scarecrw's recent activity
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Comment on PIGS, an opinionated unmarketable personal calculator in ~creative
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Comment on Introducing Kagi News in ~tech
scarecrw Link ParentI've been disappointed in the amount of detail that's missing. I understand it's a summary, but even in the brief overview there's a lot of repeated information which takes up space when there...I've been disappointed in the amount of detail that's missing. I understand it's a summary, but even in the brief overview there's a lot of repeated information which takes up space when there would be better questions to ask/answer. For example, here's the same information 3 times from today's summary about the World Series game:
Some Canadian fans expressed frustration after singer Rufus Wainwright altered parts of O Canada during a recent anthem performance, prompting discussion online and in news coverage
Canadian singer Chantal Kreviazuk changed a line of the English lyrics at a February event, an act that received attention when Rufus Wainwright made similar tweaks later in the World Series
Singer Chantal Kreviazuk previously altered the English lyrics of O Canada at a February game, drawing public attention before Rufus Wainwright's more recent anthem variation
On the positive side, I have appreciated the limiting to only a finite set of articles.
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Comment on Upgrade desktop to win11 when hardware isn’t supported? in ~tech
scarecrw LinkIt's been long enough that I don't remember the details of installation (I believe it was just booting from a flash drive and doing a registry edit, this guide looks close to what I did), but I've...It's been long enough that I don't remember the details of installation (I believe it was just booting from a flash drive and doing a registry edit, this guide looks close to what I did), but I've been running Windows 11 without TPM with zero issues.
I can't speak to CPU or RAM requirements, though.
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Comment on Eq in ~music
scarecrw LinkAbsolutely love Posy's videos! Just a treat for your eyes, ears, and brain. I'm not sure if this is an existing youtube sub-genre, but I love the video idea of taking quality measurement devices...Absolutely love Posy's videos! Just a treat for your eyes, ears, and brain.
I'm not sure if this is an existing youtube sub-genre, but I love the video idea of taking quality measurement devices (and techniques) and just measuring the things around us. Especially for someone with such an extensive collection for comparison, it provides great insight into something I personally would never have otherwise given much thought.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
scarecrw (edited )LinkHad some time to kill this weekend so cracked open one of the Zachtronics games I hadn't yet tried: Last Call BBS. Like most Zachtronics games, it's focused on puzzles, automation, and...Had some time to kill this weekend so cracked open one of the Zachtronics games I hadn't yet tried: Last Call BBS. Like most Zachtronics games, it's focused on puzzles, automation, and programming-esque challenges. However, unlike others from the publisher, this is a collection of 8 smaller games rather than a single puzzle type. I've liked pretty much all of the games thus far, though none of them individually as much as some other Zachtronics games.
I'm not sure if it's the game or me, but I haven't appreciated the story/worldbuilding as much as other Zachtronics games. For all the love these games get for their puzzles (which is extremely well deserved), one of my favorite bits were the quirky ways the narratives are presented: I still have my "Technical Documents" binder from SHENZHEN I/O and zines from EXAPUNKS. That's not to suggest its just the physical materials that make the narrative immersive, but the notes in Last Call BBS just haven't hit the same way.
On that note, anyone have suggestions for other games that make clever use of physical components? The only other one I can think of is the guide from Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes. I suppose those code wheels from old games count, though they weren't really part of the game.
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Comment on Connor McDavid puts his money where his mouth is with shockingly-low contract in ~sports.hockey
scarecrw Link ParentOfftopic: Looking this up, apparently this is the more common term, but it bugs me to read this instead of "hectomillionaire". I'm at least comforted knowing that there was a pointless...Offtopic:
centimillionaire
Looking this up, apparently this is the more common term, but it bugs me to read this instead of "hectomillionaire". I'm at least comforted knowing that there was a pointless back-and-forth on wikipedia with others as bothered as I am...
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Comment on How we're designing Audacity for the future in ~tech
scarecrw LinkI love seeing the effort poured into Audacity. I don't do any music or audio production, but I occasionally have a need to record something for work, clip an audio file, or similar, and Audacity...I love seeing the effort poured into Audacity. I don't do any music or audio production, but I occasionally have a need to record something for work, clip an audio file, or similar, and Audacity has been my go-to for as long as I can remember.
