scarecrw's recent activity
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Comment on Why your Amazon order confirmation emails have become so unhelpful in ~tech
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Comment on The most confusing Major League Baseball play of the season, a breakdown in ~sports.baseball
scarecrw Link ParentPhew. I watched the video, read the article, read the wikipedia page on appeal plays, watched the video again, and I think I finally get what happened. I'm kind of surprised that I've gone this...Phew. I watched the video, read the article, read the wikipedia page on appeal plays, watched the video again, and I think I finally get what happened.
I'm kind of surprised that I've gone this long without ever understanding appeal plays before. I'm not a baseball fan or anything, but I'll watch games on occasion and have been to a few here and there, but never realized these were different from other outs.
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Comment on Firefox for iOS now has a native adblocker in ~tech
scarecrw Link ParentDespite being a user of adblocking myself (and would generally endorse it for others), I'm split on whether it should be on or off by default. On the one hand, ads are predatory and excessive to...Despite being a user of adblocking myself (and would generally endorse it for others), I'm split on whether it should be on or off by default.
On the one hand, ads are predatory and excessive to an extent that, especially for those less internet-savvy, it makes sense to provide some layer of default protection.
Looking at it from a purely technological perspective however, a browser's job is to fetch web resources and present them to the user, not to make opinionated choices about how to do so. If we forget momentarily that these are ads, the idea that I would download a web browser, navigate to a page, and the browser would just not show certain parts of that page seems concerning.
Having the option is great, and even as a default is arguably more good than harm, but I get nervous whenever communication tools start taking too active a role in manipulating the content being shared.
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Comment on Browser fingerprinting demonstration in ~comp
scarecrw LinkOverall cool site, but this particular statistical error bugs me. You can only get this result if you assume these groups aren't correlated, which they absolutely are. That's not to say the...How rare that makes you
Each thing on its own is common. Watch how fast they multiply.Overall cool site, but this particular statistical error bugs me. You can only get this result if you assume these groups aren't correlated, which they absolutely are.
That's not to say the premise of browser fingerprinting isn't real, it's just that their suggested uniqueness score is going to be off by a couple orders of magnitude.
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Comment on What music have you been playing recently? in ~music
scarecrw Link ParentI had never heard of Hiromi, but I'm extremely glad your comment introduced me! I just listened to the Spectrum album and it is wonderful! Just so full of LIFE.I had never heard of Hiromi, but I'm extremely glad your comment introduced me! I just listened to the Spectrum album and it is wonderful! Just so full of LIFE.
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Comment on What music have you been playing recently? in ~music
scarecrw LinkAbout a year ago I bought myself an electric piano off craigslist and have been loving it! I played a bit as a young child, and have played other instruments since, but never particularly...About a year ago I bought myself an electric piano off craigslist and have been loving it! I played a bit as a young child, and have played other instruments since, but never particularly seriously. Enough, though, that I was able to jump back in and make some progress this past year.
I've mostly just worked through practice/self-teaching books, but recently picked up Shumann's Kinderszenen on a recommendation from a friend who plays. I'll admit they're more challenging than were described... but I've been able to learn a couple of them so far.
Honestly, I'm just happy to have an instrument I can play with headphones and not disturb anyone else. It's really liberating to be up in the middle of the night, unable to sleep, and just play around for a bit.
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Comment on Christopher Tin - Baba Yetu (2009) in ~music
scarecrw LinkI haven't played Civ games in a while, but I still listen to this (and the Calling all Dawns album) all the time. I should probably learn the actual lyrics at some point, but I just sing along as...I haven't played Civ games in a while, but I still listen to this (and the Calling all Dawns album) all the time.
I should probably learn the actual lyrics at some point, but I just sing along as close as I can and that's still fun.
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Comment on Pretty sure I’ve been drinking mold for the past month (or longer) in ~talk
scarecrw LinkJust for some sympathy, I did the exact same thing back in university. For at least a month I noticed something would smell funny now and then when I opened my fridge. I cleaned the fridge a half...Just for some sympathy, I did the exact same thing back in university. For at least a month I noticed something would smell funny now and then when I opened my fridge. I cleaned the fridge a half dozen times and tried to make sure everything old was removed and could never figure it out. I couldn't fathom that the water pitcher itself would be the cause...
