Pistos's recent activity
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Comment on Thieves steal crown jewels in four minutes from Louvre Museum in Paris in ~arts
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Comment on I could use recommendations for an ultrawide monitor in ~tech
Pistos LinkGiven your expressed feature needs and wants, I'm curious why you require ultra-wide-ness. I would guess that you'll get more quality for the same money by getting a standard 16:9 monitor.Given your expressed feature needs and wants, I'm curious why you require ultra-wide-ness. I would guess that you'll get more quality for the same money by getting a standard 16:9 monitor.
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Comment on How do I convince my workplace we need SQL databases? in ~tech
Pistos LinkNot sure how feasible this is for your scale, technical context, and departmental culture, but: You could try double-writing. Whatever goes into your existing "bad" tech stack also gets written to...Not sure how feasible this is for your scale, technical context, and departmental culture, but:
You could try double-writing. Whatever goes into your existing "bad" tech stack also gets written to your proposed "good" tech stack. Doesn't have to be super efficient, or perfectly in parallel. It could be a delayed write, even in a batch at midnight, or whatever. Then you at least have a source that you can read from and perform SQL queries against, etc. It would let you compare both tech stacks, hopefully with a situation, project, or task that gives you some meaty numbers and facts to pitch your proposal. e.g. "In the emergency incident that happened in December, it took the team X hours to come up with the needed data, but I got it from the parallel SQL database in (X - n) hours."
The new DB doesn't even necessarily have to be a perfect 1:1 copy of the data. If it can just ingest roughly the same volume/scale of data, you might still be able to make your point.
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Comment on Gimp Tutorial for Idiot? in ~comp
Pistos LinkTo me, GIMP is for image editing, but Krita is for painting, drawing, illustration. I haven't done this in a while, but I recall that you can assign hotkeys to any menu item. There's a setting you...To me, GIMP is for image editing, but Krita is for painting, drawing, illustration.
I haven't done this in a while, but I recall that you can assign hotkeys to any menu item. There's a setting you turn on, then, when you hover over a menu item, you press your desired hotkey to assign it.
Default shortcuts: For drawing shapes, I use the fill shortcut the most (Ctrl-, or Ctrl-.), but to just stroke an outline, Ctrl-'. That, as you've found, will bring up a dialogue box, but there's also a separate assignable shortcut to stroke with the last used values (default Ctrl-").
Not here to sell you on GIMP (because it just isn't the powerhouse and legend that Photoshop is), but thought I'd help you with some of your pain points with GIMP. Me, personally, GIMP's #1 missing feature is non-destructive editing. I still use GIMP, though, because it's half decent, and freely available on Linux. For certain kinds of projects, Canva (especially paid) is easier, especially for less-technical people (not implying that you are).
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Comment on I am angry at Google and wanted to share (rant) in ~tech
Pistos Link ParentThe technical parts are more or less the easy part. The hard part is dealing with when mail from your host is blocked or rejected for non-technical reasons (usually stupid ones), or unknown...The technical parts are more or less the easy part. The hard part is dealing with when mail from your host is blocked or rejected for non-technical reasons (usually stupid ones), or unknown reasons. Sometimes you more or less have no power to fix the issues, and just have to accept that entire providers (say, hotmail) will reject all your email.
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Comment on Toronto Blue Jays prove they're top dog, clinch ALCS berth in the Bronx in ~sports.baseball
Pistos Link ParentI'll admit that I laughed out loud when I saw/heard this for the first time, but I can't help thinking this is just putting things on a tee for revenge taunting if the Jays ever lose to the...I'll admit that I laughed out loud when I saw/heard this for the first time, but I can't help thinking this is just putting things on a tee for revenge taunting if the Jays ever lose to the Yankees in the future, a-la Joel Embid mockery. In fairness, I don't know if Guerrero Jr. would have continued on so much if Ortiz didn't spur him on. You could see the awkwardness on Jeter and ARod's faces, and I felt secondarily awkward, too (as a Jays fan).
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Comment on Help choosing a new linux computer? in ~tech
Pistos LinkI'd recommend keeping your budget mid-range and up, because once you start cheaping out on parts, then they'll be manufactured by some little-known brand, and so Linux compatibility is likely to...I'd recommend keeping your budget mid-range and up, because once you start cheaping out on parts, then they'll be manufactured by some little-known brand, and so Linux compatibility is likely to be iffy.
That said, you want to do a quick websearch for all the main parts' Linux compatibility before you buy, particularly the graphics, wireless network, wired network (if any), audio. To help with this, search not only for the brand and model name of your prospective part, but also the chipset, since a lot of hardware is just branded versions of a chipset, particularly when it comes to networking. Driver compatibility is often given for the chipset, rather than the brand and model of whatever you've picked up.