I'm definitely not a UI connoisseur (I use GIMP and don't get the fuss?), but I really appreciate the idea that there doesn't have to be some imposing barrier between software that's "for everyone" and that which is a "real tool". From my experience with it, Audacity has always made efforts to break down that wall, and it sounds like the future changes will continue to strive towards that goal.
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Comment on The Nobel Prize winners will be announced next week – what to know about the prestigious awards in ~science
scarecrw LinkAnd the Ig Nobel Prizes were awarded a couple of weeks ago! For those not familiar with this (less-prestigious) award, their criterion for acceptance is research that "makes you laugh, then...And the Ig Nobel Prizes were awarded a couple of weeks ago!
For those not familiar with this (less-prestigious) award, their criterion for acceptance is research that "makes you laugh, then think". I think my favorite this year was "Opportunistic foraging strategy of rainbow lizards at a seaside resort in Togo", as I love the kind of science that starts with everyday observations "huh, that lizard really loves cheese".
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Comment on 2025 NFL Season 🏈 Weekly Discussion Thread – Week 4 in ~sports.american_football
scarecrw LinkGot up at 6:30 to catch the Vikings play a pretty rough game. I felt a little like this was a reminder that fourth quarter comebacks, while perhaps exciting, usually still fail... some lucky calls...Got up at 6:30 to catch the Vikings play a pretty rough game. I felt a little like this was a reminder that fourth quarter comebacks, while perhaps exciting, usually still fail... some lucky calls and a rebound near the end aren't going to build a season.
It sounds like McCarthy won't be playing until after the bye, which hopefully can be a bit of a fresh start.
Also, not a fan of the guy off the field, but Rodgers just standing back during the tush-push was absolutely fantastic.
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Comment on What words do you recommend? in ~talk
scarecrw Link ParentWhat a great word! I need something like this for mathematical or other symbolic notations. I was shocked when I learned that things like circuit diagram symbols have regional differences.What a great word! I need something like this for mathematical or other symbolic notations. I was shocked when I learned that things like circuit diagram symbols have regional differences.
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Comment on ‘The Social Network’ follow-up sets 2026 release date and official title: ‘The Social Reckoning’ in ~movies
scarecrw LinkI'm very interested as to how this is going to tackle balancing the ethical responsibilities of individuals with the momentum of a large organization. For obvious reasons, most media representing...I'm very interested as to how this is going to tackle balancing the ethical responsibilities of individuals with the momentum of a large organization.
For obvious reasons, most media representing large organizations tends to narrow the focus to a few individuals and simplify all the decision-making processes involved. Narratively, this is almost a necessity: as a viewer, I can't understand the emotions and perspectives of 40 different people in a 2 hour movie. Because of this, a lot of media representations will do things like have a single invented character represent a whole collection of people, or treat a person in a leadership position as fully representing the entirety of their group.
I think that's going to be a particular challenge for a film like this, as I suspect the fact that decisions involved so many individuals and connected systems was a major reason why ethical considerations were put by the wayside. I don't mean to come off as an apologist; those at the top still bear full responsibility in my eyes, but I hope this movie is able to show how impactful scale and complexity can be in letting these decisions get made.
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Comment on British AI startup beats humans in international forecasting in ~tech
scarecrw LinkAnyone familiar with the competition know more about the scoring? I'm curious if they had any system to allow contestants to weight their confidence in their predictions.Anyone familiar with the competition know more about the scoring? I'm curious if they had any system to allow contestants to weight their confidence in their predictions.
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Comment on What words do you recommend? in ~talk
scarecrw Link ParentYeah, whatever oversight committee sanctioned that should have tabled it and moved on.Yeah, whatever oversight committee sanctioned that should have tabled it and moved on.
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Comment on What's a setting that you'd recommend? in ~tech
scarecrw LinkNot sure if this counts as a setting but site search shortcuts in browsers (I mostly use chrome so this works, but IIRC firefox and others support it as well). I have shortcuts set up for any...Not sure if this counts as a setting but site search shortcuts in browsers (I mostly use chrome so this works, but IIRC firefox and others support it as well).