Didn't notice any ill effects for myself, so fingers crossed you're fine as well!
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Comment on Protect your privacy with California's DROP tool (Delete Request and Opt-out Platform, for California residents) in ~tech
scarecrw LinkThere are plenty of negatives to living in California, but there are a handful of times, specifically around things like this, where I'm quite thankful to see options like I've seen it for data...There are plenty of negatives to living in California, but there are a handful of times, specifically around things like this, where I'm quite thankful to see options like
We're going to sell all your data. You cool with that?
○ Yes
○ I live in CaliforniaI've seen it for data deletion, subscription cancellation, sweepstakes entry, probably others I'm not thinking of.
Really reminds you that, while they often have incentives not to, governments can just pass laws that people want.
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Comment on Thoughts on graphene OS? in ~tech
scarecrw LinkI've been using it for a year or two now with no complaints and zero interest in switching back. Setting things up took more thought than a standard android setup, but no issues, just more choices...I've been using it for a year or two now with no complaints and zero interest in switching back. Setting things up took more thought than a standard android setup, but no issues, just more choices to make since very little comes preinstalled.
I've heard some bank apps don't work, though I just use my desktop for banking and never had a need to install the app. Only app I've actually wanted to install but couldn't was Craigslist for some reason, but the mobile site works fine.
I've been slowly de-googling for a while now, and one thing I'd share with anyone considering the same: you don't have to go all in at once. You can switch to graphene OS and still just install all your normal google apps if you want. It's security focused by default, but that's just the default. Being "secure" isn't the end-all be-all, the real value, in my mind, is the ability to actually make those decisions as fits your needs.
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Comment on Anyone want to try a theme? in ~tildes
scarecrw Link ParentStylus is the browser extension for managing custom user styles. From my understanding, it's a pretty simple tool: it uses rules to identify which pages to apply a style on (e.g. this one looks...Stylus is the browser extension for managing custom user styles.
From my understanding, it's a pretty simple tool: it uses rules to identify which pages to apply a style on (e.g. this one looks for
tildes.net) and then applies saved css to that page upon load. Users then create and share these custom styles for different sites.I used these a ton back when most websites didn't have a dark-mode. I imagine it's harder to create for lots of popular sites now since they so frequently update their look and behavior.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
scarecrw Link ParentOh awesome! I hadn't heard about that. It's been a while, so I'll probably need to start with some of the intro puzzles to remind myself how it works, but I remember thinking Opus Magnum was super...Oh awesome! I hadn't heard about that.
It's been a while, so I'll probably need to start with some of the intro puzzles to remind myself how it works, but I remember thinking Opus Magnum was super fun.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
scarecrw LinkWent through one of the last zachtronics games I hadn't yet played: Infinifactory. I enjoyed it, but it's probably pretty low on my list in comparison to other zachtronics games. The 3d controls...Went through one of the last zachtronics games I hadn't yet played: Infinifactory.
I enjoyed it, but it's probably pretty low on my list in comparison to other zachtronics games. The 3d controls are good, and the concept and execution of the puzzles is great, but everything else felt pretty lackluster. The voice acting was pretty terrible, and the plot wasn't anything interesting. It feels a little silly to say that about a puzzle game, but I thought games like TIS-100 and Shenzhen-IO did so much to develop their setting with comparatively so little.
Lastly, and this is personal taste, but Infinifactory also just seemed very easy compared to the other games; it didn't really test the boundaries of its own rules. Would have loved to see some clever approaches required near the end-game, but it was mostly just "do the same thing, but now 5 times".
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Comment on If you are asking for human attention, demonstrate human effort in ~comp
scarecrw Link ParentI've never really thought about it but I definitely use "new chat message" as a way to communicate a sense of pacing to conversation. It's like a line/stanza break in poetry.I've never really thought about it but I definitely use "new chat message" as a way to communicate a sense of pacing to conversation. It's like a line/stanza break in poetry.