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Comment on I am angry at Google and wanted to share (rant) in ~tech
Pistos LinkI suppose you've passed your threshold of tolerance for Google, but, in case you wanted to "play" a little with the content blocking algorithms: Maybe try coding your message a little bit. Using...I suppose you've passed your threshold of tolerance for Google, but, in case you wanted to "play" a little with the content blocking algorithms: Maybe try coding your message a little bit. Using synonyms, alternate wording, misspellings, spaces inside words, maybe even use non-ASCII alphabet characters (accented letters, etc.). Maybe instead of mentioning Smart Features, refer to it as "the [N]th option from the top", or whatever. Other options including writing elsewhere (e.g. pastebin, github gist), and linking to it.
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Comment on I need headphone/mic recommendations for gaming before I rip my hair out in ~tech
Pistos LinkLots of good advice already given, but I'll just say a few things: I don't think you can get both a quality mic and quality headphones for that budget. For some, that budget won't even get good...Lots of good advice already given, but I'll just say a few things:
I don't think you can get both a quality mic and quality headphones for that budget. For some, that budget won't even get good headphones. That said, I think anything that competes with the Sennheiser HD 280 pro (my current pair, which I like), AudioTechnica ATH-M50x, Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro would be my recommendation, though I think they all exceed your budget. You can visit review sites for comparisons (such as rtings). For a mic: as you said, you don't have high demands of this, with just casual usage, so I think this item is where you can skimp and save. Like, an entry-level USB webcam would probably suffice (I didn't spend much on my Logitech webcam, and it suffices for video calls and Discord), or an inexpensive USB mic.
I did want to comment on this:
If I may say, I'm also somewhat starting to doubt the advice of audiophiles: I've seen threads of people saying they didn't sense a difference in audio quality between their gaming headphones and the new audiophile headphones they were recommended, or even that they found it to be worse, and the response was that they'll get used to it or that they just have a bad ear (said a lot more aggressively than how I'm paraphrasing), which is making me think it's more of a subjective difference. Then again, I'm not very well educated about audio!
Audio listening is kind of subjective, but also kind of not. There are two factors at play here.
First: different people have "different ears", in the sense that the shapes of their physical anatomy (outer ears, ear canals, etc.) are somewhat unique. On top of that, people's hearing changes over time (years), where people lose sensitivity to high frequencies (also in a personal way that differs among people), or gain sensitivity (in a negative way -- some sounds sound harsh and irritating).
Second: different audio devices have a so-called frequency response. This refers to how exactly they take input signal frequencies and produce those frequencies. For example, one device might sound like it has more bass than another, when both are used to listen to the same audio file at the same volume. With most devices (at least past a certain price threshold), you can look up the frequency response. It is often given as a graph, but sometimes just in text form (which is usually tainted by marketing/sales motives). Given this, as a consumer, you want to choose a device which achieves one goal or another. For example, you might enjoy strong bass when listening to music; or you might need great clarity in phone calls (slight boost of upper mids and highs); or you might do audio work, and need high fidelity (a "flat" frequency response).
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Comment on Looking for music solutions for my car; can anyone recommend a digital audio player? in ~transport
Pistos Link ParentDo you have any sources for that? I can see how it might track a unique ID passing by, but I didn't think it would be able to get more than that.Do you have any sources for that? I can see how it might track a unique ID passing by, but I didn't think it would be able to get more than that.
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Comment on Looking for music solutions for my car; can anyone recommend a digital audio player? in ~transport
Pistos LinkWhat are the concerns with a Bluetooth connection?What are the concerns with a Bluetooth connection?
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Comment on Shopify, pulling strings at Ruby Central, forces Bundler and RubyGems takeover in ~comp
Pistos Link ParentAFAIK, the culture shifted years ago to people doing monkey patching only very judiciously. Certainly, in the last 10 years, I almost never did it. The community learned there's almost always a...In Ruby monkey patching is considered best practice.
AFAIK, the culture shifted years ago to people doing monkey patching only very judiciously. Certainly, in the last 10 years, I almost never did it. The community learned there's almost always a feasible alternative.
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Comment on What is a business/org that's so terrible no one should use if possible? in ~life
Pistos Link ParentWell, hang on a sec. Isn't the overdraft feature ("feature") something you sign up for? i.e. not on accounts by defaultWell, hang on a sec. Isn't the overdraft feature ("feature") something you sign up for? i.e. not on accounts by default
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Comment on Letting younger children access Fortnite - Looking for opinions in ~games
Pistos Link ParentCould you elaborate on issues with Roblox?Could you elaborate on issues with Roblox?
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Comment on Make new friends here! in ~life
Pistos LinkAnyone fluent in Korean, or learning it? I'm looking for study buddies, or people to practice with, in just about any text format (Discord, Tildes DMs, email).Anyone fluent in Korean, or learning it? I'm looking for study buddies, or people to practice with, in just about any text format (Discord, Tildes DMs, email).