I have shortcuts set up for any sites I regularly search (Wikipedia, Youtube, etc.) and the skipped steps of navigating to a site is remarkably handy. Type
Ctrl-t w bananaand I have the wikipedia page open. -
Comment on Kaiser says no limits on COVID vaccine for its patients in ~health
scarecrw LinkGood to hear. I've had good experiences getting Covid and flu shots through Kaiser in the past. That said, I actually got covid recently and after getting approved for paxlovid they wanted at...Good to hear. I've had good experiences getting Covid and flu shots through Kaiser in the past.
That said, I actually got covid recently and after getting approved for paxlovid they wanted at $1500 copay. Gave me a good laugh (which admittedly hurt quite a lot).
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Comment on Do we have enough NFL fans to warrant weekly discussions? in ~sports.american_football
scarecrw LinkCount me as interested. However, I'll likely comment as much as I do on most things, which is to say, not a lot.Count me as interested. However, I'll likely comment as much as I do on most things, which is to say, not a lot.
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Comment on Which other sites do you visit? in ~tech
scarecrw Link ParentOn Wikipedia, I'll give a shout out to their mobile app being surprisingly good. It's got a daily "Which came first?" game, wiki pages for nearby locations, picture of the day, featured articles,...On Wikipedia, I'll give a shout out to their mobile app being surprisingly good. It's got a daily "Which came first?" game, wiki pages for nearby locations, picture of the day, featured articles, and suggestions based off of previously read articles. With so many apps being worse versions of websites just created to get more user data, it's pretty great to see one that actually is a better experience.
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Comment on What is the most insane, tedious, difficult, and/or noteworthy gaming achievement you have completed or given up on? in ~games
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Comment on As religion wanes, how do we replace it? in ~humanities
scarecrw LinkI'm as far from an answer here as anyone, but I'll throw in one point of discussion that I've given some thought to over the years: familial obligation. One separator between religion and other...I'm as far from an answer here as anyone, but I'll throw in one point of discussion that I've given some thought to over the years: familial obligation.
One separator between religion and other more intentionally constructed community structures is the expectations that ones children will be brought into the religion as they grow up. I'd go as far as saying that, for many people, their induction into a religion as a child is their strongest connection with it.
I grew up culturally Jewish, and attending Hebrew school or having a bar/bat-mitzvah was a shared experience that, while not chosen by the children themselves, gave many people a strong shared identity. This effect seemed to overpower any personal beliefs about faith, morality, or societal roles. It's always been strange for me to see, as many people I've known would outwardly espouse secular beliefs, make light of their own religion or religion in general, and then quietly accept that "well... of course I'll still marry someone of _______ faith and raise our children the same."
This expectation to pass down identity to future generations has been a key part of what as driven many, myself included, away from organized religion. It contains a fundamental disrespect for an individual's self-determination. This can be seen acutely in religions that bar the expression of different genders/sexualities, but also in many subtle ways when people will be pressured to make certain life choices about who they form relationships with, where they live, or what goals to set for themselves.
All the negatives aside, it truly seems hard to replace the ties that are formed by this early and persistent push towards associating with an identity. It doesn't always feel right, but forced interaction and social pressure do seem remarkably effective in building a sense of community and belonging.
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Comment on The Nintendo Switch 2 is the fastest-selling gaming hardware in US history in ~games
scarecrw LinkI don't know if this is information anyone would have, but, at a demographic level, who's buying this? I haven't been in touch with the portable gaming scene since I had a gameboy color (which I...I don't know if this is information anyone would have, but, at a demographic level, who's buying this?
I haven't been in touch with the portable gaming scene since I had a gameboy color (which I admittedly kept playing until ~2013). I could see this being handy for people who travel a lot but other than that I feel so out of the target market I don't have a good sense of who uses this and how.
I'm always caught off-guard remembering how atypical some of my interactions with games and technology are, that the average age of people playing videogames is ~30, most people use a laptop instead of a desktop computer, and the most popular youtube device is a TV.
Answered my own questions a bit finding this report from 2021 about the original switch. It breaks down the age, but I'm still left wondering about use cases.
Thanks for sharing! I tried it out when you posted in the other thread but couldn't get the full picture without seeing the device.
I never went down the RPN rabbit hole myself, but, working with kids, their inability to understand parentheses and operator precedence does make me long for a world where RPN won out. I'm really curious how they'd take to the percent calculation tool, as I think seeing the numbers scroll together provides a more visceral understanding.
Also, mmmm that sound! You can tell how good the math is by the clickety-clack.