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Comment on If you are asking for human attention, demonstrate human effort in ~comp
scarecrw Link ParentI think too many people have forgotten why we use grammar and punctuation. It's so associated with formality and attempts to align with social pressures that many make terrible decisions about...I think too many people have forgotten why we use grammar and punctuation. It's so associated with formality and attempts to align with social pressures that many make terrible decisions about what to include and when.
There's a reason this perception has taken hold: plenty of our writing "rules" are arbitrary and exist mostly as a way to signal your education/familiarity with writing rules. Capitalizing proper nouns or correctly punctuating before a quote doesn't really help me communicate when I'm just messaging a friend or colleague.
However, I think many have thrown the baby out with the bathwater here and decided that "casual" means "no punctuation". I very much want anyone reading something I've written (formal or otherwise) to interpret it the same way I imagined it when writing, and punctuation is a fantastic way to aid that attempt.
noise: as always writing about grammar on the internet, I am sufficiently paranoid that I made some silly errors here... but hey, if you understood, then it worked!
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Comment on Friday Facts #442 - Flip, flow, and fresh paint in ~games
scarecrw LinkI don't know if I have it in me right now to jump back into factorio, but I still love reading these posts. Just the purest of care for the project they work on, and an astonishing attention to...I don't know if I have it in me right now to jump back into factorio, but I still love reading these posts. Just the purest of care for the project they work on, and an astonishing attention to detail.
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Comment on Anyone playing Subnautica 2? in ~games
scarecrw LinkI've been holding off, but will definitely want to check it out once it's finished. I'm crossing my fingers they kept the one item I absolutely loved from the first game: the jukebox! For anyone...I've been holding off, but will definitely want to check it out once it's finished.
I'm crossing my fingers they kept the one item I absolutely loved from the first game: the jukebox! For anyone who didn't try it, you can copy local music files into a folder and then play them through the jukebox in your base/vehicle. Turning your playlist into a diegetic experience is such a clever little trick that makes your base feel so much more real. I haven't seen any other games pull this trick, and it's probably a bit niche (especially with how few people keep local music libraries), but it was super cool.
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Comment on What do folks carry in their hiking/backpacking/camping first aid kits these days? in ~hobbies
scarecrw LinkI became pretty disillusioned with most hiking first-aid equipment, though maybe I'm being dumb and have just gotten lucky. In my mind, there are really two types of first-aid situations: Things...I became pretty disillusioned with most hiking first-aid equipment, though maybe I'm being dumb and have just gotten lucky.
In my mind, there are really two types of first-aid situations:
- Things are fine, but could be made more comfortable
- Things are not fine, and you might not make it out or have permanent injuries
I carry a few things for the first category: ibuprofen, moleskin, tape, etc. I haven't found many things that fit in the second category that pass the expected value to size ratio.
Tangentially related, but I feel obligated to remind anyone who's interested in hiking/backpacking and concerned about safety: water and a map+compass are about 100x more likely to save your life than anything in a first-aid kit.
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Comment on Help me test my chess bot in ~games
scarecrw Link ParentThanks! I think you're right. Looking through some of the human games, it does seem to collapse a bit too obviously after 10-20 moves. There's an artificial improvement in the early game (as early...Thanks! I think you're right. Looking through some of the human games, it does seem to collapse a bit too obviously after 10-20 moves.
There's an artificial improvement in the early game (as early mistakes felt too obvious as a player), but the shift can feel abrupt when it happens. It's programmed to be a slow transition, but needs some fine tuning.
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Comment on Help me test my chess bot in ~games
scarecrw Link ParentAh, I thought the link just set the default, but it was actually setting a requirement. I changed it and it should work now.Ah, I thought the link just set the default, but it was actually setting a requirement. I changed it and it should work now.
I wonder if it's as simple as going by keywords? I had lock pin tweezers classified as "beauty", presumably because of "tweezers" which would also make sense with "cover".