least when desktop platforms got...They've been treating mobile as the primary platform in a lot of ways, with many new features only available on mobile (and often only available on iOS specifically), so it's odd that this one is getting the opposite treatment.
Seems to be standard-issue for most social platforms these days to put mobile first. Makes sense, as they have the most users, but it still feels kinda shitty. At least when desktop platforms got exclusive features it could be semi-justified by them being ostensibly more "advanced".
I would guess that the crypto demographic largely uses desktop computers; mining isn't suited to mobile. Hence the reversal of the trend in this instance.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~tech
novov Link ParentQAA is indeed a great podcast. I'm personally a subscriber to the premium episodes and highly recommend it.QAA is indeed a great podcast. I'm personally a subscriber to the premium episodes and highly recommend it.
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Comment on YouTube experimenting with removal of public dislike count in ~tech
novov Link ParentTotally agree; they could have easily implemented something like Steam did, where abnormal negative ratings are excluded from the total.Totally agree; they could have easily implemented something like Steam did, where abnormal negative ratings are excluded from the total.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~games
novov LinkAnother point to consider is that Microsoft (manufacturers of the Xbox) have recently been - rather controversially - buying out a lot of publishers of popular games, with the intention of making...Another point to consider is that Microsoft (manufacturers of the Xbox) have recently been - rather controversially - buying out a lot of publishers of popular games, with the intention of making future products exclusive to their console and PC. For instance, if your kid hears about the upcoming Doom, Fallout, or Elder Scrolls title from a friend, there's a good chance they won't be able to get them on the PlayStation.
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Comment on The most divisive trend in water-closet architecture has reached Boston: the open-concept bathroom in ~design
novov Link ParentAnecdotally, one of my bathrooms has wooden floors and it's a mess (it's an old house, and was originally a hallway). It gets plenty of circulation if you open the window too.Anecdotally, one of my bathrooms has wooden floors and it's a mess (it's an old house, and was originally a hallway). It gets plenty of circulation if you open the window too.
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Comment on Reddit announces online presence indicators in ~tech
novov Link ParentBecause the investors probably don't really understand the market or the concept of product differentiation. They just hear that Discord is more popular with the kids these days, so they want to...Because the investors probably don't really understand the market or the concept of product differentiation. They just hear that Discord is more popular with the kids these days, so they want to make Reddit more like Discord.
It's not directly connected AFAIK, but false accusations of child abuse (or leniency towards it) have become a big thing in Republican messaging recently, in part due to QAnon. This is most likely why it's gained so much popularity, though apparently the whole "OK Groomer" thing was started on 4chan, where calling queer people pedos was commonplace even before Q.