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Comment on My favorite mouse costs less than USD 10 in ~tech
Pistos Link ParentGiven that video, I cannot conceive how how the mouse back isn't displacing from its position on the palm. Like, if I put a spot of paint on the back of my mouse, I do not see how I can make an...Given that video, I cannot conceive how how the mouse back isn't displacing from its position on the palm. Like, if I put a spot of paint on the back of my mouse, I do not see how I can make an up/down movement without smearing the paint into a line on my palm. Other than, of course, by not contacting the mouse at all (as with the fingertip grip that I already use).
re: DPI: I can cross the width of my 4k monitor in about 2 inches of movement on the mousepad. Well within bounds of a wrist-only or fingertip-only movement (or hybrid).
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Comment on My favorite mouse costs less than USD 10 in ~tech
Pistos Link ParentHm, I'm not sure. I mean, I can go across my 4k monitor with just one sweep of the wrist + fingers; and I can go top to bottom with the fingers, but I can't do that without the fingers, which...Do you have your mouse sensitivity set to super super low or something? All it takes to move the mouse cursor up/down the entire height of a screen for me is a slight extending/retraction of my fingers. My shoulder doesn't need to activate whatsoever since I don't actually need to move my hand's overall vertical position at all... my wrist stays pretty much in the same location the entire time.
Hm, I'm not sure. I mean, I can go across my 4k monitor with just one sweep of the wrist + fingers; and I can go top to bottom with the fingers, but I can't do that without the fingers, which would be the case if I'm resting the weight of my hand and arm on the mouse's back. Don't you have to lift off of the mouse to do an up/down with your fingers?
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Comment on My favorite mouse costs less than USD 10 in ~tech
Pistos Link ParentI mean, I'm trying it now (putting weight on the "humpback" of the mouse), and I don't see how I can do up/down mouse actions without getting my shoulder involved. You can even put your opposite...I don't feel like I use my shoulder at all. It's all wrist and fingertips, other than big sweeping movements where some forearm comes in to it.
I mean, I'm trying it now (putting weight on the "humpback" of the mouse), and I don't see how I can do up/down mouse actions without getting my shoulder involved. You can even put your opposite hand on your shoulder to feel the muscles activating.
Weird. [...] so far away [...] would slow me down so much!
I dunno, it seems to work for me. If I don't need any other keys, then I put thumb, index, middle, and ring on down, left, up, and right. If I need secondary keys, I actually use the ring finger on up arrow (move forward), which frees up thumb, index, and middle for the "orbitting" secondary keys. Thumb for Alt and Ctrl, index for Shift and Enter, and middle for
\, Backspace, Ins, Del, End, Home. Middle and pinky for Left and Right respectively.Anyway, for things I really need quick access to, I put them on the extra mouse buttons. That lets me use the secondary keyboard keys for things that are needed occasionally, and not necessarily when under time pressure. For things that are ideally done with one hand moving the character, one hand aiming with mouse, I assign them to the foot pedals. Healing on the left pedal is common for me, for example, so I can still move, aim, shoot, cast spells, whatever, and fire off a heal without interrupting any of that.
Also: Nothing stopping someone from mapping WASD to a similar quartet of keys on the right side of the letters, such as
IJKLorOKL;. Then you'd get similar benefits as you mentioned, having more keys more closely adjacent. -
Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Pistos Link ParentI've been eyeing this as it keeps popping up in the spam screen areas of Steam. I am a huge fan of the middle classic Battlefields (3, 4, and V in particular), but was disappointed by One, and...I've been eyeing this as it keeps popping up in the spam screen areas of Steam. I am a huge fan of the middle classic Battlefields (3, 4, and V in particular), but was disappointed by One, and just totally avoided 2042, which has perpetually had abysmal Steam ratings and reviews. If 6 delivers something nostalgically similar to 3 and 4, I just might give it a try, after ensuring the userbase reports having good impressions. I'm worried, though, that the anti-cheat might not work under Linux Steam. Early protondb reports say it doesn't.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Pistos Link ParentEnjoy it! It's an awesome game. Still my favourite of all time. I'm still planning to get KCD2 at some point, but I'm currently working through a few backlog games first, and waiting for a deeper...Enjoy it! It's an awesome game. Still my favourite of all time. I'm still planning to get KCD2 at some point, but I'm currently working through a few backlog games first, and waiting for a deeper sale.
Brings to mind the consideration of whether we should pay attention to such things (or even publish news about them), as the fame (infamy) may fuel and encourage future similar crimes. Similarly, some argue that mass shooters, etc. should not be named or depicted (face) in news, for similar reasons (though coverage of the tragic events themselves would be acceptable).